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Category: American (New) [Edit]
Neighborhood: Downtown
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My dinner at Voice impresses me more as time goes on. At the end of dinner, I thought, "Well, that was lovely," but to be honest, I wasn't quite sure that it had lived up to the hype. However, a few days later, I turned to my husband and said, "You know, dinner at Voice was really great." Now, I would say that it was definitely one of the nicest and most enjoyable meals that I have had.
Voice is a great place to go if you are looking to celebrate. We were celebrating our anniversary and started with drinks at the bar. Nice set-up with the round, lighted bar; great bartenders. I rarely send anything back and hate to do it, but the first glass of prosecco I received was flat and clearly came from a bottle that had been open way too long. They immediately opened a new bottle and were happy to do it. I also had a mojito, which was absolutely delicious -- not too sweet, which is always key to my cocktail enjoyment.
Once seated at our table, we decided to try the 7 course tasting menu. Our waiter assured us that the courses would not be an overwhelming amount of food, and he was right (although I wouldn't want to run a 5k afterwards!). Service was absolutely top shelf -- none of this dropping off a course and finding out what it was after you have already finished it, which happens some places when they're coordinating multi-course tastings. Also, we told our waiter our price-point and wine preferences, and he was able to recommend an absolutely perfect bottle of red that we both really enjoyed.
The food itself was superb. Standouts were corn ravioli and a lamb course, although the tuna crudo with jalapeno and duck were also delicious. I have to admit, I am just not a huge fan of jalapeno and raw fish -- I love spicy food, but the jalapeno completely overwhelms the delicate raw fish, in my opinion. Still, I realize I am in the minority there, and it was an enjoyable course nonetheless. Of course, we also were served the mushroom cappuccino -- appealing primarily for its novelty, but also quite tasty!
The decor creates a great environment for a celebratory dinner -- the high-backed upholstered chairs create a nice, semi-private feeling while still allowing you to enjoy the energy of the dining room, which was fairly busy for a Tuesday evening.
I recommend Voice. From food to service, the experience is wonderful.
During Houston Restaurant week 2009, a friend and I decided to try Voice. We made reservations on a Friday night. We were disappointed that all they had available for a party of two was 6:45 pm. Ugh...early bird special. Our annoyance was exacerbated by a voicemail asking us to call back and confirm our reservation and a half empty dining room for the duration of our meal. We could have shown up at 7, 8, or 9 and gotten a table without a reservation. To me, that's bad management, but anyway.
The restaurant design is interesting. Typical modern/eclectic hotel stuff. The building is the real star here and I think they over-designed the space. The circular bar with the cowhide bar stools is pretty darn neat.
We started our meal with a bottle of barbaresco...it was yummy and dry. For our first course, I had the vegetable risotto and my friend had the mushroom "cappuccino". Both were great...and unfortunately they were the highlight of the meal. For the main course, I had the Clod steak "Sous vie" and my friend had the pork tenderloin with bourbon sauce. My entree was the winner here, but the meat was bland. I know sous vie is the hot new way to cook meat, but I think beef cooked in this manner is a misstep. Maybe it would work with a brisket. The pork was interesting, but the bourbon sauce and apples on the plate overpowered the meat. For dessert, we both ordered the molten chocolate cake with the caramel and sea salt ice cream. The ice cream was the better half of this dessert, but not great. The level of salt makes it too heavy for an end of meal dessert.
Overall, I wasn't that impressed. I'm glad I tried it and loved the lobby of this hotel (the old bank vault behind the check in desk is amazing!) I won't be back to Voice to eat, but I may grab a drink in the incredibly cool bar.
We had a reservation for 4 at 7:45 on a Saturday night during Houston Restaurant Week so we expected Voice to be a little busy - what we where greeted to when we arrived was a restaurant packed to the rafters!!! So off to the bar we trotted like asked for the requisite 10-15 minute wait.... 40 minutes later we where beginning to wonder what was going on?!?!?! We'd been forgotten about!!!!!
Thankfully all was forgiven the moment the first taste of the mushroom cappuccino hit our lips!! What a deliciously delightful surprise! The mains where also pretty delicious however I must admit coveting my fiance's steak more than my fish after he grudgingly offered me a bite!
Final course offered up warm chocolate cake which was just like warm chocolate pudding when you cut into it - oozing chocolatey goodness all over the plate and apple rhubarb crumble which was the right mix of sweet and tart!
The hotel is simply gorgeous, full of old world charm and the food delicious!
Night #9 of HRW continues here and I'm losing my wardrobe b/c i cant fit into any of my clothes anymore but i am happy.
Another repeat performer from last year but wasn't as amazing as it was back then.
Started with the cappuccino soup with the truffle foam. Which is wonderful and i would recommend it to anyone who hasn't tried it. The presentation is one you will never forget.
I then moved on to the Clod steak served Sous Vide which was well seasoned but was very over cooked. I requested my steak med-rare and it looked med-well, it tasted very good but the mushrooms underneath were very salty.
Finally to the dessert for those who have never had the warm chocolate cake here you are missing out. i have consider myself a dessert connoisseur and this cake is the MOST PERFECT warm chocolate cake i have ever had period. there is nothing else to say. Its just the right amt of warm cake right amt of molten chocolate just the right sweetness perfect. I have to admit i did like the previous ice cream which was crusted in crispy flakes compared to the new ice cream which is salted.
Overall it was a good experience, NOTE to those going remember to park with the valet inside the hotel and then get your parking validated wasting your money on valet is one of my biggest pet peeves.
I finally got around to having dinner at Voice last week. Decided to take my date before seeing Phantom of the Opera at the Hobby Center. My date loved the decor of the restaurant. I started with the mushroom soup cappuccino which was nice, but maybe I expected more since everyone raves about it. I had the slow roasted duck which was cooked perfectly, my date had sea bass with a foam of seafood stock on the top, she said it was perfectly cooked and to die for. We split the warm chocolate cake with caramel/sea salt ice cream. The ice cream was something unexpected, at first nice and rich carmel flavor, but than the saltiness kicked in and went well with the bitter chocolate.
All in all a good dinner, good service, it made for a great beginning to a great night out.
So, it's Restaurant Week 2009 and the family decided to give this place a try. Upon arriving at the hotel, we were all impressed with the decor, it was very nice blend of old and modern at the same time. Note the vault behind the front desk!
We had reservations and were seated immediately. The waitress was very prompt, got our drink order not too long after we were seated. She was acknowledged we had a 6-year old with us and took our food order immediately.
Our foods came out at just the right time. Between courses, we didn't feel once that the food was taking too long. Maybe because we had a child with us.
My first course was the mushroom soup cappuccino, which was nice but not all that. I was expecting more because of the reviews written about it. I do like that it wasn't too salty. I also tasted the risotto and it was really cheesy and delish. For the entree, our table opted for the black grouper and the coulet beef sous vide. Out of the two, everyone agreed that the beef dish was better, it was more flavorful than the grouper. I wished someone ordered the pork, just to compare but no one did. The desserts were both good. The strawberry rhubard was refreshing. A few family members thought it was a bit on the sour side but I liked it, I thought it was a nice combination of sweet from the crisp, and sour from the filling. The chocolate cake was also nice, it was surprisingly lighter than I expected, and the ice cream indulged your palates with it's sweet and salty flavors.
Overall, we were pleased with our dining experience, not blown away, just pleased.
Note: the restaurant will validate your valet parking.
After spending the weekend at the Four Seasons Dallas, I wanted to hit a posh bar near home and continue to be pampered like a princess. I decided that none of my regular haunts would work, so a girlfriend and I decided to try the bar at Voice.
I love the Icon's lobby decor and ambiance, both of which mix old school classy and modern with splashes of color and plain ol' Texas. It reminds me a lot of one of my favorite hotels, the Monaco in Chicago.
Service was very friendly and attentive. My girlfriend downed Grey Goose martinis while I sampled drinks from the specialty drink menu. The raspberry mojito is especially tasty! I also ordered Four Little Crabcakes with red chili voodoo sauce. They were good, but not great. Too much filler and a buttery flavor. Although after having Glass Wall's crab cakes, I doubt anything will ever measure up again....if you haven't had truly spectacular crab cakes, Voice's will satisfy you.
I found the bar appetizer menu prices to be very reasonable as compared to most upscale bars (and definitely better than the prices I had just experienced at Four Seasons!). Valet is $12 and necessary unless you can find a spot on the street.
All-in-all, a quiet place to grab a good drink & people watch when you just don't feel like doing your regular thing.
Voice is located in the lobby of Hotel Icon. Thinking this, I pictured our dining experience akin to eating in a fishbowl. Not so. The set up of the restaurant paired with the over sized, high backed chairs leaves you feeling you are in a more intimate setting. (This is after my initial feeling I was in Tom Petty's "Don't Come Around Here No More" video).
The restaurant is beautiful and elegant. The service impeccable and discreet. The food presentation was bordering art and insanely delicious. I started my meal with the mushroom "cappuccino", a creamed mushroom soup with truffle foam and porcini powder served in a cup/saucer. The aroma of this soup told me that I would enjoy it to the last drop and I did. Delicate mushroom flavor which was followed by the truffle and porcini. For my entree I had the Red Snapper served on a fennel puree with baby carrots and topped with an emulsion that resembled soap foam which was actually white truffle. I ended my most excellent meal with the vanilla bean creme brulee. Decadently rich, creamy and vanilla-y. The top burnt nicely forming a crisp top and one of my dinner companions reminisced about the scene from Amelie where the lead character commented that her favorite part of eating creme brulee was breaking the crust with her spoon. Which I tried and found rather fun to do.
The service was attentive and unobtrusive, the manager visited our table several times and helped serve our meal. This place was such a delight, we put it on our short list of fine dining establishments to visit in the future.
I must admit that I was very impressed with the decor. I think my favorite thing was the extra large high backed chairs which were very comfy and gave the table some privacy. Now service wise, this place blowed. We seemed to wait extra long for anything that was brought to us. We agreed that this place seemed to be understaffed because our waiter had tables all the way on the other side of the restaurant. This may be due to the fact that it is fairly new. The waiter forgot my salad but brought it out with my entree free of charge and offered a complimentary dessert which was nice of him. The food was exceptional enough for me to cancel out the bad service and make a return visit.
The soup was fantastic! So much flavor and interesting hot/cold combination. The salad was ok. I was a little apprehensive about the pear/ duck combination but I was pleasantly surprised. The dessert was delectable and had excellent presentation so much to the point where I almost felt guilty eating it.
I definitely recommend getting what I ordered (minus the salad) :
Appetizer - Mushroom Soup "Cappucino"
Salad - Maytag Blue
Entree - Honey Laquered Duck Breast
Dessert - A Study In Chocolate
This place has been reviewed ad nauseum, but I finally made it over there for a meal and was compelled to sing it's praises.
My fiance and I had a five course tasting menu, with wine pairings. For the sake of timing, I will not go course by course, but rather sum up the experience.
Voice is simply doing everything right. Every dish we had was perfectly executed and original. It is nice to see a chef in Houston remain current in the applications he uses. My fiance and I were both impressed and excited to see uses of molecular gastronomy in some of the dishes. We were also thrilled by his presentations; each of them more picturesque than the one before. Ok, I can't resist talking about one dish. We had a lamb tenderloin that was cooked sous vide. It was quite simply the best serving of lamb I have had in my life.
The service was spectacular. Our server (I think his name was Sean) was a student at UH's Hilton School of HRM. He knew his stuff and was extremely polite.
The folks over at Voice should be proud of their establishment. They are deserving of all their recent press.
So the mushroom cappuccino everyone raves about? A-mazing. I can't even remember what I ate, but that is etched in my mind. And the delicious flavored butter for the bread - little things like that. Excellent food and service, and I really liked the feel of the restaurant. i usually don't eat at the restaurants at hotels I stay at, but I was impressed with both - and the bar is pretty nice as well.
One distasteful thing that didn't settle well with me - I tried the wine that my waiter had recommended and really enjoyed it - however, the glass that he poured it into had little knicks all around the rim - it must have been from the dishwasher, but it was clearly a damaged glass. I mentioned it to the waiter, and offered him to even pour the existing wine into a new glass, which he did. Even though someone offers, I thought it a little distasteful, and was only trying to be polite, but as my dinner party's bill totaled well over $1,000.00, the least he could do was bring me a new glass of wine.
Other than that, a great dining experience - I definitely would go back.
I went today for their "box lunch" special, which is only $15 and truly a good deal (especially considering the fact that they validate valet parking).
The only potential downside is that the choices for soup, salad and sandwhich are minimal (you have two things to choose from for each category). I really enjoyed what I had, though, which included a cup of butternut squash soup, a small but fabulous maytag blue cheese salad with an absolutely delicious honey-sage vinaigrette and a smoked turkey panini with swiss cheese and basil pesto. The special also includes dessert (no choice, though) but I was thrilled with the tiny panna cotta with fresh blueberries. It was the perfect ending to a lovely meal in a truly beautiful setting. I love what they've done with the room since the Bank days.
Service was good but the place was almost empty so I would expect good service in that situation. The one odd complaint is that they were out of iced tea - but offered hot tea (how about pouring some of the hot tea into a glass of ice?). I look forward to dining here at night as I've read so many great things about Chef Michael Kramer and have enjoyed some of his appetizers for events at the bar. The menu sounds inventive and fresh.
My husband took me to Voice for my birthday. We both ordered the tasting menu. Absolutely heavenly experience.
3.3 Stars - Rounded Down
This review is only for the Bar/Lounge area and not the restaurant. I look forward to trying out the restaurant sometime in the near future. Gayle would enjoy Voice very much.
After reading Farrah A.'s and Andrea R.'s postings, I decided I had to try this place during my stay in Houston. Here are my impressions:
SPACE - 4 Stars.
Voice is located in the Hotel Icon, which appears to be a finely remodeled old bank building. The high ceiling and spacious arrangements make for a comfortable and stylish experience. I also enjoyed the lit and round marble bar and the semi-private seating alcoves (big enough for small groups). This is a great place to meet friends, sip, and socialize. My only concern is that the 3 TVs close to the bar may be too much of a distraction in maintaining this atmosphere.
SERVICE - 2 Stars.
For most of my visit, the bartender had no waiter support and at least a few folks not sitting at the bar where not served in anywhere near a timely manner. And although the bartender was friendly and my own service was timely enough, he was clearly distracted. It could have been from the football game on TV or the electronic gadget he was playing with between customers. But clearly, he could have been more attentive to the flow of lounge customers within his larger service area.
FOOD - 4 Stars.
I had the Angus Beef Sliders with caramelized unions and pomme frits in a cone. They were well presented, absolutely delicious and surprisingly filling. The bar drinks were also quite yummy.
This is a tough review because I have experienced Voice on two separate occasions. I'll review in chronological order:
Voice (the catered wedding)
Food: 3/10
Service: 7/10
Atmosphere: 7/10
I was a groomsman for a wedding that occurred at Hotel Icon. Of course Voice was the only caterer for the ballrooms. It wasn't a large nor small wedding; there were about 120 people attending the reception. The food was served by waitstaff (not buffet style). The starter was a salad. Not bad for a catered event. However, the main dish was awful. It was some sort of beef, salmon entree and sides. The beef was overcooked to the point that it was short of jerky. Many other attendees shared the same experience. It was unfortunate that most of the guest remembered the burnt meat and truffled french fries served at midnight. The groom told me later that it was nothing like the tasting they had when they chose Hotel Icon.
Voice (dining experience in lobby)
Food: 8/10
Service: 10/10
Atmosphere: 8/10
Creativity: 8/10
A group of four of us had early reservations for Yelp Eat's Week. There was a set three course menu for $25 excluded tip and drinks. If it wasn't for Yelp Eat's Week I would have not thought to dine here ever. But the combination of service, food and price makes this a five star meal. We told our waiter, Chris, that we only had one hour and fifteen minutes before our 7:30 show at Toyota Center. He delivered and we didn't feel rushed at all. We placed our order and had to re-visit the wine list because he told us of their weekday special. All bottles of wine were 30 to 50% off. As we looked at the list, he quickly stepped away. We found our bottle and he was back as soon as we returned to our conversation. The first course came soon, followed by Chris with our wine. I had had the Mushroom Cappuccino and I can not describe how good it was. It was exactly like a cappuccino but made of mushroom soup. If you placed this in front of anyone...it would have been mistaken for coffee. And the foam was sturdy. My second course was the flat iron steak. It was cooked as order and tasted excellent. My final course was the peanut butter chocolate bar. It was like nothing I have tasted before. Chris shared with us the secret to the crunchy bottom...baked crepes to a crunchy texture then smashed into smaller pieces that were formed as the base of the bar. Who would have thought? It was an excellent dinner. And a special thanks to Chris.
I'm giving four stars due to the catering problem.
I came back and tried the 5 course, $65 tasting menu with my brother.
The starter was again the mushroom cappuccino, which was again a winner. I think people who go here are crazy not to try this.
The other highlight was the sous-vide lamb, which might have been the best lamb I have ever had. If you have not had sous-vide before, try it here. It has the same low and slow premise of BBQ, but is more exact in the temperature control.
Again, the server was clearly putting in a lot of effort, and it was appreciated. A very solid fine dining establishment.
We tried the tasting menu here a couple of days ago. 7 courses for $80, which is a not-bad deal,… Read more »
Myself and a friend who is a chef popped in there hearing amazing things about this restaurant. When it comes to food we subscribe to the Kobra Kai adage "Mercy is for the weak." We also like "Sweep the leg." but that really has nothing to do with food.
Anywho... FANTASTINOMENOL!
We had a 7 course tasting menu which I recommend to anyone who's first time it is eating there.
The first course was their Cappuccino Mushroom Soup with a White Truffle Foam. As the young teenagers say, "OMG" did this first course deliver. Extremely strong and powerful flavors that catch you completely off guard. It almost teeters on being too powerful but thankfully they serve it in a small cafecito cup, so the portion is just perfect, leaving you wanting more and anticipating the next dish.
Which was a wonderful beet salad, very fresh!
Well I won't go over every course, but the coup de grace was the Pork Belly! Wa wa we wa. Perfectly cooked, the fat from the pork belly just evaporated in your mouth. Instant standing ovation from us.
The ambiance is beautiful. They seat you in these huge long back chairs which make you feel like royalty being seated in your throne room. Tall dividers give a real sense of privacy with out feeling too isolated and the colors of the room make it feel warm and comfortable.
The only bad thing, and I forgave it and still rated this place with 5 stars,
was that the had some trouble with their expo, and we had to wait quite a bit for a few of the dishes, also they forgot which course we were on. But the fact that the food was so special all was forgiven(I think the bottle of wine helped too.)
J
My wonderful girlfriend took me here today to celebrate my birthday though I actually picked the restaurant. I decided on Voice as an alternative to the usual suspects because I felt like it would take "contemporary" to a different level... It didn't disappoint.
We both started off with the mushroom cappuccino-- by far the most popular dish from Voice. It receives rave reviews from everyone-- bloggers, yelpers, food critics, the waiter... It is clear that Voice itself is very impressed with the soup-- it is on the website and the Chef sends out little cups soup sample if you don't actually order it. For the most part, I agree-- it really is one of the best soups I've ever had. Smooth, creamy, flavorful, creative, I can go on and on... I just wish we shared a cup (they were quite large and also quite heavy) and tried something else.
For dinner, my girlfriend ordered some coffee-rubbed filet ($36) and I had the venison sous vide (also $36). Now...what can I say to describe the venison. It was by far the most interesting dish I have ever come across in my short life, all things considered. Sous vide, according to Wikipedia, is "a method of cooking that is intended to maintain the integrity of ingredients by heating them for an extended period of time at relatively low temperatures"-- not to be confused with crock pot. According to our waiter, the deer tenderloin is placed in an air tight vacuum and cooked underwater at 150 degrees for x amount of hours. The venison was really something incredible. At first, without the sauce, it tasted particularly gamey but not so much in a bad way. With the sweet cherry sauce, it was just perfect. Every bite was tender and delicious. I can go on and on...
On the other hand, my girlfriend's filet was underwhelming. In part, because she asked for it medium rare and it came medium, leaning toward medium well. This is why I took away a star. We don't like sending things back out of fear of stuff we see in movies (probably not true but why take the chance) but she did say it was very good with the sauce. I wish one of us tried a fish. We had sides of creamed corn (which my buddy described as corn with cheez-its on top) and truffled fries (which were much better than mcdonald's). The sides were $6 each.
For those planning on going to Voice, I would highly recommend the tasting menu at $65 for 5 dishes. We spent about $50 for 2 dishes and while I left feeling full and satisfied, I coulda gorged down a lot more of that amazingly inventive food. I'm a small guy too-- light eater. If I hadn't stuffed myself with so much bread and creamy soup earlier, I highly doubt the 4-5 oz. of deer, sliced on a large white plate would have been enough to fill me up. Also, be sure to valet your car. I read a review that it was $10 but if you get it validated by your waiter, it is actually complimentary.
Service was pretty darn good. Our waiter was a nice guy who ended up bringing out two small chocolates on a plate that said "Happy Birthday" in chocolate. It was a nice touch, except he called me Michael and didn't recite to us the specials... no complaints though. However, one small problem I would correct is that the waiters seem to be standing around...a lot. We went pretty early, at around 6:15 and there was a lot of standing around. Like the entire wait staff would be hanging around in their gray uniforms that sharply contrast the lighter colors of the restaurant (but match the seat leather). Even later on during the night, there would be a lot of hanging around. Maybe the place is overstaffed-- when we walked in, we were the only people at the large dining room.
Overall, I hope Voice makes it. They serve some seriously modern food and I had a great experience here for my birthday.
This quaint restaurant is tucked inside of Hotel Icon in downtown. Wanting a nice date restaurant, it definitely has a romantic vibe. However, with the high ceilings and opening up to the hotel lobby, it causes a lot of distractions and noise pollution. The service was impeccable though.
On to the more important stuff, the food... We opted not to order the prix fixe menu. Instead, we had:
-Duck Risotto (appetizer)
-Seared Jumbo Scallops with Artichoke Hearts (my entree)
-Seared Yellow Fin Tuna (his entree)
-Pumpkin Creme Brulee (dessert)
And for the first time, I enjoyed all 4 dishes. The portions are a little lean which is expected at restaurant as these. But the flavors were delightful. Each ingredient was balanced correctly and cooked perfectly. I knocked off one star because this isn't the best restaurant that I've been too but it's one of the better one in the Houston area.
Also, valet is $12, but give your ticket to the server or hostess/ host and they will take care of it for you. That was unexpectedly nice.
Move over Mockingbird and Mark's! Voice has become my new favorite restaurant! Bold claim you say? Let me illuminate you as to why this place rocks--it takes the best of both Mockingbird (AMAZING service) and Mark's (beautiful decor and food near perfection) and mixes it together.
We made reservations for Houston Restaurant Week and though I was a bit irked at the mandatory $10 valet fee, I understand it is downtown and I preferred to fork over the money rather than drive around town looking for a spot.
The decor is gorgeous and well thought out. The bar was a nice and I really enjoyed how secluded the tables were. One of the most frustrating things about going to a restaurant is when the tables are crammed together and you're overhearing everyone's conversation. Or when you're getting bumped into all the time because of poor space management. Luckily, Voice planned it out well and we had room.
Let's just jump into the food, shall we? I tried a bit of everyone's so, I have quite a bit to say. My mushroom soup didn't fail to disappoint. After reading all the rave reviews on Yelp about it, I was happy to see it was as perfect as everyone had mentioned. Of course, people like Lisa A who hate truffles may want to stay away, but really, after stirring it together with the soup, it muffled the strong flavor enough that I think anyone would've enjoyed it. The boys got the risotto for their appetizer and though it was very, very good, it didn't wow me like the soup did.
For my entree, I got the red snapper. It was perfect. Flakey, delicious, and moist. I'm not a huge fan of peas, but it complimented the fish very well. The hubby's steak was amazing. Rare, bloody, and wonderfully seasoned. It was on a bed of mashed potatoes that was creamy and phenomenal.
The desserts were heavenly. The creme brulee was a bit disappointing since the consistency wasn't as smooth as I'm used to seeing, but the fresh fruit was great. I got one of the chocolate desserts and my friend got the other. Between the two of us, we were in heaven. And I'm not a chocolate eater. But it was rich and creamy, without being too filling.
The real reason that Voice impressed me so much was not only were they able to send out phenomenal food, but the service was impeccable. The hubby was 45 minutes late to dinner and the waiter (though I knew he was annoyed), never batted an eye. Sure, he asked twice about our fourth guest, but considering how late he was and how many people they were turning away at the door, I was very impressed at the restraint he showed.
Next, both the boys had allergic reactions during dinner. One, because he ate the couscous which was made of wheat and he is allergic. No biggie. Secondly, because I'm an idiot and almost killed my husband. Offering him a bit of pork is fine. Offering him some pork on a fork that I'd use for my snapper--not so smart. Both times, the waitstaff went out of their way to check on the boys. They were sweet, caring, and cracking jokes when appropriate to mock the situation.
Finally, one of my favorite, favorite things at a restaurant is when the owner or chef comes out and REALLY asks how things are. Not the obligatory two seconds, but actually wants to know how your experience was. The chef came out and talked with us a bit and I was a goner. That kind of care about the work that you put out is rare and I'm a sucker for it.
On all fronts, Voice serves to impress me with their quality of food, high level of service, and providing an overall fantastic experience. I saw the tasting menu on their and we've already decided to do it as our congratulatory dinner for moving into the new place! Voice, we'll be back. Soon.
I came here for a very special occasion and it was alright... The location and setting at Hotel Icon was modern and sprinkled with a bit of quirkiness. The chairs are those tall, cushion-y ones which give you privacy. Mad props to such a cool environment! ;)
For appetizers - I heard the mushroom cappucino soup was delicious, but to me, it was disappointing. It was extremely salty, and I could barely taste the mushrooms. We also had a crab ravioli topped with goat cheese dish.. but it didn't stand out to me.
For main entrees - I had the Gulf Red Snapper. I hated the sauce. The sauce had hard to chew beans, leeks, garlic, etc. To me, I felt like I was eating cafeteria food. The Honey Lacquered Duck Breast was good though. It would've been better if it was warmer though.
For dessert - We had the toasted lavender poundcake. I think this was the highlight of the night! The poundcake was lightly toasted and the ice cream and strawberries complimented it very well with a light scent of lavender. It's something I haven't had before.
Overall, nice setting. So-so service (the waiter forgot our bread until we reminded him when I realized the mushroom soup was too salty). Mediocre food. Good dessert.
Went here for New Years Eve, so the menu was prix fixe at a price that wasn't disclosed on their Website, when we made our reservations, or anywhere on the menu. For what we had, I think it was overpriced. But no matter, it was New Years Eve and we hadn't planned on limiting ourselves.
We started with the Foi Gras, which had a funny, indescribable aftertaste to me (uh, like duck liver? I know, I'm not a big fan in general), but my companion enjoyed his. Next was a cream of celery soup, and I do believe this was my favorite dish! Good Lord, it was heavenly. I had bay scallops for my third dish, and they were very sweet in a delicious butter sauce with lobster and clams. No complaints. For my main dish, I chose the lobster tail. It was tasty, but a little too tough. For dessert, I ordered the lemon tart. The lemon flavor was rich and yummy, and the homemade vanilla ice cream perfect, but the crust of the tart was dry and tough and not nearly flaky enough for my taste.
I also had the wine pairings with my meal, and they were all excellent compliments to the food. Very good selections, I thought.
All-in-all, it was a satisfying if not very memorable experience. I think I could really enjoy this place, but I would like to return during a normal evening and have the entire menu to choose from. I was actually really looking forward to the mushroom soup cappuccino, and sad when I realized I would be denied... I guess the celery soup made up for my loss, though.
After a return visit to Voice last night, I have to say that I'm still thoroughly pleased with the route that the restaurant has taken so far and am now easily one of their biggest fans.
I haven't had a single dish at Voice that wasn't amazing. The mushroom soup "cappucino" (for which you can actually find a recipe on the restaurant's website), the "fish and chips" (tuna tartare on taro chips with horseradish sauce), the summer corn and crab risotto, the braised short ribs, the bleu cheese salad with endive, the parmesan truffle French fries, even the pork sous vide -- which still needs a lot of tweaking before it's stunning -- everything here is fabulous.
The interior is gorgeous; no getting around that. The soaring ceilings, the upscale yet playful upholstery, the sumptuous floor to ceiling drapes, the amber-toned, modern chandeliers -- everything is beautiful inside Voice. You feel instantly warm and relaxed and you don't want to leave.
I'm also consistently impressed with the wine list, both in the quality of their selections and their prices. The sommelier has always recommended the perfect bottle for our meal. In fact, all of the waitstaff at Voice seem eager to please and go above and beyond for their customers, something which you should expect at this price level.
My only minor complaint is that the bar can get a little hectic and you're somtimes left stranded without a drink for quite a while. But if you're just going for dinner, this shouldn't be an issue. Make sure you save room for their Chinese five spice ice cream for dessert -- you've never had ice cream as different and delicious as this and you won't want to have missed it.
It's a good restaurant, don't get me wrong. But I was not impressed.
I opened the menu with high expectations, and was disappointed by the competely pedestrian feel it had. Maybe it's just the lunch menu (I plan on going back for dinner to see), but burgers, turkey sandwiches, and caesar salads are not quite what I was expecting. (I will admit, though, that the mushroom soup was excellent.) I think the menu needs a few more creative items for lunch.
Yes, the location is great. It's in the Icon, which is one of my favorite hotels; very 40s and classy. (The service was very good too, although the dining room was only halfway full.)
But decor shouldn't be the best part of my meal; I'm there to eat, not to look around.
I had one of the best meals in Houston here. I am not sure if the food was really as good as I thought it was or if the whole atmosphere of the night added to my dining experience. BUT I will say that the staff and level of service at Hotel Icon definitely had an influence on how much I enjoyed my meal here.
So I should disclose that my meal at Icon was free - like I said Hotel Icon was awesome and hooked us up with a free meal since we were staying in the hotel for a week. That being said, the tuna appetizer was delicious, the truffle fries were totally amazing and the service was great. The coffee-rubbed beef was good but not great in my opinion.
Something that made the meal extra enjoyable was that the chef kept sending out "nibbles" for us to sample - my favorite thing of the night was the mushroom capuccino. It is mushroom soup that is served in a little capuccino cup. It was really, really tasty. Throughout the meal the waiter was incredible - he upgraded our wine, shared his recommendations and kept the nibbles coming.
The music and atmosphere laid the foundation. It was cool, sexy and totally unpretentious. I was surprised that it was not more pretentious.
Well done, Michael Kramer, well done indeed, sir. We came here for Melissa's birthday dinner, on the recommendation of our limo driver, Jose. Voice opened very recently, and we were excited to see what kind of cuisine we would experience.
We went for the chef's 5 course tasting menu, and I must say, it was the best meal I have had in Houston, and definitely in my top ten meals of my life (including Paris and Barcelona).
The mushroom coup capuccino was to start, absolutely amazing. Served in a little espresso cup, the presentation really completed the expereince.
The second course: beet salad, except the name truly does not do it justice. Delicious.
We had a lovely Veuve Cliquot to start, and switched to Chateuaneuf de pape for the later courses, including foie gras (a personal favorite of mine, in this case, done amazingly with mushrooms), halibut (with fennelcream, amazing) and venison (vacuum cooked for evenness and with delicious apple garnish).
The dessert was absolutely amazing, with a sample of four different desserts. Crunchy ice cream, condensed milk ice cream, pineapple cake, and a mini molten chocolate cake.
Overall, an amazing meal. Chef Kramer came out and spoke with us for a while after we finished eating, and mentioned that he also has a table in the kitchen where you can do a tasting while he cooks and chats with you!! I think that's my birthday plan!
Oh, and as a side note, it is obviously not a cheap meal, but it is worth every penny. Actually, for what it was, it's very very reasonably priced! I know we will be back many times over, for different tastings and for drinks, as the cocktail menu looks amazing!
What's taken me so long to partake in the sweet bliss they call "Mushroom Soup Cappuccino?"
I came here at the behest of a friend from Studio Communications. He worked his magic and Andrea R and I were able to get a reservation and enjoy a comped meal during her stay here. It was a semi-long few days filled with cold sammies and not-so-great grub, so this was a pleasant change of pace for the two of us.
For those who don't know, Voice Restaurant & Lounge is Hotel Icon's "new" restaurant, debuting in April of this year after a four-million-dollar renovation from the former restaurant, Bank Jean-George's. Since then, Voice and Executive Chef Michael Kramer have received much acclaim in numerous local and national publications, including the honor of Esquire magazine's "Best New Restaurant 2008." Excited yet? You should be.
Studying the menu and wanting it all, Andrea made a suggestion to go for the five-course tasting menu ($65). "Okay!" I gladly agreed, not knowing she was being slightly sarcastic. Reevaluating the opportunity, she realized it was the best bet. We were at Voice, after all.
Our waiter Chris asked us if we had any allergies or preferred any certain meats. With Andrea not being much of a beef-gal, we let the kind fellow know. After a basket of fresh artisan breads and spreads, the culinary fun began with Voice's famous Mushroom Cappuccino. Served in a cappuccino glass, the rich and steamy Crimini mushroom soup is topped with a cold truffle foam and porcini powder. The play on the contrasting temperatures and textures, and overall presentation, is a unique experience. Second course was a Patchwork of Baby Beets: Texas goat cheese, micro arugula, beet caramel. I'm not much of a beet lover, put paired with the goat cheese and a sweet, fruity sauce, you can bet I cleaned my plate. Third course came the Potato Gnocchi. Slightly rich for my palate, the serving size was perfect; we also had the herb-marinated lamb. Sopping up the jus with the bread basket was heaven, but nothing topped the Alaskan Halibut. Oh my. The crispy, well-seasoned outside was just as magnificent as the succulent inside. Though I plan to re-explore the menu on my next visit with Voice, the Alaskan Halibut is one entree that will temped me back. Last but not least came dessert: warm chocolate cake with a helping of a white chocolate foamy froth (sorry, forgot the name but it was delish; and I'm not a fan of white chocolate).
Curse me for detoxing before the holidays; I'm sure the wine pairing would have synchronized everything even more so elegantly.
During this past visit, the scene was pretty laid back, which can be expected on a Wednesday night. I'll definitely be back to Voice, more than likely I'll hangout at the ultra-hip bar and sip on some of the great cocktails that I tried during their grand opening; I believe one was called the Scarlet Johanson.
After all this rave, Voice is definitely worthy of five stars; however I only knocked half (not a whole) a star because a few times when dishes were brought out, our waiter was not there to explain what it was we were tasting, even after waiting a few minutes. I could tell it was probably a busier night than expected, so I'm not complaining. Just thought I'd throw that in there. I'll still be back, and recommend anyone to swing by for sophisticated drinks or a full-course feast.
EN: Just got word that Voice now has a new GM, so it looks like these small kinks will be fixed shortly.
Full disclosure: Farrah A and I were quite lucky enough to get our meal comped here by the PR folks behind this uhmazing restaurant. Thanks Voice!
Now on to my review Voice...
Well, I certainly heard a voice in my head throughout my meal. The voice kept saying "Andrea, stop eating so much or you're going to end up with a stomach ache!" And the voice was right because I had to be rolled out of here, but it was impossible to stop with food this good!
The bread basket alone (actually I think we may have gone through 2 bread baskets!) was amazing! The english muffins in the basket were especially good and I liked the 3 spreads as well- the garlic spread being my favorite (so worth the garlic breath).
We decided to be adventurous and order the 5 course tasting...and this was definitely the way to go! We were presented with the following:
* Mushroom Soup- may have been my favorite of all the courses. It comes in a little cappuccino cup and was rich, delicious, and perfect for a winter day (oh wait, I was in 70 degree Houston weather!)
* Beets with goat cheese- I'm not really a beet person, but I'll eat anything if it comes with goat cheese
* Gnocchi- very creamy and rich. The portion size was perfect because it was too rich to eat more than a little.
* Halibut- my 2nd favorite (right after the mushroom soup). The fish was fresh tasting and flavorful. If I were to go back and just order from the menu I'd definitely get this again!
* Lamb chops- not something I usually eat, but definitely a treat! This is when I started to get a bit uncomfortably full...hello stomach ache!
* Dessert- While full, I'm never too full for dessert! Especially when presented with some white chocolate goodness and molten chocolate cake. Both were excellent, but both Farrah and I couldn't get enough of the white chocolate
If you're counting you're probably wondering why we got 6 courses for the 5 course tasting. I was wondering the same thing, but I'm not one to complain when delicious food keeps coming my way!
My one complaint was that our our waiter would come over to explain what we were eating when we were nearly finished. We even tried to wait a bit to eat the gnocchi to give him some time to get over to us, but after 5 minutes and no waiter we dug in. Not a huge deal, but if you're going to do the tasting menu it's nice to have some sort of explanation to go along with it (before you start eating)...
The decor of the restaurant is also very interesting. Each area is very different. When we first walked in I saw lots of animal prints, which was pretty funky. However, the section we sat in was very typical looking for a hotel restaurant- elegant, yet a bit stuffy. This was the type of area you'd probably want to sit in for a business dinner. However, if you're going with friends or on a date I'd recommend one of the funkier areas.
Overall, a great experience and I wouldn't hesitate to go back as a paying customer. And knowing me I'd probably ignore those voices warning me of a stomach ache again and go straight for the tasting menu...YUM!
both food and service have improved so much since they first opened. my updated rating is now based on 5 meals here, but many visits as the bar is now my favorite place for drinks downtown (sancerre by the glass!). my most memorable was during houston restaurant week with a group of ~12 people. we were sat in the wine vault in the basement and had our own server.
the braised short ribs were the best i've ever had. the mushroom cappuccino remains to be some of my favorite soup being served in houston. the service was impeccable. the wine pairings were great. the GM, executive chef, and chef de cuisine all stopped by to talk to us, make sure we were having a good experience and to answer any questions.
i've also had a few meals at the bar. fish and chips are excellent - tuna tartare with taro chips. the sliders are delicious too and come with truffle fries.
the wine list is very reasonably priced. i definitely recommend the new and improved VOICE for a special occasion dinner or for apps and drinks at the bar.
went to voice in the hotel icon for lunch today. this was my second visit since it opened about 3… Read more »
Voice is completely over-rated. Last time I went, they weren't open for lunch over weekends. Stylish lounge, bar and dining room. Love the high-backed throne-like dining chairs.
The signature mushroom soup "cappuccino" was intensely salty, and I sent that back to the kitchen. My second visit was accompanied by the wife of a chef and she wasn't impressed either so I guess neither of us will be back. On the first visit my server was obnoxious, and on the second visit, the server was enthusiastic, but inelegant.
Give a few months and things improve! The 1/2 lb yellow fin tuna was seared on the outside with a yielding texture on the inside. Exemplary prepared fish in that it tasted wonderful and was cooked, really, about perfect. The duck entree was good, but the serving was wee, so be warned. Eating at the bar at 10pm on a Friday it took 30 minutes for entrees to come out, but the staff served us complimentary mushroom soup which is awesome undoubtedly for its reliance on cream. I may actually start eating at Voice again after this meal.
great addition for downtown, but that's not saying very much.
I have high hopes for voice as it is…
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Voice is a new restaurant at Hotel Icon, where Jean Georges launched Bank as his first signature restaurants in the South. As great as Bank was under Jean Georges and Bryan Caswell (now at Reef), Michael Kramer's Voice seems to have raised the bar even higher.
The space has been completely redesigned, eliminating the plush fabrics that made the place look like a crypt and adding a brightly lit bar as a centerpiece that anchors the dining room, but the food is the biggest draw here.
I ordered an expanded version of the tasting menu shortly after Voice opened and ended up having one of the best meals I've had in Houston, or in most other cities, for that matter.
Best dishes from our tasting menu (you can find pictures here
http://www.tasty-bits....):
* Mushroom Soup "Cappuccino", Truffles, Truffle Foam
* Maine Lobster, Pushed Avocado, Orange
* Patchwork of Baby Beets, Texas Goat Cheese, Micro Arugula, Beet Caramel
* Sashimi of Yellowfin Tuna, Mango, Watermelon Radish, Yuzu Juice
* Potato Gnocchi, Morels, Asparagus, Prosciutto
* Alaskan Halibut, Fennel, Baby Carrots, Truffle Emulsion
* Honey Lacquered Duck Breast, Morels, Fava Beans, Black Pepper Gastrique
* Venison Sous Vide, Caramelized Apples, Spring Onions, Sour Cherry Sauce
* Peanut Butter Custard, Caramelized Banana, Hazelnut Crunch
Voice has a well balanced a la carte menu, but I'd highly recommend the multi-course tasting if you want to try the full experience. Preparations are some of the most progressive in Houston, but not avant garde or experimental as you might find at Aliea or WD-50.
In plain English that means that food tastes like food at Voice, rather than a science experiment.
Although Voice has a distinct identity of it's own, its most comparable to Restaurant August in New Orleans, where John Besh uses new cooking techniques and local ingredients to create a unique brand of New Orleans food. Michael Kramer brings the same formula to Houston, producing a menu where a sous vide dish occupies the same space as a rather traditional rack of lamb, so going there with someone who doesn't like surprises is perfectly safe.
I was in Houston last week and visited Voice. Our waiter Matt, despite being new, was extremely knowledgeable about the menu and was professional, attentive and friendly. We had the five-course tasting menu with wine, plus a round of four desserts. All of the wine chosen by the sommelier was excellent and perfectly complemented the food. We had: Mushroom Soup "Cappucino" served with a Prosecco. This course was divine. I dream of the creamy, drinkable mushroom soup ever day at lunch, because I want it again. Course 2 included local tomatoes with figs and goat cheese. The figs and goat cheese were excellent; the tomatoes just good. Course 3 was ricotta ravioli with tarragon sauce a little bite of heaven. The sauce was lightly creamy and flavorful, but did not overpower the delicate handmade raviolis. Course 4 was a filet of John Dory. I thought this course was a little bland and not a highlight of the meal, but not bad. The Israeli couscous with corn side was excellent, though. Course 5 was the most tender venison I've ever eaten in my life, and I'm not usually a huge fan of game, served with a Chateauneuf Du Pape, some of my all-time favorite wines. Desserts were lovely, and accompanied by an excellent Greek dessert wine. The peanut butter custard was my favorite, and I generally hate peanut butter desserts. There was a dessert sampler and a molten chocolate cake that were excellent, and a panna cotta that was also good. The entire experience was first-rate. The ambience is upscale but not snobbish. The manager and our server made sure that we ate and got the bill in plenty of time to make our show. We were so impressed we asked for a list of the wines, and the wine director and the waiter gave us a printed copy of the menu and the wines! Cocktails before dinner were also exceptional. If I lived there, I would go a lot!
Heard from the chef at Voice that the iced tea policy has changed. Bravo, Voice! Now I'll have to try 'em out.
I'd been excited to try this new spot, but read a recent review in the Houston Press that put a halt… Read more »
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