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34 I t's been in the works for months, and a concept in the mind of partner and owner Sam Governale even longer. Emmaline — a perfectly pretty name for a very pretty restaurant — has taken up residence in the former Teala's space on West Dallas, a locale that straddles the divide between River Oaks and North Montrose. Governale worked with chefs Mario Batali and Matthew Kenney for seven years before honing his palate with wine writer and sommelier Andrea Immer in New York and Atlanta. When he returned home to Houston, he took the helm at Fleming's Inner Loop spot, where he became a front-of-house fixture on our dining scene — and a wine consultant, to boot. Emmaline's vintage two-story building and its brick walk are anchored by a majestic oak tree, whose limbs and leaves shade a dog-friendly patio and inspire outdoor dining in three locations, upstairs and down. The space was designed by Ashley Putnam, who obviously had botany on her mind. Playing upon the oak, she's captured the view with floor-to-ceiling glass-and- iron windows and doors. Timeless fern- printed papers, Morris Co.'s Willow Boughs, line many a wall, and a bright sunroom plays up the imaginary proximity to a garden beyond. The moniker Emmaline derives from a family name, one that Governale hopes will evoke a sense of place and evolve into a trattoria-style hangout. New York-born chef Dimitri Voutsinas is at the helm, with a résumé that includes time with chefs Daniel Boulud at Bar Boulud and Marcus Samuelsson at the Red Rooster, and Voutsinas' By Laurann Claridge HER NAME IS EMMALINE