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SuperLuckyCat

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  1. My husband and I had a fantastic meal there last night. The service is so nice here and we got a lot of help from the sommelier who was really pleasant. I had a glass of rose (and my husband something white and Italian) before we had a bottle of Campanaro 2002 Feudi di San Greggorio. We have little experience with Italian wines and this bottle of white was very unusual and we like it a lot. Their bread is very good, I kept picking the crusts off of mine and my husbands to dip in their own label olive oil which was scrumptious and fruity. They also bring out a couple of pieces of bread with a white bean spread that is just OK. I had tuna tartare off the special board and then another appetizer of the grilled octopus. First the tuna tartare was served in the shape of a crab cake with large pieces (dice size) of meltingly tender tuna mized with lump crab meat (almost a one-to-one ratio, so tartare crabcake would be more like it) and large caper berries. The plate had big pieces of flat bread from their wood over with some delicious oil drizzled on it. A very good dish, especially after I had to sheepishly ask for some salt and pepper. My husband had the buff. mozz with oven roasted cherry tomatoes garnished with a lot of julienned basil. That was very good. Then he had the signature sweet corn ravioli with lobster sauce (thank goodness so I would get some bites since that is what I had last time and it is bowl-licking good). I had the octopus which was grilled (2 big tentacles) and served mixed with grilled potato chunks, roasted peppers slices (yellow and orange), orange segments, a couple of radish slices and lots of gorgeous lemon zest. It was a perfect mix of flavors and textures. I had ordered 2 apps. to make sure I would want dessert. Their homemade cannoli was perfect. 2 perfectly brown and crisp tubes with perfect ricotta flecked with dark chocolate chips and citron. This was a damn near textbook version. (I know some prefer the pastry cream, I prefer the ricotta). We had been anticipating this dinner for a while and it wasn't cheap but we felt it was priced correctly. Some day I will have to go get the pizza there. The sommelier wrote down the rose and the bottle of white for me to go find and he said they sold both retail there which is interesting. MMMMmmmm!!!!
  2. How can you not include a photo of the biscuits and gravy from the Klub???!!!! That place rules for breakfast and their coffee is very good. These pictures are fantastic and it is a good reminder for me to go back. I am also happy to hear the mayor is supportive. When I got married in Oct and had a ton of out of town guests from NYC and Boston I made this list of restaurants, bars, and things to do around town with my colorful commentary. Everyone stayed downtown and the NYC people I went to school with surprisingly all took the light rail to Breakfast Klub for breakfast and then checked out the market as if it was a common Houston Saturday AM activity. I couldn't believe it. They all thought Houston was kool (and most had never even been to Texas at all). I was so proud.
  3. I had dinner there 2 months ago and it was delicious. I remember thinking how irritated I was that we live around the corner and had never been there. I had a lobster ravioli that had delicious lobster in the pasta and also in the sauce. It was lick-the-bowl good. My husband had a veal chop that rivaled our favorite at our favorite place in Boston's North End. He also had a caprese salad and we loved the mozz. in that and the tomatoes were very good. There was either a bean spread or a fish spread with the bread, I don't remember, but I remember loving it. We drank wine by the glass since I had white and he had red, and they were somewhat pricey, but the selection was interesting. I love that sort of atmosphere and service. Nice and quiet and not a place to take little kids. The next time we go we will try some wood-fired pizza.
  4. Where do you go for steak in Houston? Pappas Bros? To me Ray's "feels" like a restaurant in NOLA by the way. Where else are you going? ←
  5. I am coming to the DC area from Houston this weekend. I lived in Arlington for 5 years, back when Faccia Luna was the only "new" restaurant on Wash Blvd and you had your choice of 50 parking spots, no matter when. I read Tom S. chat on Wednesdays religiously and also the Sunday Post online so the whole weekend has been plotted out around food and after much thought, my sister and I agreed to go to RTS. I am extremely picky about beef, and tend not to order it outside of Texas (nb: I am not a Texan, but have been here for some time). I like rare to mean cold and red, and I think filet is for wusses. So I am very excited to try RTS this Saturday and happy to hear there are good buys on some burgundies (you would cry if you could hear about the state of French wine availability in Houston b/c of people "boycotting" France b/c Iraq, luckily things are getting better for the restaurant industry and we have a couple of new excellent French restaurants. There was even a French restaurant that was vandalized at the start of the war!). My husband thinks I am insane that I know every restaurant we are eating at this weekend and about 75% of the items we will order at each one. I hope RTS lives up to the expectations I have for it, especially after reading what all y'all (!!!) have been saying.
  6. I have never been to Kemah ever because I just envision a Joes Crab shack and Aquarium mix a la Evil Empire (Fertitta) but after this article and this thread I want to try one of these places like Topwater. It would hurt me to just see that Landry stuff. Can you get to the recommended restaurants without driving through all that stuff? My heart aches when I see people pouring into and waiting hours for tables at unimaginative chains. I have to admit when I am on the road (I travel 75% of the time for my job, usually out of state) I eat at a lot of chains like Chilis b/c I am usually grabbing salad with chicken on it for my hotel room late at night, and my dinner tends have a low-calorie convenience objective, rather than dining (or else I would be HUGE). So there is a place for chains in this world, but, man, why do they have to be at locations like a waterfront or a city skyline (Aquarium)? I weep for America.
  7. Why? It is on my way to and from work and I was thinking about stopping by sometime. Maybe you should start a thread for this place and elaborate on your experience. Elie ← I know this will be seen as sort of mean, but a place that caters so much to little kids being cutesy asking for a cupcake would prevent me from going there. In my experience, in places like that, parents tend to "check out" and let their kids run amok. You can sort of read between the lines that the reviewer wrote and tell she thought it was sort of annoying there. If I want a treat like that, thank goodness we have The Chocolate Bar on Alabama.
  8. I know it isn't in the Wine & Dine section, but read Allison Cook's review and I must say that you would have to hold me at gunpoint to make me go to the Cupcake Cafe in Sugarland.
  9. After reading this whole thread for the first time yesterday I was inspired at the usually-grim Marriott breakfast buffett this AM and made a peanut butter, bacon, pickled jalepeno, and banana sandwich on whole grain bread. It was fabulous and my ignorant colleagues didn't know what they were missing.
  10. Do they have those HORRIBLE plastic gargatuan kiddie carts shaped like cars or whatever??? Those would only add to the chaos and crowds. For the life of me, I don't know why grocery stores try to encourage bringing little children to the grocery store and then ensuring that their visit will infringe even more on people like me who want to move easily in the aisles and access everything quickly by putting them in huge plastic carts.
  11. You won't need a reservation for Hugos, worst case scenario is that you have to have a fabulous margarita at the bar for about 20 minutes. I second Lulings and Thelmas for BBQ, go to Lulings for proximity. I also second Americas, but would go to Hugos first for a unique to Houston experience. Near the Galleria on Post Oak is Berryhill Tamales, a place to go get great tacos, enchiladas, and tamales. They have great salsa and chips and decent margaritas. You can get tacos like tempura fish tacos or BBQ pork tacos or combos of anything. I also agree with Teala's on Shepard for best margaritas and fabulous food.
  12. Lola is fabulous, great food and great environment in a beautiful old bunglaow. Do the tasting menu for dinner (when I was there it was 11 courses), very inventive and everything is spot on well executed. The dress code is probably a little less that Aurora but I wouldn't wear jeans (which Texans do in surprisingly dressy places). Do lunch at Mansion and have the lobster tacos and the tortilla soup.
  13. I had lamb shanks there about 2 years ago when it first opened and I know that is not a lean cut of meat but by any stretch but the ratio of fat to edible meat was gross and the polenta it sat on wasn't hearty enough, making a thinnish fatty liquid on the bottom. And it was wasn't a cheap entree item. My husband and I were annoyed by the price. The location demands something more clever, maybe more casual? Isn't that the place where the owner threw Robb Walsh out when he questioned the cut behind the Osso Bucco or was that somewhere else. Is it too early for a good glass of red wine today???
  14. I was reading Rachel Ray's $40 a Day Guide Book and in the part about Dallas she has La Madeleine in there and she has a little into saying that she was flooded with angry letters from people when the Dallas episode was aired because she went to a chain and also didn't take advantage of any of the local places, etc, etc. She told everyone to lighten up and to not be such a snob. I thought that was a great response even though it's a shame she didn't go to Cafe Brazil..... BTW, in the book she didn't go to Houston. If you were willing to drive around a bit, it would be super easy to have some great food and drink in Houston for under $40 a day.
  15. Hugos is in my neighborhood and I have had uneven experience there but still take people from out of town who always find something there really unusual to them that they love. There are some always-hits on the menu like the dish whose name escapes my name, the poblano stuffed with pork and raisins, walnut cream sauce and pomengrate seeds on top? That is delicious there but usually a special. Also, the dulce de leche crepes and the goat cheese cheesecake are worth the trip also. Great margaritas and it's nice to have a good wine list there too. We used to go there for brunch sometimes but now it's a buffet and I have been hesitant to try it. Breakfast had the best basket of Mexican pastries. That and a cup of Mexican coffee was worth changing out of your pyjamas for on the weekend! Lately we've been going to Tila's on Shepard when we want more upscale Mexican. Sometimes Hugos is filled with too many large parties and people with loud kids. I just ate a Weight Watchers pizza (I know, I know) and would give anything for a glass of wine and dessert at their bar.
  16. If you're in the Heights, an entertainment option is the Art Car Museum, look it up to make sure it is open, times seem erratic. I take out of town guests to Thelma's for BBQ (but Hickory Hollow is great and easier to navigate), the Chocolate Bar for ice cream and Tampico for mexican seafood. Look these places up on Houstonpress.com for reviews and locations, none of them are that far from you, I think. Breakfast at Buffalo Grille on Bisonnet near Rice U. and El Pueblito on Richmond for a good mexican option for breakfast (only).
  17. Well we survived Dec 26 and Dec 27 in Boston. The snow and cold was too much for us and we curtailed a lot of our plans. I know how terribly lame that sounds, and I used to be much more hardy.... We did have dinner on that Sunday in Cambridge at Upstairs at the Square. First we went to Kingfish in Fanueil Hall and had oysters (delicious) and grilled calamari on polenta with a harissa sauce (good, but I like polenta to be sturdier and the harissa was wicked salty). We went to Upstairs after walking around in the snow for a while (and getting very friendly help from 2 different strangers when the cab driver dropped us off at the wrong street). That restaurant was very cozy and fun in setting, but we were a little disappointed in the food. I had a cavatelli pasta with mushrooms and acorn squash that didn't dazzle me and made me upset that we weren't in the North End at that moment. My husband had a chicken dish that was flattened or something? I don't remember. We did love the carpaccio appetizer. Monday we walked around Boston Common and Beacon Hill until we couldn't take it anymore and then took a cab to Regina Pizzeria on Thatcher. You could not have designed a better moment. We sat at the bar, ordered draught Sam Adams, a puttanesca pizza and a pepperoni pizza and chatted with another Regina pilgrim coming from Denver to reminsce. My mouth still waters thinking about that pizza. There is nothing comparable to it in Houston, probably Texas. Then, after a nap (and eating some leftover pizza in the hotel room - cold, congealed Pizzeria Regina is better than Houston's best...) we went to Monica's in the North End and were dazzled yet again. We had their mussels in smoked tomato broth which was spectacular and a tomato-mozzarella salad which is something my husband always orders even though there were a lot of other appetizers I would have preferred BUT the cheese was some of the best I've tasted. Then I had chicken saltimbocco with sage and prosciutto which was delicious but next to the unbelievable veal chop marsala, it lost some of it's glory. Then tiramisu which was definately a cut above most. Impeccable service, 2 great half bottles of wine -MMMM! I will dream about those mussels and the veal chop. Then Tuesday in the airport (we got there wicked early after hearing all the travel debacle) we had lunch at Legal Seafood there and again had delicious oysters and I had a thai-style soup with seafood, maybe Rasan or Tasan soup? I forget the exact name but it was very good. Excellent visit, I would not rush back to Upstairs on the Square but must give them snaps for some upcoming really innovative wine tastings/dinners on a flier I saw. Maybe it was an off night since it was a snow emergency on Dec 26. Thanks for everyone's advice and if you ever need Houston dining recs, please go to the Texas forum. SuperLuckyCat
  18. I take half of salads to go, just don't goop it with dressing and they last a little bit. Order a damn appetizer and a salad if you're looking for less food. Not that I disagree about portions being way too big. I love that comment about the restaurant staff eating Subway at a nearby table - can you imagine how mad the management will be there!
  19. We've eaten at the Legal Seafood at Logan and I have eaten at it in the past (always with Texan colleagues working in Boston who didn't know any better). While it is a chain, it is good and I happily go there (to facilitate consensus with a group) and pick out the 1 or 2 things I know I love there (the portugese fish stew) but I would never pick it if I was in charge of the restaurant, the exception being at Logan where it is an excellent option. Pam gave me a ton of options that I wrote down. mmmMMMMM! I can't wait to come up there! It's not too cold or wet yet is it? Heh.
  20. Pam, Thank you so much for that. I am writing it all down to take with us. Mr. Dooleys sounds like a perfect place since we loved breakfast in London in the past. Also, all the North End insight is so appreciated. I have heard of a couple of them, especially Giacomos. Pleas come post in the Texas forum if I can ever return the favor for Houston. This is a great restaurant town too. SuperLuckyCat
  21. I am from Western MA but now live in Houston and my husband and I are spending a few days after Christmas in Boston. He has never been and I haven't dined there in about 2 years. I've read about Sage, but can someone recommend a quintessential North End old school style Italian restaurant? I am thinking something not too trendy but feels authentic. Price no object. I remember being able to walk around and smell deliciousness in the air around parts of the North End, so we would probably want to walk around before/after and get some pastry. We also would want another dinner rec, not in the North End. Also, we're staying at the Millenium Hotel downtown but are willing to cab, take the T and of course walk a lot. We'd love some great breakfast recommendations. Am I crazy for feeling obliged to re-visit Pizzeria Regina which I do remember from my younger days? If so, which location? Thanks so much.
  22. 80% of the people that recommend some place in W&D is based on "huge portions." Once again, I point to the argument that W&D is seldom about quality of food but more about huge portion, zero waiting time, total attention of the server who better bring the food out IMMEDIATELY, and the willingness of the restaurant to give you something free if anything goes even slightly wrong! It would be much easier for people if servers were in the parking lot and attached feedbags to people. But of course, that's just one girl's opinion..... Heh heh
  23. I totally agree about everything non-fish being barely passable. I have had horrific enchiladas there. I only go there for fish dishes and of course, their amazing breakfast. I love getting chips and their delicious salsa on groggy Sat AMs. The parking there is getting stupid, eh?
  24. Maybe we should write some spicier ones and see if they dare publish it. Has anyone had a really sensational experience lately? The most recent remarkable meal I have had lately has been at Tila's on Shepard (as usual), but I have been eating in the Tampa area where my client is (see my review on the famous Berns in the Southeast forum). My eyes glaze over when all the W&D are somewhere far outside the 610 loop, I know they have to be fair but it's boring to me. That, and when the praise centers on the "very generous portions" or the complete subordination of the servers. Maybe we should have a contest to see who could write the most out-there submission for Whine and Dine, with a 1 paragraph word limit.
  25. SuperLuckyCat

    Berns

    I've been working in Tampa for a few weeks and everyone was raving about this place and I finally went there this last Monday. I live in Houston and eat a lot of steak and am pretty picky about delicious beef. I had the Porterhouse rare (warm) and was not impressed. It was not a very good cut of porterhouse and I agree about missing the char. The strip side had a lot of gristle but the filet side was pretty good. It was cooked perfectly, though. I did get one of the sauces on the side (I forget but it had red wine and mushrooms) and it was good but I wanted the beef to be tastier on its own. I was very impressed by the blue cheese dressing and the house salad that comes with it. It was kind of a lot of food that is pre-chosen for you i(the onion soup, baked potato, onion rings, cheese crackers, etc) if you let them but I understand the old school charm. Service was very good. We had the "tour" of the kitchen and wine cellar afterwards. Wine cellar was amazing. Had dessert upstairs, that is a pretty good novelty, a separate place for a separate check for the expensive desserts. I had port from their incredible menu of dessert wines, ports, brandies, etc. and actually had 2 desserts because I was so excited about something all-about-pistachios but the server said the best dessert was the macadamia nut ice cream. The pistachio dessert was a little lame but the macadamia nut ice cream was bowl-lickin' scrumptious! I am willing to try it again (and plan to next week with some colleagues) but will not have the beef. I will try a fish dish and go a la carte with everything else. If anyone has ever been in Arlington/Rossyln, VA this place reminded me A LOT of the Orleans House (decor, not food).
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