Seventeen Restaurant @ The Alden Hotel

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17 Re staurant - Alde n Hote l TTR W ine Cafe

1117 Prairie St Houston , TX 77002 RESTAURANT REVIEW

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17: PRIME NUMBER, PRIME TASTE BRUNCHING OUT BY M. MARTIN

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The number "17" is what mathematicians refer to as a "prime number". What mainly defines prime numbers is their uniqueness—they can only be factored by the number one and by themselves. The restaurant called "17" may not be quite that unique, but it certainly occupies a unique position among Houston restaurants, by way of having been voted "#1 restaurant in Texas" by Texas Monthly Magazine.

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Saffron Moroccan Cuisine Tacos A Go-Go Tart Cafe Te House of Tea The Lodge at Bayou Bend TTR W ine Cafe Zula

Situated in the Alden Hotel, 17 is part of a growing and welcome trend in downtown Houston of boutique hotels associated with fine restaurants and upscale clubs. Like the Icon and The Magnolia, Alden/17 provides an oasis of class in the rebirth of Houston's downtown area, parts of which are all too reminiscent of the Richmond Strip or the tackier stretches of San Antonio's Riverwalk. As the trendier and less substantial clubs on Main Street increasingly feature 'for rent' signs in their windows, we are seeing a second and more sober wave of gentrification pass over the downtown area. As this trend continues, 17 and The Alden will begin to seem at least a little less unique. 17's décor strikes an interesting balance between old-school ornate classicism and post-modern minimalism. Look down the dining room in one direction, your eye will be greeted by shimmering strip chandeliers, flocked red satin wallpaper, and sumptuous banquettes upholstered in art-deco patterns of cream and chocolate. Look in the

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other direction and you will see an illuminated wall spanning the length of the restaurant, slowly shifting thru the spectrum and casting in stark relief dining furniture of almost Japanese simplicity. My companion and I were seating in a buffer zone between the two vistas, wherein the ambiance was mainly set by large windows facing the pleasantly-landscaped street scene. From the moment we were seated, one of the most defining aspects of our dining experience became evident. 17 features some of the best table service we have ever experienced. Our server, Andy, was attentive and unobtrusive throughout our visit. Between courses, he would not only supplement and arrange our silverware, but also arrange every element on the table into a pleasing and symmetric table-top feng-shui. It was an ethic shared by every member of the staff with which we came into contact, and it very much deserves mention. We started with the usual bloody Mary and mimosa and nibbled on some bread while we awaited the first course. The drinks were well-done versions of those brunch classics, but not hugely noteworthy. The bread service, on the other hand, was quite noteworthy. It consisted of several dinner roll-sized ciabatta loaves served with unsalted butter and sea salt. I had not had bread served this way before. It was quite good. The crunchiness of the sea salt added texture. Adding it as a separate item meant that the saltiness of the butter could be adjusted to taste. The bread itself was outstanding yet simple, with exactly the right measure of crispness in the crust. Brunch at 17 is served in a first course, a second course, and a dessert. We cheated a little and split an additional first course-- a sautéed portion of foie grás served on a petite round of French toast, accompanied by a pear compote and a small scoop of cinnamon-maple ice cream. Given that Foie Gras is not a common item on brunch menus, I felt obliged to give it a try. Our server assured me that I was not alone in that obligation, and I could see why. A better name for the dish might well be 'grilled' foie gras, as it had been seared sufficiently to add both additional texture and a slight increase in bitterness in the aftertaste. This bitterness actually work to advantage with the hint of cinnamon in the ice cream, while the butter content in the ice cream and the fat content in the foie grás combine for an overwhelming (and entirely correct) perception of richness. The slight tartness of the pear compote offset that richness, and prepared the palate for the next bite. After that, our individual 'first courses' arrived—rock shrimp tacos for me, hearts of palm salad for my companion. I have had everything from shrimp to tilapia to squid in what are usually called 'fish tacos'. In this case, the tacos contained crisply grilled, succulent shrimp served in the usual flour tortilla and complimented by what the menu describes as "spicy cucumber salsa" and chipotle crème fraiche. In the case of the salsa, the menu fails to do justice. Far from what the

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name typically suggests, this "salsa" consisted of thinly sliced rounds of cucumber, julienned marinated red bell pepper, and finely slivered purple onion. It had a crisp, clean taste, but the spiciness seemed to be almost entirely supplied by the chipotle crème fraiche. No complaints there—the amount of heat was 'just right' in a nice take on an enduring Gulf Coast classic. While I was reasonably impressed with the shrimp tacos, my companion described the hearts of palm as "the best salad" she had ever had. She was particularly impressed with the tenderness of the hearts of palm, which have tended to be somewhat fibrous in her experience. At one point, sous chef Tracey Hartman came out from the kitchen to introduce herself, and we simply had to ask how the hearts of palm turned out so well. The secret, it turned out, was little more than poaching the palm hearts in white wine and water before introducing them to the salad. The rest of the salad was equally an exercise in artful simplicity, consisting of little more than shavings of pecorino cheese, minutely diced tomato, and buttery whole leaves of Bibb lettuce, served in with mustard shallot vinaigrette. Our second courses ("main", if you will) consisted of the duck confit hash for myself and the asparagus-goat cheese omelet for my companion. The hash was very much in the style of the corned-beef classic, complete with embedded small cubes of potato. It's a 'big' flavor, one that makes up for a lack of subtlety with sheer exuberance. At first, even though I am a huge fan of duck meat, the flavors did not seem to truly come together. As had been the case with the foie gras, I detected a slight bitterness from the grilling. Served atop the confit hash was a poached egg and a hollandaise sauce fortified with black truffle. Far from offsetting the bitterness I was tasting, the earthiness of the black truffle somewhat accentuated it. However, I persevered—and my perseverance was soon rewarded. When I broke the yolk of the poached egg, got a bite that included some yolk, it all came together. The slight bitterness in the grill sear on the hash became inconsequential in the combined richness of egg and hollandaise sauce. The signature ingredients of my companion's omelet were goat cheese and asparagus, topped with what appeared to be slices of Portobello mushroom and what the menu described as "wild mushroom cream". The cream sauce had a distinct hint of sherry, and the asparagus was tender and flavorful. Goat cheese is always a good ingredient in an omelet. The dish was served with an accompaniment of hand-cut French fries that were surprisingly light and crisp. It's a good dish, particularly for those who tend to see brunch primarily as an extension of breakfast. We decided to treat ourselves to a couple of cocktails with our dessert course. 17 has an above-average selection of house specialty cocktails. We managed to narrow our choices down to the "Table 40" and the "Lavender Martini". The Table 40 was a sweet concoction of

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rum, mango puree, and grand marnier, given fizz and additional sweetness by an infusion of Sprite. The Lavender Martini was a considerably drier affair, consisting of little more than parfait amore, triple sec, and vodka, with a lovely color, very much matching the name. Our desserts were the Cheesecake Sundae and the Tempura Bananas. The sundae was exactly what it sounded like—imagine a serving of classic strawberry cheesecake frozen, chopped up, and stuffed into a pilsner glass, and you have a pretty good idea of it. The cheesecake ice cream alternated in layers with strawberry compote and graham cracker crumbles. At the server's suggestion, I used my spoon to slightly mix the layers—delicious! The tempura bananas were crisp on the outside, creamy on the inside, and served atop a lightly flavorful chocolate custard. Both desserts turned out to be inspired pairings with our cocktails in both cases. We thought about another round of drinks, decided instead to take our leftovers (given the quality of the ingredients, the portions were quite generous) home and enjoy what was turning into a very lovely day. The meal had perfectly set the mood.....and how can you argue with perfection? Essentially, 17 "gets it" about Brunch. We found a stylish and relaxing dining space that was fashionable without being fashion-conscious. We were served creative food and drink, constructed from quality ingredients, and attended by some of the best waitstaff I have encountered anywhere—not merely Houston. Mathematicians may do what they will with the number "17". As far as I'm concerned, the restaurant by that name is the essential factor in a formula for fine dining. 17 American Food Alden Hotel- Houston 1117 Prairie Street Houston, Texas 77002 Tel: 832 200 8800

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