Many of our friends who live ITL (Inside The Loop, a Houston term for the part of town inside I-610) maintain that there's nothing OTL (Outside the Loop) worth the drive. In our experience, they couldn't be more wrong.
We'd been hearing good buzz about a small cafe that had opened in a strip center at the far northwest corner of the Woodlands, and finally got a chance to check 'em out last night.
Eden Cafe is a small family owned establishment that serves a wide variety of cuisine. They're serious about variety: They have daily specials that are based on a specific cuisine. Tex-Mex Tuesdays, Italian Wednesdays, Comfort Food Thursdays, and Seafood Fridays (the day we visited.)
I ordered one of the specials - blackened tilapia. It was a beautiful tilapia filet expertly prepared, tender, moist, and nicely spicy. The sides were ver good as well: A mild Greek salad with plenty of feta, and a scoop of sweet potato casserole, rich, earthy, and loaded with nuts.
We also sampled their chicken-fried chicken, which was superb. Very moist, hand-breaded with a light, crispy breading, it was accompanied by a grilled squash/zucchini side that was delicious.
Another winner was the Pasta Marsala. A large serving of penne pasta with plenty of grilled chicken, mushrooms, squash, and a rich marsala wine sauce.
Prices are surprisingly modest. There's nothing on the menu over $13.
The restaurant was packed on Friday night, but the service was still friendly and professional. The owner, Ulises Larramendi, was greeting guests (many of whom were obviously regulars) and making sure things were flowing smoothly.
Browsing the menu, we discovered that Eden Cafe also has a full breakfast menu on Friday and Saturday ('till 3pm on Saturday.) They're closed Sunday and Monday.
Eden Cafe is a winner. It's a comfortable, casual cafe that serves very well-executed food. It's a worn phrase, but there's really something for everyone.
For those coming from ITL, it's a bit of a hike, but we think it's worth it. There are hundreds of small, family run cafes in Houston, but we've yet to find one that offers such a wide variety of food that is so expertly prepared.
We'll be back.
Eden Cafe: 33418 Egypt Lane, Suite 16, Magnolia, 77354, 832-934-2800, edencafe.net
There's a new place hidden in the Woodlands' Waterway Square: Sirenuse Euro Bistro.
We stopped by recently on the way to a film. After browsing the menu and listening to the waiter, we were put off by the level of pretentiousness, especially from a brand-new restaurant. The menu is filled with prose describing the wonder that is Sirenuse... and they've just opened.
Example: There were some interesting pastas on the menu, such as a butternut squash mezzalune, for $12. When I expressed interest, the waiter said that it was an appetizer portion, and that if I wanted it as an entree, he'd double the size... and of course, double the price, he added helpfully.
I asked how big the regular portion was: "Four ounces" was his reply. I was shocked. It's not as if pasta is a particularly expensive ingredient, so why the miniscule portion? (And if they knew the tiny portion was a problem, why not address it, without doubling the price to the customer?)
Another example: Their web site has an "About" page, with a "Background & Story" section. I'd hoped to learn something about the team behind the restaurant; perhaps their culinary credentials, or where they'd come from?
Nope. But here's the useful stuff I did find:
A lesson on how to pronounce the restaurant's name (if you've gotta teach this to your customers, you've picked the wrong name)
A story about the Roman legend of Jason and the Argonauts, and the Sirens that tempted them.
Oops. Jason was a part of Greek mythology, not Roman. And this confused story tells me nothing about the restaurant
So we've got dreadfully overpriced pasta, an undisguised sheen of pretentiousness, and a back story that the owners don't seem to have bothered to research.
Amazing.
I've never had this sort of surreal experience in a restaurant before, and hopefully never will again. I thanked our waiter for his time, and we headed over to the Goose's Acre for a good meal without the attitude.
Side note: The OTHER brand-new restaurant in Waterway Square, Hubble and Hudson, had an hour wait for a table. Sirenuse was 80% empty. Just a coincidence?