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Houston Father's Day Dining Deals

It's that time of year again when the country unites to celebrate fathers. In light of this father's day, below are some Houston area restaurants that are offering dining specials:

• Arcordoro - Houston. Open for Brunch or Dinner. Regular Menu plus an A La Carte Special created by the Chef.
• Benjy's in the Village. Will open at 10am for its award winning brunch and will feature its regular menu.
• Churrascos.  "Dine with Dad" Sunday Brunch - Adults $35, Senior $29, and Children $12. Guests can enter to win a Texans Game Package and Rounds of Golf.
• Le Mistral. Sunday Brunch is being offered from 11am - 3pm. and dinner from 5pm to 10pm. 3 courses are available for $40 a person.
• McCormick & Schmick's. "Something Special Fore Dad." 3 course dinner for $29.95. You can also enter for a chance to win a grand prize of a Full Set of Callaway Golf Clubs with Limited Edition Bag. One winner per restaurant will will receive a White Hote XG # 9 Putter.
• Morton's The Steakhouse. Take dad to steak at Morton's and enjoy a special 3 course menu for $69 per guest or order from their signature dinner menu.
• Hugo's. Located in Montrose, there will be a brunch buffet for $40 a person.
• Todai Houston. Father's Day brunch including all you can eat crawfish - $31.95 a person.
• Backstreet Cafe. Serving a Father's Day brunch for $42 a person. Enjoy live jazz music with your meal.

Chef Philippe Schmit unveils new concept

For those of you who have been in Houston for a while, the Hotel Derek and Bistro Moderne have been an almost iconic locale, sitting on the corner of one of the busiest intersections in Houston's Galleria area - and was formerly led by famed Houston Executive Chef and Partner, chef Phlippe Schmit.  Born and raised in Roanne, France, Chef Schmit will soon be back in the kitchen having spent the last two years carefully planning a new restaurant concept, PHILIPPE Restaurant and Lounge.

According to the chef, 'It's not going to be a rehash of Bistro Moderne. . . PHILIPPE is going to be much more accessible and much more casual. It's taken a lot of patience and drive to get here, but the result will be my dream restaurant tailor made for Houston. It's a passion project.'

The concept of Chef Schmit's food will employ classic French techniques presented in unique ways. THe menus celebrate simplicity while emitting a sense of playfulness. The chef's attention to detail and flawless executions, combined with his affinity for importing only the best ingredients, are sure to be a pleasure for any palate. The menu options will be affordable and the restaurant will be open for lunch and dinner.

PHILLIPPE Restaurant and Lounge will be located at BLVD Place on Post Oak Boulevard at Ambassador Way. It is a two-story concept that features a first floor lounge, a stylish second floor dining room, kitchens and bars on both levels, a ground level outdoor seating area in front of the restaurant, a 600 square foot second floor terrace, and a high-end private dining room on the second level.

The restaurant is set to open early Fall. More information will be posted closer to the opening. You can follow Chef Schmit on Twitter at TheFrenchCowboy.

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For my Examiner.com article, please click here. 

Homemade Garlic Bread

Garlic bread is a staple for spaghetti in my house, almost like how ketchup is a staple for french fries. The delicious carb overload just makes the meal like no other type of bread can. Said to have been invented in the 1940's in American restaurants to accompany Italian food, I like to think of the romantic side of the bread... An italian woman in the 17th century, trying to make a lunch for her secret lover, finds that all she has in her garden is some olive oil, basil and garlic, with the loaf of bread freshly made that morning. The combination toasted in her brick oven is a match made in heaven as is she and her Lorenzo... at least that's what goes on my head.

This variation incorporates a little kick and has a flavor unlike any I've tasted before.

Ingredients:

1 stick of butter at room temperature

2 oz feta cheese (make sure this is the feta made from a cow and not the goat)

5-6 cloves of garlic minced

2 leaves of basil minced

1 loaf of french bread (preferably fresh)

Directions:

1. Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees.

2. Cut your french loaf in half length wise and set aside on a baking sheet.

3. Mix the butter, feta, garlic, and basil together until you have a good spread mix.

4. Lather on generously to both halves of the bread.

5. Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes depending on how crispy you want it.

VOILA! or rather ... MANGIA!! 

Oh.. and for those health minded individuals, you can replace the butter with a fake butter like Smart Balance (or use olive oil) and use low fat feta cheese.

Tesars Modern Steak & Seafood - A Duo of Chefs

When Chef John Tesar abruptly left Tesar's Modern Steak & Seafood less than a year after its debut, his sous chefs, Austin Simmons and Jeramie Robison rose to take on the position as co-executive chefs. Since then, they have been spearheading the way towards developing the restaurant into a modern, successful place where locals can expect to receive the type of service and food worthy of the quality upon which the restaurant was first founded.

Tesars' co-executive chefs have a rather eclectic culinary background. Robison began his career cooking in local restaurants in Ruston, Louisiana, where he was encouraged to pursue a culinary career. The road to culinary success was not clear cut for Robison as he originally started his career by enrolling at Johnson & Wales University in Denver. After his father was involved in an accident, Robison left Johnson & Wales to return home and aid in his father's recovery. Determined to continue in his studies, Robison enrolled at the El Centro Food & Hospitality Institute in Dallas, which paved the way to his culinary future. Simmons' path was more direct, having grown up in Irving, Texas. He developed his passion for cooking at a very early age at home with his mother. A product of Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Austin, Texas, he moved to Dallas where he worked at The Mansion on Turtle Creek. It was there in Dallas, at The Mansion, where the two chefs first met.

After their respective times at The Mansion, the chefs went their separate ways. SImmons developed his culinary talents under the direction of the James Beard Award winning chef, Dean Fearing and later under John Tesar. He also assisted celebrity chef, Wolfgang Puck, in opening his restaurant, Five-Sixty, in Dallas, Texas. Robison left The Mansion and went to New York City to work under chef David Burke at FIsh Tale. It must have been a culinary fate meant to be, however, when both Robison and Simmons found each other again as sous chefs working under John Tesar at Tesar's Modern Steak & Seafood in Houston. With Tesar's departure from the restaurant, both Simmons and Robison were perfectly poised to take Tesar's place and have, since, been building and evolving the restaurant.

The general focus of the food and decor is not only sophisticated and modern, but a unique blend of the two chefs' visions. You can visit Tesars Modern Steak & Seafood located at 1701 Lake Robbins Drive, The Woodlands, Texas 77380. The restaurant is open daily for lunch and dinner. For more information, please go to www.tesarsthewoodlands.com.