Stephen B C.
Yelp
We joined friends for a first experience at Flavors on Fire in old Katy for a Chef's Table experience and I'd like to share some impressions. The price is $119 per person and with a 20% gratuity would come to $290 for a couple without consideration for alcohol. I hate to be so crass as to boil a dining experience down to 'value' but in this case, think it is warranted. A chef's table is both food and experience to be sure, but mostly, it is about the food.
But first, the good: The Owner, Tim, has designed, and built a very nice space which is clean, spare and modern in old Katy which is ideally suited to his chef's table and cooking classes business. It is relaxed, the music is soft, it is truly pleasant. Tim, the Owner, who is Dutch, although not formally trained, exhibits a good knowledge of cooking, presents well and is utterly enjoyable. You can tell he enjoys this.
Now for the harder part. They advertise these evenings as a Chef's Table experience with no other real details. In my experience, that usually suggests a tasting menu of 5-6 courses (salad, cold app, warm app, main, dessert), which at this price point, seems about right. But, that is where the disappointment comes in. The meal that was prepared consisted of a tasty salad, a main (with small protein and starch) followed by dessert all preceded by a tasty amuse bouche. All the dishes were delicious. The main was a wonderful piece of sliced beef tenderloin but only about 5 ounces with very nicely prepared gnocchi in brown butter. Were this dish served in a restaurant with an 8oz fillet of similar quality and a veg, I expect it would be a $60 entrée, but this was much less, and the sliced meat was cold when the plate was set before us. If this meal's value (with the dessert) in a fine restaurant would be no more than $50-$60, the diner needs to judge if the 'experience' aspect of the evening is worth half the cost. I noted above, this may seem crass, and it kind of does. I enjoy spending well for a fine experience and fine food. I simply feel that this is a $120 meal that cost me $240 and can't get around that.