UPDATE: After eleven years of publishing Cleverley's
Newsletter,
which started out as a fax, then emailed, we have
morphed into a blog.
You can read Houston's restaurant scoop at
http://blog.cleverley.com.
Sign up to have our blog headlines & links emailed to
you each week.
Want the latest Dish on Dining in Houston?
Sign up for Cleverley's Newsletter.
Newsletter subscribers get the news first by email.
Get the Scoops!
Sign up free!
www.CleverleysNewsletter.com
Read the Blog
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OK, I'll start a blog |
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"People" have been asking me to start a blog.
I thought my ten year old newsletter was my blog.
I guess it's not.
OK, I'll start a blog.
Sometime soon.
Good grief.
Isn't there enough content out there already?
Web sites, newsletters, blogs, You Tube, email, text
messages, television, radio, movies, videos, magazines,
newspapers.
Who has time to absorb it all?
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What's Hot, Hip & Happening in Houston's Restaurant Scene
Serving Houston's Diners Since 1997
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June 26, 2007 |
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Celebrating the 10th Anniversary of Cleverley's Newsletter
1997-2007
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Reef Is Open
Photo: Sous Chef Treanor, Partner & GM Floyd, Chef/Owner
Caswell
We've been talking about Reef for months on our radio show and
in this newsletter. We visited the new restaurant in May and
loved it.
The sea foam green dining room is big and open with concrete
floors, wooden tables and chairs and a wall of windows facing
the street. The temperature controlled glass wine storage room
runs the length of the dining room and has its own wine angel.
Good wine list with over 1,500 bottles and wines by the glass
are served at the proper temperature. I loved the roly-poly
glassware. The kitchen is open for display and you can sit in
high chairs that belly up for a close encounter of the
culinary kind.
The menu is short and sweet. Most of the items are from the
sea but there is a pork starter and a rib eye entree.
What we had:
. Carnitas, Cool Raita - 9.
The pork is from Niman Ranch. Delish.
. Crunchy Soft Shell Crab, Taqueria Pickle Vinaigrette - 14.50
A real treat.
. Roasted Grouper, Pecan-Shallot Cracklins, Braised Collards,
Pot Licker Jus - 23.
This was a table favorite.
. Grilled Scallops, Truffled Polenta, Mushroom Ragout - 23.
This was what I ordered and these were some of the best
scallops I've ever had. Sweet, tender and cooked perfectly.
Not a sliver of tough silvery muscle on them. There were only
four scallops but they yielded four bites each. It was enough.
. Crispy Skin Snapper, Sweet & Sour Chard, Tomato Brown Butter
- 25.
Chef/owner Bryan Caswell uses a special secret spice in this
dish that tasted a little like Dr. Pepper (it wasn't). Used on
fish, this was a surprising flavor, but a pleasing one. (I
know where he gets this special spice, but I am sworn to
secrecy. Hint: It's a store on the Katy Freeway.)
Dessert - Reef calls it 'Sugar'
. Milkshake "No Minors - 8.
This is Caswell's 2007 version of a Brandy Alexander. (He's
not going to like the fact that I told you that.) Kudos to him
for reaching back and bringing forth this retro beverage for
us to enjoy in the 21st century. The "No Minors" tag is a nod
to the infamous margarita bar on Westheimer of the same name.
All of the desserts were really fine: the panna cotta, molten
chocolate cake and the Vietnamese coffee tart; $8. each.
What I think is brilliant is the juxtaposition of the bar to
the restaurant. It gives the impression of being two different
venues. You enter the restaurant and to the left is the bar
and to the right is the dining room. The bar, (called 3rd
Bar-I don't really understand the name) also has it's own
street entrance down the block a bit that's actually more
impressive than the entrance to the restaurant.
The bar has it's own menu and they'll serve until 2 a.m. on
Thursday, Fridays and Saturdays! Yea! You've got to try the
hamburger sliders. Made from ground rib eye on home made yeast
rolls, these little delectable tidbits (3 for $8) are winners.
I suggested to Caswell and partner Bill Floyd that they offer
latenight curbside service. It would be so cool to call ahead
and order a couple of sacks of sliders for that 2 a.m. ride
home on the Katy Freeway. Not a night owl? You can try these
little beef bits of heaven for $1 each during happy hour on
weekdays. Another goodie is that Reef offers complimentary
valet parking, a rarity for a midtown venue.
Reef is located at 2600 Travis @ McGowan, Houston.
Web Site |

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Corleone Is Open
Still recovering from his grand opening bash on Thursday
night, Chef Ryan Hildebrand was on the Cleverley Show on
Saturday and said his new restaurant, Corleone Bar & Grill, is
now open for business. They had 40 covers on Friday night,
their first night of business. There are only 6 items on the
menu and there's no pasta. But Hildebrand said that if someone
really wants pasta, he'll make it happen. Located behind the
16 year old Patrenella's restaurant at 813 Jackson Hill, in
the Heights area of Houston, Corleone will be a welcome
addition to the neighborhood I'm sure.
Web Site |

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Word Is...Sage
Word is that Houlihan's restaurant on Sage at W. Alabama will
soon change its name to Sage. |

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Who's on The Cleverley Show
Saturday, June 30, 2007
. Jerry Greenfield, Jerry from Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream
. Chef Bradley Manchester & Fawaz Salaam,
Hotel Zaza
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Reader Comments
"I am a gourmand myself, and enjoy good food.
I appreciate finding out about places I have yet to discover.
Your newsletter is one of the vehicles I use to make those
kind of discoveries."
Joanne
"Tidbits is a great section to catch up on the
latest trivia and big news in the restaurant biz."
Bob
"I love your newsletter - it's a foodies' delight!"
Sarah Gish, Gish Creative |

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Opening-Marini's Empanada House
In a week or so, the Marini family will open a second location
of their popular Empanada House. It'll be in the Carillon
Center. Their other location is on Mason Road in Katy, Texas. |

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Don't do what I did
I didn't know how to back up the files on my computer, so I
just didn't do it. When my computer crashed I lost a lot of
data .... years of work and contacts.
Poof, gone.
I'm now using Carbonite online back up service. It's really
easy. Effortless, in fact.
(It has to be for me to be able to use it.)
And for 5 bucks a month I could have saved myself much
heartache and stress.
Don't risk losing your computer files.
Back up now!
Click here for a free trial. |

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Job Bank
Hospitality Jobs
. Jimmy Wilson's Seeks Restaurant Managers
. Crowne Plaza Houston North at Greenspoint Seeks Director of
Catering
. Omni Seeks Executive Administrative Assistant to the GM
. Retreat at Artesian Lakes Seeks Executive Chef
. Rainbow Lodge Seeks Servers, Wine Stewards, Bartenders
Lodge
. Carrabbas Kirby & Carrabbas Voss Seek Waitstaff, Hostesses,
Carry-Out Positions, Busboys, Kitchen Staff
. White T-Cloth Restaurant Seeks Executive Pastry Chef
Click here to view all jobs and contact information
www.RestaurantAndHotelJobs.com |

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Museum Discounts for CNL Subscribers
WOW!
I have a coupon for you for the Houston Museum of Natural
Science, all exhibits, that will get you the steepest discount
offered anywhere.
Frogs!, Imperial Rome, IMAX, the new Gem Exhibit, all Exhibit
Halls, Cockrell Butterfly Center & Burke Baker Planetarium.
Click here for printable coupon
"I enjoy reading your newsletter.
I also appreciate that you also are enabling us readers to get
a discount at the Museum."
JT |

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Fun Food Facts
How much do you know about what you eat?
Take the America Fit quiz from TIME magazine
and test your knowledge.
Take the quiz |

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The Author
Photo: Cleverley with Wolfgang Puck
Cleverley Stone knows her way around a menu.
. Publisher of Cleverley's Newsletter, online newsletter about
Houston's restaurant scene, since 1997.
www.CleverleysNewsletter.com
. Host of "The Cleverley Show," talk with taste, the radio
program for people who love to eat. Saturdays at Noon on CNN
650 Radio News in Houston.
www.Cleverley.com |

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Warm Red Wine Survey Results
Houston, we have a problem with our wine service.
94% say that red wine is served too warm.
Click here to view Cleverley's Newsletter survey results
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Thank you for reading Cleverley's Newsletter!
Have news or comments?
Copyright 2007 Cleverley's Newsletter. All Rights Reserved
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All Newsletters Are Not Posted on This Web Site
Want the latest Dish on Dining in Houston?
Sign up for Cleverley's Newsletter.
Newsletter subscribers get the news first by email.
Get the Scoops First!
Sign up free!
www.CleverleysNewsletter.com
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What's Hot, Hip & Happening in Houston's Restaurant Scene
Serving Houston's Diners Since 1997
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May 31, 2007 |
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Celebrating Our 10th Anniversary of
Publishing Cleverley's Newsletter This Month
1997-2007
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Ryan Hildebrand is Back
Ryan Hildebrand To Exec Chef Two Restaurants
Ryan Hildebrand has surfaced as the new executive chef
for Patrenella's Italian Restaurant and the new Corleone
restaurant.
Patrenella's is a family business owned by Sammy
Patrenella. He wanted a restaurant that would carry on the
traditional good tastes and love of his mother and father.
Sixteen years ago Sammy, his wife Josephine, son Sammy Jr.,
and daughters renovated their home, which was built in 1938,
where their family was raised, and made it into a restaurant.
Careful attention was given so the renovated house-now
restaurant matches the ambience of the historic Heights and
Sixth Ward neighborhoods.
Web Site
813 Jackson Hill, Houston.
You may remember last year there was a bit of a brouhaha when
Hildebrand razed the historic Ashland Tea House in The Heights
to build a new restaurant. He really wanted to use the
original structure, (that's why he bought the property), but
the building was found to be unsound and unsafe and could not
be saved for any future use. |

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Corleone-New Restaurant
On June 21st from 6-9 p.m. the Patrenella's will host the
grand opening party for their new restaurant, Corleone Bar
& Grill, a full service bar located behind the 16 year old
Patrenella's restaurant.
Bites from the new bar menu, designed by exec chef Ryan
Hildebrand, will be served including rib eye, seasonal
fresh market fish selections, gumbo, crab cakes and shrimp
cocktail and specialty drinks.
Corleone Bar & Grill Happy Hour specials run from 4 p.m. -7
p.m. Tuesday thru Friday. Hours of operation are
Tuesday-Thursday 4 p.m. - 11 p.m., Friday and Saturday 4 p.m.-
2 a.m., closed Sunday and Monday.
813 Jackson Hill, Houston. |

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Monarch-New Restaurant & New Hotel Zaza
Last week I had dinner at Monarch, the not-yet-opened
restaurant in the not-yet-opened Hotel Zaza. Quite
delicious on the palate and the eyes, it was.
Executive Chef Bradley Manchester was very visible,
making sure that each dish was properly prepared and
presented. And it was a great pleasure to have long-time
friend Ernest Arredondo as our most excellent server.
What we had:
. Salt & pepper rock shrimp, lemon cilantro, aioli, ponzu
. Hot & crunchy crab cakes, avocado relish, mango chipotle
sauce, plantain chips
. Warm tomato & mozzarella, balsamic syrup, basil aioli
. Surf & Turf - Kobe short rib, butter braised Maine lobster,
house-made steak sauce
. 20 oz Prime Bone-In Rib Eye
. Bourbon creamed corn, White cheddar truffled mac & cheese,
Shiner Bock onion rings
. Southern pecan pie, Shiner Bock ice cream, sugared walnuts
. White chocolate crème brûlée, amarena cherry sauce
. Blueberry sour cream cheesecake, blueberry compote
We dined in the dining room and had dessert outside, on the
patio.
I'm not a critic... don't want to be, please don't call me
one. Real restaurant critics should be anonymous, and I choose
not to be. I'm an observer, a commentator, a disseminator of
information and a sharer of opinions. I will share my comments
with you that my meal at Monarch was delicious, the service
gracious, and I would order any of the above items again.
The dining room has huge windows that face the beautiful Mecom
Fountain. And I must say, as night fell, it was a
disappointment that the fountain was not dancing with lights,
as I remembered how it used to be when the hotel was The
Warwick.
What happened to the lights? I was told that vandals had
stolen all of the expensive fountain lighting and the city of
Houston was not planning on replacing it because it would cost
upwards of $100,000. Ugh - vandals. Can't they leave anything
alone? Probably sold the lights to buy, ... oh, whatever
vandals are spending their money on these days. Grills, bling,
rims.
But my evening was not without a warm glow. The bright light
at my table was Hotel Zaza concepteur Charlie Givens.
An impish sense of humor he has, and a real eye for detail.
You will love everything about this venue, including the
unique guest rooms and bar! The Zaza and Monarch should be a
hit in Houston.
The Zaza has been hosting preview parties all this week with
the big bang bash happening tomorrow night, with upwards of
2,000 people attending - by invitation only. Since I had my
special night at the Zaza last week, I may go to the Tour de
Champagne event at the Derek tomorrow night.
The Hotel Zaza and Monarch restaurant will be open to the
public on June 4th. Oh, and look for a special event I'll be
doing at the Zaza later this month...
5701 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77005
713.526.1991
Web Site |

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Who's on The Cleverley Show
Saturday, June 2, 2007
. Cat Cora, Iron Chef-Food Network
. Tim Avila, Zsweet
. The Chefs from the Four Seasons - Joseph Oldham, Gaetano
Ascione, Philippe Valladares
. Dr. Tomato ( Dr. Bob Randall)
Fabulous prizes on Saturday's show include:
. Cat Cora's latest book
. Tickets to Wine Week in The Woodlands
. Tickets to the Houston Museum of Natural Science
. Gift certificates for Trentino Gelato
Listen for the "Word of the Day" and call in with your answer.
Call the show live on Saturdays between 12-1 p.m. Central at
713-9-650-650.
I'd love to hear your ideas for guests and things you'd like
to hear on the show.
Email:
Show@CleverleysNewsletter.com. Web site:
www.Cleverley.com
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Reader Comments
"I am a gourmand myself, and enjoy good food.
I appreciate finding out about places I have yet to discover.
Your newsletter is one of the vehicles I use to make those
kind of discoveries."
Joanne
"Tidbits is a great section to catch up on the
latest trivia and big news in the restaurant biz."
Bob
"I love your newsletter - it's a foodies' delight!"
Sarah Gish, Gish Creative |

|
Discounts for Tour de Champagne Tickets
Click here for my promo code to save $15 per ticket for the
Tour de Champagne |

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Houston Polo Club on Sunday
Ticket Information |

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Job Bank
Hospitality Jobs
. Executive Administrative Assistant to the GM- Omni
. Executive Chef-Retreat at Artesian Lakes
. Servers, Wine Stewards, Bartenders-Rainbow Lodge
. Waitstaff, Hostesses, Carry-Out Positions, Busboys, Kitchen
Staff-Carrabba's Kirby & Voss Only
Click here to view all jobs and contact information
www.RestaurantAndHotelJobs.com |

|
Museum Discounts for CNL Subscribers
WOW!
I have a coupon for you for the Houston Museum of Natural
Science, all exhibits, that will get you the steepest discount
offered anywhere.
Frogs!, Imperial Rome, IMAX, the new Gem Exhibit, all Exhibit
Halls, Cockrell Butterfly Center & Burke Baker Planetarium.
Click here for printable coupon
"I enjoy reading your newsletter.
I also appreciate that you also are enabling us readers to get
a discount at the Museum."
JT |

|
Fun Food Facts
How much do you know about what you eat?
Take the America Fit quiz from TIME magazine
and test your knowledge.
Take the quiz |

|
The Author
Photo: Cleverley with Wolfgang Puck
Cleverley Stone knows her way around a menu.
. Publisher of Cleverley's Newsletter, online newsletter about
Houston's restaurant scene, since 1997.
www.CleverleysNewsletter.com
. Host of "The Cleverley Show," talk with taste, the radio
program for people who love to eat. Saturdays at Noon on CNN
650 Radio News in Houston.
www.Cleverley.com |

|
Warm Red Wine Survey Results
Houston, we have a problem with our wine service.
94% say that red wine is served too warm.
Click here to view Cleverley's Newsletter survey results
|
|
| |
|
Thank you for reading Cleverley's Newsletter!
Have news or comments?
Copyright 2007 Cleverley's Newsletter. All Rights Reserved
|
|
|
All Newsletters Are Not Posted on This Web Site
Want the latest Dish on Dining in Houston?
Sign up for Cleverley's Newsletter.
Newsletter subscribers get the news first by email.
Get the Scoops First!
Sign up free!
www.CleverleysNewsletter.com
|