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Cucina Spinasse (Seattle) -- the best dinner of our trip; chef was Food & Wine up & comer for 2010; sat at chef's counter table overlooking the open kitchen and and were served numerous courses by the chef; emphasis is on Piedmont style of cooking; highlights included four (amazing) homemade pastas, salt roasted local prawns, lamb tartare, seared salmon, and rabbit pouches; we'd highly recommend you check out this restaurant
Serious Pie (Seattle) -- very popular stop on all Seattle food tours; anticipate long waits; small restaurant, open kitchen with brick oven, community seating; enjoyed an amazing fresh porcini salad and a wild mushroom and truffled cheese pizza (featured by Tyler Florence on the FN's Best Thing You Ever Ate)
Crush (Seattle) -- chef won this year's James Beard award for the Northwest; located in a house in a changing neighborhood east of downtown; enjoyed grilled baby octopus as a starter, and roasted halibut and seared scallop entrees; above average artisanal cocktails; friendly attentive service; probably didn't fully appreciate this restaurant as we were still reeling from our previous night's chef's table experience
Luc (Seattle) -- very popular French bistro (same owner as neighbor, Rover, a more upscale, highly rated restaurant); casual (i.e., slightly inattentive) service; we were disappointed they had run out of the salt baked whole chicken that is the Monday night feature; our group of four enjoyed smoked trout appetizer, potato mushroom soup, grilled halibut, and a (we've had better) cheeseburger
Restaurant Zoe (Seattle) -- a popular contemporary downtown restaurant; enjoyed a unique version of sweetbreads with apricots and an even more unique entree "hog croustillant" (braised, shredded pork formed in a log and pan fried) with a side of nicely done herb risotto
Saffron Mediterranean (Walla Walla, Washington) -- chef was a James Beard nominee this year; enjoyed an appetizer of steamed clams with ham hocks and sausage, and an entree of roasted pheasant on Israeli couscous; were surprised that the chef declined our request for a half order of pasta
Brasserie Four (Walla Walla, Washington) -- managed to find a French bistro in southwestern Washington; started with a good country pate; branched out with a very fresh, whole sauteed trout served meuniere style; also enjoyed a perfectly cooked hanger steak with yummy brandy sauce and frites
Celilo (Hood River, Oregon) -- after walking around this charming town, we landed on one of the more upscale places in an otherwise laid back place; enjoyed salmon rillettes as a starter and and entrees of lamb three ways (chop, braised and overly spiced chorizo) and roasted cod
Beast (Portland) -- second best meal of the trip; Food & Wine up and comer for 2009; two seatings, served at two long communal tables; multi-course menu (no choices, "substitutions politely declined," vegetarians need not apply); went with the wisely picked wine pairings; highlights included the amuse bouche plate (including pork rillettes, steak tartare, foie gras bon-bon) and the beautifully cooked duck breast
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| Posted by CarlosandDebbi at | | | |
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The folks from Glass Wall have brought us this new Houston hotspot. These guys clearly had some fun thinking about their latest endeavor, starting with the name. BRC stands for "big red cock." That's a rooster (as evidenced by the large red chicken sign out front) for those who might have thought otherwise. The fun continued with the restaurant's concept -- a gastropub -- a popular style that has been cropping up around the country as of late. More casual and less trendy in feel than nearby Max's Wine Dive, BRC does evoke a pub environment. Only beer and wine are served. The beer choices are particularly expansive. And there are housemade wine coolers.
Casual is the order of the day. Although they'd likely invoke a no shirt, no shoes policy, shorts and t-shirts are quite acceptable. We dined early on a recent Saturday evening, and there were a number of kids eating with their parents. Old and young alike seemed to be enjoying the experience. Reservations are taken for six and more. And parking is ample. No valet.
The menu is large and quite varied. We saw so many things that interested us, we had trouble deciding what to order. We ultimately started with the homemade roasted pimento cheese dip with homemade potato chips. The chips could have been a crisper, but the cheese dip was delicious. We then tried the housemade smoked pork shank for two. We know that charcuterie plates are becoming commonplace, but we love them. Like a milder version of ham, the meat was wonderful. Attractively served on a large board, with parker house rolls (slightly dry), a soft cheese (tasty but didn't really go with the meat), yellow mustard, and homemade pickles. We had alot of fun cutting the moist meat off the large bone that, regrettably, was a little too large for gnawing in public. Who can resist mac and cheese, and BRC has a daily version. On our visit it was blue cheese and bacon; appropriately creamy, and the cheese was not overpowering. The women sitting next to us said they very much enjoyed the open faced brisket sandwich and steamed mussels (also a daily version).
We're ready to go back.
519 Shepherd Drive
713/861-2233
(No Website; on Facebook)
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| Posted by CarlosandDebbi at | | | |
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Cozy, casual, comfort food. That pretty much sums up this recent addition to the growing Heights area dining scene. Located in a small house, with an open kitchen in the back, this new Houston restaurant has been hopping since it opened. The chef, Jamie Zelko, has graced a number of our local kitchens, including, most recently, Lancaster Grill. The opening of her own place was much anticipated.
We stopped by on a recent Saturday evening and found a wait at 6:30. No reservations are taken. There's a small bar area and a porch for waiting. Parking is also quite abundant which is most appreciated. And no valet parking. Yippee. Prices are quite reasonable. No wines above the $40 range, and entrees in the mid-teens. Service was friendly and prompt. We love the growing popularity of leaving a bottle of water on the table.
As seems popular nowadays, the menu is an eclectic mix of favorites -- spaghetti with meat sauce, meat loaf, fried chicken, short ribs, cheeseburger, shrimp 'n grits, corned beef and cabbage. Even deep fried pickles, which we tried and found to be quite delicious with homemade ranch dressing. We also dined on the spaghetti with meat sauce which was satisfying but not exceptional. We are suckers for soft shell crab and an off the menu special enticed us -- one good sized, corn meal crusted deep fried crab, served on an asian style slaw, with honey mustard dipping sauce. Like so many versions, too much breading without alot of flavor. (The best soft shell crabs in town are at Pico's Mex Mex.)
Did we enjoy our dinner? Yes, particularly the comfortable, casual vibe. Will we race back for the food? Probably not.
705 E. 11th Street
713/880-8691
http://www.zelkobistro.com/
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| Posted by CarlosandDebbi at | | | |
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A long weekend took us to this town of significant historical significance and alot of great food --
McCrady's Tavern -- our favorite restaurant, the chef, Sean Beck, just won the James Beard award for the southeast; beautiful room in a restored tavern dating back to the 1700's; tried a couple great appetizers (soft shell crab with pea shoots and buttermilk fried sweetbreads with peas and lardo vinaigrette); really enjoyed the very unique lamb duo entree (a roulade of lamb saddle and loin and a lamb crepinette (braised meat formed into a cake) with peas, almond polenta and green onion puree); finished with a tasty lemon curd dessert that was essentially a deconstructed lemon meringue pie; very lively bar scene with interesting bar bites.
Tristan -- fabulous Sunday brunch, contemporary setting, elegant service, not touristy, innovative food; started with chive cheddar popovers and she crab soup, Bergammo breakfast (polenta topped with two varieties of melted Italian cheese, and two fried eggs, finished with truffle butter) and Pate Eggs Benedict (poached eggs, topping country style pate, on toasted brioche with whole grain mustard hollandaise; not our favorite but beautifully executed and not too heavy); would definitely go back for dinner.
Slightly North of Broad -- lunched at this very popular spot; the homemade charcuterie platter was generous, very reasonably priced and delicious (duck liver mousse, duck rillettes, country pate, head cheese, freshly toasted baguette slices, with the usual accompaniments); nicely done (again generously portioned) fried chicken livers topped grits with an overabundance of caramelized onion sauce.
High Cotton -- very popular, somewhat touristy; started out well with the appetizers ("bacon and eggs" was an absolutely delicious chunk of pork belly topped with a crunchy coated poached egg, and a nicely executed crab cake with a bit too many sauces and toppings on the plate); things went down hill with the entrees (iodine tasting shrimp in a gloppy sauce on grits and deep fried soft shell crab in a heavy, tasteless breading that totally masked the crab).
Magnolia's -- also very popular and touristy; the signature eggroll appetizer with chicken and collard greens served with various pepper and mustard sauces bore a strong resemblance to Chili's Southwestern egg rolls; the seafood on grits with lobster sauce was another gloppy mess with no discernible lobster or lobster taste; the parmesan crusted flounder was the only good dish, very fresh and nicely cooked, served on seafood rice, topped with crab salsa.
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| Posted by CarlosandDebbi at | | | |
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It took some courage for the folks from Shade to open in this space on Montrose that has housed a number of restaurants. In all fairness, the openings and closings have spanned a 20 year or more period. We're beyond predicting the longevity of any new restaurant, but we have certainly enjoyed Canopy on a couple of recent occasions. Open for lunch, brunch and dinner, Canopy is both casual and sophisticated. There's a light, open feel to the space, benefitting from high ceilings and lots of windows. This isn't a white tablecloth venue. And it's not particularly romantic. You can hear yourself talk, and there's no need to dress up. On the flip side, the food is upscale, and it's a little pricier than a neighborhood joint (at dinner, appetizers, $10-15; entrees $20-30). Reservations are taken, and there's valet parking. We've had great service on both occasions.
We dropped by for Sunday brunch and quickly decided Canopy was right up there for a favorite brunch spot. We had the Croque Madame -- grilled ham and cheese, topped with bechamel sauce and fried eggs. (The addition of the latter rendering the dish a "Madame" rather than a "Monsieur.") The sandwich was sided by a wonderfully fresh spinach salad. The Challah French toast, eggs, and bacon were also quite good. One of the pluses of Canopy is that there are a lot of choices and variety on the menu at every meal. The menu included a number of breakfast-type options, salads, sandwiches, and more substantial entrees.
For a recent dinner, we started with the calamari (a favorite of ours as you know if you read this blog). It was beautifully fried and quite tasty, although the serving size was smaller than you might typically see. One of us really liked the harissa lime mayo, not so much the taste of the other. We opted for appetizers for our main courses -- Green Eggs and Ham (a seared scallop, on country ham grits, topped with a sunny side up quail egg), Crab Cake and fried green tomatos, and Mac and Cheese. Our friend had the Garlic-Rosemary Sauteed Scallops entree. Every dish was delicious, made with fresh ingredients, and well executed.
We hope this place endures. We suspect brunch and lunch will see good numbers. The restaurant may not be as big a draw for the evening out crowd.
3939 Montrose
713/528-6848
http://www.canopyhouston.com/index.html
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| Posted by CarlosandDebbi at | | | |
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Not quite sure about the Rat Pack vibe the restaurant touts, but we liked the vibe nonetheless at this new restaurant near the Memorial area spot. Located in the corner of a strip shopping center at Woodway and Chimney Rock, The Rockwood Room has garnered attention in the local and regional press. The chef, formerly at Max's Wine Dive, is turning out an eclectic mix of food ("iconic American dishes" per the website) in a relaxed environment. There were all age groups dining there. This is Memorial, not Washington Avenue.
We spend a lot of time dining out and a gut check for whether we'll like a restaurant is our initial reaction to how many items on the menu we'd like to try. Based on this measure, The Rockwood Room showed great promise. We sat at the bar on a recent Saturday evening, watching and listening to the activity in the open kitchen. They were hollering (politely, no Anthony Bourdain type language) and hustling. Here's where we noted at least one discernible vestige from the Rat Pack era; there was only one woman in the kitchen (and, yes, it was the pastry chef).
The Rockwood Room won a contest in New York City for its maple-bacon infused manhattan, so we had to try it. Quite tasty, almost like a savory dessert with the glass rimmed with a bacon sugar mixture. There were a number of other artisanal style cocktails being enjoyed by most at the bar. Service at the bar was prompt and friendly. A solo diner would find a comfortable venue here.
Confirmed carnivores, we love the trend in charcuterie plates. Rockwood Room's was generously proportioned and quite tasty, with four different meats, including a well prepared, earthy, and not overly-spiced chorizo sausage. We also tried the patty melt pumpers (aka sliders) which were well executed, but the meat patties could have been thicker, which led to them being cooked more than our liking. From there, we shared the fried chicken entree. Served with cheddar grits and sauteed turnip greens, the fried chicken (semi-boneless, one-half bird) was an exemplary version of this dish. Crispy, crunchy and savory, it was delicious. The turnip greens had a wonderfully smoky flavor.
One big plus for us is the food was served when prepared and came super hot as runners were constantly being called when plates were ready. Also, be sure to ask for the bread service. Just like the food, it comes out piping hot, one of the better bread services we have tried, served with a tasty herb infused olive oil.
We look forward to returning.
5709 Woodway Drive
832/251-3663
http://www.therockwoodroom.com/
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| Posted by CarlosandDebbi at | | | |
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The latest endeavor by the Reef Guys, Stella Sola occupies the space formerly (and briefly) known as Bedford. Located on Studewood, next door to the Glass Wall, this new Houston restaurant has been buzzing since shortly after it opened. This despite the rocky start caused by the dismissal of its well-known chef, Jason Gould (formerly of Gravitas), just days before the opening. The sous chef, Justin Bayse, stepped in and the restaurant opened just a couple months before the publication of a New York Times article about Houston restaurants featuring Reef and Stella Solla (among others). On a weekend (which starts on Thursday on the Houston restaurant scene), reservations are essential; make them at least a week in advance.
Thankfully, the Reef Guys did some remodeling to cozy up the minimalist interior of Bedford. Banquette seating was added along one side of the restaurant, and the warmer colors go with the "Texas Tuscan" theme of the restaurant. No, we didn't make that up. That's how the restaurant was originally presented by the Reef Guys and, after dining there, we suppose that characterization is apt, if not slightly gimmicky. We didn't spend any time in the bar, but the cocktail menu was designed by Bobby Huegel (Anvil Bar), the artisanal cocktail master of Houston. Since we'd actually been at Anvil (highly recommended) before heading to dinner, we just had a glass of wine and didn't get a sense of the wine list. Our service was friendly and attentive.
Chef Bayse is touted for his homemade cured meats, so we had to start with the Meat Market Platter. Graced by six different cured meats, primarily with a pork emphasis, we particularly enjoyed the pancetta, lardo (don't ask, just eat), and the pork shoulder offerings. We were horribly disappointed to find that the restaurant had just run out of the roasted half suckling pig (served for two persons). We settled for the country style pork rib (a hunk of pork shoulder) that was a little dry on the outside but tender and moist closer to the bone. (Having tried cooking country style pork ribs, we have to give credit to the chef; that's a tricky piece of meat to cook right.) The pork was sided with delicious (i.e., bacon strewn) sautéed kale. We also tried the rock shrimp and bay scallop risotto. The risotto was properly cooked and quite tasty, tinged with lemon, but, for $24, we expected more shrimp and scallops. The shrimp were cut in small pieces, about the size of the bay scallops, and not particularly plentiful.
This restaurant will likely continue its popularity. The Chronicle's Allison Cook just gave it two stars. We plan to venture back soon, but we're calling first to make sure the suckling pig is on the menu that night.
1001 Studewood
713/880-1001
www.stellasola.com
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| Posted by CarlosandDebbi at | | | |
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A fine French restaurant in Conroe? No way. Way. Despite the Chronicle's Alison Cook's declaration of Chez Roux as one of the best new restaurants in 2009, even our most seasoned foodie friends haven't ventured up there and some haven't even heard of the place. It does take well over an hour (without traffic) to get to the restaurant and, after a few glasses of wine, you won't want to drive back to Houston. Hence, we stayed overnight at the recently renovated resort -- La Torreta Lake Resort -- where the restaurant is located. The 70's resort (f/k/a Del Lago) has been redone with a contemporary Italian flair. The hotel was dead on a recent Saturday night but, admittedly, this is the low season for a lakeside resort. Our room was very nice and reasonably priced, although we didn't appreciate an extra charge for valet parking when valet is the only parking option. Just include it in the room rate.
Somehow the developer managed to lure a seasoned Michelin-starred (Le Gavroche in London) French chef, Albert Roux, to open a restaurant in Conroe. No telling how much that cost. The restaurant is lovely, about 15 tables (including a chef's table) in an intimate, warm, contemporary setting. The service was very good, although the bus help needs some polishing. Granted, it's unlikely that a local teenager (or any teenager for that matter) knows the difference between Bordeaux and Burgundy glasses without some training. The General Manager/Maitre D'/Sommelier hails from one of Chef Roux's restaurants in London. Don't you know this debonair, nattily dressed guy had a rude awakening when he thought he was opening a restaurant in Houston and found himself heading north from Intercontinental Airport?
Although the hotel was empty, the restaurant was full this Saturday evening. One look at the menu and you realize that the Menu Prestige (tasting menu) is the way to go. A great value, 8 courses (including amuse bouche and petit fours) for $70. Each course was delicious, beautifully presented, and amply proportioned. Although clearly French in orientation, the chef (an American trained by Chef Roux) strives to use local ingredients. Mustard greens, wild boar, and Texas cheese made appearances. The courses in order: artichoke/quail egg/ smoked salmon; chicken oysters (the tiny piece between the leg and the thigh)/hazelnuts/mustard greens; cod/brandade beignet/carrot puree; wild boar chop/pork cheek roulade/turnip salad; cheddar cheese soufflé/corn kernel cream (cheese soufflé is a signature dish of the chef, localized with Texas cheese and creamed corn, but we thought the corn overpowered the delicate soufflé); cannele/chocolate sorbet.
The only down point of our dinner was the automatic 18% gratuity that was added to our bill; this wasn't noted on the website or the menu. We didn't argue that night, but raised the issue with hotel management the next day. We typically tip 18-20% on food but less on wine when we splurge (which we did here). Hotel management told us it was not supposed to be Chez Roux policy to charge an automatic service fee, and they allowed us to adjust our tip.
All in all, we had a big time in Conroe. (Brunched at Whataburger.) We'll go back.
La Torreta Lake Resort & Spa
600 La Torretta Boulevard, Montgomery, Texas
877.286.9590
http://www.latorrettalakeresort.com/texas-resort-chez-roux.aspx
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| Posted by CarlosandDebbi at | | | |
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Open now for a few weeks, this much awaited and anticipated restaurant was hopping on a recent Saturday night. The first LEED certified (i.e., environmentally friendly) restaurant in Houston, it took some time to get it open. The kitchen is manned by Randy Evans, formerly chef at Brennans. Built from the ground up at the northeast corner of Kirby & 59 ( behind the aquarium store and Taco Cabana), Haven has a contemporary, yet warm and comfortable, ambiance. (Similar in feel to Branch Water Tavern.)
Reservations are a must for prime time weekend tables. Foodies are flocking. We ran into three of our foodie couple friends dining there for the first time on the same evening. Parking is an interesting situation. There is a large lot right next to the restaurant that appeared to be entirely reserved for the valet service, at least at dinner.
We started out with shaky service but things improved greatly once our waiter arrived. We like the new trend toward artisanal cocktails but none appealed to us here, so we opted for wine from a varied (although not steakhouse sized), reasonably priced menu.
The menu is somewhat limited at this point. We speculate Chef Evans' idea is to do everything well rather than bite off more than the kitchen staff can produce. The menu is already expanded from what's on the limited website. And the idea is to buy local, farm-to-market, seasonally available items, which is inherently limiting.
A number of the appetizers were intriguing. Whether as a starter or a substitute for an entrée, we tried four of them. The best of the lot was the baked oysters, out of their shells, baked in a ramekin with spinach and lardons in a light cream sauce, served with grilled toast wedges, this dish packed a lot of flavor and was a very generous portion. It could easily have been a dinner entrée in of itself. Our next favorite was the pork belly, a large, meltingly good chunk of meat, served on under seasoned creamed peas. Runners up were the shrimp corn dogs (pretty much as described, cleverly sided with a shooter of meyer lemonade), with a nice spicy sauce, and chicken fried chicken lollipops, neatly served on mini biscuits with cream gravy (which we would have preferred a bit more of). The only entrée we tried was the roasted chicken served with bacon spaetzle and crispy fried brussel sprout leaves. A delicious comfort food dish for a chilly evening. A number of desserts looked good, but we were too full.
How quickly will we return? Soon but not right away. We greatly applaud the time and money required for LEED certification, and the commitment to local, seasonal ingredents. The food was very good, but it didn't knock us off our feet. There's a large outdoor patio that will be inviting in the Spring, and dropping in for a drink and appetizers at the bar appeals.
2502 Algerian Way
713/581-6101
http://havenhouston.blogspot.com/
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| Posted by CarlosandDebbi at | | | |
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We ventured to this long-time Houston restaurant, cozily located in the woods on Post Oak Lane. (We've heard rumors they're moving.) Four of us dined on a recent weeknight during the holidays. A number of parties were going on and the bar area was quite lively. Valet parking was a must, despite the large parking lots.
Our server was a little too familiar, particularly for the somewhat formal setting (Note to all servers: if you must smoke, please ensure that your breath is smoke free prior to waiting on your table.) When asked about wine selections, he pointed out only bottles in the $200 plus range, and, when decanting the wine, left too much in the bottle. Allegedly for the sediment although it was not an old vintage; it was a 1999 Bordeaux. And then he removed the bottle. We asked him to bring it back, which he did. (Contrast this with our recent experience at Pappas Steakhouse where the sommelier properly left the bottle on the table after decanting.)
We started with four appetizers -- seared calamari (nicely cooked with an Asian sweet and sour twist), butternut squash soup (declared to be very good), three mushroom ravioli (rich and delicious with a prominent mushroom flavor), and a salad. We moved on to sautéed john dory, seared duck breast (generously garnished with foie gras that was perfectly seared), and sautéed bluefish entrées. The food arrived hot at the table (a bugaboo of ours). Everything was appropriately cooked and declared by all to be very good. When the requested risotto substitution was not reflected on the plate, the chef sent out a piping hot separate order of wild mushroom risotto.
Some may find this comparison off, but Masraff's has the feel of a sophisticated version of the now shuttered Confederate House, with more innovative, interesting food. This place is not frequented by the trendy crowd, the clientèle is on the older side, the acoustics permit conversation, and the food is very good. Now, if they just work on the attitude of the servers.
1025 S. Post Oak Lane
(713) 355-1975
http://www.masraffs.com
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