danhole

Sorry to leave you hanging Peter! Here it is: UPDATE: We went back to Capital Grill on Memorial Day. We had the $100 worth of credit, so what's to lose? Well I am happy to say that it was 150% better than the first time we went. Of course they did know that we had complained so I think they took special care of us, but regardless it was great. Our waiter, Jason, made suggestions here and there. I didn't want the big wedge salad, even though it was good but too big, so he steered me to a salad of field greens with grape tomatoes and added the bacon and blue cheese to that. We were tempted to try some different steaks and I was looking at the Kona steak with shallot butter. In the end we decided to get the same as before, but Jason added maitre 'd butter on top of it, which made a big difference, and the steaks were cooked perfectly. Totally different for first time. He also brought me some of the shallot butter to try - so tasty! I could have eaten it like soup. I got a half portion of au gratin potatoes, which were delicious, and my DH got the Sam's potatoes again. At the end of the meal, since it had been my birthday a couple days before, Jason brought us a complimentary dessert of creme brulee, with a lit candle on the side of the plate. It was very good, too. Now we will go back and I am going to get that Kona steak and ask for Jason to be our waiter!

Have you tried this place, Ostioneria Mar Azul? I haven't been but have heard it is Mex-mex, not tex-mex. It's on Bellfort by 59. ← I went there once when it was Ostioneria Michoacan - emphasis on seafood and I had a couple of pretty good meals there. I wonder if they all changed names (there are 6 or 7 of those around on b4). The menu I have from then had 'Authentic Mexican Dishes': Enchiladas Verdes Enchiladas al Chipotle (translated as 'in hot devil sauce!) and Tex Mex Enchiladas. ← That's not the same place. This place is a place where you would probably be one of the only non mexican patrons in it, and it is not part of a chain. It is not listed on B4. Look it up on CH.

Have you tried this place, Ostioneria Mar Azul? I haven't been but have heard it is Mex-mex, not tex-mex. It's on Bellfort by 59.

Thelma's has re-opened. See here. http://blogs.houstonpress.com/eating/2009/...eopens_city.php

We went to Capital Grille on 2/15. Reservations for 5:30. I had asked around for recommendations, and we decided on this place mainly because my husband had always wanted to try it and I was particularly interested in the dry aged porterhouse. We were seated promptly, and the restaurant is very nice inside. Our server was Jill and she was very good. I wanted a glass of wine, but the list was overwhelming, so she helped me make a choice, and even brought 2 samples to make a decision. He had a margarita. Started off with a variety of delicious bread. Then I got a wedge salad, which was enormous. It is really something that 2 people should share, but my DH doesn't eat that, so I took it home, which was a waste. Big chunks of bacon, more like pork belly, and a great blue cheese dressing. He ordered the delmonico, which is a prime cut of meat (the only one they serve, and I got the PH. Both of us wanted them cooked medium rare, closer to rare, but she said the chef recommends that the delmonico be cooked a bit more, so whatever. We also wanted the au jus on the side, because we want to taste the meat. As sides he got the Sam's potatoes, and I got the parmesan truffle fries. When the steak came out mine was over cooked to medium, and I sent it back. His was fine, but did not have any flavor. When mine came out I had the same reaction - no flavor at all. It didn't taste like beef, no melt in your mouth, no seasoning, salt, nothing. Both of us tried the au jus on our steaks and it tasted watery, not beefy. I even tasted a spoonful of it and it was diluted. We were both so desperate for some flavor that we even put some butter on them. They were just something to chew on. The sam's potatoes were good, the fries were so-so, not much parmesan, and hardly any truffle flavor. We were very disappointed. As I said, the service could not have been any better, and we brought the steaks home and doctored them up the next night, and they were passable, but not worth what we paid for them. And yes we did complain the next morning. I got a phone call within hours of sending the email to the website, and he was very apologetic, and said he would make it up to us and guaranteed we would have a great steak next time. After waiting 2 weeks, I sent another email and finally got 2 $50 voucher to come back, but make the reservation through this person. I guess we will go back and get the same thing, because he said it was highly unusual and we must have gotten a bad batch (WTF?) Really sad because today I read a review of the same place by a person who went the day before we did and talked about how the PH literally melted in his mouth like butter! Don't know when we will do it again. At least it wasn't all bad. And mind you, we do not often splurge like this!

I have not reported back about Capital Grille because there were high point and low points. The next morning we did get in touch with them and got a response by early afternoon, with a personal promise by the managing partner (?) that he would make this right for us, and expressed dismay at our displeasure. So until I find out exactly what that really means, I am not going to get into the particulars. I will say that the service was excellent and our server Jill could not have been better. Also, the delmonico is a Prime cut - I think the only one they serve. I'll let you know more later. We have to decide if we are going to give it one more try or not. Thanks Dani

Capital Grill on Westhiemer--good steaks, reasonable wines. Try the crabcakes. Pappas--great steaks, wines are outrageous. Mortons-Galleria area- good balance. I love wine with my steak--I would go to Capital Grill--the spinach, potatoes, and mushrooms go well--crabcake early. Enjoy. Houston is a great resteraunt town!! ← Thanks for responding Bill! Amazing how quite this forum is. My husband really has his heart set on Capital Grille so we have reservation for Sun evening. I know the steaks are choice and not prime, but I really want the dry aged. I am thinking the delmonico, or the porterhouse. And I really want to try the truffle parmesan fries. I'd like to have the steak tartare, but I think that might be meat overkill, and I'm not that fond of crabcake. Tried it a couple times, and just haven't really taken a shine to them. Next time we can splurge I think we will try Smith & Wollensky's. I'll try to report back about Capital. Dani

I have been asking around and am curious about the egullet crowd. If you had extra money for a splurge, where would you go for a really great steak, and why would you choose that particular restaurant? Not saying I will go, just getting a feel for upscale steakhouses in Houston, beyond the Saltgrass, Outback mediocre type steaks.

You should check out Bedford, the new restaurant that Gadsby recently opened in Houston. The are a lot of local food blogger that have reviews about it and it is pretty avant garde, and is being well received. http://www.bedfordrestaurant.com/homepage.html

Thanks Bruce. The only chili I saw was on top of scrambled eggs. Not sure that sounds very appealing, but I haven't tried it yet. Wonder if it is the same as at James Coney Island? I often get a large chili to go from there and bring it home. Nothing better (than my own) for cold weather.

Do you mean what did I have at the Greek Fest? Well, I always have the Dinner plate. I have to because that is the only way you can get a portion of the pastitsio (meat and macaroni with bechamel sauce). It comes with meatballs called soutzoukaki, and I liked the flavor, but mine were ice cold, which was odd because everything else was steaming hot. The tiropita was so stuffed with cheese it was spilling out. The little dinner roll was way too hard to bite into, and the greek salad was okay but the best things were the olives and tomatoes! I liked the spanakopita, but it was very small. My husband doesn't like greek, so he had a souvlaki, which I tasted and liked a lot. The last time we went was probably 6 or more years ago, and boy has it grown! And I'm not sure that is a good thing. It seems to me that the quality of the food was not as good as it used to be. More mass produced than homemade, but considering the crowd I guess there is no other way. Some odd greek pastry demon got into me, and took over my body forcing me to buy a box of pastries to bring home. That was odd since I don't really have a sweet tooth. I wanted to try the loukoumades (hot honey puffs) but the line was so ridiculously long I gave up and got the variety box with baklava, kourambledes (butter cookies w/toasted almonds topped w/powdered sugar that seriously melt in your mouth as you get dusted in a mound of powdered sugar), and Finikia (sweet honey cookie w/various spice topped w/nuts that I haven't tried yet.) As if that wasn't bad enough then the koulourakia (twisted butter cookies for dunking) called to me so I had to have those as well. I finally snapped out of it! Before we left I went ahead a got a couple more spanakopitas, and tiropitas to take home. I kick myself for not having at least one dolmade. And while I was at it I should have brought a souvlaki home, too. Oh well. I haven't tried turkish, but if it's like greek I will give it a go. Wasn't Zorba's a hoot! I remember the music and dancing. It was a wild night. Remember the food, music and place, but not my dates name! He was a drummer, if that counts!

I haven't ever had any of his chicken and will look forward to trying the turkey. I bet they're both good. I haven't been to Pierson's in a couple of months. ←

After going to the Greek Festival this weekend I am all about eating even more greek food! One of my favorite cuisines. First time I had it was 30 plus years ago in a place named Zorba's. I didn't know what I was eating but my date did and he did all the ordering, and I just gobbled it down. Since then I have had the dinner plate at the greek fest, first time over 6 years ago. I had to go to the website and write down the dishes they served so I knew what to look for when going to a restaurant. I have also gone to Niko's which I liked a lot. The only other is I had some spanakopita at the Ren Fest once, but that's it. Now I am curious about Biba's, but there is no menu online, and Yia Yia Mary's. I wanted to try this place in the Woodlands called Olive Oil when we stayed out there in August, but never got around to it, sigh. Any other places worth mentioning? Oh, I might add that I am NOT looking for gyros. I like the meat, but I don't care for the sauce much.

I dropped by Pierson's last Tuesday to get a smoked chicken, but Clarence didn't have any. He said he usually makes those on Thurs., Fri, & Sat.. and he has a "Chicken List" where you put your name down and they will give you a call to let you know when they have them! That's pretty cool. So he says that he has some smoked turkey, have I tried that? Well no I haven't, so I got a sample, and I bought the rest of it. It was so good. He is offering to smoke turkeys for your Thanksgiving dinners. You bring the turkey and he will smoke it for $1.99 per pound. I may do that, it was so very good. I also got an order of brisket for my DH and a peach cobbler for me. I got the sauce on the side and had too much vinegar, so I had to doctor it up at home, although I hardly ever use sauce because the meat should speak for itself. I may mention that to Clarence next time and see what has changed. It used to be better . . . the sauce I mean. Just thought you all would like to have an option for smoked turkey.

Feast has made some changes to their menu as well. They have some fixed "Feast Favorites" that are offered on a daily basis, while still having some dishes that change daily. They also are offering a less expensive lunch menu with 2 courses for $12.95 or 3 courses for $15.95. A new Roast Beef dinner is being presented on a Sunday once a month. You have a choice of the roast beef or a fish pie. Check it out: http://feasthouston.googlepages.com/home