One complaint I often hear, and sometimes voice myself, is that although there are some fantastic restaurants in Lake Highlands, there just aren’t enough of them.

Although many of us LH residents would prefer to shop and eat only in Lake Highlands, we sometimes need to venture out of our bubble for a nice date night.

Or maybe you want to sample the Best Burger in Texas, as named recently by Texas Monthly.

So where can we go to do this?

We can head to The Grape, the well-known restaurant located just a stone’s throw south of Lake Highlands on Greenville Ave.

Although The Grape Restaurant is not located in Lake Highlands, it is owned by LH residents Brian and Courtney Luscher. Brian is the head chef and his wife, Courtney, runs the front of the house as general manager and wine expert.

The Luschers purchased The Grape about 2½ years ago when the original owners decided to retire. Brian worked as the chef at The Grape for several years prior to purchasing the restaurant.

Since I haven’t been to The Grape since the Luschers purchased the restaurant, the first thing I wanted to know was, what's changed?

Brian seems to adhere to the old adage “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” stating that not much has changed at all since he and Courtney purchased the restaurant - other than some updating of the building itself.

"The Grape is like a home in Lake Highlands," said Brian. "Why tear it down and build new, when you can just update the great space that's already there?”

Brian grew up outside of Chicago, where he first caught the cooking bug while working as a dishwasher and cook at local restaurants. He got his formal training at the acclaimed Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, and apprenticed for one of 60 certified master chefs in the world in Connecticut. He has worked for several Dallas restaurants including Routh Street Brewery and Two Sisters Catering.

Brian’s wife and business partner, Courtney, is a Dallas girl and grew up in Highland Park.

She and Brian met at Routh Street Brewery, where she was general manager. Brian has good things to say about working with Courtney on an everyday basis.

"It’s like going to work with my best friend," he explained. "She's the most qualified manager and most gracious hostess I have ever worked with." Not only does Courtney run the front of the house at The Grape, but she is also a Level I Sommelier and handles the restaurant’s extensive wine list.

The Luschers have lived in the Lake Ridge Estates neighborhood in Lake Highlands for eight years and love the small town feel of their neighborhood.

"All of our neighbors are so friendly, and it’s such a close knit community," said Brian. Unfortunately, the Luschers work most nights and weekends, so he regrets they can't participate in neighborhood activities as much as they would like.

When Brian and Courtney are not working at The Grape, they love spending time together as a family.

"We just relax and spend time with our daughter, Landry, and enjoy going to the park or White Rock Lake."

One thing you may not find them doing regularly at home is cooking elaborate meals. "Often, we just enjoy a simple grilled steak and a nice salad," said Brian.

4½ year-old Landry currently attends St. James Montessori School and loves to help her parents in the kitchen and at the restaurant. She says she wants to be "a cooker like Daddy" when she grows up. However, Brian jokingly says he would prefer her to be a dentist. "Or have some other career where she could take a day off every now and then," he laughed.

This Wednesday, May 19th, Brian and Courtney are hosting the Chef’s Come-As-You-Are Wine Dinner.

For $45 per person, guests will be served a three course meal with wine pairings. During the meal, guests will also receive wine education from winemaker Kevin Mills of Trinitas Cellars.

The Come-As-You-Are Wine Dinner is a perfect opportunity to sample the amazing food at The Grape and learn more about wine in a laid back atmosphere. Since the event is a hot ticket in Dallas, reservations are suggested. You can reserve your table by calling the restaurant at 214.828.1981 or visiting their website here.

So if you feel the need to venture out of Lake Highlands for a nice dinner or Sunday brunch, The Grape isn't too far away. They're located at 2808 Greenville Avenue, just south of Monticello.

Brian and Courtney love to dote on their Lake Highlands neighbors, so be sure to tell them that Lake Highlands Today sent you!