The Chefs Table Houston — Restaurant in Jersey Village

It was my husband's birthday, so after scouring the internet for reviews, I decided to bring him to The Chef's Table. Since the restaurant is over 50 miles from where we live, and we wanted to make it back home before dark, we opted to come for a late lunch around 2 pm. The inside of the restaurant had a nice ambiance. We were seated at a booth. We were served two glasses of infused water, and we ordered two glasses of Anura Petit Verdot wine. The wine was a nicely balanced red, not too sweet or overly dry, in my opinion. We ordered the Vleis Pastei and TCT Wings as appetizers. The Vleis Pastei was bursting with flavor; our server plated the dish for us to ensure that we experienced all the flavors in the same bite. TCT Wings were tasty, and although the menu lists a spicy orange glaze as an ingredient, the wings were not spicy (which was great because we don't care for spicy food). For the main course, my husband ordered the short stack with a side of roasted medley potatoes, and I ordered the Osso Bucco. Both of these dishes were phenomenal. The short stack, which is bone-in short ribs, was tender and savory. The Osso Bucco, which is veal shank, was a hearty meal that was akin to a soul-comforting stew with potatoes and carrots. My husband and I had to take the majority of our main course home because we were pretty full from the appetizers, and we had to save room for dessert. For dessert, we ordered the Sticky Toffee Cheesecake, and since it was my husband's birthday, the restaurant gave him a complimentary miniature Sticky Toffee Pudding. Both desserts were wonderful. My husband preferred the Sticky Toffee Pudding because he felt the cheesecake was too rich. I liked both desserts, but I must admit that I was not upset that my husband didn't want much of the cheesecake because that left more for me, and I ended up taking it home and enjoying it the next day. Overall, we had a good experience. Our server was attentive. All the food and beverages that we had were phenomenal. My husband and I have dietary restrictions, where we do not eat pork, shellfish, or any fish that does not have fins and scales, so I was pleased to see several menu offerings that we could consume, including vegan options that we plan to try in the future. The only disappointments that we had were (1) discovering that the meat could not be cooked to the customer's desire and (2) the occasional condescending behavior from our server. My husband initially wanted a ribeye, but the server told us in a rather snobbish manner that the chef does not modify per the customer request because he knows how best to prepare the dishes. While I can understand that the chef wants to retain full control of how his dishes are prepared, since we're spending our money at the restaurant, we expected to be able to request that our meat be cooked to our liking, where there aren't large amounts of visible redness and pinkness. Also, there were several rather distasteful comments made by the server that I disregarded and the attitude she gave off at times was as if she believed we could not afford to be dining there. When we tasted the wine sample that she brought, and we asked for the bottle, she said she would bring us two glasses first and see how that goes. We had already planned to take any leftover wine home with us, but our server did what she thought was best instead of giving us what we asked for. When we asked about appetizers, she told us about the dip and said it would give us a bigger portion, as if we had asked for that or were there to fill up on appetizers. When we ordered two appetizers and two rather pricey main courses, she asked both times if we wanted both, again, as if we could not afford what we were asking for. Since I didn't want to ruin our experience, I held my peace, and although I wished we had gotten one of the younger servers that we observed to have better table-side manner, we still left a 22% tip because the food was good and her attentiveness was commendable. We plan to return, but we'll seek a...

Detailed Review

The Chef's Table provided one of the best dining experiences I have had in my adult life. I am somewhat picky, but I am not well-versed in high dining. I have been looking for a high-end dining experience in Cypress, and I have found it. Below is a detailed account of my experience, which can help you make an informed decision.

Enviornment

The restaurant is nice, clean, and overall quiet. There is a mix of tables and booths. My mother and I sat in a comfortable booth. You could hear people talking, but not enough to make out their conversation. You can easily have a conversation and feel you are in a private space. Each table has a light you can use to illuminate the menu and your food, which is a big plus.

Service

The waiter was polite and knowledgeable. As it was our first time, we asked questions about the menu, and he recommended the dishes they specialize in. He was correct as his recommendations were top-notch. Even though he was busy, he checked in on us often and refilled our drinks when needed.

Course 1 - Starter

I decided to order the Vleis Pastei to begin our dining experience. It is a type of stew with puff pastry, with a curry and carrot layer. It was excellent. My mother and I shared it, and it was large enough for both of us to be satisfied. We have never had anything like this, which impressed us. All the flavors are layered together, making a complete experience. I would highly recommend it, especially if you enjoy curry.

Course 2 - My Entree - Karoo Lamb Porterhouse

I am not a lamb person, as it is often gamey in the back. I decided to try this to see how they would do it. I will say this was easily the best lamb I have ever had. It is grilled, served medium rare, and is perfectly cooked. There is a type of BBQ sauce on it, which enhances the meat. There was NO gameiness, and to me, it tasted like a high-end steak. It comes with five-cheese potatoes, which were also excellent, especially when mixed with the lamb and the sauce. Everything connects together, from the lamb to the sauce to the potatoes. One of the best dishes I have ever had.

Course 2 (My Mother's) - South African Kingklip

We are not fish people often because fish often taste muddy or fishy. Having had 4-5 bites of my mother's Kingklip, I understand how good fish can be. Rich, buttery, and no mud or fish taste. It was one of the best fish I have had. It comes with spinach, which I normally do not like, but the sauce, spinach, and fish pair well together. This dish is also on the lunch menu, making it an economical and awesome choice.

Course 3 - Sticky Toffee Pudding

Toffee is something my mother likes, which I often do not. She wanted to try the Sticky Toffee Pudding, which I agreed to try. It is a date-cake with warm toffee, with vanilla ice cream and fruit. I understand why people like it due to the blending of flavors and the contrast of warm toffee and cold ice cream. It works, and works well. I was impressed and would easily eat it again. Even the fruit was superior, as the blueberries and strawberries were large and sweet.

Price

Is the Chef's Table expensive? Yes, it is. But it is quality, and it is worth it. We spent $150.00, with a 25% tip, for two people. It was worth every penny. This is an experience. How often can you say you've eaten African imported meats of this quality?

Overall

To me, the main difference between The Chef's Table and other places is the way they pair dishes. They know how to pair flavors together to create an experience. If you are in Cypress, seeking a culinary experience and willing to pay, you will be rewarded. I will go back and try more and more things, because I want to expand on this. You are doing yourself a favor by eating at The...

In recounting the recent soirée hosted at The Chef's Table, where my party of thirteen convened to celebrate a special surprise birthday, the disconcerting disparity between promised accommodations and the actual experience compels me to articulate my profound disappointment.

Having been assured a reserved space indoors, as per my understanding of the term "room," we were seated outdoors sans the promised heat lamps, subjecting us to the unrelenting chill of the evening. The lighting, cast in inadequacy, thwarted any semblance of an enjoyable ambiance, further compounded by a lamentable standard of service.

My personal encounter with an egregious lapse in service manifested during a protracted wait exceeding 45 minutes for a requested to-go box, necessitating my personal retrieval from within the establishment. This ordeal, however, was merely the tip of the proverbial iceberg.

Observing our waiter conspicuously affording preferential treatment to a Caucasian couple at the bar, manifest in a curated display of packaged steak cuts, invoked a disquieting sense of inequity. Compounding this disconcerting observation, my daughter's steak, ordered medium well, transgressed into the realm of medium rare, a culinary deviation accompanied by a palpable aversion due to an unpleasant taste of blood.

A communal discussion with fellow party members revealed a dismaying consensus: shared encounters of extended wait times and culinary offerings far below anticipated standards. A more distressing observation emerged, underscoring a disquieting pattern of outdoor seating exclusively assigned to African American guests, in stark contrast to the seemingly preferential treatment accorded to fair-skinned patrons who enjoyed the sheltered confines indoors.

Compounded by the obligatory expenditure of a minimum of $1000, this collective experience was not only disillusioning but also regrettably reflective of a blatant disregard for patrons of diverse backgrounds. The disquiet reached its zenith when my grievances, duly conveyed to the manager, promised a call from Chef Paul, a commitment unfulfilled even after a lapse of two weeks.

Contemplating the prospect of a new location opening amidst such disconcerting circumstances prompts a skeptical disposition. My earnest recommendation is not to undertake such an endeavor but rather to address and ameliorate the existing discrepancies at the current establishment. In an era where discriminatory practices have no place, particularly in the hospitality industry, it is disheartening to witness a stark departure from these principles.

In the spirit of constructive critique, I implore Chef Paul to reconsider the trajectory of The Chef's Table, as my resolute preference would not be to entrust my culinary endeavors to its care but rather to take my chances with a more predictable fare, even that of...