by Sandra Crittenden

Caracol  is one of my favorite restaurants in Houston,  I have been four times this summer since they reopened. It is part of the H-Town Restaurant Group , which is owned by Executive Chef Hugo Ortega and his wife Tracy Vaught. Ortega is the winner of the James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef: Southwest in 2017. I also frequently eat at both Hugo's and Backstreet Cafe, two other restaurants in the group.  As I thought about which restaurants in Houston have great food, nice patios and good ethics for safety protocol, these were some of the first restaurants to come to mind and I have not been disappointed. I've only opted to go to Caracol on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings, thus far, arriving as early as 4pm and as late as 7:30pm. I make reservations in advance and request a shady table on the patio at that time. I like the fact that guests have the ability to not walk through the restaurant to access the patio. You can just open the door and let the hostess know you ...

Caracol has one of the best Sunday brunches in Houston. The Mexican coastal cuisine buffet assortment includes raw oysters on the half shell and in shooters, an array of ceviche, salads, tamales, enchiladas, savory meats and sides along with a dessert table with more options than you can try in one visit. I could make a whole meal with just their raw offerings. My husband prefers the rich meat dishes with multiple desserts. The Mexican hot chocolate found amidst the dessert array is the perfect finish no matter which direction you choose.  They also have a brunch cocktail menu and a good list of sparkling  wines to keep you refreshed throughout your meal. Expect a busy, festive atmosphere and prepare to enjoy! This is one of my favorite Sunday brunches in Houston.

I try to attend the wine dinners at Ciao Bello as much as possible. I do this for the authentic Italian cuisine, the surprising array of wines, the excellent service and the always festive atmosphere. My husband and I attended the Marche wine dinner last night and it was no exception. The menu featured items from the Marche region of Italy that are not seen regularly at the restaurant which makes each experience at these dinners fresh and unique. As expected, there was a full house of enthusiastic guests so it is best to book your spot for these events early. Check the restaurant's website for more information on upcoming dinners. The wine dinners at Ciao Bello are always highly recommended. Edit -This restaurant closed in the summer of 2018. Check out the higher end sister restaurant, Tony's , a staple of the city's fine dining scene.

This was our third time to be at La Table for Sunday brunch in less than two month. Although I've confined my excitement to only writing about it twice here, it is unquestionably becoming one of our top restaurants in Houston and we haven't even tried dinner yet. This time, we decided to sit downstairs at the bar in La Table's informal dining room, Marche. We indeed found a more casual atmosphere which suited our more simple meal plan for the day. We ordered the Berry Kir Royale brunch cocktail with the collossol crab salad followed by the quiche du jour. We topped that off with coffee and a cinnamon and almond brioche. Tasty, straightforward goodness with entertaining service! After brunching at this establishment three times in three deliciously different ways, I can say it is one of my favorite new restaurants for brunch in the city. Whether you like your brunch formal and fancy or low-key and casual, La Table is one of the best places in Houston to do it. The Br...

The asparagus soup at Étoile Cuisine et Bar was summery fresh goodness. It, along with some pommes fritte and Sancerre that I shared with my lunch companion, made for the perfect light plant-based meal. I have eaten lunch here several times but I've not been in for dinner, I need to remedy that soon.  Have you enjoyed the dinner menu at Étoile Cuisine et Bar?

I went to Happy Hour at Caracol yesterday as part of my continuous birthday celebration this month. Caracol serves fresh Mexican coastal cuisine and has a lively bar scene on most evenings making it a great pick for an early week night dinner out. We started with the Happy Hour raw oysters which are served with a glass of the weekly white wine chosen by beverage director, Sean Beck; a fresh Verdejo from Rueda on this evening. He was behind the bar so we were also treated to a sample of his creativity while he worked on a cocktail request for another customer. We ended up having oysters every way they make them with a bit of crudo and a few of the cooked bar specials before wrapping up our already decadent dinner with pumpkin donuts and espresso. All delicious, all beautifully prepared. The Happy Hour specials go from 3-7 every Monday through Friday but dinner at the bar is always highly recommended anytime.