Category: Restaurants

Texas Thai: Jungle Curry at Sway in West Lake Hills Is a Dish Deluxe

You might expect bold flavors, but this is something even more profound and satisfying. Texas wagyu brisket, red chili, baby corn, tiny eggplant, stalks of green peppercorn, and coconut cream — it’s called Jungle Curry.

It’s a dish on the menu at Sway, in West Lake Hills, near Austin, Texas. The dining room here is captivating; large communal tables and dark tile, a busy open kitchen, a rooftop bar with views of Austin’s skyline.

And flavors in abundance. Beginning with that beautiful brisket in the Jungle Curry.

Joto Daiginjo’s 72 Clocks sake pairs well here.
Kamille and Angela at Sway

Rabbit, Peaches, and Some Great Wines: Theodore Rex is One of Houston’s Best

Theodore Rex has, for the past year or so, been one of my favorite restaurants in Houston, and a recent evening spent there resulted in a firm reinforcement of that opinion. It is, in my estimation, one of the five best restaurants in that city.

I’ve dined at Theodore Rex six or so times, and each evening has been full of myriad flavors and textures that are just right, from a dish of poached peaches coddled in a rich broth with fresh herbs — a savory/slightly sweet beauty of a course — to handmade farfalle in a rich sauce vin jaune with chard and braised rabbit (typing that made me want to have this dish now) or, one of my top dishes of the past several years, beans and rice (but not your average bowl of beans and rice, to be sure).

Beans and rice
Tomatoes and bread extraordinaire

On that recent evening, Angela and I sat at the chef’s counter at Theodore Rex and shared a few dishes (we skipped the beans and rice — “Carolina Gold rice and butterbeans cooked in soft butter with crushed garden leaves,” but will have them on our next visit — ) including the famous tomato toast:

As I wrote about that toast last year … another small and epiphanic item that you will crave often after experiencing its wonder. It combines rye pain de mie, bright green herbs and onions, and some of the most delicately delicious tomatoes you’ve tasted. (Many pounds of the fruit are cooked down into a rich fondant, which is spread on the toast and then topped with cherry tomatoes from Finca Tres Robles.)

The Dutch Crunch Roll
Ham and cream and hot sauce

We had the Dutch Crunch roll, which came with split butter (butter mixed with just enough crème fraîche to split it without completely separating it — Justin Yu, the man behind the restaurant, says, “it has a fun texture and I like the sourness.” I agree) and ham and Mexican oregano and Cherry Bomb pepper sauce. We had those peaches in stock and herbs — the fruit was mighty savory, while still tart — and that ethereal housemade farfalle with rabbit, the vin jaune sauce one of the best I’ve tasted.

Peaches and herbs
Farfalle and rabbit
An Abariño of distinction
From France, with much love.

To end the evening, instead of my usual dessert choice, Yu’s take on the Paris Brest, we went with a moist and rich strawberry cake. I missed the Paris Brest only a little.

A fine cake of strawberries

The great wines? An Albariño to start, followed by a selection from Charles Hours. Yes, Theodore Rex has a wine list I adore.

A Pasta Dish Extraordinaire: Garganelli, Sausage, and Leeks, Plus Truffles

Leeks and garganelli, plus sausage and mascarpone. The pasta, a type hailing originally from Romagna, is both hearty and delicate, graceful and sturdy. It’s been rolled by hand.

Rustic is what this dish certainly is; the leek and sausage ragù I would happily eat on its own, or spread on grilled bread. The sausage possesses a richness that, when combined with the leeks, mellows and lingers. The mascarpone is warm and creamy and slightly acidic. And the truffles.

The truffles belong here. Your spirits lift when you lean over this dish and inhale their aroma. The right thing to do: Take your spoon and mix everything, gently. The distinct flavors will meld, the pasta’s tiny ridges will capture the sauce, and your evening will become more than satisfying.

You’ll find the garganelli, and the rest of this creation, at Sorriso, a restaurant that opened early in 2019 in The Woodlands, a planned community north of Houston. The kitchen is run by Enzo Fargione, who made his name in D.C. with Barolo and Elisir. Giorgio Ferrero, the sommelier at Sorriso, will energetically take care of your wine needs, and oversees a diverse and quality list. They’ve gotten off to a promising start.

A Beet Tartare That Impresses

We’re in Chicago for Christmas, and today at lunch came across a perfect little dish. It was at Somerset, an elegant, two-story restaurant that’s part of the Boka Restaurant Group.

The main dining room — Somerset is meant to evoke a country club vibe — is full of brass and leather and tweedy fabric and wood, but it all meshes in the mind in an airy and comfortable manner. One would not expect cigar smoke in this club, but Martinis and deck shoes would fit right in.

Wood, brass, a welcoming air, and food that makes delicious sense.

Service here is casual but professional; the wine list is thoughtful, with glasses and bottles from $11/$40ish. Domaine Olga Raffault is represented, as are Giovanni Rosso and Billecart Salmon. Cocktails and draft beer mean you won’t suffer from thirst.

To the beet tartare. It comes to table in a bowl, and the first element one notices are the dark crackers studded with sunflower seeds and other nuts. Light, crisp, earthy … the perfect scoop for the beets and cheese. Break off a piece of the cracker, and be sure to get a bite containing everything. When it hits your palate, you’ll like the initial citrusy/smoky rush, which mellows into something deeper, richer. The sunflower seeds give texture, and the cheeses jump on your tongue.

Under all the cheese are cumin yogurt, goat gouda, and sunflower seeds, plus smoked beets. If you are in Chicago, get this.

This beet tartare has been added to The Brockhaus 2018 Top 20 Dishes List.

First Impressions: Nobie’s Has Some Good Stuff Going On

A busy and inviting bar, suitable lighting — neither too bright or jarring, nor too dark so as to cause discomfort— a small but considerable wine list, and a menu created with thought. All good things, yes?

I experienced all that, and more, this past week in Houston, at Nobie’s, a welcoming (and, on the evening of my visit, my first to the restaurant, bustling) place set up in a former residence in a neighborhood street off of Kirby. It opened in the fall of 2016, so all things should be firing well, and based on my meal, they are.

I arrived earlier than my date, so took a stool at the bar. It was a Thursday, and all bottles of sparking wines are half off on that day. I ordered a Spumante (100 percent Arneis) from Malvira and was glad the bartender poured it into a wine stem. Light and fizzy, aromas of peach and white flowers, and pleasantly dry — no residual sugar here. Most of the seats at the bar were occupied, some guests with plates of food before them, others drinking only. Go to this bar, and if whisky is your thing, go on Wednesday, when all whiskies are half off.

Shrimp and grits at Nobie’s

We sat outside to dine, and began with a dish they’ve named “Bohemian Radishy.” Yes, there are lots of radishes on the plate, perhaps too many for the amount of crab dip served. (I write that because I loved the crab dip, all speckled with trout roe, and wanted more.)

Next came “Bang Bang Shrimp & Grits” and “Surf n’ Swine.” The former’s grits were definitely the stoneground variety, rich and creamy and dotted with hot sauce. The crustaceans were not overdone, something I encounter far too often in these parts, and I liked the crunchy texture provided by their shells.

The seafood and pork dish was served in a small cast-iron cocotte, and the clam and chorizo played off of one another marvelously. The pork was smoky and tender and reminded me of my great-grandmother’s ham and peas. What’s better than that?

This pie: Oreo crust, and a salty, rich peanut butter, plus fresh whipped cream

Well, our dessert came close. A pie with an Oreo crust (minus the white filling of the cookie, thank goodness) topped with a decadently creamy and slightly salty peanut butter. Share this with someone you like.

Sara Stayer (Courtesy Nobie’s)

Martin Stayer (Courtesy Nobie’s)

First impressions matter, of course, and I’ll return to Nobie’s soon. Martin Stayer, who’s done the rounds of some fine kitchens in Chicago, runs the back of the house, and Sara Stayer, to whom he is married, has the front of the house under relaxed but professional control. The menu changes often, so consult it before you go. But do go.

Nobie’s is at 2048 Colquitt Street.

NPR Shows Some Love to Himalaya, One of Houston’s Culinary Jewels

You’ve all read about my visits to Kaiser Lashkari’s little restaurant in a strip mall off of busy Interstate 59; Himalaya is one of my favorite restaurants in Houston, and if I don’t have my fix of saag paneer and masala fried chicken — not to mention chicken hara masala, goat biryani, and chicken fried steak — at least once every three weeks or so, the withdrawal symptoms get bad. The saag paneer is, bar none, the best I’ve had anywhere, including versions served to me in several cities in India and any number cooked by Indian mothers. Himalaya is on The Brockhaus’ Top Restaurants in the World List, and is nearer the top of that roster than it is the bottom. It is the real thing.

National Public Radio has now joined the Himalaya bandwagon, and on Sunday morning aired a visit by Lulu Garcia-Vavarro to the restaurant. If you have not had the pleasure of tasting Kaiser’s food or hearing him hold forth on food and business and life, give the NPR segment a listen by clicking here. Then, take a drive to the Hillcroft area and sit down to some of the best food in Texas. Tell Kaiser I sent you. (And if you don’t know, Himalaya is BYOB, so chill some Riesling and make it a feast.)

A Frittata For Emma: Cooking This Will Make You Happy (Plus, Wine, Music, and Foie Gras)

Buddy and Emma (far right) Sullivan, with Maruja and Pepita in the 1950s.

Brooklyn Heights, 2004. That’s the year I met Emma Sullivan and her cousins Maruja and Pepita. Emma owned The Long Island Restaurant, one door down from our apartment on Atlantic Avenue. I was in the restaurant often. It was (and still is) a beautiful time-capsule of a place, booths and wooden bar, photographs of Buddy — Emma’s late husband — and other family members behind the bar, a manual cash register that made me smile when Emma opened it. The sound was comforting. It was a warm and gentle room.

Emma closed up shop in 2007; she and Buddy had taken it over in 1956. Hers was a 51-year run of countless conversations and days and nights making guests feel at home. I miss walking into her restaurant, and probably always will. (The space was reopened in 2013, after Emma leased it to a pair of worthy guys. Next time you are in Brooklyn, pay them a visit.)

I wrote this week about Emma and her cousins and The Long Island Restaurant for PaperCity magazine, and included a frittata recipe based on that special woman and her cousins. You might like to make the dish one morning, or night. Think of Emma — or someone whose life is special to you — when you do.

Like good music and wine, plus some tasty crab cakes? If so, and you find yourself in Missouri City, Texas, check out B’s Wine Bar. Angela and I were there last night, and the band was hot, the crowd stylish and fun, and the staff welcoming and obviously excited about their work.

Drink some wine here in Missouri City, Texas. (Courtesy D-Mars.com)

Angela and I were seated in the wine room, just the two of us at a quaint table, the kind one finds in parks in Paris. We talked and drank and laughed and found a place new to us to which we’ll return. (Thanks for the recommendation, Kennady.)

How’s this for a transition: I love foie gras. I’ve eaten it in Spain, in Dubai, in Paris, in New York, in Italy, in New Delhi, and, most recently, last week in Houston. It’s from Hudson Valley Foie Gras, and it’s prepared in a wonderful way. Take a look at this:

That’s Foie Gras alla Fiamma, newly added to the tasting menu at Tony’s, and it’s good. Order it and savor the preparation process. There’s Moscato and a vanilla bean and a grape, and it’s served with toasted farro. Sensual, delicious, decadent.

Restaurant Weeks NYC and Houston, and Chicken Paprikash: Summer Is Winding Down

New York City, 1995. I had arrived a few months earlier to begin a new job with a newspaper, and was visiting restaurants and bars that had been on my list for a long while. Sign of the Dove. La Grenouille. Elaine’s. Le Veau d’Or. McSorley’s. So many more, some long gone, others still thriving, pleasing guests night after night, attracting people from around the world to the streets and avenues of New York. That summer, I participated in NYC Restaurant Week; we made a few reservations at select places, and had (mostly) good experiences. It was a pleasure to sit and watch out-of-towners eat — I had already become a New Yorker, at least in my heart and mentality — and it felt good. The tables were ours. The latest version of NYC Restaurant Week runs through August 18, giving you 12 more days to pay $29 for lunch or $42 for dinner at places including Porsena, Hearth, Lupa, and ABC Kitchen. If you can, go.

La Grenouille, around since 1962.

Houston Restaurant Weeks (HRW) is also upon us, and it features 277 establishments giving a portion of their proceeds from special menus ($45 dinner, $20 lunch, with some exceptions) to the Houston Food Bank to help feed the hungry. I’ve tasted from some of the offerings, and will surely get to more, and encourage everyone to make some reservations. Go to a place you might not otherwise. Hunger is no laughing matter, and Houston is full of people who don’t know where their next meal will come from. Do some good, have some fun, and tip well.

Want some suggestions for HRW? Amalfi Ristorante Italiano & Bar and Sud Italia are home to some good pasta and proteins, and a visit to Ginger & Fork will introduce you to mushrooms and rice noodles that are not to be missed.

When you’re out and about during HRW, you’ll be wanting some wine to pair with your meals. Why not make it a full evening and have a glass of Rosé as an apéritif? Stoller Family Estate has produced one that I like (click here to read about it), but the Pink Universe is large, so you’ll have no difficulties choosing a good bottle. In addition, many of the restaurants participating in HRW have selected wines they think pair well with their menus, an easy opportunity for you to taste something new.

Tomatoes and Wagyu done well

Speaking of new, a dish was added to the menu at Tony’s last week, and it’s something you’ll want. The Carpaccio di Pomodoro is tomato and Wagyu heaven, and I featured it in a piece for PaperCity on my (current) Dream Team of dishes in Houston. You can read about it here. (There’s also some great tacos and pasta on my team.)

 

For those of you wanting a hearty meal at home, I offer Chicken Paprikash. I cooked it on Sunday, and based it on the recipe featured by Sam Sifton in The Times. Use a combination of sweet and hot smoked paprika, and make sure to go with bone-in chicken. Cooking it is simple — you’ll have to brown the chicken in a Dutch oven for a few minutes — and when the smokiness of the paprika meets the sour cream, your evening will be set. Pair your Paprikash with a bottle of this Pinot Noir and a salad of mixed greens, and the picture is complete.

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