HE SAID

The Rainbow Lodge in the Heights is a romantic place to dine. Christina and I lived in Alaska and have spent many nights in log cabins decorated with taxidermy and guns. I have hunted for most of my life and understand how food comes from the wild to your table, and I appreciate the whole process.

When I see game meat on a menu, I often give it a shot.  And the menu at the Rainbow Lodge has plenty of game meat options, from a nimble rabbit to a majestic elk; from speedy antelope to the great buffalo.  They also have many Gulf seafood options with a wonderful variety of beef goods. They tout the influence that local ranchers, farmers, artisans, and the local garden have on their menu.

We ordered a couple of cocktails as aperitifs while we decided our order.  We both ordered a Basil-Pear Martini, and they took a minute. The waiter came out and told us the basil had to be picked from the outside garden. I was in love—the thought of someone going into the dark night with a flashlight to pick some basil for my beverage made me feel king-like.

We then needed to order some food.  I had never had boudin before, and since this meal I have ordered it two other times, within a week of our wonderful dinner at the Lodge. But the Lodge’s version is still the top. It was a beautiful dish of Rabbit Boudin Balls dressed with Tabasco aioli and a nice choucroute garni, I had no idea what choucroute garni was, so I “Googled” it and it’s sauerkraut as a garnish. It tasted awesome—a nice gamey meat-rice ball with a good bite to the aioli.

We ordered a bottle of Cabernet Franc from Deluctus Vineyards, knowing the red meat that was to follow.  I ordered the Buffalo Short Ribs with Texas Gold Cheddar Risotto with Charred Brussels Sprouts and Leaves.  The Buffalo Short Ribs were fall apart, obviously cooked low and slow, with delectable fat bits and beautiful tender meat that melted in the mouth.

The creamy cheesiness of the risotto with the grilled flavor of the Brussels sprouts with the au jus from the buffalo—what a combination! It was harmony on a plate. To finish it all off, I stuffed some layered Crossaint Bread Pudding with a bourbon caramel sauce ala mode (vanilla ice cream).  What a wonderful way to spend an evening in Houston—a beautiful lodge serving beautiful food right here in our city.

-by Josh

SHE SAID

I thought long and hard about this review, because I didn’t want the fact that it was my 35^th birthday celebration and a belated wedding gift influence my rating. Special dinners feel more special by definition, right? So I pondered our trip to Rainbow Lodge, in the Heights, and ultimately decided that this special meal stands on its own. Who knew that a wild game oasis stood in the middle of Houston?

Our Rainbow Lodge gift certificate was a wedding gift from one of my best girlfriends from high school. Jill told us she had investigated the restaurant scene here and chosen Rainbow Lodge in hopes that the log cabin setting and the menu featuring wild game would remind us of our Alaska days. (Though I imagine Rainbow Lodge has running water.) The log cabin, decorated in a cozy, rustic style, certainly made me nostalgic for Fairbanks. The staff was welcoming, from the valet station to the hostess to our waiter, Dave. It’s always a good sign when you are greeted with warm smiles and good humor.

The Rainbow Lodge menu is varied but sharply focused. I am not a fan of huge, sprawling menus; I find it difficult to make a decision the first time, and then I have difficulty exploring beyond what I already know I like in subsequent visits. Since Josh hunts and we lived in Alaska, we’ve tried our fair share of wild game, and we wanted to make sure we selected dishes that were new to us. We shared the Rabbit Boudin Bites with Tabasco Aioli and Choucroute Garni for an appetizer; after a consultation with Dave, I chose the Grilled North American Elk Chop, Sweet Potato Mash, Wilted Spinach and Berry Sauce for my entrée.

I loved every bite. From the before-dinner Basil-Pear Martini (served up, with basil picked fresh while we waited) to the rabbit boudin balls and elk chop, to my Chocolate Semi Freddo with Graham Cracker Crust, Housemade Marshmallows and Smoked Chocolate Ganache, each dish was perfectly composed and executed. I loved the way the spicy aioli and choucroute set off the just-slight gaminess of the rabbit boudin bites, and I appreciated that the appetizer was truly a “bite”—I detest appetizers that are big enough to be called an entrée. The elk chop made me smile with the bone-in presentation that was very “Flintstones,” but in an elegant way. The entire entrée was a delight, and I was surprised to find that the elk was beef-like in flavor; I had expected something more like moose or venison, but the taste and texture were much more like beef steak than moose steak. If there was any gaminess in the elk, I couldn’t detect it, but whether this was a function of the sweet berry sauce or not, I couldn’t say. When my dessert came out, “Happy Birthday” had been painted on the plate in chocolate and a candle. It’s these small touches that set a restaurant apart, and make me want to return.

What is most exciting about Rainbow Lodge is the way they take comfort food and tweak it into a fine dining experience. I’ve eaten moose around a campfire, whale at a campground wedding, and more venison in more places than I can count, but I rarely sit down to a meal at a table with white linens and order up what most Americans would consider “exotic” meats. This meal lands in my top three dining experiences since moving to Houston two years ago.

-by Christina