Today, the James Beard Foundation announced the nominations for the 2011 awards, and Houston was well represented.
Bryan Caswell has been nominated for Best Chef: Southwest. Caswell is executive chef and an owner of Reef, and is an owner of Little Bigs, Stella Sola, and El Real Tex Mex. Caswell also appeared on the Next Iron Chef.
Katharine Shilcutt, has been nominated for best Multimedia Food Feature, for her story Designer Meats. Shilcutt is the food critic for the Houston Press.
Robb Walsh has been nominated for best Food Culture / Travel for his story in Garden & Gun. Walsh was the long-time food critic for the Houston Press and is a noted author and an owner of El Real Tex Mex.
Congratulations to Bryan, Katharine, Robb, and all the other nominees!
The latest Cirque du Soleil touring show opens today under the Grand Chapiteau at Sam Houston Race Park, and it promises to provide a memorable evening. We were invited by Cirque du Soleil for a media preview / dress rehearsal last night, and enjoyed a spectacular performance.
This 25th Cirque du Soleil production is titled OVO, it is a journey into the world of insects, a headlong rush into a thriving, colorful ecosystem populated by some very unique characters. The show was written, directed and choreographed by Deborah Colker.
If it's your first time at a Cirque du Soleil performance, you must forget everything you know about a circus. There are no animals -- although in OVO, there are no human characters, either. (Everyone is a bug, in uniquely colorful costumes designed by Liz Vandal.) There is ethereal original music, performed live. There is very little talk. There are no clowns, although several of the characters are very funny. While most circuses feel distinctly American, OVO is presented with an unmistakable French accent. Cirque du Soleil is unique entertainment, an amazing spectacle that grabs you at the start and doesn't let go until the curtain call.
OVO is, in short, the story of a bug and his egg. Along the way you'll experience beauty, love, loss, and endless feats of physical grace and acrobatics. The performers in OVO are talented acrobats and graceful dancers, and you will find yourself lost in this fantasy world of color, light and sound.
We were repeatedly taken by the overwhelming sense of artistry in the performances. There have been many shows with acrobatics and stunts, but none combine the level of artistic excellence that pervades Cirque du Soleil's DNA. It's similar to the feeling when you walk into Walt Disney World after growing up on Six Flags. The attention to detail is stunning.
As the story unfolds, you'll see contortion, balance, dexterity, strength, and bravery demonstrated in ways that you've probably never even thought of, much less seen. You'll laugh at the romantic antics of a paternal bug and his adorable love interest. You'll see acts on stage, flying high above, clinging to walls, and scurrying over all sorts of unique apparatus.
OVO is the seventh Cirque du Soleil show I've experienced, and it's one of the most engaging. The Grand Chapiteau is a surprisingly intimate setting, with flowing, organic sets designed by Gringo Cardia. No seat is too far from the stage. The music is often more techno than new age, providing an energetic atmosphere for the throbbing ecosystem performing before your eyes. As always the performers will thrill you with their superhuman talents, but OVO feels more intimate. Its small moments are just as captivating as its big stunts.
If you've seen a Cirque du Soleil show, you'll love OVO. And if you've never seen one, prepare to be hooked.
I have only one warning: Don't try this at home.
Flat Out Crazy Restaurant Group has leased 5,821 square feet at 25 Waterway Avenue, located on the southwest corner of Lake Robbins Drive and Waterway Avenue, for Stir Crazy Fresh Asian Grill, according to Dan Leverett, vice president of commercial for The Woodlands Development Company. This will be the first Stir Crazy Fresh Asian Grill in Texas. It is expected to open in May.
Stir Crazy is a full-service Asian restaurant that offers a diverse menu of Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese and Japanese food. The Asian fare is served in a fun, vibrant atmosphere with a focus on fresh, quality ingredients and bold flavors to deliver a truly unique casual dining experience for its guests. Prepared from scratch with no added MSG and minimal oil, Stir Crazy’s menu features more than 65 “mouth-watering” appetizers, entrees, desserts and its popular Market Bar, where diners can create their own Stir Crazy wok-tossed dish from more than 20 fresh ingredients and eight sauces.
A Stir Crazy highlight is the full-service bar featuring an extensive drink menu with a list of 35 quality and award-winning wines available by the glass or bottle. Beer, sake and several signature drinks are also available.
The restaurant will also include a large, outdoor patio.
"We are truly delighted that Stir Crazy Fresh Asian Grill will have its first new location in 2011 built at Waterway Square in The Woodlands, Texas," said Greg Carey, president and COO of Flat Out Crazy Restaurant Group. "The entire community of The Woodlands has such a beautiful, upbeat, yet relaxed feel to it that we couldn't think of a more perfect place to open our first Texas restaurant. Stir Crazy is about fresh, quality, upscale casual dining and we think the residents of The Woodlands will agree that Stir Crazy is a great fit."
Flat Out Crazy operates 30 restaurants in eight states – Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Florida, Michigan, New York, Missouri and Wisconsin - consisting of 14 Stir Crazy locations and 16 FlatTop Grill locations. For more information, visit www.stircrazy.com.
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| Funnel Cake is the most popular food at the rodeo. |
Best Breakfast Food:
1st: Stubby’s Cinnamon Rolls’ Big Stone Breakfast Sandwich
2nd: Yoakum Packing Company’s Bacon Blast
3rd: Texas Sized Pizza by the Slice’s grilled breakfast burrito
Best Taco/Burrito:
1st Freebirds World Burrito’s carnitas burrito
2nd Tad’s Bodacious Burrito’s garlic chicken burrito
3rd Texas Pride Grill’s fajita taco
Best Seafood:
1st Berryhill Baja Grill’s crispy shrimp taco
2nd Sudie’s Catfish House’s duo of fried shrimp and oysters
Best Baked Potato:
1st: Harlon’s Bar-B-Que’s super baked potato
2nd: Ranch House Pork Barn’s pulled pork super potato
3rd: Crown Cinnamon Rolls’ Just-Do-It Baked Potato
Best Burger:
1st: Holmes Smokehouse’s angus, bacon, cheese mushroom burger
2nd: Paradise Burger’s ½ lb bacon cheeseburger
3rd: Texas Sized Pizza by the Slice’s cheesy burger bites
Best Food on a Stick:
1st: Granny’s Cheesecake & More’s chocolate covered bananas and strawberries
2nd: Ranch House Burger Barn’s jalapeno & cheese sausage on a stick
3rd: Burton Sausage’s Rodeo K-bob
Best BBQ:
1st: Big Bubba’s Bad BBQ’s pork spare ribs (RCS Carnival Midway)
2nd: Ranch House Pork Barn’s pulled pork bbq sandwich
3rd: Ranch House Burger Barn’s bar-b-que pork ribs
Best Fried Food:
1st: Sweet Cheeks’ deep fried moon pie (RCS Carnival Midway)
2nd: Bear Mountain Bison’s Buffalo chips with The Works
3rd: Texas Sized Pizza by the Slice’s Tornado Potato Fries smothered and covered
Favorite Food:
1st: Granny’s Cheesecake & More’s chocolate dipped cheesecake
2nd: Sill’s Funnel Cake Hause’s funnel cake
3rd: Saltgrass Steakhouse’s ribs and chicken platter
Most Creative:
1st: Sills Funnel Cake Hause’s fried Snickers
2nd: Texas Sized Pizza by the Slice’s Juicy Lucy Cheeseburger
3rd: Bum’s Blue Ribbon Grill’s pulled pork sundae
Best Dessert:
1st: Sills Funnel Cake Hause’s banana split funnel cake
2nd: Stubby’s Cinnamon Rolls’ cinnamon roll with “The Works”
3rd: Cobbler Café’s pecan cobbler with soft serve vanilla ice cream
Best New Flavor:
1st: Zac Brown’s Southern Ground Grub chicken, sausage and shrimp jambalaya
2nd: Crown Cinnamon Rolls’ Lava Flow Smoothie
3rd: Paradise Burger’s fried brownie bites
Best Gourmet:
1st: DGZ Chocolates & Fudge’s Toffarazzi (toffee)
2nd: The Caramel Candy Co.’s pecan caramel
3rd: Kettle Korn of Texas’s ribeye sandwich
We were excited to see that Mint.com, the popular financial site, has launched a new public site where spending habits can be researched. Called data.mint.com , the site is an amazing place to analyze spending habits. (The data is an aggregate of Mint.com's user base, and doesn't reveal any personal information.)
Hugo's - $98.51
Back Street Cafe - $83.06
El Tiempo - $79.26
Pappas Seafood House - $70.84
Churrascos - $70.53
Max's Wine Dive - $62.61
Maggiano's - $59.24
Gravitas - $58.59
Fung's Kitchen - $55.06
McCormick & Schmick's - $56.87
Carrabba's - $55.37
Saltgrass Steak House - $54.91
London Sizzler - $51.01
Pappadeaux - $46.46
Benjy's - $44.90
Miyako - $44.31
La Vista - $43.70
El Tiempo Cantina - $43.72
Macaroni Grill - $42.01
Red Lobster - $41.15
Cheesecake Factory - $40.68
Outback - $40.48
Benihana - $40.04
P.F. Chang's - $39.70
Texas Roadhouse - $39.64
Pappadeaux - $39.55
Grand Luxe Cafe - $38.62
The full list can be seen on Mint.
Back in the 80's, I lived in Austin, and there was a chain burger location I really enjoyed. Called Carl's Jr., it was a west-coast burger chain that had recently expanded into Texas. Their burgers were good; considerably better than the big fast-food chains, and even going so far to give local favorite What-a-burger a run for your money. Sadly, the economic downturn caused Carl's Jr. to pull out of Texas entirely.
(That's the Western Bacon Cheeseburger pictured above. When I first tried one over two decades ago, I thought they had hit upon perhaps the perfect cheeseburger formula: a charbroiled beef patty, American cheese, bacon, crisp onion rings, and BBQ sauce on a toasted bun.)
On January 12, dinner will be served from 5pm to 7pm at the Discovery Green ice rink downtown.
On January 13, a pre-opening lunch will be served from 11am to 1pm at at new store: 8491 Hwy 6 N.
As 2010 draws to a close, it's time for us to look back at this remarkable year, and recognize the people, places, and things that we'll most fondly remember.
Trend of the Year
Burgers, burgers, burgers. The humble hamburger represents a full-fledged trend in the Houston dining scene. Always a popular choice, we've seen it elevated to new heights by both fine dining establishments and neighborhood joints. It seems that every other new restaurant features a signature burger, and the result is that diners can enjoy a superb meal for an amazingly modest tariff.
Opening of the Year
Caffe Bello. Tony Vallone has been the master of fine dining in Houston for decades, and many an eyebrow was raised when he announced plans to open a restaurant in Montrose. This was not the playground of his usual crowd, but Tony, son Jeff, and savvy young partner Scott Sulma quickly charmed the denizens of Montrose with their spin on modern Italian cuisine, including the tasty, thin-crust pizzas that left all the critics swooning.
Honorable Mentions: Samba Grille, The Burger Guys, Cinq.
Burger of the Year
Hubcap Decker at Hubcap Grill. This category was a tough one in 2010 - we sampled dozens of fantastic burgers, and didn't even work our way to the end the list of places we wanted to try. But one burger stood out for us among all the rest - Ricky Craig's superlative Hubcap Decker, perhaps the finest incarnation of a traditional double cheeseburger we've ever encountered.
Honorable Mentions: Samba Grille Burger, Bleu Cheese Burger at Hubble & Hudson Kitchen, Beaver Burger
Foodie of the Year
Dr. Ricky. Anyone following the Houston food scene knows that Houston has no shortage of people who are willing to share their experiences and opinions about food and dining. But we think that Dr. Ricky goes above and beyond, and educates his audience with every post. His knowledge of food is vast, and we had the pleasure of dining with him and learning that the man is just as insightful and interesting in person as he is online.
Honorable Mentions: Robb Walsh, J.C. Reid, Nishta Mehra
Critic of the Year
Katharine Shilcutt. When Robb Walsh stepped down as critic for the Houston Press, a vacuum was formed, and we were very curious to find out who would fill it. Enter Katharine Shilcutt, a popular local blogger and foodie who had recently started making great contributions to the Press's Eating Our Words blog. Shilcutt had big shoes to fill, but her engaging writing style, quick wit, and genuine love of exploring new places made her the right choice for the Press.
Honorable Mentions: Alison Cook, Sarah Rufca
Restaurateur of the Year
Bryan Caswell. We've watched Bryan Caswell expand his sphere of influnce from the kitchen of Hotel Icon to the living rooms of foodies across America. Along the way, he's opened what many consider to be the best seafood restaurant in the United States (REEF), an outstanding slider joint (Little Bigs), and a unique spin on Texas Italian cuisine (Stella Sola). Between all this he had a chance to represent Houston on The Next Iron Chef, and explain to up-and-coming cooks why they need to work in a Waffle House. Next up? Opening a classic Tex-Mex place in Montrose with Robb Walsh. After that, we expect a run for the Governor's Mansion.
Honorable Mentions: Monica Pope, Jeff Vallone, Cary Attar
Chef of the Year
Cesar Rodriguez. Houston is a town with a lot of churrascarias. But one, Samba Grille, stands above them, with an impressive slate of composed dishes alongside the savory grilled meats. Chef Rodriguez has brought his years of experience (with both the Vallone and Cordua organizations) to this new restaurant, and right out of the gate the new kitchen was firing on all cylinders. We attended the soft opening, and can't remember a new organization ever executing so well. The result was that after being open for only a month, Samba was on every critic's short list for 2010, and deservedly so. From unique soups to a top-notch burger, the kitchen at Samba Grill delivers, thanks to Chef Rodriguez's watchful eye at the helm.
Honorable Mentions: L.J. Wiley, Jeramie Robison, Austin Simmons, Bryan Caswell
Restaurant of the Year
Hubcap Grill. There are tens of thousands of restaurants in Houston, and the safe choice would be one of the city's superb fine dining establishments. But to us, Hubcap Grill sums up what a great restaurant is all about: A superlative product delivered with vision and passion, making its guests very happy. A tiny location in the shadow of the tall buildings downtown, Hubcap Grill has become Houston's go-to spot for great burgers, due to the hard work and brilliant insight of Ricky Craig, the chef and proprietor. Ricky's approach to designing a burger is as meticulous as the work of any Cordon Bleu-trained chef, and the results speak for themselves: Hoardes of satisfied guests, and a list of accolades including three coveted stars from Alison Cook. We concur with the esteemed Ms. Cook; Hubcap Grill has succeeded, and is among the very best restaurants to be found in the city.
Honorable Mentions: Samba Grille, RDG+Bar Annie, Chez Roux
The Woodlands has many places to dine out. Most are units of large chains, but we've noticed an uptick in independent, mom-and-pop restaurants with owners who are active, involved, and on the premises.
The latest privately-owned restaurant to appear on the scene is Crust Pizza Co., located at Woodlands Parkway and Panther Creek in the Panther Creek Village Center.
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| Crust Pizza Co. - Under Construction |
(Crust Pizza is so new that they're not yet open - their contractors were busy finishing out the restaurant when we stopped in for a visit. The brand-new pizza oven was still in its wrapper, and the phones were in their boxes, awaiting connection.)
Crust Pizza Company is the brainchild of Clint Price and Mark Rasberry. Clint lives in the Woodlands, and Mark and his family are relocating from Dallas after the school year ends.
Mark and Clint describe the restaurant as a family-focused spot, with handmade food, good prices, and a slightly upscale family atmosphere. A variety of pizzas will be front and center, with Chicago-style thin crust and a wide variety of fresh toppings. Pasta, sandwiches, and salads will also be on the menu, and daily specials will be offered. Beer and wine will be available as well.
The cozy location will seat about 50 people indoors, and another 25 or so on the wraparound patio amidst the pine trees.
We're looking forward to the grand opening of Crust Pizza Co., and will have a full review once they're up and running.
Crust Pizza Co. - 4775 West Panther Creek Drive - The Woodlands, Texas 77381 - 281-298-8844
We're big fans of the food of New Orleans. Whether it's the upscale Creole cuisine served at the fine restaurants around the Crescent City, or the down-home Cajun food found at hole-in-the-wall kitchens all over Louisiana, we love the cuisine of our neighbor to the East.
The only problem is that it can be tough to find... especially as you get farther outside the Loop.
So you can imagine our interest when we received a tip from a reader about a new restaurant opening on Market Street. Called Schilleci's New Orleans Kitchen, it's a family-run restaurant located on Market Street in the shadow of the Avia Hotel.
Wait a minute. Family run? On Market Street? The place where the new Tiffany's just opened, and Tommy Bahama's is inexplicably busy all the time?
It's true. The Schilleci family has opened this intimate, elegant French Quarter-style restaurant on Market Street. The family had operated a small carry-out cajun cafe in Spring, but when their lease ran out, they decided to head north to the Woodlands to open a full-service restaurant. Market Street is truly becoming the culinary capital of Montgomery County.
The restaurant is strategically located by both the Avia Hotel and the parking garage. So unlike just about every other restaurant on Market Street, parking should be plentiful and nearby.
We visited Schilleci's for a late lunch on their first day in business, and met most of the family. Wayne Schilleci, Sr is the patriarch of the family; he and his wife Debbie were overseeing the bright, airy dining room from a strategic location in the corner. Wayne Sr was also talking with every customer, soliciting feedback and displaying the type of humility that's rare in the restaurant business. Their son Zach was overseeing the front of the house, welcoming each guest and coordinating the operation of the very new waitstaff. Wayne Jr is the chef, and was putting his kitchen staff through their paces - in this brand-new restaurant, many of the cooks had never worked together before, and had to learn to coordinate their efforts.
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| The Schilleci Family: Debbie, Wayne Sr, Zachary, Wendy, Wayne Jr |
But how is the food? We know it's not fair to pass judgement on a restaurant's cuisine on its first day, but we want to pass along our initial impressions. We sampled a couple of New Orleans classics: Jambalaya and Seafood Gumbo.
First, the Jambalaya. Our cup was overflowing with chunks of soulful, coarse-grained Andouille sausage and thick slices of spicy Italian sausage. Completing the dish was some beautiful saffron-colored rice, seasoned with peppers, onions, and a hint of celery. The heat level was moderate, starting deceptively slowly and building up to a nice controlled burn. The heat was masterfully balanced with the savory flavors in the dish, something that's all to rare in Cajun cooking.
Next up was the gumbo. We sampled Schilleci's seafood gumbo, a sharp, spicy roux packed with plenty of nicely-sized gulf shrimp and lump crabmeat. The roux had a simmering, balanced heat, and the onion, pepper, and okra flavors melded to create an exceptional background for the fresh seafood.
We love gumbo, and Schilleci's may be the best gumbo we've had in Texas. We were particularly impressed that we didn't have to kick up the roux with a few drops of Tabasco - Chef Wayne is not afraid to season his gumbo, and deftly walked the line between too bland and too hot.
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| Wayne Schilleci Jr and Zach Schilleci |
Schilleci's didn't feel like a restaurant that had just opened. The staff was knowledgeable and friendly, the food was very well prepared, and the cozy interior was beautifully finished - the dove grey walls were adorned with photos of New Orleans taken by another family member. Considered touches were all around; even the ceiling was tiled with ornate squares that evoked the feeling of a hundred-year-old establishment in the Quarter. And the Schilleci brothers seem to naturally fall into the two key roles needed for a successful restaurant - a talented chef in the back of the house, and a gracious host who's working the room and keeping the patrons happy.
We predict that Schilleci's will be a big success; it's a totally different dining option for Woodlands residents, and the restaurant is overflowing with the type of warmth that only comes from a family-run establishment.
Schilleci's New Orleans Kitchen - 9595 Six Pines Drive Suite 120
281-419-4242 - www.Schillecis.com
The Mighty Rib, one of our favorite food blogs, has relaunched with a head-to-toe redesign. Kevin Shalin, who also writes for Eating Our Words in the Houston Press, is the voice behind the blog, and we think he's one of the city's unique voices.
Whether they're discussing BBQ or interviewing a world-famous chef, The Mighty Rib brings a unique perspective to food writing. It's one worth reading.
Check it out.