Gracious Dining At Hotel St Germain

by Robyn Folmar

Chef  Chad Martin unveiled his spring menu at the luxe Hotel St. Germain and it’s as elegant and tasteful as you would expect from this intimate restaurant. White-gloved waiters delivered a seven-course meal starting with an ahi tuna on Champagne granita amuse bouche and ending just as beautifully with a praline mousseline and hazelnut semifreddo. 

It’s easy to melt into this luscious dining room as you swim in the buttery candlelight and eat off antique Limoges plates. This is, of course, a spot for romance in an atmosphere that drips with old school luxury. The grand dining room looks out to the ivy-covered courtyard reminiscent of a lush New Orleans terrace. The evening was too crisp to dine en plein air, but give it a couple of weeks and this rich garden will be buzzing. The hotel is known for gracious service and has been awarded Four Diamonds by AAA for 20 consecutive years. The waitstaff was so attentive that when I slightly craned my head to look at the adjoining room bursting with stacks of 75-year-old china, an attendant scurried over to see what I required.

It’s heartening that after 13 years of Chef Martin at the helm, the restaurant is still on point delivering refined, French fare. With years of perfecting French technique, Martin expertly delivers dishes such as foie gras on toasted brioche and Maine lobster poached in fennel olive oil.

Dallas has an expanding and dynamic dining scene with many bustling restaurants, bistros, bars and joints. We all have our favorite. It’s nice, though, to be a grown up and dine under a glistening chandelier, sip Bordeaux from Waterford crystal and gossip about your butler. There is no fooling around with the prix fixe dinner. Your evening breaks down thusly: Amuse Bouche, Soup, Appetizer, Seafood, Entrée, Fromage and Dessert. Let that sink in. I was able to leave the establishment on my own accord because the food was well balanced and served with a traditional eye to portion control. One leaves contented without feeling like the overfed duck you enjoyed a third of the way into the night.

It would be easy to snicker and secretly worry that the restaurant is too stuffy and formal. Don’t be fooled. There are plenty of smiles and warmth amongst the assorted crystal and sparkling, shiny things. This is classic, well-mannered dining of the best sort.

The hotel also hosts regular wine tastings and special occasion dinners throughout the year, so be sure to stay connected via email or Facebook. Although we are finally trying to shake off the last of the winter chill, it’s actually not too outlandish to think about their renowned New Years Eve get-away. The petite hotel only houses seven suites and rooms do book early, especially around special dates and holidays.

The $85 seven-course dinner is available Tuesday through Saturday and reservations are required. And no need to squeeze into those skinny jeans tonight because jacket and tie are required for the fellas.

Hotel St. Germain | 2516 Maple Ave | (214) 871-2516