In our continuing irregular series of posts about new spots that technically aren’t in Preston Hollow but aren’t too far away, either, check this out…

If serving “craft” beers in the style of a European beer hall can make a bowling alley “upscale”, we’re in for a treat when Bowl & Barrel opens a 15-laner this fall at the Shops at Park Lane (behind the new Whole Foods on Greenville).

The DBJ reports SMU alums Josh Sepkowitz and Kyle Noonan are opening the alley, which will include a 3,000-square-foot restaurant and bar.

The Shops at Park Lane, located between Greenville and Central Expressway south of Park Lane, started off slowly as it came online during the beginning of the recession/real estate crunch of a few years ago, but the place is filling up nicely with Dick’s Sporting Goods, Gordon Biersch, Bailey’s Prime, Grimaldi’s, Old Navy and Saks Off 5th. Bloomingdale’s, The Outlet Store opens in the center May 3.

My wife and I stopped by the center a few Friday nights ago, intending to check out the new Grimaldi’s pizza restaurant, since the West Village version often is too packed to get into. I guess plenty of other people had the same idea, because there was a 40-minute wait, so we ambled down to Gordon Biersch instead.

For Dallas, the center is a pretty walkable place; there are some benches outside on the internal street and a couple of patios off of restaurants, so it’s possible to squint and imagine you’re enjoying a real cosmopolitan experience.

As I recall, original plans for the center included a bowling alley in space where the Home Goods store is located; I believe the Bowl & Barrel is taking some of the remaining space intended for the original alley.

Here’s something to help you get over the first half of the work week. La Duni NorthPark has launched Dinner and a Movie Nights Sunday-Wednesday, serving up a three-course meal along with a movie ticket of your choice.

The menu at the popular Latin kitchen features a choice of two salads, three entrees and two desserts. It includes an arugula mozzarella salad, enchiladas suizes and an ice cream sundae with caramelized pecans and dulce de leche. See the full menu here.

The cost is $39.95 per person. The movie ticket can be used at any AMC theater for any movie at any time.

At NorthPark Center between Dillard’s and Macy’s, the American Institute of Architects Dallas chapter is showcasing local, national and international works through three-dimensional displays. The exhibit, “Retrospect”, is designed to offer a glimpse at current trends. It runs today through April 15.

There’s an Easter egg hunt at 5:30 today at Town North YMCA. Bring your baskets, and meet in the lobby. We hear the Easter bunny is stopping by, too.

North Haven Gardens hosts another Garden Happy Hour 4-7 p.m. Friday with complimentary wine from Times Ten Cellars, Shiner beer and light appetizers. Stick around for the Potato Potahto food truck, which stops by 5-7 p.m.

The exhibit “Different Points of Contact” featuring Preston Hollow artist Jerry Skibell closes this Saturday at Norwood Flynn Gallery.

There are a couple of importers whose wines are so trustworthy that I will buy them regardless of what’s in the bottle. Kermit Lynch, of course, for French wine, and Ole Imports and Patrick Mata for Spanish wine.

Mata’s passion for Spanish wine is famous, and his palate is exceptional. Which is why I trust Ole implicitly. Otherwise, a wine like the Zestos would raise all sorts of red flags. It’s a white wine from a region in Spain best known for red wine, and the red wine doesn’t have all that great a reputation. Its color is different, sort of off-yellow, and it’s made with a grape, the malvar, that is obscure even for those of us who appreciate obscure. Malvar, grown only in that part of Spain, is not even listed in the incredibly comprehensive Winegrape Glossary.

My faith, not surprisingly, was rewarded. The Zestos ($10, purchased, available at Central Market) is unique, though it had some similarity to the Gascon wines I like, including a little white grapiness. It is simple, but definitely Spanish in style — less fruit than the Gascon wines (some lemon, maybe) with a stone fruit pit kind of finish. One tasting note described the finish as bitter almonds, and that works, too.

Drink this chilled on its own or with a any week night dinner that calls for white wine. It’s a candidate for the 2013 $10 Hall of Fame, and is highly recommended. Just don’t expect it to taste like something you’ve tried before.

It’s not easy finding cheap cabernet sauvignon that tastes like cabernet sauvignon. Too many of them are fruity and sticky, without the heft and tannins that cabernet is supposed to have — call them cabernet lite. Or, if they taste like cabernet, they cost at least $20, and that’s not the point of what we do here.

How rare are these wines? I have only written about a half dozen or so cabernets in this space in the past year — hardly a proportion that compares to cabernet’s popularity. It’s the most sold red wine, and second overall in popularity to chardonnay.

The other irony? That many cabernets that do are well made and inexpensive are produced by the huge mutinationals that get so much criticism from the wine world, like the Columbia-Crest that appeared here in February. The Edna Valley ($15, sample, widely available), part of the E&J Gallo empire, fits into the same mold. In this, it’s another reminder that tasting the wine is always a good thing to do before deciding if you like it — something, sadly, that even I ometimes forget.

The Edna Valley is top notch inexpensive California cabernet. It’s less fruity than similar wines, even though it’s from Paso Robles, where fruity is part of the winemaking style. Still, there is a nice a dose of what may be boysenberry, as well as almost silky tannins and a chalky, grippy finish. Given those adjectives, you can probably tell that I really liked the finish. Serve this with red meat, especially as the weather warms up and it’s backyard barbecue time.

Easter Sunday falls on April 8 this year, and our neighborhood has some of the best brunch spots in the city. Here’s a few of the best bets. And yes, in this case, I have a bit of a bias toward down-home, American comfort food. Make reservations early.

Rathbun’s Blue Plate Kitchen in Preston Center is an all-around favorite that I’ve probably written about too much. But, it’s hard to pass up their Easter Brunch menu (11 a.m.-3 p.m., $35 per person). It features, pigs in a blanket with smoked pork and whiskey-maple syrup, fried chicken with blue corn waffles and gooey Cinnamon rolls – that’s just to name a few.

Also in Preston Center, Sevy’s Grill is serving up an extensive three-course menu (10:30 a.m.-2 p.m., $31.95 per person), including goat cheese crostini, grilled Atlantic salmon and a whole platter of small desserts for each table.

Woodlands American Grill at Preston and Forest has a brunch menu (10 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. seatings, $28.95 per person) with bottomless champagne and mimosas. Indulge in the chipotle macaroni and cheese, smoked salmon, Parmesan breakfast potatoes and more.

Mattito’s Tex-Mex on Forest has a brunch buffet (10 a.m.-2 p.m., $16.99 per person) with an omelet and waffle station, quesadillas, flautas, chimicangas, ceviche, fajitas, tacos and other traditional Mexican fare.

Blue Mesa Grill  at Lincoln Park has extended hours for Easter brunch buffet (8 a.m.-8 p.m., $18.95 per person) with champagne and mimosas. Blue Mesa i famous for its brunch, which features all-you-can-eat blue corn cheese enchiladas, red chile salmon, fajitas, sweet corn cake and more.

Eden Cafe, that adorable little tearoom on West Lovers, is celebrating its seventh anniversary this week by offering free glasses of house wine with dinner entrees today through March 31. You can still bring your own bottles, since Eden is BYOB.

We featured Eden’s high tea in our September 2011 issue. The regular menu includes everything from crepes to fried chicken. The roasted hen with plum sauce is of owner Karen Kahn’s favorite recipes.

Kick back on the dog-friendly patio, which should now be open this time of year.

Tomato Pie Pizza is coming to Preston and Forest. Manager John Hudnall says the concept is St. Louis-style pizza, which is unheard of around here. Tomato Pizza Pie is characterized by super-thin crust and a special blend of cheeses.

One of the few remaining obstacles facing Texas wine is that too many consumers think it’s not any good — even though they’ve never tasted it.

PHOTOS: The food here may not be totally authentic, but with rich dishes like mesquite-grilled pork chop and creamy roasted corn, who cares?