For those looking for a touch of refined Dallas traditions, the Mansion Restaurant at Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek is just the place. The restaurant is historic, but its menu is a far cry from archaic. The Mansion promises everything that its monumental title suggests.

One thing’s for sure: the atmosphere of this restaurant might be traditional, but its food is anything from old-fashioned.

The Mansion wasn’t always this way however. The restaurant has undergone a recent multi-million dollar overhaul of the mansion’s interior design and 2006 introduced Dallas newcomer, Chef John Tesar. Tesar and his team replaced the famous Chef Dean Fearing. Despite skepticism, the team has successfully succeeded in reconstructing the restaurant’s somewhat hackneyed recipes.

The new interior and modernized menu tempt the sight and the senses, as guests enjoy new additions, which have crossed the spectrum from the former traditional southern menu. Such delicatessens as fois gras complemented by vanilla bean are to be seen on the menu. Beef ravioli and a delightful king crab are also among other New American delights.

In addition, to new architectural design and scintillating culinary creations, the restaurant has altered its once elite dress code that excluded jeans from the menu. Jeans are now a regular part of guest attire, but this is not to say that the Mansion on Turtle Creek has lost anything of its iconic legend and its place as one of Dallas’ finest dining houses.

While The Mansion Bar is a hip spot for young professionals to sip cocktails and snack on a mini menu of sliders and lobster fritters, patrons of the main dining room, or the even more exclusive Chef’s room, may expect to pay a princely sum and reservations are required.

For those who would rather experience The Mansion in a slightly less traditional way, the restaurant also hosts numerous culinary events. Some of the most popular events include: Guys and Grills, where Chef Tesar instructs men on the use of the grill, Teen Etiquette Class, and various wine tasting days with Treasures from the Cellar. Prices vary from $60 and up.