Loft 610
5760 State Highway 121, Ste. 175
Plano, TX 75024
972.377.2500
www.loft610.com/plano

Price Range: $$$

To dine at a restaurant where the chef's deserved time in the spotlight is a testament to his hard work is a gift. The expansive and richly appointed Loft 610 in Plano, Texas is such a place. The restaurant's executive chef is Dallas native Tre Wilcox who has risen through the culinary ranks since his first job at Boston Market. He received national recognition for his work at Abacus under Kent Rathbun, with whom Wilcox appeared as an assistant for on Iron Chef America. Wilcox is no longer the under-the-radar master he was before taking to the camera on Bravo's Top Chef as well in very first original online issue of Cuisine Noir in 2007. He is a celebrity whose talent matches his status (he was twice nominated for a James Beard award, the culinary equivalent to the Oscars). All of this was on display when a dining companion and I sat for a meal at Loft 610.

We began with the exquisitely prepared scallop-and-shrimp appetizer. The sear on the scallop, which went from a dark caramelization to an amber hue, gave the piece a crunch that was juxtaposed by the soft, smooth center. The other components including watermelon, cilantro and drizzled olive oil added freshness and tang, exciting the palate for what was to follow.

Next was the beef tenderloin paired with Shiner Bock beer (although there is an extensive cocktail list). It melted on the tongue like winter's first wet, fat snowflake (something that would be most welcomed in this Texas summer heat). To enjoy that flavor and texture, I had to get passed the charred surface, which was a bit too charred for my taste. Once that minor obstacle had been overcome, the filet was outstanding. It was enough to encourage future trips for a taste of Wilcox's other creations.

The same superlatives could not be applied to the wild king salmon, the second entrée. The fish was expertly cooked, to be sure, and simple - as seafood should be. However, the citrus-brown butter sauce was just that, citrus-brown butter sauce. It didn't add much complexity. This is a trivial note, as the black truffle risotto with English peas upon which the salmon rested was flawless.

Dessert capped the meal wonderfully. The chocolate cake with caramel whipped cream and raspberry sauce had the perfect density, not stiff enough to warrant an association to the restaurant's polished concrete floors, not light enough to crumble into dust. The cake was rich and intermittently sweet and tart, a pleasant finale to dinner.

Just as the meal made me curious as to what other treats are available on the Loft 610 menu, Wilcox's move to Marquee, soon to be opened adjacent to the Highland Park Village Theater in Dallas, has me excited to see what else he has hidden in his chef's jacket. When Wilcox decamps for Marquee, Executive Sous Chef Jermaine Brown, an intensely focused chef, whose tight ship could be witnessed in the open kitchen (and impeccable service), will take over as Loft 610's executive chef. Brown's star is following Wilcox's ascendancy; both deserved and crystallized in their food. Watch and eat; you will be delight.