Speaking of hot restaurants: Someone call the fire department, because Dean Fearing’s new restaurant in Dallas, Fearing’s, is on fire. OK, figuratively speaking. The Dallas chef has been lavished with more praise in the past couple of months – mostly in the past few weeks – than any Texas food person since Helen Corbitt. About 18 months ago, Dean left the Mansion on Turtle Creek after nearly 20 years there, and last August he opened his own restaurant in the brand-new Ritz-Carlton in Dallas. At year’s end, food scribe John Mariani declared in Esquire magazine that Fearing’s new namesake restaurant was the best new restaurant of the year. In early March, Julia Reed wrote in a Newsweek magazine article called “Chicken-Fried Gourmet” that “it may just be one of the best new spots in the country.” Two weeks later, the vaunted Frank Bruni of The New York Times declared Dean’s buffalo tenderloin and mesquite-grilled rib eye “fantastic” and said this owner-chef “a giant striding through the restaurant in calfskin boots, deserves thanks for evenings as irresistibly flashy and meaty as Texas itself.” With all that, plus a James Beard Award nomination for Best New Restaurant announced earlier this week, Fearing remains just good, old Dean. When I visited with him about all this renewed glory, he displayed his trademark aw-shucks disposition and said, “The future looks bright, because the present is really good.” The restaurant, which has lots of different dining rooms with distinct personalities, is loads of fun. The food really is terrific, too; best of all may be the Sunday brunch, the only time you can get Granny Fearing’s Paper Bag-Shook Fried Chicken, which is pan-fried and named among the area’s best fried-chicken in a story by Bill Addison in today’s Dallas Morning News. Fearing’s is at 2121 McKinney Ave. in Dallas; 214/922-4848; www.fearingsrestaurant.com.

In another edition of “Only in Texas Does This Stuff Happen,” I’d like to point out a curious but cool development on White Settlement Road in Fort Worth. The easternmost stretch of this busy street reaches from the edge of downtown Fort Worth westward toward the lovely old Greenwood Cemetery. Along its path is a profusion of typical and mostly unattractive automobile repair shops and myriad industrial businesses, like plumbing and refrigeration supply houses. There’s the occasional interesting place, like an Army-Navy store, plus BMW and Land Rover dealerships.

And then there’s one of Cowtown’s great landmarks: Angelo’s Barbecue, at 2533 White Settlement Road. Now celebrating its 50th anniversary, Angelo’s has been known as a gathering place with few peers throughout its long and successful life. Regulars come in and ask for “a sliced and a large,” and within moments, they’re presented with a tray holding a giant sandwich piled with smoky sliced brisket (with pickle and chopped white onion) and a massive, frosted schooner of Budweiser. The smoked pork ribs and smoked chicken are darn good, too, but it’s the brisket people go batty for. I’ve even had to schlep several pounds of it with me when visiting relatives who relocated to the East Coast.

While Angelo’s continues its happy existence – there’s no reason to think it won’t thrive for at least another 50 years – it now has some serious company in the dining department. Its new neighbor, opened a few days ago two blocks west at 2731 White Settlement Road, is Lambert’s, whose slogan is “Steaks, Seafood, Whiskey.” If you know the lauded Lamberts Downtown Barbecue in Austin, then you understand the kind of good food that West Texas native/chef Louis Lambert brings to the table (so to speak). Here at his Fort Worth store, which he co-owns with buddy Grady Spears, Louis offers oak-smoked prime rib and chicken, as well as wood-grilled wild boar chops and T-bone steak, with treatments including Oaxacan chocolate rub and fennel salsa verde. Never before has Fort Worth had two such fundamentally but divergently Texan restaurants in such close quarters – and in such an unexpected neighborhood. Lucky Cowtowners. Check out menus at www.angelosbbq.com and www.lambertsfortworth.com.

If arts and culture float your boat, there’s never been a better time to go on the museum prowl in Houston. Leonardo da Vinci: Man, Inventor, Genius, an exhibit which lets you delve into the mysterious and brilliant mind of this artist and engineer, will be on display at the Houston Museum of Natural Science now through September 1. Another must-see exhibit, this time at the Holocaust Museum Houston, is Darfur: Photojournalists Respond, in which world-renowned photojournalists focus on the Darfur tragedy. It’ll be on display through August 17. And continuing through April 20 is Houston’s 2008 Fotofest Biennial, a city-wide photography exhibit that examines China’s cultural, political, and economic transformation. And that’s just scraping the surface; you can find out much more about Houston’s wealth of events HERE. And while you’re in Houston, do yourself a favor and check out some new dining venues. I did a tour of these recently and was hugely impressed. Even on a weeknight, there’s a frenzy of happy activity at the Grove (downtown at 1611 Lamar St., HERE) a new Robert Del Grande restaurant, where chef Ryan Pera – he won raves for his work at 17 inside Houston’s Alden Hotel – is turning heads with American rustic cuisine specialties like free-range deviled eggs with Spanish chorizo and tapenade, and braised Long Island duck legs with baby turnips and wild mushrooms. Over at Beaver’s, star chef Monica Pope goes super-casual at this hip little barbecue joint (2310 Decatur St., HERE), where yummies include spicy ground lamb wraps incorporating almonds and dried fruit; fried pepperoncini stuffed with cream cheese and pork; and smoked all-natural brisket. Armando’s in River Oaks (2630 Westheimer; HERE) redefines Mexico City elegance with rich wood decor and incredible dishes like grilled snapper and signature queso flameado – but watch out for those dangerous margaritas!

The excitement in southeast Texas this week has to do with the opening of the exquisite new Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center in Orange. This 252-acre natural paradise, a Stark Foundation program, is guaranteed to jumpstart your appreciation for beauty in the outdoors and the lushness that exists in this rich corner of the state. There’s a formal botanical garden with 350-plus plant species, as well as the Cypress-Tupelo Swamp that you can tour in electric boats. Bird blinds let you watch our feathered friends, and a mile of boardwalk lets you roam over wetlands. Find it at 2111 W. Park Ave.; 409/670-9113. For more information, go HERE.

While you’re in Orange, make it a point to visit the Stark Museum of Art, one of the most astounding, well-endowed small museums in the nation (712 Green Ave.; 409/886-2787). For more information, go HERE.

Also in Orange, there’s one of the stops along the new Golden Triangle Faith Trail, which connects the myriad places of worship and spiritual enrichment that punctuate the landscape in the immediate region. Here, there’s the First Presbyterian Church (902 Green Ave.), an exquisite pink-granite building dating from 1912. The trail also includes the Buu Mon Buddhist Temple (2701 Procter St., Port Arthur), with a seven-foot gilt-bronze Buddha statue and a lovely garden renowned for its varieties of lotus, water lilies, and bamboo; Our Lady of Guadalupe Church and Shrine (61st Street and Ninth Avenue, Port Arthur), an imposing, modern church on the site of a parish dating from 1927; the magnificent St. Anthony Roman Catholic Cathedral Basilica (700 Jefferson St., Beaumont), dating from 1879; and Temple Emanuel (1120 Broadway St., Beaumont), a copper-topped beauty built in 1923. For more on the Faith Trail, check with the Beaumont Convention & Visitors Bureau HERE.

If you’re in Beaumont, be sure to wander over to Rao’s Bakery, an institution since 1941. This is the go-to place for stuffed croissants and wraps, kolaches, and pecan sticky buns for breakfast, and everything from quiche and tomato-mozzarella or Sicilian tuna sandwiches to gelato and fancy coffee drinks the rest of the day. If you simply want sweets, Rao’s will load you up with Texas heritage apple pie, fudge-nut brownies, cream puffs, mousse cake, and crème brulee. See more HERE.

It’s warm, daylight lingers well past suppertime, and we’re feeling like putting away all the flannels. That means it’s high time to plan those springtime flower-finding trips. The prettiest blooms for now are in East Texas, and the first stop on your list needs to be Mrs. Lee’s Daffodil Garden, a 28-acre bright-yellow sweep of blooms on a 900-acre farm just outside of Gladewater. The sunny yellow crowns are still brilliant, but probably will be gone after this weekend. While you’re there you can wander along a four-mile trail that winds past two lakes, through wooded valleys, and around a pioneer cabin replica. It’s open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; for details, call 903/845-5780 or go HERE.

Starting tomorrow, you can head to Tyler for its annual Azalea Trails, a celebration through April 6. Once there, follow two trails coursing through Tyler’s pretty historic residential areas. The arts-and-crafts fair in Bergfeld Park brings more than 200 vendors; the East Texas Porcelain Exhibit and Sale takes place at the Woman’s Building on South Broadway Street; the Rotary Club sponsors a chili cook-off next to the Woman’s Building; and afternoon tea is served at Roseland Plantation. Get details HERE. Long as you’re at it, continue your bloom quest in Nacogdoches, where its annual Azalea Trail begins on Saturday and continues through March 31. Known as the oldest town in Texas, Nac also claims to have Texas’ largest azalea garden, and during the festival, you can cover 22-plus miles of self-guided driving tours through neighborhoods colored in wild and soft pinks of these legendary shrubs. For all event details, go HERE.

And over in Palestine, the Dogwood Trails kick off March 22-23 and continue March 29-30 and April 5-6. This popular yearly party honors the trees bursting into spring with delicate pink-and-white blooms – especially pretty in the forest, against the endless stands of pines. You’ll just want to gear down and enjoy lazy drives in the country. Through the three weekends, you’ll find a parade, an arts-and-crafts show, bike rides, food, and music. Be sure to visit the famous Eilenberger Bakery while you’re there. Find more info HERE .

If you can get past the whole slithering, one-bite-could-kill-you thing, then the hootenanny in Sweetwater this weekend might be a really good time for you. As well it should be, since it’s the 50th Annual Rattlesnake Round-Up after all. Built around an actual, essential ranch activity, the giant party in West Texas grew as more folks became curious about this annual springtime rite. And while this isn’t the oldest annual rattlesnake round-up, it does bill itself as the world’s largest such event. The festivities kick off tomorrow (March 6) with the Rattlesnake Review Parade, followed that evening by the Miss Snake Charmer Pageant. Tell me, please, who wouldn’t want to see that?

At 7 a.m. on Friday, the snakes that have been rounded up will be weighed at Nolan County Coliseum, just in case you were wondering. Throughout the weekend, you can watch snake-handling demonstrations and you’ll have plenty of chances to eat deep-fried rattlesnake meat (it tastes just like…alligator). Flea markets cover the grounds, along with a carnival and a gun, knife, and coin show. There’s a rattlesnake cook-off, as well as the Girl Scouts’ salsa and dessert contests. Guided snake hunts will also be conducted all weekend, too. What more could you possibly want? For more information, call 325/235-5488 or go HERE.