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serendipity
Serendipity: an unexpected pleasure........that's what I found in the Crowne Plaza Hotel at Greenspoint in northern Houston. Just a convenient overnight stay on my way to Belize, the hotel turned out to be a gastronomic delight. My only regret is that I wasn't hungrier so I might have tasted more of the chef's creations.
Exercising caution not to overindulge in the middle of a two-day travel stint, I opted for the black bean and andouille sausage soup and a side house salad. The soup turned out to be a very updated version of this old classic. It consisted of a flavorsome, light broth with the promised beans and chopped sausage as well as an assortment of fresh vegetables and avocado, topped with crispy tortilla strips - purple, red and yellow. A feast for the eyes as well as the palate and very well priced at $5
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The side house salad for a mere $3 proved to be another visual and taste treat. The freshest of greens were topped with a julienne of crunchy veggies and a light balsamic dressing. Unlike most restaurant salads, even the halved cherry tomatoes actually had good flavor. If you judge a restaurant by its salad, as I often do, this was clearly a restaurant with a true a talent at work.
I looked forward to breakfast and I was not disappointed. I chose the Granola Napoleon from the menu wondering just how this would present itself. It proved to be another tasty treat. The granola had been prepared with yogurt and dried fruit, then placed into a round on the plate, topped with a layer of fresh fruit, then another layer of granola and finally a garnish of sliced fresh strawberries. The plate was decorated with coulis of strawberry and a few beautiful, plump blackberries. It was a brilliant start to the day.
My only regret is that my stay was so brief. Should you ever find yourself in Houston, do try 425 Grill and Bar, the restaurant at - I know, of all places - the Crowne Plaza Hotel.
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