Tag Archives: Houston Dining

Poutine Routine: “Canada Day In Houston”

tubs poutine 2020Happy Canada Day 2020! Since I met my husband, this is a newly celebrated birthday for me.  I love Canada Day because I love my Canadian husband.  It has become a tradition, since our discovery of the restaurant Tubs Poutine in Houston, that we actually come here once a year on this special day.

If you have not discovered poutine cousine, hopefully we can enlighten you. Imagine a tub of French fries, with gravy, then add in extras such as “anything” you love truly.  For example, I always order (once a year) the La Quebec. It is topped with tender rotisserie chicken and buttery sweat peas. My husband Jan went for the Classic Poutine this year. It is fresh-cut potatoes, topped with the oxtail & Hennessy cognac gravy and squeaky cheese curds.  Other options include pulled pork, lobster, brisket, and chicken-fried-chicken for example. The venue is located in an old dry cleaner. Small space but with character. Grab a Canadian beer too.  This is not the meal for the calorie counters!  And a pro tip, since I have been 3 times now in the past 3-years. If you come on Canada Day, wear a Canadian inspired shirt or bring your Canadian passport, and you will get around 15% off your oder!  You are welcome. “Je vous en prie”.

Tubs Poutine is located in Houston’s Energy Corridor at 13429 Briar Forest Drive in between Eldridge Parkway and Highway 6. Visit their site at www.tubspoutine.com .

Trend Alert: Ruggles Black Food Bar spices up Houston!

Ruggles Black food barI love Upper Kirby for its location, it’s shopping, and area eats. Now a new flavor in town to add to the “must dine” list and to spice up Houston!  If you have not experienced Ruggles Black it’s time to make your reservation.  Restraunteur Neera Patidar (former owner of NOSH) has teamed up with Chef/ Co-Owner Bruce Molzan to create a restaurant bar only the two of them could pull off with flying colors!  Consider cuisine influenced by India/China/France/America all compiled into one!  The menu items appeal to all palettes and the dishes will WOW you with every bite!  Caution, you may drool!

Ruggles picstitchRecently my friend Lori and I dined here for dinner. We had a reservation; we were greeted with a smile, and seated immediately.  Although just the two of us we ordered enough food for a group of four!  It was really hard to resist the choices.  Just to give you an idea, menu items include:  angry shrimp, curry mussels, crab tower, pork belly beet salad, Paleo veggie tacos, pistachio encrusted snapper, crunchy kale salad, Tandoori chicken flatbread and lamb flatbread. Plenty of sweets too but we did not make it that far!  My favorite dishes were the angry shrimp and curry mussels.  Take a look at the size of the mussels too!  Size does matter in my book (we’re talking mussels here) and I always ask my waiter to bring out a sample before I order them. (There is a particular popular restaurant in mind which always disappoints, but I will not throw them under the bus….today!).

Chef/Co-Owner Bruce Molzan
Chef/Co-Owner Bruce Molzan

Now let’s talk ambiance.  This is a wonderful date place!  The setting is small and quaint offering a more intimate dining experience.  I prefer to sit in a booth next to the window, if I do get to choose my spot.  There is outdoor patio space as well.  The bar area is a bit crowded but once you have some good wine and apps, who cares!  The space offers a modern casual and earthy feel.  I don’t feel like I am in Houston, except for the fact I may know some of my fellow diners that evening!

In all, I have put this place in the Top 5 of my restaurant list.  It’s trendy décor, intimate crowd, great service, and most importantly the food and wine; it hits all of my sweet spots!  I will be back again, again, and again.

Nicole Brende, Neera Patidar, Lori Lemon Geshay
Nicole Brende, Neera Patidar, Lori Lemon Geshay

Ruggles Black is located at 3963 Kirby Drive.  They are open for lunch and dinner.  A reservation is recommended but not required.  Check out their website at www.rugglesblack.com .  While you are there, say hello to Neera and let her know “Trende Brende” sent you! She is not hard to miss in her oh-so-fashinably-fabulous ensembles!

 

The Women’s Home YP Happy Hour at Fish & The Knife

Joanna Podsiadlik, Nicole Brende, Laura Cernock, Lori Freese
Joanna Podsiadlik, Nicole Brende, Laura Cernock, Lori Freese

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.

twh-foodonspoonsI 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.

twh-sushiwaitressBeautiful 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).

Nicole Brende, Lissa Goldsmith, Joanna Podsiadlik
Nicole Brende, Lissa Goldsmith, Joanna Podsiadlik

 

 

 

Nicole Brende & Chau Nguyen
Nicole Brende & Chau Nguyen
"Trende Brende" & the "High Tech Texan"
“Trende Brende” & the “High Tech Texan”