A Cut Above

This prime Texas steakhouse shows the rest of the country how it’s done

It might seem tricky for a steakhouse to stand out in a beef mecca such as Texas, but carnivorous connoisseurs know how to track down the best with just one magic word: Bob’s.

Founded in 1993 on Dallas’ Lemmon Avenue, Bob’s Steak & Chop House has since grown into a national destination for diners seeking large cuts of excellent beef prepared without gimmicks. The chefs don’t need to rely on trendy cooking techniques or of-the-moment fads, as the steaks are always Prime, which means they are designated in the top 2 percent of all beef, including the famous Prime filet, a cut rarely found in most steakhouses.

Each cut is served with Bob’s signature glazed carrot and a choice of potato, which can also be complemented by an array of family-style sides such as macaroni and cheese, creamed corn, sautéed mushrooms, and fresh asparagus. And the bread. How could anyone ever forget the hot loaf of freshly baked bread that wafts its irresistible scent over the table as soon as it’s set down?

But it’s not just the sides and steaks — which range from tender filets to juicy rib-eyes to a succulent bone-in strip — that have drawn devoted fans. It’s the personalized service, from the moment the valet greets you to when the host bids you goodnight, that has cemented Bob’s as the steakhouse of choice for many.

How many? Well, over the years Bob’s has expanded into Grapevine, Plano, Fort Worth, and in the luxe Omni Dallas Hotel downtown, as well as The Woodlands, Austin, San Antonio, California, Arizona, Florida, and Tennessee — with more on the way.

But it doesn’t matter which Bob’s you visit, as the food, drinks, and service are always top-notch. And if you need a break from beef, options such as fresh fish of the day, rack of lamb, broiled salmon, coldwater lobster tails, or roasted duck are ready and waiting. Because each dish is prepared in-house, there are never unidentified ingredients to get in the way of a classically delicious dinner.

And that’s exactly why Bob’s has carved out a name for itself not only in Texas, but all over the nation, as the site of steak done right.

Onion rings to feed an army.

Photo courtesy of Bob's Steak & Chop House

Onion rings to feed an army.

bring on the Bacalhau

Michelin-starred Houston restaurant heads to Portugal for new season

Photo by Zach Horst

No conversation about Houston’s best restaurants would be complete without mentioning March, Goodnight Hospitality’s Mediterranean-inspired, fine dining, tasting menu restaurant in Montrose.

For its 12th season, which begins this Friday, August 7, March will take a broad look at Portugal. Over the course of pre-dinner snacks in its lounge, seven courses in its dining room, and take away desserts, chef-partner Felipe Riccio and his team will guide diners through all aspects of Portuguese cuisine, including its trade routes with China, India, and North Africa.

Riccio tells CultureMap that Portugal was the logical follow up to March’s 11th season, which examined northern Spain. He began the research process a few months ago, drawing upon published literature, cookbooks, and his own experiences as a stage at a restaurant in Lisbon. More than a menu update, seasons at March also include changes to the beverage offerings and creating service touches that enhance the experience.

Photo by Zach Horst

Rabbit cozido.

“Portugal is so close geographically to the north of Spain, and there’s a lot of similarities,” he says. “The menu really explores a lot of places outside of the Mediterranean where the Portuguese had influence and were influenced by. It’s all these trade routes.”

Priced at $230 plus drinks, tax, and gratuity, a meal at March begins in the lounge with four snacks, including a peri peri-spiced duck rillette, a delicate tart with lobster and caviar, a tempura-fried fish (peixinhos da horta) and the Macau-inspired porcho balichao made with manilla clams.

As always, March brings premium ingredients to its take on classic dishes. For example, it sources Japanese Almaco Jack for a crudo that’s inspired by Portuguese salt cod (bacalahua). Cozido, a slow-cooked stew that’s a staple of Portuguese cooking, gets reinterpreted as a house made rabbit sauce with foie gras. Riccio acknowledges that diners expect a certain level of luxury at this price point, but diners may not always realize how valuable properly-sourced ingredients are.

“I don’t think it always has to be so overt. I think the majority of people, the experience as a whole delivers that value,” Riccio says.

Similarly, the Portugal menu continues March’s move to a set, seven-course menu instead of giving diners the choice of either six or nine courses. Riccio see that as another sign of the restaurant’s maturity.

“A tasting menu is restrictive. We needed to earn that trust and give people options. I felt like people trust us and we’ve proved we can create an experience,” he says.

Since part of the criteria for a Michelin star is consistency across visits, March’s ability to hold its star while still changing its menu twice a year is a testament to the kitchen’s skill. Add in the server’s deep knowledge of every dish on the menu, its comprehensive beverage offerings, and a dining room that features museum- quality art, and it’s reasonable to think that March might become Texas’ first restaurant to earn a two-star rating. For his part, Riccio would welcome the recognition.

“I think March as an entire experience, as a restaurant day-in and day-out, we can be at that level. We strive to give people that experience to where they have that menu and feel it’s well worth it,” he says. “That recognition. I’ve seen what it means for the team, for the guests, and for the validation of the experience, and, obviously, for my career and the restaurant as a business.”

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