Truluck's

Houston Restaurant Weeks is sadly coming to a close. However, I had time for one last outing. This time it was to Truluck's. Know for their crab, this place had a definite romance to it and luckily for us, we got to sit at the owner's favorite table. We started off with some Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio and some delicious gingerbread. It wasn't a cookie, just bread that tasted exactly like that. The wine was crisp and light, which paired well with the dishes we had.

For the first course, we had a delicious lobster bisque. The best part was that it was served at the table. The bowl had a few pieces of fresh lobster meat and a touch of horseradish goat cheese in it. The bisque was brought out separately and poured at the table. The soup was absolutely amazing. There was a hint of spice to it and the green onions added a subtle onion flavor without overwhelming the delicate lobster. It was creamy and had some depth to it, but it wasn't so heavy that you felt full after eating it. 

Since Truluck's is known for not only their crab, but also for their steaks and seafood, we decided to try it all. Beef 'Rockerfeller' was a play on oysters Rockerfeller. It was two beef medallions, each topped with a fried oyster and situated on a bed of loaded potato cakes. There was a spinach fondue over the top and it was served with green beans almondine. The green beans had some crunch to them and were full of flavor. The potato cakes were some of the best potatoes I have ever had. They had some crunch on the outside and were warm and creamy on the inside. The beef was cooked well and wasn't dry. The fried oyster add a nice texture different to the dish. The crab alfredo had blue crab, king crab, and snow crab. It was topped with some fresh bruschetta and toasted bread. The alfredo sauce was light and complemented the crab well. The bruschetta added some freshness to the dish. It was a great twist on a traditional favorite.

Dessert was definitely not a disappointment. Luckily, I got to try two, a chocolate malt cake and carrot cake. The chocolate cake was moist and had a great chocolate flavor. It wasn't too heavy and there were berries mixed it. It was topped with a light chocolate mousse like icing, a chocolate drizzle and a few fresh berries. It was decadent and something that I got to take home and enjoy twice. The carrot cake had a wonderful cream cheese icing, some spiced pecans, and a butterscotch drizzle. The cake itself was a taste of fall with the spice flavor. The pecans were a nice crunch and the butterscotch was a nice touch. I don't think I have ever had butterscotch with carrot cake. Overall, this meal was beyond amazing. The impeccable service was just the icing on the cake. The next time you are looking for a special occasion restaurant, be sure to try this one out. Thank you Houston Restaurant Weeks and Truluck's for this wonderful event and for such a great last dinner!

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!

Rolling to Cadillac Bar

 

Next stop on the Houston Restaurant Weeks Tour - Cadillac Bar. The Mexican gem on Shepherd was definitely worth the trip. It started off with a frozen sangria swirl margarita that was full of fruit that balanced well with the zip of the lime in the margarita. For the first course, I chose a shrimp and scallop ceviche. I have tried ceviches, but have never ordered one so this was a first time for me. This one had onions, pico de gallo, and avocado. The cool avocado and the fresh tomato cut through some of the acidic of the seafood marinade. The dish had great flavor, but I am not sure if I would order it again...Mainly because it's a weird texture and sometimes that really bothers me. It came with chips, but I had a few of those before the ceviche came so I tried not to eat too many more.

 

I do like faijitas, but usually they are too big for one. This time I decided to go for it. It was a combination of chicked, bacon wrapped shrimp, and ribs. You are probably thinking ribs at a Mexican restaurant? I know it was a bit surprising, but they turned out to be very good. The chicken had a great smokey flavor to it and the bacon wrapped shrimp (which turned out to also have a little bit of cheese with it) were amazing! Not the epitome of a healthy meal, but hey there were only two of them and I am not eating them every day. This was served with rice, beans, corn tortillas, sour cream, and my favorite...guacamole.

 

What Mexican meal would be complete without a nice piece of Tres Leches? However, I have noticed that throughout Houston Restaurant Weeks, that it has been a popular option. This was a bit fancier than some of the other ones I have had, but honestly it wasn't the best. It had a nice texture and the cake held together very nicely. The topping was a bit heavy and tasted a little too much like a whipped topping. I am more of a whipped cream girl to begin with. The cookie banner was really good though and provided a little bit of crunch for an otherwise untextured dish.

If you haven't tried out Cadillac Bar, then you should stop by. Plus I heard that they have a great brunch. Don't forget that Houston Restaurant Weeks supports the Houston Food Bank. So for all you foodies out there, keep eating for a cause!

 

 

Ouisie's Table

Ouisie's Table is a quaint little place on San Felipe, tucked away behind trees and twinkling lights. Known for it's upscale southern cuisine, this was a must stop place on my Houston Restaurant Weeks tour. We sat on the cozy little porch that felt like it was pulled out of a magazine from the East Coast. The meal starts with bite size muffins-gingerbread, jalapeno, and bacon and chive corn muffins. Then we tried a very lovely Pinot Grigio by Bottega Vinaia. It was crisp and light with aromas of pear and citrus. A great summer wine that was easy to sip on and went well with the meal.

The first course was mini crab cakes with a corn relish served with a jalapeno tartar and house cocktail sauce. The crab cakes were moist and well seasoned. The breading had a nice crunch to it, but still allowed the crab to shine without being too fishy. The corn relish added a bit of sweetness and the sauces was an extra burst of flavor.

 

Next was the entree course. There are very few times that I will eat or order red meat. However, I was feeling adventurous and decided I should break my mold and order something different. Besides when it is served with lobster risotto, who would turn that down?...definitely not me. This piece of beef tenderloin had a demi-glace sauce that kept the meat tender and added an extra layer of flavor. The green beans were well cooked so that they still had some snap to them. The lobster risotto was creamy and had large pieces of lobster in it. The texture contrast through the dish was delightful.

Last, but certainly not least, came my favorite part of the meal - dessert. It was a tough choice between the tres leches and the strawberry ice cream profiterole. A profiterole is like a cream puff, except that it is larger and this one was filled with strawberry ice cream. It was then given a healthy coat of chocolate, so that it was almost like eating a chocolate covered strawberry. Though it was a little awkward to eat, it was delicious. The tres leches didn't disappoint either. It was very light and not overly sweet. The texture of the cake was very fine and held up well by not turning into mush. The topping was heavenly and the fresh berries added a nice touch. It was definitely one of the best tres leches I have had! 

If you haven't made it to Ouisie's Table or any where for Houston Restaurant Weeks, you should! Plus they are extending the event until September 3! Check houstonrestaurantweeks.com for those places that will be extending their offering. Don't forget that when you participate, you are eating for a cause and get to have some delicious cuisine, so there is really no downside.

Just a Little 'Taste'

 

 Houston Restaurant Weeks is one of the most awesome things that takes place in Houston. When a friend called me and wanted to do an impromptu dinner, of course we wanted to go somewhere for Houston Restaurant Weeks. This time took us to The Tasting Room in City Center. This was my first time out to City Center and boy was I missing out. There are tons of shops and restaurants.... it is a place to see and be seen. Their cozy atmosphere and impressive wine list compliment an absolutely delicious menu. I started off with some mini grilled cheese sandwiches and some parmesan truffle french fries. The fries were served with a garlic butter dipping sauce. (So unhealthy, but so good!) The grilled cheese was made with goat cheese and topped with a tomato jam. The jam helped balance out the saltiness of the cheese. It was melted and gooey, like a grilled cheese should be. 

Next came a chicken tortilla soup. It was served in more of a puree style in that there was a slight bit of texture to it. It was topped with a pinch of cheese, a drizzle of avocado cream, and a few tortilla strips for crunch. It wasn't too terribly spicy, but would be perfect for a cold fall evening. (I know, I know. Keep dreaming.) Up next was a garlic and sage chicken served with cippolini onions, spinach, and potatoes. The sauce was a pan gravy so it had all the flavors of the dish soaked into it. The onions were a bit sweet, the spinach wasn't too terribly soggy, and the potatoes still had their shape. This dish was earthy and comforting, moist and full of a ridiculous amount of flavor. I have to be honest though. By this point, I was getting pretty full, however, I have never turned down a dessert. I know that there is a first time for everything, but this was not going to be that time. 

 Finally, it was time for dessert. Since I was with a friend, I had the opportunity to actually taste two desserts. I ordered a pistachio pound cake and she ordered zeppoles with raspberry and chocolate dipping sauces. Zeppoles are sort of like doughnuts holes, but have a slightly different texture. They weren't all that flavorful plain, but add the sauces and it was a whole new world. The pistachio pound cake was a Bon Apetit editor favorite and it was probably one of my new favorite desserts. It wasn't too sweet, there was crunch from the pistachios, and sweetness from the honey and cream it was topped with. The pound cake was delicious the cream was whipped to perfection. It was like eating a cloud (though I haven't actually done that). The Tasting Room was an amazing choice and I will put it on my list of places to go back to! I am so glad that I was able to try it out and definitely enjoyed what I ate. Be sure to let me know where you go for Houston Restaurant Weeks!

Tila's

I hope you have heard, but if not August 1-31 is Houston Restaurant Weeks. This started off as a one week event where restaurants created special lunch and dinner menus where a portion of the proceeds were donated to the Houston Food Bank. However, it became so popular that it turned into a month long event. The meals come with two to three courses for lunch and three to four courses for dinner and is affordably priced at $20 for lunch and $35 for dinner. A friend and I decided to try out Tila's for some Mexican cuisine. We were started off with tortilla and plantain chips with green tomatillo salsa and a red sauce. The green tomatillo salsa was fresh and mild and the red sauce was spicy, but not one of those that kills you with spice.

Next I had guacamole, but I was surprised to find that it was not what I usually got when I ordered guacamole. It was more of a deconstructed guacamole. It was actually chunks of avocado, tomato, chopped jalapeno, onion, and lime. It was delicious nonetheless and perfect for a hot summer's day. I decided to try one of there signature cocktails called the Paloma. This was mainly tequila and pink grapefruit juice. It was tart, but subtly sweet from the grapefruit. It was not a drink for people who like super sweet drinks, but it was very refreshing.

Time for the main dish. I opted for chilaquiles, served with black beans and grilled vegetables. Chilaquiles is a Mexican casserole with chicken, green tomatillo sauce, corn tortillas and is topped with sour cream and mozzarella cheese. It's basically like a Mexican lasagna. It was spicy, but the sour cream cut the heat and created a balance. The layers melted into each other and created a symphony of flavor in every bite. The black beans were served in a refried fashion and topped with a pinch of queso fresco. The grilled vegetables were carrot, squash, and zucchini. They had a nice crunch to them were definitely representative of seasonal summer veggies.

Fortunately, Tila's was offering a three course lunch so we also go to try dessert. I chose a Mexican key lime pie. Most of the time when I think of key lime pie, an image of a graham cracker crust filled with a bright green filling with whipped topping pops into my head. This was definitely not the case. There were layers of cookie in it that were covered in the filling. The lime was refreshing and the strawberries were fresh and sweet. I also got to try the cheesecake which had a light glaze on it and was also served with strawberries. These were both really delicious. 

There are more participating restaurants than you can imagine, so check out the whole list at houstonrestaurantweeks.com. You need to make a reservation and the instructions are listed on the website. Mention that you would like the HRW menu and you are all set! It couldn't be easier to eat for a cause, so be sure to take advantage of this offer as many times as you can. Come back and post where you tried and go eat and help support the Houston Food Bank!