T'afia in Houston

I was in Houston last weekend for Lyla's bridal shower and bachelorette party. She loves T'afia, where chef Monica Pope works. I wanted to go to T'afia because I knew that Monica Pope is going to be on Top Chef Masters next season, where chefs from around the country compete for charities.

The underlying concepts of T'afia are season and place. The menu changes frequently because they strive to cook local food that is in season. They brought out fresh bread and butter, and chickpea fries to start us off. If you've never had chickpea fries, you should go to T'afia. They are crunchy and spicy and served with housemade ketchup.

We were sitting pretty close to the kitchen, and Lyla had spotted Monica Pope herself, so I flagged Monica down and introduced myself and Lyla and talked to her a bit about Top Chef Masters.

And then, she sent us out some food! Caper berries with red peppers and anchovies, and some cheese and honey. I'm not a big anchovy fan, but I love caper berries. They actually weren't that salty to me. I also got the Mediterranean plate. They have a wide variety of plate sizes - appetizers, small plates, entrees, proteins + sides. It seems like a great place to go with a big group, because you can eat whatever size meal and whatever kind of meal.

Also, they have free valet.

So, if you're in Houston and want a different dining experience, go to T'afia. I hear Monica Pope also does cooking classes at the farmer's market in Houston, so go check that out too.