Table on Post Oak
1800 Post Oak Blvd. #6110
Houston, Texas 77056
713.439.1000

Back at it this week with my second stop on my Houston Restaurant Weeks list, Table on Post Oak. My first stop was a late solo dinner. This time, I went with a friend early to check our their happy hour. We arrived a little before 5 and were the first ones at the downstairs bar.

First impressions and atmosphere:

Love – Complimentary valet, very friendly and helpful hostess, dark concrete floors, cool and modern light fixtures, large bar top, lots of loungey seating for a large group, $5 wells and $20 bottles of wine for their all-day summer happy hour.

Didn’t love – While the fixtures and the floors seem modern and cool, the drab fabric paneling on the walls, brown leather couches and dingy, dated rugs make me want to give the downstairs area a makeover.

We walked up a carpeted open staircase lined with fake pillar candles to the second floor and chose a table by the window overlooking Post Oak. The dining room decor is a small step up from the lounge but still at odds with itself. Simply folded linens and brass-rimmed, geometric candle holders add to the modern feel, while the dark wooden tables and a burlap-looking room divider take it away. And I don’t love carpeting in restaurants but I realize the need for reducing sound.

Little did I know that the restaurant has recently been put under a new management team who have slowly been making changes while keeping all of the original staff. Knowing now they are making improvements helps me better understand some of the awkwardness. They expect to finish the revamp by winter.

Food and service:

I was surprised (and happy!) to hear that there was a $25 wine pairing for the Houston Restaurant Weeks menu, and of course I said YES. I sampled the bread for research, but they were just plain dinner rolls, so I wasn’t too tempted to indulge in more.

My first course was the Table Salad with black and breakfast radishes, heirloom tomatoes, grapefruit (though not listed on the menu), and blood orange vinaigrette. Our server explained how the Duckhorn “Decoy” Sauvignon Blanc was a nod to the fruit in the salad but not overly sweet. The salad was refreshing and the dressing was my favorite part. Ok, maybe the wine was my favorite part (and I normally don’t drink whites!).

The beautifully constructed salad above is the Colossal Lump Crab Salad (which our server suggested before I could even tell him it was part of the reason I was there!). The yuzu vinaigrette has a sweet but citrusy flavor that goes wonderfully with the crab, and when you get a bite with the creamy avocado and jalapeno it has a great kick!

Another dish that I was eyeing before I even stepped foot in the door was the Peach Glazed Duck. The duck was perfectly cooked, had the perfect layer of fat, and the glaze was perfectly sweet. The only thing not perfect about this dish was that it was small. I wanted so much more. When I called today to inquire about the charge to upgrade to a full sized portion, I was told that it was, in fact, the full size. But the pictures on their website show otherwise, so be sure to request more duck! You won’t regret it. Not pictured are the creamiest mashed potatoes I’ve ever tasted. They are inspired by Chef Joël Robuchon’s ratio of 2:1 for potatoes to butter, so the small portion was very satisfying. The wine pairing was Château Eugénie, a French Malbec, which was a little richer than the Argentinian Malbecs I am “used” to, but paired nicely with the sweet-ish glaze in the dish.

The frozen yogurt and berries seemed to be missing the raspberry coulis which really would have balanced out the tartness of the yogurt.

My Key Lime Tart was a perfect portion. I didn’t really notice the “mojito confit” on the plate. It was the the toasted meringue that made the tart special. Château la Bertrande Bordeaux was the paired wine. It’s a white wine that gets its concentrated sweet flavor from a fungus that develops on the grapes (caused by the high levels of morning humidity from the rivers and streams in the area). It’s so sweet, you won’t even think about the fungus. (Ha!) And as our server explained, it’s hard to pair a wine with such a strong flavor as Key Lime. He was right. I finished my tart and then enjoyed the Bordeaux.

Our young server was well-informed about the menu and wines, and he expressed his love for food which I always appreciate. It makes me happy to see people be passionate about food and be able to share it with someone, whether it’s a recommendation or across a table. The management staff was well present and very friendly. All we had were praises to give, so they’ve done a good job at making their job easy.

For next time:

When the weather is nicer I will have to come back to enjoy a cocktail on their covered patio. But, you know how I have a thing for those (do I mean cocktails or patios?). After drooling over these photos, I definitely want to come back and try several other things on the menu. They have such a wide range (from flatbreads to seafood to steak and more), you could bring a group of the most particular eaters (*raises hand*) and all of them would be happy.

Lunch:
Monday – Friday
11:00 – 3:00

Brunch:
Saturday & Sunday
11:00 – 3:00

Dinner:
Sunday – Thursday
5:00 – 10:00
Friday & Saturday
5:00 – 11:00