Serendipity Leads the Way
It was pure serendipity the day that led me to take a break, sit down, and watch the latest episode of Beat Bobby Flay. The individual challenging Bobby Flay (my culinary hero) was Stanton Bundy, the Executive Chef from Traveler’s Table in Houston. It was a chilaquiles brunch challenge, and since I love both Tex-Mex and south-of-the-border dishes, the show definitely had my attention. When Chef Bundy actually beat Bobby Flay and one of the guest judges said he would “…travel to eat this duck,” I knew we had to try Traveler’s Table during our upcoming weekend in Houston. I immediately checked with my daughter, and as soon as she said yes, I made reservations for four for Sunday brunch.
Traveler’s Table
Racing along Houston’s IH 10, we take the exit leading to the Montrose neighborhood sitting in the shadow of downtown. One of Houston’s oldest areas, known as a pocket of eccentricity and diversity, is in the heart of the city with an eclectic mix of restaurants and vintage shopping – if we have the time.
Traveler’s Table is almost smack dab in the middle of this neighborhood and is located at the extreme east end of Westheimer Road. We creep along the city street until we spy the restaurant on our left. The parking lot is full of cars, but we notice valet parking is available, for which we are grateful.
My daughter and her husband have never heard of this establishment, and with more than 12,000 restaurants in Houston (I can’t even imagine), I understand why. The four-year-old building housing Traveler’s Table looks new. Two tall, peaked roofs shelter and shade the outdoor eating areas, and the inside is open, airy, contemporary casual, with polished wood, polished cement floors, and comfortable seating. It feels like a happy place.
The Menu at Traveler’s Table
Taking our seats at a table for four, we soon begin perusing our menus. My eyes open wide at the words I am reading. The menu spans the globe and the world’s kaleidoscope of flavors—it tempts at every turn. I now understand where the restaurant got its name—it is a traveler’s dream. My son-in-law, a world traveler himself, comments that he could spend a month eating his way through everything on the menu.
This just isn’t fair. I thought I knew what I wanted to order. But—I try to focus on the Duck Chilaquiles. They are why I am here. Apparently, after hearing my tale of a NY-based food judge saying he would travel for this duck, my son-in-law is on board too. Michael chooses Louisiana Fried Chicken, while my daughter orders Korean “Sticky” Rib Kimchi Fried Rice. All our orders come with a fried egg.
Before we begin digging into the main event, several appetizers tempt our taste buds—Guava Empanadas and traditional Japanese Kaki Fry Oysters. Of course, there are brunchtime cocktails with names and components as inventive as the food menu. We choose cocktails with twists on descriptors and ingredients used to concoct them—from Bayou Bloody Mary to Foreign Correspondent to Caribbean Queen mimosa to a flight of Shots Heard Round the World.
The Food – The Cocktails
When our server stands before us, ready to take our order, we bombard him with everything we want all at once, but he writes it down and delivers our drinks while the kitchen works on our shared appetizer order. The drinks are an adventure in their own right, especially my son-in-law’s flight consisting of Churro del Diablo, Good Morning Vietnam, and Wake the Dead. Instead of waking the dead, I think all three might put him to sleep. But traveling corporate warrior that he is – they don’t.
Traveler’s Table Appetizers
Soon, the Japanese Kaki Fry Oysters and Shiitake Edamame Dumplings take their place on the table. The oyster presentation is beautiful! Three panko-encrusted fried oysters sit in their shell on a glistening bed of rock salt, and are garnished with house-made tartar sauce and tobiko flying fish red caviar. I believe the dish is traditional in all but the addition of caviar and the creative presentation. I have just one oyster and it doesn’t disappoint, tasting exactly as I imagined. Crunchy. Briny. Delicious. I would have liked to keep all three to myself, but I share.
The Edamame Dumplings are totally vegan and not anything I would think of ordering on my own, but my daughter is happy. I taste one of five on the plate she is sharing. The dumplings sit in a splash of mushroom soy, and are studded with shiitake mushrooms and slices of bright red chiles. The Fresno chile and the mushroom soy bring the dish to life, giving an intense pop of flavor to the mild dumplings.
The Main Event at Traveler’s Table
When I take the first bite of mesquite-smoked duck, I can’t believe how good it is—smoky, tender, full of flavor. I didn’t even think I liked duck. But, boy, was I wrong. I should have remembered that any food in the hands of a master chef can be exceptional—this smoked duck is exactly that! The chilaquiles that accompany the duck are nothing less than a flavor bomb with their Mexican-themed ingredients of crisp tortilla chips, house-made red salsa, and spicy chorizo. Two types of mild Mexican cheese, an avocado drizzle, and a sunny-side-up egg to balance it all out. When my daughter offers me a bite of her Korean Sticky Rib, I wish I had room for another entrée or that we lived in Houston and I could dine at Traveler’s Table weekly, eating my way through this traveler’s dream of a menu.
But today I’m thankful for serendipity, spontaneity, a husband, a daughter, and a son-in-law saying yes to my idea of brunching at the Traveler’s Table this morning. However if I’m honest, the mom and daughter really led the way.
For More Information on Traveler’s Table
https://www.travelerstable.com/menus/
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