A Fork in the Road: Masraff's (Houston, TX)

Dining at Masraff's on Post Oak is significantly different from the old, rustic free-standing Masraff's, but not in terms of cuisine (which is still top notch).  It is now somewhat a Vegas dining experience with its colorful lighting fixtures and super contemporary furniture, but has great energy nonetheless.
Not often do I find glitzy restaurants serving large portions also falling into the 'high-quality' category, but this is where the Masraff father/son duo succeed.

I begin with the Boston Wedge Salad with English Cucumber Relish, feta and aged balsamic.  Quite a refreshing salad and was not too filling. 

Baby spinach, creamed goat cheese, onion confit, walnuts tossed with garlic vinaigrette.

Loved their take on Caprese with Kumato tomatoes.  Kumatos are a little less acidic and balanced nicely with the mozzarella.

Rich avocado soup with lump crab meat.

Normally, I have a severe aversion to tuna tartare.  Chopped up tuna mixed with avocado has never excited me, but this tuna tartare was divine.  Every tatare dish has now been ruined because this one is simply amazing.  Not only is the quality of fish superb, but the presentation beautifully created with wakami goma, campari tomato and tobiko vinaigrette.

Perfectly seared lump crab cake, beurre blanc, red wine reduction, and saffron aioli. 

An unfortunate dry Nova Scotia halibut, butternut squash, baby carrots, charred green cauliflower, yellow beet and tobiko vinaigrette.

Filet Mignon al a Plancha, fingerling potatoes, baby green beans, smoked bacon and mushroom ragout.  Deliciouso!

This special fish loaded with crab meat and shrimp atop of farro, a well-received accompaniment, and spinach was a nice combination.  This is definitely enough for two (though maybe not in Texas).

Passion fruit, lemon and strawberry sorbet terrine.  Creamy, tart and sweet!

I was super excited for this dessert.  The peach creme brulee.  What was supposed to be Texas peach creme brulee, was actually brulee in peaches and not executed very well, sadly enough.  The peaches were very hard and not sweet at all.

Donatella

This was the BEST Strawberry Shortcake I have ever eaten!  By a landslide.  Donatella's post will be reversed starting with the magnificent desserts.  The seasonal strawberry shortcake was a soft, non-biscuit (no taste of butter) biscuit with a hard, sugary top.  In the middle?  Homemade whipped cream and sweet strawberries with an ever so tiny scoop of strawberry rhubarb sorbet.  P.e.r.f.e.c.t.i.o.n! 

I was equally impressed with the off-the-menu ice cream sandwiches.  Smaller than your palm, these round beauties' top and bottom layers were Italian tricolore cookies with slivers of ganache.  Some of diners thought it was too sweet, but I didn't share that sentiment.

Affogato is always a simple dessert with a small scoop of vanilla gelato.  These "biscotti" were actually small cookies (ones I did deem sweet, but fabulous nonetheless).

Moving right along to the pizzas....also some of the best personal pizzas I've had in New York.  Doughy, thin-crust with fresh ingredients. 

Classic Margarita

Diavola with spicy, slivered salami and chili oil.  This pizza had the perfect amount of heat.

Enzo - Smoked Mozzarella, pork-fennel sausage, broccoli rabe and pecorino.  Instead of plain jane spicy or sweet sausage,  I absolutely love the fennel sausage in addition to the sauteed rabe.  This was unreal!

Polpette - Veal Meatballs and Caciocavallo (a teardrop cheese that is left to mature 'a cavallo' i.e. straddling a horizontal stick) 

A ricotta gnocchi that gives April Bloomfield a run for her money.  Served with summer corn, basalmic, parmagiano, and chives.

A luscious mixed green salad with lemon citronette, candied walnuts and pecorino.

Our starter of spicy, braised veal meatballs.  Soft, perfectly spiced and sized.  If you are deciding between Polpette (meatball pizza) or a side of meatballs, get the meatballs.  The pizza doesn't do these meatballs justice.

AND you have to love the bottle and wine glass chandeliers!