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    First Taste

    Ghostbusting Italian: Sabetta should break another restaurant location jinx

    Sarah Rufca
    May 5, 2010 | 4:01 pm
    • Sabetta Café and Wine Bar closed on Tuesday.
    • Riccardo Palazzo-Giorgio, owner and executive chef of Sabetta Café and Wine Bar

    There's a lot of talk about jinxed restaurant locations around town. But lately, it seems like a good restaurant can negate the strongest of curses.

    Look at Danton's Gulf Coast Seafood Kitchen thriving in Chelsea Market and Giacomo's in the former Pan y Agua/Palazzo's spot. In the space where Crostini and Café Zol have come and gone, restaurateur Riccardo and Donna Palazzo-Giorgio have opened Sabetta Cafe & Wine Bar, hoping to extend the good luck streak.

    But with Italian food this good, maybe you make your own luck.

    I'll admit that I never made it to Cafe Zol, so I'm not sure if the layout has changed much, but I love the ornate, oversized wood bar that appears on the right as you walk in the door. Aside from that, furnishings are tasteful but minimal: White linens, of course, and the standard faux-Tuscan texture on the walls along with a smattering of abstract art.

    Sabetta's menu is organized in the traditional Italian manner, with antipasti, primi containing pastas and risotto and meat dishes under secondi. One innovation I like is to offer the primi items in two sizes, with a small option to encourage combining them with a secondi.

    But this being Texas, even the smalls are quite large, making finishing a multi-course meal challenging but also creating some great deals.

    We started with the house-made sausage and pancetta shrimp appetizers. The sausage was a thick, flavorful patty surrounded by sliced red and yellow peppers. The pancetta-wrapped shrimp was equally impressive, with the thin pancetta giving that unmistakable cured flavor without overtaking the dish the way bacon sometimes does. Served in a bowl of creamy polenta, it was another winner.

    As soon as fall hits with a chill in the air I will be craving nothing but the amazing risotto I had as my primi course. With fennel and mushrooms, it had a beautifully rustic, earthy flavor without leaning too heavily on either ingredient. Though the texture was all smooth creaminess, something about the taste reminded me pleasantly of ratatouille. Plus, my enormous "small" serving, at $8, could easily have been an entire meal.

    My friend's fontina-stuffed agnolotti wasn't quite as exciting, with tasty but under-seasoned tomato sauce and pasta that felt slightly under-cooked.

    But when the secondi came, my friend's lamb chop erased any disappointment from her mind. "A lot of times when I order lamb, the flavor gets cooked out of it, so that I can barely distinguish it from beef or pork or any other chop," she raved. "But this really has that lamb flavor, and it is so good."

    My entree was equally impressive, trying out the special of seared grouper filet served with the perfectly thin, crispy, skin over a bed of pureed potatoes.

    Despite full stomachs, we couldn't resist ending with dessert. My tiramisu was delightfully fluffy and moist, with just the right amount of coffee flavor so as not to overwhelm the sweet elements. It was easily the best tiramisu I've had in town. My friend's chocolate torte was the only real slip of the night, overcooked so as to make all but the very center quite dry, though the halzenut gelato served with it was phenomenal.

    Will Sabetta break the curse?

    From what I tasted, it deserves to. Rich yet simple dishes, attentive service and good value alway win in my book.

    unspecified
    news/restaurants-bars

    a very fine house

    East Coast-inspired tavern shakes up Rice Village with 'World's Coldest Martini'

    Eric Sandler
    May 19, 2025 | 9:09 am
    Hudson House restaurant Rice Village
    Photo by Becca Wright
    Hudson House is bringing its signature martinis to Rice Village.

    The “World’s Coldest Martini” is coming to Rice Village. Hudson House will open its second Houston-area location this Wednesday, May 21.

    Located between CB2 and Banana Republic at 2414 University Blvd., Hudson House is part of the Dallas-based Vandelay Hospitality Group that also includes Drake’s Hollywood, a retro-styled steakhouse that opened in Montrose last summer. For Rice Village, Hudson House’s new, 6,000-square-foot restaurant follows the model of the River Oaks location that opened in 2023. That means navy leather booths, brass accents, and a polished wood bar that serves as a focal point.

    The menu takes its inspiration from East Coast taverns. That includes items such as a cheeseburger, lobster roll, lobster mac and cheese, steak frites, entree salads, and chicken parm. Raw bar offerings include East Coast oysters, shrimp cocktail, and sushi rolls. The brunch menu features pancakes, eggs Benedict, and a bagel with lox and cream cheese.

    Hudson House pairs its dishes with a selection of classic cocktails that is highlighted by the “World’s Coldest Martini.” To achieve the proper effect, the drink is poured from a frozen bottle and served in a frozen glass. Other martini options include the Bleu & Gold (made with olive juice and blue cheese-stuffed olives) and a Lemon Drop that’s topped with limoncello foam. Hudson House also offers wines by-the-glass, beer, and non-alcoholic options.

    Hudson House opens at 11 am for lunch and dinner during the weekend and at 10 am on Saturday and Sunday for brunch. Happy hour, served Monday-Friday from 3-6 pm, includes half-off all martinis, bellinis, and wines by-the-glass as well as $10 cheeseburgers and $3 East Coast oysters.

    “We’re looking forward to bringing a second Hudson House to Houston,” Vandelay founder and CEO Hunter Pond said in a statement. “Our River Oaks location has seen strong support since opening just over a year ago, and we’re confident Rice Village will follow suit. With its already vibrant community and bustling shopping scene, Rice Village offers an ideal background for our beloved coastal-inspired American cuisine.”

    Hudson House restaurant Rice Village
      

    Photo by Becca Wright

    Hudson House is bringing its signature martinis to Rice Village.

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