YOUR GUIDE TO DINING OUT

ASIAN MINT $$ODFBWB Our Highland Park location, The Mint, offers an array of Asianfused cuisine, specializing in Bangkok style dishes. We feature farm fresh ingredients, beautifully presented, coupled with a chic atmosphere and friendly service. Happy Hour is 5pm-6:30pm Mon.-Fri. – all beers and house wines are $3; $2 off appetizers, soups & salads. 4246 Oak Lawn Ave. 214.219.6469. The Asian Mint, along with its fused and sushi menus, also offers one of the best dessert bars in Dallas. 11617 N. Central Expwy. 214.363.6655. www.themintdallas.com

BACK COUNTRY BBQ $WB Over 30 years of Texas-style BBQ. Family dining – 8 different meats, variety of homemade vegetables. Complete catering & custom cooking. Beer, wine, margaritas. 6940 Greenville Ave. 214.696.6940.

PIZZA LOUNGE $$ODFB Voted Dallas best late night restaurant 2010 ! Pizza LOUNGE offers their own unique, made-from-scratch recipes featuring fresh made pizza dough and sauce. Appetizers, salads and deserts are also an option in their eclectic, funky atmosphere as you listen to off beat tunes. Open 11am. 7 days a week till late late night at 841 exposition ave, Dallas. 214.887.6900. Pizzaloungedallas.com and on facebook.

TEX MEX GRILL $WB If you are looking for great Tex-Mex dining at reasonable prices try Tex Mex Grill and Cafe at the corner of Walnut Hill Lane and Plano Rd. Everything on the menu is quickly prepared using fresh ingredients. Offering a different lunch special each day, beginning at $4.99. Private Party room, seats 40 people. Adult beverages are limited to margaritas and beer. Catering beginning at $6.50 per person. New

Hours: Mon- Sat 11 am - 10 pm, Sunday 10 am - 4 pm ALL DAY BRUNCH texmexlakehighalnds.com

LE JAJA DE JAU SYRAH ($12) FRANCE>

Mother’s Day is upon us, so here are a few thoughts giving Mom wine and serving wine for a Mother’s Day brunch.

First and foremost, if you know what Mom likes, to her. That means that if she appreciates white zinfandel, let her drink white zinfandel. You aren’t the wine police.

Second, don’t worry too much about pairing wine and food. You aren’t the wine police there, either. Mom likes red wine with fish or white wine with beef, she’s allowed to drink it.

To that end, here are three wines that offer value and fit those criteria:

This French red isn’t quite the steal that it was in the old days, but still offers decent wine at a decent price. Best yet, it’s a fruity red wine that pairs with everything from roast chicken to roast lamb.

This is an odd white blend from Australia — riesling, sauvignon blanc and marsanne. It’s not sweet, despite the riesling, but clean and crisp with a bit of lemon fruit. It’s a shellfish and salad wine.

This is very well done California chardonnay — oak for people who like that sort of thing, plus green apple fruit and enough acid to balance the fruit and the oak. The wine to treat Mom with.