T'afia

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3701 Travis Houston, TX 77002

713-524-6922

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15 User reviews Write A Review

Critics'
Pick
Best Farmers' Market
Award Winner 2010

Cuisine(s): New American

Hours: Tue-Thu 4pm-10pm, Fri 11:30am-11pm, Sat 4pm-11pm

Price: $$$$

Payment Types: All Major Credit Cards, cash
Attire: Casual

Features: Business Dining, Catering, Patio/Sidewalk Dining, Private Party, Takeout

Serving: Dinner

Alcohol: Full bar
Reservations: Accepted, Recommended

Parking: Free, Valet

Description

Here's a foodie paradise where every dish on the menu has an exotic name. Don't miss the outrageous cocktails like the namesake "ratafias," which are cordials made with white wine, vodka and fresh seasonal fruits. The food isn't cheap, but Monica Pope isn't in it for the money. She's a passionate advocate for people who make (and grow) great food. While she is bowling you over with her dreamy flavor combinations, she's also single-handedly creating a market for organic farmers, artisanal cheese makers, specialty ranchers and local chocolate makers.

2010 | Best Farmers' Market

As it says on the all-local Midtown Farmers' Market's Web site, "It's a foodie paradise and morning party all in one!" And they aren't exaggerating. Although it's not the largest of Houston's farmers' markets by a long shot, it's the best place to go on Saturday mornings from 8 a.m. until noon to run into friends, get your knives sharpened by the friendliest guy ever to come at you with a blade and stock up on fresh meat and produce for the week ahead. Vendors include Kraftsmen Bakery, the... More »
2009 | Best Drink Special

Sure, you can get a drink special at any old bar in town. But only t'afia's drink specials are made with seasonal, organic produce and Texas wine. And only t'afia's drink specials come with complimentary appetizers from one of the best kitchens in the city. Tuesdays through Thursdays, you can relax in the cool confines of its modern bar or shaded patio and enjoy a drink from the menu of decidedly hip and retro cocktails -- like champagne drinks made with Tito's vodka – or... More »
2007 | Best Mac and Cheese

We all know everything Monica Pope touches turns to gold: food, cocktails, locations, even her wait staff. Take her simple-but-elegant mac and cheese. On any given Tuesday, you can walk into T'afia and order a side of mac and cheese just like mom used to make -- that's if your mom used bow tie pasta and powdered cheddar to make hers. Also like Mom's, on Tuesday it's free if you show up for dinner on time. More »
2007 | Best Sommelier

Andrea Lazar prefers the title of "beverage director" to sommelier, but whatever you call her, she has changed the way Houston drinks. Lazar is a firm believer in the naturalistic notion of terroir, and a champion of underappreciated wines. One page of her wine list is devoted entirely to overlooked and underloved rosés. She is also an innovator. The restaurant's moniker is a nickname for a Mediterranean beverage called ratafia, which is made by marinating fruit and herbs in a mixture... More »
2006 | Best Service

Spewing happy talk and fawning over socialites has long been mistaken for good service in Houston's top-end restaurants. (It's actually an institutionalized form of panhandling.) T'afia exemplifies a new and more enlightened approach to restaurant service. The waitstaff is unobtrusive, unassuming, yet helpful. Most important, they're extremely well informed about the food, its provenance and its preparation. It's nice to know that the carrots are cooked with ginger tonight, but at T'afia,... More »
2005 | Best Restaurant

If your definition of a great restaurant is a posh dining room where airhead waiters suck up to rich people, try the new Tony's, or one of Tilman Fertitta's high-end swank-aterias. But if you want to visit the epicenter of Houston's food scene, go to T'afia, the minimalist restaurant in Midtown where the service is informative, not kiss-ass. Want to try some of the most innovative cocktails in the entire country Check out the aged ratafia concoctions and the melting essences behind the... More »
2004 | Best New Restaurant

T'afia T'afia, the starkly minimalist Midtown restaurant run by star chef Monica Pope, is named after a Mediterranean beverage that's made by marinating fruit in a mixture of wine and spirits. The bar offers several varieties of these innovative cocktails, and they're incredibly refreshing. So are Pope's high ideals. Her allegiance to local organic farmers is legendary, and now she's working to improve the Houston food scene in other ways. Her "local market tasting menu" features five... More »

OIMBY Returns After a Two-Year Break

By Katharine Shilcutt | Mon, May 21, 2012

Outstanding in the Field dinners -- meals which feature a tour of a local farm and food prepared by a master chef on the farm itself -- are famously fabulous, but also notoriously expensive. And two y... More »
This Week in Food Blogs: A Stark Look at Katsuya and Wine's Greatest Hoax

By Katharine Shilcutt | Wed, May 16, 2012

ROFL House: Been wondering how the sushi is at ultra-luxe L.A. import Katsuya by Starck? Matt took a first look at the West Ave restaurant and came away -- shall we say -- less than impressed with bot... More »
Upcoming Events: A Week Full of Beer

By Katharine Shilcutt | Fri, November 11, 2011

In case you hadn't heard, it's Houston Beer Week, y'all. The week-long celebration of craft beer and local breweries kicks off tonight with a kick-off happy hour at Ziggy's Downtown, from 5 to 7 p.m.... More »
Chef Chat, Part 1: Domenica Catelli of Catelli's

By Matthew Dresden | Wed, July 20, 2011

This week on a very special Chef Chat: the California wine country edition! Domenica Catelli might be the most prolific chef you've never heard of, with a hand in nearly every aspect of the food indu... More »
T'AFIA'S BLO-JITO

By W. Healy | Thu, August 21, 2008

A little Interweb research tells me that the forerunner to the mojito was invented in the 1500s by the English pirate Richard Drake, one of Sir Francis Drake's cohorts. It seems Francis had a reputation for rowdiness at his various ports-of-call a... More »
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chefjohnsheely | Houston, TX | 10 Reviews

| Thu, August 6, 2009

Monica Pope is a Houston original. She is one of the leaders in the growing food revolution that is making Houstonians rethink the way they cook and eat with local food sources. James Beard nominated chef......inspiring local Texas cuisine.
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Allisen Picos | Houston, TX | 112 Reviews

| Thu, July 2, 2009

Great happy hour spot - great place to sit outside and have a glass of wine! Free finger foods while you drink Tue- Thurs. I really liked the chickpea french fries with the curry ketchup.
Like (0) Dislike (0)

michelle_mekky | Houston, TX | 1 Reviews

| Sat, December 18, 2010

Cozy warm and welcoming. Love the food, especially that they are so accommodating to vegetarians.
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Dinner Menu

Main
Denotes Monica's 5 Course Tasting Menu For $50 / With Wine Pairs $70 Free Lounge Food Menu Items Tues-wed-thu.

$5.00

Marcona Almonds

$16.00

Preserved Lemon Hummous
smokra&sumac, lavender-black pepper pizzette

$10.00

Polenta Fries
red curry aioli, sesame-coriander salt

Per Date $3.50

Medjool Date
bacon-wrapped, chorizo, chermoula

$14.00

Sashimi
salmon, truffled shiitakes, greens, masago, orange chili sauce, wasabi

$12.00

Mushroom Dumplings
mascarpone blue cheese sauce with honey

$9.00

Slider
spicy peanut sauce

$7.00

Razor Clam Soup

$7.00

Rich Broth
with turkey giblets and pork wantan

$10.00

Endive & Mushroom Salad
blue cheese, spiced pecans, white truffle-white balsamic dressing

$9.00

Lamb's Tongue Salad
arugula, px sherry & mint dressing

$8.00

Winter Slaw
shaved fennel, cabbages, turnips, radishes, beets, russian kale, pinenuts, dried figs, miso happy dressing

$7.00

Arugula Salad
truffled beets, savoury granola, feta

$5.00

Sauteed Radishes
with maple-savoury butter

$6.00

Steamed Greens
roasted garlic, meyer lemon

$23.00

Crispy Chicken Leg Confitd
milled potatoes, pickled red onions, salsa verde, lemon sauce

$22.00

Lamb Shoulder Chop
yellow corn grits, preserved lemon-green olive salsa

$23.00

Gingered Kobe Stirfry
daikon, turnips & shiitakes, rice noodles

$18.00

Braised Oxtail
celery root-potato gratin, quince chutney with apples

$15.00

Maple Chili-marinated Tofu
soba or rice noodles, mushrooms with grilled pineapple, gomaishio $15

$16.00

Carbonara
perciatelli, peas, speck, farmstead egg yolk

$20.00

Barrel Fish
israeli couscous salad, chermoula

Market Fish
pick your side, pick your sauce

$10.00

Chocolate Bread Pudding
honeyed pear, crème anglaise

$6.00

Warm Persimmon Pudding Cake
pecan-maple elixir

$9.00

Beet Brownie Sundae
caramel semifreddo, pomegranate syrup, spiced pistachios

$10.00

Vanilla Bean Cheesecake
meyer lemon curd & marmalade, cranberry saor

$8.00

Crème Brulee,
house biscotti

$6.00

Trentino Selection Of Gelatos & Sorbets
plain yogurt, salted caramel, cassis-cabernet

Desserts

$10.00

Chocolate Sour Cherry Bread
pudding , creme anglaise

$8.00

Vanilla Creme Brulee
savory herb shortbread

$8.00

Caramel Semi-freddo
meringue pecans, espresso, candied citrus

$9.00

Beet Brownie
mascarpone gelato, fleur de sel caramel sauce, sesame crunch

$10.00

Walnut Cheesecake
medjool date, maple mascarpone, pistachio, orange blossome water

$8.00

Tea & Herb Poached Fruit/ Simple Cake
meyer lemon cured & marmalade

$9.00

Caramel Quince & Rosemary Crisp
mascarpone gelato

$7.00

Trentino Gelatos & Sorbets

Looking for another city?

T'afia

3701 Travis Houston, TX 77002

713-524-6922

Description

2010 | Best Farmers' Market

2009 | Best Drink Special

2007 | Best Mac and Cheese

2007 | Best Sommelier

2006 | Best Service

2005 | Best Restaurant

2004 | Best New Restaurant

OIMBY Returns After a Two-Year Break

By Katharine Shilcutt | Mon, May 21, 2012

This Week in Food Blogs: A Stark Look at Katsuya and Wine's Greatest Hoax

By Katharine Shilcutt | Wed, May 16, 2012

Upcoming Events: A Week Full of Beer

By Katharine Shilcutt | Fri, November 11, 2011

Chef Chat, Part 1: Domenica Catelli of Catelli's

By Matthew Dresden | Wed, July 20, 2011

T'AFIA'S BLO-JITO

By W. Healy | Thu, August 21, 2008

chefjohnsheely | Houston, TX | 10 Reviews

Allisen Picos | Houston, TX | 112 Reviews

michelle_mekky | Houston, TX | 1 Reviews

Weekly Ads

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