by Andrew Chalk
I was delighted when I heard that Anthony Bombaci was to be the execuchef of the Hilton Dallas/Plano Granite Park. It meant that Hilton was committed to food quantumly beyond the standard hotel fare and that Bombaci, who has kept the Hilton Anatole’s food operations sans SĒR humming smoothly until now, had a marquee restaurant added to his portfolio of the other food and beverage outlets (plus banquet service) at the new hotel. At a recent media event I finally got a chance to experience the new hotel and sample the food.
Carso is easily accessed via a door right by the complimentary valet stop. One step into the room and you notice the careful contrivance in the design. Lots of contrasting surfaces of white stone (redolent of the Hill Country), chocolate colored wood and sparkling metal offset by the soft fabrics of the chairs. Lots of nooks and pass-throughs deceive the eye about the room being a cube. It feels sophisticated and comfortable. The large bar area on the other side of the lobby echoes many of these themes but is more open, presumably for sports TV viewing. Continue reading
