Really Good Houston/Dallas Restaurants?

[robyn]

OK - I'm a freak. I'm not going to the Superbowl. I'm interested in going to Houston to see the Diane Arbus exhibit this summer. Also interested in seeing the new Nasher museum in Dallas/Fort Worth. I can see the Arbus exhibit in New York in 2005. But who knows if I'll live that long? And I haven't been to Texas for a really long time (except for passing through the airports).

I know I probably can't get food that's as good as I'd find in New York - but can I find something better than Jacksonville Florida? Hope so - with a little bit of help from you. Note that I can probably find the "cheap eats" on my own. I'm looking for bigger deal restaurants that are worth what they cost.

Any suggestions of places to stay - other things to do - would also be appreciated. Robyn

[Motochef]

Robyn:

While I think that I understand that you are willing to pay for what a good meal is worth, can you tell us about any particular type or style of food in which you are interested?

Best regards,

Motochef

Edited January 24, 2004 by Motochef (log)

[fifi]

I will start with the assumption that you would enjoy something that has at least a Texas leaning. That pretty much says beef and seafood. The overlay on that is the Latin component of our city that goes way beyond just Mexican. A couple of ideas:

Rio Ranch does a decent job in the beef department. Just avoid the Chicken Fried Steak. They just don't get it. The architecture is also interesting in that it is based on a typical central Texas ranch house and is true to the style. This is a Robert Del Grande restaurant of Cafe Annie fame. There are links to his other restaurants on the left.

Churrascos is a popular choice for a South American take on beef. I ate there the other night and the signature dish, churrascos, a style of steak, is unique and delicious. I was also really surprised at the calamari on the appetizer tower. I don't usually care for it that much but this was wonderfully tender and well done. This is a Michael Cordua restaurant and links to the others is on the left.

We have a Brennan's here that is always a delight, same family as in New Orleans. My favorite is the jazz brunch on Sunday.

In the same neighborhood as Brennan's is Damian's, the flagship of one of several prominent Italian restaurant families here. Too bad the web site is lousy. Houston has a long history of Italian families in some sort of food business.

If you want to go to the Bay Area you might find the Kemah Boardwalk amusing. However the restaurants are kind of mediocre. Willy G's isn't awful and The Flying Dutchman used to be the best place for Gulf seafood on the whole Gulf Coast. Then the whole thing came under Fertitta's "evil empire". For really good seafood you have to get a little more funky. Our current favorite is the Topwater Grill in San Leon. They don't have a web site that I can find. It is located at a marina where the owner keeps his shrimp boats.

I really haven't skimmed the surface. Houston is a great restaurant town with many cuisines represented. I am sure there will be other recommendations.

[robyn]

Robyn:

While I think that I understand that you are willing to pay for what a good meal is worth, can you tell us about any particular type or style of food in which you are interested?

Best regards,

Motochef

Well - the one thing I know about Houston is it's *really* big and slurby. Makes a Florida person feel right at home . I suspect we will be staying more or less in the "downtown" area near the museum. I think the most important factor isn't the particular type of food - but what would be best if we didn't care to learn the ins and outs of the local interstate system after dark. We'd be particularly interested in really good hotel restaurants - or restaurants within a reasonable cab ride of good hotels (I'd hate to have to learn about the DUI laws in Texas).

We're really eclectic when it comes to food. Will try just about anything. If you told me the best restaurant in Houston was fusion Italian/BBQ - I'd give it a try . About the only thing I'd rule out is stuff like steakhouses. Relatively plain (even if good) food. I like to go out to eat things that are too complicated to cook at home. By the way - my husband and I are near 60. Therefore we're not crazy about places that are better at serving attitude than food. On the other hand - I really like cutting edge decor and design (although not at the expense of the food). Hope this helps. Robyn

[fifi]

I like to go out to eat things that are too complicated to cook at home. By the way - my husband and I are near 60. Therefore we're not crazy about places that are better at serving attitude than food. On the other hand - I really like cutting edge decor and design (although not at the expense of the food). Hope this helps. Robyn

Rio Ranch and Churrascos fit those descriptions. I didn't bring up the steakhouses like Pappas Bros. Restaurants with "attitude" last about 15 minutes in Houston. There is too much competition and Houstonians just flat won't put up with it. Most of the restaurant action is from the Museum area and points west. NOWHERE is a "short" cab ride but still doable. I am not as up on some of the newer restaurants in the close in Westheimer strip and Montrose area. What I listed are those that have a particularly Houston "flavor" run by nationally recognized local restauranteurs. We have many other talented chefs that have a single venue. Your concierge would be a good guide. For the museum district, I recommend The Warwick Hotel.

[robyn]

I am keeping notes. What about Cafe Annie? Also - has Bank in the Icon Hotel opened? Has anyone been there? Robyn

[Richard Kilgore]

In Dallas, you may want to consider the new cafe run by The Mansion at TurtleCreek in the Nasher Sculpture Garden while you are there. The Dallas Museum of Art and the Trammel Crow Asian Art Collection are both next door, with the Symphony Hall also nearby, as far as other things to do. Take a ride up to the SMU campus for the new quarters for the Meadows Museum of Art (largest collection of Spanish art outside of Spain).

Restaurants you may want to consider within a reasonable taxi ride from the museum district include

Local

Aurora

The French Room

Arcodoro & Pomodoro

Monica's Aca y Alla

Nana

Watel's

A little further ride will get you to

Abacus

Il Sole

L'Ancestral

Cuidad

York Street

Cafe Pacific

Cafe Madrid

There are more possibilities much further north, and I am sure I have left out some out closer in. If you make it to SMU and the Meadows Museum, there is Kuby's for German food or Peggy Sue BBQ in the neighborhood.

Many of the above have been mentioned in multiple threads here in the Texas forum, so you may want to do a search for the ones that appeal to you the most.

[bleachboy]

I grew up in Houston, but have never -- well, hardly ever -- partaken of any "fine dining" there.

My two big "must go" places are Goodson's Cafe in Tomball, for what is quite possibly the best chicken fried steak you'll find in Houston, and Las Alamedas, which is really terrific Mexican "haute cuisine" with a wierd French influence. I have heard it described as the type of food rich people eat in Mexico City. I love it, though.

Goodson's Cafe, unfortunately, has gotten sort of "big time" and is not quite as great as it was when it was a true hole-in-the-wall. But still definitely worth the visit. Don't order anything that isn't chicken fried steak, however. My parents grew up in Tomball, and our family still has homes in Tomball and Decker's Prairie (outside of Tomball... used to be the "country house" but now just a suburb, to everybody's chagrin).

My sister discovered a BBQ joint out in Tomball last time she was there, run by a very old man who used to work at Bradigam's (sp?) meat market, who was extremely generous with very good BBQ when Mamie's name was mentioned. Unfortunately, I don't yet know the name/location of the place. Soon!

[Motochef]

I agree with Fifi regarding the Warwick in the Museum District.

I would also check the Sam Houston Hotel. I heard a review about the hotel, and its new restaurant, "17" over the weekend and would like to try it myself.

Regarding Cafe Annie, it has been awhile, but it was great. However, I think Mark's on Westheimer (not too terribly far from the Museum District) is by far superior.

Anyone have any suggestions on restaurants that Robyn should definately stay away from during her stay?

Best regards,

Motochef

Edited January 26, 2004 by Motochef (log)

[SuperLuckyCat]

I agree with Eric - I like finding places that don't necessarily make national food guides. Although, Hugo's might be perfect for what you need since the food is so labor-intensive and usually top-notch. Cafe Annie is too people-on-expense-accounts and if you are a small party not ordering very expensive wine, service can get bad.

I take people from out of town to El Pueblito on Richmond for a good Houston experience. I don't see people mentioning that place very much but it's solid Mexican-Guatemalan with funky atmosphere and great salsa and margaritas.

Hi Houston eGullet people - this is my first post here! I am new to eGullet (formally only a lurker). I hardly ever leave the loop (except to find food I've heard about and to the airport to leave town for work.

Cheers!

SuperLuckyCat

[fifi]

Welcome to the forum. We hope to hear from you often. I will try to lure you outside of the loop for some good eats in the bay area.

[Lyle]

Not necessarily on-topic, but also not worth a new thread; do you Houstonites know if Liberty Noodles is still open?

[jbraynolds]

Have to disagree with the Cafe Annie comments. Ben Berryhill is the most talented chef in Houston that I know and may be the best in the entire state. There has been a change in the wine program (the sommelier/buyer moved to CA to run the Thomas Keller programs) but the wine list has good choices from top to bottom. Their lunch deal is great, $25ish if I recall. If you're after food as your primary focus, sit in the bar area, the service is more casual but friendlier, I think.

I've had very good food at Indika but it's a bit of a hike. Pappas Bros. Steakhouse is consistent and has a great wine program. Mark's can be excellent but has to be one of the loudest restaurants in the US, Boulevard Bistrot is maddeningly inconsistent but when she is on, she's on. I would skip Aries at all costs as I have never had a good dish there (four visits). Goode Co. BBQ is convenient and consistent, sometimes superb. For more "real" bbq I like Drexler's but the neighborhood is a bit dicey. Same with Frenchy's if you like fried chicken. And don't miss James Coney Island but skip the corn dogs (too sweet, but I guess they usually are).

In Dallas, I love York St. It's one of my favorite restaurants in the US. No lunch and closed on Monday (and Sunday, I think). If I had a single meal in Dallas it would be here. Close behind is Lola, which is sort of two restaurants in one, a casually luxe place on the left and on the right is an over-the-top Charlie Trotter type of thing, The Tasting Room. I have loved every meal in both spots and the new chef for the "regular" Lola is outstanding, formerly of Aubergine in Laguna Beach. Suze is usually superb and Tei Tei has wonderful sushi/sashimi as well as cooked dishes. Nana's can be nice and has a great view (maybe go for drinks). For steaks, there is a Pappas Bros. outlet with a wine program that matches the Houston original and there is also Bob's, which is like a little, slightly tatty private club. I've also had good steaks at Nick & Sam's and Dallas Del Frisco's (NOT the Ft. Worth outlet). Mia's is good for old-fashioned Dallas Tex-Mex and I like Dodie's and Dodie's Gulf Coast for VERY casual New Orleans/Gulf cooking. If Steel is still open, don't go there! For bbq, the original Sonny Bryan's, on Inwood, is inconsistent but can be great, if you're lucky. More modern bbq at Holy Smokes but they have great side dishes. Three of my favorite hamburger places, period, are in Dallas - Goff's (the psycho owner is a bit off-putting), Prince and Keller's. Note that Keller's is a drive-in and you probably don't want to sit inside of Prince.

[Lyle]

Goff's does have killer onion rings, but the place is sort of pricy for a burger joint, and it's FILTHY (I'm sure the kitchen is clean). Actually, after visiting maybe 20 times, I finally got to hear the owner's legendary wrath last week. He was berating an employee about ketchup sqeeze bottles, but I think he's lost his energy over the years. It started off at a high tempo, but he sort of petered out and it ended in a simple scoff. I think one day I may just plop myself down at "his" booth with my burger and see what he's really capable of.

[dls]

We'd be particularly interested in really good hotel restaurants - or restaurants within a reasonable cab ride of good hotels 

I travel to Houston 4-5 times a year on business and stay at either the Four Seasons or La Columbe d'Or. Although it's been awhile since I have had dinner in either hotel, on past occasions both have been very good. Regarding non-hotel restaurants, I recently ate at Aries and would definately recommend it. Mark's and Cafe Annie are 2 other favorites.

[robyn]

This message is the opposite of a "put-down". It's a "pep talk". I don't know why there are messages here that are kind of negative about higher end dining in Texas.

I do live on the "right coast" - just a stone's throw from the Atlantic. But I'm talking the Jacksonville FL area - not New York - or Washington - or Boston - or even Miami. To me - Houston is a *big* city with enough people to support some really terrific restaurants (it's the 4th largest city in the country!) - and I'd like to try them. I can get my fill of BBQ - and chicken fried steak - and burgers - and fried fish/shrimp - and the like here. But when it comes to "fine dining" - we are lacking.

Now perhaps people in Texas may have an inferiority complex when it comes to "fine dining" vis-a-vis the big cities on the coasts - and I suspect that might be reinforced during this coming Super Bowl week. But you will have the last laugh when the Super Bowl comes to Jacksonville next year - and everyone says - "boy I wish Jacksonville had the kind of restaurants Houston has!"

In other words - you have to have dining I can't find at home. Can't believe that the 3 million extra people in Houston are all eating chicken fried steak . There are cities that aren't on the coasts that have really good food. Cities in that category that I've been to recently include Phoenix, Chicago, Atlanta and New Orleans. A city that has lots of people has enough critical mass to support fine dining. Doesn't matter whether the city is on a coast - or in the middle.

By the way - my husband and I do enjoy certain ethnic foods. We were just talking the other day - and we agreed that neither of us is sure what "real" Mexican food is - but we're sure we've never eaten anything other than Tex-Mex. Is there such a thing as "real" Mexican food - and does it exist in Houston/Dallas in a neighborhood we'd feel ok in (we speak Spanish but like safe neighborhoods)? If so - where?

Note that we haven't been to Texas for quite a few years. But we once took a week driving from one end of Texas to the other on the farm road system. On that trip - if I found good BBQ and chicken fried steak - and a "private club" restaurant where I could buy a drink in a dry country - I was happy. I suspect the larger cities in Texas have come a long way since then.

I am taking notes on the messages you're writing. Thanks for the help. Robyn

[robyn]

We'd be particularly interested in really good hotel restaurants - or restaurants within a reasonable cab ride of good hotels  

I travel to Houston 4-5 times a year on business and stay at either the Four Seasons or La Columbe d'Or. Although it's been awhile since I have had dinner in either hotel, on past occasions both have been very good. Regarding non-hotel restaurants, I recently ate at Aries and would definately recommend it. Mark's and Cafe Annie are 2 other favorites.

Which hotel do you like better? Last time I was at the Four Seasons was maybe 20 years ago. I assume it's been renovated at least once since then. Robyn

[robyn]

I grew up in Houston, but have never -- well, hardly ever -- partaken of any "fine dining" there.

Why not? Robyn

[Richard Kilgore]

Robyn -- Most of the Dallas restaurants I listed would be of potential interest to you. Ciudad for sophisticated Mexican (see Foodman's post on Cuidad and Nana today in Dallas Restaurant Scene thread). Also see the same thread for comments on many of the restaurants I listed.

[fifi]

Robyn... You are absolutely correct. Houstonians tend to put down their fine dining opportunities, and they are many, with award winning chefs, national awards, not the local rag. Cafe Annie and Tony's are right up there. I have avoided Mark's for the noise factor. If you are staying at The Warwick, La Colombe d'Or or Four Seasons you will have a good to great (Four Season's) on the premises. (Too bad Four Season's is downtown. Not the most convenient for your interests.) You will also have a knowledgeable and professional concierge. Go with their recommendations after you discuss what you are after. Just be sure to ask about the noise factor. For some dumb reason, there are some places here with excellent food experiences that chase me away with their noise level. I refuse to scream at my dining companion.

The Museum of Natural Science is in the museum neighborhood and often has really great knock-out special exhibits. Just before Christmas I went to see the one on pearls. Spectacular. That one will be gone but you might check out what they have as a special exhibit. They also have the finest mineral collection in the country if not the world and the exhibit's staging is spectacular. I always have to visit it when I am there.

[NewYorkTexan]

We'd be particularly interested in really good hotel restaurants - or restaurants within a reasonable cab ride of good hotels  

I travel to Houston 4-5 times a year on business and stay at either the Four Seasons or La Columbe d'Or. Although it's been awhile since I have had dinner in either hotel, on past occasions both have been very good. Regarding non-hotel restaurants, I recently ate at Aries and would definately recommend it. Mark's and Cafe Annie are 2 other favorites.

Which hotel do you like better? Last time I was at the Four Seasons was maybe 20 years ago. I assume it's been renovated at least once since then. Robyn

I think the current Four Seasons is a relatively new property?

Wasn't there a Four Season that was near the Galleria that since changed management companies? I am thinking a starwood property.

The restaurant at the Four Season, Quatro is OK. It seems to be a little sterile, a common issue in hotel restaurants. Even worse, at lunch it is wall-to-wall lawyers

There a few nice hotels near the Galleria like St. Regis, Inter-Continental and The Houstonian. That would be a short cab ride(almost walking distance) to Cafe Annie and Tony's

Edited January 27, 2004 by NewYorkTexan (log)

[brngckn]

Just adding to say that the new METRO light rail runs between downtown and the museum district, so staying downtown and still being able to get to the museums should not be an issue.

On another note, my husband ate lunch at Ikon today. Says the decor is impressive (old building, tall ceilings, tall columns). Very professional staff. But, food did not live up to the expectations set by the rest of the restaurant's tone (he ate Artichoke Almond Lemon Salad and the New York Strip with a soy caramel sauce). They do have well priced lunch specials, especially if you like lobster and steak.

[fifi]

Just adding to say that the new METRO light rail runs between downtown and the museum district, so staying downtown and still being able to get to the museums should not be an issue.

That presumes that it can make the trip without wrecking yet another car.

(Sorry... Inside Houston joke. It did smash another car today.)

[dls]

We'd be particularly interested in really good hotel restaurants - or restaurants within a reasonable cab ride of good hotels  

I travel to Houston 4-5 times a year on business and stay at either the Four Seasons or La Columbe d'Or. Although it's been awhile since I have had dinner in either hotel, on past occasions both have been very good. Regarding non-hotel restaurants, I recently ate at Aries and would definately recommend it. Mark's and Cafe Annie are 2 other favorites.

Which hotel do you like better? Last time I was at the Four Seasons was maybe 20 years ago. I assume it's been renovated at least once since then. Robyn

Based upon location and the nature of your trip, I would book La Columbe d'Or. A small, rather unique and intimate hotel with outstanding personal service. As I recall, the hotel was the former personal residence (mansion) of the founder of Humble Oil. Not a slight to the Four Seasons which I consider the best hotel "chain" in the world and, in various locations, log 80 - 100 nights a year. Can't speak for the Warwick since I've not stayed there.

BTW - I agree with Fifi's comment regarding Houstonians and the better restaurants. Most of the people that I do business with in Houston are not familiar with many of them. They seem to be stuck in some type of a time-warp regarding, and favoring, some of the "classics" (many of which are good) but tend to emphasize big meat, big Q, big Tex-Mex, etc. Also, Marks is indeed loud.

In any event, whatever your choice is, you'll do better than Jax (I go there a lot also). Nice town, nice people, mediocre (I'm being gracious) restaurants.

[LDLee]

I would suggest passing on Cafe Annie. I personally believe it is overrated, too caught up in its own hype. If Downtown suggest Zula. Have heard wonderful things about Artista (owned by the family that owns Churrascos and Americas). Over in Montrose (about a 10 minute ride from downtown), you should consider Mark's and Aries. We recently ate at Rouge and enjoyed it very much. My wife and I always enjoy eating at Boulevard Bistro. I don't know when Monica Pope will be closing it and opening her new restaurant closer to downtown.

For something less upscale, try lunch at Treebeards. I really enjoy their red beans and rice. Houston is a mixing pot of cultures. We have a vibrant asian community. For Vietnamese, try Van Loc. I am not a fan of Kim Son. The little Asia community off Bellaire has some very interesting restaurants. You will find some threads here with better infomration.

Most people who come here want to try Tex-Mex and Berbecue. For Tex-Mex, try Spanish Village (if you want to stay close to downtown). I would skip Irma's. Barbecue, I am a Luling City Market Fan. Goode Company is another restaurant where the publicity is better than the food.

Enjoy your visit.

Edited January 27, 2004 by LDLee (log)