Restaurant
Review: Masraff's, Houston
Masraff's has been dishing up high end
Euro-American cuisine since its opening
in 1999, and has quietly established itself
as one of Houston's best restaurants. Co-owners
Russell Masraff and father Tony have eschewed
fanfare and splashy PR stunts in favor of
the highest quality ingredients and a dedication
to creating a welcoming, attentive atmosphere
for their customers.
 Masraff's
serves exclusively fresh, never frozen,
line-caught wild fish - and it shows in
many of their signature dishes. Diver scallops
are seared and caramelized and nestled
atop a mound of white truffle-scented polenta.
Succulent pan seared Chilean sea bass arrives
on a bed of creamy shrimp and leek orzo
pasta. Gulf red snapper (pictured, right)
is balanced on delicious saffron potato
fondant and buttery corn and shitake mushrooms
with a lemon beurre blanc. Needless to say,
daily fish specials are always good bets.
On the rare occasions that we can pull
ourselves away from the fish, dishes like
a wild mushroom ravioli starter, a darn
good Caesar salad, Muscovy duck breast with
grape, prune and rhubarb compote, and mint
and dijon-crusted rack of lamb with sweet
potato gratin are enough to keep us more
than satisfied. In all cases, Masraff's
goes all out with rich sauces, pristine
vegetables and lovely presentations.
The wine list is full of upper tier choices
at reasonable-ish prices, including a nice
selection of Chablis that work beautifully
with the various fish dishes. We also like
the Pinot Noir offerings, with wines from
California, Oregon and France.
We heartily recommend desserts here (something
we don't do lightly, given our proclivity
for post-meal cheese and yet more wine!).
Try ordering a few for the table and watch
the greedy feeding frenzy begin! Our favorite
has to be the perfectly crisp meringues
with vanilla ice cream and fresh strawberries,
but the delicate bread pudding is also a
winner, along with mouthwatering key lime
mousse, an apple tart boasting tons of thinly
sliced Granny Smiths, and the melt in your
mouth bittersweet chocolate fondant with
crème anglaise.
The main dining room is warm and comfortable,
with cushy upholstered chairs, soft lighting
and a gracious staff. And Masraff's recently
debuted a landscaped patio off the bar that
is a great spot for gathering before dinner
- or just sipping and nibbling an afternoon
away.
Masraff's on Post Oak Lane
1025 S. Post Oak Lane
(between San Felipe and Woodway)
Houston, TX 77056
Phone - (713) 355-1975
Web: www.masraffs.com
(feb 2007)
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