Brooks and Brad Anderson own a law firm together, but ever since their college days in Paris, the brothers have dreamed of making a living that involves food, wine and travel.

EVANS CAGLAGE/DMN

HAUTE GOAT CREAMERY'S Blue Ballz (left) and Wenzel LoneStar Meat Co.'s bison jerky (center) with Gauthier Sauvignon Blanc.

Toward that end, this summer they opened Veritas Wine Room, a combination wine bar-retail shop in a hot new Henderson strip. What caught our eye was the "Texas-centric food program."

"We were already familiar with some of the products we sell now," says Brooks, including cheeses from Nancy Patton's Haute Goat Creamery in Lubbock. Her blue (actually green) goat cheese called Bleu Ballz melts in your mouth and married right up with the 2005 Les Deux Tours Sauvignon Blanc on Veritas' changing wines-by-the- glass list.

Local cheeses also include Texas Gruyére and two others from Veldhuizen Farms in Dublin as well as five from Paula Lambert's Mozzarella Co.

Another local find was bison jerky from Wenzel LoneStar Meat Co. in Hamilton. As the menu explains, it's only partly dehydrated, and the result is a juicier jerky. The smoked version – you can also get hot-spicy – was deeply smoky and addictively chewy.

What a contrast to another local catch: "revolving charcuterie," as Brooks calls it, from The Grape owner Brian Luscher. We savored chunky, garlicky country-style pâté. Another time, you might get a pork tureen. The flavors and richness of the freshly made vs. packaged pâté were like Kodachrome vs. black- and-white.

The brothers are also selling Wiseman House artisanal chocolates from Hico.

Nonlocal items include French double-cream brie, Danish Havarti with dill and Italian soppressata, prosciutto and mortadella. The idea is to grow the Texas selections. But it takes time, Brooks says, to establish relationships with boutique producers.

"We're still learning to time our orders," he says. The small guys can't turn on a request as quickly as large purveyors.

And while there are a few Texas wines on the racks, including Kim McPherson's Sangiovese, the 150-label selection is concentrated on small-production West Coast wines from California, Oregon and Washington such as Woodenhead Vintners Russian River Valley Pinot Noir and Graff Family Vineyards Viognier. More Texas beers are coming, too.

"It's focused on what people want," Brooks says. The wine list is still evolving with the help of consultant Loni Heyn.

Look around the space and you'll notice handblown Venetian-style cracked-glass light fixtures by Dallas artist John Pierce and eye-popping contemporary paintings by Dallas artist Steve Lawrence. Yet Veritas is cozy, with lots of comfy nooks and spots, from overstuffed easy chairs to a community table made of wood from a 120-year-old East Texas farmhouse.

Despite their inexperience – the Andersons have made a couple of stabs at this previously – they've put together a winning spot that they hope will get better.

"We're attorneys by trade," says Brooks. "We've got a pretty steep learning curve."

Kim Pierce is a Dallas freelance writer.

Where: 2323 N. Henderson, Suite 103

Phone: 214-841-9463

Hours: Daily 4:30 p.m. to midnight, Saturday till 1 a.m.

Parking: The lot can get crowded. Valet parking is offered Wednesday through Sunday: 5 to 8 p.m. complimentary;

8 p.m. to close, $5.

Coming: Chef's tastings, foodie-wine lectures, cheese-maker demos and more