Houston

(From September 2010) At this tiny slice of Paris tucked away in a neighborhood bungalow, expect good (and generous) entrées but more-interesting starters. We were smitten with a salad of just-picked mesclun. And we loved our special toasted croustade of steamed mussels in a heady sauce of white wine, herbs, and garlic. But what a shame that our spanking-fresh filet of amberjack was overcooked and our old-school chicken fricassee was bland. Our last bite, fortunately, was the best: a bracingly tart lemon custard. Bar.

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Photograph by Debora Smail

(From January 2012)

Wildly popular, this long, lean entry into the hottest restaurant sweepstakes has its detractors (mainly for the noise level and inconsistencies in food and service). All we can say is that we’ve not encountered those problems. We were utterly happy with chèvre ravioli atop warm little beets and seared diver scallops accompanied by a pea-fennel purée. And we are eager to go back for grilled wild salmon with asparagus and peaches, as well as for the big-fisted steak au poivre with spaetzle. Bar.

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(From January 2011) Our go-to spot for French comfort food, Max & Julie does a fine steak au poivre with a cone of crisp fries. The kitchen is equally adept with Boeuf à la Wayne, four pieces of grilled steak on a skewer with a choice of dipping sauces (béarnaise and peppercorn are our faves). Of course, we also like the thick salmon, grilled medium-rare, with a side of both wild and tame mushrooms. And we love to share the huge goat cheese salad and a nice wine while enjoying the pretty, wood-trimmed interior. If weather permits, a seat on the outdoor patio is de rigueur. Beer & wine.

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(From March 2011) Enter one door: quaint patisserie and cafe. Enter the other: handsome French bistro. In fine weather, the sweeping bar opens to the side terrace for a truly not-in-Houston feel. We lunched on stone-oven flatbread pizza, well paired with a creamy roasted pepper and tomato soup. A niçoise salad was impressively upscale with seared ahi tuna, traditional haricots verts, and a quail egg. Profiteroles made a decadent end. A dinner visit was surprisingly ordinary, though, with a dry Mediterranean chicken breast and a serving of garlicky, buttery shrimp that, while lovely, tasted less than pristine. A generous steak frites was the evening’s best bargain, at $23. (Here’s a tip on finding the place—it’s actually on Town and Country Blvd, between Queensbury and CityCentre Way.) Bar.

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(From June 2011) With good reason, Outer Loopers consider this French gem a star. Seated in the sleek dining room, with its portrait of a large Brahman bull, we fell under a spell while downing garlicky baked escargots, coquilles Saint-Jacques with fennel butter, and skewered quail with figs. How long since we’d had duck à l’orange? Chef David Denis’s version was perfect: a boned leg confit and caramelized breast with Grand Marnier sauce, alongside squash risotto and asparagus fricas-see. Bar.

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(From May 2011) The Schiller–Del Grande folks have done it again—created an übercool space and a menu to match. Of the long list of small plates, we chose spicy coppa and taleggio with dried mission figs and a fennel salad; a densely flavored Provençal tomato soup with basil citrus pesto; and the Ava/Alto salad—greens, beets, chickpeas, and artichokes. Of the large plates, a grilled quail with sweet peppers and creamy polenta and a lively pappardelle with duck and wild mushrooms outshone a less interesting flattened chicken breast with salsa and almonds. Service is still a bit confused but well intentioned. Bar.

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