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. 

Super Simple Seafood Supper

I am a little bit picky about my seafood, mainly just because I don't like when it tastes fishy, so I don't usually tend to cook it at home. However, I was ready for something different. During one of my recent visits to Pinterest, I found this recipe for spicy shrimp on Cooking Melangery. It is simple and fresh and takes about 5 minutes to make.

The ingredients you need are shrimp, olive oil, garlic, crushed red pepper, lemon juice, white wine, and salt and pepper. The directions are pretty easy. Saute the garlic and red pepper in the olive oil. Add the shrimp, lemon juice, and white wine. Stir and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the shrimp turn opaque and begin to curl. That's it...seriously. I don't know how you could not want to make this. This is definitely a keeper recipe! The shrimp had a nice spice to them from the red pepper and soaked up the cooking broth, so they were moist and delicious.

I got some rather delicious garlic basil pasta from Trader Joe's that I served the shrimp with. I paired it with some homemade garlic bread and a salad. It was a super healthy and fresh dinner that took less time to make than it did to eat. Now that's what I call a simple supper that is easy to entertain with. You can find the full recipe at http://www.melangery.com/2012/01/shrimp-with-garlic-and-parsley-best.html or on my Pinterest board. Try and see for yourself how simple and yummy it is!