India's Restaurant

India's Restaurant does not have the expected decor; rather, it surprises guests with its 70's-style mirrors and drab pastel pink tablecloths. The crowd was scarce when we arrived, making us slightly uneasy about our visit. However, when the generous serving of pappadoms was served, we immediately forgot about the lackluster atmosphere. The service was prompt, possibly due to the fact that few people were there, and the warm hand towels after the meal were a nice touch. Overall, the food triumphed over the mediocre interior and made our visit satisfying. We ate way too much but we only have ourselves to blame. 

Pappadoms
The peppery pappadoms came with a delicious tangy mint sauce and a thin sweet dipping sauce. This complimentary appetizer kicked off our meal nicely.

Lamb Samosas
We couldn't go to Indian restaurant without trying its samosas. The lamb filling was wonderful and not too dry. The pastry was buttery and gave a nice crunchy balance to the overall texture.

Chicken Vindaloo
The vindaloo came with chicken bathed in spicy, mouth-watering sauce that really defined this delectable dish.

Peas Pilau
This side dish of basmati rice, peas, almonds, and raisins was pretty standard. Nothing special.

Keema
This heavy, meaty dish was pleasantly not spicy; after all that vindaloo, you'll be thankful for a non-spicy dish. The taste was an ambrosial meat extravaganza in your mouth. Caution: this dish WILL fill you up with its high density. 

Naan
The shredded carrots and garlic toppings sent this bread dish into our top favorites. It's very easy to get full from eating this soft, salty, crispy treat.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Service (20%): warm hand towels                             85

Atmosphere (20%): drab 70s decor                             35

Value (20%): typical pricing                             60

Food (40%): Great variety, few issues                             83

Overall: Great food, poor atmosphere                             69

Andalucia

We arrived at Andalucia at 8:15 and expected to see a somewhat empty restaurant already getting ready for closing. Instead, we got a long wait to be seated and a live concert that blew our minds. Andalucia sits amongst some of the most popular restaurants in Houston, yet somehow it still manages to draw an energetic crowd late into the night.

As we walked in, the first thing we noticed was the live band playing Spanish music that was almost half as good as Rodrigo y Gabriela (and that's saying a lot). People were standing everywhere. There was no more room to sit at the bar nor anywhere else for that matter. So we looked at the menu and started planning our order. The prices are fairly reasonable, but certainly not cheap. The tapas averaged at around $7 each and they looked so delicious, we didn't even consider the entrées.

After 20 minutes or so, though it certainly didn't seem that long, we were seated. The tables were unusually large, which we later learned easily accommodates the large number of plates you will undoubtedly order. Each dish can be split well between two people and expect to order around 3 dishes per person. The service is friendly, quick, and helpful. When the dishes arrive, the sheer quantity makes you feels like royalty. And you feel even more like a king once you take that first bite.

Bombas de Queso

Served on a bed of balsamic vinegar soaked fried vegetables with a sweet and spicy honey drizzle on top, these fried goat cheese balls can only be described with three words:

Crispy. Creamy. Delicious. Seriously, these are God's gift to mankind.

Patatas Brava
These potatoes come perfectly seasoned with just the right amount of creamy aioli sauce. This dish kick starts the meal and will make you crave more of its crisp texture and balanced taste.

Marguez Salteado

Flavorful sausage, potatoes, garlic, and onions in a creamy tomato based sauce make up this tapas. Don't let the picture fool you. This dish is not too heavy and offers just the right amount of flavor in a creamy package. It is a soul-warming plate that comes highly recommended.

Espinacas de Alicante

Although this dish of sauteed spinach, raisins, pine nuts, and sherry looks inviting, it comes a bit too sweet as the wine flavor overpowers the weaker spinach nuances. Nonetheless, it balances the other dishes and offers a fun texture with its pine nuts and caramelized onions.

Calamar a la Romana

This tapas was your slightly better than average calamari, but it doesn't revolutionize the standard recipe. The batter was nice and light and there was a good ratio of tentacles to rings. In place of the usual Marinara sauce, the calamari was served with what the  menu describes as a "spicy piparrada" sauce that we found too watery and lacking in both spice and rich tomato flavor. 

Albondigas Morunos

These mini minty lamb meatballs were absolutely amazing. They were moist and full of fresh flavors that mixed beautifully together. The saffron couscous in mint demi was equally tasty, with a perfect amount of sauce. The caramelized onions were not at all overpoweringly sweet but added beautifully to the overall taste of the dish. One of our favorite dishes of the night and definitely a must-try.

Unknown but delicious dish

We're pretty sure we did not order this. Nor could we find it on the menu. But that didn't stop us from eating it and loving every minute. It seems like some sort of lamb skewers served on couscous with a tomato based sauce.  

Tres Leches Cake

While certainly a delicious tres leches, it's not the best we've tried - though that's a high bar to meet (e.g. Churrascos). It wasn't too sweet and there was a good ratio of cream to cake. It had a wonderful taste and was really moist. However, the problems came with the heaviness of it. The cake was a bit too rich and dense. 

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Service (20%): Prompt, helped w/complex menu                             80

Atmosphere (20%): Great live music, vibrant, crowded waiting area                             84

Value (20%): $7 tapas                             85

Food (40%): Great variety, few issues                             84

Overall: Definitely worth visiting                             83

Bistro des Amis

Bistro des Amis, a French restaurant, lies in the outskirts of Rice Village in a converted house. The outside structure gives visitors a feeling of home, and the small interior offers a cozy warmth like that of a living room or home dining room. Without parking space, visitors must choose $4 valet or park somewhere else off-site. The service strikes the perfect balance between attentive and respectful, as the waiters guide patrons through the menu and refill water and the bread basket when empty. Furthermore, they ask about the quality of each dish to ensure customer satisfaction. The menu, although not large, offers a nice assortment of French cuisine, ranging from Rabbit of the Day to Lamb Chops. Adding further variety, the chef's specials nearly match the number of entries on the main menu. The time of food preparation gives visitors just enough time to sample the wine menu and enjoy the intimate atmosphere. Most dishes are priced between $16 and $19 while the appetizers are priced around $7. Compared to American standards, the appetizers are extremely small and provide about two bites worth of food.

The inside, looking towards the dessert display

Ragout de Champignons

As previously mentioned, the appetizers are hilariously small. However, they compensate for their size with their taste which was nothing short of delicious.  Furthermore, the leftover sauce provided a nice dip for the bread.

House Salad

With nuts, grapes, light dressing, and fresh tomatoes, this simple starter is nothing more than a standard house salad - good, but not great.

Seafood Pasta
Unlike most seafood pasta dishes, the sauce did not dominate the flavor, allowing the shrimp and scallops to add their own tastes. Again, this dish is somewhat smaller than most pasta dishes.

Beef Mignonette

This dish included perfectly cooked Angus beef medallions in a wonderful peppercorn sauce and a juicy crumble-topped half tomato. Unfortunately, the plain potato cubes could not match the excellence of the other two items. The sauce really added life to this entree and provided the link that connected all the various flavors.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Service (20%): Attentive, respectful, no issues                             70

Atmosphere (20%): Quaint, cozy, no parking                             75

Value (20%): $6 for 2-bite appetizers                             45

Food (40%): Nicely cooked, great sauces                             83

Overall: Definitely worth visiting                             71