Tag Archives: Houston Restaurant Reviews

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Sparrow Bar + Cookshop {Houston Restaurant}

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Sparrow Bar + Cookshop | Houston Texas Restaurant

As summer came to an end, Sparrow Bar + Cookshop arrived to put a fresh spin on the Midtown + Downtown Houston Dining scene. Sparrow embraces a creative industrial vibe with clever details throughout the space. Pair those refined details with a perfect amount of gourmet quirkiness, and you have a rich feast for the mind and body at Sparrow Bar + Cookshop. Chef Monica Pope brings the robust eclectic flavors of her world travels to forge every dish at this distinctive gourmet eatery in Houston. Nothing traditional about Chef Monica Pope’s creations… Each intriguing dish has a unique personality and presentation for patrons to savor.

Water from a Beaker Sparrow Bar + Cookshop | Stash Studios Apron | Houston Texas Restaurant

Sparrow’s Gourmet Spin on Pigs in a Blanket “Dates with a Pig” | Houston Texas Restaurant

Chickpea Fries with Gourmet Ketchup | Houston Texas Restaurants

Couldn’t resist the Gourmet Longhorn Burger with Secret Sauce | Houston Texas Restaurant

Sparrow’s custom designed reclaimed industrial tables | Houston Texas Restaurant

A sweet touch to finish the meal, but had no room for dessert | Houston Texas Restaurants

Amazing Check Presenters crafted custom by Stash Studios for Sparrow Bar + Cookshop

My sweet and beautiful dates for a tasting at Sparrow | Houston Texas Restaurants

Sparrow Bar + Cookshop Houston is perched perfectly on the outskirts of Downtown Houston in Midtown. The flavors are splendid, the ambiance is interesting, a patio puts the buzz of Houston into your experience, and Sparrow welcomes you into their nest.

xo ~ Emily Arnim ~

{Houston Restaurants to Taste}

Crave Cupcakes

Sorrel Urban Bistro

Sweet Paris

The Counter

The Tasting Room

Sparrow Bar + Cookshop on Urbanspoon

Houston, Reviews, Social, Uncategorized

{Sweet Paris} Ooh La La

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In the spirit of Foodie Friday at The Suburban Diary, I leave you with a dreamy glimpse of Sweet Paris in Rice Village, Houston. The pictures tell the story and I hope you thoroughly enjoy them. Sweet Paris is a lovely find.

{ Sweet Paris }

Callie and Ashlyn waiting for their Nutella, Strawberry, Honey, Banana Crepes

Amazing Light…

Incredible White Wood Vaulted Ceilings with Sphere Chandeliers – So Dreamy

Callie and Ashlyn pondering the delightful Crepe Menu

Nutella, Strawberry, Banana Crepe – Yum!

My Breakfast Crepe with Spinach, Mozzarella and Tomatoes… Wish I would have asked for a sauce pairing though- otherwise it was very tasty.

Ashlyn and Callie in front of the quaint White Building on Rice Boulevard- Love!

XO- Emily Arnim

Reviews

Blu Restaurant | Lounge: Fiercely Fusion

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My husband and I had the pleasure of enjoying Dinner at the highly acclaimed Blu Restaurant | Lounge in the lovely Town Square of Sugar Land, Texas. What a grand place Blu Restaurant | Lounge is from wall to wall, kitchen to plate, with no expense spared! Rich colors, mood lighting, and floor to ceiling sliding glass walls overlooking the 1400 square foot patio, set the stage for fabulous specialty cocktails, tapas and chic family style dining! Blu’s seamless blend of European, Asian and American Cuisine was flawless… A flavor for every appetite! 

Whether your taste buds crave a Veggie Spring Roll, Calamari, Kobe Sliders, Firecracker Wings, Blu Asian Salad, Tacos, Stir Fried Spicy Green Beans, Duck, Sea Bass, Short Ribs, Pad-Thai or Fried Rice- I am telling you that Blu Restaurant | Lounge has it all! Blu’s Chic Dining Concept keeps them buzzing for dining Tuesday-Sunday 11am-10pm. The Lounge is hopping with unique beats from 10:30pm-2am Wednesday-Saturday and 10pm-12am on Sunday night!

Chef Jett Hurapan of Blu - Sugar Land, Texas

Chef Jett Hurapan moved to our “Food City” after growing up in Bangkok and spending the rest of his life in New York City as a chef on the Upper West Side! His distinct flavors, eye for presentation and artistic fusion bring a unique dining experience to our city.

Shrimp and Scallop Ceviche at Blu - Sugar Land, Texas

Lamb on the Bone at Blu - Sugar Land, Texas

Crispy Fish at Blu - Sugar Land, Texas

Creme Brûlée at Blu in Sugar Land, Texas

For more Fabulous Dinner Options you must look over this diverse menu of delectable gourmet dishes- Delish! If Dessert is on your radar, the Desserts were out of this world, check out this menu to make your mouth water… Chef Jett Hurapan’s wife, Jiraporn Hurapan, is the studied Pastry Chef, and puts her feminine touch on the melt in your mouth confections!

Blue Restaurant | Lounge is Fiercely Fusion and Full of Flavors.

Tastefully Yours,

Emily Arnim

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Houston Restaurant Review: Flora and Muse Less Flora More Muse

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Flora & Muse Brunch at City Centre Houston

Last week I strolled through Flora and Muse in City Centre for Fresh Flowers and Brunch. I was sad to find three-fourths of the galvanized buckets empty and a few flowers left in the remaining buckets, not what I was expecting from the quaint European Inspired Destination. Although everything else about Flora & Muse was lovely, the low selection of flowers was a shock to me. My breakfast was perfect, the music was inspiring, service was splendid. I do wish I would have taken a table near the window for the best mood possible though, I love light! I will definitely go back, but hoping for a new delivery of flowers and a table by the window or outside.

Found these inspirational words while visiting…

“Promise yourself to be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind. Look at the sunny side of everything and make optimism come true. Think only of the best, work only for the best. Forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future. Give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others. Live in the faith that the whole is on your side so long as you are true to the best that is in you!” -Written on the Mirror at Flora & Muse

Summary: Flora and Muse had Less Flora than I expected, but definitely a Wonderful Muse

Truly,

Emily Arnim

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Lunch with the Scrubs: Picnic in West University

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Picnic in West University, Houston

This week I enjoyed a quaint little lunch on a “picnic table” at Picnic , located in the always delightful, West University Area of Houston. My intention was to eat at The Raven Grill, however I had no idea they were closed for lunch on Monday- so Picnic it was!

I walked into the small restaurant to find a room full of Scrubs (Doctors Young and Old in Scrubs that is), Young Attorneys chatting it up, some Mature Rice University Students, and from my best observation, Interior Designers or Art Dealers discussing their projects. An eclectic group of bright minded, but down to earth thinkers filled the room. No one pretentious or judgmental here- the mood was easy and relaxed, everyone enveloped in their own conversations or sitting alone collecting their thoughts! A community type feel is exactly how I would describe it. West University always seems more keyed down to me than other areas of Houston, it is an open-minded area of town- more variety and ease!

Well I cannot forget to tell you about the all important meal- HA! I enjoyed a delightful sandwich made with fresh bread, light salad made with fresh ingredients and topped it off with a homemade cookie. The menu is small, but selective, and perfect if you love salads and sandwiches. Picnic bakes the bread fresh and has quite an assortment available for taking home as well.

Stop by for a Picnic!

Truly Yours,

Emily Arnim

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Houston Restaurant Review: The Tasting Room

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The Tasting Room City Centre - Houston, Texas

A few weeks ago I joined a lovely friend for Wine and Cheese at The Tasting Room in Houston’s City Centre. This was my first time to visit The Tasting Room and I give it a stellar 5 Star Review! The service was wonderful, the menu was perfect, my cheese plate was delectible and the ambiance was impressive.

The Tasting Room City Centre- Houston, Texas

When I arrived I had a bit of difficulty finding valet, but was over the moon to find a hidden valet stand on the side street. We started the evening at the high top bar overlooking the kitchen, then made our way to a table on the side patio. The tables on the patio were full and service was still primo! The busser, waiter and manager frequented all the tables, leaving no stone unturned making sure everyone was happy! Live acoustical guitar was billowing from the front patio on this beautiful evening, it was delightful!

My last few trips to City Centre have been to Eddie V’s for dinner, but finding an inviting place to have an after dinner cocktail has been a challenge. Some places are too packed and loud, others seem to pull different crowds. Needless to say, I was very pleased with my girlfriend’s recommendation and my new-found City Centre Discovery!

Try The Tasting Room for a happy hour, a pre-dinner cocktail, dinner or a night-cap. My experience was nothing short of 5 Stars!

Read More Reviews from The Suburban Diary here…

XO,

Emily Arnim

Houston, Reviews, Uncategorized

Houston Restaurant Review: Tinto’s Spanish Restaurant and Wine Bar

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Tinto’s Spanish Restaurant and Wine Bar – Houston, Texas

Tucked on a back alley of West Gray and Shepherd in River Oaks, you will find Tinto’s, a splendid Spanish Wine and Tapas Bar with a casual and quaint patio! A relaxed atmosphere in the midst of the city, you can still feel the city buzz, but remain separated from the busyness of city life as you sip on wine and nibble on delectable bites with a Spanish Flair! My Tinto’s Spanish Restaurant and Wine Bar experience receives Five Stars! Delish tapas and wine menu, an impressive waitress stacked with a vast wine knowledge, and fabulous service all around- privacy, but well attended to! A great place to stop in for a glass (or bottle) of wine and tapas!

Tinto’s Spanish Restaurant and Wine Bar – Houston, Texas

We Enjoyed…

Peromato Tempranillo Espana 2010 - Tried based on the recommendation of the waitress, it was a nice smooth red

Plato de Quesos Espanoles – Spanish Olives, Cheeses, Olives, Fruit and Membrillo (Membrillo is like a Fig Jam- Loved it!)

Palmitos y Esparragos – White Asparagus, Hearts of Palm, Marinated Artichokes in an Avocado-Garlic Cream Sauce

Empanadillas de Carne – Beef Filled Pastries with Avocado Chimchurri

Complimentary Fresh Bread

Tinto’s Spanish Restaurant and Wine Bar – Houston, Texas

*Please Note: I do not eat seafood, and Tinto’s has a quite an offering on their menu, but I cannot speak for those dishes. Also, I was the only one in my party who liked goat cheese, so I shied away from some enticing goat cheese menu items. Will try them next time though.*

The tapas style dining is huge on the West Coast and in Europe, and I’m all about trying an assortment of “Bites”… Wish more restaurants had “Bite-Sized Menus”.

Yours Truly, 

Emily Arnim

Sorrel Urban Bistro, Farm-to-table – Houston, Texas

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Houston Restaurant Review: Delish Lunch at Epicure Cafe

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Epicure Cafe and Bakery, Houston Photo by: What? I'm a mom now?!

Had a wonderful experience today at the Epicure Cafe and Bakery on West Gray in the River Oaks area of Houston. Smiling faces, fresh food and an overflowing buffet of delectable desserts!  My Grandmother loved the Tabouli and I enjoyed a Croissant with a Salad. Fresh bread brought to our table within minutes of sitting down- not what I needed, but of course I had to have one piece! We enjoyed a light Princess Torte Cake and Fruit Tarts for dessert- light and delish! Highly recommend Epicure Cafe and Bakery for dining in, dining out or gourmet desserts to-go in the West Gray Shopping District of River Oaks!

Check out more Houston Restaurant Reviews here!

Enjoy! Emily Arnim

Houston, Reviews, Uncategorized

Houston Restaurant Review: Empire Cafe Comes Up Short

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I love venturing out of the suburbs and into Houston to eat when time allows! Houston is fortunate to have a grand choice of restaurants in so many areas of town to visit. Meme, my Grandmother, made a special request to try this “Sorrel Urban Bistro“ I have buzzed about, however lunch is not served on Mondays (they take a well-deserved rest)! After a little research for an alternative, we chose Empire Cafe based on Culture Map’s Houston City Guide and Yelp’s Search and Reviews. Although most of the time these are helpful tools, along with UrbanSpoon, lunch was less than stellar, not the dining experience I had imagined. Thankfully though- I always enjoy being with my family no matter where we are…

Empire Cafe, Houston – Photo by Chris Conyers for Culture Map

#1 We were not greeted or acknowledged when coming in, and the menus seemed dirty.

#2 It was 10:45ish and they were not willing to take the order at first for lunch, only breakfast. They ended up taking the order, but said they wouldn’t start cooking until 11:00. We ordered and waited.

#3 I ordered a cappuccino, tipped $2 plus the change, the asked them if I needed the number to take the table. He said, “No she is making it now.” I returned to the table outside (which was in view from the counter), and waited about 5-10 minutes before I decided to walk back up to the counter to check on the cappuccino.  Their response when I walked up to the counter, as they were chatting, “Oh we were wondering if you had left.”

#4 The patio was so loud my Aunt and Meme had a hard time hearing. Perhaps the more secluded patio on the side was quieter, but this probably wasn’t the best place for someone who is hard of hearing.

Food was very good though and lunch was $48 for four of us, so the price was nice…. 

What can Empire Cafe do to get the buzz back?

I get the eclectic, good food vibe, but I would have expected better service from a Houston Relic- a simple SMILE can make a big difference! I wouldn’t give Empire Cafe top ratings due to quality of service, road noise and ambiance. Possibly a neutral music of sorts- guitar maybe, to drown out the road noise?!? I can see stopping into this buzzing Houston landmark for a good quick bite, but not a relaxing conversational lunch. So I will keep searching for more good lunch spots… I am loving Sorrel Urban Bistro, Tiny Boxwoods and Ousie’s Table! Check out the fabulous pictures by clicking on the link!

I would give Empire Cafe a second chance under different circumstances, with different expectations, and dine on the side patio…

Enjoy! Emily Arnim

Ray Salti and Soren Pederson in Farm-to-Table Deconstructed Cobb Salad: Sorrel Urban Bistro

Sorrel Urban Bistro: 5 Stars with a Twist Restaurant Review

Read Farm to Table Deconstructed Cobb Salad: Sorrel Urban Bistro

Read Sorrel Urban Bistro: 5 Stars with a Twist

 

Empire Cafe on Urbanspoon

Houston, Reviews, Uncategorized

Farm-to-Table Deconstructed Cobb Salad: Sorrel Urban Bistro

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Ray Salti and Executive Chef Soren Pedersen, Sorrel Urban Bistro

I am loving the fresh farm to table concept brought to Houston by Sorrel Urban Bistro on West Alabama! What more can you ask for than a diverse new menu everyday, ingredients delivered fresh from the farm, and a gourmet meal prepared by a culinary artist? My Daughter, Best Friend and I spent a beautiful Saturday afternoon in the bright natural light restaurant buzzing with a wholesome relaxed energy! The Deconstructed Cobb Salad was like nothing I had ever heard of,  it was sinfully delicious! Fresh Greens, Blue Cheese Fondue, a Farm Fresh Fried Egg, a Fried Tomato, Fresh Chicken, Avocado Cream and a Homemade Bacon Vinaigrette come together to create a delectable treat that is making my mouth water just writing about it!

Sorrel Urban Bistro Houston Lunch Menu

The more you learn about processed foods and how the ingredients get from Point A, to Point B, to your Mouth, you can absolutely appreciate Sorrel’s brilliant concept. Sorrel Urban Bistro takes the culinary concept to the next level, creating a daily changing menu, designing each dish with a gourmet twist and completing the experience with artistic presentation. Each menu creation is an art form that cannot be duplicated. Sit at a high top to watch the magic unfold in the kitchen as your food is prepared before you. I’ll have to get a better seat next time…

Fried Brioche with Homemade Berry Jam

Our meal was topped off by a special treat from Executive Chef Soren Pedersen and Owner Ray Salti. This Fried Brioche with Homemade Berry Jam was like an elegant funnel cake, but light and airy. Delish! Ready to go back- need to try dinner next!

A slice of Fresh Heaven – Sorrel Urban Bistro! 

Always, Emily

Read my First Review of Sorrel Urban Bistro here…

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Houston, Reviews, Social, Uncategorized

Sorrel Urban Bistro: 5 Stars with a Twist

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Gulf Shrimp at Sorrel Urban Bistro- Tasted by fellow Blogger Classy & Fabulous

Well if this delicious picture doesn’t make you want to take a trip to West Alabama on the outskirts of River Oaks, I don’t know what will! I had a fabulous experience trying out Sorrel Urban Bistro last week with my fellow blogger Classy & Fabulous. It was amazing, artful, and even more tasty than I imagined. Sorrel Urban Bistro is a fresh concept for Houston with their Farm-to-Table dining. Sorrel’s daily fresh creative menus, artisan cheese, hand selected wine and beer menu, will keep you hungry for more. Thank you Ray and Soren for bringing a Fresh Farm-to-Table Gourmet Dining Experience to Houston- LOVE!

Grilled Pork Chop and Risotto at Sorrel Urban Bistro- Enjoyed by Emily Arnim, The Suburban Diary

The Farm-to-Table Concept embraces local ingredients and farmers for their menu items. Of course California and the East Coast started this growing gourmet dining trend, but now Sorrel is putting their own gourmet twist on this concept right here in Houston! Vegetables, Herbs, Cheese, Meats, Fish and Game brought to the restaurant fresh from the farm and twisted into a daily changing gourmet menu… Can’t get any fresher than this! LOVE our Texas Farmers- Eat Fresh and Support Locals!

Executive Chef Soren Pedersen and Restaurateur Ray Salti at the Wine, Artisan Meat and Cheese Bar

I LOVE the idea of the Reverse Happy Hour… With 3 children and various activities, a 4-6pm happy hour is not in my cards- but Happy Hour from 9-11? Love!!! Stop by after a meeting, a movie, a play, a dinner, for a first class experience at Sorrel’s Wine and Charcuterie Bar inside Sorrel Urban Bistro! A perfect place for a glass of wine at the end of the night, paired with Artisan Meats and Cheeses. Open until Midnight Tuesday-Thursday and Friday-Saturday until 1am! Can you say Night Cap!!

Executive Chef Soren with Hostess and Ray Salti

Sorrel Urban Bistro showed us first class service, fresh gourmet food and an atmosphere brimming with freshness. I will be back for Lunch, Sunday Brunch, Dinner and a Night Cap for sure. Fabulous seating inside, outside and at the bar- a seat for every style. To find out more about Sorrel Urban Bistro please visit Sorrel Houston . Com

Sorrel Urban Bistro was 5 Stars with a Twist- Must Visit.

Truly Yours, Emily - The Suburban Diary

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