Grimaldi's Pizza, the legendary Brooklyn pizza joint, has opened its first establishment in the Houston area. Located across the Southwest Freeway from Sugar Land's First Colony mall, Grimaldi's has been delighting local residents with their three types of pizza: Red (traditional margharita) White (with garlic) and Green (with pesto). Prices aren't cheap, but for those seeking NY-style pizza, it's a lot cheaper than a plane ticket to La Guardia.

Closer to town, Russo's New York Coal-Fired Pizza has opened their second location on I-10 at Echo Lane. Befitting it's Memorial location this is a higher-end pizza joint, with a beautiful interior that complement the crowd-pleasing coal-fired pizza.

Thelma's Bar-B-Que, the landmark Houston BBQ spot was seriously damaged over the weekend by fire. They are closed until further notice, and there's no word about when and if Thelma will rebuild and reopen.

We at H-Town Chow Down wish Miss Thelma the best during this difficult time, and look forward to her reopening her legendary establishment.

Robb Walsh gives us the sordid details.

In a burst of generosity, Denny's is offering a free Grand Slam breakfast from 6am to 2pm today. The promotion was announced in an advertisement during the Super Bowl.

The free meal is available for dine in only.

Mia Bella, the popular downtown restaurant, has opened a branch in the Vintage Park shopping center, Hwy 249 at Louetta. Vintage Park is a themed outdoor shopping center along the lines of Market Street in the Woodlands or Town Square in Sugar Land.

Mia Bella is part of Youssef Nafaa's Bella Restaurant Group, which also operates Collin's Chop House, Cava Bistro, CoCo's Crepes & Coffee, Saffron Moroccan Cuisine and Cielo Mexican Bistro.

Another Mia Bella is planned for the new Pavillion center in downtown Houston.

More info: bellarestaurants.com


Truffles. That elusive ingredient that can transform an already excellent dish to another plane. Rich, earthy, musky, rare and delicious. We were having a craving for truffles, so we went to the place we knew would be offering them: Tony's.

Tony's is the iconic Houston fine dining restaurant. It has been the preferred destination for the city's glitterati for many years, but some foodies grumbled that the cuisine was too staid, too traditional, too boring.

In our experience, nothing could be farther from the truth. My guess is that these foodies have never dined at Tony's, and that is their loss.

Tony Vallone is a master restaurateur, and he periodically reinvents the restaurant, making it fresh and new, but never gets caught up in the fly-by-night trends that tempt the less savvy host. And the Vallone touch is evident on every plate that exits the kitchen... this attention to detail is a key that separates Tony's from Houston's other fine dining establishments.

The latest incarnation of Tony's resides at the beautiful Richmond and Timmons location that Tony's occupied after decades on Post Oak. Built from the ground up to Tony Vallone's exacting specifications, this dramatic setting was the backdrop for our truffle degustation.

Executive Chef Francesco Casetta's kitchen is firing on all cylinders, and created a variety of dishes that flowed together like movements in a symphony. Several featured the ethereal truffle as an ingredient.

We started with a simple Tortelloni Bolognese - housemade pasta stuffed with three cheeses and draped in Tony's superb bolognese meat sauce. The flavors are bold yet smooth, and this dish warmed up our senses for the upcoming courses.

Next was my favorite appetizer - Paglia e Fieno. A deceptively simple dish featuring fresh ribbons of green and white tagliatelle, drizzled with a light cream sauce and accented with thin slices of fresh black truffles. Simple and superlative.

We then tried something more exotic - Tagliarini with Sicilian Sea Urchin. Smooth strands of tagliarini were tossed in a light creamy sauce of pinot grigio and alba mushrooms, and mixed with chunks of sea urchin. The dish was surprisingly spicy; the heat was balanced by the creamy pasta. It was something we'd never experienced before, but would gladly order again.

Our final appetizer is one we can rarely pass up at Tony's - the Japanese-influenced Ribbons and Squares. Fresh, sushi-grade blue fin tuna prepared two ways: perfect thumb-sized cubes, and thin, pasta-like ribbons formed into a cylindrical shape. The tuna is accented with fresh avocado puree and a tangy soy-lime vinaigrette. We love sushi, and the balance of this dish speaks to a bright future if the Vallones ever decide to open a sushi bar.

After these delicious entrees, it was time for the main course. More truffles were called for, so we ordered the rich Stuffed Truffled Filet of Beef. This may be the best steak in the city - a large, thick filet of USDA Prime beef, naturally aged for 40 days, and stuffed with black truffle butter. The truffle flavor infuses the beef, and the combination is greater than the sum of the parts.

On the side we asked for the oven-roasted truffled potatoes and the decadent truffled macaroni & cheese. These side dishes accented the steak very nicely, and we were awash in the aroma and flavor of truffles.

We barely had room for dessert, but missing the souffle at Tony's seems like a crime. This time we selected the rich bananas foster souffle, which was a delightful finish to an unforgettable meal.

My waistline won't tolerate a meal like this every day, but I'll be looking forward to the next gastronomical adventure at Tony's. The restaurant never disappoints.

Tony's: 3755 Richmond Avenue, Houston, 77046, 713-622-6778
TonysHouston.com

Tony's Restaurant on Urbanspoon

Mi Luna, the popular Woodlands-area Tapas bar, is gone. We stopped by recently and found the door locked, and a notice from the landlord that they had been locked out because of failure to pay rent.

Apparently the Woodlands location is the only one closing.


Following on the heels of the smashing success of SmashBurger, the California-based The Counter burger chain has Houston in its sights.

The Counter's concept features a design-your-own burger menu that's filled out by the customer. Options go far beyond the usual burger joint, with ten different cheeses, 28 different toppings, 18 different sauces, and three bun choices, totaling over 312,000 different combinations.

Denver's Magazine named The Counter among Denver's best new restaurants for 2008.


In a struggling economy, there are some companies that succeed. Offer a good product and a good price, and value-conscious consumers will reward you.

Chick-fil-A enjoyed another year of double-digit sales growth in 2008. The company has reported 2008 systemwide sales of $2.96 billion, representing a 12.17 percent increase over the chain’s 2007 overall sales performance. Same-store sales increased 4.59 percent.

Chick-fil-A's record sales performance marked the chain’s 41st consecutive year of systemwide sales gains – a streak that the chain has sustained since its inception in 1967 – and its 16th straight year of double-digit sales growth.

"Chick-fil-A was able to endure a number of challenges that could have been detrimental to any other chain, including targeted product competition among our quick-service rivals and a challenging economic environment, but our restaurant operators and team members remained committed to excellence which resulted in another solid sales year," said Chick-fil-A president and COO Dan T. Cathy.

Jasper's features modern interpretations of traditional American cuisine. Owned by Chef Kent Rathbun (one of the rare guest winners on Iron Chef America,) Jasper's delivers excellent cuisine in an upscale, casual setting.

We met a friend recently for lunch at Jasper's, and ordered one of their gourmet hamburgers.

The recipe: A half pound of high quality beef, hand-formed and grilled over a mixture of woods. Cooked to order (medium rare, in our case) and nicely juicy. Topped with your choice of cheese (cheddar for us) carmelized onions, thick cut applewood-smoked bacon, fresh veggies, and served on a barely toasted egg bun. The result is one of the best upscale burgers you'll find anywhere, and the side of housemade potato chips is a great finishing touch.

Other great bets include prime steaks, upscale BBQ dishes, and gourmet pizzas. They have a decadent appetizer of housemade potato chips covered with Maytag bleu cheese chunks and a creamy cheese sauce that's not to be missed. Desserts are excellent as well, and there is a wecome option of mini-desserts offering just a taste or three; perfect after a large meal.

Brunch is excellent as well; our favorite is Jasper's take on French Toast.

Bottom line: Best restaurant in the Woodlands... or anywhere Outside The Loop for that matter.

Jasper's: Market Street Square, 9595 Six Pines, The Woodlands, 77380, 281-298-6600
jaspers-restaurant.com

Opa! That's the traditional Greek exclamation, and it's heard a lot on Saturday nights at the Olive Oil.

From the street, the Olive Oil is a nondescript little storefront in one of the huge strip centers along Sawdust road. But once you step in the door, you're in a warm, inviting restaurant with some of the best Greek cuisine around.

Like many folks, I'm a big fan of gyros, and the Olive Oil's are top notch. The meat is tender, savory and flavorful. And the pita is fresh and hot; no hard, dry pita here. We observed a wide variety of Greek specialties being served, and are looking forward to sampling them on our next visit. (And for the unadventurous, there are some typical American dishes offered, including a chicken-fried steak.)

Service is friendly and professional - lots of staff, and they're constantly in motion.

If you arrive on a Saturday night, as we did, you'll be greeted by a full house (we were lucky to get a table) and some outstanding Greek dancing and singing. A band set was set up in an out-of-the-way corner, and a troupe of dancers were performing in front. The entertainment made for a very boisterous atmosphere; it was fun, and we'll return.

The Olive Oil: 373 Sawdust Road, The Woodlands, 77380, 281-367-0114
theoliveoilrestaurant.com

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