A Quick Sampling of Houston, TX

This post is being written as I sit in Cat Cora Kitchen in Terminal E of George Bush International Airport.

Life brought us for a short weekend to Houston, Texas, so of course, we had to sample what Texas could provide. With no car, we were limited to the Galleria area. Therefore, we make the following caveat: we went to places within walking distance based on recommendations from the local wait staff. We only sampled a very small area of a major city. That being said...

As we pulled into our hotel, we couldn't help but notice the rather large sign across the street, "Craft Cocktails: Prohibition." We immediately knew where we were going first. In the early afternoon, we walked through the leather padded doors of Prohibition.  Except for three others sitting at the bar, Prohibition was deserted. (I always like to try a bar at an off time so I can chat with the bartender.)

The bartender was enthusiastic about his craft and was happy to share samples of a jalapeno infused aged tequila created in house (used for Bloody Marys). Unfortunately, he seemed somewhat unfamiliar with some classic cocktails. We thought a bartender at a Prohibition themed bar should have at least heard of drinks like the Ramos Gin Fizz.

The cocktails featured on their menu were very balanced and well done. Through a bit of discreet eaves dropping, we heard another patron order an off menu cocktail by Blake, another mixologist. This cocktail featured a homemade shrub containing blackberries, strawberries, vinegar and sugar which all led to a surprisingly savory and delicious flavor.  Blake told us before refrigeration people would preserve fruit juices by adding vinegar and use it as an ingredient in drinks.

On Blake's suggestion, we headed to Philippe Restaurant and Lounge for dinner. Chef Phillipe is a French Master Chef and the menu describes the cuisine as American French Fusion. The two story restaurant's atmosphere downstairs was modern and trendy without being cold. Upstairs, the restaurant maintained the traditional French vibe with a modern flair to it. The menu speaks more to a classic French sense than American. The way our waiter introduced the menu and suggested courses gave the impression that he typically had to educate his clientele on French food. The classic beef tartar was heavily seasoned and didn't truly highlight the exquisite flavor of raw beef. Philippe's take on escargot was novel and highlighted the its earthy notes by combining the snail with a strong mushroom sauce. Troy preferred the more traditional preparation. Our entree, Duck Two Ways, was comprised of a Duck Confit and a Duck Ravioli. The overall dish was good but was missing something and lacked a richness that would have made it exceptional.  That feeling of missing something actually describes our entire dinner experience. If we hadn't had better, it would have been great, but it was merely good.

After dinner we returned to Prohibition for their Burlesque show. We arrived to a crowded bar thirty minutes prior to the show. As usual, we started with a few cocktails while seated at a table with a great view of the entire room. We had the unnamed cocktail containing the shrub from earlier and their take on a French 75 with a delightful and surprising addition of Pop Rocks. The show was fun and was as risque as a Burlesque show can be at a bar in a mall. One weird event did happen when we ordered an Old Fashion with Woodford Reserve. While they had Woodford in the bar, the waitress said she had had to pull strings to get it served in the downstairs room.

The next day found us wandering into Kona Grill to satisfy a sushi craving. We are still craving good sushi. By all appearances, the sushi was pre-made, sliced into an assortment of inconsistent sizes, plated, and served. It was also wrapped in banana yellow nori paper. The cocktails were passable if grading on a generous curve.

Today finds us wasting time at the airport. We are delighted to find reasonable food and good cocktails at the Cat Cora Kitchen. The drinks are well mixed and balanced, the sweet potato fries rivals any full sized restaurant's, and the chocolate cake with salted caramel was the delight of my weekend.