If you are looking for a British Indian flare to your fare, the London Sizzler Indian Bar & Grill is the one to choose. The restaurant features fresh tandoori dishes, curries, and sizzling platters, which are prepared with regional ingredients, passed down from family members. The menu also leans towards Indo-Chinese and African flavors, too. The menu is pretty extensive and reasonably priced, offering vegan dishes, traditional curries, and exotic combinations such as the Pili Pili, which is an African influenced dish of sizzling extra spicy chicken. Hand rolled Manchurian dumplings, goat curries, and Mom's Masala are specialty items featured on the menu and they recommend that you tell the waiter your spice level when you order. Indian can be prepared with mild spices or severely volcanic, so make sure you are ready to sweat, if you dare to go with a spicy vindaloo or the hottest curry offered, which is called a phall. The London Sizzler has taken the time to create a traditional beer, wine and cocktail menu, so if you are in the mood for a Corona, Bloody Mary or glass of wine from Napa Valley, don't fret, they are prepared to provide an extensive beverage selection. Happy Hour is offered Tuesday to Thursday from 5pm-7pm and Friday from 12pm-7pm.
Local Expert tip: Only open Tuesday - Friday from 5PM - 11PM and Saturday - Sunday from 12 PM - 11PM
Locals heap high praise on Tony Mandola's awesome fare, including Gulf Coast seafood dishes that reflect the owner's Italian and Cajun roots. The long, narrow dining area has a Mediterranean feel and offers a sleek, casual backdrop ideal for partaking of a unique menu. Kick off your meal with a famous appetizer — perhaps Oysters Buccaneer with spinach or Calamari a la Mama, lightly battered and served with lemon butter sauce. More serious affairs include Louisiana-style fried catfish with seasonal veggies, blackened snapper topped with diced tomatoes and cilantro, and fabulous seafood pasta dishes.
Comfortable, elegant Simposio features the contrast of dark woods and white linens, all punctuated by warm-hued artwork. It's a simple formula but an effective one, and it resonates beautifully with the menu's well-prepared northern Italian fare. Begin with grilled calamari or a salad artfully composed of baby spinach, pancetta, and gorgonzola. From there, move on to grilled trout with polenta, lamb or veal chops, or perhaps a sensuous pasta or risotto, accented with seafood, sausages, or pungent herbs and cheeses. The wine list concentrates on Italian and Californian vintages.
Its pale exterior enlivened by ivy, this romantic restaurant offers elegantly-appointed tables, subdued lighting, dark wood accents, a hand-painted mural, and terra cotta-hued walls. House specialties include lobster tail and lump crabmeat in tomato cream sauce over spaghetti, grilled snapper with basil butter and fresh mint, and a veal rib chop with pine nuts and mozzarella. Nightly specials expand the possibilities further, and the chef's table is a 6-course culinary extravaganza that permits glimpses of the kitchen at work.
For authentic northern Italian cuisine, savvy diners head to chef Marco Wiles's cottage-like Montrose restaurant. Decked out in orange, yellow, and red hues, Da Marco dazzles diners with distinctly Tuscan ambience and gastronomy. Featured entrees run the gamut: chianti-braised pork ribs, roasted Texas quail, braised rabbit cacciatore, sea bass with grapefruit, and raviolo with ricotta, egg, and truffles. Regional Italian wines fit the theme admirably, and desserts range from panna cotta to chocolate Genovese. A wonderful cheese selection also pleases.
This cheery Mediterranean-style café is family-owned and family-operated, and the two Caprisian brothers in charge make special efforts to see that patrons have a wonderful time. Although the intimate tables may be arranged a bit closely, delicious homestyle pasta dishes more than make up for any perceived loss of privacy. Fresh-from-the-Gulf seafood is the specialty and has been for almost 20 years. Friendly, professional service adds to the experience, and reasonable prices make Frenchie's a favorite. Space is limited, so expect long lines on weekends.
For more than 20 years, folks in the know have headed to this European-flavored hideaway for homestyle Italian cuisine. Adorning the dining room are Italian-themed prints, imported pottery, and hanging herbs; an Old World-style antipasto table tempts patrons with grilled, baked, and sautéed vegetables. Diners with casual appetites may opt for wood-fired pizzas — the zucchini variation with crispy pancetta, tomato, oregano, and mozzarella is a particularly good choice. Pastas and main courses include rigatoni with spicy sausage, sauteed veal, seafood risotto, grilled shrimp, and salmon with caramelized fennel and asparagus tips. A courtyard is available for al fresco dining.
Younger sibling of nearby Nino's, Vincent's sets an upscale scene for lunch and dinner. An ideal option for pre- or post-theater meals, the trattoria boasts an appeal that relies, in part, on a brick fireplace, light wood paneling, shelves dressed with Italian pottery and cooking utensils, and sponge-painted, terra cotta-colored walls. House specialties include rotisserie chicken with roasted garlic mashed potatoes, a marinated and grilled veal chop, Gibraltar-sized seafood pasta dishes, and wood-fired pizzas. Grappino di Nino, in the rear, is a cozy bar where business types wet their whistles and cool their heels.
Stylish and elegant with a contemporary edge, Quattro couples spectacular Italian cuisine with unpretentious surroundings and service. Famous for its antipasti bar, fantastic wines, and sumptuous seafood tower, Quattro lays out quite a feast. Savory pastas and risottos get a punch from truffles and parmesan cheese while grilled meats and vegetables boast a smoky, earthy flavor. Other menu considerations: free-range duckling, veal chop, red snapper with preserved lemons and capers, and a wonderful cioppino Genovese. Quattro also features a busy bar.
Vibrant mosaics, lively murals, bold colors, and a bustling social scene make La Griglia a top destination for dining out. Happily, the food is just as bright and confident as the interior. The shrimp-and-crab cheesecake gets lots of attention, and seared diver scallops are delicious as well. Main-course offerings run the gamut from rotisserie duck with raspberry sauce to honey-glazed pork loin and veal scaloppine. Consider, too, seared baby snapper, the roasted wild boar chop, and romano-crusted trout. The bar offers an animated scene too.