Inside My Table #46 | Restaurant listings
Holiday Helpers
Winter is a particularly grand and busy time year for the eaterati. Even as the days grow shorter, tables groan with seasonal extravagance to share with family and friends. Who doesn’t welcome special foods, pretty candles, traditional decorations and seasonal trinkets? It’s too late for you to catch the Nutcracker Market, which is held every November. But we have 13 other suggestions for markets, bakeries and shops that will help you dress the table or dress the plate.
BERING’S, 3900 Bissonnet at Weslayan, 713-665-0500, and other location. This “hardware” store and its sibling surprise with their elegance and one-of-a-kind goods. Beautiful stationery, holiday decorations, stunning tabletop tureens and platters. It’s somewhat pricy (by Pier 1 standards), but this is the place for ferreting out a really special gift … even if it’s for your own table.
CENTRAL MARKET, 3815 Westheimer at Weslayan, 713-386-1785. Houston’s fresh-food market offers just about anything anyone could want, culinarily speaking. Fresh oysters, holiday breads and pastries, about a million cheeses and charcuterie selections, virtually every kind of bean, fruit and vegetable. Then again, if you’re not up to cooking the meal, you can just order the whole thing: turkey, prime rib or glazed ham dinners. Floral and wine departments, too.
CORNELIUS NURSERY, 2233 S. Voss near San Felipe, 713782-8640 and other locations. Visiting the nursery showroom this time of year, we’re never quite sure whether to feel inspired or defeated by the absolute richness of the highly decorated trees. They are breathtaking. Oh, well. Buy a tree of your own (they’ll flock it if you wish) and do your best. Don’t forget a few yards of aromatic garland for the doors and mantle.
COST PLUS, 5125 Richmond at Post Oak Blvd., 713-963-8833, and other locations. Pretty wrapping papers, blown-glass tree decorations, candles, all-purpose glassware and lots of under-$5 stocking stuffers (e.g. goofy toys and imported foil-wrapped chocolates) make this a favorite stop, usually more than once, during December. There are also lots of baskets to pile high with pine cones or firewood.
CRATE & BARREL, 4006 Westheimer at Drexel, 713-490-6400, and other locations. The newest location of this home and houseware store is really splendid and worth a visit any time. We love all the kitchen gadgets, especially the tiniest ones: itty-bitty whisks and mixing bowls, for example. Got a cook to buy for? This is a great place to start.
DESSERT GALLERY, 3200 Kirby Dr. at West Main, 713-522-9999 and other locations. While you’re busy with the “serious” food, let this fun shop/cafe provide the scrumptious ending. They have developed a cool method of decorating cookies with photos or logos, perfect for your company holiday party. They also do special orders and the best chocolate cake.
EVENTS, 1966 West Gray in the River Oaks Shopping Center, 713-520-5700. Of all the markets and shops on this list, Events is the most chichi. Stunning paper goods and engraving service, plus all kinds of elegant little trinkets and gifts. It’s really beautifully decorated during the holidays.
LEIBMAN’S WINE & FINE FOOD, 14529 Memorial Dr. near Kirkwood, 713-493-3663. If you haven’t been here in a while, you’ll be surprised at how this Westside shop has been revamped and made more airy and welcoming. Excellent wines (an especially good South African selection), and a prepared-foods counter that is most useful for ordering not-your-usual holiday foods. We like the orangy wild rice and comforting soups to serve guests at home. Special orders welcome. Beautiful imported items for gifts and food service.
MORE THAN PAPER, 2055 Westheimer at Shepherd, 713-526-0824, and other location. We could spend a week in this store, reading cards and looking at all the many, many invitations. (Who knew die-cutting had been raised to such an art?) There are all kinds of wrapping goods (bags, paper, ribbon, etc.), plus place cards and small gifts.
PIER 1, 9524 Westheimer near Gessner, 713-977-1153, and other locations. Is Pier 1 draped completely in red and gold during the holidays, or does it just seem like it? We come here for candles and holders, cards, paper goods, glassware, handsome (and well-priced) china, gifts and lots and lots of holiday decorations. You can find some amazing offbeat bargains at the Pier 1 outlet center, which is on Gessner, just north of I-10.
RICE EPICUREAN MARKET, 5016 San Felipe at Post Oak Blvd., 713-621-0422, and other locations. Along with classic hams, prepared foods and — yes! — caviar, the REMs have a constant stream of new goodies. Among them: smoked salmon under the Epicurean Label, which is line caught off the Orkney and Shetland Isles, dry cured and double-smoked over oak chips from Scotch whisky barrels. Don’t overlook the handmade candy canes, ribbon candy and peppermint tiny pillows from Hammonds Candy Company.
SUR LA TABLE, 1966 West Gray in the River Oaks Shopping Center, 713-533-0400, and other location. Gorgeous glassware, service pieces and textiles are only a few items at this cook’s wonderland. There are some packaged foods, but kitchen and tabletop items are the real calling. FYI: We found the city’s nicest, thinnest and least expensive wine glasses at this store — we buy at least half dozen every year.
TUESDAY MORNING, 2559 Gessner at Westheimer, 713-462-3045, and other locations. If you can abide the “picked-over” feel these outlet stores sometimes have, you will love them for Christmas tree decorations, snow globes, paper goods, Nativity scenes, holiday cards, wreathes, and ribbon and wrapping paper. The prices can be excellent, and they get even better after the holidays.
