Katie "katiedid710" F.'s Profile

I went here because of a coupon as well...I think Elaine and I got the same deal.  The way this place was billed, it seemed like a great deal because it was some sort of exclusive spa.  Not the case at all.

I called to book an appointment, and it turns out they were closed because it was Monday.  The phone forwards to the owner's cell, and she answered & told me to call back.  When I called back the next day, all the appointments were booked.  I ended up making a 12:15 appt for the following Sunday with my friend.  Even though they open at 12, the owner told me to be there at 12:15 because they wouldn't be ready yet.  That should have been my first clue.

The look of the whole place was definitely sub-standard for a spa - I wouldn't have paid more than $30 for a mani/pedi here, and they claim it's over $60 without the coupon.  The "A" was missing from the word "Salon" on the sign, too.  The photo on Yelp makes it look a lot nicer than it is - don't be fooled.

We got there at 12:15, and there was only 1 staff person there.  The person working told us that we would have to wait until 1:00, because the other staff member was having "car troubles."  Hmm...she called the staff person to check on when she would be there and they said wanted to talk to ME on the phone!  Huh?

So at this point, we were annoyed, because we had pre-paid for the service to get the coupon.  Oh yes, I will be getting my money back.  We walked out & went to Leon Nails and paid $25 for a pretty darn good mani/pedi.  

Don't use this place - you'll regret it.

I'm no burger connoisseur, but I know a good meal when I eat one.  Hubcap serves up the best burger I've ever put in my mouth, times ten!

Finding the place is no small feat...as Dennis L. noted, it's not where Google says it's supposed to be.  If you're coming from 610, go north on Main and look behind the Church's Fried Chicken.  You'll see a sign that says "Hamburgers," but not the name of the actual restaurant.  There are hubcaps stuck to the outside wall, though, so if you see them, you know you're in the right place.

So on to the food: think fresh, never-frozen beef; soft, homemade bun; crispy, crunchy fixin's; and ooey, gooey, melty cheese.  Add some heavenly, hand-cut sweet potato fries (or regular ones...they're pretty darn good too).  If you're feeling a little wacky, get the sticky burger: it includes cheese, bacon, and...wait for it...peanut butter!  They have Dublin Dr. Pepper and lots of other sodas in bottles, which is a nice, vintage touch.

If you're in the mood for a little something sweet (and can fit it in your stomach after all that food), make sure to get a slice of homemade cake from the front counter.  Also, word on the street is that the owner of Hank's Ice Cream down the road is talking to Hubcap about a milkshake on the menu...that's a partnership made in heaven for sure!

Relaxation just doesn't get as complete anywhere else.  The Houstonian is its own self-contained compound, complete with hotel, spa, gym, and restaurant amidst an entire forest of trees.  Just driving into the property makes you feel like you're somewhere special, and it doesn't stop there (except when there's a stop sign).

The hotel rooms are bright, well-appointed, and luxurious, and it's a treat just walking to them, as the hallways are floor-to-ceiling glass so you can see the surrounding woods.  Talk about nature at its finest for the Troop Beverly Hills crowd!  Olivette, the restaurant, has fresh, well-prepared food, even if it is a little pricey (like everything here...but hey, you get what you pay for, right?).

The spa, Trellis, is unlike anything I've ever seen.  While the services run on the pricey side ($65 for a 30 min. mini-facial, for example), the benefits before & after the service make it all worthwhile.  You can sit in a comfy, terrycloth robe in front of a roaring fire eating shortbread & drinking coffee or tea the entire day if you want.  Or maybe you want to take a dip in the heated pool, relax in the sauna, or check out the rain shower.  You can do that too.  You can chat it up with the friendly attendants in the clean, high-tech locker room.  You can relax at your own pace - nobody's kicking you out until closing time.  In fact, you have a full day to enjoy your relaxation: book a morning appointment and come back in the evening to use the facilities if you'd like.  Nice, huh?

PS - Right now, Trellis Spa's parking lot is under construction, so they're offering complementary valet until it opens.

Ok, so I'm partial to freebies.  It's not often that you're regularly offered a free appetizer AND a free dessert at a restaurant, especially at a mid-range sushi joint.  The folks at Osaka made service and customer satisfaction a priority, and that's why they deserve the whole 5 stars.

From creative rolls to quality sushi, Osaka ranks high up there in the Houston sushi scene.  Maybe it's not considered the best in town by most, but it has the most consistent quality.  The servers kick it up a notch by being attentive and personable without hovering.  Plus, it's a casual place, and while other restaurants of this ilk slack on consistency & service, Osaka excels.

While I'm digging the low lighting, the well-appointed decor, and the friendly service, there's something about a bar being dead during a Thursday happy hour that doesn't speak very well for it.

The drinks seemed good, the food was decent (though not incredibly innovative...lots of fried, crunchy stuff like typical bar food), but the company just didn't pick up.  I'm not sure why a+ doesn't attract a better crowd - maybe downtown just isn't the place to be on a weekday eve?

*17 is named after the 17 railroads that converged in Houston around 1910 - not really sure what the name's significance is to the hotel, especially since Houston has a penchant for destroying the historic, but hey - at least Alden's trying to be creative.

The new Executive Chef here, Chip Haight, is just 24.  He gets most dishes right, and there are just a few things that are easy to attribute to rookie mistakes.  Here's the rundown:
-Amuse: smoked eel & salmon tartar: simply delightful.
-Black angus dumplings: incredible beyond words, mainly because of the crunchy granulated ginger and indescribably pungent and rich siu mai sauce.
-Farmer's market salad: not my favorite.  Goat cheese sprinkles were outstanding, bibb lettuce was just ok (and hard to cut large pieces with knife).  Lardons were cold and didn't add anything.  Dressing knocked it out of the park with flavor, but was relatively sparse.
-Cake of the day: not the most fantastic cake I've ever had, but still moist and flavorful.  Balsamic vinegar reduction on the plate needed to come in a carafe so I could drink it up.  Absolutely no reason for underripe strawberry halves on the plate.

Are we sensing a theme here?  The guy is good at anything liquid...sauces, dressings, reductions, whatever.  If he could make an entirely liquid meal, I'd be game.

Service waxed and waned because of two large parties in the dining room, but overall, it was attentive and thoughtful.  The complementary port wine was a treat, and the hostess made extra efforts to make me feel at home.  The ambiance was dim and romantic - the perfect place for a date.

Huntsville State Park is the place for the outdoorsy guy/gal who wants it all: canoeing, camping, hiking, mountain biking, cooking out, and even paddle boating!  Just an hour away from Houston proper, it's the perfect day-trip getaway.

Canoes can be rented by the hour or by the day: I'd recommend the $30 all-day rental.  There's a $10 deposit, but you get that back when you return the canoe in one piece.  You can also rent paddle boats for a comparable price, and they fit at least 4.  Let me tell you, those things haul!

The lake has three main fingers, and there are lots of different areas to explore.  There's a marsh, a dam/spillway, and little coves where you can dock your canoe & hike around.

As far as biking & hiking, there are at least 10 trails to explore, the Chinquapin being the largest.  It circles the entire park, and it ranges from moderately technical to fairly easy for the mountain biker.  The camp sites, picnic areas, and restroom facilities are all kept up well, and the park seems to be fairly quiet, even on Saturdays.

As a side-note, this is the place where they hold the Huntsville Hammer, which is an adventure race.  It happens in November, and happens to be on November 14 in 2009.  Just make sure you don't visit that day unless you are planning on racing!

It's not often that a chicken sandwich really makes an impression on a person.  Carter & Cooley Co's honey chicken breast sandwich, however, is that sandwich.  One of their specialty items, along with such classics as the muffaletta and the BLT, the chicken breast is slathered with honey mustard dressing, crowned with bacon & swiss, and placed neatly within a piping hot onion roll.  Need I say more?

While the service here can be a bit hit-or-miss and the price is just slightly north of what you'd expect, the quality makes it all worthwhile.  Plus, just taking in the old-school character of this quirky deli is at least worth a buck or two.  And as a bonus, they serve Blue Bell!

Oh man - if your thing is nose-to-tail cuisine, you've found the mecca right here.  Prune's the place to be if you're an adventurous eater, or even if you've only got one of them in your dinner party.  It's got something for everyone.

Here's what we had:
Sardines, mustard, & triscuits: a signature dish, and boy is it good.  Who knew?  It's definitely the quality of the fish.  Great bar food.
Cocktails: Italian greyhound and Pimm's Cup.  Both perfection.
Roasted bone marrow with toast points and butter: simply amazing.
Monkfish liver with bread: yum.  Also a specialty, only brought back for their 10th anniversary.  So good - had no idea!
Prix fixe for the week: mini-raviolis in greek yogurt sauce, braised lamb shoulder, succotash, and pistachio pastry with buttermilk ice cream - how could this meal get any better?  Perfectly prepared and everything went so well together.
Chocolate/peanut butter dessert: can I have another?  Please?!

Wow.  Great meal, really nice service, and out-of-this world food.  I'm in heaven.

This place is sick.  We went here for lunch because the menu looked good and the decor was nice, but that's where the goodness ceased to exist.  

After 45 minutes, we got our order.  Tuna burger was dark brown (how is that possible!?) and inedible.  Hamburger was way undercooked.  Service was beyond slow, and they didn't ask how our food was.  "Air baked" fries were worse than tater tots, and soggy to boot.

We called the manager over to discuss the bad food, and he only offered to comp one thing.  They took the burger back to be cooked more thoroughly, and they gave it back on the same soggy bun with a bite taken out of it, but this time in 3 pieces.  They didn't even check back to see how we were doing after that.  

It's sad when there are so many great meals to be had in NYC and you have to waste one on a place like this.  Plus, you pay $15.95 for a tuna burger here, and you can get one for $7 literally next door from the burger place that is owned by the same people, and the exact same kitchen and ingredients are used for both.  It's a total rip off!