CROSSROADS
at House of Blues
1204 CAROLINE Houston, TX
770002 888.402.5837 | www.houseofblues.com

Already established as one of the city’s most beloved concert venues, House of Blues has revamped their restaurant menu to also make it your ideal destination for entertainment and dining.

Their new dining experience features a menu designed by celebrity chef and Food Network star Aarón Sanchez. The interior of the restaurant remains the same. Sanchez’s menu has southern influence but, with his bold, classy dishes with contemporary touches, he’s changed the venue from mere landmark spot to a credible culinary restaurant. The combination of ingredients is well thought out to include unexpected but exciting flavors.

We skipped the evening rush that appears before shows by coming in for lunch instead. With a few TVs showing the available sports games on, we opted to sit in the bar area to have a better view. Several tables were also enjoying lunch as well as a few patrons at the bar. A steady stream of those looking to buy tickets for various shows also came and went during our late lunch.

 

Service, from the moment we sat down to when we left, was impeccable. We might have had two servers at one point and they both were there at any moment for anything we needed.

I love cornbread and to complement it with maple butter was irresistable for starters. A hot little skillet with beautiful cornbread is served sliced in big wedges with a side of maple brown butter. We cut the wedges into smaller pieces so it wouldn’t seem like it would be gone so fast. I recommend sticking the butter tin in the skillet once you get a wedge of bread out so it warms a bit for smoother spreading. The cornbread is moist, dotted with jalapenos, a perfect balance of savory and sweet with just a swipe of maple butter. I don’t usually take leftovers but when we had two wedges left, I made sure it was coming home with us to snack on later!

The reason for those leftovers was my lovely cup of their cream of mushroom soup special. I was apprehensive because sometimes cream soups can be overly gelatinous. I know there is heavy cream in it; does the texture need to remind me of it too?! I was pleasantly surprised when that was NOT the case with this soup. It was the ideal smoothness for cream of mushroom. Not too thick, not too soupy, but just velvety enough to cling to each little mushroom bit.

With two great dishes down from the new menu, we dove into our entrée ordering with a newfound fervor. Southern specialties to southern touches dot the menu. In an effort to explore this more we ordered a classic Jambalaya and their Juicy Lucy burger with a spiced Jamaican turkey patty to round out our meal.

Their Jambalaya is a bowl filled with marinated chicken chunks, spicy Andouille sausage pieces, sweet peppers, celery and roasted green onion with rice in a traditional jambalaya sauce. With a significant amount of sauce, every bite is thoroughly coated with sauce, the occasional tomato chunk and loads of rice, vegetables and chicken or sausage. There’s enough sustenance to make for a hearty dish. The spice is subtle for those who fear spice. If you enjoy spice, you might be adding some hot sauce to give it an extra kick.

 

The burger on the other hand surprised us with its spice. The Juicy Lucy is assembled with Gruyere cheese, topped with crispy pickled jalapenos and chipotle mayo all on a potato bun. Usually this burger comes with a certified Angus beef and applewood bacon patty. We ordered ours with their Jamaican spiced turkey patty instead for an extra layer of heat. That part might have been unnecessary. My first bite was an amazing mix of crisp, buttery flavors. The second, with the spicy mayo, jalapenos and spiced patty, brought a little more heat. Even the velvety Gruyere couldn’t tame the spice coming through from our combination. A few bites more and I was not only finished with my half of the burger but also perspiring. This made me like this burger even more. It’s an enticing layer of heat that builds with each bite.

This was indicative of most dishes on their new menu: a nice balance of layers of flavors that aren’t too complex or fancy but just provide that unexpected oh-what-is-that factor. These little touches and changes to dishes build excitement to see and taste the execution of them. The next time you are thinking of mixing your entertainment and dining, House of Blues has both of those plus some soul.

MENU SELECTIONS

appetizers

• Hand Stretched Grilled Flatbreads, Roasted Garlic puree topped with Gorgonzola, Oaxaca, over-dried tomatoes, pine nuts and crispy fried prosciutto 11.99

• Meatball Sliders, Two slow braised beef short rib sliders simmered in fresh tomato sauce, topped with Cojita cheese served on a potato bun 8.99

signature burgers

• Smoked BBQ Bacon, Certified Angus beef patty topped with Cheddar Cheese, smoked tomato BBQ sauce, applewood bacon, crispy pickled jalapenos, sauteed bourbon onions on a potato bun 11.99

• Island Turkey Burger, Seasoned with Jamaican spices topped with Cheddar cheese on a chipotle mayo brushed potato bun, served with crispy field greens and sliced Roma tomatoes 10.99

sandwiches

• Pulled Pork Sandwich, Slow smoked pulled pork, topped with smoked tomato BBQ sauce and sweet citrus horseradish slaw, served on a potato bun 9.99

• Shrimp and Grits, Pan seared jumbo shrimp simmered in chipotle garlic cream sauce served over crispy fried grit cake amd sweet teardrop tomatoes 12.99

Hours: Monday – Friday, 11am – close Saturday – Sunday, noon – close

THE HOLY GRAIL: CREATIVITY, FOOD AND DESIGN IN PERFECT HARMONY

If you’ve been on Shepherd you’ve probably noticed the facelift on the space formerly known as Pravada (and Chrome). Local architect firm MC2 has revamped the entire space from inside out. You definitely have to see it to believe it. How this space was transformed into the beauty it is now is unfathomable. The corrugated metal panels on the outer shell change from green to orange depending on the direction you are facing the building. This organic, rust-hued theme is carried throughout the build out/interior – even to the chef’s garden at the entrance. The metal containers will change over time to develop a natural beautiful patina. No detail was overlooked with Triniti.

Upon entry white walls define a bar, large dining room and open kitchen space. Patio seating is available in an intimate atmosphere (only 40 tables) with three custom-made water features.
Ins décor is very light, California-style organic with metal, woods, concrete all exposed to create a space that is not too casual but not overly modern. It’s comfortably perfect. It appeals to not only business lunches but also families.
British designer Tom Dixon’s wooden, surprisingly comfortable chairs, along with his light fixtures plus a custom chandelier, lend more beauty to the space. Renowned artist Todd Murphy created an oversized painting that hangs facing the dining room and surprises you with new elements from any angle in the room – from hidden birds to changing dominate colors. Chef Ryan Hildebrand and his team succeed in creating his goal “to merge white tablecloth food and service with a casual, interactive dining experience.” The feel of the space is transformed from light during the day with the sunshine to a warm beautiful glow at night.
We tested that theory by not only dining here for lunch but also dinner … in the same day. It helps to note that the menu also varies at both.
We started with the soup special for the day. A decadent lobster bisque with melted leeks and a brioche nugget awoke our taste buds. I had the luxury of tasting this same soup for an amous bouche at dinner and both experiences were heavenly. The texture, light and fluffy, disappeared the moment it hit your mouth with its luscious flavor. If this is on the menu, it’s a must try.
To be fair we also had the celery root soup to compare. Like night and day, the bisque was savory; the celery root, a beautiful, creamy fluff of sweet with savory notes. With a dollop of cinnamon cream sprinkled with cinnamon as well as an apple fritter nugget.
We couldn’t resist the endive salad with a combination of slivers of diver scallops, citrus (orange and grapefruit) wedges, pistachios, veldhuizen cheddar shavings and polenta crisps atop a bed of greens. It’s not only a light and clean salad but also a beautiful palette of colors. Our entrées followed suit with beautiful presentations, colorful plating and simple, clean flavors.
The beet and butternut squash toast is the epitome of this. With the bright fuchsia of the beet, the orange of the squash, the bright green arugula and pear all atop a square of toast, the goat cheese and dots of balsamic, this dish is as aesthetically pleasing as it is divine. The roasted vegetables with the crisp fresh greens and fruit and a swipe of smooth cheese in the thick, aged balsamic that has just a hint of truffle is a wonderful marriage of components. Plus the serving size is perfection. This was a recurring theme with the rest of the entrées as well.
The beef pinwheel had two medallions sitting on top of potato puree with a dollop of chimichurri, a couple baby bok choy and a few roasted carrots. Again, the ideal serving size for a lunch dish, just enough so you don’t feel weighted down afterward. This tender beef paired with the puree and subtle chimichurri is a simple pairing expertly prepared.
You can’t pass up their chicken “in” dumplings. The plating is whimsical with the little dumplings sitting atop a small potato circle surrounded by fall peas with mini globe carrots all drizzled in a sage gravy. It brings to mind Peter Rabbit. The playful dish is a taste bud pleaser. This savory dish is gourmet comfort food, portion control.
With Chef de Cuisine Jose Hernandez (you will recognize his style from his days at Philippe) helming dessert, one can only expect pure delectable art for a nightcap. And he did not disappoint.
Among our favorites is the Gianduja. Gianduja is a style of chocolate made from combining chocolate and hazelnut paste. Here it is turned into a mousse with a ricotta cream center, covered in dark gianduja and served with a side of hazelnut ice cream with hazelnut dusting. The texture is that of a cloud. It’s so incredibly light and fluffy, it literally evaporates in your mouth. A piece of heaven on a spoon.
While at lunch, thoroughly pleased with our experience, we changed our dinner plans to be back at Triniti to taste the dinner menu as well.
If you’re looking for a light starter, look no further than the beet and pear salad. Golden beets and the norm dot the plate with Pure Luck goat cheese, mint, oregano, yuzu and a sliver of pear right on top. If you want something a little more filling and full of flavor, try the rich Kale salad. A bed of kale is topped with a slice of toast with a sunny-side-up egg in the middle topped with a crispy pancetta wheel, lemon and olive oil, along with a white anchovy. Once you cut into the egg the yolk oozes into the bread and kale for a mind-blowing bite.
Since we were a large group, I got to taste the salmon, striped sea bass and the pork. A beautiful salmon filet is served atop white asparagus stalks with a bed of mushrooms, welks, tarragon and chestnuts on the side. The salmon is cooked to perfection, just a bit pink on the inside. It makes for a beautiful bite and the quality is obvious with this preparation as well. My bite of a friend’s striped sea bass with adzuki, saffron rutabaga, shallots, bok choy and red wine proved to be a different palette completely. Equally good, the bass was more robust and complex than the light, simple flavors with the salmon.
Another dish that had that robust nature was the pork. I’m not usually a pork eater but my friend ordered it and couldn’t stop raving so I had to try it. And she was right. The pork with pumpkin, parsley, cranberry and yams is a wonderful seasonal item. It tastes of wintertime with your family. The cranberry, yam puree is delightful with pork. It’s sweet, savory, hearty comfort.
It’s all in the details and Triniti has taken those details to another level. The creativity in the kitchen with an unforgettable team plus the team on the floor in the dining room is unparallel to anything in Houston at this time. One can expect and hope for wonderful things from the trifecta of creativity, food and design.

MENU SELECTIONS (lunch)

salads
• simple greens- winter greens, pickled root
vegetables, dried onion, tomato preserve 8
• frisee- pulled pheasant confit, lamb bacon, quail egg 16
sandwiches + toast
• dungeness crab- melted leeks, asparagus 15
• mblt- mortadella, bacon, smoked romaine, tomato jam 12
• pulled pork- root vegetable kimchi, cilantro 12
fish + pasta
• clams and scrambled eggs- leek, parsley, toast 12
• carrot cavatelli- brussel sprouts, bay scallop, chorizo 17
• buckwheat fettuccine- charred eggplant, root vegetable ragout, broccoli rabe, ricotta 12
meat + poultry
• dewberry hills chicken- egg, barley, shimeji 19
• pork belly- creamed sauerkraut, red potatoes, cider vinegar 18

TRINITI
2815 SOUTH SHEPhERD
Houston, TX 77098
713.527.9090 | www.trinitirestaurant.com

Hours
Lunch: Monday – Friday, 11am-2:30pm
Dinner: Monday – Thursday, 5-10pm; Friday & Saturday, 5-11pm; Sunday Supper, 4-10p

By Beatrice Allen
Photography by Kimberly Park