Out Back

Jasper's revels in the new age of backyard cuisine

Comments (0) By Mark Stuertz Thursday, Jan 8 2004

OK, maybe Pellegrino isn't a scientist or a researcher, but if operators don't care about the impact of their music choices on their customers' plumbing, perhaps they're susceptible to fiscal appeals. Researchers from the Universities of Leicester and Surrey in the U.K. released the results of a study in October showing that music played in restaurants has a direct impact on check averages. Unobtrusive music such as pieces by Mozart, Mahler or Bach triggered higher spending rates among diners--particularly for items like appetizers, expensive wines, desserts and after-dinner drinks. When the dining room was flooded with pop music, Muzak or was music-free, per-person spending fell off by as much as 10 percent. This isn't to say that dining rooms should doze into a stuffy sound environment, but it seems common sense would dictate that sound that clings well to tight blouses and chocolate martinis behaves like a chalkboard scratching when paired with steamed mussels or pan-seared mahi mahi.

Which was still good, even without the violins. Mahi mahi arrives as squares of fish on a bed of grilled portobello "whippers" (whipped potatoes). The meat is deliciously moist and rich, flaking cleanly and easily.

Peter Calvin

Jasper's is a hip indoor backyard feed, but the sound is hard-driving indigestion.

Location Info

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Jasper's Restaurant

7161 Bishop Road
Plano, TX 75024

Category: Restaurant > New American

Region: Plano

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Details

Maytag blue cheese potato chips $9
Sicilian steamed mussels $12
Jumbo lump crab cakes $12
Salt-crusted prime rib $26
Pan-seared mahi mahi $20
Kobe bacon cheeseburger $13
Fried chicken $12

More About

Jasper's is a crisp restaurant with chilly modern lines rendered in wood, stone, concrete and glass, while beer pop top-like chain-mail curtains dangle in the windows. A private dining area in the center of the room is cordoned off by a slatted picket fence softened by curtains. The back yard invades in bug-free splendor.

7161 Bishop Road, Plano, 469-229-9111. Open 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday & Saturday; 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday. $$$