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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

In an unrelated article, the Houston Business journal mentioned that Smashburger, the Denver-based chain, is scouting sites in the Woodlands, Memorial, and Sugar Land areas. Smashburger opened its first Houston location near S. Main and Kirby to rave reviews.

Citing the weak economy, Houston restaurant icon Tony Vallone announced that he’s put on hold his plan to open an Italian bistro and wine bar on West Gray. “I’m going to wait until the economy gets better,” said Vallone. Tony Vallone is the restaurateur behind Tony’s, the landmark Houston restaurant known both for its European […]