New York City's famed Le Cirque, named by Gayot as one of the Top 40 Restaurants in the USA, is bringing its show on the road, and Houston will be one of the stops this spring. On April 13, the main dining room of the Downtown Club at Plaza will host this culinary classic. Executive chef Olivier Reginensi will be overseeing the travelling kitchen.
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| Le Cirque's Creme Brulee (photo credit: Le Cirque) |
The $150 prix fixe menu will deliver a three-course meal with wine pairings, and a copy of the biography of Sirio Maccioni, the founder of Le Cirque. Featured selections will include Le Cirque favorites like filet of beef, tuna tartare, and porcini risotto, and of course their famed Creme Brulee will be offered.
For reservations, call 800-402-3933 or click here.
(via New York Times)
Houston's own celebrity pastry chef Rebecca Masson is organizing a star-studded event that will delight the discriminating foodie, and it's for a good cause.
Entitled sweet & savory, it's a chance to sip, savor, and stroll with Chef Masson and some of her chef friends from across the country. Several were featured on Bravo's Top Chef Just Desserts.
The event is limited to 125 guests. Get your ticket by making a $100 donation to Lucky Dog Rescue at www.LuckyDogRescue.org .
More info:
There's a new player on the fiercely competitive Houston burger scene, and it's one that's worth checking out. So we trekked down from the Woodlands to Holcombe Blvd. to find out more.
Called JerryBuilt Burgers, it's a new fast casual chain that does things a bit differently than other burger joints. We were invited to for a preview dinner a couple of days before the grand opening, and here are our impressions.
First, the building. Entering the lofty, airy space you'd never guess that the building was previously an abandoned WaMu bank that was never completed.
The interior designers did a remarkable job, and thoughtful touches are everywhere. On one side of the dining room is a large mural featuring numerous Houston landmarks.
There is even a unique feature - an automated handwashing station in the dining room. Alex, our 13-year-old, actually washed his hands without being cajoled, and he pronounced the automated machine "cool". We concur.
But you don't read this blog for our architectural critiques - you're interested in the food. Jerry Built isn't trying to be a health food restaurant, but there is a focus on quality ingredients. They're proudly displayed on the wall, right beside the eye-catching mural.
From Niman Ranch beef and Buddy's Natural Chicken to organic veggies to Blue Bell ice cream and (be still my heart) Three Brothers Bakery buns, the focus on quality ingredients impressive. It's part of an overall attention to detail that's rare anywhere in the restaurant business, much less in the fast casual sector.
All these quality ingredients are great, but unless they're combined with skill and care, they're wasted. Fortunately, that wasn't a problem. After we ordered at the counter from the well-trained staff, our order appeared very quickly, and attractively packaged.
Looking inside the well-designed recyclable packaging, we found a truly gorgeous burger, char-grilled over an open flame with just the right amount of melty cheese, and fresh, crunchy veggies.
The result is a stunningly attractive burger, artfully arranged between the freshly sliced Three Brothers Bakery bun. We enjoyed this burger, but we're reserving final comments on its flavor until we can sample a few more examples. Oh, the sacrifices we make for our readers.
We're looking forward to returning to JerryBuilt Burgers after they've opened to the public to sample more of their offerings, and to enjoy the stylish, comfortable environment they have created. With the attention to detail that was already displayed, we predicted great success for this new, home-grown burger brand.
(We were happy to learn that they've already begun construction on a second location that's located in the Woodlands. They're aiming for a March opening.)
JerryBuilt Homegrown Burgers | 3501 W Holcombe Blvd | Houston, TX 77025
713-664-2874 | jerrybuiltburgers.com
Lately Houston has been the recipient of some notable Austin imports. On the moderate end, the insanely popular Torchy's Tacos opened their first Houston location to rave reports from diners. Today we were fortunate enough to take a look at an even more exciting Austin import.
Uchi, the modern Japanese restaurant building a national reputation for its innovative takes on sushi and other Japanese dishes, has opened a Houston outpost. Located in the old Felix Mexican Restaurant location on inner Westheimer, the team from Uchi has converted a revered house of Tex-Mex into a lovely and serene Japanese dining experience. How does the innovative cuisine of chef Tyson Cole survive the trip down Highway 290? We wanted to find out.
We were invited to sample several of their dishes at a recent media dinner, and while this isn't a formal review, we wanted to share our impressions.
Approaching the building, we noticed how the new building doesn't eradicate the old architecture of Felix's, but rather pays homage to it. The iconic curved windows remain, and their shape is echoed in the striking new entryway. The result is urban and modern, but with respect for the past, a theme that was echoed throughout the evening.
Entering the restaurant, we were startled at the transformation. Gone was the Felix experience, and in its place was a stylishly rustic Japanese setting, with clever details everywhere we looked. One of our favorites was a large communal table, handmade in Austin and lovingly assembled.
With this much attention and respect paid to the setting, we couldn't wait to sample Tyson Cole's food. Before being served, we browsed the traditional preparation area, and took in the mouth-watering displays of fresh fish and other ingredients, all under the watchful eye of Uchi's kitchen staff.
Watching these masters wield their tako hiki and santoku was like watching surgeons at work. The speed and precision evident in their work was remarkable.
For this media dinner, small plates were passed by the attentive but unobtrusive staff, who were happy to answer any questions. Chef Cole circulated from time to time, delivering food himself and anxious to hear feedback from patrons.
First up was a cooked dish - bacon sen. Consisting of grilled pork belly, green onion, fish caramel, and bonito flakes, the result was a very restrained take on pork belly. Instead of the often overwhelming richness from this fatty cut of pork, the dish had a solid pork flavor, still rich but balanced by the sweetness of the caramel and the subtle crunch of the bonito flakes.
Next was our first bite of Chef Cole's sushi. Called machi cure, it begins with smoked baby yellowtail, presented on a small plank of edible yucca crisp, asian pear, marcona almond, and accented with garlic brittle. This dish was genius. The essence of the sea brought forth by the impeccably fresh yellowtail was firm without being chewy, and offset by the crunch of the yucca and the subtle snap of the almond. The flavors danced on the tongue - the rich tuna, the sharp garlic, the tang of the pear, the earthiness of the almond. The result was spectacular, and speaks to Cole's ability to balance flavor and texture while not compromising on the jewel-like presentation.
Another highlight was the playfully named Jar Jar Duck. Presented in a lever-sealed Mason jar, opening this clever package released a waft of rosemary-infused smoky duck essence. Digging into the jar revealed thinly sliced sweet kumquats, pickled endives, thinly sliced bits of roast duck, and crunchy duck cracklins. Again, the attention to detail is remarkable: The duck is layered so that the milder white meat is below the richer dark meat, so the heavy, flavorful juices marinate the breast meat. This dish evokes the cleverness of Grant Achatz at his best while leaving behind the fussiness that turns food into performance art. Again, it's about balance, and Tyson Cole pulls it off masterfully.
We sampled several other dishes that we thoroughly enjoyed, with interesting ingredients like flash-fried kale, toasted milk, and espelette, a mild French pepper not typically associated with Japanese cooking. This medling of ingredients brings a distinctively modern feel to Cole's Japanese cuisine. The respect for the past is evident, but the vision is through a distinctively modern lens. We're excited about Uchi, and we look forward to seeing what other delights Tyson Cole and his talented staff have in store.
(Other views on the event, from Almost Veggie Houston, CultureMap, Dr. Ricky and Hank on Food.)
Uchi | 904 Westheimer | Houston 77006 | 713-522-4808 | uchihouston.com
As Texans, we profess our love of Whataburger, the state's home-grown burger chain. Founded in 1950 by Harmon Dobson in Corpus Christi, Whataburger is known for its very good burgers, its fantastic customization options, and last but not least, it's delicious Fancy Ketchup.
The Counter is a left-coast burger chain that specializes in offering the customer a chance to create his own custom-built burger. While many restaurants will let you customize a burger, the array of options at The Counter is truly staggering - there are 20 different sauces, and a dozen cheese options, for example. If you like to create your own signature burger, you won't be lacking for options at The Counter.
What arrived was... interesting. First, there were a LOT of onions. Easily 4x what would have been a generous helping. After removing the lion's share of the onions, I assembled the burger and bit in. The overwhelming sensation was odd. Front and center was the onion flavor, but these weren't any onions I'd tasted before on a burger. I don't know the variety, but the flavor profile was very different than a typical burger onion. The consistency was wet and slippery, and they tended to slide out of the bun. The beefy flavor was completely absent, so to remedy this, I removed even more onions, leaving only one or two slices, which was still enough. Finally I could taste the beef, and it was very mild and underseasoned, albeit extremely tender. The gruyere was lost in the mix as well. Perhaps this was just opening-night jitters, but the grill cook should consider visiting Samba Grille or The Burger Guys to learn how to season a hamburger patty. Without skilled seasoning, even the best meat won't shine.
I think that The Counter has an excellent concept, but some fine tuning is needed to the product's flavor. Perhaps the California palate is different from that of a Houstonian, but now I understand why The Counter has been getting mixed reviews. The burger is simply unlike any other premium burger I've experienced in Houston, and to my taste, not in a good way.
But if you've been searching for the burger of your dreams, and you've yet to come close, give The Counter a try. I have no doubt that they'll surprise you. Whether it's in a good way depends on you.
The Counter | Market Street | The Woodlands, Texas 77380 | 281-231-2147
We're always skeptical when a successful restaurant group branches out into a new type of restaurant. Too often we've seen incredibly successful organizations stumble when they try to translate their successful formula to an entirely different cuisine.
So we greeted the news of Coal Burger with a good deal of skepticism. This small restaurant chain (the Woodlands location is their third store, and their first outside of Arizona) is owned by the same group as Grimaldi's Pizza, the iconic Brooklyn pizza joint that has branched out into locations all over the nation (and not coincidentally, right next door to Coal Burger.) Would success in the pizza field translate into the highly competitive burger arena?
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| Half-pound Coal Burger, with cheese and bacon |
We aren't sure. But we love a good burger, and have a great deal of respect for the Grimaldi's organization, so we visited Coal Burger today, on its opening day, to see just what they are all about. It was a rainy Tuesday, so we headed down to Waterway Square in the Woodlands, and managed to snag a nearby parking spot. We zipped through a building to avoid the rain, and came out across the street from the Coal Burger location. There is no sign, but it is located on the back side of the same building that houses Grimaldi's.
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| Coal Burger in the Woodlands. That's the entrance at the right |
We crossed the street and entered the bright, airy restaurant. We saw plenty of green-shirted staff members being trained on opening day. Everyone was bright and friendly, and we learned quite a bit about the philosophy behind Coal Burger before we even ordered.
Coal Burger isn't an ordinary burger joint. There is a great focus on sustainable, high quality, healthy ingredients. The organization is green, but it's not pushed in the customer's face as a self-conscious selling point. We noticed that the disposable drink containers were compostable, the ingredients are from responsible sources like Niman Ranch, and little touches like LED light fixtures point to a thoughtful focus on the environment. We applaud this approach.
Orders are placed at the counter, so we walked up and gave them ours.
The woman at the counter was very friendly, and in short order we were headed to the table to await our Coal Burgers. On the way we grabbed a soda - no Coca-Cola or Pepsi products here, but rather a selection of Boylan sodas, all sweetened with real cane sugar. So we had to skip our beloved Dr Pepper, and instead chose Boylan Ginger Ale. A sip confirmed that real ginger is a prominent ingredient in this beverage.
After a short wait, the burger appeared, wrapped neatly in paper. Ours was a half-pound of all-natural Niman Ranch Beef, hand-formed into two patties, topped with American cheese, beautiful thick-cut bacon, shredded lettuce, and crisp sliced pickles. Only the bun seemed pedestrian, but we later learned that a Brioche bun is available upon request.
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| A half-pound burger at Coal Burger |
Biting into this tall, narrow burger was delightful. The first sensation was the crispness of the sliced pickles, which was quickly followed by a rich, charry, beefy burst of flavor. Following the Grimaldi's tradition, the burger patties are grilled in a coal-fired oven.
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| Coal Burger's coal-fired oven |
This magical device imparts a delightful char to the high quality beef. And it does so quickly, leaving a nice juicy ooze and a pinkish center to contrast to the dark brown exterior char.
The American cheese we selected was thickly sliced and high quality. The bacon had a slightly sweet, smoky bite. The result was a superb rendition of a backyard burger, typically grilled over charcoal. But this one was grilled over real coal, and the result was how one would dream a backyard burger would taste - no home cooked burger we've sampled has sported such an aggressive char and rich, complex flavor.
We realize that it's unfair to judge a restaurant on its opening day, but we were very impressed by the burger at Coal Burger. We were also happy to talk with Darien, the manager, and to see that he and his staff are very interested in feedback and focused on making the Coal Burger experience a good one.
We'll be back. Soon.
Coal Burger | 20 Waterway Ave | The Woodlands, TX 77380 | 281-292-6385
coalburger.com
OK, I feel better. It's not just me.
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| Hubbell & Hudson's Bleu Cheese Burger |
A new report released by food industry consultants Technomic revealed that Americans are eating more burgers, and better ones. Nearly half of the Americans surveyed now eat burgers at least once a week.
(I think that they're all in line at Hubcap Grill when I stop by.) That's up from 38% in 2009.
Another encouraging trend - consumers are willing to spend more for better burgers. Taste and convenience were ranked ahead of price when choosing which burger to enjoy. This bodes well for Houston's wide variety of better burger joints, from burger boutiques like Burger Guys to local success story / superlative burger chain Beck's Prime.
A fact that surprises some but doesn't surprise us: 99% of Americans surveyed say that they eat some kind of burger, even if only occasionally.
Source: Huffington Post.
AUSTIN — Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples and the Texas Department of Agriculture are asking chefs and restaurant owners who buy and serve local ingredients to bring Texas to the table during the fourth annual GO TEXAN Restaurant Round-Up, presented by Farm Credit.
During the statewide dine-out week, July 25-31, GO TEXAN member restaurants are offering special Texas menu items or a Texas food and wine pairing. Restaurants also are encouraged to donate part of their proceeds to local food banks and will receive a special menu feature on the Round-Up website for doing so.
“Our farmers, ranchers, winemakers and fishermen make it easy for chefs to serve fresh Texas fare,” Commissioner Staples said. “The GO TEXAN Restaurant Round-Up celebrates that connection while Texans enjoy local products and support local food banks. Chefs can sign up today to be part of one of the nation’s largest statewide dine-out weeks as we encourage patrons to ‘Go Out. Go Eat. GO TEXAN.’”
GO TEXAN is providing posters, save-the-date cards and other marketing materials to participating restaurants to help inform consumers of this opportunity to enjoy the best of Texas. Establishments serving at least three Texas wines may also receive GO TEXAN wine glasses while supplies last.
Hundreds of Texas restaurants across the state are participating in this year’s Round-Up, including Johnny Cace’s Seafood and Steak House in Longview, Southwest Bistro at the Hyatt Regency Austin, Haven in Houston, Calesa in Harlingen, Canary by Gorji in Dallas and Glazed Honey Ham Co. in Lubbock.
“I’m excited to show our local communities that we care about serving fresh local food and authentic Texas wines,” said Jim Baron, owner of Blue Mesa Grill and TNT / Tacos and Tequila in Dallas, Fort Worth and Austin. “Our customers, more and more, are interested in where their food comes from and appreciate fresh products from local farms and vendors. This is a great opportunity for Texas restaurants to partner with local food producers and give to local food banks.”
Source: Texas Dep't of Agriculture
Linda Salinas, a popular figure on the Houston food scene, was recently injured while riding her scooter.
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| Photo: Sarah Rufka / Houston Press |
She is known to many of us as a bartender at Beaver's or Anvil, and as a sommelier at Voice.
Like many who work in the hospitality industry, Linda has no insurance. In a wonderful display of what Houston and its foodie community is all about, people came together to support Linda in her time of need.
Local foodie Phaedra Cook has been instrumental in organizing this fundraiser, and she's keeping an updated list of the prizes to be auctioned on her blog, Houston Food Adventures. (And if you don't read her blog, you're missing out.)