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Cyrus -- in Healdsburg, this is the Sonoma area's answer to the French Laundry but less formal and less expensive than its Napa rival; only a tasting menu is available, 5 or 7 course (with a couple choices in a number of the categories), and a vegetarian option; we opted for the 7-course carnivore menu, including the wine pairings; we recommend splurging for the additional cost of the champagne (1/2 glasses available) and caviar cart; we tried the American paddlefish, which was delicious, served with both potato cakes and grit cakes (a little too heavy taking away from the taste of the caviar), with the other usual caviar accompaniments; we were disappointed in the wine, primarily because we didn't like many of the wines the restaurant paired with the food; unfortunately, not a cab to be had; that being said, there wasn't a food course that we didn't enjoy, even the foam that sneaked on the plate on a few occasions was o'kay; the foie gras torchon was delicious and generously served; the gnocchi with morels were light and fluffy; the seared scallop with chorizo and clams was perfectly cooked; Wagyu beef with burdock and shiso was excellent (how can one go wrong with Wagyu?); the cheese cart was amazing (we found a cheese even too stinky and strong for us); desert wasn't to the taste of at least one of us (the two choices that evening emphasized carrot and coffee); thankfully, the mingnardises cart sated our chocolate craving, as did the cute boxed brownies that arrived as a take-home, together with our custom-printed menu; our request to see the kitchen was graciously honored, and we met the chef; this is a special occasion place and almost every table was celebrating something (in our case, a first anniversary); celebrants received an egg cream shooter and a warm chocolate cookie, dramatically served from a glass domed plate that swirled chocolate flakes over the cookie; reservations are essential and available starting two months in advance; if you are a last minute planner, there's a great looking bar with a bar menu.
Dry Creek Kitchen -- Charlie Palmer's wine country location in Healdsburg was quite the hopping place; we started with a good (but small) version of foie gras torchon, appropriately served with lavender salt, although it was so spare and fine we couldn't use it; the spinach lover amongst us tried the spinach salad with a wine poached egg, tasty with the exception of the bacon powder (pointless and tasteless - this molecular approach to cooking has got to go); we moved on to the pork duo (pork shoulder and tenderloin, served with farro), and shrimp with pappardelle in a buerre blanc; we understand some have complained of the service, but we were seated promptly and had very good service; reservations strongly advisable.
the Girl and the Fig -- just off the charming town square in the city of Sonoma, this casual (same menu throughout the day) bar and restaurant was a nice spot to hit for lunch in southern Sonoma County, as we headed from the airport toward our base in Healdsburg; the cheeseburger is hugely popular; it seems at least half the people ordered it so we had that; we also tried the wild boar ragu on pasta, which was o'kay but didn't wow us.
Willi's Seafood -- casual, comfortable Healdsburg spot with a decidedly Asian emphasis in its tapas style approach; we tried fried calamari, tuna tartare (with ginger and too few of the billed jalapenos), beet and blue cheese salad (probably the best thing we tried), and riblets, with a few actual ribs and some indistinguishable pieces of bone and meat. The style of every dish was too sweet and not sufficiently spiced for our tastes; overall, average at best.
Diavola -- located on the main drag in the small town of Geyserville in northern Sonoma County, this rustic style bar and restaurant turns out delicious thin crust, brick oven pizza; we added sausage to the four-cheese pizza; homemade sausage and other charcuterie are available for takeout; sharing a pizza was a great mid-afternoon choice for a late lunch after wine tasting.
Jimtown -- located northwest of Healdsburg (down the road from Jordan winery), this place looks like a hole in the wall country grocery store in a former gas station, but it turns out some great soups and sandwiches; we enjoyed the split pea soup and the grilled prosciutto and brie sandwich; counter-served, the menu offers many wonderful sandwich combinations, as well as breakfast items; the diverse clientèle resulted in Harleys and limos in the parking lot; another great mid-afternoon spot during wine tasting.
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| Posted by CarlosandDebbi at | | | |
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UPDATED REVIEW -- APRIL 2009
Housed in new digs in a strip shopping center next door to its original location, Le Mistral has morphed from a modest French country bistro to a posh dining venue. Gone are the lace curtains and the view of a gas station. The dining room has skylights, but no windows, the walls adorned with modern art, including a nod to its Texas home -- a very large picture of a reclining cow. The restaurant was packed on a recent Saturday evening, with parties in the wine and banquet rooms, and a lively crowd in the adjoining bar. There's not much else that compares in far west Houston, and the restaurant appears to be thriving. Reservations, particularly on a weekend, are recommended. While jeans are acceptable, the attire is on the dressier side, with many men in sport coats.
The great service continues in the new location. This is Houston, so our good ole' boy waiter, lacking any pretense of a French accent, seemed right at home. The wine list was extensive, not limited to French wines, and pricey.
We started with a seared scallop on fettuccine style leeks with smoked salmon sauce, which sounded better than it tasted primarily because the sauce was gluey and lacked zing. Perhaps a little citrus (or some acid as they say in the trade) would have helped. Our other starter, the foie gras terrine, was far tastier, and we ate every morsel. The rack of lamb entrée was a real winner -- a generous serving of the whole 8-rib rack, nicely cooked, with a ginger herb crust that didn't overwhelm the taste of the lamb. The lamb came with a side of good (but not fabulous) potato gratin. Our other entrée, a salmon steak, was acceptable but nothing special, slightly overcooked and a smaller serving compared to the lamb. The salmon sat on spinach fettuccine with a few fresh clams in a chive butter sauce, which also lacked punch. Our waiter didn't recommend the salmon as one of his favorite fish dishes, and we should have listened.
While we may not venture that direction again soon (although it is a lot easier with the Westpark Tollway), we enjoyed our dining experience and are happy to see an upscale French restaurant thriving in the Houston suburbs.
FIRST REVIEWED -- JUNE 2006
Braving I-10 construction, we ventured outside our Loop comfort zone to this far westside French restaurant that has received great reviews. Located in a strip shopping center, with a view of the Shell gas station through the curtains, we understand they will be building a new freestanding restaurant next door. The dining room strives for the quaintness of a French restaurant but comes up slightly short on the charm scale. Although we saw a number of diners in jeans, we would recommend dressing up a little more.
We enjoyed reasonably priced Kir Royales, and Manager/Owner Denis could not have been more helpful with our wine by the glass selections, even bringing out three bottles that weren't on the menu that he offered to open for us. The food was very good, although not outstanding, traditional French fare. We started with the foie gras terrine -- a well done version of this classic dish that was highlighted by the toasted brioche accompaniment. The seared Chilean Sea Bass was nicely cooked, although the basil risotto was a little too basil-y, and the red pepper/black olive sauce seemed slightly too assertive for the delicately flavored fish. The roasted veal chop was prepared at the requested medium but also overpowered by a large amount of sauce that tasted of onion and not of the billed apples and Calvados. The chocolate fondant (a/k/a molten chocolate cake) with a shot glass of coffee liqueur-infused ice cream was a standard version of this popular dessert.
We would return to this restaurant, and we'd like to try more dishes. However, for our first visit, the food didn't quite live up to the charm of the owner and the otherwise great service.
1400 Eldridge Parkway
832/379-8322
http://70.114.141.27/lemistral/
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| Posted by CarlosandDebbi at | | | |
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It took us a little time to get to this new Houston restaurant, declared by Texas Monthly to be the best new restaurant in Texas in 2008. Voice is located in the Hotel Icon in downtown Houston. While the restaurant is in the same location in the hotel lobby as its predecessor, Bank, the layout and decor have been redone. The restaurant has a more open feel, with a large circular bar in the center of the lobby, opening into the restaurant. The Whiskey Bar, which was located in the lobby balcony when the hotel first opened, has since been closed. While Bank's decor was updated but more formal, taking its tone from the old time elegance of the former bank lobby in which the hotel is located, Voice has an elegant, but more contemporary feel. We loved the comfortable high backed arm chairs that circle many of the tables, although they did inhibit the people watching.
The restaurant was full on a recent Saturday evening. We had a reservation and were seated promptly. Although the bar looked inviting, we appreciate not being ushered right away to the bar in an effort to increase the liquor expenditures. The service was fine, although the cocktails took a little longer than preferable to arrive, and there was quite a delay after we ordered desert. But, overall, we have no complaints about the service. It was friendly, but unobtrusive. As you would expect, the prices were on the high end. Think Tony's and Mark's. On a positive note, the wine list was reasonably priced and had quite a number of selections under $100.
There were four of us, so we were able to try a number of dishes. Two diners started with the signature mushroom cappuccino soup. Served in a mug, with a frothy truffle foam on top, it deserves the accolades. That was some creamy, rich, intense mushroom'y flavor. Yum. The special sweetbread appetizer was tasty but small. One large crispy sweetbread on top of mushroom puree. And the sauces on the plate were cold. The final appetizer tried -- gnocchi with morels and prosciutto -- was declared very good, "just like my Italian grandmother would make." (But, Top Chef fans, what would Fabio do?)
On to the entrées. We went for meat. The pork tenderloin special was three small pieces and nothing special. The rack of lamb was perfectly cooked but, interestingly, served off the bone, making, again, for a small portion. And we have no problem politely chewing on bones, even in the nicest restaurants. The beef filet and bone-in ribeye were better sized and nicely prepared. The mashed potatoes were noted as particularly good. Our only service glitch came when we waited quite some time for the warm chocolate cake. And it was not worth the wait. Nothing molten or even particularly moist about it.
Best new restaurant in Texas or even Houston? Not in our opinion. We had a wonderful evening with friends and the setting was very inviting, but, for food, our vote goes to Textile. Or Max and Julies.
220 Main Street (at Congress)
832/667-4470
http://www.hotelicon.com/voice-restaurant/
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We hadn't been inspired to try this longtime Houston restaurant. Perhaps because it is a chain or it was outside our geographic comfort zone, too far out on Westheimer. In recent years, Truluck's has moved closer in, now housing opposite Capital Grille on Westheimer near Yorktown. We love stone crabs and had heard about the all you can eat Monday special. A new year's resolution to limit carbs made this a good candidate for a recent birthday that happened to fall on a Monday.
The place was packed, with most diners appearing to have the evening special. For $49.95, you get all the stone crab (medium size) you want, together with as many soups, salads and sides as you desire. Although not overtly pushing the starters and sides, it makes sense to encourage one to fill up on these less costly items. We sampled the wedge salad (classic version with blue cheese dressing, blue cheese chunks, bacon, and tomatos) and the crab bisque (nothing special). We avoided the bread basket. The stone crabs, served cold on cracked ice, with a remoulade sauce, were quite good and nicely cracked by the kitchen. (No special utensils were required to access any of the meat, thus, sparing one's manicure.) The waiter kept the plates coming, and we had no trouble going through quite a few of the tasty appendages. We tried two sides -- cheese grits (delicious and rich) and creamed leaks (o'kay). We broke the no-carb rule big time with dessert (it was a birthday, after all) -- a huge piece of chocolate layer cake, topped with chocolate sauce. Quite tasty and, for the most part, ending up in a doggy bag. Alas, for obvious reasons, no stone crabs were allowed to sneak into the bag.
For stone crab lovers, the Monday special is a great deal. The regular menu price for 8 medium crab claws with mashed potatos and asparagus (no soup or salad) is $45.95.
5350 Westheimer
713/783-7270
http:/www.trulucks.com
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| Posted by CarlosandDebbi at | | | |
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UPDATED REVIEW -- JANUARY 2009
We made our annual new year's celebration trek to this wildly popular steakhouse. Same great service and food makes this one of our favorite Houston steakhouses. Although we don't appreciate that our reservations have never been honored on time, and we're always sent to the bar for at least a half hour wait. To the waitress's credit, we got no dirty looks when we sat without ordering a drink.
Pappas Brothers has a very deep wine list, with more older vintages than most restaurants. This is our annual wine splurge. With the help of the sommelier, we picked a 1990 Bordeaux with the decidedly deep, earthy flavor that we enjoy.
We tried a couple appetizers this time -- crab cakes and shrimp remoulade. The crab cakes were chock full of crab with a tasty lemon butter caper sauce, topped with a mass of fried potato strings. The highlight of the shrimp remoulade, other than the large, fresh shrimp, was the delectable sauce, spicy with caper overtones. We tried to resist the hot sourdough bread, so we'd have room for the New York strip that we shared. One of the things that Pappas does just a notch better than the other steakhouses is the sides. We have the same ones every year. At least one of us cannot resist that old steakhouse standby -- creamed spinach -- loaded with cream with the added benefit of bits of smoked ham. And the potatos au gratin are even richer and cheesier than you could imagine, also benefitting from the addition of bacon. The Pappas folks agree with Emeril that "pork fat rules." We'll be back again in about a year.
FIRST REVIEWED -- JANUARY 2007
We celebrated New Year's Eve a night early at Pappas Brothers Steakhouse, well-recognized as one of the top steakhouses in town. As usual, the place was hopping; surprisingly to us, given the prices, there were a lot of families with (fortunately, well-behaved) children. Seems like Pappas is quite popular with the out of town crowd, in Houston over the holidays to shop at the nearby Galleria.
We begin this review by noting that we really splurged on both the wine and food. While the service at Pappas has always been very good, our server, Adam, was particularly gracious this evening, as were the sommeliers. We started by sharing the Australian lobster tail, which Adam nicely cut in pieces. It was delicious but not value dining at $100. Our only gripe is that the melted butter could have been warmer. The ceramic warming dish with a votive candle didn't really do the trick.
We shared the 18 ounce New York Strip which was appropriately cooked (medium-rare) and presented sliced by Adam on a serving plate. We had two sides -- creamed spinach and potatoes au gratin. Both were fabulous and decadent. Even the sourdough bread, served warm and crispy, was great.
We didn't indulge in dessert. After offering us after-dinner drinks and hearing at least one of us note that she isn't a big fan of dessert wines, even the priciest versions, the head sommelier brought over a couple of his favorites for us to try -- a 1948 Madeira and a slightly bubbly Italian dessert wine. The Madeira still didn't work for Ms. Anti-d'Yquem, but the Italian wine was surprisingly good and not too sweet.
We had a great meal, with wonderful service. Although we may have been particularly well treated this evening, we've never had indifferent service or a disappointing meal at Pappas. We also like Vic & Anthony's and Flemings, but something about Pappas, one of the first of the now many steakhouses in Houston, has special appeal.
5839 Westheimer
713/780-7352
http://pappasbros.com/
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| Posted by CarlosandDebbi at | | | |
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UPDATED REVIEW -- JANUARY 2009
We dropped by Mockingbird Bistro one recent Sunday for Brunch. We've enjoyed dinner and lunch there on a number of occasions since our first review. Notwithstanding the $5 mimosas, we were disappointed in the menu offerrings as the brunch (versus lunch) options were limited. There were probably only four or five dishes that we would categorize as brunch -- a few poached egg dishes and steak and eggs. We continue to succumb to the calamari, although this time the pieces seemed smaller and a little chewy. The breading and remoulade sauce were the same as ever. We enjoyed the poached eggs with crab cakes (filled with crab, not alot of breading) although the jalapeno hollandaise was disappointingly bland. Our other entree was the charcuterie plate, which was nothing special and overpriced at $16. We particularly didn't care for the dull country pate. We'll stick to dinner or the regular lunch items next time around.
FIRST REVIEWED -- AUGUST 2006
We've always enjoyed our visits to this restaurant in the past and a recent experience was no different. Judging by the packed house on a Saturday night, this place is one of the more popular restaurants in Houston. And justifiably so -- the food and service were great. John Sheely is in charge and hitting on all cylinders, offerring diners great food in a warm, inviting setting. The high ceilings (decorated with large baroque chandeliers) allow you to actually have a conversation without needing to yell or strain to hear -- a novelty for Houston's trendy casual eateries. We still prefer the front room with all the windows, but the back room, which could be clausterphobic without windows, has been beautifully decorated as a wine cellar.
Our evening started out with a well executed tuna tartare amuse bouche, served on seaweed salad. We could not resist continuing with Sheely's incredible calamari (ranked # 3 in our calamari ratings but probably worthy of moving up to # 2). It was delicious -- tender and lightly breaded with a slightly sweet flavor that went well with the spicy remoulade sauce. (We weren't as excited about the sweet and sour sauce.)
We greatly enjoyed the pork chop and sweetbreads as entrees. The sweetbreads are normally an appetizer, but they were gladly prepared as an entree, served with a wonderful wild mushroom and mustard cream sauce. We substituted the white truffle pomme frites for the mashed potatos with the pork chop and were richly rewarded by this decadent treat. To be fair, the sweetbreads and frites were only lukewarm, but the kitchen quickly replaced them with hot versions.
Despite a few minor glitches, on balance, the service was very good. The hostess kept a watchful eye on the dining room, clearing plates and checking on our replaced frites. Our waiter was very attendant, not bugging us when we lingered over the calamari before placing our entree orders. (One miss -- a forgotten sauteed spinach side dish.) We also appreciated and enjoyed the half-bottle of Spanish red wine that was recommended by Marcy, the wine steward.
Overall a great dining experience and one that we would highly recommend.
1985 Welch
713/533-0200
http://www.mockingbirdbistro.com
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| Posted by CarlosandDebbi at | | | |
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UPDATED REVIEW -- DECEMBER 2008
We've dined at Catalan a number of times since we first reviewed this restaurant. This time we took out of town visitors to what we think is one of Houston's better restaurants. Catalan didn't disappoint, although we stuck to the old reliables -- the foie gras bon bon's and pork belly. We almost cried when we heard the cockles hadn't come in that morning. We branched out with a few other tapas with varying results. The lamb sweetbreads were not crispy as billed by the waiter. The crab croquettes were tasty enough but not particularly unique. Ditto for the cured salmon. The garlic soup with a poached egg was a winner. We wouldn't order the pork jowls with pea gnocchi again. The only entrée we tried was the shrimp and grits which was closely guarded by the person who ordered it who made few sounds other than chewing punctuated with moans of pleasure.
While the service was fine, we were disappointed with the lack of knowledge by our waiter who described a Spanish wine as full bodied and earthy when it was primarily grenache and anything but as described. We had to order another bottle of wine to enjoy our meal. We didn't expect to be comp'd for the first bottle, and we weren't. Thankfully, Catalan's wine prices are very reasonable.
FIRST REVIEWED -- OCTOB ER 2006
We joined a few friends for dinner at this new, already wildly popular Heights area restaurant, partially owned by the folks from Ibiza. Indeed, Ibiza and Catalan could be fraternal twins from the wood accents to the layout with the open kitchen along the back wall. (Not to mention the bread served in a small bucket with butter on a spoon, and cotton candy for birthdays.) Fortunately, for those who don't have reservations (an unwise move), Catalan, unlike Ibiza, has a bar. Of note, the very limited size of the bar suggests they don't want a bar crowd or diners to eat at the bar.
True to its Spanish name, the emphasis at Catalan is on "small plates" (Houstonspeak for tapas), all with a decidedly Spanish theme. There are many choices and we tried eight of them -- all were delicious. (As a testament, the picky eater amongst us enjoyed almost everything she tried.) Particular standouts and unique preparations included the crispy pork belly, cockles in chorizo cream sauce, marinated anchovies, and gnocchi.
We understand that many diners just have the small plates and don't move on to the "large plates." (There are more than twice the number of small plate options than large plates.) However, we obliged the restaurant by trying two of the entrees. We would have sampled more, but three of us ordered the same dish -- crispy ruby red trout cooked in bacon, over roasted brussel sprouts and topped with crab meat. This may sound like an odd combination but, trust us, it was delicious. Another diner enjoyed the grilled shrimp on grits.
Not to be deterred, we topped off our meal with three desserts. The rice pudding fans raved that "this is not your grandma's rice pudding." The toasted banana bread topped with caramelized bananas and ice cream was very good and lighter than it might sound. The only disappointment were the peanut butter ballottes -- deep fried peanut butter balls that might have been improved with alot more chocolate sauce.
Finally, a few comments about the service, the wine list, and our waiter. Unlike Ibiza, where we have frequently waited too long despite having reservations, our table was ready when we arrived. Ibiza is known for its great wine list at reasonable prices, typically about twice retail. Catalan continues the theme with an extensive, well-priced selection. Our waiter quickly removed the first wine he recommended when it had a decidedly mildewy smell. He replaced it with a nice Pinot Grigio, but what was impressive was that the price was one-half that of the original bottle we ordered. We also discovered a fabulous 2002 California cab priced only $7 over the price at Specs. We are not revealing the name less we flag the issue for the restaurant or, more importantly, others order it up before we can get there to have it again.
Be sure to make a reservation and give this place a try. We'll be back.
5555 Washington Street
713/426-4260
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| Posted by CarlosandDebbi at | | | |
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The chef has great credentials. Robert Gadsby's first stop in Houston was the highly regarded Noe in the Omni Hotel. He took a break, tried out to be an Iron Chef, and then became a consulting chef to Soma. Now he's opened his own restaurant named after the English town in which he grew up. Located across from the Glass Wall on Studewood in the Heights, Bedford is in a new brick exteriored building with a decidedly contemporary feel. The bar has a sleek sexy ambiance; the cocktails were nicely prepared (delicious blue cheese stuffed olives) and reasonably priced. There's an outdoor seating area and another bar for dining near the kitchen. The interior is warmly lit, but there's a decidedly minimalist feel to the dining area with an Asian influence. And, while it's hard to describe, the layout seems disjointed.
We dined at Bedford within a week of its opening. We weren't impressed. Perhaps they rushed in this economy to get the place open by the holidays. Our waiter said the staff hadn't been given the opportunity to try any of the dishes. He hadn't even seen a number of them. And the menu isn't that extensive. Price points were reasonable -- appetizers in the low double digits and entrées in the low to mid-20's. For a brand new restaurant, the service was very good.
But the food pretty much missed the mark with every dish we tried. Be forewarned that the menu descriptions are, to put it nicely, creative and not necessarily descriptive of the dish. Although we can't recall any references to foam or other molecular niceties, the menu aims for the same cutting edge concepts and combinations as are popular with many chefs today. Picky, conventional eaters may have trouble finding something to order. We note that the menu posted on the website has changed since we dined there, so the chef is listening and evolving.
The amuse bouche was wild mushroom risotto, oddly topped with flavors of grape, pomegranate and red curry. Too much going on and too sweet. We shared the signature tuna roll appetizer that we thought would be sushi like but turned out to be cooked tuna in lightly fried rice paper. Despite our initial confusion, it was tasty enough . As was the foccacia style bread with olive oil. There was nothing resembling the billed potato cauliflower hash on the plate with the seared halibut (alongside carrots and not the advertised haricot verts). The waiter had no clue as to the whereabouts of the missing hash, but came back to the table after talking to the chef to tell us that the hash was represented in the sauce. Come on. Hash is not a sauce, particularly a smooth one. The pork belly entrée (not on the website menu) was moist enough but lacking in taste. And, although better for our health, it lacked any of the tasty fat you typically find on pork belly. The side of apple cider pudding, although served in a cute little crock, was a heavy bread pudding that was likely warmed in the microwave as it had hot and cold spots. The quail entrée was declared to be very good although the solo quail on the plate looked kind of lonely. When we were informed the only chocolate desert was unavailable, we headed for ice cream at The Chocolate Bar.
We wish Chef Gadsby well. We hear there were no tables available on a recent Saturday night. But, it's unlikely Bedford will see us again soon unless it's for a drink and an appetizer at the bar. When we're really hungry, we'll be back to the other new Heights entry to the Houston dining scene -- Textile.
1001 Studewood Street
713/880-1001
http://www.bedfordrestaurant.com/
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| Posted by CarlosandDebbi at | | | |
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We had resisted trying Beaver's as we had read mixed reviews and barbeque isn't our favorite. But we'd heard about the new chef -- Jonathan Jones (formerly of Max's Wine Dive) -- so we thought we should head to the Heights to check it out. With two friends in tow, we ventured to Beaver's on a recent Sunday evening. We wanted to go in the evening as the smoker items are only available at dinner. There were a few tables filled but the place was by no means busy.
As befitting a BBQ restaurant owned by Monica Pope, the atmosphere is contemporary rustic. The tables are picnic style, with an upholstered banquette along one seating side and backless wooden benches on the other side of the tables. The latter, although contributing to the country spirit, were not comfortable. There's an extensive cocktail list with interesting, reasonably priced Texas style twists on traditional cocktails. We enjoyed the salt and pepper margarita, a southern gimlet, and a pecan old fashioned. There's a limited list of wines by the glass, and the house red was just fine for BBQ.
For appetizers, we tried the "Bar Bar" (chopped brisket with BBQ sauce served with tortilla chips) and the Beaver Wings. The former was tasty enough, but the wings were better. We moved on to the Smoker Sampler and the Ribs 'n' Grits. The Smoker Sampler was a winner -- wonderfully smoked, moist pork ribs, fatty flavorful brisket, juicy pulled pork, and delicious link sausage. The ribs were a particular standout. The Ribs 'n' Grits featured the boneless meat from the aforementioned pork ribs, served on what was more of a cheese grit cake than traditional style grits. The side of greens had a great bacony flavor. The mac & cheese was a disappointment, floury tasting and mushy. And is it really necessary to top pasta with croutons? We had hoped for better as the chef's version of this dish at Max's Wine Dive was fabulous.
One of the criticisms of Beaver's has been that the servings are small and the prices high for BBQ. We didn't find that to be the case. The Smoker Sampler was $15 and the Ribs 'n' Grits were $18. If you want mass produced BBQ, there are any number of chain places. But for high quality ingredients, made on the premises, and uniquely served, we thought the pricing was fair. And we had plenty to eat.
Our waitress was friendly and attentive until about 8:45 when it was clear the staff wanted to clean up and get out of there, although the restaurant doesn't close until 10. Once our meals were delivered, we got no water refills. Seconds on margaritas were not available as the restaurant had run out of the the lime pepper mix. The bill was presented to us right after our plates were cleared, with no offer of dessert or coffee. When we inquired about dessert, the waitress brought the menu but told us "it's not a good night for desserts." She was right as, by 9:15, the deep fat fryer needed for the namesake "beaver balls" had been shut down. We declined the bread pudding special, figuring we could get that anywhere whereas deep fried brownie balls are not widely available. They were sweeping up as they swept us out the door.
Will we return to Beaver's? Perhaps if we were in the neighborhood and really wanted barbeque. Maybe with Yankee visitors. But our experience with the service put a mar on what was otherwise great food.
2310 Decatur Street
713/864-2328
http://www.beavershouston.com/
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| Posted by CarlosandDebbi at | | | |
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We've been waiting and watching with anticipation for the opening of this new Scott Tycer restaurant. Located in an old textile mill where he operates Kraftsmen Baking, Textile is Chef Tycer's latest foray into the restaurant world after first shuttering the much acclaimed Aries and then the less popular, more casual Pic. For now, Textile is only open for dinner on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights. Reservations are required.
With just ten tables, there's a notable sense of intimacy in this contemporary, sophisticated setting. The high ceiling is draped in pieces of white cloth, like sails on a sailboat. One side of the room is lined with an upholstered banquette against a wall covered in a suede like material. The lighting is subdued. Fresh flowers and white linens adorn the tables. There's a small bar with a few seats. No television or pulsing music. Conversation flows easily. The service is friendly and gracious. But the emphasis here is clearly on the food. And Textile does not disappoint.
We'll dispense with the negative first -- the 5-course Tasting Menu is overpriced at $85 per person. If we'd looked at the menu, we wouldn't have ordered the Tasting Menu as all the items are available on the a la carte menu, in larger portions, for a total of about $10 more. (Contrary to the statement on the website, the a la carte menu is not limited.) One of the problems we perceived with Aries was that it was pricey but too cutting edge to be a regular destination restaurant for the Tony's and Mark's crowd. With only ten tables and assumably less overhead than at Aries, Chef Tycer can take more risks. But Houston isn't particularly familiar with the Tasting Menu concept, so he needs to be careful with the pricing. And, at that price, for only five courses, at least one of the appetizers should have included a high end menu item, such as the foie gras or scallops.
All that being said, every dish was beautifully executed and delicious. The amuse bouche was a smoked sturgeon chowder. The salad was made of the freshest bibb lettuce, with a sherry vinaigrette, sided by a lush Texas blue cheese. The bacon tart, like a gooey quiche, with wilted greens and a basted quail egg, was first rate. The delicate kona kampachi was served over julienned vegetables. Probably the tastiest item of the evening was the braised veal breast with truffled hollandaise -- as decadent and delectable as it sounds. We could have each eaten at least two servings of that dish. We finished with a pumpkin version of a molten chocolate cake with ice cream. The one of us who enjoys pumpkin desserts declared it fabulous. The ordinary tasting bon bons were our only disappointment of the evening. All desserts and confections are made on site.
We opted for the wine pairings. The pairings were well chosen, and, at $55 per person, although not inexpensive given the quality of the wine, the price was fair. The wine list is limited and reasonably priced. We understand the restaurant also specializes in cocktails with interesting mixers.
There's no question we'll be back. Probably sooner than later. But we'll select our own tasting menu.
611 West 22nd Street
832/209-7177
http://www.textilerestaurant.com/1801.html
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