Mark's American Cuisine
This entry was posted on 2/11/2007 1:13 PM and is filed under Upscale - Leave the Jeans at Home, New American Upscale.
UPDATED REVIEW: FEBRUARY 2007 --
We are no different than many Houstonians in considering Mark's to be a destination restaurant for special occasions. And you can't beat that Zagat recently listed it as one of the top ten restaurants in the U.S. This time it was a birthday, and we splurged with the eight-course tasting menu.
No course disappointed, each was accompanied by a wonderful sauce and side, and some were particular highlights. And the portions were quite large for a tasting menu. In order, we dined on: a sea scallop/fried Ipswich clam combo; sauteed skate; smoked duck breast (moist and crispy, but not fatty); pineapple sorbet; a lamb chop/venison combo; a wonderfully pungent Spanish goat cheese; a dessert trio; and a selection of homemade candies and jellies.
As usual the service was very good, although perhaps a bit condescending. Be sure to make reservations well in advance, particularly for a weekend evening. Our request made at the time of the reservation for a table in the main room was not initially honored, but they did quickly find us the requested table. Of note, the popularity of Mark's means the tables are very close together. We had to move our table to avoid being continually bumped by the waitstaff.
FIRST REVIEWED: JUNE 2006 --
Expectations run high when you dine at the restaurant that Houstonians (including us) rated #1 in both the Most Popular and Top Food categories in Zagat's most recent poll. Mark's lived up to the ratings.
For a Tuesday evening prior to a holiday weekend, the restaurant was hopping. The noise level was somewhat higher than usual, probably enhanced by our sitting in the balcony next to a group of rowdy businessmen drinking flaming shots of Sambuca. The lack of a waitress with glasses on her belt and the incredible food reminded us we weren't at the Cadillac Bar. We'll get the only other gripe out of the way quickly -- the service was not as attentive or cordial as usual. Our harried waiter was spending a lot of time with the businessmen.
Now for the food -- it was as good or better than ever. There were four in our group, and we started with two appetizers -- fried oysters topped with softshell crab and fresh crab (a little pricey at $22) and a quail/foie gras combination. Both were excellent, with clean plates all around. Our main courses were equally as delicious. The grilled Ahi tuna was declared the "best I've ever had" from someone who has spent quite a bit of time in Hawaii. We've never seen such large lamb chops as those that appeared in a rack of lamb/duck breast combination, and the taste wasn't compromised by the size; the accompanying foie gras only further improved a great dish. The soft shell crab reappeared as an entrée, served over yummy artichoke risotto. And the seared tenderloin of beef medallions disappeared quickly. For dessert, we enjoyed the coffee toffee tart (try saying that after a few glasses of wine) and the peanut butter sundae (yes, it actually had ice cream, unlike the "sundaes" at Pic).
Once again, a great dining experience. We highly recommend you visit. (If you're going for quiet conversation or romance, which is not a bad idea as the former church is a lovely setting, you may want to ask for a table in the side room.)
http://www.marks1658.com/
1658 Westheimer
713 / 523-3800
