by Sandra Crittenden

I went to Lucille's  last week for a wine dinner which featured Austrian and Balkan wines. Executive Chef, Chris Williams, was the U.S. Culinary Cultural Ambassador during a 25 day tour of the Balkans in 2015 and he has wanted to showcase what he learned during his travels ever since. Finding available Balkan wines in our market proved to be somewhat difficult which caused the year long delay on this dinner. Certified Sommelier, Rodney Willis, was on hand to introduce each wine to the full house and to provide diners with the opportunity to purchase their favorites that evening. The Menu: Guests were welcomed with a glass of Austrian Loimer "Lois" Gruner Veltliner and 3 Day Feta with pumpkin oil and fresh bread. 1st Course - Scallop crudo with citrus oil, dried petals and sumac paired with Szigeti Sparkling Brut Gruner Veltliner also from Austria. 2nd Course - Braised pork belly with arugula, compressed melon and smoked paprika vinaigrette served with Loim...

I finally went to try the True Food Kitchen restaurant by Dr. Weil in Blvd Place by the Houston Galleria. Though it has been open for over two years, I have totally ignored it. This trip was intended as penance for all of the rich and delicious food that I was fortunate to enjoy over the holidays. It turns out that I did not feel punished or deprived in any way and I have already been back a second time in less than two weeks. My first visit was for the Saturday brunch. Our table shared the Edamame Dumplings made with dashi, white truffle oil and asian herbs for $9. It was light, fresh and delicious. For my entree, I had the Huevos Rancheros which were prepared with organic corn tortillas, roasted chile, organic sunny side up eggs, pinto beans and cotija cheese, also for $9. It was flavorful and quite filling. I washed my meal down with a Scratch Bloody Mary made with organic tomato, cumin, cayenne, onion, garlic, lime and organic vodka, spicy and good for $11. Everyone at the ta...

We tried the brunch at  Triniti  last weekend for the first time. We enjoyed it and we will return. It will be a great spot to bring the whole family over the holidays. My meal looked like this picture but also included some healthy greens that were not particularly photogenic though they were delicious.  My entree was the fried chicken with over-easy eggs and we shared a mixed pastry basket and a bottle of Ca' del Bosco Franciacorta sparkling wine.  Southern goodness with Italian refreshment, a recommended way to Sunday brunch in Houston. *Edit - This restaurant unfortunately closed on Sunday, February 5, 2017.

In lieu of our typical early start, we headed out a bit later than usual this Sunday. My husband is a chicken-fried steak fanatic and we had heard that  Ousie's Table makes a good one. We got a table and settled in for more of an early Sunday supper than our usual weekend brunch fare. Though the brunch menu offers some decidedly decadent dishes along with a good array of egg entrees, salads, sandwiches and such, we both opted for some basic southern lunches. He kept to his plan and ordered the Chicken Fried Steak & The Works which comes with a black peppercorn milk gravy, served on the side, with mashed potatoes and mustard greens. He was pleased with his choice. The crunchy exterior, tender meat and creamy gravy was all in place. I ordered the Oyster Po-Boy. It came on a toasted baguette with blue cheese, coleslaw, jalapeño tartar, tomato slices and it is served with parmesan fries. The unique mix of toppings and the good amount of oysters was delicious and quite fill...

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 ...