Black Napkin Review - J Alexander's
J Alexander's
The Black Napkin Review
Being a huge fan of Houston's Restaurants, I was disappointed when J Alexander's occupied the Westheimer/Wilcrest location some years back. Even though the current menu has remained reminiscent of the original Houston's menu, over time, they have developed two distinct offerings. J Alexander’s is a national restaurant chain, but only has one location in Houston, Texas. The menu is very American, catering to the taste buds of those who prefer simplistic yet delicious entrees; like their house made salads, juicy burgers, and freshly grilled seafood.
Upon entering, J Alexander's reminds you of a traditional steakhouse. Its dark lighting with majority booth seating lends itself to a truly intimate dining experience. If booths are not your thing, they also have dining tables, but the booths can seat up to four. The kitchen is on display for all to see and the bar is not that far behind. Created in a manner that allows for ultimate socialization, you can dine directly at the bar or take a seat at the surrounding booths. J Alexander's hits the mark in the ambiance category. I have never visited J Alexander's without feeling welcomed. As you enter, you are always greeted with a smiling face and a held door. On your way out, and as the door is opened for you, you are left with a pleasant goodbye. The bartenders are knowledgeable and really seem to enjoy what they do. This holds the same in the dining room where any waiter will assist with your service and questions throughout your meal.
I have been known to visit J Alexander's for dinner just as often as I visit for lunch. Recently, their lunch specials have made their way to a cute "daily specials" rectangular display. Here you will find selections like, fish tacos, gumbo, or a specialty appetizer. Although provided verbally by your waiter, you will find the same during dinner as their options change nightly. Depending on the evening, you will most likely be presented with a "catch of the day" and a "vegetable of the day". You will never go wrong with ordering any of their fresh fish entrees. Always cooked to perfection, they are one of the few places in Houston where you can get Salmon that is not cooked to death! One item that is not on the menu that I will kill for is their house made, buttered croissants! They are a must try and you will become addicted so taste at your own risk! Also, their cheese bread, also not on the menu, is sinfully good and is a great addition to their fresh salads (for lunch or dinner).
I have tried just about everything on this menu, but here are some of my favorites...
For appetizers, you must try the Smoked Salmon. It is fresh, with a hint of spice to give it that extra kick. It is smoked in house and served with toasted bread and a great aioli. If you love salads, J Alexander's will be your new fave. I recommend the Cypress Salad. It has all the ingredients you love in a salad...chopped chicken fingers, tomatoes, cucumbers, sliced avocado, bacon and cheese. The chicken can be ordered battered or rotisserie style and I always exchange the ranch dressing for their honey mustard. I am STILL trying to get the recipe for that one! Any one of the burgers will give you a run for your money and the Steak Maui (their 12 oz marinated ribeye) will surely seal the deal. Another favorite is their BBQ Danish Baby Back Ribs. Yes, they fall off the bone, which is always a sure fire way to make certain you are in for a treat. Oh, and let's not forget the incredible flavor :-). Quite frankly, you can't go wrong with anything on the menu.
With wonderful food and great customer service, I hate to bring up "the bad". Fortunately in this case, "the bad" is a reflection of either the corporate office or the management. With that said, the kitchen and waiters are exempt. Drum roll please!!!
1. Get a menu on your website! I do not understand why I have to use a third party website just to view your menu. This can't be best practice and should be looked down upon in the industry (#imjustsayin'). There have been many times where I have not ordered (for pickup) because I wanted to try something different and could not find a menu. If you are a restaurant, your website should at least provide a listing of your everyday items. OMG!
2. I was very disturbed to find that I could not order food for pick up during certain times of the day. For example, you can't order lunch or dinner during "prime" hours. I understand your food is not made for takeout, but come on! Seriously? I even went in one day to order a single salad from the bar and was told I could not and that I had to wait until 2:00 p.m.! I am at a lost as I was the only person in the bar area. You are turning down customers now?...wow!
Okay, now that I've had the opportunity to get that off my chest, I can get back to the business at hand. Overall, J Alexander's is a great restaurant that does everything well (except for those listed above; hey, is anyone perfect?). If you are looking for a great place to dine where you can enjoy good drinks and an equally good meal, this is the place for you. Honestly...If you love Houston's, you will love J Alexander's. I haven't let the small annoying things keep me from enjoying this place. Fortunately, they are not a reflection of the food or the service. However, I hope they correct these nuances soon! Remember, it’s not just about the food; it’s about the experience. Now go eat something!
Urban Swank
Black Napkin Review - Eddie V's CityCentre
Eddie V's City Centre
When Eddie V's initially announced its first location in Houston, we were super excited! With Houston being such a hot place for the food scene, you would think 5 star steakhouses are the norm. We did have a few favorites, but we were anticipating the need to make room for one more.
Eddie V's now has two locations, one in the River Oaks area and the other in CityCentre (the old Town and Country). Although both have the ambiance of a typical steakhouse (ie. loud), we actually prefer CityCentre. The River Oaks location is great if you are looking for a "scene", but if you just want a nice dinner with the family or the hubby or looking for a place to conduct business, opt for the CityCentre location. We also compliment Eddie V's on their dining setup at the CityCentre location. Made up of mostly booths, it has a cozy and private feel to it. The bar is separate and offers a live pianist as well.
On our first visit to Eddie V's they surprised us by offering their Tomahawk Steak. This is truly a "special" steak by far. Seemingly constructed to represent an entree that Mr. and Mrs. Flintstone would eat, the Tomahawk Steak is a whopping 32 ounces! Now, that's not all beef. The huge dinosaur bone most likely covers a majority of that. However, this steak was plenty for two gals plus some. Similar in texture to the marbled ribeye, the Tomahawk Steak combines the ribeye's full flavor with the added bang that comes from the bone. It quickly won us over and as we visited Eddie V's time and time again, we always confirmed its availability first. Unfortunately, the Tomahawk Steak is a seasonal item that is not always in stock and it is never on the menu. So, you better ask :-). The Tomahawk Steak costs approximately $79; but remember; it can feed two adults.
Although the Tomahawk Steak is great in all its guts and glory, nothing, and we mean nothing, tops the Eddie V's "Bone-in Filet". The filet has come to be a fave of many steak connoisseurs, but you ain't seen nothing until you've had the opportunity to try this one. Take the lean texture and distinctive taste of the filet and pair that with a bone-in cut of meat. For us foodies, we know what the bone does; right...it keeps all that flavor and juiciness right in the heart of the beef giving it tons of depth and flavor! This steak is all of that and then some. It is most definitely in the top 3 for the Urban Swank Girls, and we don't mess around with our top 3. You have got to earn this title. Eddie V's won us over that day and we have since then brought our parents and close friends to Eddie V's to be won over too. Like the Tomahawk Steak, the Bone in Filet is not on the menu and is not available nightly. The server will typically tell you about the steak if it’s available. This one will run you around $65 a pop.
Aside from having some of the best steaks, Eddie V's also offers several amazing side dishes that are worth mentioning:
· Crab Fried Rice with Mushrooms
· Truffled Macaroni and Cheese
· Sugar Snap Peas with Garlic & Sesame
Although we have not tried all the appetizers (yet), some are pretty tasty:
· Chilled Avocado and Jumbo Lump Crab Cocktail with Lime and Spicy Remoulade Sauce (Urban Girls' fave)
· Cold Water Maine Lobster Tail with Crisp Batter with Honey Mustard Sauce
· Maryland-Style All Lump Crab Cake with Sautéed with Chive Remoulade Sauce (Swanky Girls' fave)
· Maine Lobster and Shrimp Bisque with Fresh Maine Lobster, Cream and Cognac
Each time we visit Eddie V's, we must also decide if we are going for the appetizer or the dessert (as it is way too much food to take on all three courses unless we are sharing). We will get into the dessert later, but 85% of the time, the infamous Eddie V's Bananas Foster wins; which is also a top 3 for the Urban Swank Girls!
Eddie V's, however, does have one downfall. If it were not for the specialty steaks, we actually would not order steaks at Eddie V's. Bold statement, we know, bear with us. The specialty steaks are phenomenal and we would put them up against anyone's steaks, but they fall short when it comes to the regular steaks on their menu. We have not been able to put our finger on the actual reason or cause, but after trying several of their regular steaks, we have not been impressed. It is really a combination of things...the flavor...just OK...the texture...just OK...the temperature...good. There is nothing great or horrible about them; they are just OK. Eddie V's offers other items on their menu aside from their steaks that are fabulous like the Crab Stuffed Colossal Shrimp grilled with Lemon Butter and Chive Vinaigrette or any one of their Chilean Sea Bass dishes.
Okay, now let's get to the good stuff. If you go to Eddie V's and you do NOT try the Bananas Foster you should be ashamed of yourself...lol! This has got to be one of the most consistently great desserts served at any restaurant in the nation. Seriously folks, it’s just that good. Now, Eddie V's has not created a traditional Bananas Foster, they have taken it to the next level and created something very special. The Eddie V's Bananas Foster is a very moist butter yellow cake topped with caramelized bananas that is set on fire with a rum and brown sugar mixture. This is not your typical run of the mill yellow cake, to add to its richness, the cake is sitting on top of Cheesecake! On the side they have added a dollop of homemade whipped cream and a scoop of toffee ice cream, by local favorite Henry's Homemade Ice Cream.
And last but not least, let's not forget about the drinks. We have enjoyed their Lemon Drop and their El Jimador Traditional Margarita! Take it from us, Eddie V's is a fabulous place to dine in Houston! Remember, "It's not just about the food, It's about the experience!"
~ Urban Swank, The Urban Swank Girls
