Special Out of Town Edition: 901 Postoffice

One word for 901 Postoffice: disappointment. I had heard and read so many good things about this place. Maybe we caught it on an off night. Or maybe it's just ... not that good.

Don't get me wrong, it wasn't terrible. The building (an old house) was kind of neat but half-empty. When I told the hostess that we had a reservation, she gave me a look that can only be described as nasty. Right off the bat I knew that she didn't like me, I didn't like her, and I wasn't sure why.

We tried an appetizer of smoked Texas sausage with quail egg. This was actually pretty yummy. The sausage was slightly crispy and paired well with the warm, soft egg yolk. We finished it easily.



For dinner, I had grilled gulf snapper with crab wontons. The snapper was fine, but the wontons were too heavy and the filling too sweet. It coated by palate and made it difficult to taste the fish. I only ate half of it.



Dinner for 4, with two bottles of wine and one dessert, came to a little over $300. I guess that's a good value for fine dining, but I wouldn't spend it on this again. Our server was very friendly and competent, but it was so dark in there that we never did get a good look at him -- one more little peculiarity about 901 Postoffice that did not add to the experience.

PS: the next morning we had breakfast at a little dive on the seawall. For just a couple of bucks, I got an amazing breakfast, a HUGE mimosa, and to watch dolphins swim in the ocean, all in a laid-back (and well-lit) atmosphere. My point? When you're at the beach, embrace your inner beach bum. Let fine dining wait until you're back in the city.

Yao's

A friend of mine once said, "If there's one thing professional athletes know, it's food." Obviously he was being completely facetious. Let's face it -- celebrity restaurants aren't always the best places to eat (Kenny Roger's Roasters, anyone?). However Yao's (owned by basketball player Yao Ming)was recently featured on Huffington Post's 25 Best Celebrity-Owned Restaurants List, so I thought I would give it a shot.

From the outside Yao's doesn't look like much. Don't let that dissuade you, because the inside is very spacious and actually quite elegant. The menu is very large, but seeing as how my husband is out of town this week and I can openly eat shellfish, I went directly for the shrimp chow mein (on the right in the picture below).



As you can see, portions at Yao's are quite generous. My chow mein was pretty basic: noodles, shrimp, some green onions and carrots. The shrimp were perfectly cooked (not always a given) and everything was tasty, but it was ... basic. My friend/stand-in husband, Grady, had a similar opinion of his pork dish. It was big, inexpensive, well cooked, but nothing special. BUT it was served by very nice people in a very nice space, and that does count for something.

Is Yao's the best restaurant I've ever been to? Heck no. Is it the best celebrity restaurant? Sure ... but the only other celebrity cuisine I've ever sampled is the aforementioned Roasters. My suggestion is to forget the celebrity connection and enjoy Yao's for what it is: tasty and accessible low-cost food. And nothing more.

Dolce Vita

My friend Adnan (the only person who seems to eat out more than I do) recommended Dolci Vita, so my husband and I hit it up on a hot Saturday afternoon. All the sane people were eating inside, so we decided to take a table outside to make our wait shorter.

It was quite warm on the otherwise lovely patio, so to cool down, my husband had a Peroni and I ordered a diet Coke. Unfortunately, the soda machine was broken, so our sweet and accommodating waitress brought me an imported regular Coke in a glass bottle. So far things were not going so well.

Everything began to look up when our appetizers arrived. We had two: anchovies with peppers and scallions and a special off-menu artichoke stuffed with salami and bread crumbs.



Both of these dishes were real treats. The anchovies were delightfully salty and savory, especially when paired with roasted red peppers and capers. It was kind of like taking a bite out of the ocean (but not in a gross way). The stuffed artichoke was warm, crusty and very filling -- something that should definitely be added to the menu full-time, or at least for the fall and winter. For the summer, however, it might be a bit too heavy to be called an appetizer. It's really big and hearty enough to serve as a meal.

We could (and probably should) have stopped with the apps, but since it is a pizzeria, we caved and ordered the Margarita Pizza, their most popular pie.



Overall this was a successful pizza. Tomato, basil and mozzarella are obviously a crowd-pleasing flavor combination. My husband thought that the crust was too thin and therefore got soggy. I really like a thin crust, however; it's reminiscent of what I grew up with in New York. My only complaint was that the pieces of basil were too big and too few. I think that this dish would be better if the basil was chopped into slightly-smaller pieces, so that you never end up eating a bite of pizza without all three flavors (or end up eating a bite of just basil).

Dolce Vita is a nice little find in the Montrose area. The staff are hardworking and friendly and the food is made with fresh ingredients and authentic recipes. At a place like this, the enjoyability of the experience really comes down to the guest --the more adventurous you are, the more likely you are to have a memorable meal. So go ahead and order a plain old pizza, but get some anchovies too. You'll find that the anchovies probably make the meal.

PS: parking in this area can be tricky, and cars are frequently ticketed/booted/towed. Your best bet is to utilize the low-cost valet service at the restaurant, or to park on Whitney Street, next to the restaurant. Pay very close attention to parking signs, where other cars are parked, and the advice of the restaurant staff. And remember not to block anyone's driveway!

Rio Ranch

Remember when I wrote my little rant about "voting" for restaurants with your business, and how you shouldn't frequent restaurants out of habit when they're not very good? Well, that principle works both ways. The only thing that bothers me more than seeing a really bad restaurant remain open is watching a really good one close. And I'm worried that is exactly what will happen to Rio Ranch if something doesn't change soon.

My family and I visited on a Saturday night and were surprised to find that we were one of only two tables of patrons. Since they were visiting from NY, I wanted to choose a restaurant that really said "Texas", and I couldn't have done a better job. Rio Ranch is decorated with steer heads, a large stone fireplace, and (friendly and professional) waiters wearing bolo ties.

The special that night was filet mignon with cream sauce, a baked potato and a skewer of shrimp and veggies. Quite an impressive plate of food!



And not a bite of it was bad. Every single one of us had a perfectly cooked piece of meat and shrimp. We were also treated to very good margaritas and large beers. It wasn't cheap or fast, but it wasn't overly expensive or fancy either -- the meal was comparable in price and the restaurant in atmosphere to Outback. Only the food was a lot better than at Outback.

So I'll end this review with a plea: please, please go to Rio Ranch. I hate seeing local places go under, particularly really good places. And Rio Ranch is really good.

Greatfull Taco

What do you get when you cross a Deadhead, some really good tacos, and a cooler full of beer? You get Greatfull Taco, and you're pretty happy with your results.

My husband and I started with a bowl of queso and chips. The queso was spicier than I thought it would be, but in a refreshing way. In a city full of bland queso it's nice to get one with a little kick to wake your taste buds up. It's probably nice for the restaurant too, since it likely helps them sell beer and wine -- and they have quite a selection! I had an Ace Pear, which I absolutely recommend with everything.

I had one taco, and my husband had two. I honestly can't remember what he got. I had The Wharf, which is a crispy cod taco with jalapeno mayo, slaw and lime on a corn tortilla. The fish was well cooked and crispy, but honestly there was just too much slaw for me. The jalapeno mayo was good, very spicy, but after the queso my mouth felt a little burned out. Although I guess I should know better than to buy fish tacos. I've already had the best. Anything else is going to be a disappointment.

I tried a bite of one of my husband's tacos (I think it was the brisket) and I really enjoyed that. What's impressive about Greatfull T
aco is the sheer creativity and diversity of the menu. You want an eggplant taco? You got it. How about chicken strips? OK. Mystery meat? Well, I don't know why you want that, but they got it (and all they can promise is it isn't beaver). And none of it will run you more than $3 to $5.

Service at Greatfull Taco is basic. You order at the counter and your food is delivered pretty quickly to your table. I was surprised at how big the inside of the place actually was. Usually places with a fun concept like this are tiny holes-in-the-wall, but Greatfull Taco has plenty of room to accommodate you and all of your hip friends. Try it -- and let me know what you think of the mystery meat!

Red Robin with Special Guest Blogger Greg

Hi all! Sorry it's been so long since the last review ... it's been a heck of a summer. First I had all 4 of my wisdom teeth removed. Then I had to travel to Connecticut for a wedding. And now Greg, my nine year old brother, is in Houston to visit Cody and I for the week. Last night we took him to Red Robin for dinner, where he greatly enjoyed the Mile High Chocolate Pie. He asked to do a review, and how could I say no? So, without further ado, here it is ...



hello bloggers everywhere!this my second food review. my first review was on pizza blooger.but no buddy cares right now. i am reviewing the RED ROBIN'S mud pie. it starts with whip cream,2 layers of choclate ice cream and 2 layers of OREOS. yum!(you should have a few people to help you finish)

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Recipe: Rana's Sausage Spread

This recipe is from my mother-in-law, Rana Ball. Rana lives in Deep East Texas (near the Arkansas border) and subscribes to a VERY Southern kind of cooking. There is nothing low-fat or high-maintenance about this recipe, but it's GOOD.

You'll Need: a pound of fresh ground sausage (try turkey)
2 jars of Old English cheese
2 sticks of butter
Salt, pepper, and a little Cajun seasoning (if you want to kick it up)
English muffins

To Do: Cook the sausage and drain. Add the butter, cheese and spices to the pan and cook on medium until everything is melted and mixed together. Spread mixture onto English muffins. Cook the muffins on 400 degrees for ten minutes, or until muffins are warm and crispy. You can also freeze the uncooked muffins to cook later.

Enjoy!