Save Bar Bludorn for when you want all things Americana comfort - Review - Houston - The Infatuation

"Sometimes you just want to be taken care of at a capital-R Restaurant, a place with pristine service and food that's truly worth the $100 you’re about to spend per person. That’s why you go to Bar Bludorn in Memorial. photo credit: Richard Casteel photo credit: Richard Casteel photo credit: Richard Casteel photo credit: Richard Casteel Pause Unmute After one visit to this American, tavern-style restaurant, all five of the managers will know your name. The attention to detail is obvious, down to the little silver garnish picks and the dark room set up like some classy mid-century jazz club with a kitchen for a stage. And while no one’s wandering around selling cigarettes, there will be someone circling with a bread basket full of butter-golden Parker House rolls and fleets of servers dropping off caviar and fried chicken with collard greens in fluid succession. photo credit: Richard Casteel photo credit: Richard Casteel photo credit: Richard Casteel Pause Unmute So save Bar Bludorn when you want all things Americana comfort: stellar martinis, miniature ham beignets, and service that makes you wonder if you accidentally slipped someone $100. Maybe as your last meal in Houston, maybe for an anniversary, or just a particularly crappy Thursday. It’s not cheap to be this well-fed and cared for. But if you’re doing it big, you might as well go all the way. Food Rundown Cocktails The first time we tried the house cocktail Delusions of Grandeur, with its combination of chai, ginger beer, and mezcal, we were stunned. What seemed like a grab bag of ingredients came together as a dreamy version of a michelada, served in a cocktail glass. And every house cocktail is similar in that its unexpected flavor combinations result in some of the most refreshing and interesting drinks we’ve ever had. photo credit: Richard Casteel Parker House Rolls Served with a fluffy, piped dollop of butter, the yeasty little buns are a classic version of the iconic Parker House roll: fluffy, slightly sweet, with a thin gold crust. You can also order more on the side if you have food pyramid-level bread requirements. photo credit: Richard Casteel Steak Tartare The texture of this tartare runs straight past minced and right into pulverized. That softness, with the addition of a raw egg and only slightly crispy miniature potato hash browns on the side, makes the entire dish a little too mushy. photo credit: Richard Casteel Gem Lettuce Salad Usually, parmesan serves as a supporting flavor for crunchy lettuce, but not at Bar Bludorn. Here, nutty cheese is the star, and the lettuce is simply the best vehicle to eat it. photo credit: Richard Casteel Spaghetti Carbonara If feasible, we would show up at Bar Bludorn every day, hands out Oliver-orphan-style, and beg for, “more pea pasta, please.” This bowl is creamy, cheesy, and has a punch of green crispness from the pea tendrils. photo credit: Richard Casteel Fried Chicken Every bite of this fried chicken, which includes sides of buttery-soft mashed potatoes and stewed collard greens, reminds us of being a kid and ordering a Luann Platter at Luby’s, in the best way. This is pure Southern cafeteria nostalgia that we want to order every time. photo credit: Richard Casteel Matcha Sesame Tiramisu For a restaurant that serves a lot of heavy, rich food, the inclusion of a light tiramisu with matcha and black sesame could seem like a total leftfield move. But, it’s the best (and lightest) way to tie off a meal here. photo credit: Richard Casteel" - Chelsea Thomas