We were invited to Brad and Stacy's place for dinner last Saturday night. Here's the food critic's review:
It was the salsa that hooked me at Richardson's Taqueria nestled in the quiet pines of The Augusta apartments.
Freshly prepared by Chef Brad's own hands, it had a sturdy presence quite unlike any other salsa in Houston. Each spoonful was mined with dark flecks of cilantro that sparked and died, leaving a trace of spiciness that those in our company born north of Mason-Dixon could not bring themselves to indulge further.
Now here was the salsa on the back doorstep of Greenspoint Mall, keeping company with chicken fajitas, Spanish rice, and a concoction of pinto beans that would have made any bacon lover proud. The host and hostess provided swinging jazz tunes so upbeat and lively they would have made Doc Sevrenson weep.
I, however, smiled. And kept smiling through two servings of fajitas at this trendy restaurant, which is not without its flaws. So, let's dispense with the caveats first. They have one of the ugliest chairs in town. It's yellow... Enough said. Other than that just about everything else is good, so it's hard to get too grouchy about it.
Oh, did I mention the whine list (compliments of Salem)?
Ex post feasto was the dessert; pineapple upside-down cake a la mode. The "mode" was Neapolitan. Perhaps only slightly less out of kilter than the aforementioned chair. Still, ice cream is ice cream and this palette refuses to protest.
Dessert was served alongside a steamy mug of African White Macadamia coffee. It's deep, earthy flavors and full bodied aroma brought the evening into contemplative focus: We were among more than just friends... We were among family... And this family can cook!
