Sunday, January 18, 2015

Prohibition

We want what we can't have.
Happy New Year and what a year bringing many new players to the table. From more farm to table restaurant models to an increase in cocktail lounges. 

This year I will start off with spirits. Prohibition formally a galleria destination has relocated to a place better suited for the 1920's ambiance. For downtown goers this is phenomenal as Prohibition is a cocktail oasis from the ever growing crowd of craft beer enthusiasts. 

Location:
1008 Prairie, Houston, TX 77002
(281) 940-4636
Prohibition sits in a practically inconspicuous location easily missed if not for the constantly lit small dinner area facing a glassy facade. It has no real signage and sits in a building used for office space and a dance studio. Street parking is the way to go for this destination but on fussy nights you can opt for the parking lot across the street ($10).

Atmosphere:
Classy and quiet. I have yet to make reservations here because am fortunate enough to have found bar seats available but I would recommend reservations or a weeknight if you'd like to try the delectable seafood. Prohibition is sparsely decorated in the main area and lavish in the showroom/dinning room. The front area is decorated with a single chandelier some large 1920's theme posters and a large mirror. The rest of the area is paneled in dark wood. This is one place where their website is an accurate and good depiction of the space.I haven't entered into the main show room which includes dinner (prix fix dinner) and a show for around $175. The Bartenders are attentive and knowledgable about the flavors of each cocktail. 

Side Note: Although not displayed they do serve scotch but it is kept in the a convoluted area for the bartenders to attain so if you order scotch give the bartenders a couple minutes.   

Drinks: 
The specialty drinks are amazing and watching the bartenders do their work is especially enjoyable as well. All syrups are made in house. Their magic come in forms such as the Fred Astaire (Old Forester bourbon, reposed tequila, sherry, Cointreau and coffee bitters); Armistice (Four Roses Bourbon, Averna, sassafras, cherry and green chartreuse); The latter being favorite is with a slight sweet flavor and infused with cherry. Nothing on the drinks menu is too sweet or to bitter as with many of its craft cocktail counterparts. Another great aspect is their old fashioned which has a perfect balance of booze and orange fresh zest. The prices are just a
Happy Hour M-F 3:00-6:00pm

Pro's: 
Friendly and attentive bartenders. 
Well balanced drinks.
Beautiful atmosphere both romantic and business casual. No strict dress code but don't embarrass yourself. 
Not overcrowded like other downtown destinations nowadays. 

Con's:
Not particularly great for big crowds unless you are dining in the main room. 
Parking is street so that could be an issue. 
Hostesses are not always visible. 
Prohibition can be hard to spot the first time.  

Prohibition Supperclub & Bar
1008 Prairie, Houston, TX 77002
(281) 940-4636




Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Brenner's on the Bayou Steakhouse



September
I went to Brenner's for my birthday dinner. Steakhouses are a new endeavor I have decided to take as an addition to the list especially since this is Texas.
Brennar's on The Bayou is not Brenner's Steakhouse but an offshoot offering a romantically rustic decor with a phenomenal view of one of Houston many bayous.

The View:
From every corner Brenner's is aesthetically pleasing to the eye and lighting is dim but not dark. I might like to mention that Blue Bar is located behind this establishment and would have loved to shed some light on the atmosphere there but it was closed for a private function. The interior is decorated with wood accents and the walls display art with alarming color. I wasn't particularly moved by any of the pieces which looked like stock art. The lighting fixtures where quite charming hanging in the center of the dining areas in place of chandeliers.

Seating:
If you are making reservation view the tour and decide on a dinning area here is a link.
http://www.brennerssteakhouse.com/bayou/tour.htm
We sat in the West Balcony which claims to be semi-private although located at the entrance.

Drinks:
I ordered a Prosecco which there was only one of but they do offer an extensive wine list and cocktails. Travis ordered an old fashioned a standard gentlemen's drink which any steakhouse should be able to make. An old fashion has one ice cube not many was my biggest complaint about the drink another point was that it was semi doused in grenadine but to each there own.

Food: http://www.brennerssteakhouse.com/bayou/pdf/BOB_DinnerMenu.pdf
At the time Brenner's was offering an appetizer sampler. If you are unsure of the dish to order in case steak was a not concrete then try this dish. Bite sized samples which at the time was a lump crab dressed in basil and a lemon butter sauce,  quail wrapped in Bacon dressed in a chipotle and one blackened scallop topped with onion rings and a dill hollandaise sauce.




Main Order:
Hanger Steak on a bed of Parmesan Fries
The steak was cut in slabs and placed on a bed of fries. Although ordered medium-rare it was definitely more on the rare side. Chewing was not an issue and although more rare it definitely did not taste of pure blood or rawness. Could have used a bit more cooking for my eyes but the flavor was savory and full not overshadowed by any sauce and well accompanied by the heavily seasoned fries. Not bad fries either. There was no need to add salt to this well plated dish.
Sides:
The Caramelized Brussels Sprouts were not garnished in bacon but blanketed in it. Fans of Bacon will want this dish. It overshadowed the dish a bit allowing us to barely taste the green. The sprouts themselves were slightly bitter but apparently bacon makes everything better.
Smoked Macaroni and Cheese was hearty dish but nothing to memorable compared to the other accompaniments. We were recommended the potatoes au gratin

Dessert:
Chocolate Mousse
This was a phenomenal dish great balance between sweet and chocolate.



Watch Out Tips:
Cooking: If you order medium rare as any steak eater is recommended to eat the cook does veer more toward rare than medium.
Side Portions: Portions for the sides are large and are sharable 2-3 guests.
Bathrooms: Ladies especially the bathroom, yes as in one private bathroom for the entire area not stalls or multiples are downstair and be mindful of the slippery stairs in heels.
Happy Hour Prices: Only observed at the bar

An Old List Updated

Cuisine & Entertainment
*(I ate that?) ** (street food good) *** (All types good) **** (loved)
***** ( YES!)
Cuisine:
NOTE: If location is Bold it is a large chain. Some restaurants names contain direct links to the restaurant websites.
Fine Dinning

Farewell to the following Restaurants: Philippe,  Mo Mong, King Biscuit, Sugarcane, Dharma Cafe, Mi Cielo, El Patio, Late Night Pie, La Strada, 
  1. The Pass- ***** (amazing, expensive worth it)
  2.  RDG Bar Annie- ****
  3. Underbelly- **** (great meat)
  4.  Tiny Boxwoods - ****1/2
  5.  Benjy’s - *** (nice atmosphere) 
  6.  Mi Luna Tapas- *Overpriced food nothing outstanding)
  7.  Backstreet Café- ** (overpriced)
  8.  Indika – *** (great brunch, overpriced)
  9.  Daily Review - ***1/2
  10.  Up Restaurant- **(attentive service, romantic, very loud)
    Nice but relaxed
    1. Hearsay-***(dinner better then lunch, great couple atmosphere)
    2. Dolce Vida- ****
    3. Black Labrador -*** (Traditional)
    4. The Grove - **1/2 (overpriced)
    5. Baba Yega***( all occasion)
    6. Cadillac Bar- **(overpriced)
      Casual Eats
      1. Elevation Burger- ** 
      2. Provisions- ***(casual, great food but on the expensive side)
      3. Fat Boa- **
      4. Cafe Brasil- ** (a bit overpriced, last visited 3/10/13)
      5. El Real- *(meat tasted over-processed)
      6. Teotihuacan Mexican Cafe- *** (if you get take out check the order)
      7. Alladins - *** (great fallafal sandwich)
      8. Barnaby’s - *** (great for lunch)
      9. Black Walnut- ** (gelato)
      10. Field of Greens- *** (vegetarian ****)
      11. Guadalajara Hacienda - **
      12. Hobbit Café- **
      13. House of Pies- **
      14. La Madeline- ***
      15. Mayuri Indian Cuisine- *(way overpriced)
      16. Potatoe Patch -**
      17. Paulie’s- **** (great Alfredo and pizza)
      18. Crickets Creamery- ***
      19. Canyon Creek- **1/2
      20. Last Concert Cafe- *
      21. Niko Niko's - *
      22. Cedar Creek- **1/2
      23. Spanish Flower-**(open all night – fresh tortillas)
      24. Just Mac- ***
      25. Garden of Life- ***1/2
      26. Beavers- *** (good barbque, overpriced)
      27. Ruggles Green- *
      28. Giacomo's- ** (confusing and cafeteria like)
      29. Sylvia's Enchilada Kitchen- ***
      30. Empire Cafe- ***
      31. Petrol Station- **1/2 ( I really enjoyed the burger but they are waaayyyy overpriced, Shiv hated it. Maybe stop by for a drink only next time.)
      32. Radical Eats- ** (Vegan/Mexican Fusion)
      Cheep/Street Grub
      1. Dem Damn Doggs- ***(veggie dog, high quality beef)
      2. St. Dane's- ***1/2 (good bar food, fair prices)
      3. Bombay Sweets - *** - (for somosa)
      4. Cali Sandwichces- *** (awesome prices, local, fast service 2.31$)
      5. Collina’s Italian Café - * (small chain, Terrible Service, Pizza is ok and Overpriced)
      6. Flamingo Chill- **** (snow cones and snacks)
      7. Jenni’s Noodle House- ***
      8. Tostada Regia- ***1/2
      9. Tepatitlan-***
      10. Andy's Cafe- *
      11. Little Bigs- **
      12. Les Grivral's Sandwich and Cafe- *** (pretentious)
      13. Franks Pizza- **
      14. Pinks Pizza- *** (good by the slice)
      15. Supreme Sandwich- **** (great subs)
      16. Mangos- * (Terrible will not return)
      17. Coco Crepes- ***1/2
      18. Front Porch Pub- *** (25 cent wings- mondays)
      19. The Breakfast Klub- ***1/2
      20. Casa Grande- * (Worst mexican food )
      21. Green Seed Vegan- ***(little on the pricy side of street food but hey vegan)
      22. Cafe TH- ***1/2 Beefy Bahn Mi Sandwich and soft bread great service (Veggie/Vegan Friendly)

      My top picks:
      Fine: The Pass
      An ultimate and unmatched dinning experience the Pass takes you on a journey full of flavor surprising you at every corner with the ingredients both fresh and in house. Locally sourced food could not be better dressed. Opt for the wine pairing and allow your waiter answer any questions you may have. 
      Nice Casual: Open to suggestion.
      Casual : Paulies
      (When I would get bogged down by work I was grabbing take-out from this wonderful Italian delight. Great Alfredo, Paninis especially the Principe and a great oven made pizza.)
      Cheap Street: Cali Sandwiches
      (Cheap $2.31 great to eat, guilt free and best of all quick. In a pinch gather some change and head here. Unpretentious and hits the spot like nothing else.)

      Here We Go!

      Alright, I know it has been some time but Platelick is in the process of updating. New restaurants and bars galore along with guest reviews from some of our favorite people. I have revisited some spots and changed their rating some will be pleased others disappointed.
      List in progress please standby...

      Sunday, May 26, 2013

      Las Novias Taqueria- Traditional Grandmas Serve It Up!


      A typical Sunday morning in a Mexican household means one of two things: menudo or barbacoa. The story of my morning actually begins yesterday when I got lost in Houston's East End. Laced with Mexican restaurants the East End can make you forget what side of the boarder you are on. Across from the Sellers Brothers grocery store on Cesar Chavez Blvd and Canal Street sits a taqueria/tortilleria that could easily be mistaken for a mechanic's garage; passing by I made a mental note, "this I've gotta try." So this morning I made my way back to the East End to give this play a try. 

      Parking

      Normally I mention parking at the end of my reviews but this something to keep in mind, when I got to Las Novias I was presented with two options, park at Sellers Brothers or park across the street in an abandoned shopping strip-neither of which are great options, though some street parking is available.

      Atmosphere 


      Seemingly plucked off of a street in Mexico, Las Novias reminds me of the tiny shops that give the streets of Mexico such charm. Las Novias provides indoor and outdoor seating both of which are fitted with a service window allowing one to order from either inside or out. I chose to go inside and place an order to get a good view of the establishment. At the counter I was greeted by three older women, all of which reminded me of Mexican grandmothers, dressed in their own unique aprons and muumuu dresses. Even though they do not have a set menu displayed you can easily ask the abuelitas what they offer. If you don't speak spanish don't hesitate to order they have English speaking staff, if you're familar enough with  Meixcan food then you can peak to the side into one of the seven serving trays they have. They serve entrees like menudo and red mole as well as a variety of tacos, including carnitas, barbacoa, chorizo and egg, potato and egg, fajita, and others. 

      Tacos

      In order to capture this establishments flavors I decided on the chorizo and egg, barbacoa, and egg and peppers tacos. The service in one word: Fast. They were very gracious, offering any number of their salsas, recommending their corn tortillas and information about when they were open. Wanting to take someone along, I took my sister Dee. She ordered a potato and egg taco and a chorizo taco. While we did not receive a receipt I am sure upon request they would be happy to provide one if desired.You can choose between flour or corn The tacos came in a traditional double tortilla, double stuffed manner. 
                                                                                 

      Delicious. 
      The tacos reminded me of Mexico. The tortillas were soft but substantial; although they were packed with food that moist they refused to break or melt away. I could have easily eaten two and been full but I wanted to try all three. I must mention they are a bit greasy, but they are flavor packed. I tired each of their salsas in the different tacos, not one failed to magnify a flavor unique to the Mexican pallet  The barbacoa was lean and moist, lightly seasoned, and tender. the egg and chorizo was covered in chorizo, which did make it greasy, but I prefer that to pepper chorizo that is found in most Tex-Mex restaurants  I have been in search of an egg and peppers taco for a very long time, having only found it once at a taco truck and found it again here. My sister enjoyed her potato and egg taco which featured a soft, moist potato. Clean up was easy since the tacos were served in a fry basket. 

      These tacos ensured that we would both venture back to the East Side soon. 

      Price

      The entire order of five tacos and two cans of soda came out to $8.75. For tacos of this calibur it is an absolute steal; you would have a hard time beating these prices anywhere in Houston. 

      Things to Note

      Las Novias only accepts cash, so make sure to stop by an ATM before hand. Luckily, an ATM can be found across the street at the Sellers Brothers market. Their is limited seating both inside and out, so if coming in a big group it is probably best to get it to-go. They are also a tortilleria, which means that you can buy their freshly made tortillas $3 for every 2 lb. order. Also, this might be a bit confusing but despite the building being marked as Ruiz Barbacoa/Tortilleria the establishment is actually Las Novias.
      Food Service goes from 5:30am - 3:00pm everyday (7 days a week)
      You can buy there tortillas from 5:30am - 8:00pm (7days a week)

      Las Novias Taqueria / Ruiz Tortilleria
      6641 Canal St.
      Houston, TX 77011
      713-926-0123
      Food service goes from 5:30am - 3:00pm everyday (7 days a week)
      You can buy there tortillas from 5:30am - 8:00pm (7 days a week)

      Charbroiled Standard - Annie's Burgers
      In the battle of classic burgers joints between Lankford Ford Grocery, Sparkles, Annie's and Guys Meat Market to name a few many peoples loyalties overshadow their taste buds. Growing up on fast food these loyalty feuds have sparked an interest in me to search out true burger joints and other dives and bring some insight on other people favorites.
      Annie's has been touted as the classic burger joint in Houston and well there are some truths to the reputation.


      Located on South Post Oak spotting the joint is a bit of a task. I got there around 11:00 on a Friday to avoid the lunch rush. Not having had any breakfast I opted to have a taste of their breakfast tacos as well as a burger for lunch. Annie's offered a variety of choices for breakfast options, including pancakes, biscuits and other southern favorites, but people tend to gravitate towards the tacos, so I chose tacos. After a quick look at the burger menu, a cheeseburger seemed like the fairest review for a Houston favorite. Prior to entering I did read some Yelp reviews most of which had mentioned their frozen lemonade which was, in one woman's words, "to die for". So their it was, I ordered two breakfast tacos, one sausage and egg, one bacon and egg, a frozen lemonade, a double cheeseburger and to top it off onion rings. I was surprised by the bill but decided not to cast judgment just yet. So Annie's, like any classic diner, has plenty of seating and a  condiments bar-which only had tabasco, napkins, salt and pepper. After about ten minutes I heard my order called over the PA system.

      The breakfast tacos


      The breakfast tacos came with two salsas, one mild and one that was supposed to be hot. Both tacos were amply packed with their fillings. The sausage and egg taco was in one word, moist and lacked flavor which the salsa didn't truly made up for. Now the real star was the bacon in the second taco which was cooked to what I consider to be perfection  a mix of crunchy and tender but overall thick and flavorful. If you plan on going to Annie's definitely try the bacon.

      The double cheeseburger


      Classically wrapped in a wax paper wrapper Annie's burger definitely looked classic, it was sloppy, greasy and cheesy. Topped with a thick slice of beef stake tomato, a thick layer of iceberg lettuce, some onion, American cheese and two beef patties, Annie's burger was classically char broiled. It did not blow my mind but the burge admirably ticked all the check-boxes a cheeseburger should. People have complained about Annie's patties lacking flavor or any seasoning but I found the char broiled taste to compensate for any shortcomings. That's it, Annie's double cheeseburger was a standard char broiled cheeseburger that left me feeling that Burger King did not have a monopoly on the char broiled burger.

      Onion rings

      The true star of the Annie's experience has to be the onion rings. Big, thick, fluffy and crunchy while retaining a sweet onion-ness that is often all too lacking in other rings, these were on point. Large, cooked to perfection, and full of flavor, Annie's onion rings did not really need the in house made sauce-but the sauce IS good. .

      Frozen lemonade

      Standard frozen lemonade that can be found at a variety of fairs, circuses, and music festivals monopolized by beer stands. Its mediocrity can be overlooked thanks to its super-sized serving.

      Price

      The burger alone was five-something, but I went ahead and have provided a picture of the receipt.
      Note #5 T1 is for the two breakfast tacos.

      Parking: Average lot, ample.

      Atmosphere: It was a diner.


      Annie's Burgers
      http://www.annieshamburgers.com/
      10821 S. Post Oak
      Houston, TX 77035
      713-729-8661
      Mon.-Wed. - 10:30am-7:00pm
      Thur.-Sun - 7:00am-7:00pm

      Sunday, March 10, 2013

      Elevation Burger

      Just ok.

      If you go definitely don't go for one party, the burgers are on the smaller side. The patty had little to no seasoning so the it was a very natural/bland taste. Their menu is set up in a five guys way where you select the patty you want then add toppings. Standard toppings. 
      The overall taste wasn't different. I'd maybe go back for the vegan burger but not really. 
      I ordered:
      Elevation Burger: 2 patties.
      Toppings: raw onion, pickles, lettuce, ketchup, mayo. 
      No drink, no fries. 
      Price/tax included -7.46

      The have frequency cards you can get punched every time you get a burger.