Houston Restaurant Weeks - Brooklyn Athletic Club

About 10 months ago, a new hot spot opened and quickly became the talk of the town. Brooklyn Athletic Club is reminiscent of summers spent in Brooklyn, compete with croquet, ping pong and picnic tables. What I found interesting was that that Clubhouse (aka the indoor part of the restaurant) made up about 25% of the establishment. Most of the restaurant is outside which is odd for a place in Houston since it is always so hot. They have a large covered patio and tables and umbrellas and then in the back is it all picnic tables. Some how the weather that evening was fairly pleasant so we opted to sit outside. We decided to take advantage of the Houston Restaurant Weeks menu and started off with the BAC crab cake. This crab cake had apple and a celery root slaw in it with two baguette crisps and a jalapeno aioli. The addition of the apple and celery root slaw added crunch to the crab cake which had lots of fresh crab and a nice golden crust. The jalapeno aioli added a touch of heat to the semi-sweet crab cake.

To be honest, the dish that made this a must try place for me was Jeff's BAC Mac and Cheese. This is not your average mac and cheese in that it includes braised short rib, mushrooms and pepper and a cheese sauce made with and american and cheddar cheese finished with an herbed crust. Talk about a little piece of heaven! The cheese sauce was smooth and silky, creating this super delicious cheese glue. The pieces of short rib were tender and the mushrooms and peppers made it feel like a meal unto itself. It was the herbed crust the was the perfect finishing touch, as it added texture and used tons of fresh herbs. Don't be fooled by the petite little dish it is served in because this definitely keeps you coming back for more, but fills you up! This dish surpassed my expectations and has earned BAC a spot on my go to restaurant list.

Though I would have been totally fine with just the mac and cheese, I moved on to my entree which was a Texas beef grilled sirloin topped with a minted chimichurri and served with baby arugula tossed with a lemon shallot vinaigrette and season hand cut fries. The sirloin was buttery and tender and the chimichurri sauce gave it a delicious Latin flair. Chimichurri sauce is a South American condiment made with olive oil, garlic, cilantro, parsley, oregano, mint and red jalapeno. The jalapeno wasn't spicy and added a nice pop of color to the plate. The baby arugula was super fresh with the lemon and somehow made the arugula just the tiniest bit less bitter. The seasoned french fries were slightly addicting, but maybe that was because I was trying to figure out what all was in the spice blend. Plus they were served in a precious little mason jar.

After a lovely and very filling meal, I was ready for the sweet finish. This was a s'mores bread pudding. The bread pudding seemed to use a different bread then most bread puddings, giving it a denser consistency but it didn't make it richer. It was topped with some crushed Oreo like cookies, a chocolate sauce and a sprinkle of graham cracker. The chocolate sauce tasted like it was made with semi-sweet chocolate and the crushed up cookies that were baked into the top with so good. It was a perfect play on a summertime treat. However, I do have to admit that after the wonder starter and entree I only had room for a few bites of the dessert...which worked out for me because I had a treat to enjoy the next day. Brooklyn Athletic Club is a very laid back hangout place that serves delicious food. The atmosphere is not like a lot of other places in Houston which I think has contributed to its popularity. What's even more exciting is that BAC has opened up a food truck on the back lawn with its own separate menu. Not only will I be back to try more of the regular menu but I will also have to sample the food truck dishes, so don't worry BAC I will be back very shortly!

Doc's Food and Wine

I love food and pairing it with a great wine and romantic atmosphere makes it even better. This is what a trip to Doc's Food and Wine was like. The bi-level restaurant had a warm and cozy feel to it. I started off with a Papa Doble, which was rum, lime, grapefruit, and maraschino liqueur. Don't be confused like me and think that maraschino means red and cherry flavored. It is made of cherries, but doesn't taste at all like the cherry you put on a sundae. The drink was not at all sweet, which wasn't really my style but at least I can say I tried it. Since it was part wine bar, I figured that I should try some of their wines and I have never had a wine flight before, so now was my chance. I tried the "Old World Whites" flight, which included Domaine de Salvard Sauvignon Blanc, Salneval Albarino, and Eric Chevalier muscadet. I would have to say that the muscadet was my favorite because it had heavy notes of fruit flavor and paired well with the seafood we were eating.

They served the food tapas style, with one or two portions per plate so we got a few to share. The four plates were (starting from the top left hand corner) shrimp and grits, jalapeno calamari, crab cakes, and parmesan mussels. They were all delicious! The shrimp had a bit of a kick to it and the grits were creamy and cheesy. The calamari of the day had jalapenos in the batter and then slices of fried jalapenos served with the calamari. It wasn't too spicy, but did have a great smokey flavor to it. The crab cakes were well-seasoned, the crust had a nice crunch to it, and the sauce added an extra punch of flavor. I was cautious about the mussels because I didn't have a good first experience with them. However, when you add butter, garlic, and parmesan cheese, it will make anything instantly better! They were a great introduction to mussels and had a really great flavor. Plus, they have there own little forks that you use to get them out of the shell, so what's not to like about that?! (Ok, maybe that's just me)

Last, but not least we closed the meal with a heavenly bread pudding topped with a snickerdoodle ice cream. I know it sounds a little weird, but the other flavors were things like skittle, cotton candy, and fruit punch. (I am sure that they are delicious, but none of them seemed to remotely go with bread pudding.) Ayway, the snickerdoodle ice cream was amazing! The bread pudding had a great consistency and tasted like fall. I would have to say that it ranks up there as far as the best bread pudding list is concerned. If you are ever in the area, make sure you stop in because it's a great little place full of charm and great food and drinks.

White Oak Kitchen + Drinks

I get very excited when I get the opportunity to see a good friend and doing that over a great meal is even better. For this occasion, we chose to try White Oak Kitchen + Drinks for Houston Restaurant Weeks. This is a new restaurant that is run by Westin Galleria that has a modern but intimate ambiance. First, we were started with an absolutely amazing sesame croissant. It was warm, crunchy on the outside, and soft and delicious on the inside. It was by far some of the best and most unique bread that I have had in a long time.

For the first course, we decided to try the hummus and the chicken tortilla soup. The hummus, which was slightly spicy from the cayenne pepper, was served with pita, carrots, and olives. The only thing I would say about that is that the pita was a bit on the chewy side... not the best pita I have had, but the hummus was good. The chicken tortilla soup was simple and perfect for the onset of fall. 

Next it was time for the main dish. I opted for the mahi mahi and got to try the Spanish skirt steak. The mahi mahi was served with two grilled shrimp, grilled veggies, and a sweet relish. I have never had mahi mahi before but it was delicious. It was mild and light and the sweetness of the relish paired well with the fish. The veggies were flavorful and simple. The naturalness of the dish was refreshing and surprisingly filling. The Spanish skirt steak was served with a chimicurri sauce and potatoes. It was well-seasoned and the chimicurri sauce added an additional pop of flavor. 

When it came to dessert, I found myself wanting to skip the other courses and just eat three courses worth of dessert. Sadly, I didn't get to do that so I had to make a decision between s'mores bread pudding or haute haute donuts. Since I order bread pudding recently, I opted for the donuts. However, these weren't like the donuts that you eat for breakfast. They were lightly fried, warm, and rolled in powdered sugar. They were served with three sauces: chocolate, raspberry, and caramel, which were so good! The sauce soaked in to the donut and gave it a completely different flavor with each sauce. Chocolate is chocolate and is just delicious in general. The raspberry sauce wasn't unnatural tasting and the caramel sauce didn't weigh the dessert down. The bread pudding was a play on one of my childhood favorites and was super yummy!

This is a great place to go to relax and unwind after a long day. It was delicious and when I go back, I want to try the macaroni and cheese. Be sure to try this out and enjoy all their great menu offerings. Thank you for such a wonderful meal and another opportunity to support the Houston Food Bank by eating for a cause. 

Glass Wall

Let me just first start off by saying that the Glass Wall is an absolutely fantastic place! The ambiance it cozy, relaxing, and modern. There are tons of candles mixed with shades of cream and aqua. It is a fairly small place, but it doesn't feel crowded. I am so glad that I got to try here for Houston Restaurant Weeks! I started off with a chicken and tarragon ravioli. It was served with fennel and snap peas in a prosecco and herb butter broth. It was light and buttery, there were tons of textures going on, and the sauce didn't overwhelm or overpower the dish. It was delicate and the perfect way to whet your appetite for the rest of the meal to come. Since I went with a friend, I also got to try the crab cake which was served with house made potato chips, and coleslaw. The crab cake wasn't too dry and the chips added the perfect crunch to the dish. The sauce was a peach aioli which I would have never thought to pair peach and crab. But I guess that's why I just enjoy the dishes that someone else creates!

I tried a Black & Blue martini that was a combination of blueberry, cherry, and vanilla vodka and served with a slice of orange. It was a little bit like a slushy because there was a tiny bit of ice in it. The orange add a slight citrus zing to it, creating a full developed palette of flavors.

For dinner, I ordered a corn flake crusted chicken fried steak. First, let me just say that I have never order this type of dish before, but it was such a creative dish that I just had to try it. It was accompanied by a corn relish and cheesy mashed potato goodness. It had a delicious gravy that had a faint bit of heat and helped to add the extra oomph the dish had. The crust was crispy and the mashed potatoes were amazing... sad to say that they are one of my food weaknesses. For not having tried may chicken fried steaks, I would have to say that there are very high expectations now.

Last, but certainly worth the wait, is dessert. I opted for a cherry and chocolate bread pudding drizzled with chocolate sauce and freshly whipped cream. The bread pudding had a nice texture where the bread and the custard melted together so that it didn't feel like you were eating cubes of bread. The cherry added a deep fruit flavor and the whipped cream added a touch of sweetness. The tiramisu cheesecake was topped with a cappuccino cream molded perfectly to the shape of the spoon.

Overall, this was an absolutely amazing meal and I can't wait to go back and try it again. If you haven't had a chance to stop in, be sure to do so! Just a heads up, they aren't open on Sundays, so don't wait until then. Let me know what you think when you try it out. Houston Restaurant Weeks, benefiting the Houston Food Bank, will be ending soon so don't delay anymore. Try something out before it's too late!