Air Mail, El Diablo, and Satan's Whiskers. No, these aren't names of bad foreign flicks. They are the names of the creative cocktails at Anvil bar & refuge, located at 1424 Westheimer Rd. Anvil has over 100 different cocktails encompassing ingredients like house made bitters, egg whites, and sodas that can show up in your cocktail on any given day.
There is always a loud buzz from the artsy and eclectic patrons of Anvil.Take a chance on a cocktail you have never tried before. It won't be difficult to find one that is unheard of. Maybe the Diablo, which is made with ginger beer and tequila. Bring a jacket, it is as cool as a meat locker inside.
Raise your glass to Anvil.
Deliciously Yours,
The Culinary Cutie
http://www.anvilhouston.com/
Anvil Bar & Refuge
1424 Westheimer Rd. Ste. B
Houston, TX 77006
p. 713-523-1622
Friday, April 30, 2010
A Date night at Oporto Food and Wine Bar
When you go to a wine bar you expect a stellar wine list, and if they choose to go outside the the box and serve eats other than cheese, it usually comes across as mediocre and contrived at best. This is definitely not the case when it comes to Oporto Food and Wine bar. The small bites here rival any full fledged tapas joint. You can tell that the craftsmen who developed this menu took time to make each item unique and unexpected. From the Clams Alentejo ($10) to the Crab and Avocado Crostini ($9), you can't go wrong.
I started with the Piquillo Pepper Rellanos. These delightful little gems were filled to the brim with shrimp and crawfish stuffing and were finished with a spicy yet tangy Romesco sauce topped with melted cheese. This dish is not what you would expect from the average wine bar, which was almost as refreshing as the New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc that they were paired with.
My husband, who is just starting his foodie plight selected our next treat, Spicy Pork Bocadillas. These flavorful pork sliders came out to us in a party of 3. I wanted to arm wrestle him for the last one, but I refrained. These too were quite good, the zesty dill pickle made an appearance, which is what you would expect in this dish, but definitely necessary. There were a few bites that may have been a little dry, but who is splitting hairs?
The last item on my list was the Crab and Avocado Crostini. Sounds quite simple, yes? This is the part you will enjoy the most. The texture of the creamy avocado with the crusty baguette and the slightly salty lump crab was to die for.
I give Oporto my solid stamp of approval.
Drink-Eat-Savor at Oporto
Deliciously Yours,
The Culinary Cutie
Oporto Food and Wine Bar
3833 Richmond
Houston, Texas 77027
713-621-1114
www.oporto.us
I started with the Piquillo Pepper Rellanos. These delightful little gems were filled to the brim with shrimp and crawfish stuffing and were finished with a spicy yet tangy Romesco sauce topped with melted cheese. This dish is not what you would expect from the average wine bar, which was almost as refreshing as the New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc that they were paired with.
My husband, who is just starting his foodie plight selected our next treat, Spicy Pork Bocadillas. These flavorful pork sliders came out to us in a party of 3. I wanted to arm wrestle him for the last one, but I refrained. These too were quite good, the zesty dill pickle made an appearance, which is what you would expect in this dish, but definitely necessary. There were a few bites that may have been a little dry, but who is splitting hairs?
The last item on my list was the Crab and Avocado Crostini. Sounds quite simple, yes? This is the part you will enjoy the most. The texture of the creamy avocado with the crusty baguette and the slightly salty lump crab was to die for.
I give Oporto my solid stamp of approval.
Drink-Eat-Savor at Oporto
Deliciously Yours,
The Culinary Cutie
Oporto Food and Wine Bar
3833 Richmond
Houston, Texas 77027
713-621-1114
www.oporto.us
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Sunny Weekend....Patio anyone?
Saturday with a high of 83 degrees, a light wind and no cloud in the sky. A girl couldn't ask for anything more. Unless you asked this girl. She would tell you to add a delicious cocktail that involved lots of ice and refreshing ingredients like cool cucumber and mint.
Everyone is driving with their tops down, or their sun roofs open. We stroll into Smith and Wollensky's in Highland Village on Westhimer Road. Let me start with the positives first, since it is kind of down hill after that. The atmosphere of the Boston based restaurant was open and airy. We sat in the bar area which was practically outside. Our server came to take our drink order soon after our hot rosemary rolls were placed on the table.
Now let's get down to the food, I told the waitress I wanted a cocktail that was refreshing with cucumber and pineapple. She brought me back her rendition of the ever so popular Mojito. Scale of 1-10, I would give it a 7. For lunch I ordered the Blackened Yellowfin Tuna sandwich with sweet onion relish and a mango chili garlic sauce. It left something to be desired after the meal. The sandwich was accompanied by french fries and creamy bland coleslaw. No Bueno.
All in all I would give S&W another try, I would just do without the over priced tuna burger.
Deliciously Yours,
The Culinary Cutie
Everyone is driving with their tops down, or their sun roofs open. We stroll into Smith and Wollensky's in Highland Village on Westhimer Road. Let me start with the positives first, since it is kind of down hill after that. The atmosphere of the Boston based restaurant was open and airy. We sat in the bar area which was practically outside. Our server came to take our drink order soon after our hot rosemary rolls were placed on the table.
Now let's get down to the food, I told the waitress I wanted a cocktail that was refreshing with cucumber and pineapple. She brought me back her rendition of the ever so popular Mojito. Scale of 1-10, I would give it a 7. For lunch I ordered the Blackened Yellowfin Tuna sandwich with sweet onion relish and a mango chili garlic sauce. It left something to be desired after the meal. The sandwich was accompanied by french fries and creamy bland coleslaw. No Bueno.
All in all I would give S&W another try, I would just do without the over priced tuna burger.
Deliciously Yours,
The Culinary Cutie
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