My Table June-July 2016

H O U S T O N ' S

D I N I N G

M AG A Z I N E

Special Edition!

Feast Your Eyes

DISPLAY UNTIL JULY 28

ISSUE NO. 133 JUNE-JULY 2016

Picks From Our First-Ever Photo Contest i

JUNE – JULY 2016

$5.95 WWW.MY-TABLE.COM

THERE’S A WORD FOR EVENTS P E R F E C T I N E V E R Y D E TA I L :

TRULUCK’S FA B U L O U S PA R T I E S, L A S T I N G M E M O R I E S AND NONE OF THE STRESS

Our beautiful private dining rooms offer the perfect setting for an unforgettable anniversary, graduation celebration, engagement party or rehearsal dinner.

Laura Hearn, the Special Events Coordinator, will take care of every detail, from floral arrangements to customizing a delicious menu prepared by your own private chef.

Please contact Laura at LHearn@trulucks.com, or at (713) 783-7270.

Please join us in celebrating our new restaurant in The Woodlands.

Downtown 5350 Westheimer 713 783 7270 The Woodlands 1900 Hughes Landing Blvd.

281 465 7000 www.trulucks.com ii JUNE – JULY 2016

1 JUNE – JULY 2016

L ANDRY’S SIGNATURE GROUP

Photo taken at Brenner’s Steakhouse

Hand-Crafted Cocktails.

Ideal Locations. Happy Hour.

GALLERIA • GALVESTON THE WOODLANDS • LAS VEGAS ATLANTIC CITY • LAKE CHARLES grottohouston.com

GALLERIA • NATIONWIDE theoceanaire.com

RIVER OAKS lagrigliahouston.com

GALLERIA • GALVESTON williegs.com

DOWNTOWN HOUSTON GALLERIA • NATIONWIDE mortons.com

2 JUNE – JULY 2016

landryssignaturegroup.com

KATY FWY MEMORIAL PARK brennerssteakhouse.com

DOWNTOWN HOUSTON LAS VEGAS • ATLANTIC CITY LAKE CHARLES vicandanthonys.com

We’re hands-on. Just like you.

As the last independent, family-owned food service company headquartered in Houston, we know what it means to be hands-on.

And we understand service, hard work, and dedication. Just like you.

jakesfinerfoods.com

3

JUNE – JULY 2016

gourmetranch.com

junejuly16

inside the pages D E P A R T M E N T S

F E A T U R E S

14 18 22

59

TAKE A STAND AGAINST BLAND: PICKLE IT!

By Nicholas L. Hall Photography by Becca Wright Styled by Taylor Byrne Dodge & Becca Wright

7

BEHIND THE SCENES

What we’ve been doing between issues 8

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

8

TABLE TALK

What’s going on in the Houston restaurant world?

SOUS VIDE SURPRISE Text and photos by Dragana Arežina Harris Recipe by Alvin Schultz

12 NOTEWORTHY OPENINGS & CLOSINGS 62 RESTAURANT REVIEWS

FEAST YOUR EYES: FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY FROM ACROSS TEXAS Featuring photo picks from our first-ever food photography competition

La Table Foreign Correspondents 63

ADVERTISER DIRECTORY

66 3-IN-1 REVIEW

Tucked into the Masarepa

GOSE DOWN EASY

By Nicholas L. Hall Photography by Becca Wright Styled by Taylor Byrne Dodge

68 TASTING THE TOWN

Spirited Shakes

4 JUNE – JULY 2016

Z

U

S

H

I

F

U

S

I

O

N

C

U

I

S

I

N

E

Warmer days, cooler nights.

M A K E Y O U R R E S E R VAT I O N S N O W

M-W 11am-11pm, TH-F 11am-12am Sat 12pm-12am, Sun 5pm-10pm

5 JUNE – JULY 2016

1131-14 Uptown Park Blvd.

Houston, TX 77056 713-871-1200 www.uptown-sushi.com

MY TABLE EDITOR & PUBLISHER

Teresa Byrne-Dodge teresa.byrnedodge@my-table.com CREATIVE DIRECTOR &

H O U S T O N ' S

& DESIGN

Taylor Byrne Dodge taylor@my-table.com

Becca Wright becca@my-table.com

EDITORIAL

ADVERTISING

Bill Albright Sarah Bronson Eric Gerber Nicholas L. Hall Dragana Arežina Harris Robin Barr Sussman

Jodie Eisenhardt 713-818-7508 jodie@my-table.com

ART

M AG A Z I N E

Special Edition!

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

Sarah Bronson Dragana Arežina Harris Chris Hsu Becca Wright & Feast Your Eyes featured photographers

D I N I N G

NEWSSTAND CONSULTANT

Joe Luca, JK Associates 816-229-2305 jkluca@sbcglobal.net

Feast Your Eyes

DISPLAY UNTIL JULY 28

ISSUE NO. 133 JUNE-JULY 2016

Picks From Our First-Ever Photo Contest i

JUNE – JULY 2016

$5.95 WWW.MY-TABLE.COM

SUBSCRIPTIONS

Joan Byrne 713-529-5500 subscriptions@my-table.com BOOKKEEPER

Darla Wishart darla@my-table.com

ABOUT THE COVER ARTIST Nick de la Torre won the grand prize of our 2016 Feast Your Eyes photo competition. He is a Houstonarea commercial photographer and videographer, who says that his favorite thing to shoot is “all things that deal with food. I try to figure out what style of photography best suits a dish or chef, then try I to execute a photo that showcases a chef’s creation.”

LET'S GET SOCIAL! FOLLOW US @MYTABLEMAGAZINE

DETAILS My Table magazine is published by Lazywood Press (lazywoodpress.com). A one-year bimonthly subscription (six issues) is $30. Some back issues are available, $9 each. CUSTOMER SERVICE Our website lets you change the address on

your account or order a subscription. Click on “customer service” if you are missing an issue, receive duplicate issues or need to temporarily suspend your subscription. Go to www.my-table.com. LETTERS For the quickest response, contact the editor via email at teresa.byrnedodge@my-table.com.

My Table: Houston’s Dining Magazine (USPS #011972, ISSN #1077-8077). Issue No. 133 (June-July 2016). Published by Lazywood Press at 1733 Harold, Houston, TX 77098. Established January 11, 1994. All rights reserved. Material may not be reproduced by any means whatsoever without written permission. The opinions expressed by My Table’s writers do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher or Lazywood Press.

PERIODICALS Postage paid at Houston, TX. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to My Table, 1733 Harold, Houston, TX 77098.

713-529-5500 www.my-table.com

SideDish is an email newsletter published by My Table and will arrive in your inbox every Tuesday and Friday with restaurant news, wine reviews, recipes, events, give-aways and everything else that celebrates the Houston food world. Sign up today for your free SideDish subscription at www.my-table.com.

6 JUNE – JULY 2016

BEHIND THE SCENES

Steak and eggs – so hot right now at @lesbaget in Montrose. #newrestaurant #noteworthyopening

ells for achio sh ture. t is p n e g op ng fea Crackin ’s #pickli scenes e c n la e e r indthe @nhallf oot #beh h s o t o h #p

turn to page 12 for more noteworthy openings.

one of writer nicholas L. Hall’s favorite things to pickle at the moment? pistachios

@toulo Check o usecafe’s onion so ut th up #riveroak at cheese and br – ead pull! sdistrict #french #houston

ON THE ROAD GOROKA, PAPUA NEW GUINEA

flip to page 14 for more funky pickling picks.

Each September, the government of Papua New Guinea holds a festival in the town of Goroka. The festival ensures that old tribal traditions don’t die.

— Ann S. Ford

Feast Your Eyes

Next time you pack for a trip, slip My Table in your suitcase.

Send us a snapshot of yourself, the magazine and a recognizable landmark. If we publish it, we'll send you a free one-year subscription.

Mail your photo to:

Food Photography From Across Texas

My Table magazine 1733 Harold Houston, TX 77098

begins on page 22.

(or email it to info@my-table.com)

WHAT GOES DOWN easy?

GOSE BEER PAGE 59 BOOZY MILKSHAKES PAGE 68

7

JUNE – JULY 2016

Back in 2014, we had a crazy idea: produce a food photography competition and devote an issue of My Table magazine to publishing the results. Sounds simple, right?

We sat on the plan for many months, chewing it over here at the office and debating the merit, expense and challenges of such a thing. For example, what kind of software is required to accept entries of multiple hi-rez photos? How do we spread word of the competition beyond Houston and our local sphere of influence? Where might we install a free-to-the-public exhibit of selected entries to coordinate with the magazine’s publication? And most unsettling of all: What if no one enters our little competition?

In June 2015 we shared our idea with Jessi Bowman, Caroline Docwra and Jonathan Beitler of the Houston Center for Photography. HCP has produced many photo competitions in its prestigious 35-year history, and we couldn’t think of any local organization we would rather work with. They said

TABLE TALK As we went to press, we had startling news that

yes. A year of meetings and deadlines later – and after reviewing hundreds of images this spring – we finally present Feast Your Eyes, the special edition of My Table you are now holding in your hands.

We needn’t have worried about no one entering the contest: We were stunned by the number of amateur and professional photographers from across Texas who submitted work. My Table editors and HCP representatives worked together to select the photos shown in these pages and the public exhibit that is at the MKT Bar in the Phoenicia Market Downtown from May 25 through July 9.

Warm congratulations to Nick de la Torre, our cover artist and grandprize winner in the adult division. We also congratulate Emory Irvine, age 13, grand-prize winner in the youth division. Each received an honorarium of $250.

We hope to see you soon at the MKT Bar sipping a glass of wine and “feasting your eyes.”

ILLUSTRATION BY CHRIS HSU

feasting your eyes

*** I also want to call your attention to another new program from My Table magazine. This time we paired with À La Carte Foodservice Consulting to produce “Sunday School,” a two-part panel discussion for restaurant industry professionals – and those who are interested in opening a restaurant. See page 11 for details, then sign up on my-table.com.

editor & publisher

maximize the time we have with our son and

the first floor of Saks Fifth Avenue’s retail space,

daughter … In pursuit of that dream for our family,

at the base of a circular staircase near women’s

we have entered into an agreement with a group of

fragrance.

local medical professionals to repurpose the Cullen’s

The HEIGHTS GENERAL STORE, at 350

MARK’S AMERICAN CUISINE would close as

complex as a healthcare facility. Work on this

W. 19th and situated below HAROLD’S

of May 29. Also, word that RDG + BAR ANNIE

reconfiguration will begin immediately.”

RESTAURANT, BAR & TERRACE, has closed and

would revert to its previous incarnation as CAFE ANNIE, complete with a menu change-out.

CULLEN’S AMERICAN GRILLE & WHISK(E)

51FIFTEEN RESTAURANT, the grand eatery

been replaced by HAROLD’S TAP ROOM serving

inside Saks Fifth Avenue in The Galleria, has

wine, craft beers and infused cocktails, along with

undergone a major transformation and a move next

Southern-style bites.

Y BAR, the huge restaurant and bar in the Bay Area

door. The new space, which opened on April 28, is

LEE ELLIS, JIM MILLS, SUSAN MOLZAN,

near NASA, abruptly shut its doors in early April.

significantly larger than the original restaurant, and it

LISA GOCHMAN and some other F.E.E.D. TX

Owners KEVIN and SANDRA MUNZ released a

is stunning, with a palette of white, gray, black and

(LIBERTY KITCHEN, BRC) personnel have left that

letter to the media saying that the death of GM and

brass and the use of Mid-century Modern pieces.

organization to launch their own new restaurant

spirits pro RYAN ROBERTS last fall had made them

Executive chef STEFON RISHEL’s menu features

group, CHERRY PIE HOSPITALITY. They took

reexamine their values and work. “After hours of

seasonal Southern European-inspired cuisine.

along LEE’S FRIED CHICKEN & DONUTS and

discussion and prayer, we have decided to focus

Overseeing the FOH is new general manager

Molzan’s PETITE SWEETS. The group is off to

on those business endeavors which will most

CHAD WHERRY. In addition to the second floor

a powerful start: They have taken over celebrity

dramatically enhance the quality of our lives and

restaurant, 51fifteen will operate a satellite bar on

chef BRADLEY OGDEN’s three failed Houston

8 JUNE – JULY 2016

We Sell the Best and Service Thank the Rest! you Chef Mark Cox Follow Us: @foodtechdemetri

for the many years of business!

Polyscience Sous Vide Professional CHEF Series

(713) 688-9518

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Minipack 1658 Westheimer Rd. Vacuum Pack Machine Houston, TX 77006 marks1658.com

1923 Antoine Dr, Houston, TX

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demetri@berkelss.com

Celebrating 40 Years of Business! Visit us at BerkelSalesService.com

TABLE TALK

Buffalo Speedway at Westpark. Look for all the

chef WILLIAM WRIGHT – the new spot is being

menu favorites from the Post Oak Boulevard location

described as “an ode to the classic red sauce Italian-

– knishes, smoked fish, skyscraping sandwiches

American restaurants” that populate the Northeast.

restaurants. STATE FARE KITCHEN & BAR (see

(including the best Reuben in town) – as well as the

page 12) occupies the Memorial City-area location

framed Broadway posters, Playbills and hand-drawn

store founded in California, is opening its first

that was POUR SOCIETY. The defunct FUNKY

caricatures of well-known celebrities.

local store at 1801 S. Dairy Ashford. The 11,000-

CHICKEN will become a brick-and-mortar version

ON THE DRAWING TABLE: KIRAN

SEIWA MARKET, the Japanese grocery

square foot market should be open in July. On

of food truck PI PIZZA, and BRADLEY’S FINE

VERMA closed her KIRAN’S restaurant in early

the far West side, Dallas-based WHISKEY

DINER is set to become STARFISH.

April, but don’t worry. She’s already working on

CAKE KITCHEN & BAR is set to open in

REPLICATIONS: RUGGLES GREEN RIVER

a new iteration of Kiran’s coming this fall to 2925

Katy. In town, Montrose is getting a new private-

OAKS (it’s actually in Upper Kirby, not River Oaks)

Richmond Avenue. The previous location at 4100

party space at 2512 Woodhead just north of

has reopened after moving a few meters to the

Westheimer is a casualty of redevelopment. DISH

Westheimer. LIFE HTX is from local developer

east. The new address is 2305 W. Alabama.

SOCIETY has a third location underway. The newest

MONSOUR TAGHDISI. It may be open by the

TRULUCK’S SEAFOOD STEAK & CRAB HOUSE

spot, at 12525 Memorial Drive, will open in 2017.

time you read this.

has opened a location in The Woodlands at

ARTHUR AVE ITALIAN AMERICAN will open

LEVI GOODE recently told the Houston

1900 Hughes Landing. The city’s most popular

this summer at 1111 Studewood. From the same

Chronicle that two new Goode Company

Jewish-style deli, KENNY & ZIGGY’S, has finally

team that has HELEN GREEK FOOD & WINE –

restaurants are planned for The Woodlands. A fourth

opened a second location, this one at 5172

SHARIF AL-AMIN, TIM FAIOLA and executive

area GOODE CO. BARBECUE will be joined by

9 JUNE – JULY 2016

Tapas, Paella & Wine in Rice Village

2425 University Blvd.

713.522.9306 www.elmeson.com Chef/Sommelier Pedro Angel Garcia

TABLE TALK

Americas, recently retired. The new GM of the city’s

CONDOLENCES … to the family, friends and

largest hotel is JACQUES D’ROVENCOURT. Chef

customers of DENNIS LEE HAMMOND, part

BEN McPHERSON has left PROHIBITION and

of the HAMMOND FARM CHEESE

and share a patio with GOODE CO. KITCHEN &

downtown’s underground CONSERVATORY food

MANUFACTURING CO. and a fixture at many

CANTINA, a new concept that will be like a full-

hall project and taken a new position with one of

Houston-area farmers’ markets. He died April

service version of the company’s taqueria on Kirby

the Conservatory tenants, EL BURRO & THE BULL,

10 … to the family and friends of VERONICA

Drive. They should both open in January. In April

a barbecue stand. UCHI HOUSTON recently

MARQUEZ-GARCIA, director of operations

the still-under-construction downtown MARRIOTT

announced that Houstonian LANCE GILLUM is now

at LEGACY RESTAURANTS, which owns the

MARQUIS HOUSTON announced a partnership

chef de cuisine. Also, Uchi chef KAZ EDWARDS

ORIGINAL NINFA’S ON NAVIGATION and

with Houston Astros All-Star CRAIG BIGGIO to

has been promoted to concept chef for all of HAI

ANTONE’S FAMOUS PO’BOYS. Marquez-

open BIGGIO’S, a two-story sports bar inside the

HOSPITALITY.

Garcia was killed in a car pile-up on May 4 on

hotel. The hotel, which is expected to open this fall,

CONGRATULATIONS … to DAVID KECK

her way home from work … and to the MICKELIS

is very near the Astros’ home field, Minute Maid

of CAMERATA, who was recently named one of

family, whose beloved CLEBURNE CAFETERIA

Park. It’s also the same hotel that will have a rooftop

the top sommeliers in the country by Food & Wine

burned down April 26. They are already rebuilding.

lazy river (or moat) shaped like Texas overlooking

magazine. He was one of 12 sommeliers, and

Discovery Green below.

the only Texan, named to the magazine’s annual

openings and closings, comings and goings,

“Sommeliers of the Year” list ... and to JUSTIN YU

follow us @MyTablemagazine and subscribe

of OXHEART on his James Beard Award.

to our twice-weekly newsletter, SideDish.

OUR PERIPATETIC CHEFS ET AL: JOE PALMIERI, GM for the past eight years at Hilton

10 JUNE – JULY 2016

For more news about restaurant

join us for

SUNDAY SCHOOL a two-part panel discussion for restaurant industry professionals

®

®

W I N ES · S P I R I TS · F I N E R FO O DS

GOOD TIMES

Sunday, June 5 at Saltillo Mexican Kitchen | $75 Morning Panel: IT’S A PEOPLE BUSINESS

AT GREAT

PRICES! Find more savings under the sun with our Texassized selection of wine, spirits, craft beers and gourmet foods. Summer is a breeze at Spec’s!

Hear the latest from those in the know about hiring, training, handbooks, tip sharing, service charges, minimum wage, salary exemptions and more.

Panelists include restaurant operator Tracy Vaught, HR director Taj Walker, immigration expert Jacob Monty and labor law specialist David Jordan. Chris Tripoli will moderate the morning panel.

Afternoon Panel: THEY REALLY LIKE ME! Learn from experts how to make your restaurant or bar stand out in newsfeeds and posts, both locally and on a national media level. Panelists include PR/marketing specialist Stuart Rosenberg, food-and-drink writer Phaedra Cook and social media specialist Stephanie Joplin Tabbah.

Teresa Byrne-Dodge will moderate the afternoon panel.

for more information and to purchase tickets, visit my-table.com/sundayschool Seating is limited.

produced by My Table magazine and A La Carte Foodservice Consulting

11 JUNE – JULY 2016

CHEERS TO SAVINGS!

®

LOCATIONS ALL ACROSS HOUSTON (713) 526-8787 SPECSONLINE.COM

noteworthy openings CANARD 4721 N. Main near Airline, 713-864-8424 treadsack.com/canard

Located next to Foreign Correspondents restaurant (see our review on page 64), this is another Treadsack project (Bernadine’s, Hunky Dory, Johnny’s Gold Brick, Down House, D&T Drive Inn). This time, drinks mistress Leslie Ross has a special space for cocktail experimentation and hospitality.

Foreign Correspondents chef PJ Stoops has devised a bar menu of Franco-Asian snacks.

THE CONSERVATORY 1010 Prairie near Main, 713-398-7697, conservatoryhtx.com

An offshoot of Prohibition Supperclub upstairs, The Conservatory is an underground food court with (currently) four local food vendors – Mélange Crêperie, El Burro & The Bull, Samurai Ramen and Myth Cafe – not to mention 60 beers on tap. It’s

open late every evening, until 3 am on Friday and Saturday.

CURRENT 2 Waterway Square Place in the Westin Hotel, The Woodlands, 281-419-4300, westinthewoodlands.com

The Howard Hughes Corporation recently unveiled a chic new hotel, and its restaurant (Current) and poolside lounge (SideBar) have both upped the let’s-go-out-tonight game in The Woodlands. Executive chef is Nathan Friend, who has helmed three Nordstrom restaurants, most recently in The Woodlands. Dinner menu options include crabcakes, whole Gulf snapper and roasted lamb loin.

GINGER & FORK 4705 Inker just east of Shepherd, 713-8618883, gingerandforkrestaurant.com

Consider the irresistible combination of Cantonese cuisine and craft cocktails in the cute setting that was previously

home to La Fisheria. This small spot is from Mary Li, who managed the bar for Tony Mandola’s restaurants for years; she promises a first-rate cocktail and wine program.

LES BA’GET 1717 Montrose just south of West Gray, 832-548-1080, lesbaget.com

We hope this is what we can look forward to from more of Houston’s second-generation mom-and-pop Vietnamese restaurants: cozy setting (a small cottage with garden seating) and high-quality food ingredients while maintaining authenticity. Husbandand-wife team Cat Huynh and Angie Dang sold their food truck to open this little spot last fall. Yes, the prices are a bit more than some other cafes with a similar menu of banh mi, pho, spring rolls and such. But the lavishly stuffed sandwiches, nicer presentation and house-made ingredients are more than worth it. Local craft beers available, too.

LES BA’GET’S VERMICELLI BOWL

STATE FARE’S GUMBO

PHOTOS BY BECCA WRIGHT

noteworthy closings CHRISTIAN’S TAILGATE

GEORGES BISTRO

MARK’S AMERICAN CUISINE

219 Westheimer

1658 Westheimer

BIG EYED FISH

HONG KONG CHEF

MR. PEEPLES

5112 Bissonnet

1911 Bagby

CULLEN’S AMERICAN GRILLE

KIRAN’S

SPARROW BAR + COOKSHOP

7430 Washington 908 Henderson

11500 Space Center Blvd.

4100 Westheimer

12 JUNE – JULY 2016

3701 Travis

MIDTOWN BBQ 2708 Bagby bet. Dennis & Drew, 713-6369044, facebook.com/midtownbbq

Chef Eric Aldis (previously at Corner Table) and pitmaster Brett Jackson offer traditional Hill Country-style smoked meats, including brisket, beef ribs and pork ribs, chicken and sausage made by Felix Florez of Black Hill Meats.

ROSSINI CAFFÈ ITALIANO 2229 San Felipe bet. S. Shepherd & Kirby, 832-548-1006, rossinicafe.com

Located on the ground floor of the new San Felipe Place highrise, Rossini opens at 7 am on weekdays (8 am on the weekend), which makes it a handy stop for coffee drinks and breakfastto-go, such as croissant sandwiches and breakfast wraps. On the lunch menu, look for salads, sandwiches, pastas and panini. It currently closes at 4 pm.

STATE FARE KITCHEN & BAR 947 Gessner just south of I-10, 832-831-0950

The newly formed Cherry Pie Hospitality group (read about it on page 8) has taken over the three defunct Bradley Ogden concepts, and State Fare (previously Pour Society) is the first to be rebranded and unveiled. The menu is a tribute to Texas cooking – expect chef Jim Mills’ “Texas Red” beef chile, Mexican-style shrimp cocktail, roasted Gulf oysters, barbecued shrimp over grits and possibly the best restaurant gumbo in Houston. The space is still being remade (at night), and the old sign might still be up. Live music coming soon.

Top 100 Restaurants ‒ Alison Cook 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015

Dogfriendly patio!

Essential 38 Restaurants ‒ Eater Houston 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

3215 Westheimer, Houston, TX 77098 • 713.522.1934 • giacomosciboevino.com

K e v i n M c G owa n Photography print & web commercial photography

TOULOUSE CAFE & BAR 4444 Westheimer in River Oaks District, 713-871-0768, toulousecafeandbar.com

This classic French cafe (by way of Dallas) is among the first spots to open in the new and dizzyingly upscale River Oaks District shopping center, just inside the Loop. Small cafe tables, white marble mosaic tile floor, pressed-tin ceilings, red leather banquettes and a long mirrored bar will whisk you away to Paris. (There’s also a very pleasant covered patio.) Philippe Schmit is executive chef.

www.kevinmcgowan.com 13 JUNE – JULY 2016

take a stand against bland

pickle it!

Chefs will tell you there are a number of things separating restaurant food from home-cooked food, aside from the years of training and battle-proven skills of a professional cook: Butter, and lots of it. Heat, and far more of it than your puny residential range can manage. Shallots by the bushel. These, you may know.

There’s one secret weapon that doesn’t get quite as many column-inches in food glossies or mentions on aspirational cooking shows.

Acid.

Writer Nicholas Hall’s prime pick:

pickled pistachios

by Nicholas L. Hall 14 Photography

by Becca Wright JUNE – JULY 2016

Be it a finishing squeeze of citrus, a bracing vinaigrette or an herb-flecked and tangy sauce, acid brightens a dish in ways no other element can. If you’ve ever taken a bite of something, only to have what should have been deeply satisfying flavors fall dull and heavy on your palate, it’s likely that a simple burst of acidity is all you needed to bring everything into focus. The tart, savory glaze of ketchup on a meatloaf; the squeeze of lime on a piece of grilled fish; the pickle on a hamburger. All of these things highlight the power of acid to add a spark of life to your food.

Of the many options, the humble pickle may well be the most versatile way to add that spark.

I love pickles. Not the ones you’re thinking of, though. I often use quick pickles to bring targeted bursts of vibrancy to a dish, but I don’t tend to pickle cukes. I do, however, pickle pretty much everything else. Lately, my mantra in the kitchen has become “when in doubt, pickle.”

As a process, quick pickling (as opposed to fermented pickles) could hardly be simpler. Prepare a pickling liquid of vinegar, water, sugar and spices. Heat the mixture, pour over your intended pickle and cool.

The specifics are nearly infinitely malleable, from the ratio of salt to sugar, to the intensity of the acidity, to the spices used to flavor the brine. You can change up the vinegar, using everything from rice wine to sherry versions and anything in between. You can tailor the spices to the intended use of the pickle or to your preferred flavors.

Different sweeteners lend their own nuances. You can eat the resulting pickles out of hand or, as I prefer, you can use them like laser-guided-missiles of acidity, applying targeted bursts of sunny freshness exactly where and how you’d like, in order to best complement any number of dishes.

Possibly my favorite to date, pickled pistachios are as delicious as they are unexpected. Take three cups of water, two cups of vinegar and one cup of sugar. Put them in a pot on the stovetop and add a few mixed spices, a teaspoon or so of each. I’m partial to a

blend of coriander, fenugreek, clove, bay and crushed red pepper for these. Bring to a boil, cool slightly, and pour on top of a couple cups of shelled pistachios, in jars if you plan on keeping them.

Buttery and rich, tart and spicy, pickled pistachios are unexpectedly delicious. I first made them with the intent of using them to accent a lamb dish, but my first batch didn’t even make it into my mise en place. Between my own snacking and the wandering hands of my family, the pickled nuts were gone before the lamb was done.

The next time, I made them when nobody was looking, stashing them in the fridge until I needed them. I’ve used them both whole, scattered strategically around the plate, and pureed, to add an unexpected base layer of richness and acid. If you go the puree route, I suggest adding in a few sprigs of blanched parsley, both for added freshness and to reinforce the verdant shade that washes out a bit during the pickling. Once it’s smooth, spoon it onto the center of your plate and spread it out in a circle, placing grilled lamb collar steaks and roasted carrots on top. These may not be your grandmother’s pickles, but they likely follow the same formula.

The most common quick pickling method follows an easily remembered ratio: 3-2-1. That’s the three parts water, two parts vinegar, one part sugar, flavored with the spices and seasonings of your choice. That’s the formula chef Ben Rabbani uses for his pickled avocado, which he developed while behind the stoves at El Big Bad. Rabbani had been working on a dish centered on avocado, crema, lime and pistachio. One day he received a shipment of exceptionally unripe avocados and turned to pickling as a natural way to make use of what seemed at first like an unusable product.

“Most unripe produce lends itself to pickling,” notes Rabbani. “Clearly, the firm texture holds up better. So I got to shaving avocados on a mandolin. Even the pit was soft. The mandolin went clean through it. I made a quick pickling liquid [there’s that 3-2-1 again} and threw in various pickling spices. [Some traditional pickling spices include

15 JUNE – JULY 2016

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2015 Bordeaux Futures

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mustard seed, coriander, crushed red pepper and bay leaves.] When the liquid was about 175° I threw in the [avocado] slices and waited till it was cool.

“The final dish became carrots cooked in their juice with chamomile, smoked crema, pickled avocado and shaved pecan. I started coming up with ideas to use these great carrots we were getting in. I decided to fortify them by braising them in carrot juice and chamomile tea. I also wanted some fat element to almost serve as a “dip.” I came up with smoked crema. The dish needed an acid component, and since guac was already on the menu, I decided to utilize the green avocados.”

I had the good fortune to sample that dish before Rabbani moved on. The avocados, with their smooth texture and balance of green, vegetal freshness and bright, targeted acid, brought all of the other components together. Without them, it would have leaned too sweet from the carrots and overly rich and aggressive from the smoked crema. The pickle cut through all of those flavors, stitching them together perfectly. That’s the power of acid.

Given that acid shines particularly brightly against fatty and smoky flavors, it’s no surprise that some chefs like to include smoke in their pickles. Jonathan Rhodes, the chef behind modern Gulf Coast pop-up dinner series The Jensen Chronicles, smokes and then pickles turnips, in a nod to the classic flavors of Texas barbecue.

“The idea of these pickles came from wanting to showcase Texas barbecue through other forms outside of brisket and ribs,” says Rhodes. ”Pickles are as important to barbecue as fire. You need the acidity to cut through the smoke and char of meat.”

Rhodes coats the turnips in vegetable oil and places them in a pan, hot-smoking them until tender (about one hour).

He then removes the skin with a towel, places them in jars along with herbs (use whatever suits your fancy) and covers them with a cooled pickling liquid. For these pickles, Rhodes is looking for a clear smoke flavor and bright acidity, so he suggests sticking to a pretty basic 3-2-1 pickling liquid (3 parts rice wine vinegar, 2 parts water, 1 part sugar, .25 16 JUNE – JULY 2016

part salt), rather than flavoring the pickles heavily with pickling spices.

Rhodes eats these smoky pickles out of hand, but also suggests using them as a component of a composed salad, with a creamy dressing as opposed to a vinaigrette so as not to overwhelm with acid. You can also serve them as a stand-alone course, dressed with an herb puree, to add another layer of freshness and lighten the smoke-heavy pickles.

Avocadoes, root veg and smoke are just the tip of the pickling iceberg.

Over at The Durham House, chef Mike McElroy pickles pretty much everything he can get his hands on. “I have a collection of pickled fruits and vegetables in my cooler at all times,” says McElroy, ticking off his various pickles. “Pickled grapes, both smoked and cold pickled, corn, tomatillos, cantaloupe, watermelon rind, carrots, jalapeño, Louisiana shallots, just off the top of my head.”

In addition to taking my own personal “pickle everything approach,” McElroy and the staff at The Durham House also embrace the use-pickles-in-everything ethos, recognizing the value of interesting acid in drink as well as food. When McElroy recently found himself with some pickled blackberries, they also made their way into a cocktail glass, with head barman James Caronna giving them a spin.

Originally, the pickled blackberries had served as a reinforcing and palatecleansing intermezzo, served with dryhopped cassis after a dish of braised beef heart accented with fresh blackberries.

Caronna is currently using the juice pressed from the pickled fruit – sort of an ad-hoc shrub – pairing the tart liquid with gin, a sweetener like simple syrup and bitters. They tell me it’s a work in progress, which resonates well with the flexibility and creative possibility of pickles.

Take my coconut-vinegarpickled golden raisins. Born out of a desire to make use of some comically large raisins I found tucked in the back of my pantry, these were a laughably simple pickle. I tossed the raisins in a pint deli container, covered them with coconut vinegar, and stashed them in the fridge. No spices, no sugar, no boil.

Just cover and wait. They’re spectacular.

The bracing bite of the vinegar highlights the rich and round sweetness of the raisins, while also being tempered by it. They’re terrific with braised and grilled meats. The char of grilled chicken skin is a particularly nice pair.

The pickling liquid repeats all of that, calming the bite of the acid into a deeply complex elixir. I thought I would add sugar to the liquid, following standard shrub procedure, but the raisins did all that work for me. The fruit itself shed most of its sweetness, making it a more flexible savory ingredient and creating a perfectly sweet-tart cocktail component with basically zero effort.

I have two batches right now. One I put up about a week ago, and one I’ve been hanging onto for more than two years. Given the high acid and sugar level of both the pickle and its liquid, the age doesn’t concern me. You may feel differently about that, but I promise you, they’re phenomenally good.

Especially the liquid. With its dark fruit and almost spicy notes tempered by bright acid, it reads almost like a light and sunny version of sweet vermouth, which will guide my eventual cocktail experimentation.

Experimentation is the key to good pickling, really. As chef McElroy says, “There’s a ton of different ratios of salt, sugar, vinegar and spices you can use to pickle things. I’ll look up a random idea of a pickle, read how a few different people do it, and build my own Frankenstein of a recipe.”

So embrace the pickle. Move beyond cucumbers, beyond bread and butter.

Raid the produce section and rummage through your spice cabinet. Throw caution to the wind and throw everything in a 3-2-1 brine. And remember: When in doubt, pickle.

Food Drinks People Spaces Events ❖

❖

Chuck Cook PHOTOGRAPHY | Houston, Texas info@chuckcookphoto.com | 281-513-6653 | www.chuckcookphoto.com

Nicholas L. Hall is a husband and father who earns his keep playing a video game that controls the U.S. power grid. He also writes about food, booze and music, in an attempt to keep the demons at bay. When he’s not busy keeping your lights on, he can usually be found making various messes in the kitchen, with apologies to his wife.

17 JUNE – JULY 2016

sous vide surprise Text and photography by Dragana Arežina Harris Recipe by Alvin Schultz

THIS ISN’T YOUR AVERAGE SALAD

18 JUNE – JULY 2016

Natural light flooded the spacious living area from three sides of Alvin Schultz’s EaDo townhome, casting a flattering light on his just-acquired market selection of vegetables. As I looked about the room, my eyes took in the tools and equipment that make this industrial kitchen a science lab for a culinary wiz: stainless prep tables, a nitrogen tank, a rotary evaporator, sealers, a centrifuge and a knife case containing carefully selected cutting tools. Not to be overlooked, a Japanese money cat talisman surveyed the room from a bookshelf, with good luck to spare.

It’s no wonder that MasterChef creator Gordon Ramsay called Schultz “a freak genius” upon tasting his signature dish during the program’s second season in 2011. His homemade circulator was the essential tool used to finish his dish.

The contraption produced an egg that was uniform in texture throughout and cooked to 63˚.

Schultz has since upgraded to a professional immersion circulator and has become a master of the sous vide method of cooking.

French for “under vacuum,” the sous vide method cooks food in vacuumsealed bags that are submerged in circulating water. The water is heated to a lower temperature than traditional cooking temperatures and remains constant during the cooking process.

Using a circulating water bath versus traditional dry heat allows meats and vegetables to keep their juices, resulting in moist, tender proteins and vegetables with better texture. In addition, lower cooking temperatures prevent overcooking.

“Cooking sous vide requires a delicate balance of temperature and time,” ALVIN SCHULTZ

observed Schultz. For all you need to know about sous vide, check out chefsteps.com/sous-vide. A printable Times and Temperature Guide at the same website is a valuable reference.

Schultz’s interest in cooking began in his Vietnamese mother’s kitchen.

During the summer between third and fourth grades, young Schultz checked out every VHS cassette of Julia Child’s cooking series from the library. By 2010, the sous vide cooking method piqued his interest. “It just made sense to me. ‘Molecular gastronomy,’ of which sous vide is a part, is a fancy way of saying ‘science in the kitchen,’” says Schultz, “and I wanted to eat better than I could afford to go out and eat.”

Aided by the six-volume, 2,438page epic Modernist Cuisine: The Art & Science of Cooking and highly regarded cookbooks such as Eleven Madison Park: The Cookbook, Momofuku and The French Laundry Cookbook, Schultz honed his culinary skills further. A trip to New York City with Ronnie Killen and the Killen’s Steakhouse team in 2012 offered Schultz the opportunity to assist in the kitchen at the prestigious James Beard House. In addition, he took the time to stage with chef Graham Elliot in Chicago, 2016 James Beard Award winner Daniela Soto-Innes at Cosme in New York City and Jonathan Jones at El Big Bad in Houston. These days Schultz is available for catering events and cooking lessons. (Go to eatdrinkexperience.com.)

My son, who is developing his own culinary skills, recently gave me an Anova Precision Cooker. It’s a simple and affordable circulator for home use that is attached to a large pot or other vessel that holds water. I called Schultz

to ask him to teach me how to use it, and he invited me to come by.

We decided on a simple Vietnamesestyle chicken salad with colorful root vegetables instead of the traditional cabbage and pickled vegetables. “It’s a perfect meal to prep on a Sunday and get onto the table in under 20 minutes on a weeknight without tearing up the kitchen. Perfect for summer in Houston, don’t you think?”

Since the chicken is usually poached – and I’ve never poached chicken that didn’t end up tough – I was eager to see the sous vide results. The chicken was delicious, very moist and sliced effortlessly … definitely my go-to method for chicken breasts from now on.

In this salad, some vegetables were cooked and some were left raw for flavor and textural contrast. The dressing is very versatile and can be adjusted to taste. “Spicy, sour, salty, sweet and bitter elements are kept in balance in Vietnamese cuisine,” says Schultz, “and no mayonnaise, which makes it perfect for picnics and outdoor dining.” To vary the salad, use grapefruit juice instead of lime juice; crabmeat instead of chicken with orange juice in the dressing; or substitute Thai basil for the mint.

To demonstrate sous vide without an immersion circulator, we cooked the vegetables in a standard pot on the stovetop. Schultz used vacuum sealer bags and a FoodSaver to create the vacuum. The bags simmered at a higher temperature – 85˚C to 99˚C/185˚F to 210˚F. Although this stovetop technique works with vegetables, it’s difficult to maintain the necessary lower temperatures when cooking meats. If you’re going to attempt it, check the ChefSteps website for directions.

ROOT VEGETABLES FOR THE VIETNAMESE CHICKEN SALAD

19 JUNE – JULY 2016

OPEN ONE END OF EACH BAG. POUR RUB CARROTS WITH KOSHER SALT TO CLEAN.

OUT VEGETABLE “LIQUOR” AND SAVE.

INGREDIENTS FOR SALAD DRESSING

To finish our salad, Schultz whipped out his Searzall blowtorch attachment and produced a huge blue flame that charred the peanuts in less than a second. At the end of the day, he was just a man enjoying his tools, and as they say… don’t stand between a man and his tools.

VIETNAMESE CHICKEN SALAD WITH ROOT VEGETABLES

2 chicken breasts 2 Tbsp. duck fat (can substitute butter or extra-virgin olive oil) 2 small turnips, peeled and rinsed 3 small yellow or red beets, peeled and rinsed 2 bunches baby carrots, trimmed of greens 2 clusters oyster mushrooms (about 1 pint) 1 kohlrabi (a green bulb that tastes like a cross between a cabbage and apple), washed

TOAST PEANUTS TO SPRINKLE ON TOP OF SALAD.

COOK THE CHICKEN

Set up immersion circulator according to manufacturer’s instructions. Set temperature to 64˚C/147˚F. Lightly salt chicken breasts and place in a 1-gallon freezer Ziploc bag. Add duck fat. Flatten bag on counter and press air out. Seal bag leaving about an inch open in one corner. Carefully place Ziploc bag with chicken in the hot water against the side of the container. As the bag sinks, the surrounding water will create pressure against the bag and push the air out.

Carefully seal the Ziploc, release the bag and allow the sous vide process to continue for 1 hour. Remove bag from water bath and allow chicken to cool.

FOR THE VEGETABLES

Cut turnips in half and then slice crosswise into ¼-inch pieces (use a mandoline if you have one). Salt turnips and place them in a freezer Ziploc bag (or FoodSaver vacuum sealer bags). Set one beet aside to be added raw to the

20 JUNE – JULY 2016

salad later. Slice two beets lengthwise and then crosswise in ¼-inch slices.

Season with salt and place in a freezer Ziploc bag or FoodSaver bag. To clean the carrots, rub carrots with kosher salt between your hands to release any dirt.

This is a technique Schultz picked up from chef Erin Smith who learned it from a French chef in culinary school.

The abrasive salt cleans the carrots but leaves the beautiful color, exterior ridges and texture intact and, most importantly, leaves the nutrients in the skin. Rinse carrots. Reserve about one-third of the smallest carrots to be added raw later.

Season carrots and place them in Ziploc or FoodSaver bag.

Fill a large pot of water about twothirds full. If you’re using Ziploc bags, create a vacuum by placing each bag (one at a time) against the side of the prepared pot of water. Grasp bag at the bottom with one hand and pull it downward. The surrounding water will create pressure against the bag and push

the air upward and out. Seal the Ziploc with your other hand. Remove bag from water and repeat with other vegetables.

Set aside.

Bring water in the pot to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and carefully slip the bagged vegetables into the water.

Place a smaller pot over bags of vegetables to act as a weight and keep them submerged during cooking. Simmer for 15 minutes and then test for doneness.

Using tongs, remove bags from water.

Press vegetables between fingers – if they give and bend easily, they are done.

(Return to pot and cook 5 more minutes if vegetables are still hard.) Cool 10 minutes.

Open one end of each bag. Pour out vegetable “liquor” and save to add to soups, stews or even cocktails later. It will be salty, but the flavor will be concentrated and very tasty.

Tear oyster mushrooms into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.

Fill two small bowls with iced water.

Cut one raw beet in half lengthwise and then crosswise into very thin slices. Add to iced water. This iced water will keep foodie guide postcard dec crisp.

2013 alt_Layout the beet slices fresh and Slice raw 1 carrots lengthwise into very thin strips.

Add to second bowl of iced water. Cut kohlrabi in half lengthwise. Use a mandoline to julienne (cut into matchsticks) the kohlrabi or, using your best knife skills, cut crosswise into very thin strips and then slice strips into matchstick size strips.

FOR THE DRESSING

2½ Tbsp. water 1 tsp. honey zest of 4 limes ¼ cup lime juice 1½ tsp. sambal (Asian hot sauce, available in most supermarkets) 1 tsp. fish sauce (Red Boat recommended) 2 cloves garlic, very finely chopped salt Place water and honey in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Heat for 5 seconds and stir until blended. Add lime zest, lime juice, sambal and fish sauce. Add ¼ to ½ teaspoon salt to garlic and press and mash it with the flat side of a large knife on a cutting board to form a garlic paste. Add to 11/19/13 1:02 AMwell.

Page 3 bowl and mix Taste and adjust seasonings.

TO FINISH SALAD

½ cup toasted peanuts ¼ cup fried red onion, available in Asian markets, optional ½ cup mint leaves, rinsed and torn into bite-size pieces Remove chicken from bag. Pat dry and remove skin and bones. Slice each breast lengthwise and then crosswise into thin strips. Slice cooked carrots in half lengthwise. Layer cooked beets, turnips, carrots and chicken on serving plates.

Drain raw vegetables, pat dry, put them in a medium bowl with mushrooms, kohlrabi and the dressing. Toss to combine.

Divide raw vegetables between plates.

Sprinkle top with crispy fried red onion, peanuts and mint leaves.

Serves 2 as a main course or 4 as a first course.

Dragana Arežina Harris is a life-long food, wine and travel enthusiast. She blogs about food at draganabakes. blogspot.com and dabbles in chocolate at dragana-bakes.com

GRAB YOURS BEFORE THEY'RE GONE.

also available at

21 JUNE – JULY 2016

Feast Your Eyes A PHOTO COMPETITION SPONSORED BY MY TABLE MAGAZINE, HOUSTON CENTER FOR PHOTOGRAPHY & PHOENICIA SPECIALITY MARKET

Food Photography From Across Texas 22 JUNE – JULY 2016

1

In response to our call for entries last winter, Texas photographers shared

hundreds of images of farmers, butchers, food trucks, farmers’ market vendors, fast-food burgers, bartenders, home cooks, restaurant kitchens and more. As with all photography, so much of what is taken away depends on what the viewer brings to an image. A torn pomegranate, seeds scattered, may appear either rudely violated or delicious-looking, depending on your point of view. Some of the photos included in this special edition are entirely accessible, while others will leave viewers with more questions than answers. We invite you to feast your eyes and feed your head.

A selection of Feast Your Eyes entries is currently on view through July 9 at MKT Bar in the Phoenicia Market Downtown.

2

3

1 - SOREN PEDERSEN: CURRANT KITCHEN 2 - JEAN PHILIPPE GASTON: IZAKAYA 3 - WILLIAM WRIGHT: HELEN

PHOTOGRAPHER

Galina Kurlat

It was Galina Kurlat’s photos of Houston chefs that originally inspired this competition. Her photographs are made using the 19th-century wet collodion process. The process begins with coating a metal plate with collodion then sensitizing it 23 by dipping it into a bath of silver nitrate. While still wet, the plate is placed in the camera and the photograph is made.

JUNE – JULY 2016 Within a few minutes of exposure the plate must be developed, fixed and dried in order to create the final image.

1

PHOTOGRAPHER

Tatyana Bessmertnaya 1 - TWO AND A HALF FIGS 2 - POMEGRANATES 3 - ARTICHOKES

2

“A woman is like an artichoke; you must work hard to get to her heart.”

—Inspector Jacques Clouseau in The Pink Panther

24 JUNE – JULY 2016

3

2 3

1 PHOTOGRAPHER

Laura Burlton 1 - BROCCOLI 2 - MARJORAM 3 - LEMONS

25 JUNE – JULY 2016

"My weaknesses have always been food and men – in that order."

— Dolly Parton

PHOTOGRAPHER

John Henry Childs 1 - SPINY SQUASH 2 - YELLOW SQUASH 3 - PEACHES

1 2

26 JUNE – JULY 2016

3

1

PHOTOGRAPHER

Mark Kimbrough 1 - REPEAL

2

2 - PAIR

3 3 - HOME GROWN ARTIST’S COMMENT: “My artwork integrates both Western and Eastern influences, incorporating both the technical beauty of 17th-century still life painting along with wabi-sabi, a Japanese worldview centered on celebrating imperfection, simplicity and flawed beauty.

I imbue each piece with an element of struggle or tension, counter-balanced with serenity and modesty. Much of my still life work takes a critical view of man’s constant quest to manipulate nature – and nature’s ability to sustain its beauty despite our interference.”

27 JJUUN NEE –– JJUULLYY 22001166

PHOTOGRAPHER

Edie Wells 1 - TOMATO BLOSSOM 2 - ONION BLOSSOM

1 2

28 JUNE – JULY 2016

youth entry

1 2 PHOTOGRAPHER

Hanna Nyberg 17 years old 1 - EGGS 2 - BLUEBERRIES

29 JUNE – JULY 2016

“Gentleness doesn’t get work done unless you happen to be a hen laying eggs.”

— Coco Chanel

RIVER OAKS HOUSTON

A backyard with a view.

In Houston, buying and selling property reaches its zenith in River Oaks, where homes are often stunning … with prices to match. It is the most intensive level of residential real estate.

And it’s an area that requires a greater range of skills than ever before. We are the chain that links your property, advertising, sales promotion, persuasion, negotiation and successful closure.

Sign up for our newsletter at riveroakshouston.com

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RIVER O AKS 2016 OUTLOOK

Cameron Ansari and Teresa Byrne-Dodge

MARKE

RIVER OAKS MARKET REPORT

T REPO RT

& 30

GREENWOOD KING PROPERTIES JUNE – JULY 2016

2016 Outloo k

Published by Cameron Ansa ri & Teresa Byrn e-Dodge $75 riveroak shouston

GREENWOOD

KING PROPERT IES

.com

youth entry

2

1

3 PHOTOGRAPHER

Grace Graubart 16 years old 1 - CARROTS 2 - BLACKBERRIES 3 - HEIRLOOM GARLIC

31 JUNE – JULY 2016

“You don’t have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces – just good food from fresh ingredients.”

— Julia Child

1 2 PHOTOGRAPHER

Bob Levy 1 - ANIMAL FARM, JULY 2015 2 - DYLAN CARNES, SINFULL BAKERY AT EASTSIDE FARMERS’ MARKET, OCTOBER 2014 3 - ANDREW ALVIS AT SUSTAINABLE HARVESTERS AQUAPONICS FARM, NOVEMBER 2015

3

“The first farmer was the first man. All historic nobility rests on the possession and use of land.”

— Ralph Waldo Emerson

32 JUNE – JULY 2016

PHOTOGRAPHER

Melissa Laree Cunningham

more from Melissa Laree Cunningham on page 46.

33 JJUUN NEE –– JJUULLYY 22001166

MORNING HARVEST WORLD HUNGER RELIEF FARM ELM MOTT, 2014

1

PHOTOGRAPHER

Richard Casteel

1 - KRIS OLSEN. “He owns and operates Milagro Farm near Red Rock, Texas. His chickens are pasture-raised, and the chicken coop is mobile so the chickens can graze and then the coop is moved to allow the grass to regrow.”

2 - KRIS OLSEN’S CHICKENS. “He sells his eggs at the downtown Austin farmers’ market on Saturday morning.

I make it a point to get there early as he sells out in about an hour each week. The eggs are amazing.”

3 - BOGGY CREEK FARM’S EGGS. “It is an 34 urban farm located on the east side of Austin, Texas. The photo was J U N E – JULY 2016 taken during their Saturday morning farmers' market.”

2

3

“Probably one of the most private things in the world is an egg before it is broken.”

35 — M.F.K. Fisher JUNE – JULY 2016

1 2 PHOTOGRAPHER

Dragana Harris 1 - CATCH OF THE DAY, PEARL LAKES 2 - OFFAL, PEARL LAKES

36 JUNE – JULY 2016

PHOTOGRAPHER

Gary Wise ZARANDEADO

more from GARY WISE on page 51.

“There are only two occasions when Americans respect privacy, especially in Presidents.

Those are prayer and fishing.”

— Herbert Hoover 37 JUNE – JULY 2016

PHOTOGRAPHER

Keri Henry 1 - THE FINAL TOUCH “These lemons were beautifully ‘styled’ by the professionals at foodstylists.com.

One lucky lemon was chosen to sit atop a perfectly seared piece of salmon for a client who wanted to showcase citrus recipes.”

2 - PICKY EATER NO MORE “These meals were inspired by creative Japanese bento boxes and a desire to circumvent the dreaded ‘Picky Eater.’“ Styling by Julie Hettiger, meals prepared

by Alison Clark, photography by Keri Henry and Sandy Wilson.

1

2

38 JUNE – JULY 2016

“I hate people who are not serious about meals. It is so shallow of them.”

— Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest

PHOTOGRAPHER

Ron Dillon 39 JUNE – JULY 2016

WHAT WOULD A BEAST EAT? PIG. WE EAT PIG.

VEGAN MARY, MOTHER OF VEG

PHOTOGRAPHER

Justin Kouri

40 JUNE – JULY 2016

PHOTOGRAPHER

1

2

3

4

Kelly Berry

41

JUNE – JULY 2016

1 - 2012 SNOW CONE STAND 3 2 - CANADIAN TX FOOD STAND 3 - VAN ALSTYNE SNOW CONE STAND 2 4 - DALLAS CUBAN SANDWICH STAND 2

1

PHOTOGRAPHER

Erika Kwee

3

1 - TASTING 2 - GIRLS “One fateful Sunday, 12 food bloggers gathered to taste-test chocolate chip cookies from 21 establishments in the name of uncovering the best chocolate chip cookie in Houston. We ultimately crowned winners from Tiny Boxwoods, Common Bond and Michael's Cookie Jar and subsequently relinquished ourselves to a massive collective sugar coma.”

PHOTOGRAPHER

42 JUNE – JULY 2016

2

Lisa Waddell 3 - “LIFE IS LIKE A…”

PHOTOGRAPHER

Emily Jaschke 1 - CHANTILLY 2 - GATEWAY TO SERENITY: WHY I HOLD WITH ALL I HAVE Featuring Jessica Nealis, chef de partie Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts

1 2

43 JUNE – JULY 2016

more from emily jaschke on page 58.

BECKY’S DOUGHNUTS 1 2

Becky, my mom, is known for her homemade potato doughnuts.

In 1977, she started the tradition as a treat for my dad and his friends during a blizzard. She expanded to making them for yearly open houses for their small business. When my siblings and I started to play sports, she would make doughnuts for the last practice of every season. As she has gotten older, she now only makes the doughnuts to share with her kids and grandkids every Christmas morning.

3

PHOTOGRAPHER

Jennifer Litterer-Treviño 4 1 - Becky Litterer [photographer’s mother] bought herself this Kitchen Aid mixer in the early 1990s.

2 - The dough is ready to be rolled out.

3 - On a floured surface, Litterer rolls out the dough until it is ¼ inch thick.

4 - Litterer uses a smaller circle to cut the holes in the doughnuts.

44 JUNE – JULY 2016

5 - Litterer mixes the dough from the middle cutter back into the dough for more doughnuts.

In the past she has fried them separately.

5 6

6 - Litterer places the cut doughnuts onto floured and waxpaper-covered tray.

7

7 - After the doughnuts have been fried, Litterer frosts them with vanilla glaze frosting.

8

8 - The finished doughnuts are always best served fresh and warm.

45 JUNE – JULY 2016

more from Melissa Laree Cunningham on page 33.

1 2 PHOTOGRAPHER

Melissa Laree Cunningham 1 - HANDS KNEADING Houston, TX, 2015 2 - GIRL WITH EGGS Houston, TX, 2015

“If you're afraid of butter, use cream.”

— Julia Child

46 JUNE – JULY 2016

MORNING HARVEST WORLD HUNGER RELIEF FARM ELM MOTT, 2014

PHOTOGRAPHER

Ben Sassani CHEF PHILIP SPEER’S NUTELLA GRAVY-COVERED BANANA PANCAKES

47 JUNE – JULY 2016

more from ben sassani on page 50.

PHOTOGRAPHER

Chris Moras 1 - TOMATO DAYS 2 - CAST IRON SKILLET “Mrs. Getrude M. Moras, my mother, received this cast iron skillet as a gift from her grandmother in 1958. She’s used it almost every day since to prepare meals for her husband, six children and seven grandchildren. The ‘secret’ she says, ‘to great burgers is this skillet, which gives me slow, steady heat and at the end makes a crispy brown outside and a hot and juicy inside.’ When asked the one thing a hamburger has to have to make it a ‘real burger,’ she answers, ‘Tomatoes, off the vine, sliced thick. When they’re off the vine and at room temperature you can really taste their sweetness, which is the best way to bring out the flavor of the burger.’”

1 2

48 JUNE – JULY 2016

youth entry

1

2

3

1, 2, 3 - FIVE GUYS BURGERS AND FRIES, ATASCOCITA PHOTOGRAPHER

49 JUNE – JULY 2016

Nathan Ratliff

13 years old

more from ben sassani on page 47.

See page 18 for more on cooking with alvin schultz.

1 PHOTOGRAPHER

PHOTOGRAPHER

Ben Sassani

Phaedra Cook

1 - Alvin Schultz prepping liquid nitrogen for his escabeche snow he made to go along with oysters.

2 - The staff of Harborside Mercantile in Galveston have a precious moment of quiet camaraderie before opening for dinner service.

2

50 JUNE – JULY 2016

more from GARY WISE on page 37.

3 PHOTOGRAPHER

PHOTOGRAPHER

Gary Wise

Emily Loving

3 - Slow Dough Panadero

4 - Texas Sous Chef Dinner 2015 CBD Provisions, Dallas TX

4

51 JUNE – JULY 2016

1 2 PHOTOGRAPHER

Emory Irvine 13 years old 1 - FIRE STICK

WINNING PHOTO youth CATEGORY 2 - THE LINE Carrabba’s Italian Grill, Copperfield

youth entry

52 JUNE – JULY 2016

youth entry

PHOTOGRAPHER

Jack Hernandez 17 years old

1, 2 - OLIVIA WOOD-FIRED PIZZA

1 2

53 JUNE – JULY 2016

PHOTOGRAPHER

Nick de la Torre 1 - KUNG FU BARTENDER Chris Frankel, Spare Key 2 - JIM DAVIS Davis Meat Co.

WINNING PHOTO adult CATEGORY 3 - WINE BUYER Antonio Gianola, Houston Wine Merchant

1 2

on the cover 3

54 JUNE – JULY 2016

1 2 PHOTOGRAPHER

Chuck Cook 1 - MIDNIGHT ALCHEMY, SERIES I: PETER JAHNKE, ANVIL 2015 2 - MIDNIGHT ALCHEMY, SERIES I: LESLIE ROSS, SANCTUARI 2014

55 JUNE – JULY 2016

1

2 3

PHOTOGRAPHER

Kirsten Gilliam 1 - ARRACK THE BOAT Cocktail made by Justin Ware & Joshua Ibanez 2 - FROZEN HURRICANE Cocktail made by Leslie Ross 3 - TWO ROSES Cocktail made by Justin Ware

56 JUNE – JULY 2016

PHOTOGRAPHER

Susan Perry 1 - GOLD CUP 2 - BEER FLIGHT 3 - COUPLES TASTING

1

2 3

57 JUNE – JULY 2016

PHOTOGRAPHER

Emily Jaschke KENTUCKY WINTER

more from emily jaschke on page 43.

58 JUNE – JULY 2016

a strange brew: salty & sour.

GOse DOWN EASY

by Nicholas L. Hall

There’s a perfect beer for every situation, for every place, for every time of year. For Houston, in the summer, that beer just might be Gose. A cloudy German wheat beer, Gose is bright, mildly tart and refreshing. Hints of spice – from the traditional inclusion of coriander – and a back-end bite from a small dose of salt keep things interesting. On a hot, humid day, Gose is like running through the sprinklers while drinking an ice-cold lemonade.

A bit esoteric, Gose has been surging back into popularity lately, along with kissing-cousin Berliner Weisse (another “kettle-soured,” as opposed to “barrel-soured,” beer), and countless other styles along the continuum of sour beer.

While some of these can be overly aggressive, many work just like Gose, with a thirst-quenching character that makes them perfect for the Texas heat.

To expand my search for the perfect beer, I asked a few local beer experts for their thoughts on summer beers, session drinking and sours perfectly suited to

the Third Coast. Running the gamut from traditional Gose and Berliner Weisse to fanciful takes on the styles (including everything from lime juice to prickly pear) to a host of other tart, refreshing offerings, these are some of the season’s finest options. Crack one open, find a shady spot on a sunny day, and fall in love with these summery sours.

JOEY WILLIAMS,

beer department manager, Spec’s Downtown “The heat of the nine-plus-month summer in Houston begs for a few things from beer. It should be light, it should be crisp, it should be easy drinking and it should provide refreshment.

Light in my mind, at least here, is both light in color and body, but not light on flavor.” Williams’ picks and notes: MARTIN HOUSE THE SALTY LADY

“I was surprised by this one, because I was nearly unfamiliar with the entirety of the brewery and its offerings. Lisa 59 JUNE – JULY 2016

Villarreal, co-worker and Spec’s’ “beer angel,” recommended this to me and everyone who will listen. Kettle-soured and seasoned with the traditional salt and coriander, they bring extra flavor with a fermentation from Saison yeast.”

DESTIHL WILD SOUR COUNTER

“Simple, straightforward, aggressively tart/sour wheat beer. Destihl makes a whole line of canned kettle-soured beers, but this has been my favorite. Many Berliner Weisse are only slightly tart and lack much in the way of interest for me.

This drinks like lemonade that you didn’t add enough sugar to, in a great way. Goodbye, tooth enamel!”

CLOCKWEISSE

JOLLY PUMPKIN ORO DE CALABAZA

“While not kettle-soured or in a can, this is my favorite everyday sour, for quality and price, and will be in constant rotation for me this summer. The barrel-aging where the souring takes place, as well as the additional

microflora, creates so much depth and complexity layered throughout a well-done Belgian golden ale. I’m toying with this being my ‘salt and lime’ as a chaser for tequila shots.”

KEVIN FLOYD,

partner, The Hay Merchant. His recomendations: SAINT ARNOLD’S BOILER ROOM (BERLINER WEISSE)

“This is the first locally produced year-round low-alcohol, tart and refreshing beer. It’s commonly overlooked because the average Saint Arnold’s consumer is scared of a beer that doesn’t taste like Lawnmower. It’s perfect for Houston weather and was released in May with raspberry added.”

SIERRA NEVADA OTRA VEZ (GOSE)

“Whereas Boiler Room is only available in a 22-ounce bottle, Otra Vez is available in a 12-ounce can in both six packs and 12 packs. It’s light, refreshing, slightly tart and very easy to find.

It pairs well with burgers – perfect for Houston summer days.

“It’s a seasonal beer released every summer. It differs from classic Goses with the addition of fresh lime juice. I call it a craft beer-rita.

Available on draft and in 12-ounce cans.”

REAL ALE GOSE

KYLE WHITE,

co-owner, Flood Independent Distribution “It takes a lot of resilience to live in a reclaimed swamp that feels like a sauna on the surface of the sun for a quarter of the year. I was born here, and I’m still sucker-punched by the heat every year. In these trying times, beer-drinking takes on a certain element of survival. Something light and refreshing, with a bit of tartness and enough flavor to make it interesting. Thankfully, our beer market has grown in recent years to include a good amount of summer survival beers.”

60 JUNE – JULY 2016

JOLLY PUMPKIN CALABAZA BLANCA

“This 100 percent barrel-aged Belgian-style wheat beer combines the best elements of a spicy, citrusy Witbier with refreshing mild lactic tartness from months spent in oak barrels.

Coming in at 4.8 percent ABV, it’s great for surviving the most miserable depths of summer afternoons, while containing a complexity far beyond that of traditional wheat beers. It’s totally pumpkin-free, despite the word appearing twice in the name.”

FREIGEIST GEISTERZUG GOSE

“A new entry to the Texas market, Freigeist is one of Germany’s most respected and experimental craft breweries. Their Geisterzug (Ghost Train) Gose is a take on the traditional German style – slightly tart, slightly salty wheat beers – and also incorporates spruce tips for a subtle herbal note. A version with quince is also available, adding a fruity tartness to an already complex, thirstquenching beer.”

JESTER KING LE PETIT PRINCE

“A fantastic French/Belgian-style ‘table beer,’ Le Petit Prince most likely accounts for 60 percent of beer consumed by the Jester King brewers themselves, and with good reason – at 2.9 percent ABV, it’s a beer for all-day drinking, while still containing the full flavor of their farmhouse yeast with a noble hop backbone. LPP is my definition of an anytime beer. It’s never over-the-top, and it’s never boring. It’s a spot-on example of what the table beer style should be, and it’s a bonus that it’s brewed right in our backyard.

JOSHUA JUSTICE,

beer cowboy & beer program manager, Flying Saucer Draught Emporium Downtown “For a very long time, I shunned seasonal drinking norms. I would drink Stone IRS at June pool parties and worshiped at the Altar of Saint Arnold Christmas in July. I have been known to tap entire porter verticals at Flying Saucer in the middle of the summer just because it’s what I felt like drinking. Maybe age has caught up with me or my passion for the massive ABV stuff has waned, but I find myself far more seasonally appro-

priate and session-able lately. I’m all about the sub-5 percent beers right now.

“I think that part of the resurgence of styles like Gose and Berliner Weisse definitely lies in the climate and seasonality. Very few people want to be like young, dumb me and drink Barleywine in 92 degree heat. There is something refreshing and maybe a bit nostalgic about these new flavors – summertime lemonade maybe?

“The influx of sour session beers give a new depth and character to summer beer in the form of things like fruit, salinity and tartness. It’s something we never really knew we were missing until it smacked us in the taste buds.”

STIEGL RADLER

“It tastes like someone spiked grapefruit juice with beer. Mainly because that’s what it is – grapefruit juice with Stiegel Goldbrau blended in. Very low ABV, comes in cans for the pool, super refreshing.”

SIERRA NEVADA OTRA VEZ

“Soft and gentle, yet crisp, sweet and tart enough to be compelling. Everything I want in a low-ABV sour beer.

The beer has a genuine depth of flavor

that lots of modern kettle sours lack thanks to its raw bread dough malt character and smart fruit additions. All that plus it has that hallmark of Sierra Nevada brewing ... balance.”

FREIGEIST GEISTERZUG GOSE

“If you had asked me two months ago, I would’ve put the classic Bayerischer Gose in this spot. Freigesit out of Cologne, Germany, is new to the Texas market, and they are doing lots of very cool things with traditional regional German styles – most of which shuck and jive Reinheitsgebot purity law. This Friegeist Gose has a bit more body than American interpretations while packing less tartness. The extra body does well to convey lots of subtle layered flavors like spruce, walnut, green apple skin, grape must and a familiar clove-like earthiness that even after several visits, I haven’t quite placed. A supremely interesting beer.”

Photography by Becca Wright Styled by Taylor Byrne Dodge Nicholas L. Hall also wrote our article on pickling on page 14.

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61 JUNE – JULY 2016

la table 1800 Post Oak Blvd. at Ambassador Way TELEPHONE 713-439-1000 WEBSITE latablehouston.com CUISINE French, with some international touches CREDIT CARDS All major HOURS Château: lunch 11:30 am-3 pm Mon-Sat., dinner 5-10 pm Mon.-Thu. and 5-11 pm Fri.-Sat.; Marché: breakfast 7 am-4 pm daily, lunch 11:30 am-5 pm daily, dinner 5-10 pm Mon-Thu. and 5-11 pm Fri.-Sat. RESERVATIONS Recommended NOISE LEVEL Considerate ADDRESS

GOODY TWO NEWS

By William Albright

The Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon game is based on the notion that anybody involved in the Hollywood film industry can be linked through his or her movie roles to actor Kevin Bacon within six steps.

In a parallel universe, famed chef Joël Robuchon is only one step removed from La Table Houston, the superb new French-inspired restaurant that opened in January where Philippe Restaurant + Lounge ended its three-year existence in January 2014 and Table at Post Oak succeeded it until the winter of 2015. The owner of more Michelin stars than anybody else, Robuchon has probably never set foot in La Table. But he has the title of strategic partner at Invest Hospitality, the New York-based outfit that manages it and all of his enterprises around the world. And his influence has clearly rubbed off on the people doing the cooking and serving at the upscale Château restaurant upstairs and the more casual ground-level Marché cafe.

La Table is two steps removed from Philippe and its French-based cuisine and skips over Table at Post Oak and its more American focus. But while the director of wine has the decidedly French-sounding name Sebastien Laval, the staffing gives other countries some

reviews global representation, too. Formerly the executive chef at Table on Post Oak and chef de cuisine at Philippe, La Table’s executive chef is Ecuador-born Manuel Pucha. And Château’s maitre d’ is Rome native Valerio Lombardozzi.

I pegged him as Italian at first sight just from the cut of his suit, and his accent as we chatted later clinched my fashionista hunch.

Formerly an assistant manager at the Italian-leaning Quattro in the Four Seasons Hotel, Lombardozzi tableside-carves a mean for-two ribeye, mushroom-stuffed chicken and parmesan-crusted rack of lamb and has trained the Château team well.

Servers swarm around diners like bees in a garden but never cross the line to oppressive. When my entrées arrived, each plate had its own deliverer and the silver domes were whisked up with a flourish simultaneously. And when my dinner companion went to the restroom, a waiter showed a trainee how to fold a linen napkin so the C (for Château) embroidered on it showed when it was returned to the table.

The new proprietors didn’t occupy

Philippe’s premises like hermit crabs appropriating a seashell as-is. They did an impressive makeover. The Marché space on the street level boasts an in-house bakery called Macarons that makes and vends all manner of sweetmeats and breads (the complimentary basket’s admirable options are roll-size baguettes and seedencrusted country bread). There is also a combination showroom devoted to the wares of Assouline Publishing, which specializes in printing and selling deluxe volumes on fashion, travel, the arts, food and wine that have price tags reaching into the many hundreds of dollars.

Upstairs in Château, New York’s Dekar Designs has replaced Philippe’s dark ambience with a much looser feel.

There is more space between the tables, egg-shaped hanging lamps radiate soft light (that awful dust-catcher light installment is gone) and smoky mirrors on the walls guarantee a glare-free dining experience. In Marché, the servers lugging plate-packed trays up and down the stairs to and from the second-floor kitchen create a decidedly

LA TABLE’S BEET SALAD

PHOTO BY BECCA WRIGHT

62 JUNE – JULY 2016

ad directory JUNE – JULY 44 Farms (back cover)

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Spec’s (page 11) Sunday School (page 11) Sysco Foods (inside back cover)

El Meson (page 10) Giacomo’s Cibo e Vino (page 13)

Texas Restaurant Association (page 61) Truluck’s (inside front cover)

Houston Wine Merchant (page 15)

The Ultimate Food Lover’s Guide to Houston (page 21) Uptown Sushi (page 5)

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unstuffy feel. But you will eat well whichever room you plump for.

You can also imbibe both well and economically thanks to the Forever Happy Hour prices: $4 for local draft beer, $6 for several wines by the glass and $25 for a bottle chosen from a long list of wines from around the world.

The latter even comes with a complimentary tomato mozzarella flatbread.

A refreshing amuse-bouche and an equally enjoyable lagniappe bookended my Château visit. The former was a jigger-size glass of cucumber gazpacho sparked by a dollop of goat cheese foam and a dose of the mild Espelette peppers native to Spain’s Basque region. The latter was a tiny lemon-glazed madeleine that lovingly married sweet and sour.

My two bespoke starters were sweet pea ravioli ($14) and a caramelized cheese soufflé ($16) that is deservedly one of the house specialties. The ricotta-based pasta envelopes frosted with parmesan foam were nicely light and breezy, and the soufflé, made

Kevin McGowan Photography (page 13) Landry’s Signature Group (page 2)

with Comté and Grana Padana cheeses and floating alongside some morels in a pool of neon green asparagus velouté, was so airy that it was virtually froth. After those were wolfed down I sampled a grilled trout ($28) and a roasted pork chop ($36). The expertly cooked fish had been shorn of its head and bones and came with a bundle of grilled asparagus, roasted nuggets of red and Peruvian purple potatoes and a bracing vinaigrette spiked with grain mustard and the East Asian citrus fruit yuzu. The thick chop was almost fork-tender and enhanced with some enoki mushrooms and a small tureen of silky mashed potatoes that for me surpassed their more colorful cousins.

Sandwiches seemed the most appropriate entrées at Marché and, although the menu said you could have one accompaniment or the other, each of the two I sampled arrived with both first-rate fries and some lightly dressed salad. Competing with egg carnitas and chocolate kouglofs/ gugelhupfs for attention on Marché’s 63 JUNE – JULY 2016

eclectic daily breakfast menu, the $18 croque madame (a croque monsieur topped with a sunny-side-up egg) gave the venerable old ham-and-cheese an elegant Gallic lift.

The $18 lamb burger did the same with another American staple.

The super-thin lamb patty and the brisk cabbage slaw topping it were flavorful and, like the cucumber gazpacho, the cucumber mint aioli slathered on the bread (not the rosemary bun mentioned in the description) would be a welcome coolant in Houston’s fast-approaching summer heat. Ditto the pair of pastry chef Jamie Kling’s $12 desserts I tried: the little Key lime tart and individual baked Alaska with its combination of vanilla and racy raspberry ice cream under a mantle of cutely floret-dotted meringue. Good but not quite as enticing was the opera cake. With its chocolate-glazed layers of coffee-infused sponge cake and butter cream, it is La Table’s answer to tiramisu and suited to as many seasons as Houston has.

foreign correspondents ADDRESS

of Airline

4721 N. Main St. northwest

TELEPHONE 713-864-8424 WEBSITE treadsack.com/foreigncorre-

spondents CUISINE Northern Thai CREDIT CARDS All major HOURS Lunch 11 am-3 pm Tue-Fri., dinner 5-10 pm Sun., Tue., Wed. 5-11 pm Thu.-Sat.; brunch 11 am-3 pm Sat.-Sun. Closed Mon. RESERVATIONS Accepted NOISE LEVEL Manageable

THAI ONE ON

By Eric Gerber

Before we were properly settled in, our server quickly asked if this was our first visit to Foreign Correspondents.

Perhaps he didn’t want us to get too comfortable. With a blend of apology and defiance, he rattled off the conditions and constraints: “Well, we serve Thai food, but we’re not exactly a Thai restaurant … It’s more of our Texas-sourced version of Thai food.

Actually, it’s our version of Northern Thai

food. So, we don’t offer all the classic Thai dishes. Like, there’s no pad thai.”

Making that final admission, he braced himself, as if preparing for me to leap to my feet, bolt for the exit and bellow, “What!? Northern! And no pad thai! It’s a travesty of a mockery of a sham!”

Instead, I simply nodded. No pad thai? That’s cool.

And so is Foreign Correspondents, all things considered.

While I can’t say all its culinary quirks are as charming as intended, the place definitely has its own personality and an almost-endearing sense of eccentricity. Add to that a sure hand on most of its locally sourced, Thai-inspired dishes and you have one of Houston’s more pleasantly uncommon establishments.

Housed in a strip center on the eastern edge of the Heights, Foreign Correspondents has an open, airy layout that offsets its institutional quality with some jaw-dropping sci-fi murals featuring rockets, robots and ray-guns, enhanced with dimensional cut-outs. It’s a kitschy barrage of color and cleverness designed to delight the seven-year-old in all of us. Now, what that décor has to do with Thai food is anybody’s guess. But, hey, what do silk brocade wall coverings, sconces and

FOREIGN CORRESPONDENTS

64 JUNE – JULY 2016 PHOTO BY KIRSTEN GILLIAM

chandeliers have to do with châteaubriand?

Foreign Correspondents is the brainchild of P.J. Stoops, who may be best known for championing the use of bycatch (that is, less commercially viable “trash” fish) on local menus.

Stoops, who attended the University of Texas before wandering into cookery, worked in France and, more extensively, Thailand. From the latter, he eventually brought back a wife (Apple) and his own ideas about refashioning Northern Thai cuisine with regional ingredients. So, one assumes the restaurant’s cryptic name refers to interpreting foreign events for a local audience – only it’s not news, it’s Thai food, and it’s not Houston readers, it’s diners.

Of course, that exotic backstory doesn’t mean diddly if the food coming out of Stoops’ kitchen doesn’t make you sit up and take notice. For the most part, it does. A lime-spiked curry ($17) enriched with shrimp and oysters – though you can order it with chunks of fish instead – is definitely a highlight of the menu, with a rewarding balance between the sharp, citric broth, rich coconut milk and saline snap of the seafood. Strands of water spinach round out the dish, which is ladled over mounds of jasmine rice.

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2011 Ella Boulevard at East TC Jester In the Heights

238 W. 19th Street come inside the brown & turquoise building

713-478-7486 | txjuicegirl.com (Note: The citrus is referred to on the menu as “makrut” lime instead of the once-traditional “kaffir” lime, an Afrikaans term that is increasingly shunned as politically incorrect for its racist origins. Eat up!)

Equally impressive was a nicely done stir-fry ($13) of pumpkin and scrambled duck egg with chicken from Tejas Heritage Farm. The natural sweetness of the squash played well against the familiar spice-and-licorice flavor of the Thai basil that’s threaded throughout the dish.

Although I didn’t grumble about the absent pad thai, I was glad to see that another Thai warhorse was available – green papaya salad ($8). I’ve always been a fan of that simple, but satisfying concoction with its astringent strands of unripe papaya, sour-sweet red chili sauce and little flavor bombs of cherry tomatoes, and Foreign Correspondents is offering a reputable version of the classic. It also turned out to be an excellent counterweight to an overly saccharine appetizer of the banana leaf-wrapped stuffed sticky rice ($8),

which was pretty to see – magenta! – but a tad too cloying to really enjoy.

Likewise, the pork curry ($17) was so-so, its basic savory taste obscuring the chili and ginger notes beneath it.

I was also slightly disappointed in the roasted tomato chili dip ($9). The piquant dip itself was great, but the fennel stalks and watermelon radish slices to scoop up the dip were too fibrous to relish. Uh, is there a Doritos option, please?

But for pure novelty, the bowl of crispy fried herbs ($9) was a standout.

The assortment of aromatic herbs and greens is quick-fried then drizzled with this incredibly lush pork and shrimp sauce that somehow imparts an almost cheesy-like flavor. So addictive is this stuff, I was considering a second serving for dessert. Instead, I settled for a delicately constructed cashew tart ($9), a wise choice.

Service is bright and informative, and guests are greeted with tinware cups of treacly “welcoming tea,” more rewarding in sentiment than the actual sipping. Servers seem well versed in

65 JUNE – JULY 2016

the arcana of the hybrid Thai dishes, even explaining the intricacies of balut, a chicken embryo eaten out of the shell. But I did manage to flap the unflappable with a question about their curious wine service.

While they offer 20 Rieslings – a prudent choice with Thai food – only one of them is available by the glass.

Why? My server babbled a bit about making sure the diner ordered the most appropriate selection (huh?), but he was far more convincing about the chicken embryo, I’m afraid.

While Foreign Correspondents is not without flaws, it does offer a refreshingly offbeat dining experience – and that’s always good news.

William Albright has reviewed local restaurants for more than 20 years for The Houston Post, Inside Houston, Houston Business Journal and others.

Eric Gerber is the director of communications at the University of Houston.

TUCKED INTO THE MASAREPA 3-in-1 Review • by Sarah Bronson

Among the many incarnations of tasty things wrapped in mouth-friendly packaging, empanadas are core. It almost hurts to go too long without one. End your weary stumble through an empanada-bereft desert at one of these panaderias.

PAN RICO COLOMBIAN BAKERY & CAFE

7030 Addicks Clodine Rd., 281-498-1519

As soon as you walk in, there’s no mistaking where you’re supposed to be: An array of bright paintings, scenic photos, maps, and winnowing baskets speak Colombia. A bar painted like the national flag and encircling a television dominates the space, and we picture high-energy matches on game days. We soon learn that a Colombian empanada wears a yellow masarepa – ground cornmeal – shell that crunches through to a soft cornmeal underside. Ours greeted us just seconds old and too hot to touch. One empanada mixed beef with smushed potato, and another held tender shredded chicken. Each was even better doused in aji, a green hot sauce of jalapeño, onions and cilantro. The sweet empanadas, in contrast, resembled pies, with egg-brushed pastry shells and gooey manzana or piña inside – that is, apple or pineapple. To round things

out, the woman attentively serving us suggested bandeja paisa: a glorious sprawl of red beans, rice, a fat comb of chicharron, chorizo sausage, grilled beef, fried egg, avocado and a little arepa, or corn cake.

MANENA’S PASTRY & DELI

11018 Westheimer, 713-278-7393, manenas.com

Whereas Pan Rico sings Colombia, Manena’s sings Argentina, with molded copper plates, posters and figurines against warm yellow walls. Here the empanadas sport different puckers to help distinguish kinds: twisted braid, tight seam, knobs and even horns, as though each were a species of mollusk.

The flour pastry was on the hardy side but yielded just fine to a bite. Our memory blurs for the minutes that we chomped beef empanada with onion and boiled egg; melting cheese empanada with onion and herbs; an empanada of minced corn with cheese

THE ORIGINAL MARINI’S EMPANADA HOUSE

and Southwestern seasoning; and an empanada of succulent dark cuts of chicken with green and white onion and egg. We came to, feeling warm, full and taut. The rest of the bakery and deli, from caramel-filled croissants to jamon y queso sandwiches de miga (crustless ham and cheese sandwiches) beckoned for another day.

THE ORIGINAL MARINI’S EMPANADA HOUSE

10001 Westheimer, 713-266-2729, theoriginalmarinisempanadahouse.com

Graffiti at the Westchase Marini’s doubles as guestbook, from happy paeans to juvenile scrawls between news clippings, plaques, woolly Argentinian ponchos and some quite good art. It seems fitting that the Marini family business that so many keep coming back to should be marked by its visitors in turn. The wide-ranging variety of empanadas offers a tough choice, but no pressure; we’ve yet to hit a bad one.

The light pastry imparts a magic that somehow suits every interior. We have settled on a process here: Grip the puckered end. Take a bite from the other end. Dodge the squirt of steaming juice. Heap chimichurri over the opening. And repeat. Recently, we’ve favored the classic Gaucho, with ground beef, green olive and egg; the Hippie Argentina, with hefty, substantial salami well complemented by raisins suffused with meat juices; and a sugar-dusted version packed with chocolate, cherry and cream cheese.

Sarah Bronson is a professional word wrestler. See her head-desking about language and life on @usewordsbetter.

66 JUNE – JULY 2016

At Arnaldo Richards’ Picos we take our fresh seafood seriously! For more than three decades Executive Chef Arnaldo Richards has been renowned for his seafood delicacies. Now in season, the ever popular Soft Shell Crabs, cooked Al Mojo de Ajo style is a dish you can’t miss! Be sure to stop in this summer to enjoy our lively atmosphere while sipping on one of our signature margaritas in our beautiful bar or lounge patio.

DISCOVER REGIONS OF MEXICAN CUISINE 3601 Kirby Dr. (at Richmond) Houston, TX 77098 Phone: (832) 831-9940 67 JUNE – JULY 2016

PICOS NET

spirited shakes

by Robin Barr Sussman • Illustration by Chris Hsu

What’s better than a milkshake? A milkshake with booze in it. H-town restaurants are shaking up classics into rich, racy desserts laced with beer, liqueur, rum and bourbon. If one of these doesn’t get you all shook up, then you’re just not thirsty.

BEAVER’S

2310 Decatur, 713-864-2328

Go bananas. The banana shake packs a punch with Angostura bitters, house-made crème de banana, El Dorado Demerara rum and vanilla ice cream. The touch of bitters tones down the sweetness. Or pick the lovely port blackberry shake with Angostura bitters, Quinta do Noval port, blackberries and vanilla ice cream. “Damn good,” said the Beaver.

PRICE: $10 SCORE: 9

DEL FRISCO’S GRILLE

2800 Kirby in West Ave., 832-623-6168

Nutty. The one and only Adult Milkshake here is a decadent blend of Italian Nocello walnut liqueur, Crème de Cacao chocolate liqueur and vanilla ice cream. Thick and sweet with hints of toasted walnuts and topped with whipped cream and a cherry, it begs to be paired with a burger and fries.

PRICE: $11 SCORE: 9

DISH SOCIETY

5740 San Felipe, 832-538-1060, and other locations

Peachy keen. For the guys: The Texas Carbomb is killing it, made with 8th Wonder Rocket Fuel, Lone Star 1835 Bourbon, Michael’s Celtic Irish Cream and Amy’s Mexican vanilla ice cream.

But the ladies swoon over the Texas Peach Cobbler shake whirled with frozen peaches, peach liqueur, Amy’s spiced rum ice cream and dusted with house-made streusel.

PRICE: $10 SCORE: 10/PEACH COBBLER FIELDING’S WOOD GRILL

1699 Research Forest Dr., The Woodlands, 832-616-3275

You’ll have a field day slurping over six different adult milkshakes here. The B52 is a heady – and pretty sweet – mix of Cointreau, Baileys and Kahlúa with vanilla ice cream. We prefer the Mexican chocolate ice cream shake blended with chipotle pepper, local Mill King farms milk and chocolate Godiva liqueur. Just the right spice.

THE BURGER JOINT

2703 Montrose, 281-974-2889

Wonderful. For the popular 8th Wonder Shake, 8th Wonder Rocket Fuel beer is poured over soft-serve vanilla ice cream.

Rocket Fuel is an American porter infused with strong cold-brew coffee and milk (like Vietnamese coffee) resulting in a robust dark roast complemented by creamy sweetness. Great price for the size!

PRICE: $7.50 SCORE: 10

THE BURGER JOINT’S 8TH WONDER SHAKE

PRICE: $12 SCORE: 9/MEXICAN CHOCOLATE PESKA SEAFOOD CULTURE

1700 Post Oak Blvd., 713-961-9229

Chic. New to the summer cocktail menu is the Aurora Boreal: a layered milkshake featuring Bulleit Bourbon, Illy espresso granita and silky house-made vanilla ice cream. Slightly creamy but not sweet, it’s as good as a frozen coffee drink from your favorite coffeehouse but it imparts a rosy glow to your cheeks.

PRICE: $10 SCORE: 9

68 JUNE – JULY 2016

PHOTO BY BECCA WRIGHT

Robin Barr Sussman is a freelance food writer with a culinary mission: great taste.

We certainly think so.

We’re proud to offer premium Certified Angus Beef ® brand products sourced from right here in the Lone Star State.

Every cut must meet the same 10 exacting standards for marbling, texture, juiciness and flavor the brand has always required. Those standards are more selective than USDA Choice and Prime,* and, it’s raised by ranchers under Texas skies.

69 JUNE – JULY 2016

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CertifiedAngusBeef.com

70 JUNE – JULY 2016