Planning Time!

[theoriginalblurker]

Our 17th wedding anniversary is this Friday, and we would like to go to a nice dinner.  Not the incredibly fantastic Noe's that we did for 15, but something at the level of Ruggles (which is the leader so far).

Suggest away!

Comments

[la-directora.livejournal.com]

The best meals I ever had in Houston were at Michelangelo's and Fuad's. (I'm probably a bit biased about Fuad's since I also worked there for a while.) Both places impressed me with the quality of the food and the level of service. Michelangelo's wins for ambience.

[jpmodisette.livejournal.com]

uniforall and I ate at Michelangelo's once. The food was fine. The ambiance may have been the best I've ever seen: there were two old Italian gentlemen in very nice suits at the next table, and I couldn't help but overhear that they spent the entire meal discussing the finer points of counterfeiting.

[la-directora.livejournal.com]

I was thinking more of the tree growing through the middle of the room and the lighting, but yeah, that, too. :)

[greeneyes-rpi.livejournal.com]

Well, their menu (http://www.michelangelosrestaurant.com/menu.htm) certainly looks good!

:)

[la-directora.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I was still a meat eater when I went there, and ohmyGOD best carpaccio EVER. mmmmm... It was some seriously good food, and waiters who were the lifetime, professional waiter types. Everything really was perfect. (I went there for a Valentine's dinner.)

[mcroft.livejournal.com]

I hear that the Rainbow Lodge moved into the location of the Old Tour d'Argent.

Also, someone has opened The Lodge At Bayou Bend in the old RL location.

[johnbrandon.livejournal.com]

I've been to the Rainbow Lodge since its reopened and I hearily recommend it!

They have a very nice 3 (4?) course wine dinner that I have not actually had, but looked wonderful.

[greeneyes-rpi.livejournal.com]

Hmmm...this menu (http://www.rainbow-lodge.com/Menus.html) is also yummy looking

[mcroft.livejournal.com]

Elk loin. Shades of Harry's Kenya! I wonder if there's any place left in Houston to get Antelope?

[greeneyes-rpi.livejournal.com]

Is there a dress code for the Rainbow Lodge? Could we get by with jeans?

[mcroft.livejournal.com]

johnbrandon can probably tell you, or you could call, but I recall going in kakhis and an Oxford, maybe with a tie that I threw on at the last moment, but since I often wear that to work, it didn't seem too problematic.

[johnbrandon.livejournal.com]

FOr lunch or brunch, yes definitely.

At dinner. . . . maybe a nice pair would be okay, but Khaki's and a golf shirt at the least would blend in better.

[auspeople.livejournal.com]

You guys like Indian food, right? We had always wanted to go to Indika. They used to be over by you, but I just checked and they appear to have moved. Gaurav raved about this place as being like fusion Indian. He had some sort of sea bass that he said was amazing.

[jpmodisette.livejournal.com]

I've only been to the old location. The food was good; it was indeed fusiony, and I remember encountering things that were surprisingly hot. The portion sizes were pretty small. (I used to live in the apartment complex on Memorial that also housed this restaurant.)

[jpmodisette.livejournal.com]

Is Backstreet Cafe still around? Their web site appears intact, but last time I was in Houston I heard rumors of their demise. Anyway, I recommend them.

[johnbrandon.livejournal.com]

How much are you willing to spend?

Tony's is *very* nice and their truffle risotto is divine, but the $$$ is not cheap.

Mark's was really good too. They had a white lobster bisque that was unbelievably good too! The restraunt is in an old church and still has the stained glass and whatnot which I thought was very elegant.

Then there is Brennan's if you like Creole food.

I;ve also heard good things about Cafe Annie's, but I've never been there.

And I admit its a bit sappy, but I've always thought the Melting Pot was a great 'date place. There is something about cooking together that really is bonding I think.

Let us know where you decide to go!

[greeneyes-rpi.livejournal.com]

I thought the "not Noe's but perhaps Ruggles" indicated an approximate price range. Looking at the menus for Michelangelo's and The Rainbow Lodge, they seem about the right range. I've never been to Tony's, but I doubt that drangelo wants to get very dressed up for this, so I think that's out.

[drangelo.livejournal.com]

Given that DrAngelo will also be at work that night until at least 6:00, he definitely will not be up for dressing up.

[krosehart.livejournal.com]

Cafe Annie's is lovely, with all kinds of cool obscure meat entrees, but it is pricy and would require more than jeans. I don't think it has a dress code, but you would look out of place if you weren't dressed up, as I recall. Brennan's is very tasty. I thought Mark's was very loud, too many tables packed into that room, but the food was good. I LOVE The Melting Pot, and Maggiano's, :-).

[paracoon.livejournal.com]

No one has suggested Fogo de Chao? Meat meat meat meat meat meat meat

[greeneyes-rpi.livejournal.com]

drelmo suggested it over the weekend when I asked him.

I'm still leaning toward Ruggles at this point.