I love to party with a purpose but in this town I could run out of money to donate with so many events!  A charity I have chosen to invest my efforts in is The Women’s Home here in Houston.(www.thewomenshome.org).  I love their organization, the people they support, and they always know how to put on wonderful themed events.  Yesterday I attended their young professionals happy hour showcasing the grand opening of one of Houston’s hottest sushi spots Fish & The Knife.  I knew it was going to be a great night to see cars lined up in valet, people walking the red carpet in their finest fare, being greeted with passed appetizers and cocktails.  This 13,000 square foot space is sprawling, featuring multiple distinct areas to drink, dine, and to lounge.  It is upscale and the design is brilliant with its textures and treatments. Word on the street it cost between $6-8 million to complete this project.

I will have to make a second trip back to truly indulge into the cuisine.  They say this place is contemporary serving up a combination of New American, sushi, cocktails galore and in a super spacious setting.  The menu is the work of executive chef Bob Iacovone, who works with executive sushi chef David Kim.

On the menu:  chicken and andouille pot pie, Louisiana barbecue shrimp, speckled trout with crabmeat, cream cheese-stuffed crab cakes with pickled tomato green salad,  miso-marinated black cod with cauliflower purée, grilled kobe flank steak with tempura vegetables, grilled lamb T-bone with roasted vegetables and potato hash,  sweet soy-glazed beef short rib with wasabi cream and sugar cane smoked duck breast with duck confit spring roll served with spaghetti squash with a honey mustard glaze.

Beautiful sushi choices include yellowtail with jalapeño salsa and citrus sauce; albacore tuna carpaccio with garlic chips and ponzu; Japanese snapper with yuzu truffle vinaigrette; and seared tuna sashimi with chili sauce and masago. The Westheimer Roll features shrimp tempura, spicy tuna, masago and tempura flakes; the Houston Roll is made with snow crab, avocado, spicy salmon and mango. There are even nods to Iacovone’s Crescent City in the Jazz Roll (spicy tuna, avocado, eel and wasabi tobiko) and the New Orleans Roll (crawfish, avocado, snow crab, spicy tuna and wasabi tobiko).

Ok I am now hungry just writing this article!  Fish & the Knife is located in the greater Galleria area at 7801 Westheimer, 713-677-0220.  Maybe I will see you there? (Photos provided by the amazing and oh-so talented Quy Tran).