This afternoon I was invited in along with other members of the media to dine at Café 43, the restaurant inside the George W. Bush Presidential Center. We sampled many items off of the highly anticipated menu and heard from Chefs at Culinaire, the culinary company staffing the restaurant. Chef John Maas offers a ‘sophistacated, approachable’ assortment of dishes that passed approval from Laura Bush after several tasting iterations.

A short stroll across the lawn out front and sharp turn to the right, you’ll find yourself in an open, sunlit dining room. Wicker style chairs, large hanging orb lights and wooden accented floors complete the feel as picture windows allow plenty of views of the spacious acres of grounds. Maas stressed throughout the meal that they strive for organic, local ingredients that really showcase the Texas agricultural bounty and pay tribute to this classy Presidential center. So, here’s a peek at the menu. (Wine and Beer, Mimosas and Blood Marys also available)

My favorites? The ricotta appetizer, arctic char main and don’t you dare miss the griddled carrot cake y’all!