Traveler's Table — Restaurant in Houston

Arrived here as soon as they were opening. Greeted by the complementary valet service. As I walked through the gorgeous patio setting, I was warmly greeted by the hostess. I did not schedule a reservation just to see how the solo dining experience was like. Although there were no low-seating available, i was happily presented high/Bar seating. After going over the menu for about 10mins. My server (Nhu) came and introduced themselves and the other staff members that will be assisting my visit. After their brief introduction, I was instantly asked about any dietary restrictions or allergies that I may have. Although I do not have any to be concerned about, it is always pleasant that this is a priority for them.

Drink // Tranquilo Es Mio (7/10) I started my meal with this wonderfully delicious drink. Although I was worried of the Cantaloupe syrup making the drink too sweet for my liking. I was pleasantly surprised that it was not at all. the dehydrated lime garnish not only added looks but provided a deep rich flavor to the overall beverage as you let it rehydrate in the drink. Overall I would give this drink a recommendation, even though it’s not overly sweet, it is still slightly sweet for my liking, I have a sensitivity to sweets, no in any medical way, just really reactive to sugars.

Drink // The Year of Living Dangerously (9/10) This drink was a complete wildcard. It originally didn’t catch my eye since i’m more of a tequila person. But I’m so glad my server recommended this. When it comes to alcohol, i prefer my drinks to be a bit more bitter and herbal over sweat and floral. and this drink hit all the notes I was looking for. The Mezcal provided a great bit of smoke to the drink deepening it’s flavor profile. While the jalapeños and lime added a noticeable but enjoyable level of spice.

Appetizers // Crab Samosas (9.5/10) While reviewing the menu on my own, these samosas peaked my interest. Although I am not a huge seafood person, after my server recommended them, I had to indulge. The turn around on ordering these were surprisingly fast (Remember, I went in as they opened) upon arrival, the presentation of the samosas were stunning. But what had me shook was the taste, again I am not a seafood person, but the crab was not overwhelming at all. The menu listed a “spicy” mango chutney. I wouldn’t necessarily classify it as spicy, it was indeed tasty. By far the best samosas i’ve had to date, which is telling because i’m not huge on seafood.

Main // Japanese Miso Scramble (11/10) These were the absolute STAR of my visit. I did not think anything could top the samosas, these we absolutely the best eggs i’ve ever tasted in my 25 years of life on earth. They were insanely soft and delicate. The incredibly fresh mushrooms not only added a rich earthy flavor to the dish, the shishito pepper as the slight crunch to balance out the texture. I am still thinking of ways to describe this amazing dish as I take each bite. Will definitely be back just for this alone. A M A Z I N G !

Main // Shrimp & Grits (8/10) I regret eating this after the Miso Scramble, not that it was bad, I could not truly focus on the dish due to my brain still being scrambled by the dish before. Not to say it is not good. This dish was incredibly flavorful and filling. The sauce that covered the meal was full of depth and flavor. While the shrimp was not over cooked AT ALL and still provided a nice bit of texture while still being delicate.

Lasting impressions // The name “Travelers Table” is be best description of this restaurant. From refreshing tequila giving you the feels of being in Cabo, to egg flown in directly from japan and ending with a stop in New Orleans with the accurate recreation of shrimp and grits. From the food, to my amazing server. Nhu who not only prepared my drinks, but also remained attentive to my needs and made sure I did not go without. Amazing delightful and welcoming server. I hope everyone gets to experience the professionalism and dedication they present for...

✨See and be seen scene✨ If you made it to this review…just go! Yeah, it’s on the heavier side of prices, but, not many other places can match this. Architecture: steep A-frame roofline is striking in the sprawling Downtown cityscape. Dramatic and pretty. Even on a Wednesday evening, this place is jumping. Patrons waiting on the front steps for the valet to bring their car back, cars pulling up waiting for them to take it away. Bustling inside, excited people smiling, chatting and laughing. The kind of trendy, glamorous spot where you will see your tech friends celebrating, celebrities talking tech and social media influencers taking selfies. Enter with the bar to the right, counter-to-ceiling clear glass back splash with a stone wall a short gap behind it; great visual impact. The rest of the dining area flows from one global region into the next. African themed art, gourds, tribal implements hang on the walls. Following around the corner by the kitchen into Eastern Asia with lines of deep colored cloths tied to ropes draping across the space. Middle Eastern area with walls decorated in colors of the spices known in that region…. Fun hanging lamps appear to be designed to hang-glide with the white air foils reflecting the lamp light down over the tables. We came on Wednesday International oyster night. They offer a selection of raw oysters six different world cuisine ways. Our server recommended Viet-Cajun. Delicious. See pics. The menu offers entrées and appetizers from various climbs around the world. Hummus with lamb Ragu, unexpected, and very tasty. Singaporean soft shell chili crab… hard to put in words how delectable this dish was. Crispy fried softshell crab floating in a rich spicy seasoned chili. One of my favorite dishes I have ever had. Thai heavenly beef, this seared tenderloin was so flavorful, and the dipping sauce was amazing. Snapper Pontchartrain: reminiscent of the dining district in Lafayette, Louisiana. Caribbean jerk chicken: perfect execution, hungry Island style piled presentation. We tried two of the desserts. Choco-flan with mango drizzle. Strange but i don’t dig mango. And burnt Basque Cheesecake; kumquat-apricot chutney, Earl Grey peach coulis… You’ll note the service rating dipped pretty far south for such a review. Now I know the swelling crowd has an impact on the speed of service. But, empty glasses, sizable gaps between courses and our server seemed to have um forgot about us, even though she was nice. But, even if the service were a 3 star next time it couldn’t keep me away. Simply some brilliant food. A must see… I always include: the restroom. Men’s anyway… Small, two person capacity. Super Urban, bright, white and clean. Decent respite. Nutshell: Go! Try something you wouldn’t usually order. Be...

Nut allergy warning: This place uses a LOT of nuts. Like, nearly every dish. But they managed to pull off my dishes with no cross contamination and no allergy issues, so that's incredible. They didn't serve the pesto on the side for my table like we asked but hey, that's fine.

Made a same-day reservation on a Wednesday and got lucky to be moved to an indoor table. The restaurant got quite packed by 7PM. Valet parking basically required, which is complimentary but everyone tips valet anyway (right?).

Order-To-Drinks: 14 Minutes Order-To-Appetizer Time: 16 Minutes Order-To-Entree Time: 54 Minutes (It was mentioned this would take longer because of my nut allergy)

Overall service and food were spectacular. The small bite plates were the weakest, but everything was delicious.

Drinks: Our Man in Havana (4/5): Initially great and fruity with the coconut and passion fruit and mango up front. Later basically becomes a mojito with the mint at the bottom. Cool transition. Foreign Correspondent (4.5/5): Get this if you like cucumber. The cucumber really comes out in this gin & tonic! Margarita Flight (4.5/5): Nice taster. They're all different and unique. Spicy, refreshing, and sour.

Viet Cajun Oysters (3/5): These were probably the weakest of our meal. They got the garlic and butter on point, but the oysters weren't that large, the Parmesan was melted to the shell, and it wasn't spicy as Viet Cajun should be. They were as good as Oysters Rockefeller elsewhere.

Michiko Chicken (3.5/5): Portions a bit small for the price. The mango chutney was phenomenal and I wish it came with some bread or anything else to dip in it. The sambal mayo was quite unique as well.

Butter Chicken (4.5/5): Rich, smoky, flavorful. The rice was perfect and the cauliflower masala was beautifully presented and also flavorful.

Lamb Gnocchi (5/5): Amazingly cooked and flavorful lamb shank. We got a sort of Alfredo sauce that was delicious because of my nut allergy.

Caribbean Braised Oxtails (4.5/5): Delicious oxtail and sauce. Really tender and the habanero mango was the perfect compliment.

Burnt Basque Cheesecake (4.5/5): Quite rich, and the apricot chutney had some clove flavor that was very intense. The Biscoff crumble was an interesting touch.

Black Sesame Lava Cake (5/5): Dark chocolate with the Ube ice cream was inspired. A really unique of black sesame and chocolate.

Overall, our service was very polite, food was delicious and very sharable (even if it took a little while), and the drinks all had unique twists too. Might be one of my top 5...