Date Visited: Thursday, May 30, 2013
Just Dinner is a Intimate BYOB. It is housed in a small Montrose style cottage that was built in 1928. With just a few tables and an attentive staff, it is a great place to celebrate a birthday, anniversary or a random Thursday as a couple or small group.
We started with two appetizers. Pam’s pick was a Gulf Crab Cake which was topped with grapefruit and shaved celery. It was full of crab and perfectly cooked. The addition of the grapefruit added a great citrus note in contrast to the rich crab cake.
Jeff ordered the Maple Glazed Pork Belly. It was served with crispy kale. The pork belly was tender and had just a touch of sweetness to it and had a great crispy, caramelized crust.
For the entree, Pam ordered the Pork Tenderloin. The pork was superbly cooked and generous in portion with 5 large medallions. They made the pork the star of the plate but its supporting cast made the plate delicious with multiple levels of flavors.
Jeff ordered the Braised Boneless Short Ribs. These short ribs take two days to prepare and the time pays off with this amazing dish. The ribs fall apart and are some of the most flavorful I have had on their own. They are served with a port wine cherry demi-glaze, garlic mashed potatoes & vegetables. Again all the flavors came together wonderfully.
We did order an additional side of risotto, as any type of risotto is Pam’s favorite. Tonight was lemon and parmesan. Overall it was well prepared but is much more fit for a supporting role.
For dessert, we ordered the Creme Brulee. In one word, excellent. The custard was flavorful and it had a nice thick crust. Three more please!
We were stuffed, but Chef Daniel Toro sent over the Deconstructed S’mores…a brown butter blondie, topped with a house-made marshmallow and graham cracker gelato with a cocoa nib tuile. The blondie was delicious and I would want s’mores all the time if they are like this.
We will be back, after we finish our leftovers. On this trip, both of us only finished half of our entrees, as the servings are quite generous. Take the time to find this hidden gem and give them a shot. Don’t forget to pack a bottle or two of your favorite wine for the trip.
Our thanks to Chef Daniel and Lila Rivas for the wonderful hospitality!
1915 Dunlavy (at Welch)
Houston, TX 77006
(713) 807-0077
Pam & Jeff Rate the Chef 