Too quiet in Monte Vista... Where is everyone?? (Houston, Dallas: homes, landscaping)

[jogi]

We live in MV and NEVER feel the need to go to Stoneoak (or even inside the Loop) for great restaurants.Ciao, Bistro Vatel, La Fonda on Main, Capparellis, Valentino's, Tre Trattoria and many more in Alamo Heights in addition to Chris Madrid's and Blanco Cafe.

[jogi]

Oops - correction to last post...I meant OUTSIDE the loop

[jwebtx]

The wife & I (30 somethings) live in MV and primarily cook at home. There are serviceable restaurants in the hood, but I wouldn't call any of them great (aside from a couple Mexican places in the general vicinity). The wine lists are forgettable and the food is just okay. We love to cook and can guarantee better quality ingredients & wine than anything offered near by.

Vatel allows corkage, but i've never had a meal that wowed me. Valentino & Tre are mediocre Italian. La Fonda? Lovely place, but I much rather eat at Los Barrios on Blanco or Paloma Blanco in AH. The Persian place serves booze now and won't allow corkage. Chris Madris refuses to serve a burger rare (that should be a crime). Lighthouse has a few good things on the menu, but it is so bright in there. Libert Bar is probley our favoirite spot in the area, but it is not because of the food. My list of failures in AH is more brutal...

When we go out to eat, it is usually downtown. Las Canrias, Biga, Le Reve, and Sandbar are tough to beat and they are only 2 miles from our door. Other than that, maybe to Austin Highway for Thai. San Antonio, outside of Mexican, just doesnt have quality restaurants.

Open something simple like Wink (Austin), Union Square Cafe (NYC), Blue Hill (NYC), Blue Ribbon (NYC), or Landmarc (NYC) and ill be there at least weekly. Until then, we will be doing our best to recreate the experience at home with family & friends.

[jogi]

Let me guess...not a native - part of the La Fonda experience. Although I agree with most of your recommendations, I think Jason Dady has done a great job with Tre and Le Reve is not a weekly destination. Las Canarias has lost the chef and is a little touristy and Liberty Bar has recently gone downhill. The entire post sounds a tad self-important - rare burgers at Chris Madrid's - please! And yes, having lived in DC, I am well aware of NYC restaurants.

[jwebtx]

i was born and raised here. self important? just an honest assessment of why we don't regularly frequent MV area restaurants. the new chef has settled in and put his stamp on the menu at Canarias. You should give them a try again. Boudro's is what comes to mind when you say touristy. btw, dc has a neighborhood restaurant or 3 that I wouldn't mind seeing emulated here...

[dvlpr]

Originally Posted by jogi

Let me guess...not a native - part of the La Fonda experience. Although I agree with most of your recommendations, I think Jason Dady has done a great job with Tre and Le Reve is not a weekly destination. Las Canarias has lost the chef and is a little touristy and Liberty Bar has recently gone downhill. The entire post sounds a tad self-important - rare burgers at Chris Madrid's - please! And yes, having lived in DC, I am well aware of NYC restaurants.

I don't think the response is "self-important"; rather, it's honest (and constructive) criticism, no? It's indisputable that SA doesn't have nearly the dining options that we ought to (again, relative to other cities of similar size).

Tre has shown lots of promise (and I really admire Jason Dady's ambition), and I've had several very good meals there. But it's not in or walking distance to MV.

Caparelli's and Valentino's are both mediocre places. Hell, even that's being generous.

And while Ciao, Vatel, and La Fonda are okay, none are truly "great". Furthermore, Ciao & Vatel have been steadily escalating their prices over the last 3 years, so much so that we hardly ever go. In fact, the last several times we went to Ciao, with a bottle of wine & tip, the total was over $100, and the food definitely doesn't merit that (especially when they pour their wine in, as a good friend likes to say, "grandma's chianti glasses").

And I've had some very good meals at Vatel, just as I've had some very poor meals at Vatel (and I'd make the same comment as Ciao with regards to its cost relative to its quality).

This really reiterates my original point to the OP ("Where is everyone in MV?)- because of the lack of good restaurants/bars/cafes/etc., people like us would usually rather stay in and cook/drink (or go over to a friend's and do the same) than pay $125 for a mediocre meal.

And while our options are getting better by the year, we still have room to improve. Surely we can agree on that?

[Dwangle]

My Great Grandfather moved from St Louis to Monte Vista in the late 1920's. The oldest family member died in the 1990's and my dad inherited the house and everything in it. I have a worthless brother who refused to get out on his own so may dad gave him the house to get rid of him. As far as I know he is hardly ever there. At first his friends would come over and they would start a big fire in the fireplace and party. The fireplace fell apart and he never fixed it. He spends most of his time anywhere but in Monte Vista.

[LindaGrace]

Originally Posted by Dwangle

My Great Grandfather moved from St Louis to Monte Vista in the late 1920's. The oldest family member died in the 1990's and my dad inherited the house and everything in it. I have a worthless brother who refused to get out on his own so may dad gave him the house to get rid of him. As far as I know he is hardly ever there. At first his friends would come over and they would start a big fire in the fireplace and party. The fireplace fell apart and he never fixed it. He spends most of his time anywhere but in Monte Vista.

Ok. I guess good for the residents of Monte Vista that your deadbeat brother isn't ever there?

[RGJ]

Originally Posted by Dwangle

My Great Grandfather moved from St Louis to Monte Vista in the late 1920's. The oldest family member died in the 1990's and my dad inherited the house and everything in it. I have a worthless brother who refused to get out on his own so may dad gave him the house to get rid of him.

Boy, that'll teach him

[Dwangle]

Oh God tell me about it!! My older sister was so P..... Off. I just take it in stride..I got my own stuff to do!