As I mentioned to you in one my posts a couple of months ago, it's incredible to witness the big gastronomic growth the City of Houston has had in the last decade. I remember that on my first year living in Houston, the majority of places available to dine out were "Chain" Restaurants. Now I can find unique, independent, original and authentic kitchens offering cuisine from all around the world, ran by very talented local and international Chefs. I have to admit that there are very good "Chain" Restaurants around, but personally, I prefer to discover places that emanate the owner’s passion for the food they are offering.

Several magazines and newspapers have published the list of the best new restaurants in Houston for 2014 and I’ve set as my goal to try as many as I can and share my experiences with all of you. The place I'm going to talk to you about today is at the top of the list in several publications, its name is: Coltivare.  

Coltivare is owned by to the same people as The Revival Market, that amazing place where I found the best cappuccino in Houston and it's located also in The Heights area. From the minute my husband and I arrived, we loved its casual and not pretentious feeling. But since they don't accept reservations, be prepared for a very, very long wait for your table and preferably go in small groups, I'd recommend no more than four to get it faster. The good news is that the wait can result very pleasant thanks to the fact that you can enjoy your favorite drink at the bar or at the terrace. The bar is fully stocked and there’s even a sommelier that can talk to you about the vast variety of Italian wines they have and even suggest the perfect pairing for your food.

We sat the bar and after ordering my usual Hendricks Gin, the barman suggested an appetizer while we waited and recommended their potato and sausage stuffed bread; I never thought that the flavors of Chefs Weber and Pera would captivate me from the very first bite, before we were even seated at the table. Thanks to the long wait I discovered this bread and I think it’s one of the main reasons I'd go back to Coltivare, just to enjoy another piece of that deliciousness.

Once seated at the table and with our menus in hand, we ordered the "Revival" Pepperoni Pizza and the only word I have to describe it, is -PERFECT- there's nothing else to say, one of the best I've eaten. We also tried their whole wood-roasted fish and it was also amazing. In their menu, they also have several salads, pastas and some luscious deserts.

The ingredients they use are of the best quality and some of them are even cultivated in their backyard (thus the name). The dishes that I tasted left me eager to go back and continue exploring that amazing menu. Hopefully, I’ll go back to that wonderful place very soon. Yo Mariana really recommend it.

Coltivare: 3320 White Oak Drive, Houston, Texas 77007

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