Last night we were finally able to work out a date night to The Heights of Houston and a delicious dinner at Coltivare. It was well worth the wait. I found this restaurant in the late spring but it doesn't take reservations and so the only way we can indulge in its delights is when we have an overnight sitter …a.k.a. grandparent.
Upon arrival {thanks #Uber Black…glad you are in HTX} the small dining room was abuzz with the conversation and laughter of my fellow Houstonians. They all looked as though they knew we were all gathered in a special place, a haven of good food, great drinks and warmth on one of the first cold nights of the fall. The hostess took our name, mobile number (to text me when our table was ready) and handed us each a menu of libations...creative and inventive cocktails to enjoy while we waited in the garden.
The adjoining garden is a modern take on what your grandmother had in her back yard. It is beautiful and functional, as it's harvest is used daily in the seasonal menu. The beds are all raised and full of herbs, fresh greens, peas, radishes…scrumptious yummy goodness. The atmosphere is relaxed, romantic, casual and inviting as strings of Eddison lights twinkle overhead.
We waited an hour for a table for two {first available indoor or out} but the wait was perfect. It gave my husband and I a chance to talk. Like really talk. Adult conversation over craft cocktails. We talked about how we want to end 2014 and how we want to begin 2015. We shared sweet "I love you" kisses and held hands. It was a perfect hour between a husband and wife.
When we eat out on a date I typically choose the food while Mr. GQ chooses the wine. The Coltivare menu has many different categories of food from snacks to small plates, salads, pizza, pasta, entrees and dessert. My personal favorite are tastebud tantalizing savory dishes and so I don't usually spend time on dessert because I would rather have an appetizer (or two) and an entree. To begin the meal I ordered:
- Foccaccia and olive oil (starter, but it was a GINORMOUS pile of foccaccia baked with fresh rosemary and olive oil.) Mr. GQ is a bread fanatic and I ordered this one for him.
- Crisp sweetbreads (calf's pancreas…shhh…don't tell anyone and they will never know. I ordered this one for me), anchovies, chervil, horseradish. DI-VINE. The brininess of the anchovies w/ the richness of the sweetbread….oh I am drooling, let me get a shammy.
For our main dishes I ordered:
- Ricotta gnocchi, parmesan, lacinata kale, balsamic (for myself)…you cannot even begin to imagine the flavor of this dense pasta with the bittersweet greens and tang of the vinegar…crap, I'm drooling again.
- "Four cheese" pizza, but not any four cheeses…they include stinky pt. reyes blue cheese and it totally rocks your expectations for a cheese pizza. We topped it with fresh prosciutto. This pizza was delicious, but this ain't no personal pan pizza folks…this beauty is big enough for two grown adults and a stretch at that if you have two appetizers first.
We ended our meal with the best cup of coffee either of us had ever drank. It was roasted locally by Greenway Coffee and I'll be buying our coffee from them starting immediately. There was no room left for dessert in our bellies and so we passed, but the four desserts listed sounded delicious…I'd have chosen the Ginger cake, caramelized apple, sorghum cream, grapefruit, pistachio.
Mr. GQ ordered a bottle of French wine which wasn't as complex as a cabernet sauvignon. It had fruity notes and a smooth finish and complemented our meal well.
