Houston

(From April 2009) Robert Gadsby’s new, Mediterranean/Asian enterprise (following his fling with Orient-oriented dining at Soma) rates high on the imagination scale. Witness a so-called wild mushroom risotto—made with Texmati rice—with wafer-thin slices of grape and a Thai red curry sauce. Or the lamb osso buco, a huge chunk of quite tender meat, with caramelized “melting” onions, braised fennel, and a pomegranate seed garnish. Or a butternut squash “cappuccino” soup topped with a little salad of celery, apple, and granola. If you’re sensitive to noise, ask for a table away from the bar crowd. The artful, contemporary space, with tall plate-glass windows, is quite “live.” The “chef’s table,” the bar in front of the open kitchen, is much less intimidating than most such venues. Bar.

Leave a Review

(From July 2009) Vast crowds could fit comfortably into this capacious Mediterranean dining room, whose tables and booths face a stage where entertainers shimmy and shake on weekends. On a slow weeknight, however, we were riveted by one well-prepared dish after another. Starter plates of baba ganouj and hummus, along with batinjan el-rahib (eggplant with lemon and garlic) and grilled halloumi (a mild goat or sheep cheese), were wiped clean before we faced equally fine kebab platters: marinated beef; minced lamb with parsley, onion, and pine nuts; and lamb in a spicy tomato sauce. A belly dancer would only have been a distraction. Bar.

Leave a Review

(From November 2009) This handsome if sprawling spot is red-hot and übercool. Three-ounce wine pours allow for fun pairings with dishes like roasted oysters (with Gruyère and pork bits atop puréed leeks) and a crab “BLT” (a nifty twist with crispy fried crab belly, tomatoes, and arugula). The eclectic kitchen also produces Indian-inspired spicy lamb sausage tempered by cold cucumber raita and locally raised wild boar—chop, leg, brat, and more. All simply delicious. Bar.

Leave a Review

(From November 2009) Easy-on-the-wallet prices, a sleek setting, fine wines, and good service keep Ibiza hopping. Not to mention the risotto with cremini mushrooms and grana padano in a pool of white truffle oil, the grilled chicken with rosemary olive oil, and the roasted beets with pistachio and feta. As for fish, the elegant halibut with sorrel butter, risotto, and green vegetables outdid the grouper, even though the latter was loaded with crab, chives, and a buttery wine sauce. Tres leches, less goopy than some versions, vied with warm chocolate cake as our dessert fave. Bar.

Leave a Review

(From March 2009) Tucked inside the popular Tasting Room, this handsome space, billed as Houston’s “first luxury wine room,” is perfect for a quiet dinner or private party. It’s a posh, clubby setting, with a polished menu that ventures beyond the pizzas and charcuterie and truffle fries offered in the more lively TR. Confirming deft hands in the kitchen were a stellar Caesar salad topped with crispy tempura anchovies, egg rolls of organic hen confit (with a spicy peanut sauce), pan-fried snapper plated with brussels sprout “petals,” and seared scallops atop creamy leeks and onions. Beer & wine.

Leave a Review

(From October 2009) It’s date central on Saturday nights at this pretty Spanish spot—twosomes at almost every table enjoying the live music and flowing red wine. Romantic, too, are shareable tapas like crab tartare with tiny toasts and mixed greens topped with seared salmon. We love the grilled links of chorizo with roasted potatoes, the sautéed spinach with pine nuts and raisins, and the beef tenderloin with mushrooms and Cabrales and brandy cream sauce. Bar.

Leave a Review