Blue Tuba

"Fuse Eastern European cuisine with Texas flavors and a dash of Southern hospitality, and you get Blue Tuba. The new Euro-Tex restaurant opened with an enticing menu of more traditional dishes like pan-fried schnitzel, Hungarian goulash, Slovak macaroni and cheese, and plates of halušky — thick, doughy dumplings found across Central and Eastern Europe. But chef Vlado Kolenic takes some fun culinary liberties, offering Texas paella, complete with brisket, shrimp, chicken, and mussels, and tacos filled with German schnitzel, French escargot, Polish kielbasa, a Greek vegetable medley, and Italian shrimp scampi. Choose between flour or corn, or opt for the potato-based Slovek tortillas." - Brianna Griff, Brittany Britto Garley

"Located at the former Harold’s in the Heights space, Blue Tuba takes diners on a tour of Europe daily. Brunch, held on Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., is no different. Opt for dishes such as housemade Czech kolaches, an Italian egg frittata, and the Austrian knödel, a fluffy sweet dumpling served with fresh berries and vanilla cream." - Brittany Britto Garley, Marcy de Luna

"At the intersection of “casual date spot” and “damn, that’s some good schnitzel” sits Blue Tuba. This Heights restaurant takes European dishes and sprinkles in a little Texan flare. Blue Tuba’s greatest success stories of these combinations are the tacos, some topped in escargot and others balanced with slightly sweet bratwurst and tangy sauerkraut. But even the dishes that lean more traditional—like the slovak mac and cheese covering mini dumplings—are equally well-executed. photo credit: Quit Nguyen photo credit: Quit Nguyen photo credit: Quit Nguyen You can have a solo dinner at the bar as you muse about the history of cevapcici with the bartender, or take your meal to the main dining room. At first glance, it’s a pretty straightforward sea of shining leather chairs filled with couples on first dates who are splitting bottles of cabernet and giant plates of schnitzel. But in the corner, there’s a small stage stacked with instruments including, you guessed it, a blue tuba. Come here for a weeknight meal and you might get an impromptu performance from one of the owners. Food Rundown photo credit: Quit Nguyen Cevapcici You’ll get two pint-sized beef sausages dressed in a zippy roasted red pepper sauce. The sausage is a blend of a snappy outside with tender minced beef on the inside, and it tastes like it could be a cousin of boudin. photo credit: Quit Nguyen German Taco If you’re going to try a taco here, this is the one to get. Mostly to taste the crisp subtly sweet bratwurst that is a perfect complement to the tang of the sauerkraut. photo credit: Quit Nguyen Polish Taco The Polish taco takes the same sausage-based setup as the German taco, but swaps in sliced kielbasa and bell peppers to top an airy potato tortilla. It’s a smokier sausage, which makes the flavors more robust, but it still feels balanced. photo credit: Quit Nguyen Slovak Mac & Cheese This side should be a part of any meal at Blue Tuba. It’s smothered in so much cheese, the mini dumplings in the dish are barely visible. And the bits of bacon folded into the dish keep it from being too mushy. photo credit: Blue Tuba Schnitzel The most Texas fusion part of this dish is that it covers the entire plate, with the edges hanging off of the end. The giant piece of pork is thin and has a slightly crunchy breading. This should make it to your table—even if it requires the help of everyone at your table to finish." - Gianni Greene

"At the intersection of “casual date spot” and “damn, that’s some good schnitzel,” sits Blue Tuba. The self-described Euro-Tex restaurant in the Heights has everything from a taco balanced with slightly sweet bratwurst and tangy sauerkraut to slovak mac and cheese covering mini dumplings. First-date couples split bottles of cabernet and giant plates of schnitzel, and there’s a small stage stacked with instruments including, you guessed it, a blue tuba. Come here for a weeknight meal and sip on a house mojito loaded with enough rum to make you forget you’re not on vacation. " - gianni greene, chelsea thomas

"Blue Tuba makes a great backdrop for a little Tuesday night romance. The Heights restaurant serves Euro-Tex fusion food, and if you’re lucky, you and your date could be serenaded by the owners at the small stage in the corner of the dining room. Sit on the patio if you want a little more privacy with our cevapcici or schnitzel. And for dessert, you can share a few Czech kolaches while you make plans for your next low-key get-together." - gianni greene, chelsea thomas