Construction Update: Dough Pizzeria

On a recent visit, I asked Nancy about the progress of the renovations at the San Antonio Dough Pizzeria (@doughpizzeria). The only sign of construction is the blacked-out windows of the former State Farm office next door. From inside, there's no indication of construction.

Nancy said their number one reason for building the expansion was to "get people out of the heat." The new space will have several hi-tops for waiting customers. The hostess stand will also move into the new space (you'll enter through the old State Farm office), and they plan a few more tables, both inside and out.

The current wine wall will be torn down and replaced with a wine wall in the new space.

They hope to open the new expansion in April.

Second Edition: Glutton's Tour of Houston--Unexpected Surprises

I love coming across unexpected surprises when I travel—even to very familiar places like Houston. On the one hand, I enjoyed (most of) the restaurants we visited, but situations I didn’t anticipate led to some of the best moments. Here are a few from our recent Glutton’s Tour:

• “Dinner and a show” at El Real Tex-Mex @ElRealTexMex : No, I’m not talking about the silent Western movie or football game inside. Sit outside, close to the front rail along Westheimer, and enjoy watching the parade of humanity. A not-particularly-fit woman runs for the bus at the curb up the street (and makes it!), the cyclist jumps out of his skin when he hears the squealing car tires (he avoids catastrophe), a couple of drug addicts cautiously step off the bus just in front of the restaurant (there’s a fence and they move along). Make a game of counting the car honks (we heard four) and screeching tires.
  
  
  
  
  
• Meeting the chef @thefrenchcowboy: After a marvelous meal (see future post) with a very knowledgeable server at Philippe Restaurant, Chef Philippe Schmit left the kitchen and stopped by our table to chat. He is quite personable (with that charming French accent) and was truly pleased that we enjoyed the meal.
  
  
  
• Finally breaking my hex on sports: Regular readers know of my love for the Tour de France. I even play along a own fantasy team. This year, I expected the Cyclists Union to ring my doorbell and ask me to quit choosing riders for my team. By the time they reached Paris, only five riders on my team of ten remained upright on the bike. Complete carnage. Then along comes the American League Championship series. I turned off a couple of games when the Texas Rangers went south upon my tuning in. My friend Shauna enjoined me to switch off and offered to text me the score. Upon returning to my hotel on Saturday night (a week ago), I hesitantly tuned in….and happily watched the Rangers decimate the Tigers 15-5 to win the pennant. Finally I am no longer the bane of professional sports.
  
  
  
  
  
• Watching and learning from the crepe chef at Melange Creperie @melangecreperie: You can't often see the chef prepare your food in most restaurants; even “open kitchens” provide only a partial view. But we enjoyed watching our crepes (and the orders ahead of us) come together—from bubbling dough on the griddle to slicing the bananas to folding the finished product into perfect thirds.

Next up: Failing to meet expectations

Second Edition: Glutton's Tour of Houston--The Sweet Stuff

My sister Robyn and I recently embarked upon another Glutton’s Tour in Houston. (She also posted about the trip on her blog The Burbanist.) We grew up there and enjoy visiting every once in a while. Neither one of us miss the traffic, which snarls worse on every visit. I wonder when they’ll pave over the entirety of west Houston to make IH-10 25 lanes wide….and it would still jam up. We generally confine our visits to the fun and funky areas inside Loop 610, though, so we avoid the worst of it. Over the next several posts, I’ll share the highlights of the trip.

I usually eschew desserts at the end of a meal. But on this trip, the sweet stuff provided the culinary high points.

Banana Nutella Crepes from Melange Creperie @melangecreperie : We patiently stood in front of the small cart on the corner of Westheimer and Taft with ten other people (and one enormous but laid-back dog) while noisy traffic whizzed by behind us. Our chef took individual orders and prepared the crepes fresh, two at a time. Given the serving size (and our plans to visit several other places that day), we decided to split one. We watched in awe as our chef ladled out the batter and spread it thin over the griddle. He expertly flipped it after a few seconds (my attempt to do so would resemble a wadded-up piece of paper), then added the fillings. Our crepe was perfectly thin, with crispy edges, a tender center, and pleasantly warm to the touch. The sweetness of the slightly overripe bananas paired well with the Nutella. Get there early. His small cart doesn’t hold much, and once his ingredients are gone, you’re out of luck. ht

French Cowboy Churros at Philippe Restaurant @thefrenchcowboy : Churros? At a French restaurant?? Why, yes. After a marvelous meal of monkfish, foie gras, and soup in this elegant restaurant on Post Oak, we split an order of cinnamon churros, salted caramel ice cream, and spicy chocolate sauce. The churros were airy and light, and not oversweet. We alternated dipping the churros into the luscious ice cream, then the sauce, which had just the right “kick.” We left not a crumb.

Petit Fours from Moeller’s : I’ve posted about Moeller’s previously. This small shop was my Frannie’s “go-to” spot when she didn’t feel like fixing dessert on her own or needed a girly birthday cake for one of her three granddaughters. Based on past experience, we arrived early on Saturday morning so we could snag the coveted white petits fours and a tray of cheese straws. Over twenty boxes on the table at the rear held pre-ordered cakes ready for pick up. When I asked my husband if I should bring back vanilla or chocolate, he replied “yes.” They didn’t last two days.

Next up…. unexpected surprises.

The Debut of Laura's Lists: This Edition, Vegetarian Lunches

A few months ago, I changed the way I eat. (I don’t believe in diets; you either change the way you eat or you don’t.) I replaced white bread and pasta with whole grain bread/pasta, white rice with brown rice, and potatoes with….well, I haven’t figured out that one yet. (I don’t eat a lot of sweets, so reducing sugar doesn’t require much of a sacrifice.) Note that I said “replace” and not “eliminate”… I still occasionally enjoy French fries and the crisp and tender crust of Dough pizza. We also observe Meatless Monday (which, due to schedule issues, moved to Tuesday), and I set a goal to eat meat only once per day. (The notable exception: bacon when Bruce fixes breakfast on some Saturdays. I could never actually go vegetarian. My DNA includes a gene requiring periodic bacon intake. Sorry Karen.)

I’ve discovered that whole grains and brown rice have a rich, nutty flavor—much more complex than plain white bread. They keep me feeling fuller longer, reducing the afternoon snack craving. And I’ve lost ten additional pounds (with irregular exercise) since starting the plan. (Please check with your doctor before making any major diet changes.)

I’ve been searching for good places for a vegetarian lunch, with some specific requirements. Hu-Hot, for example, has great potential, with its colorful display of veggies and noodles and the aromas of griddling peppers and onions. But they only serve white rice, and all of their noodles are wheat- or rice-based. I don’t care for roasted vegetables or Portobello mushrooms, frequent denizens of vegetarian menus. And “eating vegetarian” requires more planning than just throwing a bunch of veggies on the plate. Do that, and your tummy will be rumbling in a couple of hours.

I’ve selected my top five (in no particular order) places for a vegetarian, whole-grain lunch. The good news: more and more places have added whole grain options to their menus. I hope the trend continues.

1) Freebirds World Burrito @freebirds_wb: Opening in Texas in 1991 directly across from the main campus of Texas A&M, Freebirds provides many choices. Not only do you choose your fillings (with plenty of vegetarian options), you also choose your wrap….and one choice is whole grain. I always order the smallest burrito, and I still can’t finish it. Very filling and satisfying without the heaviness that leads to the afternoon snoozles.

2) California Pizza Kitchen @calpizzakitchen: you can request whole grain crust on all their pizzas, and many of their pasta selections can be ordered with whole grain. My favorite: the white pizza topped with several rich and creamy cheeses.

3) Carrabba’s Italian Grill @carrabbas: they also offer a whole-grain pasta option on all their signature pastas, many of which are vegetarian.

4) India Oven: their fabulous lunch buffet always includes at least one vegetarian choice. I order the whole grain naan and skip the white rice. The earthy, exotic aromas of garam masala and turmeric make for an interesting change of pace.

5) Jason’s Deli @jasonsdeli: their menu includes several vegetarian soups, vegetarian sandwiches with a whole-grain bread option, and a marvelous salad bar. I skip the diced ham and turkey and fill my plate with hard-boiled eggs, chickpeas and sunflower seeds, all good vegetarian sources of protein.

I hope Hu-Hot and India Oven (and others) start serving brown rice soon. I greatly anticipate the opening of Green Vegetarian Cuisine’s new restaurant nearby.

Please send your suggestions…..I’m always looking for new places!

A Sad Day for San Antonio Foodies: The Lodge Restaurant Closing 12/31

Chef Jason Dady (@chefjasondady) tweeted today, “120 more days of awesomeness and kicking ass. The Lodge Restaurant of Castle Hills last day of service will be Dec 31st.” That intake of breath you heard around 3:30 this afternoon was collective hyperventilation. San Antonio Express-News dining critic Ed Tijerina (@etij) chatted with Chef Jason this afternoon and posted to the Food Flash blog within a couple of hours.

Shortly after his first post, Chef Jason tweeted, “Fine dining is on life support and I don't want to be here when it dies. We are gonna finish strong and then move on #greatthingsinfuture.” While greatly saddened by the closure of my favorite restaurant, I find my excitement growing at his next venture.

We’ve dined at The Lodge almost since it opened; it impressed from the very first. The wait staff always presents us with one work of art after another; the dishes look as pretty as they taste. Each one features a range of textures; he first delights us with delicate flavors then surprises us with bold ones.

Chef Jason also carefully listens to his customers. After a few visits, I mustered the courage to comment on the hard wooden chairs. The Lodge encourages a relaxing dining experience, and the unforgiving seats didn’t complement the meal. Sure enough, the next time we visited, the seats sported a cushion.

A fabulous artist with food, Chef Jason is always gracious and open, willing to share tips and techniques with us noodlers. A couple of years ago, he offered several Dady’s Underground Kitchen (DUK) events at private homes. We snagged the first one, and it was one of the finest meals that we (and eight of our lucky friends) have ever eaten. Chef Jason brought one helper (who served and washed the copious dishes), and they prepped and presented five courses. In between courses, he invited us into the kitchen to watch him work. Most chefs would bristle at the presence of rank amateurs in their kitchens. But Chef Jason shared his tips and ideas and even sipped a glass of wine as the dishes percolated.

Whenever we see him, he always takes a moment to thank us for coming and explain a little about the dishes we’re eating. He has even invited us back to the kitchen a couple of times!

He’s planning a huge Celebration Dinner on New Year’s Eve, as well as a special dinner in October to commemorate The Lodge’s tenth anniversary. I would recommend making reservations soon.

One thing I know for sure…even after 12/31, Chef Jason will remain one of San Antonio’s leading chefs. Next week, he and other prominent local chefs (including Andrew Weissman and Rebecca Rather) are cooking a benefit dinner for Foodways Texas.

Thanks for all the birthday, anniversary, and special occasion dinners, Chef Jason, and I’ m sure we will see you very soon!

San Antonio's Own Food Truck Throwdown

The Boardwalk on Bulverde, San Antonio's first food truck park, hosts a Food Truck Throwndown until Sunday, July 31 at 11pm.

Yes, it's hot. You need to go anyway.

I've posted a video (my first ever on Alamo A La Carte!) on my You Tube channel.

Located at 14732 Bulverde Rd (about a mile north of Thousand Oaks), the Throwndown features 25 food trucks from San Antonio and Austin, as well as games for the kids and a local radio station. Evenings feature live entertainment, but to my mind, the food headlines the event.

Food ranges from chef-driven to barbeque to crepes (sweet and savory), and everything in between on the street food spectrum. Mexican and Tex-Mex food trucks made a strong showing.

A partial listing of participants:

• DUK Truck




• Tapa Tapa




• Saweet Cupcakes




• Crepe Nation




• Bistro Six




• Rickshaw Stop (serving Pakistani street food and kabobs)

The most unusual dish I saw (from Tapa Tapa) featured menudo-dusted calamari with pork and hominy. I saw many attendees enjoying it.

Your best strategy: purchase your drink or beer tickets on the way in, then wander around and check out all the menus. Then decide what you want to sample; try as many as you can.

A hot Texas afternoon pretty much crushes my appetite, so I knew I could only try one. Loyal readers will feel no surprise that I sought out Chef Jason Dady's DUK Truck.

His menu featured a pulled pork bahn-mi (a Korean-style sandwich), Mexican style shrimp cocktail, and a Thai style green curry. I opted for the DUK confit tacos (pictured above).

A thick, cool crema surrounded the duck confit, topped with bacon, finely diced pineapple, garlic crisps, and cilantro. A slice of roasted jalapeno provided a refreshing kick. The acidity of the pineapple balanced well with the richness of the duck, and the garlic crisps provided a nice crunchy note.

The tacos formed the perfect street food bite. Easy to pick up with one hand, the filling held together well and didn't dribble down my arm.

FYI....Joe Saglimbeni Fine Wine (638 W. Rhapsody) hosts the DUK Truck from noon to 3:00pm every Saturday during August. I highly recommend a visit.

Since Bruce couldn't attend, I brought him back a present of Saweet Cupcakes (salted chocolate caramel and red velvet). Delightful, rich, and creamy.

If you visit the Boardwalk during the day, prepare yourself for the heat. Bring a hat and sunscreen, and stay hydrated. The site features several shaded sitting areas, but you'll spend most of your time out in the sunshine.

If you can't make it this weekend, the Boardwalk is open Thursday-Saturday from noon-3:00pm and 6:00pm-close, and on Sunday from noon-4:00pm. You won't find 25 trucks, but the site hosts several "regulars."

Come partake of this latest "hot" food trend!

Bin 555's Marvelous New Menu

Last Friday night, we visited Bin 555 to sample Chef Jason Dady's and Chef PJ's new menu. What a treat!

They based the old menu on Spanish tapas; Chef Dady felt that the "Spanish tapas" label was too restricting. So they set about developing a "flavors of the world" menu.

Don't worry....your favorite old stand-bys, such as patatas bravas and the grilled goat cheese sandwiches, are still there. But you'll want to give this new menu a try!

I started out with an off-menu special of fresh summer gazpacho with a sweet corn and jicama relish. The chilled soup was the perfect way to start a meal on a hot summer evening.

The flavor of the naan bread with zahtar and cardamom butter (pictured) just burst in the mouth. Chef Dady told us this is not a flavor profile that we're used to, so it surprises people. The cardamom was wonderfully floral, and the zahtar (I had to look it up; a Middle Eastern spice) added an exotic touch.

We also tried the sweet corn "pot de creme." (I wish I could give exact titles of the dishes. I didn't write anything down, thinking that I could get them off the website. But the online menu hasn't yet been updated. Hopefully soon. The descriptions alone will start your mouth to watering.) This looks like a soup, but it has the consistency of a chocolate pot de creme. Creamy, cool, delicious, and full of summer tastes.

We also tried a dish of steamed eggs (fluffy and light, and garnished with candied bacon, always a bonus), Korean barbeque tacos with kim-chee (that kim-chee has a bite!), and DUK steamed buns (airy buns filled with savory barbecue duck). We wanted to try dessert, but we were simply too full.

I highly recommend a visit...and soon! You'll need to make several return visits to give everything a try!

CIA Bakery Cafe and the Pearl Farmers Market

I planned to start this post with "San Antonio's best-kept secret," but now that the SA Express-News (@mysa) has chosen them as the 2011 Critic's Choice Best Bakery, it's not so secret anymore.

The CIA Bakery Cafe (@CIABakeryCafe) occupies a corner of the SA campus of the celebrated Culinary Institute of America at the Pearl Brewery. It started quietly, but they're beginning to attract a crowd.


Every inch of their small space counts. They serve fresh breads (slicing available) cookies, pastries, and almost-too-pretty-to-eat desserts (pictured). Not to mention delicious coffee, aguas frescas, and a daily lunch (starting at 11:00 am). I have been fortunate to visit France many times, and the CIA's croissants would fit in perfectly at any Parisian bistro—light, flaky, and buttery. And that is not easy to accomplish.



If you visit during the week, it's a meal and a show. A large picture-window overlooks the culinary training kitchen, which this particular amateur chef covets greatly.


My only wee small criticism: they could do with a cute sign above their door. The only reason you'll know they're there is either the line out the door or the many people occupying the outside tables.


They're open Tues-Sat 7:00 am-5:00 pm; they open on Sunday at 8:00 am. They've recently started "late hours" on Fridays and Saturdays, staying open until 8:00 pm.


The Pearl Farmer's Market (open Wednesdays 4:00-7:00 pm and Saturdays 9:00 am-noon) continues to impress. Two pieces of advice:

• From May through September, get there before 10:00 am. Not only will you have the best pick of items, you'll be done by the time the heat/humidity starts.


• Same time period: bring a cooler, especially if you plan another errand or two afterwards. Charcuterie products and the Texas heat do not make good partners. (BTW, this is good advice for wine touring also.)

My haul included caraway rye bread from Sol Y Luna Bakery, fresh tomatoes, a new basil plant (mine being a little, um, scrawny), fresh mozzarella from Humble House, onions, and several other items. Of course there was a caprese salad this weekend.

Hours are Wednesday from 4:00-7:00 pm, and Saturdays from 9:00 am-noon. It's the peak of the season. You really do need to go out there and have a look around!

Hot 'n Spicy Just Down the Street

When both Ed Tijerina (restaurant reviewer for the Express-News, @etij) and Chef Jason Dady (@chefjasondady) recommend a place, one tends to sit up and take notice. So I buzzed just down NW Military Hwy to Sichuan Cuisine (2347 NW Military, just north of Lockhill-Selma).

Generally speaking, I am not a fan of Chinese food. But I am beginning to learn that if I say "I don't care for xxx food," it usually means I've just eaten bad xxx food. I don't know much about Chinese cooking, but I do know (if for no other reason than watching Chef Kenichi on the original Iron Chef) that it's spicy. I can only do so much spicy, and this place suited my palate just fine.

For starters, they don't have a liquor license, so BYOB. (Ed also recommended, in his review, bringing your own glassware.) The spacious interior was rather plain, and Anthony Bourdain played on the television (an odd choice, given the weird things he eats sometimes).

I immediately noted their spice levels: one chili="hot and spicy," two chilis="medium spicy," and three chilis="extra spicy." I decided to stay at the one chili level.

The menu is quite extensive, with stand-bys like General Tso's chicken and more unusual fare (kung pao duck tongue, various dishes with tripe, and a pork intestine and pork blood cake). Vegetarians will be happy here; there's an entire section of tofu dishes (although some have meat) as well as a section of vegetable dishes.

I started out with sliced pig ear in hot chili oil (bottom right of above photo). I enjoyed the texture. Instead of having a lot of flavor of its own, the pig ear carries the flavor of the hot chili oil. It was spicy, but pleasingly so.

I ordered the house special bean soup for my entree. And here's where I have two pieces of advice:

• The portions are enormous. (My soup easily could have fed three to four people.) It would have been nice, given that I was dining alone, if my waiter had advised me of the size of the bowl when I ordered. Other entrees appeared to be of a more normal size, although it looked to me like there would be plenty to share.



• Unless you are extremely familiar with Sichuan cuisine or the specifics of a particular dish (which I am not), I advise asking the waiter what the dish includes. To my surprise, my soup included shrimp and tilapia. Which is fine for me, but would have necessitated a send-back for my husband, who cannot eat shrimp.

I had to ask the waiter about the tilapia. It was amazingly tender and didn't taste like fish at all; quite delicious. The waiter told me that in Sichuan province, they like their meats tender. The broth had a pleasant earthy flavor, and I brought home a lot.

They're open seven days a week from 11:00 am to 10:00 pm. I highly recommend a visit.

Glutton's Tour of Houston, Part 2

Waddling back after a fairly early evening yesterday (we capped the day with a walk through the much-expanded Galleria), we got a good night's rest in preparation for today's tour.

We journeyed down Westheimer in search of a good breakfast stop, that particular destination not having been pre-planned. We didn't want anything huge or fancy, given the rest of the day's plans. Luckily we found the Empire Cafe.

As we lined up to order at the counter, several temptations awaited us, including foccacia eggs, omelettes, and frittatas. Taking the "simple" route, I chose hot polenta (I love polenta, but have never had it hot for breakfast), and Robyn got some toast and coffee. The polenta arrived drizzled with a caramel sauce and almonds; a satisfying way to start the day.

Our mom and grandmother lived in this neck of the woods, and we spent some time driving around old stomping grounds. The neighborhood has improved over the years, I'm very happy to report.

We headed for an early lunch, since we had hair stylist appointments at 12:30 with Mom's former hairdresser Stefano. (His salon is Salon Stefano; highly recommended if you're in town.) We did a lot of research before the trip, finally deciding a lunchtime destination of El Real Tex-Mex, Chef Bryan Caswell's newest venture. We got lucky...it had only been open two weeks at the time.

I can hear you now: "Who needs another Tex-Mex restaurant?" You do....you really do. I can all but guarantee this place will show up, and soon, in the dining pages of Texas Monthly.

They converted the old Tower Theater on Westheimer, with seating both inside and out. It's a funky, retro, and fun place to eat. Every time we drove by it, the patio was full to brimming.

For starters, they make everything...and I do mean everything...from scratch. They even render their own lard and blend their own chili powder.

We ordered a few selections to share, including green chile posole (the best I've ever had; sorry San Antonio), a puffy taco, and a cheese enchilada. All very standard Tex-Mex fare, but elevated to a new level here. You must stop here when you visit Houston (or if you live there).

More driving around in the afternoon, a quick stop by Rice University, and a stop back at the hotel for a post-dining snooze. Then out again for dinner. This evening's stop: Indika.

Decorated inside with warm colors and Indian accents, the dining room smelled amazing the minute we walked in. As usual, our modus operandi involved ordering several small items and sharing. We chose a crabmeat samosa and a butternut and lentil soup. For our entree, we chose a vegetarian sampler (pictured). We never found out what everything was, but the things that look like carrot sticks are actually pickled turmeric. We also enjoyed green beans, barley, paneer in a green sauce, and fried onions. I've already recommended the place to my vegetarian friend when she visits Houston.

A quick aside to the dining experience. We travelled to Houston to accept a posthumous award on behalf of our father. Twenty years ago, he co-wrote a paper for the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) about locating oil under sub-sea salt domes. At the time, seismographs couldn't read through salt domes, and everyone told him he was nutz. Technology improved, and guess what they found about five years ago?? Yup...oil. Lots of it. His co-author told me that this discovery "will have a profound impact on world oil supplies in our lifetime." And our daddy was one of the first ones to propose it! The AAPG presented Dad and his co-author with an award for the paper; my sisters and I were honored to accept it on his behalf, and the plaque is currently with my sisters (pictured; Robyn on left, Mary on right....oh, and me in the middle).

We completed our dining experience with a great little pizza joint just outside of downtown called Piola. Since I'm avoiding white flour products right now (hard to argue with a ten-pound weight loss), I always appreciate a pizza joint that serves whole wheat crust.

So don't miss the dining experience in Houston. We only scratched the surface and we look forward to returning!

A Glutton's Tour Through Houston, Day 1

Burp. (And thanks to Robyn for the inspiration for the title.)

My youngest sister and I met each other in Houston this weekend to accept a posthumous professional award on behalf of my father (my other sister is joining us today). The awards ceremony not being until this afternoon, Robyn and I decided to explore the Houston dining scene.

First stop....James Coney Island. OK, OK. Not your normal "dining tour of Houston" stop. But if you know someone from Houston (who doesn't still live here), ask them about "JCI" and see how much they rave. They were, of course, delicious and brought back lots of memories. "It was exactly as I remembered it," said Robyn. "I kind of wondered what people were thinking of us, taking photos of hot dogs."

Next stop....Moeller's Bakery in Bellaire. Talk about memories.....Sunday meals at our grandmother's house weren't complete unless Moeller's famous petits fours (pictured) were on the table. They simply melt in the mouth. We also sampled some molasses cookies, cheese straws, and macaroons.

Before heading to dinner, we stopped at Chef Bryan Caswell's Reef for drinks. Chef Caswell is a James Beard award nominee this year, and Reef (pictured, just before dinner service) is his flagship seafood restaurant just outside downtown. "I had a delicious pear martini," said Robyn. We wanted to try some food too, but we had other destinations on our agenda.

After enjoying our drinks, we headed to dinner at Kata Robata. I've written about this restaurant before (see http://tinyurl.com/3bl2zdu). I enjoyed it so much that I told Robyn we had to go back for dinner.

Our choices this time included miso gyoza, pork belly don (a rice dish), chawanmushi with salmon roe, hamachi kama (tuna shoulder), and donuts filled with red bean paste. Our MO for the weekend was to order several plates and share them, so we each tasted everything. "I was struck by how many Japanese were in the restaurant," said Robyn.

Chawanmushi is a Japanese egg custard and takes some time to prepare. But it was worth the wait....smooth, creamy and rich. I had never tried hamachi kama (pictured). After figuring out where the meat was, we discovered it was rich, fatty, and delicious. The donuts with sweet red bean paste were a perfect end to the meal.

Our day 2 included stops at the Empire Cafe, Chef Caswell's brand-new El Real Tex-Mex, and Indika, all in the trendy Westheimer/Montrose area. More on that tomorrow.

Our Meatless Monday Adventure

I’m not a huge fan of New Year’s Resolutions….you either make a change or you don’t. A few years ago, we set a goal to attend one live theatre/music performance a month, and we’ve been pretty successful. This year, inspired by a column by the Express-News’s Claudia Zapata, I asked Bruce if he’d be willing to try “Meatless Mondays.”

For carnivores, we’re pretty knowledgeable about vegetarian cooking; one of our best friends is a vegetarian, and we’ve enjoyed learning how to cook for her. I’ve learned from experience that a good, satisfying vegetarian meal takes more than slapping three different vegetables together on the plate. You’ll find yourself hungry not very long after. Adding proteins (such as legumes or eggs) or whole grains makes for a much more satisfying meal.

Vegetarian cooking also requires a lot more prep work, we’ve discovered. You don’t have to do much to ground meat to cook it. But nearly all vegetables (assuming they’re fresh and not out of a can) require chopping or grating or some other kind of prep. We prepare as much of our Monday dinner ahead of time as possible. (We have an orchestra rehearsal on Monday evening, so don’t have much time for a complicated dinner.)

I’m not on the way to becoming a vegetarian (I’m a Brooks Woman; the need for bacon is encoded in our genes), but it’s a fun and educational way to change your eating habits.

I asked Karen, our vegetarian friend, for her insights:

LB: How long have you been a vegetarian?
Karen: Since I was 13—so 22 years!

LB: Why did you become a vegetarian?
Karen: At that age, I was very much into the environmental scene. I read about the life of an animal on a farm being raised for slaughter. Of course the actual killing of the animals bothered me, but more so the conditions under which they are bred, kept, and raised. I just decided that I didn’t need to contribute to that.

LB: What roadblocks did you face?
Karen: Of course it is hard at first just giving up flavors that you enjoy. One of the hardest things is giving up food-based experiences. I will never get to eat a hot dog at a baseball game or from a street vendor in NY, for example. I will not get to try escargot or eat seafood in the Mediterranean. Those are things I will miss getting to do in my life.

LB: What are your favorite sources of protein? We really have to think about this...a lot. If we don't, we're hungry an hour after dinner.
Karen: Beans and eggs are great (not together; blech), and so is dairy. There are also more and more “super grains” like bulgur and quinoa that provide a great deal of protein. The trick is to get a wide variety of sources built in to your diet so that you aren’t getting just one form of protein.

LB: Going out to dinner must be difficult. I know you avoid barbeque and seafood places. Other places, like Gourmet Burger Grill and Hu-Hot, have some good choices for vegetarians. I’ve also learned that you have to be careful for “sneaky” ingredients (most soups, for example, start with chicken broth).
Karen: Eating out can be limiting. There just are not a wide variety of healthy, filling, satisfying choices out there for vegetarians. You can usually find something in one of those categories but not all three (i.e., a dinner salad or bean and cheese nachos). Surprisingly, burger places tend to be a good bet. Gourmet Burger Grill, Red Robin, Chilies, Culvers, Burger King, and Long Horn Café all have either a garden burger or Boca burger that you can substitute for meat and then top with any of their regular burger toppings. These substitutes are not always listed on the menu, so don’t be afraid to ask. Things that can bite you are beans and rice at Mexican restaurants (lard and chicken stock respectively), Asian foods that contain fish sauce, and sauces in general (since they are often made ahead and then thinned with a little stock of some kind). VERY sneaky!!!!

LB: What do you enjoy about being a vegetarian?
Karen: I enjoy the physical benefits of being able to eat more and not worry so much about fat, cholesterol, calories (I still have to pay attention, but not as much). I enjoy knowing that I am living my life in a way that is good for me, good for my fellow creatures on Earth, and good for the planet itself. I enjoy being forced out of a rut of “meat and potatoes” and trying new ingredients (especially vegetables) that I would have never eaten if I was cooking with meat. A general sense of smug satisfaction when eating with meat-eaters is a perk too! ;)

Chef Jason's Newest Opening: Tre Trattoria Downtown

Earlier this week, Chef Jason Dady (twitter.com/@chefjasondady) started teasing his Twitter followers with mysterious posts like "T-minus 48 hours" and "T-minus 24 hours." He stubbornly ignored all inquiries; WHAT happens in 24 hours??? Then Friday evening, he posted, "T-minus 19 hours"....and a photo showing the logo for Tre Trattoria Downtown.

He told us that when he opened Restaurant Insignia (at the Fairmount Hotel), he was hoping to draw downtown tourists to chef-driven food. But he has discovered that's not what they want. "Put a big plate of pasta in front of them, and they're happy," he told us. Timing things carefully to catch a lull between conventions, he closed Insignia on Wednesday, thus commencing a mad 48-hour rush to convert the menu and restaurant to Tre Trattoria Downtown. (He's been planning the change for months, but kept it very quiet.)

The lunch and dinner menu is very similar (if not identical) to the original Tre Trattoria on Broadway (which is still open). But the downtown location also features brunch on Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00am to 3:00pm. We headed downtown yesterday to be one of the first to sample the new menu.

An extensive list of $1 mimosas (for the first two) remains, as does the barbeque bloody mary (which proved too spicy for me on this visit). But the brunch menu has been reworked to reflect a Tuscan theme.

Featured menu items include a breakfast panini, a chef's daily frittata, and a breakfast pizza. Bruce thouroughly enjoyed his steak and eggs, featuring a filet, hollandaise, and perfectly cooked potatoes. My creamy mascarpone polenta (pictured) melted in the mouth. Others raved on Twitter about the biscuits. We are looking forward to trying all the other items; they all sounded delicious.

Good luck, Chef Jason, on your newest venture!

Two Notable Grand Openings

Chef John Besh's Lüke held its grand opening last Thursday. Chef Besh (pictured), ever the gracious host, mingled with the crowd, chatted with nearly everyone, and posed for endless pictures.

Oh, and about the food.... simply marvelous. Lüke's menu is reminiscent of a French brasserie, but he and Chef Steve McHugh (@chefstevemchugh and @chefjohnbesh on Twitter) took pains to feature local ingredients. There's house-made sausage, local beers, and locally sourced produce. A Besh menu would be incomplete without his famous shrimp and grits. The downstairs bar area feels like a neighborhood pub; I'm certain it will quickly become a downtown favorite. The open kitchen provides dinner and a show for those seated on the second floor.

The grand opening featured a paté board (with buffalo, rabbit, and pork belly flavors), an amazing raw bar (the poor waitstaff kept running out to restock the oysters), shrimp and grits (smooth, creamy, and delicious), steak tartare with a quail egg, shrimp jambalaya, flammenkuchen (an onion tarte), and much, much more. Many of my foodie Twitter friends attended (see @ohmypuddin's blog post at "I Go Right for the Blogular"), as well as Ken-David Masur from the San Antonio Symphony. (When we introduced ourselves and told him we had sung "Carmina Burana" with him and the symphony, a nice conversation ensued.)

I'm looking forward to our first dinner visit!

Another local grand opening: Ranger Creek Brewing and Distilling (@rangercreek on Twitter). Their whiskey won't be ready until the spring, but they have several beers ready to go. The Smoked Porter has a rich, smoky taste that I really enjoyed.

Dennis (one of the owners) told me that he and his partners couldn't decide whether to brew beer or distill bourbon, so they decided to do both.

Their 6,000-square foot "brewstillery" (located near IH-35 and Thousand Oaks) houses equipment special-ordered from Germany. They overbuilt their cold room, based on feedback from an Austin brewery that quickly ran out of space. They smoke their own malt in a smoking room out back.

While they cannot sell their product to the public, they welcome you to visit for a tasting and tour. In addition to Lüke and Freetail Brewing, several other local restaurants feature their products.

Houston Dining: Kata Robata

On a hunt for a good dining option during my Houston workshop, I found a jewel: Kata Robata (Kirby at Alabama, near River Oaks). It's right across the street from Ninfa's, a Houston Tex-Mex institution and hard to resist. But I've wanted to explore robata for some time.

Open since May 2009, the restaurant features sushi, grilled items, and Japanese-style tapas. Today's daily features included foie gras and unagi (eel) and bichotan beef tongue. The music wasn't too loud, and the subdued lighting and soft background music made for a pleasant atmosphere.

(Observation #1: I always get heightened attention at a restaurant when I start scribbling in my little notebook.)

The meal started with a warm hand towel, which I always appreciate when coming straight from work. (Note to restaurants with any kind of bar...sushi, pizza, beverage, whatever. Please install purse hooks underneath so I don't have to go way down to the floor from my high stool to retrieve it.) I took longer than usual to peruse the unusual offerings on the menu.

To start, I chose an uni chawanmushi. The server explained that this traditional egg custard took 20 minutes to prepare. Not being in a hurry, I enjoyed watching the sushi chefs and sipping my wine.

The small bowl of fish broth, egg custard, and uni (sea urchin roe; pictured) was decadent and smoky, without being too heavy. The broth included shrimp, chicken, and too-large shiitake slices. Overall, though, it was delicious and a great starter.

(Observation #2: When they notice you scribbling in your little notebook, they don't take the menu away, to facilitate taking of notes.)

My helpful server Blake waited to put in my next order until I started my soup. I am a complete sucker for foie gras, so I had to try it. Chef prepared the terrine with some smoked eel broth and served it with pickled apples, a perfect complement. The hibiscus added another layer of texture and flavor.

(Observation #3: single diners, often sufferers of inattentive or too-fast service, improve their evening immeasurably when they start taking notes.)

Only two smallish dishes, but I have a wee appetite (especially for a foodie), and foie gras is beyond rich. So I declared victory.

I highly recommend a visit if you're ever in the medical center, Rice University, or Galleria area. What a treat!