by Sandra Crittenden

Starting with the house vermouth in The Lounge March, Goodnight Hospitality's tasting menu restaurant, is marching into the new season with Greece as  their latest culinary inspiration. March is one of my favorite restaurants in Houston for a fine dining experience. Though we do not have Michelin starred restaurants in Texas, this is certainly an establishment that would deserve their top ranking.  The latest rendition of the March Martini. I went on opening night to taste the 9 course Exploration menu with the 9 course Classic drink pairings. The Classic drinks menu features mostly wines from Greece while the pricier Premier menu features wines from around the world. I was more interested in trying the Greek wine selections with this new menu. The Lounge Snacks served on a Portuguese Surrealejos tile. My friend, Jeanette, and I arrived at 5:30 to enjoy some time at The Lounge before beginning our gastronomical adventure. All guests to The Lounge receive a pour of the house Ve...

This is the martini that James Bond makes famous in both the Ian Fleming's book and following movie, Casino Royale. When Bond orders it, he gives specific instructions, "Three measures of Gordon's (gin), one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake it very well until it is ice cold, then add a large thin slice of lemon peel. Got it?" Unfortunately for Bond, the Kina Lillet is no longer available so Lillet Blanc is now substituted. Interestingly, he calls the gin but not a specific vodka leaving that to the bartender. It can be made with your favorite gin and vodka and will still be fragrant and maintain its intended botanical character.  Some cocktail aficionados also prefer to stir rather than shake this drink because of concerns that it will be overly diluted by the melting ice. Since it is a fairly robust drink, I agree with Bond, shake it as the movie's hero suggests, before straining into a martini or coupe glass.  This version was made at Tony's in...

Scenes from opening weekend at Potente, downtown Houston's hot new destination for modern Italian cuisine!

My husband and I decided to upgrade our typical Sunday brunch ensembles and go check out the brunch buffet at  La Table's Chateau  yesterday. I'm so glad we did because they plan on discontinuing it through the summer. Here's a small glimpse of some of the many things that we enjoyed and what you can expect to see when it resumes. Sunday brunch in La Table's elegant Chateau dining room combines impeccable white tablecloth service, a kitchen to table menu and a stunning buffet array. Look for it's return next fall, it is highly recommended as one of Houston's best brunch buffets.  

After a phenomenal first day of wine tasting in the Napa Valley, along with an array of some excellent local cheese in the late afternoon, we found ourselves in the unfortunate position of not being as hungry as we would have liked when it was time to "get our  Bouchon  on."  It was an early reservation and, in spite of the plush surroundings,  the restaurant had a bit of a happy hour feel . We decided on the "build your own" cold seafood platter and some of the area's famous sparkling wine to get our evening started. A local couple at the next table struck up a conversation as soon as our order arrived. We had a great time discussing the Napa restaurant scene with them while enjoying our dinner. Bouchon: Highly recommended- beautiful dining room, excellent service, fresh seafood, a great wine list and friendly locals! Side Note: We, of course, also enjoyed Thomas Keller's famous boxed fried chicken at Addendum for lunch one day and Bouchon B...

On a recent trip to Napa Valley, my husband and I decided to check out the  Michelin-starred restaurant,   Auberge du Soleil . In addition to the amazing views that summertime dining on the terrace provides, the   menu  showcases  local ingredients prepared with Mediterranean flair  by  Chef Robert Curry .  It was our first night in town and we had big plans for touring and tasting on the following day. We arrived for an early alfresco dinner at 6:15pm on the covered terrace  overlooking the lush resort grounds with the expectation that our multi-course meal would keep us there until sunset. The dinner options at Auberge feature a choice of either a three course meal for $110 or four courses for $130. You can also add an extra gourmet touch to your dinner with extravagant add-ons like c aviar with all the traditional garnishes, fresh truffles to top your entrees or an extra course of cheese for an extra fee. There is a Chef's selection ...

We decided to have our anniversary celebration at Mark's American Cuisine this year. The restaurant is a renovated church from the 1920's and is considered to be one of the more romantic restaurants in Houston. Chef Mark Cox mans the kitchen. Good food, excellent service, beautiful ambience and some great wine made our evening exceptional. Edit: This longtime classic on the Houston fine dining scene has closed. In its place is now the One Fifth concept by award winning Houston chef, Chris Shepherd.

During our 24 hour stay in Reims in the Champagne region of France, my daughter and I chose the tasting menu at Le Millenaire  for the one dinner that we had time for while there. This Michelin-starred restaurant by Chef Laurent Laplaige offers a regular menu along with the option of different tasting menus, we checked our opinions at the door and waited in anticipation to see what the kitchen would offer. Though the restaurant is not large, the tables are well spaced in the modern dining room. Dark carpets, neutral walls and white tablecloths add a sleek look to the elegant space. When in Reims, there is only one way to begin. Though we were touring the Champagne house the following day, we each ordered a glass of Ruinart Champagne, one blanc de blancs and one r osé to start. T he magic was quickly underway with amazing bites of deliciousness arriving to the table. We enjoyed everything though I don't believe that I can describe it all. My favorites were the delicately pre...