The Taste Buddy

Nori Sushi Bistro

2011-05-09T13:22:00.005-05:00

name of restaurant :: Nori Sushi Bistro
address :: 700 Town & Country Blvd., Suite 2400

Houston, TX 77040

hours :: Mon - Fri: 11am - 10pm

Sat - Sun: 12pm - 10pm

meals served :: Lunch & Dinner
prices :: $$
dress code :: Casual
reservations :: First come, first serve
website :: www.norisushibistro.com
review :: The main reason we picked eating at this location was the centrality of it. My family lives up north and I on the west side of town, so it was a good medium. I was able to make reservations, seeing as it was Mother's Day weekend, I didn't want to chance of waiting a long time.

When we arrived, our table was already set because of the reservation. We were promptly greeted by our waiter for our beverage order. That was about the last time we were seen promptly. The wait between our beverages, placing the order and receiving our appetizer was a bit delayed. We were also waiting a good while before getting our drinks refilled with water. I did flag down a waitress but she did not come back to fill our drinks after she said she'd be back with more water. The wait between our appetizer to entrees was a little over 45 minutes. I even turned around to one of the sushi chef's, who looked like the manager, to ask to send a waiter to our table. Needless to say, the restaurant was sorely understaffed in regards to waitstaff and hostess. Our waiter did apologize for the delay, since they were taking care of the to-go orders. Note: there were three waiters/waitresses and when I turned to get someone's attention, all three were taking care of the to-go orders, while the restaurant was filling up with people and diners were waiting on their food.

When the food did finally arrived, we were underwhelmed. With the prices of the sushi rolls, we were expecting bigger portions. Sadly to say, we received small portions with a big price tag. The sushi rolls did taste fresh, but the service and portion left me feeling hungry for something else.

Maybe we caught them at a bad time, but as far as first impressions go, I do not think I will be coming back. Which is unfortunate, because I feel that they could do so much to help with the problem that was presented.
rating :: 1 fork
reviewed by :: goose

MooYah Burgers

2011-05-05T11:32:00.005-05:00

name of restaurant :: MooYah Burgers

address :: 23701 Cinco Ranch Blvd., Suite 140, Katy, TX 77494
hours :: Hours: 11am-10pm, 7 days a week
meals served :: Lunch and Dinner
prices :: $
dress code :: Casual
reservations :: first come, first serve
website :: www.mooyah.com
review :: I've been to MooYah Burgers twice. The first time I went, I thought the burgers were small and lacked flavor with their fries being greasy. However, that was a while ago, when they were first opened, so we decided to give them another chance.

The ordering process is fairly simple, there's a form that you fill out with your choice of burger patties and other entrees as well as your toppings. For today's meal, I ordered the junior burger (one patty) on a whole wheat bun, which had sesame seeds on both sides. As for the toppings, I chose ketchup, mustard, special MooYah sauce, lettuce, tomato, pickles, grilled onions, avocado (extra cost) and swiss cheese (extra cost). We also ordered regular sized fries and regular drink. I highly recommend the mango tea, it was quite tasty, not too sweet with the right amount of mango.

As far as burgers go, MooYah Burgers patties are fairly thin. I felt that my burger was all topping and no meat. If you were to go for the MooYah Burger, which has two patties, I'm sure that would have been equivalent to a regular burger at a different burger joint. With that being said, it was an alright burger that was reasonably priced. What I liked about MooYah Burgers was all the options I had for my burger, I just wish the patty was more meaty.
rating :: 2 forks
reviewed by :: goose

Sweet and Sour Brisket

2010-04-22T10:55:00.006-05:00

name of recipe :: Sweet and Sour Brisket
website :: Food Network Ellie Krieger
review :: This recipe was rated easy, with prep time being 20 min and cook time 2.5-3 hours. The only problem was, I didn’t have the ingredients and it was getting late. I set out my grocery run at around five in the evening. The only item on the ingredients list I was not able to purchase was the allspice berry, which I substituted for crushed allspice. To be honest, I haven’t used my kitchen to cook in a good while, which makes me a little sad because I’ve always enjoyed cooking, but I’m glad to be back in. I paired the brisket with some salad and corn and it was a great meal.

This is a one-pot meal, which was great and clean up was a breeze. I'd recommend it for a first time dutch oven user.

rating :: 4 forks
reviewed by :: goose

Yelapa Playa Mexicana

2010-04-19T23:24:00.005-05:00

name of restaurant :: Yelapa Playa Mexicana

address :: 2303 Richmond Ave.

hours :: M-Sa 11AM - 11PM

meals served :: L & D
prices :: $10 lunch, $20-30 dinner

dress code :: casual

reservations :: walk-ins welcomed

website :: www.yelapatime.com

review :: It's a good omen when, as you walk up to the door of a seafood restaurant, you catch a faint salty whiff of the sea. My increasingly frequent rambling quests to find new lunch spots near my work had led me here - Yelapa Playa Mexicana - and a gentle ocean-y tang practically emanated from the kitchen here.

Relatively new, Yelapa was nearly devoid of diners when I stepped inside - but the waiters were welcoming and the place had a laid-back feel to it. The main room was cabana'd out but not kitschy - cozy, with some modern touches. A bar and a secluded patio stood on one side while on the other side darker, more intimate dining spaces snaked off further back amongst racks of wine.

Billed as "fresh, local seafood with a Latin American twist" (i.e. expensive), my interest was only piqued after I learned about a $10 lunch menu. Ten bucks nets you 2 choices from the "nooner" menu - choices range from ambitious takes on familiar Tex-Mex to more mundane "home-style" dishes - the latter being a spicy red pozole (soup with pork and hominy) with a side of homemade tortillas here, a bowl of cheesy shrimp n' grits with chorizo there.

Among the gutsier choices you'll find "the real guacamole" - more like a salad with avocado, pineapple, dill, lime, tortilla chips embedded throughout and an arc of sweet cinnamon sauce to the side... it sounds (and should have been) ridiculous, but it was just really, really tasty.

The ceviches are another good example of their fetish for mixing disparate flavors. On top of a solid foundation of impeccably fresh-tasting mix of shrimp, scallops, and fish, one had artichoke hearts, tarragon, olives, and mustard -which made for a delicious, tart salad-y affair. Another was a bit more traditional, the margarita-marinated seafood naked on a bed of tortilla chips except for a few strategic bits of jalapeno and mint, alongside a shot glass of "leche de tigre" - tiger's milk, rimmed with salt. If that sounds scary, believe me it is. Apparently it's the leftover juices from the ceviche-making process, in all it's salty, sour, fishy glory. Altogether, the dish was like the essence of ceviche taken to the nth degree. If you're looking for something different, you've found your place.

Despite my fears to the contrary, the two dishes that come with the nooner menu are more than enough to fill you up nicely. Combine that with perhaps a Rio Red grapefruit agua fresca with basil or maybe a dessert - how about the absurd _cinco_ leches cake? - and you've got a recipe for not getting any more work done the rest of the day.

rating :: 5 forks
reviewed by :: John Malone

Lucky’s Pub

2010-03-01T17:47:00.007-06:00

name of restaurant :: Lucky's Pub

address :: 801 St Emanuel
Houston, TX 77003
hours ::
meals served :: L, D and Happy Hour
prices :: $$
dress code :: Casual
reservations :: First come, first serve
website :: www.luckyspub.com
review :: We had the pleasure of eating at Lucky's Pub, thanks to the Great Urban Race starting and finishing there. Let me preface by saying, we did not eat anything all day. Our first meal was at Lucky's at around 4 in the afternoon. So, this review could be swayed by the fact that we would probably eat just about anything at the time.

I ordered the Lucky Burger and added Pepper Jack cheese, with a side of fries and for my hubby, he ordered the swiss and mushroom sliders with fries. I scarfed it down so fast, I think I may have forgotten to chew. The meat was pretty good, it did not taste frozen or fried. It had the right amount of juiciness to meatiness. I think the fries were the frozen variety, but they added a little bit of seasoning to it, that I didn't mind too much. As for the sliders, I only had one bite of them, but the hubby seemed to enjoy all three of them. I didn't care for the tomatoes on the bottom of the bun, but like I said, he didn't seem to mind.

For the price of the food, I think I would've gone somewhere else to enjoy a burger and fries. But, being in the moment with good friends and a great event, I didn't mind it too much.
rating :: 3 forks
reviewed by :: goose

Tradicao Brazilian Steakhouse

2009-11-19T10:31:00.005-06:00

name of restaurant :: Tradicao Brazilian Steakhouse
address :: 6800 SW Fwy Houston, TX 77074
hours :: Mon-Thu. 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Mon-Thu. 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Fri. 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Fri. 5:00 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.
Sat. 4:00 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.
Sun. 2:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
meals served :: L & D, Brunch on Sundays
prices :: $$$
dress code :: casual
reservations :: first come, first serve but reservations are taken
website :: www.tradicaobraziliansteak.com/
review :: This is the first time I've ever had a Churascaria experience. And what I've heard is true, if your card is flipped to green, they will just swarm you with meat after meat after meat.

You first start off with the salad bar. It wasn't a typical salad bar, with different salads of your choosing. There was potato salad, hearts of palm, artichoke, cucumber salad, a selection of cheeses and many more that I can't quite remember. After making my selections and heading back to the table, the card was flipped to green. I can't exactly remember all the meats I had, but I remembered there was a lot. They had varying cuts of meat, such has Filet Mignon, lamb shanks, baby beef, the house specialty, as well as sauteed shrimp. Overall, most of the meat was good, some were a bit salty and some over cooked, I like my meat well done. By the end of the meal, I was pretty stuffed. But I did save room for dessert, a cup of creme brulee. Even though I've had better elsewhere, the creaminess of the dessert and the sweetness of the sugary crust helped even out my taste buds from all the meat.

I do recommend the lemonade, free refills too. It is a blend of a whole lime, some water, sugar and condensed milk, which gives it a frothy top.

If you're looking to load yourself with meat, but don't want to spend a fortune, check out Tradicao. The waitstaff was always courteous and ready to please your needs.
rating :: 4 forks
reviewed by :: goose

Sugarland Shake

2009-11-13T14:51:00.006-06:00

name of restaurant :: Sugar Land Shake
address :: 16019 City Walk - Sugar Land Town Square
hours :: Mon-Fri 7am open, Sat.- Sun. 8am open

meals served :: B, L & D
prices :: lunch $10-13 , dinner $10-13
dress code :: casual
reservations :: walk-ins welcomed
website :: www.sugarlandshake.com
review :: The sole owner of Barnaby's has converted the old Johnny Rocket's located in the Sugar Land Town Square into a delightful little diner. While there I ordered the California Chicken Sandwich (grilled chicken, avocado, cheese and wheat bun) with an order of fries. One thing I liked off the bat was the Sonic ice they use to fill their drinks! The ambiance is fun, equipped with pop music in a diner atmosphere. All ages where present as well as a spinning display of shakes, cakes and pies. My sandwich was more than a mouthful especially the fries. The fries portions can be split by two, maybe three people. Other menu items included cold sandwiches, shakes, as well as Buffalo, turkey and boca burgers for the health conscious. Sweet potato fries, grilled cheese and vanilla wedding cake look like something I'd go back for. They have patio service right along the sidewalk for people watchers and they serve breakfast too!The waitstaff was super nice and we received our food in a reasonable amount of time considering this place just opened recently.
rating :: 5 forks
reviewed by :: foxyladyjc

Feast

2009-10-28T12:01:00.004-05:00

name of restaurant :: Feast
address :: 219 Westheimer Road
hours :: 5-10PM, lunch F, Sa 11AM-2:30PM
meals served :: L & D
prices :: lunch $13-16 , dinner $21-28
dress code :: casual
reservations :: walk-ins welcomed
website :: http://feasthouston.googlepages.com/home
review :: Based on some good press (and boredom), I decided to pop on over to Feast for lunch. I was a bit apprehensive; Feast has a reputation as an eatery for the "adventurous", you see. The British chef & owner imported their "nose-to-tail" cuisine to Houston - homey, hearty "peasant" food that's not afraid to use the whole animal. Think fried pig tails w/ dipping sauce, snail fritters, black pudding, stuffed calf's heart... you get the picture.

The place really does have a cozy vibe - stout, dark wood furnishings in what basically looks like a converted home (what I imagine one in Europe would look like, no less). There's also a nice upstairs deck with views of downtown - so I've heard - but I was comfortably perched in the main room amid a small, thirties+ crowd.

To my surprise, most of the menu is actually "normal" stuff, but I'm feeling a little bold so, at the recommendation of the friendly waiter (who I later found out is the wife of the owner - the equally-pleasant English chap who showed me to my seat), I start with a "chicken onion". It turns out to be a whole onion marinated in olive oil (and other stuff I forget), covered in chicken skin and baked in an oven. The deliciousness will haunt my dreams forever.

Next I sampled the lamb stew with dumplings and mashed potatoes. It's as good, aroma-tastic, and filling as you can imagine. I can put away food as good as anybody, but their 3-course lunch meal put me under the table. I barely finished the upside-down plum cake w/ ginger for dessert (not for lack of trying). Red-faced from a bottle of "Imperial" Stout, I returned to work stuffed and weirdly happy (and sleepy) .

I can't wait to return and taste whatever other surprises they may have to offer, plus I felt the price-to-quality/quantity-of-food ratio was ridiculously reasonable, at least for lunch.
rating :: 5 forks
reviewed by :: John Malone

Lola

2009-10-07T10:55:00.004-05:00

name of restaurant :: Lola
address :: 1102 Yale at 11th St
hours ::
meals served :: B, L & D
prices :: $-$$
dress code :: Casual
reservations :: first come, first serve
website :: www.eatlola.com
review :: While in a bind to get my husband dinner I stopped by Lola in the Heights. He wanted a turkey sandwich so I ordered him the Day After Thanksgiving sandwich (which comes with fries or a salad). The sandwich lives up to its name. Stuffing is smeared across the bottom of the sweet, buttery bun then buried underneath a mount of thickly sliced turkey and layer of cranberry sauce. A side of brown gravy is included. We ordered it with fruit which had suspiciously super sweet grapes.

Personally I could have used more cranberry sauce since I like the sweet tang against the salty turkey and stuffing but my husband has taken to it so much he has ordered it 4 times in the week since we tried it. I give it a 4 but the husband gives it a 5. The sandwich costs around $12 after tax. I don't long for it as he does but I will certain order it again. It hits the spot.

Beware going during the busy hours. Though there is a decent amount of seating, when it gets busy you might get stuck in close proximity with strangers.
rating :: 4 forks
reviewed by :: spankypants

Ray’s Franks and More

2009-09-28T15:09:00.004-05:00

name of restaurant :: Ray's Franks and More

address :: 1301 Nance St Houston, TX 77002
hours :: Mon-Sat. 11:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
meals served :: L & D
prices :: $
dress code :: Casual
reservations :: N/A
website :: www.raysfranks.com/
review :: Located north of downtown this little hole in the wall is a little hard to find but well worth the search. They serve hamburger and hot dogs. Both excellent. I got the Frankenstein - sauerkraut and spicy mustard - topped with sweet cool relish. Husband bypassed the cleverly named hamburgers and wanted just a regular with avocado and ketchup and a bottle of Coke. We split an order of fries. Total cost $13 not including tip. Not bad at all consider the portion side. They brought out my hot dog first. Nestled in a large bun that resembled a hoagie bun but was soft and fluffy it was brimming with sauerkraut, spicy mustard and relish. They did not skimp out on the condiments. The Boarshead dog was juicy, plump and much larger than a normal hot dog. Husband's hamburger came out next. I didn't see the size of the patty but the bun was huge. Our crinkle fries came out last, hot from the fryer and dusted with a delicious seasoning we kept popping them like pills even though they scorched our mouths.

Will definitely return again when I get a hot dog hankering.
rating :: 5 forks
reviewed by :: spankypants

Oishii Japanese Restaruant

2009-08-31T11:18:00.004-05:00

name of restaurant :: Oishii Japanese Restaruant
address :: 3764 Richmond Ave., Houston, TX 77046
hours :: M-F 11:00am - 10:00pm, Sat. 12pm - 10pm, Sun. Closed
meals served :: L & D, Happy Hour
prices :: $
dress code :: casual
reservations :: first come, first serve
website :: www.oishiihouston.com
review :: Let me start by saying, we love sushi! We always like to go to different spots just to compare and Oishii was delicious! It was our kind of place, not a chain and kind of hole in the wall. But don't let the outside fool you, the food was awesome. The prices are great, very affordable. You didn't need to spend an arm and a leg to get fresh sashimi. We were able to get 4 rolls and more than a handful of sushi and it was under $55. Every piece we ate tasted very fresh and even the rice was delectable. I didn't even have a problem chewing on the seaweed, like at most places. The only downside, I would say, is the customer service. We went at around 8:30/9:00 pm and were waited on 3 different people. Sometimes we felt like they forgot about us. Oh, be sure to hit it up during happy hour, I saw crazy good prices.
rating :: 4 forks
reviewed by :: goose

Whole Foods :: Cake

2009-08-19T14:05:00.001-05:00

name of restaurant :: Whole Foods
address :: n/a
hours :: n/a
meals served :: n/a
prices :: $
dress code :: casual
reservations :: n/a
website :: www.wholefoodsmarket.com
review :: I'm a bit of a cakephile. Love me some cake. Cupcakes, Petit Fours, wedding cake, baby cakes, any cakes. I've had such bad luck with grocery store cakes that I've stayed away from them...with the exception of HEB's Boston Cream Pie...mmm.

After staring at the Whole Foods cake fridge for 10 minutes I decide on a beautifully decorated white sheet cake that feeds 8-12 (or so the cake decorator says but I can easily finish one off by myself in a day). Beyond just colored frosting there are speckles of color in the white base frosting and little hints of sprinkles to give the flowers a little texture.

Immediately my friend comments on how incredibly moist the cake is. A second friend raves about the light but delicious frosting - a nice deviation from the heavy and incredibly sweet butter cream. Before I dive into my slice I notice the color isn't your typical white cake, it's slightly browner which I presume comes from non-bleached organic flour. It was delicious. Just as my friends said, light frosting that perfectly compliments the moist cake. It was so good I contemplated going back to Whole Foods to get my own personal cake.

Sorry I didn't get pictures of the cake, once I people started raving about the cake instinct had me reaching for my fork without thinking.
rating :: 5 forks
reviewed by :: spankypants

Arcodoro

2009-08-19T12:00:00.003-05:00

name of restaurant :: Arcodoro
address :: 5000 Westheimer @ Post Oak Houston, TX 77056
hours :: S-T 11am - 11pm, F-S 11am - 12am
meals served :: L & D, Brunch on Sun and Sat
prices :: $$$
dress code :: dressy-casual
reservations :: recommended
website :: www.arcodoro.com/Houston%5Cdefault.htm
review :: The Houston Restaurant Week menu enticed me to finally make a visit to Arcodoro to indulge in Sardinian Italian cuisine. Located in the heart of the Galleria area, Arcodoro's setting offers all sorts of seating for a romantic intimate dinner to large family style feasts or more casual patio dining. A couple of large wall paintings give patrons an interesting perspective into the sights of Italy.

To be honest, the reason I'd return to Arcodoro is not because of the menu served for restaurant week, but instead the food we saw served at the tables around us that appears on the regular menu. The aroma and sight of salt baked fish served table side invoked a sense of utter giddiness. We stared in awe and our mouths started to water as we watched the waiter smash the salty crust off of the fish and skillfully fillet and serve the fresh flaky flesh to the table next to ours. Fresh pastas and pizzas are also recommended on the menu, but I guess I must talk about food I personally ate...

First Course: The flavors of the Carpaccio di Salmone alla Bottarga were mild and light. The slices of Granny Smith apples gave the salad a crisp and tart brightness that cut through the rich, fattiness of the salmon and activated the palate in anticipation for the rest of the courses.

Second Course: The Paella Sarda was unique because instead of rice it was served with fregula pasta which resembles couscous. I was mostly disappointed by this course. On the good side, the pasta was not soupy and the texture was spot on al dente. However, the temperature of the dish arrived a bit on the cooler side and with a sort of pita chip on the side that did not seem to relate to the dish. The mussels and clams were probably simmered for too long and were reduced to pea sized lumps. I found the taste of the pasta to be a bit generic and not nearly as rich as I'd expect a dish that claimed to have so much seafood in it to be.

Dessert: Luckily the Panna Cotta alla Saba saved the evening. This dessert, that resembled a white flan, was lusciously rich, sweet and creamy and had a hint of pistachio that kept my spoon constantly scraping for more.

Despite my gripes, I believe I will return to Arcodoro because I've personally seen that it has much more fabulous food to offer beyond what I've sampled.
rating :: 3 forks
reviewed by :: MamaRamen

Le Mistral

2009-08-18T16:17:00.005-05:00

name of restaurant :: Le Mistral
address :: 1420 Eldridge Pkwy, Houston, TX 77077
hours :: T-T 11am - 10pm, Fri 11am - 11pm, Sat 5pm - 11pm, Sun 11am - 10pm
meals served :: L & D, Brunch on Sunday's
prices :: $$$$
dress code :: Upscale Causal
reservations :: recommended
website :: www.lemistralhouston.com
review :: Let me first say, this is not where we would typically eat but we wanted to try it out for Houston Restaurant week. It is a beautiful, romantic restaurant where customer service was top notch.

While waiting for our dishes, we were served an assortment of fresh baked breads with butter. I am a huge fan of baked bread, so this was a winner for me.

First Course :: The Salade Le Mistral was delicious. The mix of greens tasted fresh and the blueberry vinaigrette was very unique.

Second Course :: The Poulet Fermier Roti au Jus chicken's flavor was quite tasty, however a bit salty. The mashed potatoes and gravy were smooth like butter and the peas with sauteed onions were good but a tad on the salty side.

Third Course :: Nos Trois Differents Sorbets du Mois were very refreshing, tasting like a strawberry piña colada.

Overall, the dishes were very good however I wish there was more of what I was eating. Usually a restaurant we would not consider, we were actually glad we did.
rating :: 4 forks
reviewed by :: goose

Lankford Grocery

2009-08-15T15:05:00.002-05:00

name of restaurant :: Lankford Grocery
address :: 88 Dennis St, Houston, TX 77006
hours :: M-S 7am-3pm
meals served :: B & L
prices :: $
dress code :: casual
reservations :: first come, first serve
website :: n/a
review :: We've been hearing a lot about Lankford burgers, even rated pretty high among most critics out there. Their hours aren't always suitable for us but we were able to check it out today. The line was out the door, it was unbelievable. In this Houston heat at high noon, I was surprised people were actually waiting for a table to eat.

I ordered the old fashion cheeseburger with french fries and A&W. Also, with the request of the man behind the counter, I also tried out the Abita root beer. Hands down, the Abita was so much better than the A&W, I'm so glad that I tried it.

As for the cheeseburger, all the way with a side of fries, it was pretty large and juicy. Be sure to keep part of the burger wrapped up or you'll have all the juices dripping off your fingers. The flavor of the meat was actually bland, I was expecting a little bit more flavor. If you ordered a dry burger, I think you may be a little disappointed in the flavor. The fries weren't anything to call home about, it tasted as though it were the frozen kind.

Overall, if you'd like a good juicy burger, this little joint is for you, just be aware of their hours.
rating :: 3 forks
reviewed by :: goose

Basil Pan-Seared Scallops over Pasta

2009-08-14T20:45:00.009-05:00

name of recipe :: Basil Pan-Seared Scallops over Pasta
website :: allrecipes.com/Recipe/Basil-Pan-Seared-Scallops-over-Pasta/Detail.aspx
review :: I often check allrecipes.com when I'm at a lost of what to cook for the night. So tonight, I decided to make the Basil Pan-Seared Scallops over Pasta since I had scallops in the freezer, courtesy of our last Costco trip. There were a few modification to the recipe I made. Instead of using bow tie pasta, I used short strand pasta. I used a mixture of lemon and lime juice. As for the garlic, I used fresh minced instead of the dry stuff and unsalted butter instead of whipped. Also, I added some Tony Sachari's to the scallop mixture because Tony's is good on everything.

If you're a one-pot type of cooker, this isn't the recipe for you. I had to use 2 pots and 1 pan for this simple recipe. While there is a lot of prep work for this particular recipe, the meal was actually pretty good. The pasta was light, despite using ever virgin olive oil and butter for the sauce. The sauce came out a bit on the salted side, even using unsalted butter, I had to add some sugar to it to even out the taste. I suggest leaving the salt portion out of the sauce.

If you're craving a light pasta dish, then this is for you.
rating :: 4 forks
reviewed by :: goose

Olivette

2009-08-14T11:01:00.004-05:00

name of restaurant :: Olivette
address :: 111 N Post Oak Ln Houston, TX 77024-7703
hours :: Weekdays 6:30 am - 10:00 pm, Weekends 7:00 am -10:00 pm
meals served :: B, L and D
prices :: $$$
dress code :: dressy-casual
reservations :: recommended
website :: www.houstonian.com/Olivette.aspx
review :: Went in for restaurant week:

The dining environment at The Houstonian was serene. We were seated by the window where the lushly (and abnormally green) manicured lawn of The Houstonian contrasted sharply with the gray rain clouds. It was 6:30pm so there was still plenty of light through the thick clouds. It was a nice setting - felt like I was in Seattle.

First course: Little Neck Clams in Garlic, Parsley, Butter, Grilled Ciabatta. I love clams and my favorite place to go to for clams (Trulucks) does not carry them right now because they are "out of season." I've had them many a times since finding this out but Trulucks may have it right because the clams have been small in size and lacks the plumpness of a perfect clam (hopefully you lasted this long without snickering). But as you can see the clams are in a butter garlic bath so you just can't go wrong with that. Not bad but didn't blow me away.

Second Course: Grilled Flat Iron Steak with Ratatouille, Potato Croquettes, Basil. Perfect medium rare steak with flavorful hints of seasoned bell peppers, zucchini, pearl onions and carrots. My fellow foodie, Sarah, loved the pearl and little purple onions. Very good and well done in presentation and flavor.

Third Course: Chocolate Pudding Cake accompanied with Fudge Sauce, Hazelnut Ice Cream, Hazelnut Tuile. This one is interesting. The chocolate pudding cake has the consistency between mousse and barely cooked chocolate cake batter. The chocolate pudding cake was rich so I went back and forth from the cake to the hazelnut ice cream to balance out the cavity-loving richness. The sugar hazelnut garnish was a nice crunchy finish to the dessert.

Olivette was nice. Didn't really blow me away but it would be a nice place to go for celebrating occasions.
rating :: 4 forks
reviewed by :: spankypants

Quattro

2009-08-13T14:12:00.005-05:00

name of restaurant :: Quattro
address :: 1300 Lamar Street , Houston , Texas , U.S.A. 77010-3017
hours :: M-F 6:30am - 10pm, S-S 7am - 10pm
meals served :: B, L and D
prices :: $$$
dress code :: dressy-casual
reservations :: recommended
website :: www.fourseasons.com/houston/dining.html
review :: Went in for restaurant week.

First course: Summer Melon & Prosciutto di Parma with Asparagus, Endive, Marsala Gastrique. All of the flavors perfectly complimented each element of the appetizer. Even the plainly blanched asparagus struck a balance between the sweet juiciness of the melons with the saltiness of the prosciutto.

Second course: Oven Roasted Stripped Bass on a bed of Little Neck Clams, Fregula, Grape Tomatoes, Basil-Saffron Broth. Everything was delicious and flavorful with the exception of the bass itself. The bass tasted like it had been in the freezer for a long time and the texture was dry and slightly crumbly. I didn't touch the fish after the first two bites but cleaned the plate of everything else.

Third course: Limoncello Panna Cotta topped with Peach Compote, Raspberry & Caramelized Almonds. This was amazing. I never had panna cotta before and didn't know what to expect. It had the texture of flan but a little fluffier. There was also a mildly sweet whipped topping on the panna cotta that perfectly complimented the panna cotta. The peach compote gave it a nice diversion of flavor from the panna cotta and caramelized almonds provided just the perfect amount of texture to the smoothness of this dessert.

Aside from the bass, this meal exceeded my expectations. Don't know if I would go for a nice occasion but will definitely return for next years restaurant week.
rating :: 4 forks
reviewed by :: spankypants

Perry’s Steakhouse & Grille

2009-08-13T10:02:00.007-05:00

name of restaurant :: Perry’s Steakhouse & Grille
address :: 2277 Plaza Dr., Sugar Land, TX 77479
hours :: M-T 4pm - 10pm, F 11am - 11pm, Sat 4pm - 11pm, Sun 11am - 9pm
meals served :: L and D
prices :: $31 - $60
dress code :: dressy-casual
reservations :: yes
website :: www.perryssteakhouse.com/locations-menus/sugar-land
review :: As an anniversary treat, I suggested taking part in Houston Restaurant Week by eating at Perry's Steakhouse in Sugar Land. From the menu choices, I selected the Caesar Salad, Chicken Oscar and the Dessert Trio. Off the menu, we selected the Cherry Pepper Calamari for starters. This dish is rather spicy, but I still enjoyed it and the portions were more than enough for 2 people. The Caesar salad was amazing. Topped with fresh anchovies, the Caesar is delicious, although I was ready to throw in the towel once I finished. Luckily, they give you time in between courses to actually let your food digest. By the time the Oscar chicken came out, I was ready to dig in. This is a Free-Range Chicken served with Oscar Topping and steamed asparagus, which I enjoyed although the chicken tasted a little over salted. I didn't finish my meal, because again, the portions were large. After a break from the entrées, we questioned whether or not we had room to digest the Praline Cheesecake, Crème Brûlée and Chocolate Truffle on the way. I sampled the truffle (amazing) that is covered in cocoa and the cheesecake that my boyfriend gulped down in seconds (guess he liked it). My favorite by far was the Crème Brûlée. It's the only dessert I ate entirely. Overall, this meal deal is way above it's worth. For $35 per person, you get your fill and more.
rating :: 5 forks
reviewed by :: foxyladyjc

Let the food tasting begin…

2009-08-11T14:52:00.008-05:00

What is the single thing that we all have in common? No matter your background, ethnicity, religion or political views, we all enjoy a good meal.

With that in mind, we “taste buds” are here to help other foodies know what‘s hot and what‘s not. From restaurants around town to home cooked meals, we will give you our best critique.

We are a community of 25-35 year old “taste buds”, ready and willing to taste the culinary delights that await our forks. We may not be experienced in the world of food critics but our assessment of what we eat will be honest. We are at an age where we are beginning to understand the food we're eating and what goes into making a delicious and memorable meal.

Post comments, make suggestions or join our community of “taste buds”.

Bon appétit!