Houston Diairies : Down House - The memorable restaurant!

Between my last blog and this, I’ve had a roller coaster of life-changing events. I’m not whom I started out to write as, which is a good thing because now I can be adventurous and dramatic like the way I had wanted to be.

Let’s just say, “it’s not that my standards are too high, it’s just that my father has set an amazing example for how a man should treat me”.

Fast-forwarding the mind boggling fiasco, my aunt and elder brother called me straight down to Texas for some change of air! The landing announcement to Houston after 14-something hours was as soothing as hugging my mom after four months, but I’m not going to lie – Qatar Airways made my journey absolutely wonderful!

Besides the limitless pampering by the entire family, I was treated to the finest of restaurants and cuisines. Grateful for being a part of a line of food-lovers, and I’m even luckier to have a chef brother!

On my second night in town, we decided to have dinner at Down House, a restaurant that my brother works in as a line cook. I obviously chose the day he was on duty, so I could take the customer advantage of sending sarcastic compliments to my darling chef. Hah!

Situated on Yale Street, Houston, Down House has a very casual and comfortable feel to it. We walked into a softly lit pub decorated with vintage, yet classy furniture and were greeted by an extremely welcoming staff member. The weather was absolutely beautiful so we chose to sit outside.

The menus were already placed on the table, which our friendly server skimmed through with us. While we contemplated over what to order, I requested the server to inform “Chef Fahd” inside, of my arrival. Everything in the restaurant’s concise menu sounded particularly simple and appetizing and it actually became hard to choose!

 For starters, we ordered the Mushroom on Toast and Lettuce Wraps.

I bit into the Mushroom on Toast with a burst of flavors filling my mouth from goat cheese to egg to the salty kick of soy sauce. What a well-blended display of mushrooms, I tell you. I don’t know if we were exceptionally hungry or what it was, because we gobbled down the generous serving within the first two minutes.

Mushroom on Toast

The lettuce wraps were DIY that were served with lettuce, grilled chicken, fried onions, cilantro and a Down House made sweet chili sauce. I smiled when the lettuce wraps came to our table because the first thing that caught my eye were the fried onions. Used in almost all Eastern dishes, freshly fried onions aka “tali hui pyaz” is a daily feature in every Pakistani home kitchen. I successfully assembled a non-breaking wrap for myself and thoroughly enjoyed the different flavors that were enclosed in a crisp leaf of lettuce.

Lettuce Wrap

 Majority of the reviews about Down House raved about the Kimchi Burger, which is exactly what my uncle and I decided to order for ourselves.

I’ve often pondered over what I would do if I ever reached a point where I would have to choose between burgers or a life partner. This Kimchi Burger has given me my answer. A burger topped with an egg is already a treat; now imagine world-class kimchi layered between that and the melted slice of cheese. Boy, that was one heck of a party in my mouth I tell you. Every ingredient found its way to tickle my palette and the perfectly cooked patty made this brilliantly executed dish simply marvelous! Full points!

Kimchi Burger

 My sister-in-law, the chef’s other half, ordered the Bistro Steak which came with a complementing sauce of Cilantro Raita! Hurray, more eastern variety!

Raita, FYI:

 I absolutely loved this fusion surprise. Typically, the idea of steak is very sophisticated and is normally served with peppercorn or mushroom sauce, but this cilantro raita made it minty cool and totally fantastic to the tongue! Also, the medium steak was cooked perfectly.

Bistro Steak

My aunt went for the Chicken Fried Portobello. Sometimes you really don’t need meat, interestingly cooked vegetables can be just as tasteful and filling. Non-greasy, fresh, hot, crisp and delicious batter, with creamy and melt-in-the-mouth mashed potatoes on the side. Great choice.

Chicken Fried Portobello

Everything was served in pretty decent portions and I was so stuffed that I was expecting to see Homer Simpson opposite me if I stood in front of the mirror.

But what a meal it was, enjoyed every bit of it. I even sat there and expressed my dream to live in Houston so I could out here and hang out every single day! I get overexcited about things, okay?

Bummed that my brother was too busy in the kitchen and couldn’t come out to even say hello, I declined the dessert offer. Whad’ya know, the door opened and my sweetheart of a brother walked out with a plate of a beautiful brownie dessert topped with a candle. An early birthday surprise!!!!! Eek, I was shrieking like a little girl when everyone sang to me including Chef Fahd – I felt so special. I could tell he was a fidgeting to get back inside to work but there was no way I would let the chef get away without a selfie!

Chef Fahd - My bro <3

We devoured in the moist and unbelievably tasty, and hot brownie. So glad we got to have a dessert, I would have definitely missed out on it! Perfect way to conclude our meals.

Super sweet servers wished me a very happy birthday and we headed out home. Down House has to be one of my favorite restaurant experiences. Great food, wonderful ambience, efficient service and ofcourse awesome chefs ;)

Here’s a secret note that I asked to be delivered to Chef Fahd:

Thank you, God for all the amazing food and reminding me that love is all around me!

PS: Instagram @hangrywords