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The dining room at Underbelly. Photo by Alison Cook
An oft-heard lament on the Houston dining scene is that the city's restaurants don't earn enough respect from the national press. That hasn't been true recently, though — and the latest evidence is that Chris Shepherd's Underbelly has been named as one of Esquire magazine's just-released best new restaurants of the year.
Triniti restaurant's Ryan Hildebrand was also announced as one of Esquire restaurant writer John Mariani's five "chefs to keep your eye on."
Alongside a photo of chef Shepherd's Crispy Bycatch skillet, Mariani praises Underbelly for its " dishes made from the least possible number of perfect ingredients. Nowhere have I had juicier, sweeter heirloom tomatoes, and they're served with rich house-made ricotta and robust slices of earthy wild-boar salami. Moist pulled chicken comes with crunchy cabbage and a shot of pungent Vietnamese nuac mam sauce. And his peaches-and-cream fried pie may be the best American dessert I've ever gobbled up."
He concludes with this: "For his expansive vision and a local pride that shows in every morsel Shepherd sends out, Underbelly is as important as it is delicious."
The dining room at Triniti. Photo by Alison Cook
Hildebrand gets good notices from Mariani for what the chef calls his " 'third-coast French cuisine'" and for "his foie gras 'breakfast' of fried egg, waffles, yogurt gel, and duck liver" that "shows you what he's aiming for" at glamor spot Triniti. There's a nifty black-and-white pencil portrait of Hildebrand, by Gabriel Moreno, to go along with the nod.
The Esquire kudos come two months after Bon Appetit released its edgier list of America's best new restaurants, which saw Houston's Oxheart in eighth place overall, and both Underbelly and Uchi Houston in the unranked listing of the top 50 newcomers.
In describing Oxheart, and the work of chefs and co-owners Justin Yu and his wife, Karen Man, Bon Appetit's restaurants editor, Andrew Knowlton, referred to Houston as "Texas's best and most diverse food city."
Yeah, we knew that. But it was still nice to hear, at long last.
was it Wendy's? or maybe Hubcap Grill? no?
Sometimes I think Houston should be a " best kept secret" so we don't have to suffer fools/critics and long waits for good food.
I'll take Taste of Texas out on I-10 west for the best steaks without all the frou-frou garbage these new upcoming chefs put on the plate with a miniscule amount of food for a wallet breaking price.
T.O.T has been in business for decades, the steaks are always outstanding and you need a doggie bag to take home the leftovers, I bet NO ONE takes leftovers home at these new restaurants.
When I go for steak, I want steak, not 2 oz of meat with 16oz of rabbit food on top.
Taste of Texas is garbage.
How many bowling leagues are you in??
Suggestion for you smog infused heights loopers...do yourselves a favor and bike out west on I-10 and notice how much cleaner the air and food is.
I bet every glorious Popeyes and Chilis will serve up the cleanest of the clean. You want filthy air? Go to LA or NY and take a deep breath. Enjoy your commute.
Taste of Texas is wonderful. I love all these snobby commments form people that need something sprinkled across\around their food and desserts to certify it as quality.
I love these comments from small minded people who think that dining out is going to a overrated steak house that charges you prime money while serving you choice cut steaks. Go to Killens, pay virtually the same amount, and get real prime aged steaks... you will never go back to "T.O.T". You live in one of the most diverse and exciting dining scenes in the U.S. and all you can say is "Tast of Texas"? Please...
How about a quality cut of meat that is cooked correctly? Taste of Texas isn't bad, but it's not that good, either.
Who reads Esquire, and why should anybody be excited about a writer filling space in such an elitist rag ?
I agree with the other replies--I'd rather a restaurant stay under the media's radar to avoid the waits. And since I don't have a snooty palate, I always prefer to leave full rather than have a plate with 2-3 bites of some over-exquisite combination of ingredients.
Tony's and La Colombe d'Or are still the tops in our book! Consistant great food, fine wine and attentive service. Good portions, wonderful atmosphere! These high priced, elitist and trendy new 'gourmet' spots charge lots and offer pitiful atmosphere for a special evening. That giant long table pictured looks like a family 'all-you-can-eat' venue to us! We have actually gotten ill from some of the meals at these new spots... no names here, but when a restaurant is named after a body part, one tends to wonder. And will they still be turning out great meals in 30 years like Tony's and LCD? I very much doubt it. Steve Zimmerman, owner at LCD always finds brilliant new chefs to keep the place special, as does Tony for his fine eatery! While I am on a rant, Taste of Texas is great and for our money Teppay is still the very finest Japanese restaurant in Houston. I know, there are dozens of new Sushi joints popping up like mushrooms after a Spring rain, but Teppay is still the best, as you will find when you drop in to discover that you are probably the only Anglos enjoying the authentic fare. Always make reservations at all of these fine spots. They are all wonderful and worth the effort!
those places are so dated....
oh they're so "dated" lol That's the single most snobbiest thing I ever read! The food is outstanding and they've been in business for decades, and you always have to wait for a table at TOT, so obviously, people who like real food, still go to the afore mentioned restaurants.
To the person who maligned the grade of steaks served at TOT, you don't have any idea of what you're talking about.
Also, I've never bowled in my life, but apparently the person who passed that moronic remark, has.
All these new frou-frou restaurants won't be here in 5 years, TOT will be, the type of people who go to the "in" places, only go to be seen, not to eat.
Some of y'all need to get a grip.
Sammie, You don't know what you're talking about....
Took my friend for a birthday dinner to TOT some time ago, lousy, lousy steak and awful lobster. And you should have seen a bill! How they can screw up both at the same time? Promised myself NEVER again to go to TOT...
Here's what I see in visits to Taste of Texas, old people. Saltgrass has the same steaks. I'll take Killeen's, Perry's, and Rainbow Lodge any day over TOT. Too bad the Barbed Rose isnt open any more. People that go to TOT stick to the same old tired standards of Houston.
Taste of Texas does not serve USDA Prime, they just charge as if they do.
I've been to both of these restaurants and was not only impressed by the food but also the service. I don't understand those that are complaining about small portions at these type of restaurants. As I've grown up in adulthood, quality has become much more important than quantity. My waist is happy with that decision, too.
Do yourself a favor, expand your horizons and try new restaurants that you haven't been going to for 20 years. You may be pleasantly surprised.
Who reheats steak???
Just take all the critics reviews with a grain of salt and watch the restaurant parking lots. Customers vote with their feet.
Eat what you like and enjoy it to the max. There's no need to worry about other's preferences.
I will never understand a war insulting other people's choices. Taste of Texas, La Colombe D'Or, Oxheart or IHOP. Cabernet, Merlot, or White Zinfandel. What does it matter if my choice from that list is different from yours? Have enough confidence in your own taste that you can respect the taste of others.
The article is about new restaurants, not what has been your favorite place for years. Besides, only idiots order steaks at restaurants-since that is just about the easiest dish to prepare at home.
yes, that's why steak houses are always packed, lol.
Eating out is not about what you can or can't cook at home, it's about having a nice night out and having someone ELSE prepare the food for you.
I was at a birthday party Saturday night and was speaking to a couple from England who lived in both NYC and Chicago before coming to Houston. When I asked them what they thought of Houston's restaurants, they said we had the best selection of any city they've ever lived. I just love the variety and quality of restaurants here.
As to the comments regarding portion size, although I will never hold large portions against a restaurant, I will rarely choose a restaurant based upon the likelihood of a doggy-bag. Given the choice between an excellent 8 oz steak or a pretty good 16 oz steak, price being equal, I'd take the 8 oz any day of the week. This is why I pretty much avoid all buffets. I want quality over quantity. I can probably count on one hand the number of times I've been served a main course that was too small.
And I'm not putting down Taste Of Texas. I've eaten there twice, and both times I've had very good steaks that just happened to be large.
Finally, I don't like reheated steak or seafood. The only food that I like reheated would be Italian tomato based pasta dishes.
I happened to have loved my meal at Oxheart, and do enjoy a 6oz center cut filet at Taste of Texas. You're all a bit defensive. That being said, I disagree with East End Golfer - we really should criticize people who eat at IHOP. :)
This is an interesting and hilarious string of responses, particularly give the article was on new restaurants and chefs! I really like Underbelly and Uchi (going back this week, in fact), and I thought Oxheart was pretty good, but not exceptional the one time that I dined there. I'll certainly go back. Regarding the older places that somehow ended up in the string, Tony's and La Colombe d'Or are really the established warhorses - and both have remarkable ambiances, although I preferred the old Tony's a bit more. LCD is one of the most romantic places in town! As for TOT, I've been there a few times and it's OK, but in that part of town, I'd go for Brenner's - yes. even after Fertitta bought it. I'm not sure that it competes with Pappa's, V&A's, or DelFrisco's (the best of the chains, in my opinion). And although I don't get outside the loop much to eat, Killen's is DEFINITELY worth the drive!
Oh yeah, IHOP is pretty good for breakfast before a round of golf!