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.

The "Skinny" Margarita

In the past year or so, we have seen so called "Skinny" Margaritas showing up in all sorts of restaurants from tapas bars, taquerias, or any place serving any food remotely Tex-Mex. But, as overheard in a restaurant the other night, "What makes it skinny?" The answer is not what you think. Is it magically lower in calories? Well, only by the amount of calories that is in pre-made sour mixes. Skinny Margaritas are quite simply ... MARGARITAS. Albeit, they are made from fresh ingredients, but in this day of year round fresh produce and magical devices that make juicing a breeze, there is no reason for a Margarita to ever be made from a mix. Ironically, the price for "Skinny" Margaritas is sometimes double that of a house Margarita despite using the same Tequila.

So what is a "Skinny Margarita?" Based on the ingredient list from multiple restaurants, it is a mixture of Tequila, fresh lime juice and Agave Syrup. Proportions? Well, there you get a wide range of opinions. We, here at Serious Amateurs, have tried multiple ratios in the ever present search for the perfect balance. We enjoy Darcy O'Neil's 4221 recipe:

• 2 oz Tequila
• 1 oz Cointreau
• 1 oz Lime Juice
• 1/2 oz Agave Nectar

You might also like Gary Regan's recipe:

• 1 1/2 oz Tequila
• 1 oz Cointreau
• 1/2 oz Lime Juice

Or Dale Degroff's:

• 1 1/2 oz Tequila
• 1 oz Cointreau
• 3/4 oz Lime Juice
• 1/2 oz Simple Syrup

Note that these recipes balance well when served on the rocks. We are still testing ratios that won't be watered down for frozen Margaritas.

Dinner Party @ The Lawrence Atlanta

We recently had the opportunity to dine with the guys of Dinner Party. Described on their website as, “A little bit speakeasy, a little bit supper club and definitely unique," Our Dinner Party started off with two cocktails served up by Atlanta cocktail legend, Eric Simpkin, who is taking the role of Beverage Manager at the soon to be open The Lawrence Atlanta.

The first course offered up was a sampling of bar food that will be offered at The Lawrence Atlanta. This included Fennel-Vidalia Bulb Soup, Popped Pork, Crispy Pig Ears and Vietnamese Felafel. The soup was creamy and delicious and, though described as Vegan, was served with a small garnish of of crab meat. The Popped Pork, basically pork rinds, is increasingly common in Atlanta restaurants and was fairly forgettable. However, the Shredded Crispy Pig Ears were delicious. Imagine shaved, fried onion, but made of pork. Troy says a burger with these would be sublime. The Vietnamese Felafel was good, but the hummus hiding under neath stole the show. At our part of the table, we argued about whether the soup or the pig ears were better. Everyone agreed, in any case, those were the clear highlights of the first course.

The second course was Chicken Ballotine with Kale and Potato Gratin. The chicken was cooked to perfection and the gratin potatoes were the precise mixture of crunchy and soft. The second course was Aimee's favorite.

Third course would be the Main at most places. Braised Pork Cheeks were accompanied by Gnocchi, English Peas, and Carrots. While cooked very well, this course was somewhat forgettable in comparison. The carrots were also a touch undercooked.

Coconut Rice Pudding with Roasted Pineapple was served for dessert. Never a fan of of coconut, Aimee nonetheless tried the dish. We've noticed in our wine tasting group that certain wines will split our group along gender lines. This dessert proved the rule. The men enjoyed the Asian inspired dish, the women wanted something sweeter.

This initial sneak peak at prospective dishes for The Lawrence Atlanta gives us hope for the Midtown Atlanta food scene.

Double Zero Napoletana

We recently had the opportunity to join a Pizza Making Class and Double Zero Napoletana in Sandy Springs. The evening started with drinks at the bar while waiting for the class before us to clear out. Double Zero's cocktail list is similar to its sister restaurant, The Iberian Pig (more on Iberian Pig in another post), but unfortunately, that is where the similarities end. Double Zero's bartenders, while very friendly and obviously interested in their craft, can be a bit sloppy with their pours which can lead to drinks that don't quite balance.

As an illustration, Troy ordered an Old Fashioned, but the drink was so sweet he asked for a splash of bourbon to bring the cocktail back into balance.  The bartender offered to remake the drink, but Troy just asked for a bit more bourbon.  Instead of asking which bourbon was used, the bartender reached directly for the well and poured a half ounce into the Old Fashioned. It did help but mixing bourbons seems a bit careless.

Recommendations for cocktails at Double Zero? Get a highball or a glass of wine.

The Pizza Class was a pure pleasure though. The Executive Chef Chad Crete gave us a wonderful overview of Double Zero's philosophy and the special ingredients they use to make their pizza unlike any others in Atlanta.  It begins with the wild yeast starter imported from Southern Italy. That combined with Double Zero flour (hence the name) and salt makes for a pizza crust that is light, slightly tangy, and uniquely tasty. The Executive Sous Chef then demonstrated how they create the pizza crust which doesn't involve throwing the dough at all. Instead he stretched, rotated, and flipped the dough back and forth between his hands in a complicated manner he likened to patting your head and rubbing your stomach.  He also showed a simpler technique that doesn't require a great deal a practice.  After the quick lesson, he invited us behind the counter, gave us a dough ball and let us loose to make our own pizza.

Overall, the pizza and service at Double Zero is amazing. The cocktail menu has what could be some great drinks on it. If as much care was given to the cocktail creation as is given to the food, then the drinks would be wonderful.