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(From May 2009) A quiet meal in a plush room with rich red accents and lovely contemporary crystal chandeliers makes for a special night out—with prices to match. But a humble dish done well is a joy, like the moist roasted chicken with chanterelles and brioche-thickened chicken jus; it’s served with brussels sprouts and a side of crusty mac and cheese. And don’t let us forget to mention a kabocha squash soup with a bit of brown butter and sage and meaty pan-seared crab cake with a blood-orange-and-fennel sabayon. This is a place that shows Houston to good advantage. Bar.

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(From November 2009) We like the new look—more open space with a lighter feel—and the service is as solicitous as always. But our attention was quickly diverted to our appetizer: king salmon cured in 10 Cane Rum, artistically crisscrossed with horseradish crème fraîche and sprinkled with microgreens. The sumptuous fish was so good we decided to order more, this time grilled and draped across tasty chipotle-ramp spoon bread and plated with asparagus and verjus butter. Bar.

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(From June 2008) Inner Loopers seldom venture to the burbs to eat, but Missouri City folks seem to know something the rest of us don’t. This attractive storefront, broken into small, cozy areas, attracts big crowds for imaginative food at small-town prices. Prime examples include burrata cheese with tomatoes and a balsamic vinaigrette and the Surf & Turf, a clever combo of sea scallops and deboned beef short ribs in a burgundy reduction. Filet mignon, rubbed with pepper and served with a cognac mushroom sauce and fries, proved a bargain at $24. Beer & wine.

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(From October 2009) There’s nothing finer than champagne and Brie while gazing at the fabulous Dallas skyline from the terrace of this über-hip bar. And if you’re of a mind, there’s also a grilled chicken sandwich with sautéed spin-ach, red onion, and sun-dried tomato aioli or a salmon salad melt with Gruyère on toasted ciabatta, both served with copious amounts of fries. Although there are no desserts at the bar, the servers will happily whisk over a slice of buttermilk pie (crisscrossed with puckery blood orange reduction) from the Cliff Café, the hotel restaurant a few steps away. Bar.

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(From December 2009) Bruce Auden, in his comfortably classy dining room overlooking the river, orchestrates dinners that sustain high notes from A to Z. We started with smoked salmon nachos (such fusion typifies the menu), only to have them bested by exquisitely flavorful habanero jerk scallops. Rack of lamb, substantial yet delicate, with fennel, “Expensive Mushrooms,” asparagus, and goat cheese, proved exemplary, while complex eleven-spice axis venison brought the meal to its high point. Bar.

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(From December 2009) Informal enough to be a neighborhood spot but classed up with French tableware and pastel linens, Louise Lamensdorf’s charming venue is just the right home for her ever-changing menu. On a recent visit we had a delicious carrot-cumin soup, followed by savory pan-seared scallops served with savoy cabbage, fingerling potatoes, and a rich caviar beurre blanc. Buttermilk chocolate cake went per-fectly with the house-made cinnamon ice cream. Bar.

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(From October 2009) A romantic sanctuary in the middle of town, Blue Dahlia Bistro is a cute, European-inspired cafe that prides itself on using organic products whenever possible. Take, for example, the excellent salads, most of which are topped with a hearty vegan pesto that tastes as good as the cheesy variety. Each is served with fresh artisan bread on a tray with the requisite jams and jellies, but chocoholics will rave about the inclusion of Nutella. Sandwiches come open-faced on handsome slabs of wood or slate (try the chicken salad with pine nuts, pesto, and dried cranberries). We ordered sparkling wine that showed up flat, but the bread pudding that accompanied it was warm, gooey perfection. The real attraction here, though, is the luxurious backyard that transforms even a quick lunch into a lazy afternoon. With the sunlight filtering through the wood slats above your head, patterning your tabletop while potted trees and chimes sway in the breeze, you’ll feel as content as Buddha. The tables in this tiny courtyard go fast, but it seems like there’s always at least one waiting just for you.

September 18th, 2008 at 3:31pm
Libby says:
This place has an old Austin hippie aura in the best sense. Excellent spot for a glass of wine along with their antipasto platter. In the back, there's a tropical-vibe patio with palms, bananas, and bamboo rustling. Go with a group, order different sandwiches, and swap sections like you're in grade school.

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(From November 2009) Twenty years for any restaurant is amazing, and it’s been a pleasure to watch David Rotman’s Ridglea spot evolve. Replacing the floor-to-ceiling fabric of years past are half walls topped with glass blocks. Also, “demi plates” are now offered. Being partial to the Southwestern menu items, we were more than content with the pork tenderloin enchiladas served with onion and corn relish. And we raved about the basil-infused mashed potatoes accompanying grilled Atlantic salmon slathered with lemon hollandaise. Happy birthday, Cafe Aspen. Bar.

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(From June 2009) Impressionist paintings cycling continuously on flat-screen monitors lend a futuristic but posh fillip to this NASA-area destination for haute cuisine. We made appetizers of a field green salad with a tart-sweet papaya-seed dressing and Hawaiian pizza with pineapple and ham, then moved on to a precisely medium-rare New York strip steak, tender and juicy, with a side of soulful grits. The “fried pie”—two apple-quince turnovers flanking a mini-scoop of blueberry crème fraîche ice cream—brought us happily down to earth. Bar.

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(From October 2009) The companionable dining room of this off-the-beaten-path restaurant is both a go-to spot for lunch and a reliable special occasion place. The small kitchen delivers, whether it’s a simple chicken Caesar salad or a dazzling salmon provençale, presented with an almost candied crust and a delicious side of truffled potatoes. Bar.

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