Mèo Bar - Review - The Heights - Houston - The Infatuation

"Those who subscribe to the adage, “It’s not the destination. It’s the journey,” will love Meo Bar. This Heights cocktail bar and Vietnamese restaurant is less about good food and drinks and more about the hunt for the speakeasy's secret entrance. Hidden inside of Wokker, Meo Bar is more style than substance. The push-button entrance disguised as a framed kitten portrait is momentarily deceiving. And hanging out anywhere semi-secret, especially when it's windowless and lit by giant koi fish lanterns, can feel like winning the coolest kid at school award. Meo Bar is worth it if discovering secret spots is what you live for. However, the cocktails and food don’t offer the same level of satisfaction. Nothing here tastes bad, it’s just that the menu isn’t as interesting as the speakeasy entrance. Besides the surprising phở flavors of the beef carpaccio appetizer, everything else on the menu looks and tastes like middle-of-the-road Vietnamese food. Like the somewhat bland bò lúc lắc with undercooked bell pepper or a pile of gummy bánh cuốn chiên. Good, but not tasty enough to warrant the National Treasure hunt. If all you care about is discovering secret entrances and less about flavor, then Meo Bar is the move. It’s a great springboard to a night out, or if you live nearby and only have 45 minutes for dinner because the babysitter arrived late. But if you want excitement with great food, try one of Houston’s other fun restaurants instead. photo credit: Meo Bar photo credit: Meo Bar Food Rundown Cocktails Besides the silly, pun-heavy names—Ban-anarchy, Herb Your Enthusiasm, Keep Calm And Lemongrass On—most of the cocktails are forgettable. Each one tastes like a bland lemonade with a suggestion of herbs or other flavors. They’re fine if you just want something sippable and easy. Pho Carpaccio (Bò Tái Chanh) Out of everything here, this tastes the best. The beef and arugula taste exactly like a bowl of pho, thanks to the intense aromatics and seasoning. Meo Bar should never take this off the menu. Spicy Rice Rolls (Bánh Cuốn Chiên) These resemble fried rice dumplings with sticky tamarind sauce. And while fried food usually tastes great if not satisfying from the crunch, this version tastes gummy and one-note. If you just need something filling, these will do. Shaken Beef (Bò Lúc Lắc) This dish tastes fine, mostly because sauteed tenderloin and sauteed onions taste good with little intervention. But because this is a speakeasy, we expect something a little more fun, especially for $20. Crispy Pork Belly (Heo Quay) The pork is not crispy. So, please excuse us while we take a moment of silence." - Chelsea Thomas