Standing here, staring at the abundant array of flowers, I can’t help but think I should have made reservations for more than dinner. I’m not sure what I expected, but it wasn’t this. The grounds of the Sage Hill Inn and Spa are total enchantment. Every path beckons, but we point our toes toward the office.

Directed to the restaurant, Michael and I and our friends are greeted and seated at a table for four. I don’t remember how I discovered that the Inn Above Onion Creek changed owners and names and that the new owners allow non-guests to dine in their dining room Wednesday through Sunday, but I did. And I remembered. And here we are. And we all are happy. But I can’t help but wonder, Why did it take me so long to get here?

The Sage Hill Inn’s rustic façade belies the clean crisp lines of the interior. The restaurant is a combination of stone, rough wood, and steel—with the Texas Hills and the setting sun just beyond the windows. The wine list is short; however, they have Meomi Pinot Noir, and I know it is good.  We order two bottles for the table.

The menu of this farm to table, locally sourced ingredient restaurant changes nightly, and each diner is given a choice of one of two items offered for each of three courses. This is easy. Trudi and I order the mushroom tart and lamb tagine, while Michael and Bob opt for zucchini fritters and pork chops.  All four of us order the same grilled peach dessert.

The mushroom tart is a fat, flaky pillow of crispness and air, accented with gruyere and parmesan cheese, mushrooms and a quail egg. I make a mess, and tell the waiter I hope he has a good vacuum cleaner. He tells me he has a good broom. I eye Michael’s three substantial zucchini fritters sprinkled with crumbled feta sitting on a pool of beetroot puree and know I would be full after the first course if I had gone that direction.

To be honest, I was torn between the Frenched pork chop stuffed with chard, covered with a blanket of rosemary cream sauce accompanied by smashed new potatoes and fresh asparagus, and the lamb tagine, but after my first bite of the tagine I am ready to fly to Morocco and take cooking lessons. The ultra-tender cubes of succulent lamb are redolent with the flavor of exotic spices and the salted brown butter couscous is the perfect foil—every bite is the perfect bite—and I eat the whole thing! Our friends love the wine, and Bob says his pork chop is the best one he has ever eaten. I look at Michael’s plate and I see nothing but white below a large bone picked clean.

All four tummies are well satisfied, but we manage to make room for our light dessert; a tender grilled peach half served with strawberry loaded ice cream and an almond Florentine cookie for extra sweetness.

With wine left in each of our four glasses, we linger, planning for next time.

The Sage Hill Inn and Spa

4444 W 150

Kyle TX 78640

800-579-7686

Dinner is also open to the public Sunday through Wednesday. Reservations are required. Seating is arranged much like a dinner party with anywhere from 4, 6, or 8 guests to a table.

The fixed price three-course menu is $75 pp which does not include wine, tax or tip.