Charlie Palmer exudes culinary goodness from every corner of the menu, but the highlights are the house-made charcuterie and the extensive and reasonably priced wine list. Yet we find that the touch-screen eWinebook tablet (it augured the iPad) where you can make selections based upon region, varietal, and style can be oddly cumbersome. It doesn’t allow you to peruse the entire list—an irresistible impulse we possess—as you must go to varietal-specific/region-specific pages to make a selection. Damn this mobile device epidemic. What’s next, touch-screen ham hocks?

Anyway, with an atmosphere that is both sophisticated and inviting, Charlie Palmer comes off like phosphorescent melted butter, what with its contemporary furnishings (cloth-less tables) reflecting a slight amber cast. Propellers turn overhead—an ode to Texas as a big wind energy blowhard. It’s encapsulated in an expansion of the former Dallas National Bank, a circa 1920s structure that is the only Gothic revival style “skyscraper” in the Big D.

The cozy bar is virtually always packed. The dining room flaunts traditional steakhouse fare plus some lovely appendages that change seasonally. In the past, these have included wonderful black tiger shrimp in a bloody Mary vinaigrette; Korean-style squab; and venison pot pie. Don’t miss the black cod, if available.