The Grove

I don't usually go out to eat downtown because I am not very familiar with the after work hours restaurant scene, but have always wanted to try The Grove. I was downtown for a play and so we decided to dinner at The Grove before the show. This restaurant is located in Discovery Green and apparently has a wonderful rooftop bar. However it was very chilly when we went, so we didn't get a chance to check it out. The layout of the restaurant is different from most restaurants in that you walk into the bar area and the hostess stand separates the bar from the restaurant. In the back there is a large private dining area and the kitchen is open and runs the length of the restaurant. It had super tall ceilings and everything is very open and just flows. I started off with a tropical amaretto which was pineapple juice, Amaretto and sweet and sour topped with a maraschino cherry. I usually don't like pineapple juice, but it was really good. It was definitely on the sweet side so if you aren't a fan of sweet, this isn't the right drink for you. The ingredients created some layers in the glass so it was pretty to look at.

The Grove is a special restaurant because they have their own tomato and herb garden on the rooftop and uses recyclable materials whenever they can. They building itself contains recyclables and uses compost on the property...not your average downtown restaurant. Since the weather felt appropriate for some soup, I ordered the pork and chicken chili, the soup of the day. The chili had huge chunks of pork and chicken, so it felt more like a stew than chili, but either way it was tasty. It was topped with some green onions and some pieces of bread. It was flavor and definitely warmed up the chilly night. It wasn't at all spicy but there were tons of spice notes going on in the chili.

I also decided to try a side of the wild mushroom macaroni and cheese. This was done with the traditional elbow macaroni and a variety of mushrooms and topped with a sprinkling of bread crumbs. It was interesting because the cheese sauce wasn't super heavy, but was still smooth and creamy. It also seemed like there was a mixture of different cheeses since it wasn't a yellow color (and no I wasn't expecting it to be the unnatural orange color). It was nice with the mushrooms because it added some earthiness and depth to the flavor. It was nice to not feel so lethargic after eating it because it was a lighter version. I am not saying it was a healthier version necessarily (though I can't be sure), but it definitely didn't immediately make me want to nap afterwards. 

Though I didn't try it, my friend ordered the shrimp and crab salad. It was tossed with a Serrano chili oil, so there was quite a bit of spice to it. If you are a spicy person, then be sure to try this. It was a light salad with different greens and tomatoes. However, when you eat a salad that means that you can have an order of truffle fries with it. These were interesting and I am not quite sure that we every really decided how we felt about the. It seemed like half of the fries had been fried twice and the other side was only done once. It also seemed like there were pockets of truffle oil. There was some kind of aioli served with it and I think the final verdict was that the fries were better with the sauce. I can't say that I would recommend these, but maybe out order was a fluke. Other than the fries, the rest of the meal was really yummy. I have also heard that they have a great brunch so I will probably be back to try that and hopefully check out the rooftop area. If you are looking for a restaurant and haven't visited The Grove, then you need to stop by.

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!

REEF

There are sometimes when I just in the mood for some seafood, but I am not very familiar with the seafood restaurants in the area. At the recommendation of a very trusted source, I grabbed a friend and headed over to REEF. Located in Midtown, REEF is a hot spot that is drawing attention from all over the food world. I started off with an adult fresh berry lemonade and one of their super delicious rolls with a jalapeno jelly. The lemonade was refreshing and full of natural berry sweetness. The rolls were light and the sea salt on top was a nice touch. I usually shy away from anything that is remotely related to jalapenos, but I gave they jelly a try and was pleasantly surprised. It was sweet with a kick, but the flavors were well balanced. I stared off with a warm shrimp salad with haricot verts and spiced pecans. The shrimp and pecans were delicious, but I was not really a fan of the micro greens that were served with the shrimp.

I am never going to turn down macaroni and cheese and when I saw fried mac and cheese on the menu it was a must have. To be honest, I know that it doesn't look all that visually appealing, but I can assure you it was yummy in my tummy! There was a panko breading on the outside and the mac and cheese had a bit of heat to it. The spiral shaped pasta made sure that there was sauce on all parts of the noodle. It was soo delicious (definitely worth the calories though) and I will be making another visit. And you can't finish a wonderful meal without a fabulous molten chocolate cake. It was served with vanilla ice cream and a raspberry coulis. The cake was decedent and the ice cream didn't have the usual artificial vanilla taste. The molten chocolate was rich and almost a fudge like consistency. It was a heavenly end to a perfect catch up dinner! If you haven't been to REEF, be sure to go.

Brunch at MAX's Wine Dive

I would have to say the brunch is some of my favorite meals. There is something sweet, something savory, and there are always yummy drinks. For me, when I go to brunch time slows down and I get to relax, catch up with people and enjoy life. However, I don't get to go that often, so I am not really familiar with all the best brunch places. I heard that MAX's Wine Dive had a super brunch and the menu looked delicious! I had actually been there one time before for dinner and had MAX and cheese, which was to die for! I am a huge fan of macaroni and cheese and this one is definitely tops the list, so I figured that brunch would be just as good. Of course brunch stared off with yummy mimosas, so that set the tone for a good time. I got really excited when I saw that the MAX and cheese was a brunch option! I don't usually order the same thing, but this was just heaven in a bowl, so I decided to order it again. I was even luck enough to convince my friend to share with me, so I did get to try something new as well.

Enter chicken wings on jalapeno corn pancakes. I can honestly say that this is probably something that I would never order on my own, but boy was it good. The chicken wings had a nicely flavored coating on them that wasn't too spicy and wasn't too overwhelming. The jalapeno corn pancakes were delicious! The jalapenos provided a smokey note to the pancake, which was nice since I was expecting it to be super spicy. They were moist and fluffy and actually really good with the maple syrup. It was a little bit of sweet and a bit of savory in each bite, plus you got to pick up your food and eat it. MAX's is definitely some where I will be going back to for brunch, as I hear that their red velvet pancakes are heavenly. Guess that means I know what I am getting next time. Whether you are going for brunch or dinner, MAX's is somewhere you need to try, but make a reservation or get there early as it gets really busy.