Inside My Table #50 | Excerpt
50th Issue Ask My Table
By Our Contributors
Your dining-out questions arrive by fax, phone, mail and email, and we love it! Back in Issue #20 (August-September 1997), we left no truffle unturned in seeking answers to 50 of your most frequently asked, most entertaining and most difficult queries. Here’s a selection from the current crop of readers’ questions that we’ve been chewing over here at the office.
I have a client (originally from New York, of course) who pish-poshed on what Houston calls Italian dining. Any suggestions as to anything fabulous that rates close to NYC dining?
Simposio (5591 Richmond Ave., 713-532-0550) is excellent. Its fans include national food writer John Mariani, who included it in Esquire’s special issue on all things Italian, citing Simposio as among the best Italian restaurants in America. We also like Arcodoro (5000 Westheimer, 713-621-6888), which is actually Sardinian and so somewhat unusual in the Italian genre. Damian’s (3011 Smith, 713-522-0439) and DaMarco (1520 Westheimer, 713-807-8857) are also highly regarded for their authentic Italian cooking.
Do you know about a restaurant that used to throw dinner rolls at its customers? I visited once about six years ago as part of a choral group, and I’m traveling that way with another group and would like to show them this wild place.
You’re remembering Potatoe Patch (2504 FM 1960 East, 281-443-3530), the only area restaurant we know of where the throwing of food is encouraged.
Is there a Cantonese restaurant in Houston. Not a Hunan or Szechwan eatery that has Cantonese dishes, but strictly Cantonese?
Try Canton Seafood (2649 Richmond Ave., 713-526-1688). In his review in Issue #42 (April-May 2001), Dennis Abrams wrote, “The walls of the restaurant are dominated by fish tanks filled with live fish, lobsters, crabs, shrimp and enormous geoduck clams. The friendly waitstaff is eager to lead you through the intricacies of the menu.”
My son is interested in becoming a chef.
There are several programs in Houston where you can study cooking and/or restaurant management. Among them: The Art Institute of Houston has a culinary degree program. University of Houston has the Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management. Harris County Community College has cooking and restaurant programs. There’s also the LeNôtre Culinary Institute, if you’re interested in the very classic style of French cooking. Plus, there are many cooking schools all over town, including those at Central Market, Le Panier, Sur La Table and Rice Epicurean Market, where your son can take a variety of classes and get a taste of cooking before committing to years’ of training.
Are there any Mexican restaurants that are not ear-shatteringly loud?
It’s been my experience that the words “quiet” and “Mexican restaurant” simply do not work together. There must be something about mixing margaritas, mariachi bands and mole that raises the decibel level in Houston-area Mexican restaurants to an almost untenable level. However, there are a few exceptions. Las Alamedas (8615 Katy Freeway, 713-461-1503) gets rowdy in the bar, but is serene in the dining room, especially when you’re nestled in one of the big round booths. (You can even reserve the wine cellar for a romantic dinner for two.) Another good choice is Spanish Flowers {4701 N. Main, 713-869-1706) in The Heights. This place has always been able to serve great Mexican fare in a sonically pleasant environment. That may have been why Al Gore, who’s not known to be the most boisterous speaker around, made a campaign stop there in 2000. I’ve also noticed that despite a few loud gritas thrown out during some Tejano songs on the jukeboxes, most neighborhood taquerias tend to be places where a conversation can be a part of a really good Tex-Mex meal.—M. Yvonne Taylor
Whatever happened to Shanghai Red’s? That is an awesome restaurant with an even more awesome view. Why don’t you list it?
Shanghai Red’s was closed and the building torn down.
Any suggestions for a rehearsal dinner in The Woodlands-Conroe-Magnolia-Tomball area? We’re looking for something special, unusual but not formal. I desperately want to avoid the typical hotel banquet room fare.
There’s a new place in Tomball that should exactly fit your bill. It’s called La Tavola (281-357-0999) and is located at 209 Commerce. The chef, John Boehm, is excellent, and it’s set in a small made-over bungalow. It’s charming and intimate.
Are there any dinner theatres in Houston?
The best-known and most reliable is the Great Caruso (10001 Westheimer, 713-780-4900). This summer’s production of 1950s Doo Wop, with performers covering such pop classics as “Sincerely,” “Tutti Frutti” and “Leader of the Pack,” has been a resounding hit with nostalgic Baby Boomers. I took my parents and my children, and all three generations enjoyed it.—Teresa Byrne-Dodge
Help! I need to find a Colombian Restaurant in Houston that features typical regional Colombian food.
There are many generic Latin American places, but pure Colombian is rare. One possibility that comes to mind is Solero (910 Prairie, 713-227-2665). It bills itself as a tapas restaurant, but the owner/chef Arturo Boada is Colombian. I’m sure he’d be happy to make you anything you want. (Readers, any suggestions?)
What’s new and hot?
Hugo’s (1602 Westheimer at Mandell, 713-524-7744) has only been open about five minutes, but it was causing a buzz weeks before Hugo Ortega even served up his first plate of handmade tortilla. It’s billed as authentic Mexican regional cuisine, and Ortega takes his mission seriously. No Tex-Mex allowed. Coming soon: Trevisio, a stunning new place from Dave Edwards and his team, will open on the top floor of a new Medical Center parking garage in mid-September. The theme is fountains (get it? Trevi Fountain … Trevisio), and the food is modern Italian. Chef Alan Ashkinaze, whose background includes The Boathouse in Central Park and Peacock Alley at the Waldorf*Astoria, is relocating here from New York to run the kitchen. You can’t miss it: Look for the six-story waterwall on two sides of the building. Later in the fall, Artista will open in the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts. Michael Cordúa’s new setpiece promises to create a big culinary and architectural splash—TB-D
I recently purchased four pounds of rugalach from Freed’s Bakery in Las Vegas. Surely there’s a local bakery that makes this delicious pastry.
Kenny & Ziggy’s Deli (2027 Post Oak Blvd., 713-871-8883) makes this Eastern European sweet from Ziggy’s grandmother’s recipe. The restaurant’s classic style features a filling of cream cheese, raisins and nuts and brown-sugar topping. It costs $1 per piece.
Where do grown-ups go to hear live music, maybe even dance?
It’s impossible to know what kind of music the reader likes, so I’d suggest checking the latest Houston Press’s music listings before planning an evening out. Assuming this “adult” doesn’t want to jump into a mosh pit, I’d avoid the hip-hop and rave clubs. Dancing? I wish I knew, because our last two searches have been total disappointments.—Jim Sanders
I am currently pregnant and have dietary restrictions. When I am on the road, I eat at Fadi’s Mideastern restaurant because I can get the fresh salad and fast service, and it’s fairly economical. I need to eat at places that do no use preservatives and that have a wide variety of vegetables and some fresh fish. I would also like it to be cheap.
Other places that prepare simple, fresh, inexpensive food include Ziggy’s Healthy Grill (2320 W. Alabama, 713-527-8588), Baba Yega (2607 Grant, 713-522-0042), A Moveable Feast (9341 Katy Freeway, 713-365-0368), Thai Spice Vegetarian (2241 Richmond Ave., 713-529-3100) and Souper Salad (many locations). Plus, there are many Mideastern restaurants besides Fadi’s, although you surely know that.
I’m confused about the taxes that are applied to wine on my check. I thought the taxes were built into the cost already. Am I paying sales tax twice or what?
It depends on the kind of alcoholic beverage permit the restaurant has. If the restaurant you’re eating in has a mixed-beverage permit (which allows them to sell mixed-drinks as well as wine and beer), the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission’s 14.5 percent tax is built into the listed price and there is no sales tax. If the restaurant has a beer-and-wine-only permit, there is no built-in TABC tax, but the restaurant must charges 8.25 percent sales tax on top of the listed price. Example: If a bottle sells for $25.99 on the wine list of a restaurant with a mixed-beverage permit, you actually pay $25.99, and the restaurant is in effect charging $22.22 and building in $3.77 in taxes for the TABC. If the same wine sells for $23.50 on the list of a beer-and-wine-only permit holder in Houston, you actually pay $25.44 ($23.50 for the wine and $1.94 in sales tax). How do you know which kind of permit they hold? Ask what kind of single-malt Scotches they sell.—Charles M. Bear Dalton
What’s the most over-the-top restaurant in Houston? Our group manager is coming into town, and he thinks Houston is all barbecue and Tex-Mex.
An over-the-top restaurant? You need to be more specific. Do you mean decor? It’s got to be Américas (1800 Post Oak Blvd., 713-961-2492), maybe Zulu (705 Main., 713-227-7052). Service? If simultaneous silver dome unveilings at Charivari European Specialty (2521 Bagby, 713-521-7231) doesn’t do it for you, I’m not sure what will. Food? Well, you’ve got me there. There is no such thing as over-the-top food.—Dennis Abrams
Who has the best fried oysters in town?
Our vote goes to Ibiza (2450 Louisiana, 713-524-0004), where chef Charles Clark cooks the oysters so perfectly light that surely his hand is guided by an angel. They are a marriage of blistering hot crispness outside and a briny melt inside. Very nearly as good and more down to earth: We recently had a scrumptious lunch of fried oysters and French fries at The Raven Grill (1916 Bissonnet, 713-521-2027) that was simple and satisfying.
So many restaurants are now offering bottled water. I like tap water just fine. Or am I really just cheap?
Cheap, no. Sensible, yes. Designer water is just the newest “con” in the restaurant upselling game. Actually, Houston has some of the best tap water in the country.—JS
Where can you get good fried chicken these days?
You’d think that with Houston being in the southeast corner of a Southern state finding good fried chicken would be a simple thing. Well, it ain’t. You have to hunt for good fried chicken if you want to go beyond the regular fast food joints. But hunting around may present you with some interesting cultural experiences, if you’re willing to try. For one, many soul food restaurants in Houston dish out some great fried chicken. The always-popular This Is It! (207 W. Gray, 713-659-1608)) in the recently gentrified area of Fourth Ward serves up its fried chicken to patrons both old and new. And though it is “fast” food, Frenchy’s Creole Fried Chicken (3919 Scott St., 713-748-2233) is a perennial favorite of UH and TSU students. Fusion Cafe in the Village (2442 Times Blvd., 713-522-1884) serves up a plate of fried chicken and waffles. (It is fusion, after all.) Other than the soul food restaurants, Ducho’s Steak House (633 Heidrich, 713-692-9074) near Garden Oaks has been offering fried chicken as well as steaks for many years. And moving the hunt back into The Loop, Chuy’s (2706 Westheimer, 713-524-1700) has concocted an “Elvis” version of the fried bird that snatches the title of “finger lickin’ good” from that other colonel. Also, Frankie B. Mandola’s Steaks & Burgers (5333 Kirby Dr., 713-529-1266) has begun to advertise the addition of its “new pan-fried chicken” to their down-home repertoire. So, if you’re willing to look, Houston is loaded with great places for fried chicken that isn’t served in a bucket. Happy hunting!—MYT
Where are the best values in wine coming from now?
The Rhône valley, Bordeaux, Spain, Chile, Argentina, Australia, California, Texas, Germany ... well, you get the idea. There are great wine values available from all over the world just as there over-priced, mediocre wines available from every wine-growing region of the world. My very top, biggest bang-for-your-buck picks include Rotari Brut Sparkling (Italy), Bogle Petite Sirah (California), Seghesio Sonoma Zinfandel (California), Ravenswood Vintner’s Blend Zinfandel (California), Louis Martini Cabernet Sauvignon (California), Fetzer Five Rivers Ranch Pinot Noir (California), Penfolds Koonunga Hill Chardonnay (Australia), Hill of Content Grenache-Shiraz (Australia), St. Genevieve Texas Red (Texas), Vieux Clocher Vacqueyras (Southern Rhône Valley in France), Sierra Canatabria Rioja Crianza (Spain), Onix Priorato (Spain), Santa Ema Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve (Chile), Warres Late Bottled Vintage Port (Portugal), Ch. Bonnet Entree Deux Mers Blanc (Bordeaux, France), Ch Pontoise Cabburrus Medoc (Bordeaux, France), Boniface Rousette de Savoie (France) and Ehses-Hansen Zeltinger Himmelreich Mosel-Saar-Ruwer Riesling QbA (Germany). With exception of the Ste. Genevieve, none of these is less than $7 per bottle and, with the exception of the Port, none is more than $14. I buy all these wines myself and I drink them with friends on a regular basis. The one-sentence answer: The best wine values come from California (mostly red) and France (largely white).— CMBD
At which restaurant can one enjoy the largest steak in Houston? I have friends coming in from out-of-town and this is their eating request.
At Taste of Texas (10505 Katy Freeway, 713-932-6901), you may select your own steak and have it cut to order. Make it as big as you want. Pappas Bros. Steakhouse (5839 Westheimer, 713-780-7352), Morton’s (5000 Westheimer, 713-629-1946) and Capital Grille (5365 Westheimer, 713-623-4600) also can custom-cut a steak. Over on the West Loop South, try the new Omaha Steakhouse (in the Sheraton Suites, 713-586-5143). These are the same steaks that people have been mail-ordering as gifts for decades.
Has My Table rated the best restaurant in Houston recently according to these categories?
1. Very upscale dining:
a) European cuisine and fine dining
b) American steakhouse
c) Cajun, Tex-Mex and seafood
d) Oriental (e.g. Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese and seafood)
e) Middle Eastern
f) homestyle burgers, barbecue, steaks and fries
2. Upscale
3. Affordable
Which was voted the best restaurant overall? Who’s the best chef in hotel restaurants? in private restaurants? overall? Which upscale restaurant has the best wine collection? hotel and private restaurants? Who’s the best sommelier among the restaurants? How often does My Table conduct these ratings, if ever?
If you would recommend which Houston-native restaurant/restaurant franchise, chef, sommelier and operator to be set up a branch or their new location inside or adjunct into a venue like a cultural center, convention center, arena or another six-star hotel, which or/and whom would you recommend in the three price scale definitions?
As Roseann Rosannadanna once observed, you ask a lot of questions. We answer email dining questions every day, but I’m afraid what you ask is beyond the scope of a quick answer. We do not have the people or resources to do the kind of research and evaluation you ask, and My Table magazine does not quantify opinion. You need a restaurant consultant, not an editor.—TB-D
