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Laurann Claridge journeys down Highway 290 to discover the intimacy and charm, not to mention the Dr Pepper–braised Berkshire pork belly, of The Inn at Dos Brisas. GourmanD GuIDes ThaT heLp the food-obsessed navigate the hautest culinary terrain in Europe and beyond bestow star ratings on only a handful of destinations deemed to have "exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey." But who says you have to leave the country to find a heightened dining experience with luxury hotel accommodations under the same roof? Simply motor an hour down Highway 290 to The Inn at Dos Brisas, where visionary dot-com mogul Doug Bosch and his wife, Jennifer, have created a destination as renowned for its stunning landscape as for its thoughtful cuisine, in the same manner as the revered Inn at Little Washington and Blackberry Farm in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains. Originally created as a weekend refuge for family and friends, the 313-acre property and Inn, after 10 years and millions of dollars invested in its lavish infrastructure, now boasts Relais & Châteaux status, as well as a Forbes Five-Star rating. Upon entering the gates and crunching down the gravel drive, views of pallid ponds, grazing horses and foals greet you. Gently rolling hills give way to a manicured rose garden and a cool, infinity-edged pool. And then there's the chef-driven food … Chef Jason Robinson has manned the range here for the last five years. His menu of American cuisine is driven by French technique with an Asian spark — dishes that are complex, layered and ingredient-driven. When you dine here after dark, you'll have a three-course seasonal menu ($85 a person; the house-made cheese course — highly recommended — is $15 extra). Options might include Dr Pepper–braised Berkshire pork belly, apple purée and tiny glazed carrots, or a panko-crusted Chesapeake Bay soft- shell crab with spicy aioli and oba leaf touched with a lemongrass peanut emulsion. Place yourself in the chef's hands, and he'll spin out a grand eight-course menu — a Garden Tasting of vegetables or a selection of carnivore-friendly dishes. Robinson and new farm superintendent Doug Langum forage the greenhouse and gardens of this expansive ranch daily, choosing from 500 varieties of fruits and vegetables including 10 different sorts of hybrid eggplant, celeriac, boysenberries, asparagus, purple potatoes and more, all grown certified organic. Small wonder, then, that the next big roll-out chez Dos Brisas, according to proprietor and managing director Doug Bosch, is a high-end produce company that provides uncommonly pristine produce to the finest eateries in Houston. Meanwhile, Bosch plans to expand the number of casitas on the property to eight. The future of Dos Brisas' expansion relies on an elaborate — and green — method of procuring energy. Each casita will be heated and cooled via a state-of-the-art geo-thermal system that converts energy from a new two-acre pond built for this purpose. The same geo-thermal system controls the growing environment for the organic seedlings in Los Brisas' new 7,500-square-foot greenhouse. This system has the potential to revolutionize growing in the United States and is monitored closely by the agricultural industry. Ready to check into The Inn at Dos Brisas? Consider heading to Washington County midweek, as the nightly rates for a private casita drop from $780 to $480 Sunday through Thursday. Your stay includes breakfast, a three-course lunch and a personal golf cart waiting to whisk you around the property (when you're not traversing it on foot, horseback or mountain bike, that is). 9400 Champion Dr., Brenham, 972.277.7750; dosbrisas.com. WORTH THE Trip Dos Brisas Chef Jason Robinson Laurann Claridge A Dos Brisas casita