Good Afternoon, This is an offical announcement about a new "progressive American" restaurant named the "laidback manor" opening this fall in downtown Houston at 706 Main Street near Capital. The "manor" will serve lunch and dinner and offer numerous dining options including a la carte menus, chef's tasting menu named "the voyage" which is a 10 course meal at a very affordable $85 without wine, and a 20 course kitchen table menu coined as "the treatment" and acts as a guide through the mind of Chef Randy Rucker. Rucker attended Johnson & Wales University in Providence, RI and graduated from the culinary program at the top of his class. He has worked as sous chef on both coasts and has had the opportuity to work in Houstons finest kitchens such as Quattro @ The Four Seasons and Mark's American Cuisine. Rucker wants to provide Houston with a restaurant that is unparrelell to any other in the Houston area, by providing a dining experience that exhausts all the human senses. His food styling is modern and very creative and he joins a group of young chefs that are pushing the envolope of gastronomy. Rucker wants to expose the people of Houston to a new style of cuisine that has been excepted by most large cities including NYC, Chicago, and Los Angeles. Rucker believes that restaurants such as wd-50, Avenues, Alinea, Bastide, and Cru are setting the standard for young cooks to embrace the foundations of the culinary world and reach for all new heights. Please enjoy the opening menus and look for updates here on egullet. laidback manor lunch menu fall 2005 set 1 forged mushroom bisque smoked bacon, essence of sage $7 salad of organic lettuces candied walnuts, tomato “raisins”, fried bread, sherry vinaigrette $8 “ham and cheese” serrano ham, manchego cheese, asian pear, arugula, black pepper tuile $9 raz el hanout charred yellowfin tuna quick-pickled peppers, shaved radish, citrus caramel $12 gulf blue crab salad flavors of guacamole $13 set 2 monte cristo of aged ham and cheddar purple mustard, taro root chips $9 petite vegetable risotto mascarpone cheese, toasted curry froth $10 house-made pappardelle pasta swiss chard, butternut squash, smoked salt, parmesan cheese emulsion $11 wild atlantic salmon fennel, tomato confit, puree of avocado and chive $12 fricassee of organic “smart”chicken leeks, mushrooms, fingerling potato, smoked bacon jus $12 boneless pork “ribs” braised in “Dr. Pepper” smoked potato salad, texas toast, tomato-molasses glaze $13 farm raised striped bass re-constructed clam chowder, bay leaf infusion $15 laidback manor dinner menu fall 2005 set 1 contemporary corn chowder veloute’ of sweet corn, smoked bacon, fried potato, pop corn, essence of chive $8 salad of organic lettuces candied walnuts, tomato “raisins”, fried bread, sherry vinaigrette $10 “ham and cheese” serrano ham, manchego cheese, asian pear, arugula, black pepper tuile $12 glazed veal sweetbreads pearl onions, puree of macadamia nut, toasted sesame oil $15 gulf blue crab salad flavors of guacamole $15 le belle farms foie gras amoretti cookie crumbs, apple cider foam, braised lemon $18 set 2 petite vegetable risotto mascarpone cheese, toasted curry froth $16 texas hill country quail turnip and foie gras stuffing, puree of apricot $23 confit of “smart” organic chicken toasted fregula pasta, leeks, mushrooms, bacon jus $25 gently cooked pacific black cod panzanella salad, black olive textures, white chocolate emulsion $26 niman ranch pork loin “sweet potato pie”, almond-green onion crumble, reduction of port wine $26 farm raised striped bass re-constructed clam chowder, bay leaf infusion $27 hand-harvested sea scallops puree of coriander and fennel, hearts of palm, roasted orange juice $27 beef tenderloin poached in consume’ polenta cake, whole grain mustard, cured olive sauce $29
