LOCAL Houston | The City Guide APRIL 2015 | Page 28

Local April.qxp_002houston 3/23/15 2:15 PM Page 28

GOOD EATS

HEARSAY ON THE GREEN

LOBSTER EN POCHETTE

$$$ Modern, Cocktails, American | 1515 Dallas St.
832.377.3362 | www.hearsayhouston.com
You’ll find Hearsay favorites – Saint Arnold’s battered asparagus, the Hearsay burger, crab cakes and more – on the new menu, too,
as well as some traditional down-home southern comfort food. “It’s the food I like to eat,” says Chef Chanas, who pointed me to the
chicken fried chicken, two pounded pieces of moist chicken covered in a crispy buttermilk batter, then topped in a country sausage
gravy and served over dirty rice. Um, yum! I love, love, loved the Grilled Kobe Dog, the very definition of gourmet comfort food.
–Mai Pham

ARCODORO
$$$ Italian | 5000 Westheimer @ Post Oak | 713.621.6888
www.arcodoro.com
The restaurant – co-owned by Efisio Farris with wife Lori – has become
a fixture in the Galleria area since opening in 1996. Highlights include
the seafood options, particularly the whole fish (branzino, gulf red
snapper or sea bream) encrusted in rock salt and cooked in the
wood-burning oven and filleted tableside. The same oven puts out
some great pizza.
–Jodie Eisenhardt

ARTURO BOADA CUISINE
$$$ Spanish Italian | 6510 Del Monte | 713.568.9196
www.boadacuisine.com
Chef/Owner Arturo Boada’s neighborhood outpost on Del Monte is
turning out delectable cuisine from a spotless kitchen, reflecting the
chef’s devotion to the freshest ingredients and high standards of prepar

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ing them. Menu options include Spanish tapas like the “pappas
bravas” with spicy red potatoes and Spanish chorizo, super-fresh
seafood, pizzas from a wood-burning oven and melt-in-your-mouth
house-made pastas like “Mama Sonia’s ravioli” stuffed with chicken
and porcini mushrooms in a white wine cream sauce topped with
jumbo lump crab.
–Jodie Eisenhardt
BCN TASTE AND TRADITION
$$$$ European, Spanish | 4210 Roseland St. | 832.834.3411
www.bcnhouston.com
The vibe is traditional meets modern. Many of the ingredients and even
some equipment have been sourced directly from Spain, including the
mouth-watering Iberico Ham which is served with slices of bread
rubbed with raw tomato for a rustic and satisfying dish. Other appetizer
highlights include a lovely watermelon and burrata salad with baby
greens, basil leaves and vinegar reduction.
–Jodie Eisenhardt
BIG EYED FISH
$$ Southern American Comfort | 908 Henderson | 713.714.8367
www.bigeyedfishhouston.com
Everything is made fresh in-house. Yummy crab beignets sit atop a bed
of dressed greens and a tangy/sweet tomato jam that’s so good they
sell jars of it at the bar. Other hits include the fried green tomatoes,
bacon-filled deviled eggs, and the shrimp and grits. The meatloaf has a
spicy kick and we loved the pan-roasted quail with its fantastic mushroom bread pudding. The bar has a solid beer and wine selection (and
retail), and the express lunch offers downtowners a tasty new option.
–Jodie Eisenhardt

CARACOL
$$$$ Mexican Coastal Seafood | 220 Post Oak Blvd.
713.622.9996 | www.caracol.net
I ordered the Gran Especial margarita, Cusanos and Tostado de Atun
Crudo. The Gran Especial margarita had a nice “bite” from the tamarind
and the roasted spiced simple syrup, quite the choice for the chilly
Houston night that I visited. The Gusanos, which may shock some, are
sautéed, dried maguey worms. Once you get over the intial shock
factor that you’re eating worms, you’ll really enjoy this dish. Served
taco style, I found this dish to be best when drizzled with the lime and
topped with salsa. The Tostada de Atun Crudo was very fresh and
topped with a sour orange mayonnaise.
–Dominique McGhee
COLTIVARE PIZZA + GARDEN
$$$ Italian, Pizza, Cocktails | 3320 White Oak Dr. | 713.637.4095
www.coltivarehouston.com
The slow-cooked beef and polenta pizza is rich in mascarpone and
pecorino. Yeah, polenta on pizza. Wonderful, but the real star is the
crust that Chef Pera spent years perfecting. The wood-grilled chicken
comes with a nice kick. The gulf shrimp, mussels and clams were
accompanied by Arborio, lemongrass and chiles. The cocktails are special as well. Hݙ\