Brunch

Back Where I Balon

...This dish was triumph of surprises. The fish remained flaky throughout eating, countered nicely by the slightly bitter yet "verdant" bok choy bulbs and leaves, and accentuated by the properly understated amount of mango purée... [Full Post]



In Short Order

...Yes, warm, thick slices of bread singing with bouquets of vanilla and nutmeg were a great base for the assortment of berries and melon and cantaloupe. The bacon had perfect "chew" and great flavor without being overly salty. The mellow maple rewarded me by topping mouthfuls of however many different elements I could fit on my fork at one time.... [Full post]



Happy Days


...A perfect medium burger, aromatic toasted rye, gooey swiss, and bright, hot, and flavorful jalapeños made for a pleasingly solid burger-eating experience. The meat was tasty and ran nicely clear with juices, without the toast's crispiness being impaired. The smoky bacon complimented the pinkish beef's natural, sweet, earthiness.... [Full post]

Like A Good Neighbor

...The side salad of arugula, fresh basil, cherry tomatoes and shaved parmesan was a perfect compliment to the dish, as was the wonderful glass of white wine, an Argentinian torrontés of bright, subtle citrus, apricot, and peach, with herbal hints, a nice "weight" (it doesn't "coat" the inside of your mouth), and finishing clean enough that you can still enjoy the flavors of whatever you're eating.... [Full post]



Fruitful Options

...We cleaned our plates—no small feat since these were not small portions—and I eventually convinced Danny that he couldn't really leave without having a dessert crepe, especially with the many options for fillings, from fruit to Nutella to nuts to whipped cream to Oreos to brownies to ice cream to granola and Graham crackers. We, again, customized our own dessert crepe stuffed with fresh bananas and strawberries, and cornflakes, and topped it with drizzles of dark and white chocolate.... [Full post]



Fairer Jacques

... I loved the texture of the finely chopped proteins in this terrine, mildly spiced to compliment the pork and moderate any gaminess in the rabbit, and wrapped in bacon for extra flavor. The mustards provided any amount of kick I needed, the cranberry being extra pleasant, adding a nice layer of flavor, as fruits do, to the game meat... [Full post]



L'Afrique? C'est Chic!


...A plentiful and aromatic dish, this was another tasty winner. You could really taste the melange of flavor influences, a hint of mustard in the marinade, some sweeter spices—nutmeg maybe—mixing with spicier ones, and the barely-on-the-bone lamb, with its deeper but not gamier flavor, possessing the quality of imparting its leaner meat's flavor, as well as its fatty flavors (most meats really heavily on its fat content alone for flavor).... [Full post]

Seaside On The West Side

...Their Lobster Roll Sliders offerings were not so much of the ilk of the suddenly ubiquitous lobster roll as it was a lobster salad sandwich, but a very good one at that. Chopped, fresh light, pieces of lobster tossed in a small dollop of mayo with some subtle seasoning and chopped celery surprisingly let the breezy flavor properties of the lobster nicely present and hit all the right notes, while being quietly supported by "double-buttered" brioche mini buns.... [Full post]



Swimming to Cambodia

...Amazingly, after forkfuls and handfuls of these bold flavors, the mackerel dish succeeded in showcasing the inherently more nuanced properties of the warm and light, flaky fish and its crisp, slightly seasoned skin, topping a melange of a colder salad that stood well on their firm textures and naturally clean and earthy aromatics.... [Full post]



Howdy, South Houston

...Fresh turkey was sliced thin, letting more air into each bite, which helped supply more of its flavor. Crispy pieces of porky, salty proscuitto accented the white meat turkey, nicely mellowed by the slightly sharp, cheesy sauce. Perfectly sunny-side up eggs oozed warm and silky over the whole yummy goodness, held up quite nicely by the sturdy Texas toast underneath and robust tomatoes. Ham, eggs, and cheese. Overall, it excelled with the depth of its simplicity.... [Full post]