Restaurant
Review: Cafe Annie, Houston
To say that Café Annie is really
hitting its stride would be a bit like saying
Roger Clemens is showing some promise as
a pitcher. Café Annie has been a
fixture on Houston's fine dining scene for
decades, and it is where Executive Chef
Robert Del Grande got his start in the early
1980s.
 One
of the original Southwestern cuisine innovators,
Del Grande cooked his way into the hearts
of Houstonians in a cozy, casual neighborhood
spot for the first few years, quickly gaining
national acclaim in the process by way of
a slew of culinary and magazine awards.
By 1990, Café Annie had moved into
swanky Post Oak digs, and the food, wine
program (and prices) became more and more
upscale. Over the next decade, the restaurant
had a vice grip at the top of virtually
every "best of" Houston restaurant
list.
But, as any restaurateur can tell you,
nothing lasts forever. And somewhere around
the turn of the century, Café Annie's
star seemed to finally be fading. New kids
on the dining scene were making some noise.
And whispers began to grow that Café
Annie was overpriced, with snooty service,
and (worst of all) that the food was starting
to seem a little tired. Rumor had it that
it was about to close for lunch - a sure
sign of financial woes.
But rather than announcing its demise,
Del Grande offered up the concept of
Bar Annie - the more casual option to the
dining room, with its own bar menu of
flavorful, but less formal, food options.
It was a hit. The beautiful people returned
in packs - sipping martinis, admiring their
reflections and supping on steamed mussels,
handmade french fries, crab salad with poblano
and avocado dressing, and the signature
Bar Annie burger. It's a fun, sophisticated
scene that has seemingly breathed new life
into the restaurant as a whole.
Our last few visits to the restaurant have
resulted in some of the best meals in recent
memory - anywhere in the world. Del Grande
is more present than he's been in years,
or so it seems. And it shows in the food.
We almost always order the savory, spicy
Black Bean Terrine with Goat Cheese
($12) starter. It's been on the menu since
those early, casual days and it's a local
favorite (and personal addiction).
Del Grande makes the ubiquitous sashimi
tuna salad ($18) sing, with roasted beets,
frisée, toasted pecans and a heady
black truffle vinaigrette.
And the seared duck foie gras ($18) is
astonishing, with its silky texture, perfectly
crisped edges, caramelized bananas and
smoky chipotle relish.
For the main course, we cannot recommend
the lamb strongly enough. It may be the
best lamb we've ever had... anywhere. So
impressive we had to go back and see if
it was as good the second time… It
was. Wood grilled, thick chops ($45) are
topped with a savory almond mole sauce and
served alongside refried black beans topped
with queso fresco, which are beside the
point, because the lamb is just mesmerizing.
Crisp along the edges, tender and pink within,
intensely flavorful… just go ahead
and pick up those bones.
We also loved the grilled gulf shrimp served
with chorizo enchiladas ($28) - a classic
Del Grande combination of Southwestern/Texas/Mexico
ingredients and flavors. As are the
rabbit enchiladas - another original classic
and personal favorite that makes occasional
appearances on the ever-shifting menu.
The wine list is extensive, with plenty
of superstar choices at the high end, but
also a handful of under-$50 choices in most
categories.
Service has regained its form, with an
attentive, well-trained, friendly staff
that is ready to please.
And desserts here are a sure thing
- from the Texas pecan pie ($12) topped
with caramelized orange sauce, to the Lemon
Variations ($12) - a trio of lemony cakes
and tarts.
The next chapter in Café Annie's
history will unfold sometime next year,
with the recent announcement of the new
Boulevard Place. The entire block that houses
Café Annie and much more will be
remade around a flagship Whole Foods market,
with construction scheduled to go through
2007. According to the restaurant, it will
be moving across the street to the south
into its new home that will be approximately
the same size as the current restaurant,
but with the Bar Annie area increasing to
about half of the total space. The restaurant
hopes to only be closed a week or two in
the moving process, sometime in late summer
or early fall of next year.
We're looking forward to seeing what comes
next! (August 2006)
Café Annie
1728 Post Oak Boulevard
Monday through Saturday, lunch and dinner
Phone: 713-840-1111
Website: www.cafe-annie.com
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