LOCAL Houston | The City Guide January 2017 | Page 22

OPEN
By Brian Tagtmeier
LA FISHERIA
CUISINE : SEAFOOD / MEXICAN 213 Milam St . | 713.802.1712 Mon – Thu : 11am – 10pm ; Fri – Sat : 11am – 12am ; Sun : 12 – 6pm
Photo by Shannon O ' Hara
In a town dominated by Tex-Mex , traditional Mexican cuisine is often given
short shrift . However , La Fisheria , opened in 2012 by MIRNA RIVEROLL with AQUILES CHAVEZ as its executive chef , was an instant hit , serving a wide variety
of Mexican coastal seafood dishes .
After moving downtown , La Fisheria hired VIDAL ELIAS MURILLO to direct the kitchen , a wise move . I had the opportunity to enjoy his new seasonal menu . The Sope de Camaron was a great place to start . The sope ( a thick , fried masa cake ) was topped with mixture of shrimp , beans , potatoes , radish and leeks . Each bite brought different flavors , all complementary .
The Catch of the Day was a grilled red snapper served over an escebeche ( a bed of quickly pickled vegetables ). The slight acidity of the pickling provided a good background for the tender fish . My favorite was the Pompano al Limon , a whole pompano that is pan seared , then roasted , served with a thick lime butter sauce . The crispy skin kept the fish from drying out over the fire . The sauce , essentially a beurre blanc that used lime juice , worked well with the sweet fish .
Admittedly , I don ’ t usually make it to dessert . At La Fisheria , it might be wise to start there . The Pastel de Chocolate was heavenly . Vidal ’ s family in Tabasco
Sope de Camaron owns a cacao farm and chocolate factory , and he used his family ’ s chocolate to make the dense and delicious flourless cake . Paired with a Mexican coffee with cinnamon and other Christmas spices , I would have been happy with only dessert .
When Vidal asked if I was open to try anything , I didn ’ t hesitate and was rewarded . A shot of mescal came out with an oyster covered with caramel sauce . Yes , a dessert oyster . Think of a salted caramel oyster chased by smoky mescal . Unique and perfect .
Overall , La Fisheria gives Houston its own taste of the Mexican coast , just with a shorter travel time . Take the trip , you ’ ll enjoy it .
Photography by Rebekah Flores
PURA COFFEE
CUISINE : COFFEE HOUSE / BAKERY 7925 Katy Freeway | 832.940.0822 | www . puracoffee . com
Mon – Fri : 6:30am – 7pm ; Sat – Sun : 7am – 7pm
While finding good coffee in Montrose requires little more than walking a few blocks in any direction , it is not as easy to do outside the Loop . Pura Coffee finally fills this void in the Memorial area . What you get though is more than just a good brew .
It ’ s coffee that comes with an education , and no pretention . FRANK NATOOR is passionate about coffee , something learned
early in life from his mother . He can explain how a particular roasting method changes the flavors , regional differences in the beans from all over the world and the best brewing methods for any grind .
Pastries
Frank ’ s passion translates well into his business model . He and Daniele , the general manager , ask their customers what they like about their coffee to steer them to a better experience , and they follow up to see how it turned out . The majority of the
22 LOCAL | january 17