My Margherita Pizza Project is progressing, and the end is actually in sight this time, just a handful left, then some writing to do.  These are the restaurants whose margheritas (or margaritas) I have sampled most recently:
 
D’Amico’s – Satisfactory
Da Marco – Very Good / Good
Gorgeous Gael – Poor
Gotham – Fair / Poor
Healthy Cow Pizza – Satisfactory
Ibiza – Satisfactory / Fair
Luigi’s – Poor
Midici (Richmond) – Good
Osso & Kristalla – Good / Very Good
Pi Pizza – Good
Simone on Sunset – Fair


Below is the version at Da Marco with mozzarella di bufala that was very good.  Not surprisingly, Da Marco does a better job with it than most local places.

As I was making a marinara with the fancy Kroger branded Private Selection San Marzano Style Plum Tomatoes, whole and peeled, of course,  that I purchased on sale for a ridiculously low price – and which are actually quite good for making sauces – I was reminded of the odd origins of the what are now the famed San Marzano tomatoes, seemingly a necessity for any serious Italian kitchen.

For dedicated fans of Italian food, Pomodoro!:A History of the Tomato in Italy by David Gentilcore published in 2010 is a recommended read.  The author is a professor of early modern history at the University of Leicester in the UK, but the quality of writing and pace of the book is better than the output of most academics.  It is also more widely researched than most tomes about food, both academic and otherwise. 
 
It is chock full of interesting facts about the Italians’ and Italian-Americans’ favorite fruit (that is used as a vegetable).  One regards the influence of the British breakfast habits on the development of Italy’s most famous tomato.  The traditional full British breakfast consists of bacon, sausage, poached or fried eggs, baked beans, toast with butter, and grilled tomatoes.  It is likely the antecedent to the far superior big American breakfast.
 
However lacking in comparison to our breakfasts, one component of the British version had deep resonance in Italy:
 
 “British demand was able to affect production strategies in Italy. In fact… the British were indirectly responsible for the introduction of the ‘San Marzano’….  The British like fresh tomatoes cooked, especially baked or grilled…there was no way for whole tomatoes to by enjoyed beyond the short growing season [in the UK]… In southern Italy, it turned out that the small, egg-shaped tomato varieties that were most popular here also were suited being canned whole….
 
The tomato variety that made this all possible was a… ‘recent cross’ between the ‘Re Umberto’ and ‘Fiaschetto’ varieties. This was the ‘San Marzano’, variety after the town near Salerno, where it was first cultivated. In just a few years, the ‘San Marzano’ had become the major variety used for canned whole tomatoes.”
 
The delectable San Marzano was quick to reach preeminence in Campania near Naples after getting a boost from the Brits. 

But, I thought that it would be fun to test the accuracy of the assertion of “Northern Italian” by testing one restaurant’s menu.  The one selected is Rossini’s in Manhattan, “Northern Italian Cuisine since 1978” about which even the Zagat editor noted its "Northern Italian" cuisine.  Rossini’s just happened to appear on the first page of search results for “Northern Italian restaurant.”

A past dinner menu from Rossini’s is shown below with comments.  I removed the specials that are not specifically identified on the menu.  You might be surprised that the menu is not too different than the typical Italian restaurant, or even pretty typical in the New York area, “Northern Italian” or not.
​
Antipasti

• Melanzane Rippiene, $10, Eggplant slices stuffed with ricotta and mozzarella cheeses – Southern Italy.
• Vongole al Forno, $12, Clams baked with a zesty breadcrumb topping, garlic and virgin olive oil – A version of the classic Clams Casino, which is from New York and actually has no Italian antecedents.
• Prosciutto con Melone, $12 – Prosciutto di Parma draped over ripe seasonal melon or figs – Though the main popular proscioutto this does come from northern Italy, Parma in the region of Emilia-Romagna, this dish is attributed to Naples.
• Mozzarella di Bufala, $14 – Fresh mild curds of mozzarella cheese served with prosciutto di Parma,sliced tomatoes and roasted peppers – Mozzara di bufala is a specialty of Campania, the region of Naples, whose production know includes Molise and at least one region of northern Italy.
• Zuppa di Cozze di New Zealand, $16, Large green lipped mussels served in a white wine broth with olive oil and garlic – Derived from a dish from the Naples area, though similar dishes exist throughout much of coastal Italy where mussels can be found.
• Salmone Affumicato, $15, Smoked filets of salmon with all the trimmings – Americans like smoked salmon.  Scotland.
• Gamberi Freddi, $16, Four jumbo pieces of icy shrimp served with a zesty cocktail sauce – This all-American treat has been on Italian restaurants in America for a century, at least.  United States.
• Frutta di Mare, $18, Fresh seafood salad dressed with a light vinaigrette dressing – A Neapolitan favorite even in misspelled form.  Naples.
• Calamari Fritti, $16, Tender morsels of squid lightly fried and accompanied by a mild or fiery tomato sauce – Also from the greater Naples area, though fried cuttlefish is found throughout coast Italy.

Insalate

• Insalata Tre Colori, $10, Three colored salad with radicchio, arugula and Belgian endive – Like most green salads found on menus, this as American roots.  United States.
• Insalata di Spinaci $11, Fresh spinach salad served with a warm bacon dressing – Same story as above.  United States.
• Insalata alla Cesare, $11, Traditional Caesar salad with fresh Romaine lettuce topped with tangy anchovies, garlic, egg and cheese dressing – This Italian restaurant staple is from Tijuana, Mexico, courtesy of Italian immigrants and popularized in California.
• Insalata di Fagiolini, $14, Baby string bean salad topped with red onion in a balsamic vinaigrette dressing with Vermont goat cheese – From the northeastern region of Friuli-Venezia-Guilia (or the former Yugoslavia next door) with an American goat cheese.

Zuppe

• Stracciatella alla Romana, $10, The Classic Roman egg drop and spinach soup – Rome, in fact.
• Orzo in Brodo, $10, Tiny pasta in a flavorful chicken broth – Pasta in broth is found throughout Italy.  A few years ago, I had pasta, strands of fresh pasta, in broth a couple of times during a trip to the region of Friuli.

Farinaci

• Spaghetti alla Marinara, $22, Traditional Neapolitan zesty tomato and garlic sauce – Naples
• Tortellini alla Rossini, $23, Stuffed pasta in a cream based sauce with an accent of meat and sherry wine – Tortellini is originally from Bologna, but the cream and sherry are likely a remnant of the heyday of “Continental” restaurants.
• Rigatoni al Filetto di Pomodoro, $22, Tubular pasta in a zesty pancetta and onion tomato sauce – Naples
• Gnocchi Bolognese, $23, Potato dumplings dressed with a traditional Northern Italian meat sauce – I’ll assume that this is a version of the famous ragù developed in Bologna.
• Linguine al Pesto, $23, Flat pasta enveloped in a creamy basil sauce – Pesto is from the Ligurian coast, though a creamy version seems to be an American restaurant adaptation.  Liguria.
• Fettucine Alfredo, $22, The Roman classic presented in the traditional manner – Rome.  And, long an American restaurant staple.
• Spaghetti alla Carbonara, $23, Pasta bathed in a delicious combination of pancetta, prosciutto, onions and parmigiano reggiano cheese – This is a cucina povera dish from the Lazio region and has long been a popular trattoria dish in Rome.
• Linguine con Vongole in Bianco, $25, Flat pasta in a rich clam broth with roasted garlic and extra virgin olive oil – Naples.

Pesce

• Capesante sauté Meuinere, $28, Tender sea scallops sautéed in white wine, lemon and butter – A French treatment, actually.  France.
• Calamari Casserola, $27, Tender pieces of squid poached in an aromatic tomato and wine based sauce – The tomato gives this a Southern Italian provenance.  The Naples area is a good guess for its origin, though there are likely similar dishes throughout the coastal areas where tomatoes are used, including the Tuscan coast.
• Gamberi alla Rossini, $35, Rossini’s special presentation of shrimps in a champagne sauce – Likely some French influence from when “Continental” was a selling point for a restaurant.  France.
• Gamberi Fra Diavolo, $35, Shrimps in a spicy marinara sauce with roasted garlic and olive oil – New York.
• Gamberi Oreganata, $35, Jumbo plump shrimps topped with zesty bread crumbs and baked in an olive oil and garlic sauce – Likely developed in New York, as a takeoff from the traditional Cozze Oregenata from Naples. 
• Zuppa de Pesce, $39, Combination of various sea delicacies in a fragrant and tangy tomato and wine sauce – Fish soup is found all along the coasts in Italy, but with tomato sauce, this probably has some roots in Naples or Neapolitan America.
• Pesce Del Inglitera, Market Price, The finest Dover sole sautéed in a light wine and butter sauce or broiled to perfection – This seems to be a classic French preparation, but I actually had filet of sole – not Dover sole – cooked in a champagne sauce at a trattoria in Liguria.  It was terrific.

Entree

• Petto de Pollo Parmigiana alla Rossini, $25, Batter dipped chicken breasts served in a herb scented white wine sauce then baked with mozzarella cheese – Chicken Parmesan is an American creation derived the Neapolitan-originated Eggplant Parmesan.  United States.
• Pollo Scarpariello, $25, Breast of chicken sautéed with white wine, lemon, garlic and rosemary – Naples area.
• Spezzato di Pollo, $25, Small pieces of chicken and mushrooms sautéed in a white wine and sherry demiglace sauce – The demiglace and sherry point to non-Italian heritage.  France.
• Pollo Fiorentina, $25, Batter dipped breast of chicken sautéed in a light wine and butter sauce draped over spinach and topped with fontina cheese – Though “alla fiorentina” or “fiorentina” has come to mean a dish with spinach, Ada Boni’s Italian Regional Cooking in 1969 has a recipe for Pollo alla Fiorentina featuring dried mushrooms, garlic, ham, onion, tomatoes, parsley and white wine, and no spinach around.  Of the five other “alla fiorentina” recipes, only features spinach, the Uova alla Firontina, Florentine Eggs.  United States.
• Vitello alla Rossini, $25, Scallops of veal sautéed with a delicate wine and mushroom sauce accented with prosciutto and onions – Ada Boni attributes somewhat similar veal preparations to Modena and Parma, respectively. Emilia-Romagna.
• Vitello alla Francese, $27, Batter dipped veal sautéed with white wine, lemon and butter – New York.  These dish might have developed on a cruise ship during the 1950s or before, but it gained resonance in New York area restaurants.
• Saltimbocca di Vitello alla Romana, $27, Scallops of veal sautéed in a wine demiglace sauce topped with prosciutto and presented over a bed of spinach – Rome.
• Vitello alla Pizzaiola, $27, Slices of veal sautéed and enveloped in a light tomato sauce with mushrooms and peppers – Naples.  Naples is the birthplace of the pizzaiolo (and pizziola), and those dishes that take their name after the sauce and spices used by the pizza-maker.
• Bistecca alla Toscana, $38, New York shell steak marinated in wine and herbs then grilled to your choice in the traditional Tuscan style – United States.
• Filetto di Manzo alla Rossini, $38, Medallions of Filet Mignon served in a hearty wine sauce accented with prosciutto and mushrooms – One of the delights of an upscale Italian-American restaurants.  United States.
• Costoletta di Maiale Grigliata, $38, Tender pork chops marinated and grilled to your taste – United States.
• Costoletta di Agnello Grigliata, $40, Lamb chops grilled with light Italian seasonings – Lamb is grilled in much of Italy; too often over-grilled, in my experience.  This is certainly much better than what you would typically find in Italy.
• Costoletta di Vitello Milanese alla Giardiniera, $40, Milk fed rib of veal chop breaded and topped with tre colori salad – Likely a robust American version of a dish from Milan.

Only eight of the forty-four dishes on this menu might be considered northern Italian.  That’s less than 20%.  None too northern, but if diners enjoy it this probably doesn't matter that much at all.


Below is an actual northern Italian, zucchini blossoms at the Michelin-starred Trattoria Al Cacciatore della Subida in Cormons in northeastern Italy.  It was delicious.

​Long one of my favorite restaurants, both in its current incarnation and a couple of decades ago as Chimi Churri’s on Bellaire Boulevard, Saldivia’s remains the best deal in the city for steak, likely by a wide margin, which was confirmed the other night.  I ordered my favorite cut there, the entraña, a quite tender, very juicy when cooked to medium-rare, nicely beefy and immensely flavorful version of an expertly grilled skirt steak.  It was fantastic, the best steak I have had in a while.  It is remarkable that the 14-or-so-ounce entraña entrée is just $25.95.  It remains an excellent deal.   You will be hard-pressed to find many steaks as flavorful for under $60 in Houston.  And, unlike the big steakhouses, the entraña at Saldivia’s comes with sides. 
 
An order of the entraña, like the other steaks, is served on an oval plate with the bottom ringed with a half-dozen slices of grilled carrot, squash and zucchini displayed in an alternating orange, yellow and green-tinged array.  At the top of the plate rests a thick squat tower of rice with a few flecks of parsley; next to it is a row of plump, roasted potatoes.  In the center, running the entire length of the plate, is the thin, often rectangular entraña, a dark-brown cut of the outside skirt steak crisscrossed with darker grill marks and topped with a nearly addictive, rustic-style chimicurri sauce, oil, bits of garlic, parsley leaves and short stems and the odd red pepper flake dot the meat.  A puddle of bloody juice gathers under the vegetables and potatoes.
 
Imbued with considerable skill at the grill, years of steakhouse experience, and a deep tradition of beef and grilling from their native Uruguay, the steaks at Saldivia’s are serious business.  The entraña is the signature cut.  It is the rather humble outside skirt steak – which comes from the plate section, below the rib and between the brisket and flank and whose fat has been trimmed off by the restaurant – that is always cooked to perfection, typically medium-rare.  It remains juicy and remarkably tender for the cut, while being extremely flavorful, rich and beefy.  If you like steak, you will love the entraña at Saldivia’s.  Though the entraña is my go-to, you can’t go wrong with the other cuts of beefsteak: the tira de asado, boneless beef ribs, vacio, a thin flank steak, bife de lomo, a filet of the tenderloin, and bife ancho, the ribeye.  No assist is necessary to the steaks, but the oily and garlicky house-made chimichurri sauce is an excellent accompaniment that can make them even more enjoyable.  It also goes very well with the tasty vegetables and potatoes, and also the crusty, airy rolls, which are complementary. 
 
In concert with the pricing for the entraña, you can find a well-made bottle of red wine – a near necessity with the steak – for under $40 at the restaurant. The wine list highlights Tannant, the star varietal of Uruguay that happens to go very well with the entraña, or any of the other steaks on the menu, for that matter.  If you enjoy steak, you should definitely give Saldivia’s a try.
 
Saldivia’s
10850 Westheimer (between Walnut Bend and Westheimer), Houston, 77042, (713) 782-9494
saldivias.com

​It was certainly an interesting year in Houston in the just completed 2017.  Thankfully, it has also been a very interesting, and very rewarding one for the local dining scene, definitely the best for new restaurants since 2009 or likely ever.  It was tough to get down to just ten best newcomers, as there were a number of worthwhile entries.  Actually, I didn’t even quite do that, listing one place twice, which actually made sense, at least to me.  Of all of the many contenders, many of these newest restaurants seem to incorporate concepts from most of the major continents, almost always in sensible ways.  Comfort also seems to be something else running through these, even if comfort might wear heavy on the wallet to enjoy properly.  Houston’s best restaurant, new and established, rarely require much formality.  The best new restaurants below are just listed alphabetically. 
 
To note per each of the entries below, to give a good idea of actual expense, after the restaurant name is: 1) average total dinner cost per person, 2) "entrees: " price, and 3) average entree price. The average prices reflect a typical dinner, which might be an appetizer, side or dessert in addition to the entrée – or a suitable number of small plates – a couple of drinks, tax and a 20% tip.
 
Aqui – $120, entrées: $20 to $38, $24 – Driving by on lower Westheimer, you might miss the attractive low-slung newish construction on the north side of the street that houses Aqui whose menu mostly consists of an array of Asian or Asian-inspired dishes, usually small plates or smaller, a number from the Philippines and Japan, but much more.  The quaintness of most of the dishes makes sense to order in several rounds and seem to span a fair part of the globe: tuna arepas, curry puffs, uni toast, tuna kinlaw, Ora king salmon, the Filipino roll pandesal with pâté, glass noodles, and a mushroom salad featuring a several very flavorful funghi whose roots ranged far from here. Each of these preparations were quite well-done during a recent visit, exhibiting both very evident technical skills and intelligence in the combinations, though the items under the ‘Perfect Bites’ sections might give a new definition to petite.  The average Cracker Barrel customer might spend a week’s worth of dining dollars to get full.  The average Cracker Barrel customer would never make it here, of course, but many lower-BMI customers are also wallet-wary, and the prices can climb at Aqui if you are not careful with some of these precious dishes.  And, the wines are a tad pricier and certainly far less well-chosen than you would expect of Houston restaurant of this ambition in 2017.  I imagine it will improve, as it grows more to fit the local dining scene.  The team at Aqui, led by the lauded Austin-based Paul Qui, features several members with commendable Houston stops on their resumes – Kata Robata, Uchi and Common Bond, for example – which bode well for the future, and Qui, too.  520 Westheimer (between Taft and Montrose), 77006, (713) 360-7834
 
Field & Tides – $100, entrées: $19 to $48, $30 – Places like readily-attractive-for-lunch-and-dinner Field & Tides are why the Heights has become much more of a dining destination.  Set in the quaint house – maybe too quaint given its immediate popularity – that had previously housed Bistro Zelko, Field & Tides is like a locally attuned bistro providing a comfortable and accessible Gulf Coast-centric menu with noticeable Southern and Mexican accents that nicely sourced and executed.  Items like a pan-seared Gulf snapper with buerre blanc and a double cut pork chop bolstered by a Creole mustard demi-glace that’s served with coastal Carolina-inflected hoppin’ John join bucatini pasta with mussels and Mexican chorizo, and tempura-style mushrooms that comes with succotash might be casually upscale as the restaurant describes itself but, with quality of the preparations, a stop here usually makes for a very rewarding meal.  Suitable wine, beer and cocktails complement, and the patio can be quite a pleasant place when the weather cooperates.  705 E. 11th Street (just west of Studewood), 77008, (713) 861-6143
 
Kukuri – $150 ($170, omakase), nigiri sushi: $9 to $25 – This necessarily pricey upscale sushi restaurant is easily missed along Washington Avenue not far from downtown, sitting unobtrusively amidst Tacodeli and Platypus Brewing.  This traditionally focused sushi and sashimi purveyor is from Japanese chef Shimao Ishikawa who had recently squired at the longtime Michelin-starred sushi spot in Manhattan, Jewel Bako who seemingly snuck into town to open this during the summer.  You can choose from multiple options sushi and sashimi and other options from a wide variety served à la carte or leave it up to the skilled Ishikawa by choosing the (very expensive) fixed-price lengthy omakase dinner.  The fare is impressive, which is why it gets a nod here, both noticeable for the quality of the seafood and, maybe less noticeably, the long-honed technique.  Much of the seafood is flown in from Japan but there is more, with other flavorful foreign and domestic sea creatures whose names might not be familiar even in English like threeline grunt, golden threadfin bream, and golden snapper, which were all on a recent menu.  Blond wood counters and tops meld with the industrial setting that can make for a suitable, subtle setting.  1902 Washington (between Houston Avenue and Sawyer), 77007, (346) 234-4060
 
Maison Pucha Bistro – $110, entrées: $22to $45, $32 – Not far south from Field & Tides on Studewood, this French outpost from Manuel Pucha, the former executive chef at La Table, and his brothers, veterans of the New York restaurant trade, offers a menu of classic French restaurant preparations along with a few items and flavors from their coastal Ecuadoran home.  Like all local French-themed establishments here, the dishes aren’t very recent – steak frites, bouillabaisse, duck confit, coq au vin – but can shine in execution along with attractive presentations.  Dishes like the impeccably plump, moist filet of Trout Almondine in brown butter, especially so, and even a straightforward assemblage of top-flight charcuterie and cheese.  The wines are sufficient, if not yet terribly interesting, and the bartenders quite adept in their mixology even as they were getting used to the newness of the place.  The setting is quite stylish, contemporary, and welcoming, not to mention busy since the doors opened, and the staff noticeably earnest and hard-working, helping give the impression that this restaurant will only get better as time goes on.  1001 Studewood (south of 11 Street), 77008, (713) 637-4976
 
Nancy's Hustle – $75, entrées: $16 to $32, $22 – This fun, and quite delicious new spot seems well-suited for the still-gentrifying EaDo with its casual and quickly boisterous and nicely casual set-up in a new strip center in an older part of town coupled with a serious kitchen and an expertly chosen array of wine, cocktails and even beers to complement the evening.  The mostly shareable and fun menu made for dining in stages includes around ten medium-sized plates, a half-dozen larger ones along with a handful sides, but a few desserts.  There is a salad some vegetables, several protein-centered preparations with flavors ranging from the Mediterranean on either side of the Bosphorus to stateside, all of which are enticing.  You should certainly start with something that might seem a little odd, that’s described on the menu as, “Nancy cakes with whipped butter & smoked trout roe” that features three puffy pancake-like items, and a name that is a play on Johnnycakes, with the cakes themselves are lighter, airier and certainly more flavorful than the typical Johnnycake.  This lightness is the result of a sourdough starter for the breads and pastas, which are all made in house.  The piles of the smoked roe and whipped butter both proved quite complementary, and for a very enjoyable dish.  Chicken liver mousse is also served well by the house-made bread, and quite tasty, as are the crisp croquettes and cool-weather-ready raclette.  Larger items can be hanger steak, rabbit leg confit and loin, roasted red snapper and, not incidentally, a version of the famed Chicago-tested burger that’s a favorite of Alinea’s Grant Achatz.  Given Nancy’s Hustle’s quick start, it might even be more fun in the future, even if it does slow down.  2704 Polk (about seven blocks south of 59), 77003, (346) 571-7931
 
One Fifth Romance Languages – $120, entrées: $16 to $75, $35 – When I initially read about this second stop on Chris Shepherd and company’s journey, a combination of French, Italian and Spanish, I was a little concerned.  These cuisines are rather distinct, and then there are the regional and local cuisines in each land, especially those in Italy.  The neighbors France and Italy often work well together in some dishes; risotto and stuffed pastas are found on French menus more so these days, at least in this county.  Spanish and Italian quite less so.  But, I figured if anyone in town could pull it off, at least with a likely array of delicious creations if not complete coherence on the menu, it would be Shepherd.  In practice, it makes much more sense that I believed that it could, and the dishes ordered on a recent visit, indeed, each delicious. The starters are mostly Spanish complemented by French items like terrines and seafood items like the brasserie-inspired classic cold seafood tower bolstered by those delightful Spanish canned seafood items.  There is a pasta section (misnamed as secondo rather than primo, no matter) that’s properly Italian, of course, then the entrées are mostly French and Spanish along with a giant, great American steak richly bolstered by foie gras and truffles that is meant for several.  The desserts feature a number of Italian names, but are modern American restaurant creations, and made by a skilled pastry chef, Victoria Dearmond in this case.  Professional service, properly crafted cocktails, and yet another enticing, very appropriate, and nicely priced list from wine director Matthew Pridgen makes everything even better.  1658 Westheimer (just east of Dunlavy), 77006, (713) 955-1024
 
One Fifth Steak – $150, entrées: $30 to $80, $40 – Located in what was long the ungainly building that housed Mark’s – and now its successor listed above – Shepherd and the folks from Underbelly offered a slightly different take on the expected chop house that managed to please both those attracted to the city’s more interesting fine-dining spots along with those who consider a nice meal out a visit to a steakhouse.  One Fifth Steak was the first concept for the space that has been announced as a nearly five-year project that will offer a new cuisine each year.  Opening just in time for the Super Bowl with tens of thousands of heavyset, well-heeled steak-lovers from around the county – and the restaurant able to open just in time for the pre-game festivities – the steakhouse concept to start was apparently a no-brainer.  It closed in the summer as planned, but was such a success, it will be revived in 2018 as Georgia James in the current Underbelly space.  Though the expected strip, ribeye and porterhouse were on the menu at One Fifth Steak, there was no filet. Customers should be satisfied with one of the other options, including the succulent sirloin I had or the 100-day-wet-aged hanger steak, a true onglet cut that you would expect given the restaurant’s provenance.  The steaks are USDA Prime, of course, except for the even more marbled Marble Ranch Wagyu.  There are bone-in versions for the bigger spenders – and copious seafood towers, caviar service and Pappy Van Winkle – and not just for the ballers, but for tables of six or more, ‘The Baller Platter’ that had a variety of meats and cuts to share for the main course, and that looked very impressive.  The sides were riffs and the standard, but in a departure from tradition, there is no Caesar salad.  The funkiest things on the menu are a pate, terrine and beef tartar, even if there are lamb necks and a pork collar, they taste just like good lamb and pork, respectively.  The wine list was terrific, too, and with good prices for the quality what you can expect from Matthew Pridgen, who has long had a very appealing array of wines at Underbelly and now Romance Languages.  All bodes well for its successor steakhouse later this year.  1658 Westheimer (just east of Dunlavy), 77006, (713) 955-1024
 
Oxbow 7 – $125, entrées: $28 to $38, $32 – Vibrantly set street level – even decked out with cool graffiti-esque art on a well – in the refurbished midcentury 21-story skyscraper that’s the new Le Meridien hotel a few blocks west of Discovery Green, this September newcomer is Chef Bryan Caswell’s most personal restaurant to date, and my vote for the best new Houston restaurant of 2017.  The conceit here is dishes inspired by coastal fare to inlands about sixty miles from the shore, from at least Matagorda Bay in the south to the oyster beds in the panhandle of Florida that plays to Caswell’s home here and family roots in neighboring Louisiana.  It is cooking with which local restaurant-goers are familiar, especially patrons of Caswell’s nearby Reef, along with some newer and once-neglected items, like rabbit (in the future it’s hoped) and something called East Texas Caviar Service made with the tasty roe of long-uncherished fish in Louisiana and ably matched with crispy, salty house-made potato crisps.  Crab gratin, a version of oyster toast with bacon bearing the moniker Angels on Horseback, a near-peerless Crispy Skin Snapper featuring a thick filet and even a version of a campside Vietnamese stew inspired by Caswell’s father’s fishing excursions.  The dishes exhibit bright flavors and well thought-out combinations that bear the hallmark of and skilled and experienced hand along with Caswell’s time with Jean-Georges Vongrichthen in New York and his stints in top dining destinations in Asia and Europe.  The wine list is excellent and very appropriate, no sorely-out-of-place big Napa cabs here like at Reef, while the bartenders do a fine job crafting cocktails.  Plus, there is a bar on the rooftop, yet another welcome diversion here.  1121 Walker (at San Jacinto), 77002, (713) 487-6137
 
Riel – $105, entrées: $10 to $40, $27 – The description on their website seems quite apt: “Globally Inspired Gulf Coast Cuisine,” as its offerings include items and inspirations commonly from Japan to Canada to Eastern Europe and especially nearby, as executive chef Ryan Lachaine seemed to gain much from his stints at Reef and Underbelly, home of the two best executors of our contemporary regional Gulf Coast cooking, Bryan Caswell and Chris Shepherd (coincidentally, both above).  This thin usually energetic spot, quaint for Houston at about sixty seats, has an appropriate setting and atmosphere for its eclectic but sensibly assembled mix of savory preparations numbering about fifteen or so, most easily shared.  A stellar trio of which, that have been on the menu in some form since its opening exactly a year ago, include snapper ceviche, a seafood karaage, a fairly delicate Japanese-style fried preparation, and a hanger steak with terrific, salty crust encasing the moist, deep-red interior that is served sliced for sharing along with a horseradish cream sauce.  Excellent sourcing for both proteins and plants are readily evident along with the precise techniques.  A solid cocktail program and wine list help complement the kitchen’s efforts.  1927 Fairview (east of Shepherd), 77019, (832) 831-9109
 
Theodore Rex – $120, entrées: $16 to $32, $25 – Justin Yu closed his acclaimed Oxheart in the spring of 2017 to the great consternation of a large number of dedicated restaurant hounds.  He came soon with a possibly more user-friendly approach with Theodore Rex: the setting is more comfortable, the serving is à la carte rather than fixed menu, and there are a surfeit of protein-focused plates among the edited list of offerings.  There might be items like Roasted Texas Wagyu dressed with fermented radish and beefy bits, Gulf snapper in broth, and cabbage stuffed with smoked hen and rye bread that can be prefaced by the simply named, if not simply tasting, Tomato Toast, mushrooms fried pakora-style and more that might be shared or not. Yu’s cooking is personal, interesting and usually expertly wrought, with special justice down to vegetables. Justin Vann, who does double duty at the estimable wine and whisky Public Services, put together the well-edited, eclectic and food-friendly wine list that will excite many wine lovers, with everything but champagne priced less than $100, usually much less so.  But, you just might want to consider a sparkler with Yu’s cooking, and if champagne is too much, there are more than a few possibly funky petillant naturel, natural sparklers.  1302 Nance (at Richey), 77002, (832) 830-8592
 
Xochi – $110, entrées: $22 to $37, $29 – With Xochi that opened just before the Super Bowl, Chef Hugo Ortega and company then had three Mexican restaurants in Houston, and these are clearly the three best Mexican restaurants in Houston.  Oaxacan-themed Xochi lives up to its siblings Hugo’s and Caracol in terms of quality while offering yet another menu of enticing offerings, most well-suited for sharing.  There are crudos, roasted oysters, an array of moles – as Oaxaca is the land of seven moles, after all – and other preparations, all bolstered by excellent sourcing.  There are even a few insects on the menu, for the adventurous, even if these tastes might not be too far out.  As at their other restaurants, Sean Beck puts together compelling wines and cocktails that makes this a clear winner both dining and imbibing.  Located in the new Marriott across from Discovery Green downtown, the interior is quite attractive, more so the further you are from the lobby, though the patio seating can be an invitation to be pan-handled.  1777 Walker (at Crawford) 77010, (713) 400-3330

I think that this list is more impressive than the top newcomers in 2016 and also 2015, as enjoyable as these restaurants were and are.


East Texas Caviar Service at Oxbow 7

​I have made it a point to tell friends that I really haven’t had beer in my refrigerator for over a couple of years now.  And, that has been true, with a handful of exceptions along the way, like when I have been gifted a nice Belgian ale or the six-pack I received at Christmas.  As much as I enjoy beer, I have been avoiding keeping it at home in an effort to reduce my caloric intact.  That’s worked somewhat even if my waistline hasn’t shown the results of this minimal effort.  But, I do have a few beers in my refrigerator now, though these would be long gone – happily consumed – if I wasn’t still battling a flu bug.
 
These beers are the Praga Premium Pils.  I bought them to tailgate before a December Texans game with a buddy who is also a big fan of Czechoslovak pils beers.  Praga is from the famous brewing town of České Budějovice, Budweis in German, and is brewed at the oldest of their breweries, Samson, that has been in operation since 1795.  This heritage and skill shows through this excellent example of the style.
Featuring a deep golden color typical of the Bohemian pilsners, and supple expected bitter aromas from the style Saaz hops, then medium body with a dry taste a long, refreshing finish with a complexity of slight flavors including nuts and toast. It’s very well made, refreshing and tasting like a top, fresh Czechoslovak pils should taste like.  Though Praga is more specifically a Bohemian pilsner, with Bohemia being the home to the style that originated in the town of Pilzen with Pilsner Urquell, very similar, and typically terrific pilsner beers are made in the regions of Moravia and Slovakia, the latter now an independent country.  I’ve been fortunate over the years through some travel and the travels of family to visit extended family there and bringing back beer gifts, to sample a number of pilsners soon from the source, the pilsners have been uniformly excellent.  Actually, all of the beers.
 
For the tailgate, I purchased the funner-sized half-liter cans of Praga, which only came in a twelve-pack at the big Spec’s on Smith Street, and for only $12.99 or so.  Unfortunately, the tailgate fare, kolaches from the Kolache Factory, were terrible, though the Praga did help wash them down.  The twelve-pack size was better suited for the tailgate in case we were thirstier than usual or had anyone else joining us.  The cans have the added benefit of protecting the beer much better than the green-colored bottles that Prage Premium Pils is also sold in.
 
If you are a fan of Czechoslovak style pilsners, do yourself a favor and pick up some cans of Praga Premium Pils, if the beers are in decent shape, you will be happily rewarded.

​A couple of times of year, I meet with friends for lunch at Brennan’s, always during an off day and with the prime objective to enjoy the 25-cent lunchtime martinis in an appropriately comfortable setting accompanied by usually very good food that’s been a fine value.  With four or five martinis and maybe a glass of wine – I wasn’t going back to the office – and a two-course meal and a tip of over 25%, we would leave for $40.  The lunch options were between $16 and $26 in recent years, a good deal, especially with the ridiculously inexpensive libations and the chance to stuff your pockets with pralines on the way home.
 
Unfortunately, since my most recent in the spring, it’s not like that anymore.  Last week, among three two-course options – a choice of soup or salad and the entrée – I chose the Imperial Crab Stuffed Flounder, which featured mushrooms with wilted spinach and a roasted fennel cream sauce.  It was disappointing.  The sauce and dish can best be described as gloppy, thick and simple, and obscuring the delicacy and much of the tastes of both the fish and the crab.  The fennel was undistinguishable in the bland sauce.  It was something that you might find in a restaurant in one of those other Texas cities far from the coast, but not in a well-regarded Houston restaurant, especially one with its seaside Creole provenance.  The turtle soup to start, just about as good as usual, and the complementary terrific, rich toast did much to help, though.  My selection of the flounder was the most expensive at $44.  The other two, Turducken Stuffed Texas Quail and Boudin Stuffed Pork Tenderloin were $36.  The quail was very much liked by my friends at the table, though the pork was deemed disappointing.  I guess I had made the wrong choice, but there should not be a bad choice among three, and at such a price, too.
 
The martinis were still quite tasty and the meal was enjoyable, as we overlooked the annoying slowness of our waiter.  We had fun, but I’ll likely save Brennan’s for dinner and brunch in the future.  And, maybe just cocktails, too.
 
Brennan’s
3300 Smith (between Elgin and the Spur), 77006, (713) 522-9711
brennanshouston.com