T'Afia Restaurant
(713) 524-6922
3701 Travis St
Houston,
TX
77002
29.7389
-95.3804
Neighborhoods: Midtown, South Central
What People Are Saying About T'Afia Restaurant
The Editor
Joshua Hinsdale
Citysearch
The Scene
Chef Monica Pope's petite Midtown eatery showcases her flavorful creations. Housed in an intentionally unadorned dining room with brick walls, concrete floor and utilitarian tables, T'afia has an almost Zen-like simplicity, though some may find such minimalism a tad chilly. With a focus on local and regional foods, culinary enthusiasts will find a cornucopia of striking, satisfying dishes. Service, however, slides between helpful to haughty, and when all 16 or so tables are filled, the noise level can zoom from Zen to din.
The Food
Emphasizing a local market approach drawing heavily on regional products, the menu is reinvented regularly and ranges from such esoteric fare as antelope, quinoa and celeriac to standards like macaroni and cheese, salmon and bread pudding. A five-course tasting menu is an opportunity to explore options colored with Pope's unique French and Mediterranean sensibilities.
Hits: Food tastes fresh and perfectly spiced. Beef and fish are tender and buttery.
Misses: You'll need to lean in to hear your dining partner when the crowds raise the noise level.
User Reviews
opinion2008
June 29, 2009
Many people find this dinner menu confusing. There are plenty of ingrediants that require definitions for many. I have never been dissapointed with anything I have eaten here so be brave, throw caution to the wind and try something unique. The buttermilk panna cotta dessert with blackberries that they had this weekend was outstanding!!!
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CSMobileUser3
June 15, 2009
This restaurant offers what most others won't - true variety, but not a tired array of commonplace fare. Reasonable prices for creative, well-prepared and delicious cuisine. Our service rated an A+. However, if Chili's, Bennigan's, Houston's, etc. is your type of place, don't come here. :)
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chlewis77008
December 31, 2008
I've been to t'afia about three times over the past couple of years; twice this year. The first time, I was blown away. The menu didn't impress me, but once I actually tried it, I was amazed. The past two times, not so much. The second time, we had bad service and the food was okay. The third time, there was apparently a mix up with the tables and we were left in limbo for a while and had to ask for a server. That actually was fine, because the bad waiter we had on the second visit was handling the table next to us. Watching him, he was just as pretentious as he was before. I remember on our previous visit when we asked questions about items on the menu, he became condescending so we didn't ask anymore questions. We didn't want to bother him while he was working. The last time, I was looking forward to my flattened chicken and milled potatoes. In the end, I felt I paid quite a bit for chicken-fired chicken and mashed potatoes. I truly like the concept of t'afia and hope it can survive, BUT it needs to leave a person with that "wow" feeling and I haven't had that on the past two visits (except with the gelato bar... I did like that). The other part that baffles me is how many of the reviews have complained about the service over several months, but nothing has been done to improve it. You would think they would want to know what people are saying about the experience so they can improve where needed. All of us know we have things to improve upon and t'afia is not exempt.
read full reviewThe Details on T'Afia Restaurant
What to Drink:
Try one of the several house-specialty drinks that contain the fortified wine ratafia, from which the restaurant derives its name.
The Extras:
On Saturday mornings, a farmers' market is held in the parking lot, offering many of the same foodstuffs the restaurant prepares.
Fun Fact:
Chef/owner Monica Pope is a James Beard Award nominee.
Category:
Payment Methods:
American Express, Visa, MasterCard
Restaurant Special Features:
Local Favorite, Romantic Dining, Hidden Find, People Watching, Business Dining, Lunch Spot, Date Spot, Group Dining
Cuisine:
Smoking Permitted:
At the bar
