Urban Swank

What do you do when you are craving Barbeque and find yourself stuck in rush hour traffic in the Galleria area???  I would normally be right there with you guys, and either cuss and scream or flat out have to GET OVER IT. Well not this time; I decided to finally try The Brisket House.This place is in the Galleria area and they have good Que- correction great Que with some slammin sides. My brisket was smoked with the precision of an expert on the grill, which is what you get in owner Wayne Kammerl who has been doing this for the last 24 years. I wanted to just give you guys a quick bite (I know that was cheesy) because me and Urban Girl have to go back and try a few more items, so we can bring you a complete review…stay tuned! In the meantime go check this place out and let us know what you think.

Philippe Restaurant + Lounge

We visited Philippe Restaurant + Lounge during Houston Restaurant Week (HRW) after hearing rave reviews from other reliable sources. We were not impressed. For some reason restaurants do not take the opportunity to "show off" as we feel they should during this time. The HRW event allows you to visit restaurants that you normally would not or those you want to try for the first time. This is the same rule of thumb used by The Urban Swank Girls. Unlike notable figures, like Pappa's Steakhouse, Philippe Restaurant + Lounge chose to serve a not so great menu which clearly was aimed at pushing new business away. Unfortunately, visiting during HRW left a sour taste in our mouths. With that said, if we have a "so-so" visit during HRW, we will typically give the restaurant another opportunity and try out their regular menu. In the case, not happening...lol! We don't mind restaurants serving a non-traditional menu or items they don't normally offer, but it should still be a reflection of your work.

Visiting this restaurant would be just as bad as giving someone a fruitcake during Christmas...you think it's the right thing to do, but it's not...lol! Now, now...it wasn't all bad.

We had such high hopes for Philippe since most of the buzz about the place had been relatively good; and when you walk through the doors the ambiance is amazing. On the first floor you have the lounge that offers plenty of seating in a VIP-booth like fashion. On the top floor you have the actual restaurant. It was definitely SWANKY! However, those previously conjured high hopes turned into disappointment when we received our food! It is very rare that we have dined at a restaurant of this caliber and the food be so bad. We decided to go with the Houston Restaurant Week menu, which was clearly a mistake.

The Salmon Tartare looked great on the plate (yes that is it on the picture), but it had no taste and seems to have been left out to long because it was very slimy. Next was the main course of Beef Short Rib Raviolis (right...that sounds so darn good!). We are personal fan of anything that has short rib in the name, so we were anticipating greatness. Ummm...nope! They were so greasy that neither of us finished (how do you finish something you can’t even start). This had the makings of a great dish, but they dropped the ball. The final course was dessert and we were honestly scared to try it! Thank goodness for the pastry chef because the Key Lime Pie was D.E.L.I.C.I.O-US. We wanted to order an entire pie given the portion size. We assumed, since it was a Houston Restaurant Week item they gave us a baby portion, or at least it appeared to be (we were still starving from the mishaps they called the first two courses). Even with that being said; I don’t think this is one that will be seeing our faces in the place anytime in the near future! Remember...it's not just about the food; it's about the experience!

~ The Urban Swank Girls

 

On a recent business trip to Sidney, Ohio I got the opportunity to have lunch at a place called, The Spot. I kept hearing that I must dine here if I made it to our office in Ohio or if I was ever visiting Sidney (no disrespect, but not very likely I would just be visiting Sidney, Ohio.. so I had to seize the moment). After all the great feedback and a little research, I was ready to try it out. Here are a few fun facts about The Spot:

The Spot Restaurant made its beginnings from a man named Spot Miller. In 1907, Spot brought his chuckwagon (talk about a man with a vision) into town and set-up business on a corner. The city would not allow him to sell meals this way. His solution was to remove the wheels, and add some awnings to create a permanent structure.The rest as they say is history...Now back to my visit to The Spot.

From the moment I finally set foot in The Spot( the line was outside the building) there was a permanent smile on my face! It was like stepping back in time; I imagined that I'd see Wally or The Bev walking through the doors any moment for lunch (gotta love my Leave It To  Beaver nostalgic moment)! This place has been remodeled 25 times since it was opened in 1907, and the last renovation was in 1976, so just take a minute to get a visual...okay time is up, let's get to the food J. As my turn quickly approached I felt a little pressure trying to decide what I was going to get as my meal, since I was having lunch with my new boss I knew my usual ordering three to four dishes was not an option (I do this so I can try several things off the menu). So, I decided to ask for recommendations from the folks around me. The winners for my lunch selections were a cheeseburger, a bowl of chilli, and a slice of pie (I opted for their world-famous cream pie). All I could manage to say for about 4 bites into my burger and chili was YUM. My food was fresh, hot, and did I say YUMMY (this is not to be confused with yum ). Let me not forget to mention the pie; this was easily one of the best tasting pies I've ever had so they are in my top five of best pies (I feel a best pies coming).

So, The Spot definitely hit the spot and  lived up to its reputation.

 

~ Urban Swank, Felice "Swanky Girl" Sloan