Wedding anniversaries are a big deal in our house.  We celebrate each one with pride and humility because we know that many marriages don't make it to this awesome annual milestone; and our preferred way to celebrate is around a table filled with good food and good wine.

This year we celebrated #11yearsmarried and #16yearsdating (yep, I used it again.  It's worth #hasghtagging) at a highly acclaimed and relatively young HTX restaurant called Underbelly.  The Executive Chef, Chris Shepherd, is the first Houston chef to win the James Beard Award-Best Chef Southwest 2014 (the culinary world's version of an Oscar) and an obscene amount of press has been written about how A-MAZing the restaurant is so we were thrilled to finally be able to go.  {I've tried for two years to get a reservation, but have never been able to get one on short notice which is how parents of three young hooligans usually fly, but this time I made my reservation a week in advance.}  Chris has created Underbelly to tell the story of Houston food and when you look over the menu you will see how this melting pot of a city is represented in each dish he creates.  The food and drink did not disappoint and the service far exceeded anything we expected.

"It was a clear black night, a clear white moon

Warren G was on streets, trying to consume..."

{....Oh, wait, sorry, I got distracted by the hip-hop in my head.}  It WAS a clear dark night and we got a room at the Houston Omni on Woodway.  Mr. GQ had purchased the romance package through the hotel and so our room was adorned with sweet little embellishments to make the occasion extra special and we began the night by toasting to our love and covenant marriage over glasses of champagne.  Perfection.  Mr. GQ looked handsome as ever and I was the sweet candy on his arm.  You know, one of those nights when everything comes together and your makeup, hair and outfit all come together for the perfect crime, "I'm too hot!  Call the po-lice and the fireman!"  {ohmygravy, the hip hop won't stop!}.

#Uberblack picked us up and delivered us to Underbelly where we presented our reservation and made our way to their quaint bar for drinks as we waited on a table to clear.  The bar @Underbelly is small, but better described as inviting.  It's one of those rooms you peek into and immediately you are drawn into the space because you want to spend time wrapped up in it.  Lots of metal, concrete and wood accents; we sat at one end of the big family style table in the center of the bar.  The menus are wrapped in leather and packed FULL of DELICIOUS drink options.  Mr. GQ ordered a belgian beer and I ordered the Polar Berry...a.k.a. "the most delicious pre-dinner drink I have ever had".  It was light, refreshing and made me want to sit on the banks of a river anywhere watching the sunset over the trees while holding hands with my husband and dreaming of the future.  Seriously, that good.  I felt beautiful and loved and excited about our time together.  We cuddled on our barstools, ignored the world around us and chatted like we were newly dating.

The hostess approached to tell us our table was ready and led us into the dining room.  There is one dining room and it is open concept, as well as open to the kitchen, so it was noisier than I expected; however EVERYONE in the room was thrilled to be there and truly enJOYing their evening with friends and family which made the noise electric and not overwhelming, a good noise.  Plates are constantly being sent out from the kitchen at a steady pace and so your are engulfed in tantalizing clouds of fresh bread, cured meats, asian noodles...it is everything a restaurant obsessed with food should be.

Our server.  I still remember his name and will probably never forget it; Shaun.  Hands down, no competition, give the guy a raise...BEST.  SERVER.  EVER.  Not only was he attentive, personable and genuinely nice, but he gave an excellent wine recommendation and we've been dreaming about that bottle ever since.  Shaun suggested we order 3-5 dishes from the menu because everything was served family style and not to worry about the order of the delivery from the kitchen, because he would take care of that for us.  We ordered the following items:

1. Warm Pain De Campagne, Red Wine  & Apple Butter
2. Pork Belly, Spicy Slaw, Fried New Potatoes
3. Tamales a la Xavi, Zucchini  Pico, Salsa
4. Korean Braised Goat & Dumplings {SPICY, YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED}
5. Shrimp, Charred Acorn Squash, Hot Pot Curry, Rice Noodles, Herbs

{I'm getting dizzy with delight just typing out the items we chose and staring at their menu thinking of the items I didn't get to try that night.  We must go back soon.  "Dear Suri, please take note, we must go back to Underbelly soon."  "Got it."  Thanks Suri.}  Let's begin with our favorites...the bread {Warm Pain De Campagne, Red Wine & Apple Butter}.  This is what I picture at the banquet table in heaven when all the followers of Christ gather together break bread with God the father and God the Son.  I mean this bread was heavenly.  The crust was thick and made that delightful  "CRRRUUUNCH" noise when you pressed your knife or thumbs into it and then the inside was a steamy cavern full of light yet filling webs of delicious bread.  Bread.  What is it about bread?  Is it the link it provides us to the last supper?  There is just something so comforting about a good loaf of homemade bread.  "Do this in remembrance of me."

Our second favorite was the Pork Belly.  I LERRRRVE when my pork belly is seared with a crust on the outside and then you bite into rich, juicy, pork beneath, but what made this plate perfection was when you ate a bite of pork WITH a bite of spicy slaw.  I'm seriously, salivating over pork belly at 8:24 a.m.

The tamales were good, but the zucchini pico was incredible and the perfect date for those full-figured tamales.  

The goat...oh the goat.  We have come to the one thing I would have changed with the order our food arrived to the table.  This Korean braised goat had some serious bite and the dumplings were necessary to calm your mouth after each taste of the meat.  They were rich and delicious, but I am not well versed enough in Korean cooking to know what made the goat so spicy.  I do love a good spicy dish, but it blew out my taste buds so that it was too impossible for me to taste and enjoy the Shrimp and Rice Noodle Bowl that was served last.   I wish I had eaten the Shrimp and Rice Noodles and finished with the goat.  But regardless...

Divine.  The entire meal was divine.

We were so full from our five shared plates we didn't even look at the dessert menu.  Sad, I know.  Despicable really, but I plan to order three plates next time so that I can indulge in dessert and enjoy a delicious cup of coffee at the end of our meal.  Underbelly quickly earned it's spot at the top of my husband's favorite places to eat and I am certain you will feel the same way, so make your reservation today, because you will need a reservation to get a table.  Gather round, order a drink, pass the plates and enjoy your time around the table at Underbelly.