Houston Modern Luxury (PDF) | August 2008 Houston Modern Luxury (PDF) | May 2008 H Texas Magazine (PDF) | February 2008 Texas Monthly (PDF) | January 2008 In Town Magazine (PDF) | January 2008 Tribeza Magazine (PDF) | October 2007 News from the Houston Food Front: My Table magazine’s 11th Annual Awards for Culinary Excellence were held at Mockingbird Bistro on Sunday, October 7th, and Gravitas co-owner and Executive Chef Jason Gould won “Chef of the Year.” The accolade comes on the heels of Gould winning the “Up-And-Coming Chef of the Year” award in 2006, which marks the first time a chef has consecutively won “Up-and-Coming Chef of the Year” and “Chef of the Year” in the award’s 11-year history. In addition, Gravitas received futher recognition with a nomination this year for Best Bar Scene. Texas Monthly | February 2006 No two ways about it: Gravitas is the best new restaurant to open in Texas this past year. No wonder it’s the darling of foodophiles and trendy types alike. Designwise, too, it’s up to the nanosecond, with bare brick walls, polished concrete floors, and arty found lighting fixtures softened by warm woods and a busy open kitchen. Executive chef Jason Gould (he’s the guy with the perpetually knitted brow prowling around the dining room) and proprietor Scott Tycer (he’s the guy who cooks at and also owns highly acclaimed Aries, a few miles away) have fashioned an eclectic American menu with Mediterranean touches, filled with lightly tweaked traditional dishes that sound—and are—delicious. I adore calf’s liver, and the pan-fried version here, served with a rich demi-glace and fried shallots, is divine (don’t you dare have it cooked more than medium-rare). Another fine and simple dish is steak frites, a brasserie classic you should order just so you can have the fries—chestnut-colored and crunchy on the outside, golden and cloud-light within. The accompanying steak is no slouch, either. And the fish at Gravitas—oh, my. The pan-fried snapper, with its crisp skin and succulent interior, is just amazing. But it’s not only the big-deal dishes that are excellent here; one of my favorite diversions is the bread service, which consists of chunky rustic bread, a fruity olive oil for dipping, and a little dish of toasted seeds and nuts for double-dipping. Are there problems? Yes, some dishes are oversalted, but never so much that it puts you off. And one last thing: The casual, smiling young servers treat you with such consideration that you feel as if you’re dining in someone’s home. And in the end, isn’t that what it’s all about? Patricia Sharpe Houston Modern Luxury (PDF) | October 2005 |