On a recent visit to Robard's, we noticed a burger hiding on the very well priced Social Hour menu. Since our quest to find great burgers is continuous, we had to check it out. Our bartender took our order, asking our temperature preference. (Medium rare at a place that knows how to handle ground beef.)
In short order this burger appeared. A half-pound patty of the house grind, made from the USDA prime beef Robard's sources for its steaks. Perfectly medium rare, the patty was rocking a solid char, and its rich, beefy swagger was front and center. Topped with a melty slice of good quality American cheese, and finished with fresh veggies, this burger wowed us. It's an honest-to-Boulud American cheeseburger, without frills, executed extremely well.
Even more amazing is the price: $8, with fries. The best burger bargain in the Woodlands, by far, and one of our favorite burgers in the Woodlands.
Highly recommended. Go check it out.
We're anxiously awaiting the grand opening of Del Frisco's Grille, the newest addition to the Woodlands Hughes Landing Restaurant Row. And sometimes we're not very good at waiting.
During a recent walk-through preview of this beautiful new restaurant, Executive Chef Brian McNamara asked me if I'd eaten lunch. If there's one think I've learned over the years, when a talented chef asks you if you're hungry, the answer is always "yes".
Chef McNamara's team is training hard every day, and I was glad to be a guinea pig. Behold their cheeseburger - two well-seasoned patties of aged prime beef, ground with brisket and topped with high quality cheese and fresh veggies.
The burger was outstanding. Del Frisco's is known for it's prime steaks, but it's also going to be a great spot for a more casual meal. I'll be back very soon.
Local Pour, the popular River Oaks-area gastro bar, has opened a second location, and it's in the heart of the Woodlands, in the new Hughes Landing waterfront development.
Local Pour is a great fit for the Woodlands; it's an upscale but casual setting, with dozens of beers on tap, a full bar, and an interesting menu, created with the help of notable Houston chef Randy Evans. Did we mention it has a full bar?
On our initial visit, we fought for a parking space in the nearly complete Hughes Landing area. We grabbed a Chef's Table, strategically located right in front of the kitchen. It's a bustling spot with lots of energy; if you're looking for a quiet, intimate evening, sit elsewhere. But it was a perfect vantage point for us to observe the goings-on at this new hotspot.
We were able to sneak peeks at each order leaving the kitchen, and a few items grabbed our attention. Our server Olivia filled us in on what we saw zipping by, and we placed our order. The kitchen was slammed (typical new restaurant jitters) so the order took a bit longer than we'd like, but Olivia did an outstanding job of keeping us informed and well hydrated while we waited. She's a gem.
First up were the tempura shrimp shooters. Four large shrimp, aerobicized into a sleek, linear shape, are battered and fried with a light, puffy tempura breading. They're poked into shot glasses, two with a biting wasabi ponzu sauce, and two with a sweet spicy chili sauce. Flavors were bold; the wasabi ponzu will absolve you of any allergy-related congestion, and probably of a few lesser sins as well. The sweet spicy chili sauce was less startling but very flavorful; the result was a very good appetizer.
After devouring the shrimp, we moved on to the Korean BBQ lollipops. Three medium-sized pork ribs, each with a nice chunk of meat attached, are roasted and glazed in a sweet Korean BBQ sauce. We think Korean BBQ is going to be a big thing in the Woodlands, and Local Pour are riding the front of this trend. Another tasty dish.
Finally it was time for the entree. We selected the LP Burger, a half pound, hand-formed patty with a custom grind of short rib and chuck. It's topped with just enough bleu cheese and caramelized onions, and served on a soft sourdough bun. This is a very good burger; the grind makes for a flavorful patty, and it comes out very juicy. The toppings accent without overwhelming, as is easy to do with bleu cheese. In short, this is a crave worthy burger, and one of the better ones in the Woodlands.
We're fans of Local Pour. They've combined a talented kitchen with a well-stocked bar, and packaged it in an upscale setting. We think it's going to be a big hit in the Woodlands, and look forward to returning again soon.
Local Pour | 1900 Hughes Landing Blvd, The Woodlands, 77380 | 281-419-7687 | localpourhouston.com
