Inside My Table #94 | Restaurant listings
Paella Para Todos
A decade ago, paella was fairly exotic in Houston. Today paella abounds, from a Spanish tapas bar in River Oaks to a beloved Mexican place on Bellaire to a Westside Mediterranean restaurant. Here’s where to make nice with rice.
1. ARTURO’S UPTOWN ITALIANO, 1180 Uptown Park Blvd. north of Post Oak Blvd., 713-621-1180, www.arturosuptown.com. Served only as a special on Saturday night for $29.50 per plate, chef Arturo Boada’s off-the-menu option is cooked in a batch that is sectioned into portions with final preparations made before serving. Though the paella is not served in the iconic paella pan, it’s still fresh and steaming hot. What sets Arturo’s paella apart is the memorable snapper, which is stand-out good. The arresting aromas also promise shrimp, chicken, pork, clams, mussels, calamari and chorizo nestled in the saffron rice.
2. CAFE BENEDICTE, 15455 Memorial Dr. bet. Eldridge & Hwy. 6, 281-558-6607, www.cafebenedicte.com. The kitchen here features pan-Mediterranean fare bolstered by some American beef-hearty dishes that appeal to the burghers and globe-trotting energy-industry workers of West Memorial. In an airy and comfortable setting – on a fine day, sit out on the especially lovely terrace overlooking a small lake – there are pastas and grilled items, plus Greek, Spanish and North African recipes. Falling into the Spanish category is the stand-out paella with seafood, chorizo and chicken, served at both lunch and dinner. On the current menu, it’s $19.95.
3. CAPRICCIO TAPAS, 10865 Jones just south of FM 1960 West, 281-807-9442, www.capricciotapas.com. Capriccio opened the summer of 2008 and quickly became a gathering spot for enjoying paella. Owner Gerry Sarmiento presents a style of paella that some might find slightly undercooked, but which is, in fact, authentic. In Spain, the rice is tender but still a bit toothy. Try any of the three versions: Valenciana (with shrimp, calamari, mussels, clams, chicken and chorizo), Catalana (chicken and chorizo) or Hortelana (vegetarian, with zucchini, squash, peppers, green beans and artichokes). Prices vary from lunch to dinner, never exceeding $20. Allow 30 minutes for preparation.
4. EL MESON, 2425 University Blvd. near Morningside, 713-522-9306, www.elmeson.com. Over the years chef Peter Garcia has expanded his paella menu to include varieties such as paella ribereña with salmon, artichokes, asparagus and mushrooms and paella negra with cuttlefish ink, squid, shrimp and white fish. The newest variation is paella mistral made with duck confit, truffle oil, green beans, peas and mushrooms. All the paella are made to order, and the prices range from $16.95 to $28.95 per person (minimum of two). Be sure to enjoy the socarrat, the delectable crust that forms on the bottom of the paella pan. It’s the most prized part of the dish.
5. IBIZA, 2450 Louisiana at McGowen , 713-524-0004, www.ibizafoodandwinebar.com. On Sunday evenings, 5 to 9 pm, savvy foodies drop into Ibiza for chef Charles Clarke’s paella and a pitcher of sangria. The former contestant on Iron Chef America uses only white meats: white fluffy crab (lots of it, and you don’t have to work for it), white chicken breast, white calamari, white fish and shrimp. With large pieces of octopus arranged in the middle to top it all off, this paella is a gorgeous feast. Clarke’s take on paella is unique since he marinates and grills the shrimp and chicken, poaches the crab and braises the octopus separately. There’s a two-person minimum, and it doesn’t hurt to call ahead to order.
6. PICO’S MEX-MEX, 5941 Bellaire Blvd. west of Chimney Rock, 713-662-8383, www.picos.net. Pico’s Mex Mex captures the spirit of the Spanish tradition with their Sunday brunch paella mixta, which is served 11 am to 3pm and only by reservation. For $21.95 per person, it’s a generous deal considering a plate intended for two looks more like a plate for four. The seasoned rice is studded with tender calamari, large shrimp, mussels and clams, a whole crab (shell included), bone-in chicken, chorizo and pork. If you prefer your rice on the soft side, Pico’s is a good choice for Sunday brunch. And don’t forget to invite the whole family.
7. RIOJA SPANISH TAPAS, 11920 Westheimer at Kirkwood, 281-531-5569; 713-249-1727, www.riojarestaurant.com. Before Rioja even officially opened back in 2004, Luis Acosta and chef Ignacio Forseca won the Houston Polo Club’s International Paella Festival. Oh, and then they won it again the following year. Forseca’s kitchen sends out the classic rice dish loaded with seafood, chicken and house-made chorizo. Individual paella is not made to order; rather Rioja makes it fresh several times an evening in large pans and ladles some out for each guest. It’s $17.95 per person. You can also order paella as part of a three-course tapas lunch (there’s a $3 surcharge).
8. TINTOS SPANISH RESTAURANT & WINE BAR, 2015 W. Gray just east of S. Shepherd, 713-522-1330, www.tintosrestaurant.com. Tintos, open since early June, is a restaurant, wine bar and wine retailer. Come here for a menu of tapas and some 180 wines sold at retail or slightly below retail. The paella is also priced below average. Two varieties are served daily: the Marinera with shrimp calamari, fish and mussels is $18 for one, $35 for two at dinner, while Valenciana with seafood, chorizo, blood sausage and chicken is $15 for one, $29 for two. (Prices are a few bucks less at lunch.) Chef Alberto Alfonso, whose grandparents are from Mallorca, Spain, recreates his family paella that he grew up eating every Sunday, though he admits the blood sausage in the Valenciana is his own twist, “It’s not traditional, but I add it because I like the flavor.”
