Belt buckles, boots, big hair. Certainly not bad things but combine these with a loud-yappin’ blowhard from Texas and you get the stereotype most folks have of our great state. I’d like to put this image to rest for a moment and talk about two Houstonians in the dining world that I feel embody a unique, subtle, and true-to-their-roots Texas style. They are Elouise Jones of Ouisie’s Table and Jim Goode of the Goode Company restaurants.

At Ouisie’s Table (www.ouisiestable.com), Elouise Jones’ eclectic style is evidenced in her regional Texas cuisine, delightful setting and her commitment to the arts. Her menu leans Southern with a twist. “Southern” invokes images of CFS (chicken fried steak) and biscuits. You can get all that, but also fresh Gulf seafood, regional and seasonal offerings, innovative specials and a thoughtfully selected wine list.

You feel like you are visiting a friend’s home and the space is thoughtfully planned. Each room has its own feel. There’s the lovely Alsey’s Nest, the
elegant, cozy wine room, the screened porch, the herb-filled garden, and the high-ceilinged main dining room. There is something about the place that makes one want to linger. It’s certainly deserves its “ladies who lunch” label, but on a recent early August visit, there were hords of business men and women. (The place was packed. I thought everyone was still in Colorado.)

There’s always something interesting on the walls, whether it is big photography or art or her sister’s red deb dress at Christmastime. Ouisie’s Table hosts book signings and art openings and at times you can catch live jazz in the gardens. It is a place like none other in Houston —  a feast for the mouth, but also the eyes and ears in a comfortable, welcoming atmosphere that will leave you wanting to return.

“They always get it right,” says my husband as we are exiting Jim Goode’s Goode Company Seafood (www.goodecompany.com). The restaurant was always in our dining out rotation (as was his Goode Company Taqueria and Burgers and Goode Company Texas BBQ), but now that we live in Dallas, we seem to find ourselves at Goode Company Seafood digging into  Campechana Extra whenever we are in Houston visiting family.

Like Ouisie’s Table, there is something about the feel of the restaurant. Goode has just perfectly captured the essence of Gulf Coast in a diner-like setting. Note the fishing photos from Port Aransas and elsewhere along the coast, all over the place. (The second location on the Katy Freeway is a tad more upscale.)

On that hot summer day, the Campechana Extra, an herby and refreshing tomato-based seafood cocktail rife with shrimp and crab, and raw oysters were delicious and satisfying. On another visit we dove into super-fresh mesquite grilled flounder. We always enjoy the po-boys and gumbo and love the little empanadas that come with the grilled dinners. Jim Goode does seafood right.

He also does burgers right at the Taqueria, next door to the original seafood restaurant. And it goes with out saying that the ?cue down the road is some of the best in town. And one last tip, if you find yourself at any of Jim’s Goode’s restaurants, don’t leave with out a slice of their famed pecan pie.

Ouisie’s Table
3939 San Felipe
Houston, TX 77027
713.528.2264

Goode Company Seafood
2621 Westpark Drive
Houston, TX 77098
713.523.7154