Triniti Restaurant & Bar
This entry was posted on 1/29/2012 6:13 PM and is filed under New Openings, New American Upscale.
Much anticipated, Triniti opened in the last couple months to packed crowds. The restaurant is beautiful, a warm modern setting, with an open kitchen at the back. There's a nice sized bar that was busy on the recent Saturday evening we dined. There's also an outside lounge area. Attire was varied, but there were quite a few men in jackets and women in dressy attire. The noise level was very manageable. Service was a little spotty, but we had no big issues.
We're enjoying the trend in artisanal cocktails and tried two particularly good ones at Triniti. The cocktail menu is divided between classics and those with a modern twist. We tried one from each, consistent with our latest bourbon theme -- two styles of manhattans. Both were delicious. We later had a glass of Malbec. We didn't focus alot of time on the wine list, but there appeared to be a well rounded selection of wines by that bottle that were not overly pricey.
What comes to mind when thinking about the food at Triniti is that it's stylized. The executive chef-owner, Ryan Hildebrand, was the chef at Textile, which served some of the more creative food we've seen in Houston as of late. But the place didn't last long. It was pricey, the portions were small, and there weren't alot of selections, not your typical Houston restaurant. Although Houston is the 4th largest city in America, it's still has a relatively small foodie crowd, unlike New York, Chicago, and San Francisco, which helps sustain these types of restaurants. We enjoyed our meal at Triniti, but we wonder whether the crowds will continue to come. The menu is more expansive than at Textile, but this is foodie-style food -- interesting flavor combinations in smallish portions.
The evening started with a beautifully prepared salmon tartare amuse bouche. It had great rich flavor, absent any fishy taste. Next up were the appetizers. We tried the veal broth with foie gras dumpling. It was very good but didn't wow us. (One of us is a stickler for food being hot and the broth, poured separately at the table, could have been warmer.) The brussel sprout appetizer, served with dungeness crab and chorizo, was an enjoyable few bites but also didn't knock our socks off. We moved on to the pheasant and salmon entrees. The salmon was very fresh and nicely cooked (topped with crispy skin), sided by a mushroom asparagus mix and a smear of sauce on the plate. The pheasant may have been the highlight of the meal -- two grilled (but still moist) breast pieces and confit-style dark meat over smoked fingerling potatoes.
Reservations are a must, at least on weekends. Complimentary valet parking is required unless you want to park on one of the side streets.
http://www.trinitirestaurant.com/2815 South Shepherd
713/527-9090
