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Feast
This entry was posted on 7/4/2008 7:54 AM and is filed under Casual Chic - Jeans Allowed.
We haven't yet established a category for New English, particularly for a restaurant that has adopted the "head to tail" style of cooking that requires using as many parts of the animal as possible. The two English-born chefs also own Taverna, a well regarded restaurant in Conroe, which we haven't had the opportunity to try. This new Houston restaurant is located in an old house on lower Westheimer that has housed a number of different establishments, including Aldo's and most recently, Chez Georges. Gone are the lace curtains and white tablecloths from the prior inhabitant, replaced by dark woods and English hunting scenes with a contemporary spin. We had a reservation, which wasn't necessary on a recent Saturday night. There were a moderate number of diners, but the place was far from busy. Valet parking is the only real option.
The wine list is limited but reasonably priced. Although we weren't particularly impressed with the wines by the glass that we tried, served in tumblers, the price was right at about $6-7 a glass. They also have a full liquor license. Service was good, and all our items were delivered piping hot and fresh from the kitchen.
We wanted to like Feast as we appreciate chefs trying to do something different. The menu changes regularly and there were blackboard specials. There's an emphasis on organ meats and other items, such as blood pudding, not regularly found on restaurant menus. There were plenty of choices for the less adventurous eater, although even the more recognizable items were prepared with interesting twists and flavor combinations. And we note that the hoof to tail concept didn't seem to extend to offerring the premium cuts of meat. For example, we recall short ribs but no steak; chicken hearts but no chicken breast. You get the picture.
With an open mind, we tried some of the more unusual dishes. An appetizer of blood pudding, made with pig's blood, had a spicy intense flavor like sausage. It was served on top of a slab of roasted pork and then topped with a quail egg. This dish was enough for a meal. One bite was sufficient for one of us while the other finished off the dish, declaring it to be very enjoyable. The one-biter tried the daily special of duck livers served with spinach and raisins in a grand marnier sauce. This was also an appetizer that could have made a meal. More delicate in flavor than chicken livers, the duck livers seemed more poached than sauteed, and the sauce was a bit too sweet. Only one of us will eat poultry livers, and, upon reflection, she declares they are more suited for pates or pan fried without a sauce (bringing to mind the Salade Landaise at Max & Julie's).
For entrees, we ordered the goat shoulder pie and the scallop pot pie. The goat shoulder pie contained thick, rich braised goat meat topped with mashed potatoes and baked in the oven, like a shepherd's pie. The scallop pot pie had wonderfully fresh flavors in the vegetable filled cream sauce and a nicely prepared puff pastry top, but, after some hunting, we found only four scallops the size of large bay scallops. We mentioned this to the waitress who didn't seem to care, and we doubt she said anything to the management. We weren't angling to have the $20 dish come off the bill or to be offered anything complimentary, and, indeed, neither of those occurred. We didn't have room for desert.
The restaurant's website says they are trying to "summon the spirit of a family meal shared around the kitchen table of an old-fashioned European family farm." That may be the challenge when serving American diners who are not used to seeing chicken hearts, beef tongue, and neck of lamb on their kitchen tables. And, while the prices aren't as high as some of our upscale restaurants, they weren't low either considering the cuts of meat and poultry being used. This is not a restaurant for children, the squeamish, or mainstream eaters. But, if you want to sample the cooking of two chefs who have the courage to serve some of the more innovative food in town, give it a try.
219 Westheimer
713/529-7788
http://feasthouston.googlepages.com/home
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