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MINDING YOUR MANOR Society, 403 North Bishop Ave., 214.942.4600; jacksonvaughn.com STEPHEN DUX Society FRESH SPOTS TO SHOP GAZE AND GRAZE , WE'RE BEING SPOON-FED, NOURISHED BY FASHION AND JUICE, TEMPTED BY TURBAN-TOPPED NOBLES & CURATED VINTAGES. TIDAL RAVE Dr., 855.947.7666; Spoon Bar & Kitchen, 8220-B Westchester BO JOPLIN With his well-documented penchant for the dramatic, it's easy to forget that fivestar chef John Tesar received classical French training at La Varenne Ecole de Cuisine in Paris then logged hours in the kitchen with Anthony Bourdain, merited a James Beard nomination, nabbed the top kitchen job at The Mansion and walked away $10,000 richer on Extreme Chef throughout the course of his 20-year career. And with the opening of his much-ballyhooed Spoon Bar & Kitchen in Preston Center, gourmands will no doubt be reminded that this game-changer isn't apt to open a seafood restaurant and merely serve shrimp. Inside the serene Breckenridge Taylor-designed space, foodies can choose from several different posts in which to savor Tesar's inventive offerings: The raw bar is a good perch for sipping a cocktail and sampling Kumamoto oysters, Spoon Bar & Golden Osetra caviar and lobster crudo; Kitchen adventurers might opt for the chef's tasting menu, which changes nightly, or belly up to the kitchen counter and dive into razor clam tartare, barely cooked arctic char, monkfish osso bucco, or smoked eel "head cheese"; and canoodlers can slide into an intimate booth and skip straight to dessert — a caramel pudding pavé of peanut butter streusel with bananas brûlée finished with micro basil and sea salt. Sure, he may have a bad-boy reputation, but if the above is what he's dishing out, we'll take it. Donna Scoggins A SINGULAR SENSATION Number One/Le Jus, 1 Highland Park Village, 214.520.0101; numberonelejus.com W e love the irony that the ultimate in organic, wholesome and natural calls a former liquor store home. Experience the collective Number One/Le Jus consciousness of Number One/ Le Jus co-owners Brian Bolke (the mastermind behind Forty Five Ten and Five and Ten) and certified nutritional therapist Dana Card, who states, "This is a space where you can come to be nourished." And we couldn't agree more – both body and soul. The 1,400-square-foot emporium designed by Droese Raney Architecture is stocked with a distinctive range of karma-friendly luxuries available nowhere else in the city: clothing by Donna Karan Urban Zen, Greg Lauren, Herff Christiansen, The Lady & The Sailor and Palmer/Harding; accessories from B May, Denis Colomb, NewbarK and Repetto; jewelry by Ann Lightfoot, Jeanine Payer and Marion Cage; home from Fog Linen Work, Yastik by Rifat Ozbek, Heath Ceramics and Green Glass Company; apothecary from Agonist, Côte Bastide, Flower Road Natural Therapies and Le Feu D'Leau; and epicure from Antidote Chocolate, Bellocq Teas and Blue Bottle Coffee. Don't assume, however, that it's all about a shopping high: Card, of Le Jus fame, takes her organic-epicurean role seriously, offering nutrient-dense food of the highest biological quality. We anticipate an open table may prove as elusive as inner peace; fortunately, juice and cafe items, just like the covetable fashion finds, are available for takeaway. Amy Adams The Art of Wine TERESA ALLDREDGE KEVIN MARPLE spoonbarandkitchen.com W ith a name like Society, one might assume shop owners Pamela Jackson and Jeremi Headrick are sticklers for decorum. But while their pocket-sized outpost in Bishop Arts exudes refinement, the overall vibe is decidedly unpretentious. Their motto, Simple Elegance for Gracious Living, is reflected in a beguiling assortment that ranges from mid-century ceramic compotes and Tatine candles to glass salt cellars and a vintage marble bust of a turban-topped nobleman. The duo's names may ring a bell to those familiar with their design and decor work under the moniker Jackson Vaughn; their skills certainly came in handy when transforming this vacant-since-1941 space nestled next to Eno's. The planked walls (dotted with black-and-white photos of family members) and concrete floor complement their ever-changing amalgam of vintage/new/quirky gifts and collectibles, all peacefully coexisting despite the fact that, often times, their only commonality is that Jackson and Headrick couldn't imagine life without them. Amy Adams GRAPE EXPECTATIONS The Art of Wine, 11909 Preston Road, 214.514.2784 With its casual neighborhood vibe and worth-a-drive selection, The Art of Wine might be our new second living room. Owner Alfonso Miller offers a thoughtfully curated range of vintages, from big-ticket faves (Darioush, Caymus, Stag's Leap, Plumpjack) to intriguing boutique finds (Cartlidge & Browne, Obsidian Ridge, Mer Soleil, Astrolabe). Past the wall-mounted racks, a cozy back-room wine bar beckons with leather seating and jazz at a chat-friendly volume. A former Dallas police officer, Miller personally edits the bottles on offer; the mix of West Coast, European, Argentine and Australian is constantly in flux — part of the attraction is never knowing what you'll find next — but when you discover a pour you adore, he'll keep you happy with special orders and guidance in crafting your own cellar. We left with a Cabernet/Syrah/Merlot blend called The Ghost of 413 and anticipation of a return visit. Karen Muncy MORE PICKS ON PAGE 24 DECEMBER | PAGE 20 | 2012