The Skinny: Great little tapas oasis in the middle of the ever expanding River Oaks shopping district.
The Fat: I love a good tapas restaurant. You can have all the variety of, say, a buffet with all the quality of a specialty entree.
Tintos is in the old Back Door Sushi building, nestled behind La Madeline, Starbucks and a bevy of boutiques that line West Grey Blvd. It's a pretty unique location because it doesn't have a street front, it actually sits in the middle of a parking lot. That's only a problem if you don't know where it is. Otherwise, the location serves as a welcome retreat from the bustling street.
I originally thought the floor plan was a little odd; you walk in the door and you can either choose the dining room to the right with the cool guitarists and the lively bar or get stuck with the lame-o table on the dark quiet left side.
Well there weren't any tables left on the awesome side so we got shipped to the loser side. Soon I realized I was engrossed in conversation, I had a prime view of everyone that walked in the door (love to people watch) AND I could still hear the guitar in the background. Overall, I think any seat in the house is a good seat.
There was a very nice list of Spanish wines so my dining companion and I decided we would order a bottle. As we browsed over the list the waiter approached and mentioned three selections that he thought we would like. He then told us he'd be right back because he'd like to bring them to us. I thought, "wonderful, he's going to bring samples of three wines for us to try, that's a nice touch."
When he returned he was carrying three uncorked bottles...for us to look at. He caressed each bottle, Vanna White style, as he lovingly but vaguely described the taste and tannin content of each selection. I started laughing, a habit that I cannot seem to control in odd situations. We thanked him for his performance and ordered the middle bottle; the irresistible one with sexy curves and a pretty label. Later we discovered that it didn't taste half bad either.
For dinner we chose to order three hot tapas and a salad. There is a huge variety of selections to chose from, but we stuck to the Salmon Serrano, Caracoles Andaluces,Fritura de Mariscos and the Ensalada de Casa. Their staggered arrival over the course of five minutes really allowed each to have center stage for just a moment before the next plate arrived.
First out was the salmon, wrapped with Serrano Ham and drizzled with a creamy wine sauce. I asked for the salmon to be served rare, but when it arrived it was over done. Instead of encasing the small fillet with a thin piece of Serrano, they chose to tie a thick strip over just the midsection; I found it awkward and destructive to try to get a bite with both flavors together. The cream sauce was tasty and the fish fresh, but the dish could have been better executed.
Then came the caracoles or snails dish which was served in a large bowl with roasted artichokes, sun dried tomatoes, lemon butter, and herbed goat cheese. First of all, I LOVE SNAILS. It's already a bonus when they're on the menu. If they are not drenched in garlic and butter, then my next choice would be to eat them like this. What a hit. Each was delicate, tender and swimming in a luscious sauce that even non-snail lovers will enjoy dipping their bread into.
When the Fritura de Mariscos arrived, the pale little pile of lightly breaded and fried shrimp, calamari, and cod disappeared next to the other tapas. The lime habanero aioli was a nice, but predictable dipping sauce. While the dish was kind of boring, the quality was top-notch.
As for the salad, it's always good to get a bowl of greens to go with such rich little dishes. I would normally consider a "house salad" to be an ordinary concoction of bland greens peppered with run of the mill veggies. Far from ordinary the salad included organic grown arugula, figs, roasted almonds, bleu cheese and honey balsamic vinaigrette. For $8, it was a sweet treat.
We had a great time at Tintos. Our server was genuinely kind and attentive, the food was on the high end of the taste spectrum and the atmosphere was a perfect mix of cozy and lively; you gotta love that!
I adore tapas restaurants. They give you the option of trying multiple items while you share each taste with your friends. So fun. Nonetheless, it's still hard to pay $12 for a piece of salmon the size of my cell phone. This place was lovely and the portions sizes are great, but if we could get the price points down a dollar or two on some of these dishes, we'd have a home run on our hands.
Location: 2015 West Gray Street 713.522.1330
Showing posts with label Live Music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Live Music. Show all posts
Sambuca - Give it a Try
The Skinny: For a well rounded night of good service, perfectly executed fare and some lively contemporary music, get Dolled Up and head Downtown.
The Fat: I'll admit, I'm not a huge fan of lunging myself into the Houston mess on the weekends. Why should I venture Downtown when there are more than enough great places in Montrose, River Oaks and The Heights where I won't have to pay $15 to park my car and walk 10 blocks to my destination? However, there are a few places that make the madness well worth it.
I've visited Sambuca about five times over the past few years. Sometimes I'll go on a date, other times I will step in with a group of friends. Whomever may accompany you, this is one of the Houston establishments that really makes you feel like you're living it up. Although they serve a fantastic lunch menu, it's just one of those places you should visit when the sun goes down.
The restaurant has two main levels, each cozy in their own right. Dark accessories and leopard print upholstery pepper the restaurant. Tables for larger groups tend to be upstairs or set off to the side. Some tables are placed right in front of the stage. If you want to feel like part of the action, ask to be seated there. Late night, they move some of the stage-front tables to allow more space for a dance floor. I have been seated upstairs and, while it's the perfect retreat for an intimate occasion, the downstairs level is by far my favorite place to sit.
If you're there to dine, I highly recommend making reservations. There's a swanky bar area where you can wait for an opening or just sip on Martinis, but if you want a table you may as well reserve a spot. My only suggestion would be that you make a specific request for where you'd like to sit.
The last time I made a reservation, I asked for a booth. Requesting a booth is usually a great idea because each one is placed along the perimeter and is curved to face the main dining area. When we arrived, however, all the downstairs booths were occupied, so we were shuffled upstairs to the one remaining booth. We felt quite isolated from the rest of the restaurant. For a reservation with a special request for booth, you'd think they would have asked us if we wanted to sit at THE ONLY BOOTH UPSTAIRS...alone...away from the rest of the crowd. While it was the perfect place for a wild make-out session, (don't get me wrong, I'm pretty adventurous) it was only 6pm and we had a show to attend at 8pm. So shoot me if I didn't want to wrinkle my dress before the Symphony!
Ah, the food. For starters, the Carpaccio in the Raw is a must. This duo of delicate salmon and beef was drizzled with orange and balsamic vinaigrette, respectively. So sublime.
Oh, and I'm always up for a little escargot too. The escargot at Sambuca is an outstanding selection. While I much prefer the basic preparation of butter, garlic and little else, this appetizer was just as alluring because it was smothered in lemon, garlic, spinach and smoked Gouda. They're also topped with small puff pastry pieces, which were flavorless additions that detracted from the dish. In fact, I think it would be best if the escargot were served without them. I promptly removed them from my plate. Instead I used some of Sambuca's crusty bread to sop up the ridiculously cheesy goodness that was left on my plate after I inhaled the snails.
But do sop up the remnants. Don't be shy, what's the point? This is food, people. It's meant to be enjoyed.
You'll surely be satisfied with any entree you order, but I tend to lean toward the steak. I always love a good fish, but I cook a lot at home and so the last thing I wanted was another salmon dish. I'm in it for the meat. The Petite Filet (to be exact) was more than enough for me, but a larger version is available. If there were side dishes on the plate (which there were) I overlooked them entirely. The meat had all my attention...and rightly so.
The great thing about the meat at Sambuca is that, while it is always perfectly prepared (medium rare, baby) they top each steak variety with it's own little pat of seasoned butter. Who doesn't like butter? Mine came with a slice of Gorgonzola Walnut butter. My date's New York Strip came with Roasted Garlic and Thyme butter...oh my god...sh!
P.S. I never make it around to dessert at Sambuca, but I'm sure it's delicious. The last thing I remember is that they never offer enough chocolate dessert selections...but with a precursor of good wine, good music, and (if you're lucky) good company, I'm thinking that a fantastic dessert will follow suit.
Location: 909 Texas Avenue (713) 224-5299
Photo courtesy of Kenny Haner
The Fat: I'll admit, I'm not a huge fan of lunging myself into the Houston mess on the weekends. Why should I venture Downtown when there are more than enough great places in Montrose, River Oaks and The Heights where I won't have to pay $15 to park my car and walk 10 blocks to my destination? However, there are a few places that make the madness well worth it.
I've visited Sambuca about five times over the past few years. Sometimes I'll go on a date, other times I will step in with a group of friends. Whomever may accompany you, this is one of the Houston establishments that really makes you feel like you're living it up. Although they serve a fantastic lunch menu, it's just one of those places you should visit when the sun goes down.
The restaurant has two main levels, each cozy in their own right. Dark accessories and leopard print upholstery pepper the restaurant. Tables for larger groups tend to be upstairs or set off to the side. Some tables are placed right in front of the stage. If you want to feel like part of the action, ask to be seated there. Late night, they move some of the stage-front tables to allow more space for a dance floor. I have been seated upstairs and, while it's the perfect retreat for an intimate occasion, the downstairs level is by far my favorite place to sit.
If you're there to dine, I highly recommend making reservations. There's a swanky bar area where you can wait for an opening or just sip on Martinis, but if you want a table you may as well reserve a spot. My only suggestion would be that you make a specific request for where you'd like to sit.
The last time I made a reservation, I asked for a booth. Requesting a booth is usually a great idea because each one is placed along the perimeter and is curved to face the main dining area. When we arrived, however, all the downstairs booths were occupied, so we were shuffled upstairs to the one remaining booth. We felt quite isolated from the rest of the restaurant. For a reservation with a special request for booth, you'd think they would have asked us if we wanted to sit at THE ONLY BOOTH UPSTAIRS...alone...away from the rest of the crowd. While it was the perfect place for a wild make-out session, (don't get me wrong, I'm pretty adventurous) it was only 6pm and we had a show to attend at 8pm. So shoot me if I didn't want to wrinkle my dress before the Symphony!
Ah, the food. For starters, the Carpaccio in the Raw is a must. This duo of delicate salmon and beef was drizzled with orange and balsamic vinaigrette, respectively. So sublime.
Oh, and I'm always up for a little escargot too. The escargot at Sambuca is an outstanding selection. While I much prefer the basic preparation of butter, garlic and little else, this appetizer was just as alluring because it was smothered in lemon, garlic, spinach and smoked Gouda. They're also topped with small puff pastry pieces, which were flavorless additions that detracted from the dish. In fact, I think it would be best if the escargot were served without them. I promptly removed them from my plate. Instead I used some of Sambuca's crusty bread to sop up the ridiculously cheesy goodness that was left on my plate after I inhaled the snails.
But do sop up the remnants. Don't be shy, what's the point? This is food, people. It's meant to be enjoyed.
You'll surely be satisfied with any entree you order, but I tend to lean toward the steak. I always love a good fish, but I cook a lot at home and so the last thing I wanted was another salmon dish. I'm in it for the meat. The Petite Filet (to be exact) was more than enough for me, but a larger version is available. If there were side dishes on the plate (which there were) I overlooked them entirely. The meat had all my attention...and rightly so.
The great thing about the meat at Sambuca is that, while it is always perfectly prepared (medium rare, baby) they top each steak variety with it's own little pat of seasoned butter. Who doesn't like butter? Mine came with a slice of Gorgonzola Walnut butter. My date's New York Strip came with Roasted Garlic and Thyme butter...oh my god...sh!
P.S. I never make it around to dessert at Sambuca, but I'm sure it's delicious. The last thing I remember is that they never offer enough chocolate dessert selections...but with a precursor of good wine, good music, and (if you're lucky) good company, I'm thinking that a fantastic dessert will follow suit.
Location: 909 Texas Avenue (713) 224-5299
Photo courtesy of Kenny Haner
Rudyard's Pub - Give it a Try
The Skinny: Aside from the down right relaxed atmosphere and great beer, this place serves some fairly good bar food.
The Fat: This little hole-in-the-wall pub quickly became one of my favorites when I first moved to Houston five years ago. I would drag myself over there pretty regularly, after a long night of studying, for a few beers and an eclectic assortment of live music . Then one day, when 3 (or4 or5) Stella's just wouldn't stop my tummy from rumbling, I realized...there's a kitchen here...with a full menu!
I started out small; I'd order a basket of super crunchy tater tots (a deep fried, must have!) with ketchup or crispy fried zucchini with a side of ranch dressing to take the edge off. Oh, I wasn't gonna get serious about this food. After all how good could the food be in a place where you feel like you're overdressed if you're wearing a brand new pair of jeans and a t-shirt without holes?
Fast forward to the present. Nothing about their food has changed except my opinion of how good it is. Get any burger and you're sure to be stuffed, satisfied, and ready for a nap. They serve great sandwiches, hot subs, salads and quesadillas. Try the garden burger. They're not made from scratch but, aside from the shape of the preformed patty, you would never know.
The Pasta Special rocks my world. The recipe changes, but it always gets me smilin'. Thick linguine smothered in a magical, creamy sauce and peppered with fun veggies (i can only seem to remember the corn) and topped with juicy grilled chicken. It comes with two pieces of cheesy, crusty bread so you can sop up any of the yumminess you may have left behind.
Sure, everything tastes better when you've had too much to drink. That's why the drive through line at Taco Bell is the longest at 2:15 am. But, Rudz has some pretty good bar food, with or without the beer buzz.
P.S. The reasons I love Rudyard's are simple. I can go on any given night and head upstairs to listen to local bands, sit downstairs on the patio and eat, or just pop by for one too many beers...and then walk home.
Location: 2010 Waugh Drive
I started out small; I'd order a basket of super crunchy tater tots (a deep fried, must have!) with ketchup or crispy fried zucchini with a side of ranch dressing to take the edge off. Oh, I wasn't gonna get serious about this food. After all how good could the food be in a place where you feel like you're overdressed if you're wearing a brand new pair of jeans and a t-shirt without holes?
Fast forward to the present. Nothing about their food has changed except my opinion of how good it is. Get any burger and you're sure to be stuffed, satisfied, and ready for a nap. They serve great sandwiches, hot subs, salads and quesadillas. Try the garden burger. They're not made from scratch but, aside from the shape of the preformed patty, you would never know.
The Pasta Special rocks my world. The recipe changes, but it always gets me smilin'. Thick linguine smothered in a magical, creamy sauce and peppered with fun veggies (i can only seem to remember the corn) and topped with juicy grilled chicken. It comes with two pieces of cheesy, crusty bread so you can sop up any of the yumminess you may have left behind.
Sure, everything tastes better when you've had too much to drink. That's why the drive through line at Taco Bell is the longest at 2:15 am. But, Rudz has some pretty good bar food, with or without the beer buzz.
P.S. The reasons I love Rudyard's are simple. I can go on any given night and head upstairs to listen to local bands, sit downstairs on the patio and eat, or just pop by for one too many beers...and then walk home.
Location: 2010 Waugh Drive
Onion Creek - Give it a Try
The Skinny: The beer selection is top notch, the atmosphere is cozy and Austinesque and the burgers are great* (do read below for my beef with their burgers.)
The Fat: I’ve been a lover of Onion Creek for quite some time. I can head there midday for a cup of coffee or go there late night for a couple of beers. The enormous multi level patio deck offers plenty of seating with outdoor tables, chairs and picnic benches. Inside, you’ll find more tables closer to the bar and a little lounge section off to the side filled with mismatched couches and a Packman machine.
Overall the menu is pretty expansive for this little Heights patio bar. They offer an assortment of individual pizzas, hot dogs, sandwiches, salads and a decent number of vegetarian selections. I am, however, a loyal fan of their burgers - the OC burger to be exact. It’s layered with white cheddar, avocado, bacon, lettuce, tomato, red onion and chipotle mayo.
Burgers and sandwiches are served with your choice of chips or potato salad. Now, listen to me when I say this...DO NOT LEAVE without trying the potato salad! This creamy concoction tastes like a stuffed potato that’s been mixed, mashed, chilled and scooped out for your side dish pleasure.
So back to the burgers*. Here’s the catch. Every once in a while, they’re simply out of burgers. I have to say that, in all the years I’ve ever been to Onion Creek, this only happened once. The rub is that it happened on the one night I took seven friends there specifically for their burgers. On the way there I’m like "The burgers are so great...You have to try the burgers...I’m getting a burger...Burgers this and burgers that"...only to find out that there was not a burger to be had. What? Who runs out of burgers at 8pm on a Friday? Apparently Onion Creek does from time to time. Yep, sort of felt like an ass.
From what I was told when I asked the guy at the bar, Onion Creek has a pretty small kitchen, so they get their burgers cooked down the street at their sister restaurant, Dry Creek (great burgers too, go figure). When the place gets busy, sometimes they just can’t keep up with the burger demand and they fall a bit short.
After a couple of beers and some SERIOUS whining, I settled for a pathetic variation of a Panini. Panini, as we’ve come to know and love them, have one deliciously distinguishing quality - those babies are grilled to have a nice, hearty crunch. Some places may grill them more than others, but any way you toss it, Panini get some grillin’.
Now, I’m not sure if it was a busy night, but my "Pathetinini" - as I like to call it - was made of two pieces of soft round bread, whose tops had been sliced off to resemble Panini bread. Ok, so I’m into working things out on the fly, but can I get some grill action? Uh, none? It was so sad. I think my friends and I actually laughed, (out loud) pointing and criticising, my soft, white sandwich when it got to the table. Sure we behaved like cruel children on a playground poking fun at the one kid wearing faux converse tennis shoes, but I asked for a Panini God dammit, not some sandwich with a star drawn on the side of it.
I won't even get into the Asian Wrap my friend ordered...Ok, I will get into it. This wrap was filled with little more than lettuce and dry Ramen Noodels. Literally! You know those mechanically bent, white noodles that (once water is added) suddenly take on the form of nutritional and totally acceptable meals you used to eat during your first few years of college? While some of us love the taste of $.15 noodles, (myself included) I can't think of anyone who can figure out how $.15 noodles plus lettuce = $7.25. I don't care how bad you are at math!
I love this place overall. And after all is said and done, I'll continue to go back because, if you know what to order, the food is great. The people are friendly and the place is alive with a certain spirit the makes you feel like you're at a backyard party. While the pizzas and appetizers aren't bad either, I say order a burger for your main dish. Give me a burger, a beer and some awesome weather and I’m all about Onion Creek.
P.S. You may want to call ahead and make sure they're stocked up on beef before you get there because if you're anything like me, once you crave a burger...nothing else will do.
Location :3106 White Oak Blvd.
The Fat: I’ve been a lover of Onion Creek for quite some time. I can head there midday for a cup of coffee or go there late night for a couple of beers. The enormous multi level patio deck offers plenty of seating with outdoor tables, chairs and picnic benches. Inside, you’ll find more tables closer to the bar and a little lounge section off to the side filled with mismatched couches and a Packman machine.
Overall the menu is pretty expansive for this little Heights patio bar. They offer an assortment of individual pizzas, hot dogs, sandwiches, salads and a decent number of vegetarian selections. I am, however, a loyal fan of their burgers - the OC burger to be exact. It’s layered with white cheddar, avocado, bacon, lettuce, tomato, red onion and chipotle mayo.
Burgers and sandwiches are served with your choice of chips or potato salad. Now, listen to me when I say this...DO NOT LEAVE without trying the potato salad! This creamy concoction tastes like a stuffed potato that’s been mixed, mashed, chilled and scooped out for your side dish pleasure.
So back to the burgers*. Here’s the catch. Every once in a while, they’re simply out of burgers. I have to say that, in all the years I’ve ever been to Onion Creek, this only happened once. The rub is that it happened on the one night I took seven friends there specifically for their burgers. On the way there I’m like "The burgers are so great...You have to try the burgers...I’m getting a burger...Burgers this and burgers that"...only to find out that there was not a burger to be had. What? Who runs out of burgers at 8pm on a Friday? Apparently Onion Creek does from time to time. Yep, sort of felt like an ass.
From what I was told when I asked the guy at the bar, Onion Creek has a pretty small kitchen, so they get their burgers cooked down the street at their sister restaurant, Dry Creek (great burgers too, go figure). When the place gets busy, sometimes they just can’t keep up with the burger demand and they fall a bit short.
After a couple of beers and some SERIOUS whining, I settled for a pathetic variation of a Panini. Panini, as we’ve come to know and love them, have one deliciously distinguishing quality - those babies are grilled to have a nice, hearty crunch. Some places may grill them more than others, but any way you toss it, Panini get some grillin’.
Now, I’m not sure if it was a busy night, but my "Pathetinini" - as I like to call it - was made of two pieces of soft round bread, whose tops had been sliced off to resemble Panini bread. Ok, so I’m into working things out on the fly, but can I get some grill action? Uh, none? It was so sad. I think my friends and I actually laughed, (out loud) pointing and criticising, my soft, white sandwich when it got to the table. Sure we behaved like cruel children on a playground poking fun at the one kid wearing faux converse tennis shoes, but I asked for a Panini God dammit, not some sandwich with a star drawn on the side of it.
I won't even get into the Asian Wrap my friend ordered...Ok, I will get into it. This wrap was filled with little more than lettuce and dry Ramen Noodels. Literally! You know those mechanically bent, white noodles that (once water is added) suddenly take on the form of nutritional and totally acceptable meals you used to eat during your first few years of college? While some of us love the taste of $.15 noodles, (myself included) I can't think of anyone who can figure out how $.15 noodles plus lettuce = $7.25. I don't care how bad you are at math!
I love this place overall. And after all is said and done, I'll continue to go back because, if you know what to order, the food is great. The people are friendly and the place is alive with a certain spirit the makes you feel like you're at a backyard party. While the pizzas and appetizers aren't bad either, I say order a burger for your main dish. Give me a burger, a beer and some awesome weather and I’m all about Onion Creek.
P.S. You may want to call ahead and make sure they're stocked up on beef before you get there because if you're anything like me, once you crave a burger...nothing else will do.
Location :3106 White Oak Blvd.
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