theStearns

Chefs Chris Shepherd and Randy Evans at Eastside Farmer's Market (photo by Kenn Stearns)

The community benefits when chefs and farmers connect through locally-produced vegetables, fruits, and farm products. Yesterday I spotted these locavore chefs – Chris Shepherd (chef and managing partner of Catalan Food & Wine) and Randy Evans (executive chef of Haven) – comparing notes in the 90+ degree heat/humidity during a break in their buying activities at the Urban Harvest Farmers Market at Eastside. Farmers appreciate the restaurants’ buying power and restaurant customers enjoy fresh ingredients that taste good. It’s all good!

Laredo Taqueria in Houston, Washington @ Snover St in The Heights, Washington Corridor (photo by Kenn Stearns)

Colorful, hard to miss, best breakfast tacos in town, owner does not like people to take pictures of his bidness

Haven at 2502 Algerian Way in Houston (photo by Kenn Stearns)

Haven is a certified green restaurant in Houston, a city that is not well known for energy conservation. Executive Chef Randy Evans and I recently talked about what it means to be green at Haven.

The restaurant was built from the ground-up to store, prepare, serve, and consume food. The angle of the roof was designed to accommodate solar panels. The dining room color palette includes warm tones of eggplant and artichoke. The vegetables, meats, and fish are all fresh. Chef Evans works with local farmers to not only source fresh food but to recycle waste from the restaurant for compost or other uses. With  10 containers for recycling, the restaurant only needs a 4-foot dumpster.

The dining room at Haven offers warm hues such as eggplant and artichoke (photo by Kenn Stearns)

A new vegetable and herb garden includes the expected basil and cucumbers but also offers surprises such as bronze fennel and edible flowers. Large cedar logs – each one required six men to move and place – line the garden that’s just getting started.

Executive Chef Randy Evans and the new vegetable and herb garden at Haven (photo by Kenn Stearns)

Restaurant grounds are planted with citrus trees, grape vines that thrive in Texas, and berries. Rain chains are selectively used in place of down spouts. A 500-gallon cistern filled with rain water is used to irrigate the vegetable and herb gardens. Chef Evans said two more cisterns will be used to irrigate additional landscaping.

Haven harvests rainwater stored in a 500-gallon cistern for irrigating vegetables and herbs (photo by Kenn Stearns)

As many of us become more aware of how our daily choices affect the environment, Haven demonstrates how a scalable project with a mission can yield real-world results that make a difference. Fresh food from local providers served up in a responsible environment by professionals who are connected to their customers and the community make for a winning combination. (And the food/wine is great too.)

The Clay Pit restaurant on Guadalupe in Austin (photo by Kenn Stearns)

When we met friends and family at The Clay Pit, many of them remarked they’d seen the sign when driving by and had always wanted to stop. I’m no expert on Indian food, but I like bread, attentive service, diverse menu choices, and the ability to throttle spiciness. The Clay Pit delivered in all cases. Our group included a vegetarian, queasy stomach, low tolerance for spicy food, and enthusiastic support for extremely spicy food. Our waiter accommodated everyone’s requests. The Naan was hot, crisp, and tasty – we tried garlic and basil, onion and cilantro, and regular. We particularly enjoyed the Somosas (we tried chicken and vegetable), Tandoori Vegetables, and any Biryanis.

We read the criticisms from online reviewers claiming the food was not authentic, too spicy, not spicy enough, spotty service, etc. We didn’t have those problems and were delighted with the overall experience.

The Clay Pit's expansive main dining room in the old Bertam building (photo by Kenn Stearns)

Hugo's Mexican Restaurant in Houston, TX (photo by Kenn Stearns)

The exciting flavors of Mexico come together at Hugo’s in Houston where fresh tastes, updated interpretations of traditional dishes, complex complementary flavors, and earthy notes combine in a delightful cuisine like no other.

Herb crusted goat cheese with cilantro pepita pesto, mojo picado, ancho chile and grilled bruschetta (photo by Kenn Stearns)

Last year a Houston friend in the restaurant industry recommend that we dine at Cafe Josie during an Austin visit. We were exhausted after spending another day searching for a place for our college-aged daughter to live for her junior year at The University of Texas. We resisted the temptation to go with a known standby eatery and showed up early for dinner. The waiter was friendly, made great wine recommendations, and the cuisine exceeded our expectations. The  unique tastes and flavor combinations melted away the day’s pavement pounding.

During another recent visit to Austin we visited Cafe Josie again – this time for a birthday lunch with our daughter. Outside the weather was stormy, cold, and wet. Inside the ambiance and wait staff were colorful and cheerful. We shared starters, enjoyed daily specials for entrées, and used the celebratory moment as an excuse to try the desserts.

Cafe Josie is named for the daughter of chef Charles Mayes, who started in 1979 as the chef at Mother’s Cafe and Garden. In 1986 he moved to the Treaty Oak Cafe and in 1991 joined up with restaurateur Stan Adams at Gilligan’s.

Crispy calamari with chipotle aioli dipping sauce (photo by Kenn Stearns)

Dining area of Cafe Josie in Austin (photo by Kenn Stearns)

Backstreet Café (photo by Kenn Stearns)

Owner Tracy Vaught opened Backstreet Café in 1983. Nestled among majestic oaks in a ’30s-style  home, the restaurant delivers one of Houston’s best fine-dining experiences. Executive chef Hugo Ortega provides a wide assortment of “New American Bistro” fare with an emphasis on freshness and originality.

Margaritaville in Montego Bay, Jamaica (photo by Kenn Stearns)

Parrot heads celebrate this Margaritaville as the mothership of Jimmy Buffet’s franchise. What better way to enjoy the world famous Cheeseburger in Paradise than on a 120-foot water slide? Jamaican owners Brian Jardim and Ian Dear opened in January 1966 and have been partying happily ever after.

Black pepper sorbet with strawberries at Uchi (photo by Kenn Stearns)

“Uchi is an Austin restaurant serving modern Japanese fare in a variety of ways.”

“Variety of ways” are three key words in the first sentence of content on the menu page of Uchi’s website. Diversity of menu items, unusual service on both sides of the sushi bar, and elegant presentation combined for a truly elegant dining experience. “Uchi” means house, and this Austin restaurant in a former home is where sushi master chef Tyson Cole works his magic.

On this particular evening the mastery culminated with dessert: black pepper sorbet with strawberries. If not for the urging of a friendly Uchi regular seated nearby, I would have skipped what seemed an unusual flavor mating. This is among the best desserts, ever.