A harvest of new restaurants

Bakery Lorraine (511 E. Grayson) baker/owners Anne Ng and Jeremy Mandrel trained at Thomas Keller's renowned Bouchon Bakery in Napa Valley. Their efforts have received acclaim from many a local chef; daily fare extends from croissants, pain au chocolat, cookies, tarts and pies, to quiches and sandwiches. Their boxes of macarons are becoming legendary.

Bird Bakery (5912 Broadway) is known for their red velvet cake with butter cream, a chocolate and chocolate chip cupcake with peanut butter cream frosting, and carrot cake. Many of their products are made from recipes from owner Elizabeth Chambers' grandmother.

Laurent Rea gained some notice at L'Etoile and Olmos Park Bistro; at his own spot, Laurent's Modern Cuisine (4230 McCullough), he enters the spotlight with a changing menu displaying French techniques put to good use with local produce. Last week's menu included sauerkraut and venison tarte, P.E.I mussels, rib eye steak with asparagus tempura. His desserts are not to be missed. Texas master chef Stephan Pyles gave Sustenio (17103 La Cantera Pkwy.) its Southwestern trend, but executive chef David Gilbert is the one who is taking this high-tech equipped kitchen at the Eilan Hotel Resort and Spa to the next level. The ceviches (and the drinks) receive high complements; look for innovations like the Texas red snapper tamal in red Thai curry masa.

*The original story incorrectly identified Ana Fernandez's truck as "The Republic of Chili." Feels like a whole other country, but it's The Institute-not Republic-of Chili.-- Scott Andrews

> Email Scott Andrews