Oxheart - Houston, TX

Restaurant: 
Oxheart

Location:
1302 Nance St.
Houston, TX 77002

Hours:
Th-M 5:30a-10p
Tu-We Closed

Ambiance:
This post is long overdue. I've been quite busy for the past couple of weeks, that I haven't had the time to dedicate to writing. But, I'm back with my recap of our dinner at Oxheart. A few weeks ago, I celebrated foodie friend The Pancake Princess 's birthday at Oxheart. If you're not familiar with it, Oxheart if one of the most popular hidden restaurants in Houston, owned and operated by the one and only Chef Justin Yu and Karen Man. The restaurant is known for creatively crafting dishes made with  fresh ingredients, sourced within the state of Texas. Located in the city's warehouse district Downtown, in an industrial, yet chic building giving locals and visitors a unique dining experience. The experience will cost you around $75, and will range depending on any additions made(drinks etc.).


What I Ate:
You have the option of choosing between a choice of two menus, with one being veggie friendly. I'll be honest, as a first time visitor, I was praying their servings weren't the size of a quarter. Luckily they were actually very well portioned servings of each dish, off course you'll find yourself craving seconds. I enjoyed every bite of every dish. Everything from the locally made clay plateware, presentation, timing and portions.

Chilled "Gala" apple broth and roselle, with smoked, dried figs and "oyster" mushrooms. Tasted like Apple juice!

A lovely Rose to accompany our meal 

Mung bean crepe stuffed with corn and alliums, potato skins and miso, with pickled beets and burnt onion. A favorite of the night!

Intermission: Wheat bread w/ butter. Not part of the tasting

"Golden" Tilefish a scapecewith a basil-kombu broth, squash, salted fruits

Porridge of Texas grains, vadouvan, cauliflower, and "navel" oranges. Another fave, although I can't imagine eating more than a small serving of this.

"Freedom Ranger" Chicken stuffed rice and collard greens, with a jus of chicken and dried shellfish. The chicken was delicious, but the shellfish jus on the greens was "too fishy" for me.

Creme Fraiche cremeux, strawberry glazed with mushroom and sorghum , pear. AAAHH, that's all!

Sal Y Pimienta Houston Restaurant Weeks Preview

Two weeks ago, I along with some local food bloggers and writers was invited out for a preview of Sal Y Pimienta's Houston Restaurant Weeks menu. For starters, I had never visited this restaurant before in my life, so my curiosity was peaked. And after looking over their restaurant weeks menu, I just knew that I had to try this place. Sal Y Pimienta(which translates to salt & pepper) is a local restaurant looking to give us a close taste of South American cuisine. The restaurant is located in the beautiful City Center off of I-10 headed west, and is not hard to miss with their unique decor with a pop of orange all over.

A Taste of South African Food at Peli Peli Restaurant

I had the [absolute] honor of dining at Peli Peli Restaurant. Peli Peli is a South African infusion restaurant with locations at Vintage Park and The Galleria. The restaurant has been around for 9 years, but recently open a new location inside the loop.  

As you walk into the Galleria location, you'll be welcomed by a rainbow of LED lights that are perfectly assembled from the front room, the bar to the back rooms.  As you arrive in the middle room, depending on the time of day, you'll witness the ceiling lighting change from sunrise to sunset. And as you look to the walls you'll see maps of Johannesburg and " South African Flavors" printed on the walls. You'll also get to see some unique art pieces live painted by performance painter David Garibaldi.  

Peli Peli is owned by Thomas Nguyen, Michael Tran and Chef Paul Friedman( who is of South African decent). Together they want to introduce you to South Africa, through through the dishes on the menu. You’ll notice some influences from other cultures, which in part shows how diverse the country really is. We tasted some popular South African dishes like; Bobotie, Melktart(meaning Milk Tart in Afrikaans) and the South African KingKlip fish.

If you're not familiar with South African food, like most people, don't fret. Their well-versed and knowledgeable staff will be right there to walk you through the menu. But, one thing I can tell you about your dining experience at Peli Peli is, you will not be disappointed. 

Bobotie: A traditional South African dish consisting of spiced mashed meat baked in a "pot-pie" way. Very flavorful, 2nd best thing on the menu.

Prawn Bisque: This soup was so comforting and filling. It was topped with lobster meat.

South African Kingklip & Scallops: Special South African fish, imported from the motherland. The fish has a tougher texture but was very well seared and went perfectly with the slaw. The Shrimp was cooked as well.

Side Slaw w/ a mixed veggie/potato dish

Huguenot & Madagascar Filet  Medalions & Lamb Chop: 6 oz. filet topped with creamy clue cheese & bacon, and Green Peppercorn sauce. Perfectly prepared, to.die.for.

Melktart Brûlée: Traditional South African dessert adapted by Chef Paul, topped with brûlée crumble. You will feel perfectly at peace, joyful and in love with your first bite. Then you will come for more of this heavenly dessert. ( You've been warned!)

Brunch & Conversation Celebrates 2 Years

What was about two years ago, I made the decision to get to know my city. I decided that going around town, tasting food and sharing my experiences would allow me to learn the city as well as share with others the best places to eat.

This past Friday, I went back where it all started, Dish Society, to do what has now become a yearly tradition. It's been a whirlwind, 2 years of lots of driving, eating, drinking, conversing and writing. 

So I told y'all I'd be explaining why Dish Society is my favorite restaurant in Houston, right? Well, here's why. . . Ever since I was young, I had stomach sensitivity to heavy, acidic, greasy foods. At times I can smell or see a meal and my stomach will immediately tell me not to even think about it.  Being a blogger, you can imagine the crazy things I go through to satisfy my taste buds and also tell the story.

If that said, most of the times I steer away from tastings that have many course offerings( i.e. more than 3-4), but sometimes I just go with it and try to keep it light. Dish Society has been one of the local restaurants to satisfy my taste buds while also making my digestive system content. I've had light to big meals, consisting of many courses at this restaurant and have never encountered a problem. So that there is the reason why Dish Society is my favorite restaurant in Houston, judge from my feeling a few hours after eating.

To eat there, I recommend trying to build-your-own Farmer's plate, which gives you the option to choose a protein, and 2 sides. I always recommend that dining option. I also recommended some winter items that I have had on the menu; Brisket Stuffed Sweet Potato(to die for), Shrimp & Fish Tacos(amazing Sriracha sauce).

In all, thank you all for supporting Brunch & Conversation for the past 2 years and I hope you will only continue to support as I bring you more local, national and hopefully international dining experiences.

Cheers! 

Hugo's - Houston, TX

Restaurant:
Hugo's

Location: 
1600 Westheimer
Houston, TX 77006

Hours:
M-Th 11a-10p
Fr-Sa 11a-11p
Su 10a-9p

Ambiance:
Located in the heart of Montrose, Hugo's brings the city a piece of Mexico. The restaurant is owned by one of, if not my favorite chef in Houston, Hugo Ortega. I may be baised but, I feel like he can do no wrong, am I right? This establishment is housed in a latin inspired building in a vibrant, authentic part of town. It is filled with culture and does a better job at introducing Hugo Ortego from the roots to riches. Telling the story of his start, influences, culture and dream of sharing his culture with the world. The staff was just alright, I'd pick the food over them, lol. A little tip for my small people, if you pull the entrance door and it doesn't open, it's not you it's the door(heavy door).

What I Ate:
I had the "Pollo Asado con Salsa de Ancho," which consisted of half smoky grilled chicken with ancho Chile sauce, a delicious avocado relish, what looked and tasted like pan seared potatoes and a side of corn tortillas. Believe it or not, I finished the whole meal, and had desert after. For desert, I took a risk. I chose to trust my instinct or rather trust that Hugo's made close to as good of crepes as I'm used to eating at home. I can't remember the name of the desert, but I had caramel filled crepes with ice cream. The combination of flavors in this dessert was magical, these were probably the best crepes I have had in Houston. I usually judge the greatness of  a restaurant by how I feel after eating their food, and I felt alive, energetic and happy- So that says something, right?

Ruggles Black - Houston, TX

Restaurant:
Ruggles Black

 Location:
3963 Kirby Dr.
Houston, TX 77098

 Hours:
M-W 11a-10p
Th 11a-1a
Fr-Sat 11a-11p
Sun Closed

 Ambiance:
Ruggles Black is a little hidden gem, located on Kirby and The Southwest Freeway. You literally have to go find it because, it is hidden behind some trees in the Twin Peaks and Taco Cabana parking lot. Ruggles Black was crafted by Chef Bruce Molzan (former chef at Ruggles Green and Corner Table) and Neera Patida(former owner of now closed, Nosh Bistro). The two partnered to bring to Houston a new restaurant mixing Asian, Indian and American flavors to introduce a brand new eating concept. The environment is simple, modern and hip and its aesthetic is topped with a friendly, courteous staff. After having one of the craziest work weeks, I felt I needed to treat myself- So I took myself out for lunch. You can get a more vivid idea of Ruggles Black by watching my Tastemade appisode here.

 What I Ate:
I ordered the "Tandoori Chicken" also know as flat bread or pizza. Normally you would think eh, I can find pizza anywhere, but this one was unique. Topped with chicken, red onion, cilantro and their house-blended Tandoori spice to bring out a very unique taste. The serving was very generous, so I obviously took the rest to go(tasted 10x better the next day). Their menu also includes Paleo dishes, so I might try those next time.

Underbelly - Houston, TX

Restaurant:
Underbelly

Location:
1100 Westheimer Rd.
Houston, TX 77006

Hours:
M-Th 11a-3p (lunch) 5p-10p (dinner)
F 11a-3p (lunch) , 5p-11p (dinner)
Sa 5-11p

Ambiance:
Underbelly better described as "The story of Houston Food" is narrated by Chef Chris Shepherd, who looks to share the cultural diversity of Houston through food. This establishment is located in the cultural, vivacious part of Houston, Montrose. The environment brings a southern casual romantic feel, with a very spacious and open dining area that encourages interaction. The front side of the dining area houses the restaurant's butcher shop, which can be seen through glass windows. Located at the front of the dining area is an open kitchen, allowing diners to experience a semi-personal cooking experience( and maybe see the Chef himself). I visited on a night when Chef Shepherd held a going-away celebration for one of the members of staff. The demonstration added to my whole experience at Underbelly, and truly gave a homey feel. You could see many families, couples on dates, as well as friends dining before heading out on the town. This is one true depiction of our city, click here for a quick video tour of Underbelly.

What I Ate:
We ordered from their cute storybook cover menu, and decided to go with the Smoked Pork Roast, Butter Nut Squash Hash with Sugar Cane Pecan Glaze, and  2 Lard Biscuits. Their meals are a true family size, and although costly, they are worth every penny. The pork was perfectly cooked, with the glaze, Squash and Okra offering an ideal complement. The Lard biscuits were fantastic, and still tasted the same the day after.

With the amazing Chef of #Underbelly Chris Shepherd 👌#tastemadehouston #brunchanvonversation

A photo posted by Dalida💋 (@lavidalida) on Sep 9, 2014 at 9:05pm PDT

Backstreet Cafe - Houston, TX

Restaurant:

Backstreet Cafe

Location 

1103 S Shepherd Dr
Houston, TX 77019

Hours:
Mon-Thurs 11am-10pm
Fri 11am-11pm
Sat 10am-11pm
Sun 10am -9pm

Ambiance:

Backstreet Cafe is one of Houston Chef, Hugo Ortega's restaurants. It is located on South Shepherd Drive and McDuffie(near Brasserie 19).The 31 year old restaurant is housed in a beautiful 2 story old country home, that gives you a feeling of being at that one friend's house with a beautiful backyard. The staff was so courteous and accommodating. They were helpful in telling me the story and history of Backstreet, as well as helping me get the shots for my @tastemade video review. To get a better feel of what it's like dining at Backstreet, check out my Tastemade appisode here.

Oceanaire Seafood Room - Houston, TX

Restaurant:

Oceanaire SeafoodRoom

Location:

5061 Westheimer Rd,

Houston, TX 77056

Hours:

Lunch Monday-Friday: 11:30am - 5pm

Dinner Monday-Thursday: 5-10pm

Friday-Saturday: 5-11pm

Sunday: 5-9pm

Ambiance:

Oceanaire is a seafood restaurant situated right on Westheimer Road at the Galleria Mall. It was voted one of the best seafood restaurants in the country, so I was excited to finally try it. It has a clean, sophisticated, open environment. The facility has large windows facing Westheimer Road, and they’re able to draw in lots of natural light into the restaurant. Their tables are a mix between round and rectangular, all draped with a white cloths. The natural light coming into the restaurant just makes everything look exceptional.

Masraff's - Houston, TX

Restaurant:

Masraff's 

Location:

1753 Post Oak Blvd.
Houston, TX 77056
Fri: 11 am - 11 pm
Sat: 6 pm - 11 pm
Sun: Closed

Hours:

Mon-Thurs:11 am-10 pm

Ambiance:

I had the pleasure of going to Masraff's for a lunch meeting with two of our vendors this week. The restaurant is located on Post Oak in the Galleria area. The restaurant is very classic, the first thing you notice is their wine cellar near the entrance. We were welcomed by a friendly greeter who lead us to our table. Our host was knowledgeable as we asked him questions about the menu. The atmosphere is professional and classy. We came during lunch, so we were surrounded by men in their button ups, suits and ties.

What I ate:

I ordered the Hawaiian Shutome, also known as a swordfish, and a chopped salad with a balsamic & vinaigrette mixture. It was my first time having a swordfish and it was a wonderful experience, God bless this creature. The fish was blackened and served in a butternut squash, baby carrots, charred green cauliflower, yellow beet and tobiko vinaigrette/soup. Very filling!

My friends also enjoyed their meals accompanied by wine. This restaurant has a great wine selection.