area.conroe Archives - HTownChowDown

Today we're exited to bring you a pre-opening preview from Kim, the woman behind the terrific Chewandreview instagram account. Kim checks out the new Black Walnut Cafe, located atop the Galaxy FBO facility at the Lone Star Executive airport in Conroe. Official opening to the public is today.

I was so excited to attend a preview service for the new Black Walnut location at the Lone Star Executive Airport in the new GalaxyFBO hangar. I know what most of y'all are thinking. You're full of preconceived notions about the Conroe Airport (and Conroe in general). I've heard things like, "That Black Walnut won't be as good," "The menu is going to be very limited…all they will have is sandwiches and they'll just focus on catering." Well, I'd like to proudly tell you that you all are wrong. Sure, you have to drive by the old dump that closed in 1996 to get to this little gem, but just pretend those big piles of grass covered trash are rolling hills. The location is on the 3rd floor of the new hangar. I was really impressed when I first walked in. There are a ton of windows, so there's a lot of natural lighting, but it still has that "Black Walnut" feel with the belt-driven fans and dark wood accents. It's much more roomy and open than The Woodlands location, and I really like that. They retained the traditional Black Walnut counter-service style, but thankfully, the layout is so much better. Oh, and the outdoor seating. I was so excited to see that. Once again, not many places in Conroe where you can sit outside and enjoy a meal (I don't go west to the lake very often). Anyway…

For this preview, we were each given menus, each of which had different choices. I decided on the Cordon Bleu Benedict, coffee, and fresh squeezed orange juice. We got our drinks and chose a table by one of the window. I loved the view. Aside from the lake, this place has the best view in Conroe. It faces one of the runways, so as you eat, you can watch planes take off and land. Pretty fun. And I don't care for planes. I can't tell a Cessna from spaceship.

My benedict was excellent. The egg was cooked perfectly and had a rich yellow yolk. The hollandaise had a hint of cayenne which I liked. The chicken was flavorful, a little greasy, but still very good. The asparagus was cooked nicely. Nothing needed salt (it seems everywhere I've gone lately the food has needed salt), and I enjoyed every bite. I had a bite of the hubs pancake, and it was good, too. It was thin and kind of eggy, so if you like the thick fluffy pancakes, you'll be disappointed. This one was perfect for me, and they serve it with real maple syrup.

I spoke with someone whom I assume was the manager and he told me they will have a full menu at the Conroe location (take that, doubters). They removed a couple of menu items and will use mahi mahi instead of tuna and will also use mahi in the fish tacos instead of tilapia. And to satisfy the country palate, they added fried chicken and chicken fried steak. Personally, I can't wait to try it and see how it stacks up to other places. Dollars to donuts the gravy will be homemade. Right now, Black Walnut will be open from 7am (or was it 7:30)-3pm starting on January 22 with intentions of opening in the evenings a little later. They will also be adding beer and wine, so I'm looking forward to sitting on the patio, enjoying a nice glass of wine, and watching planes take off.

Overall, the quality of the Conroe location was above what I have come to expect when I visit Black Walnut. I hope they maintain this standard. I can see myself dividing my time between there and The Red Brick Tavern. I'm so glad Conroe has another locally-owned place to have a nice meal. Should you drive from The Bubble to go there? Probably not since there's a Black Walnut IN the bubble, but it would be worth driving down to check it out at least once. If you live in Conroe or the immediate area, it should be added to your list of go-to places. You won't be disappointed.

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About The Author

Kim is a self-proclaimed foodie, and has lived in Montgomery County for the majority of her life. After a multi-year hiatus from writing restaurant reviews, she's recently begun combining her love of food photography with the written word. Right now, you can follow Chewandreview on Instagram, but look for her new blog to launch in February 2014.

Conventional wisdom in the Houston dining scene says that the farther you get outside the Loop, the harder it is to find great restaurants. Heck, some foodies won't go OTL (Outside the Loop) at all for dinner, claiming that it's a wasteland with nothing but chain restaurants serving reheated generic food.

So you can imagine our surprise when we discovered that one of the world's greatest chefs was opening a restaurant on Lake Conroe. Located at the La Torretta resort, Chez Roux is the creation of Chef Albert Roux, the founder of Le Gavroche, England's first Michelin-starred restaurant, located in London. Le Gavroche went on to be the first restaurant in the UK to hold the coveted three Michelin stars.

From our Texas perspective, it is tough to understand the influence of Albert Roux. He and his brother Michel are regarded as the godfathers of modern restaurant cuisine in the UK. They put England on the culinary map by raising standards across the nation, opened several ground-breaking Michelin-starred restaurants, had a TV series, wrote several books, and mentored many of England's top chefs, including Gordon Ramsey.

The best analogy I can provide would be to wander into a lakeside watering hole, and discover that Eric Clapton was the guitarist in the house band. To say you'd be pleasantly surprised is an understatement.

This culinary superstar picked Lake Conroe as the location for his first and only restaurant in the United States, and we were thrilled to be invited out to meet Chef Roux and sample his cuisine. The kitchen at Chez Roux is normally staffed by several of Chef Roux's alumni from his establishments across the pond, including Chef Matthew Gray, who earned his own Michelin star at the famed Inverlochy Castle Hotel in Scotland. But today Chef Gray was on a much-deserved vacation, and the master was at the helm.

We were escorted to our table by Garrett Donovan, the restaurant director, who gave us a bit of background about Chez Roux and who would serve as our host for the evening. We were seated at a lovely table with a spectacular view across Lake Conroe of the sunset, and before us was an array of wine glasses and fresh flutes of champagne - House of Albert Roux Grand Cru, Blanc de Blanc.

The champagne was slightly dry and very light, and a wonderful welcome to this French outpost. We found ourselves leaving the hot Texas summer behind, and stepping into Albert Roux's world.

When Chef Roux strolled up to our table, we were immediately charmed by his warm countenance and his quick wit. The chef may be 74, but he has the fire in his eyes of a much younger man. You could tell he was exactly where he loved being, at the helm of his restaurant, overseeing the kitchen and making sure that every dish met his exacting standards.

The chef suggested a six-course tasting with wine pairings. Not being foolish, we left ourselves in the capable hands of Chef Roux.

After some time to relax and unwind, the first course appeared. It was a light dish featuring large Gulf shrimp, veal sweetbreads, and a cauliflower salad.

Chef Roux demonstrated a deft touch with the shrimp, which were perfectly cooked and complemented by the remarkably tender sweetbreads. But we fell in love with the cauliflower, which was gently sauteed and lightly seasoned with only salt, a touch of parsley and a hint of lemon. The flavors were delicate and layered, and as far away from the in-your-face experience of most local cuisine as London is from Conroe.

The dish was paired with a 2005 Louis Jadot Meursault, a fruity, nutty Chardonnay from the Burgundy region of France.

Next up was the Duck Tourte, served with a port wine jus.

The preparation was classic in the extreme - gently braised duck breast baked in pastry, placed in a lake of port wine au jus. Cutting into the pastry revealed an incredibly light, flaky crust, moist (but not damp) interior, and an earthy duck breast fillet that was delightfully moist and rich.

The tourte was paired with a Vincent Girardin Gevrey Chambertin, a spicy burgundy that really brought out the earthy duck essence.

Now it was time for our entree. Chef Roux created Pot au Feu of Salted Pork Cheeks, with Sauce Albert.

We enjoy pork, and this is a preparation that was new to us. The lightly salted pork cheeks were cooked rare and were remarkably tender, and served over sauteed garden vegetables with a light, buttery cream sauce. Again, the delicacy of the flavors was remarkable, dancing together with effortless grace.

The pork was paired with a ripe, fruity 2004 Domaine Ligneres "Aric". This was an inspired choice, as the notes of blackberry, cherry and mint were a splendid match to the buttery pork cheeks.

After this impressive degustation, it was time for the trifle; in this case, a Trifle au Roquefort. It was a fascinating concoction of smooth Roquefort cheese puree layered over poached pears, and served in a tall shot glass.

After the four previous subtle courses, the pungent Roquefort cheese rolled in like a hurricane. The flavor was powerful, sharp, and a bit overpowering. The sweetness of the pears toned it down a bit, but we agreed that this was our least favorite course.

On the other hand we fell in love with the wine pairing. A very dark Hungarian, it was a 1995 vintage Tokaji Aszu 6 Puttonyos. Strongly sweet without being cloying, the high alcohol content (over 14%) was masked by the smooth caramel note. Acid balanced the sweetness, which was a pleasant surprise in a dessert wine.

Finally it was time for dessert - in this case, a petite raspberry soufflé with raspberry sauce and white chocolate ice cream. The ice cream was dropped into the center of the soufflé, and surrounded with the rich raspberry sauce. The soufflé was light and almost foamy, and the housemade ice cream added a nice, dense counterpoint.

We were happy that the Tokaji Aszu was paired with this dish as well, and found that the smooth caramel flavor intertwined with the raspberry and provided a decadent finish to a remarkable meal.

Lest there be any doubt, we were impressed by the tasting prepared by Chef Roux, and by the flawless service provided by Garrett and his staff at Chez Roux. We have confirmed that there is indeed fine cuisine found far outside the Loop, and we're happy that we don't have to travel as far as London to experience the magic that Chef Albert Roux can bring forth for his guests.

Chez Roux - 600 La Toretta Blvd - Montgomery, Texas 77356
936-448-4400 - Chez Roux website

Burger Fresh was ranked #13 in the state of Texas by Texas Monthly magazine, and we'd been meaning to check them out and see how they live up to the hype. So on a recent voyage to Conroe, we stopped in.

Burger Fresh is easy to find. It's located in a strip center a couple of blocks off I-45, right in the heart of town. Immediately you can tell that this isn't part of a big chain; the front of the store has a funky style all its own.

Upon entering the store, we were immediately met by the rich aroma of fried beef - not an unwelcome scent in a hamburger joint. Looking around the medium-sized dining room, we saw a space filled with folks of all ages and from all walks of life devouring burgers. Our kind of place.

Looking at the counter, we were overwhelmed by the huge variety of menu options. Burgers of all kinds, from a half pound all the way up to an insane triple of half-pound patties. Yes, if you're so inclined, you can order a burger with a pound and a half of beef. We weren't so inclined.

They also offer a wide range of exotic meats, including alligator and ostrich. Thanks, Crocodile Hunter, but we're hear for a cheeseburger, and that requires beef.

We decided on a #5 burger: A half pound of certified Angus beef with a single half-pound patty, double American cheese, and bacon. It was offered in a basket with sides, and the friendly counterman recommended the onion rings.

We grabbed a table, and waited for our order to come out. After about five minutes, a very soft-spoken waitress brought us our burger.

What appeared was a nicely griddled half-pound patty, which was unfortunately machine formed. The American cheese was moderately melty, and the bacon atop was good quality, but very mild in flavor. The egg bun wasn't griddled in any way. It was a prime example of a pretty good traditional burger.

We enjoyed the burger, but weren't blown away. The hamburger patty was dry and overcooked; all of the ooze present came from the cheese. And the bacon, while considerably higher quality than you'd find at any of the large fast food chains, wasn't as flavorful as we would have liked.

We'd rate the burger in the "Better Burger" category - better than the best offerings at conventional fast food chains, similar to what you'd get at the Five Guys chain. But it doesn't approach the rich flavor found at the best chains, like Beck's Prime or SmashBurger.

What did impress us were the handmade onion rings. Large, sweet onion slices, hand breaded and deep fried in a crispy, flaky batter. Not greasy at all, and very tasty. Some of the best onion rings we can remember trying.

All in all, we can easily recommend Burger Fresh. A good burger (with an amazing variety of options) and outstanding onion rings make for an enjoyable lunch in Conroe. We'll be back.

Burger Fresh
804 Gladstell Suite 110
Conroe, Texas 77304
936-756-4414
www.ConroeBurgerFresh.com