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
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
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