Original posting was made April 9th, 2009.
Overall it wasn't quite at where I would call it excellent, but it was a nice change from the usual appetizer, entree and desert.
The Mushroom Strudel was rich and creamy inside yet crispy on the outside, and had just the right mushroom flavour to satisfy the mushroom lover. The balsamic vinegar reduction they drizzled over the top added a slight hint of sweetness and acidity to balance the richness of the filling, however I found it an unnecessary addition.
The Calamari was one of the most tender I've ever had, with the ancho chili aioli making the dish better than it would have been with a traditional tzatziki sauce and elevated it to a fine dining level.
The Foi Gras with truffles was quite heavy with truffle, which overpowered the delicate flavour of the foi gras itself. I think they could have substituted some of the truffle with a lighter krimini or even portabello flavour to reduce the intensity of the truffle.
The Tiger Prawns in Chipotle Tequila butter had a nice selection of vegetables which accompanied them, and the prawns themselves were very well cooked and tender. The chipotle tequila butter was a bit of a let down however, the only real addition I noticed was the heat of the Chipotle which overpowered any tequila flavour. I also found the compound butter's flavour very one dimensional, and I think that reducing the amount of chipotle and adding a complimentary flavour such as Lime would have given the sauce a much more balanced and palatable flavour rather than just adding the heat of the chipotles.
Lastly we had the Chorizo and Mushroom Tostada. This is a "pizza" type of meal made on tortillas to have a very thin crust. The house made chorizo was definitely an interesting twist to the dish, and it took a bit to get used to the foreign smell of the sausage.
Overall I would have to say that most of the food was trying a bit too hard to be ... Read Moremore than it was through over seasoning with specialty products (like truffles, chipotles and very strong chorizo). Not that it wasn't an enjoyable meal, but the menu gave the impression of up scale dining, and that really wasn't quite fulfilled in the completion of the dishes.
I should make mention of the atmosphere to give a complete review. La Bodega is located right downtown, in what I believe is a large classic home. The dining areas are quite cramped, and some of the tables are just barely large enough to hold 2 tapas plates and the small plates you use to eat off of. The clientele we saw were incredible diverse, making the dining experience slightly less enjoyable by the rowdiness of some of the restaurants patrons (I should mention however that this could have been a result of expectations arising from the preview of the menu, which seemed to promise a more upscale cuisine.)
Overall I give La Bodega a 7 out of 10, and that is simply because the pretentiousness of the menu was not lived up to in either the atmosphere or the execution of the dishes.
May all your meals be dine-o-mite.
Bob
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Houston Pizza review, Regina SK
Originally posted December 9th 2007
After church today we decided to have lunch out due to a busier than normal schedule, so after all the discussion it was agreed that Houston Pizza would be acceptable by everyone.
First impressions;
Now although this is not a specific criteria that will affect the flavour and/or quality of a meal, I still find this an important part of the dining experience and therefore will include it as a part of the review.
Upon arrival we were greeted, and seated, by a pleasant hostess, however she looked as though she was doing far more work than just hostess/waitress, as she almost appeared as if she had been working in the kitchen. Now it's not that I have a problem with being seated by someone from the kitchen; however at the same time the front end staff directly reflects the restaurant as a whole making the experience that of "fine dining" or "cafe cuisine", and my impression at Houston Pizza was that of a Cafe rather than that of a Fine dining establishment (even though it is classified as a "family restaurant" and not fine dining).
The table setting was incomplete at seating, as well the cutlery on 2 settings had food remnants on them that was not taken off by the dishwasher nor checked for by the dish washing or waiting staff.
Service:
The service staff came and took our drink order upon seating, and the server came back for our order shortly after we were ready which was appropriately done which I was pleased with.
I was disappointed in having to "catch" the server to replace a dirty soup spoon upon my starter's arrival, and it was equally annoying to do the same whenever I required a refill on my beverage.
The Food;
The menu offered far more than Pizza, Pasta and Burgers, having more elaborate dishes like Swordfish, Gyros, Souvlaki and Steaks and Seafood.
My selection for lunch was a simple enough "English style fish and chips". Now I have had this at other establishments that have made it fresh, and from scratch, and it can be incredibly satisfying, however this was not the case at Houston Pizza. The fish's batter was not what one would expect from true "English style" fish and chips; the batter was plastered to the fish making it one with the fish it surrounded making the combination heavy and dense, and what I expected was a batter that lightly enveloped the fish to retain it's moisture rather than to overwhelm the delicate fillet. It was similar to what you might have achieved at home with a frozen meal from a supermarket. The "chips" were standard French fries, and were quite soggy having been served with the fish placed on top of them.
This meal could have been easily duplicated at home with frozen supermarket items for far less expense yet with equal results.
Overall experience;
The staff was pleasant and courteous, however I found them lacking in table attentiveness regarding both service and cleanliness. Our meals were adequate to fill the basic requirement, but as a dining experience Houston Pizza lacked in all aspects in which they attempted to achieve if they are looking to be a quality Family dining establishment.
In a nutshell I can tell you that what we got was upscale prices for average quality.
May all your meals be dine-o-mite.
Bob
After church today we decided to have lunch out due to a busier than normal schedule, so after all the discussion it was agreed that Houston Pizza would be acceptable by everyone.
First impressions;
Now although this is not a specific criteria that will affect the flavour and/or quality of a meal, I still find this an important part of the dining experience and therefore will include it as a part of the review.
Upon arrival we were greeted, and seated, by a pleasant hostess, however she looked as though she was doing far more work than just hostess/waitress, as she almost appeared as if she had been working in the kitchen. Now it's not that I have a problem with being seated by someone from the kitchen; however at the same time the front end staff directly reflects the restaurant as a whole making the experience that of "fine dining" or "cafe cuisine", and my impression at Houston Pizza was that of a Cafe rather than that of a Fine dining establishment (even though it is classified as a "family restaurant" and not fine dining).
The table setting was incomplete at seating, as well the cutlery on 2 settings had food remnants on them that was not taken off by the dishwasher nor checked for by the dish washing or waiting staff.
Service:
The service staff came and took our drink order upon seating, and the server came back for our order shortly after we were ready which was appropriately done which I was pleased with.
I was disappointed in having to "catch" the server to replace a dirty soup spoon upon my starter's arrival, and it was equally annoying to do the same whenever I required a refill on my beverage.
The Food;
The menu offered far more than Pizza, Pasta and Burgers, having more elaborate dishes like Swordfish, Gyros, Souvlaki and Steaks and Seafood.
My selection for lunch was a simple enough "English style fish and chips". Now I have had this at other establishments that have made it fresh, and from scratch, and it can be incredibly satisfying, however this was not the case at Houston Pizza. The fish's batter was not what one would expect from true "English style" fish and chips; the batter was plastered to the fish making it one with the fish it surrounded making the combination heavy and dense, and what I expected was a batter that lightly enveloped the fish to retain it's moisture rather than to overwhelm the delicate fillet. It was similar to what you might have achieved at home with a frozen meal from a supermarket. The "chips" were standard French fries, and were quite soggy having been served with the fish placed on top of them.
This meal could have been easily duplicated at home with frozen supermarket items for far less expense yet with equal results.
Overall experience;
The staff was pleasant and courteous, however I found them lacking in table attentiveness regarding both service and cleanliness. Our meals were adequate to fill the basic requirement, but as a dining experience Houston Pizza lacked in all aspects in which they attempted to achieve if they are looking to be a quality Family dining establishment.
In a nutshell I can tell you that what we got was upscale prices for average quality.
May all your meals be dine-o-mite.
Bob
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