Chez Roux

12/17/09

A hidden gem on the shores of Lake Conroe

by tarheel116 at Citysearch

What a great find. My wife and I had dinner here recently and from start to finish it was an excellent experience. Service was prompt and efficient, the staff were courteous and knowledgeable, and the food was absolutely wonderful -- best I've had in the area, downtown included, and my wife and I are shameless foodies who indulge often and have sampled broadly. A new favorite -- we'll be back soon.

• Pros: Fantastic, inventive french cuisine
• Cons: none

09/22/09

Great food, what a great dining experience

by TxStevo at Citysearch

Chez Roux Restaurant was an outstanding choice as the setting, overlooking Lake Conroe, combined with the outstanding food make it truly a memorable experience. I recommend it for both special occasions and for the times when you want to just unwind and enjoy a relaxing meal.

The Pre Fix menu, complete with a starter, the main course, dessert and 1/2 bottle of wine was priced at a very reasonable $65. Portions were perfect and the presentation of the food was excellent.

For the starter, I had the "Rare Peppered Tenderloin of Venison" which was perfectly prepared. The fine bean and caper relish that accompanied it balanced out the dish. The Parmesan Wafer was an unexpected treat that just rounded out a fantastic starter. Starting out like this, I knew that this experience was one I would remember for a very long time.

As an added note, the 1/2 bottle of wine selection was either "Murphy Goode, 2006 Fume Blanc Sonoma California or the Jean Luc Colombo, 2005 Rouge Rhone Valley (France). I selected the 2006 Fume Blanc which paired very well with my dinner.

For the main course I selected the "Butter Poached Breast of Chicken" which was exceptional. The hints of the aged parmesan along with the shitake mushrooms that enhanced the asparagus risotto convinced me that Chef Albert Roux's reputation is fully represented in this new venture.

Chef Roux has an impressive reputation as does the executive chef, Matthew Gray and the food we enjoyed reaffirmed that to us.

For dessert, I went with Ice Cream: a scoop of white chocolate and a scoop of marzipan infused ice cream. Everyone else had the selection from french and domestic cheeses that were offered. Honestly, we were surprised at the large variety of cheeses offered and I was happy to have been able to choose from 4 different ice creams and 4 different sorbets. Simply stated, the desserts from the fixed menu were very nice.

Overall, a fantastic experience and a place I highly recommend! You will leave with fond memories.

• Pros: Excellent food, Pre Fix menu outstanding, beautiful view

08/12/09

Good food, but small portions and high prices

by TxWahoo at Citysearch

Chez Roux Restaurant at La Torretta Del Lago Resort is perfect for fine food, if you don't mind spending a lot of coin while you're there. For my money, I would prefer Mark's, Da Marco, Mockingbird Bistro, or a fine Houston steakhouse instead.

Chez Roux serves top-quality food in a neat lakeside setting, and the chef does a great job of mixing various flavors and paring foods; however, the price of a meal there is hard to justify. For appetizers, I had a crab and lobster dish, which was priced about $24. While it was delicious, the portion size of the appetizer warranted a price more along the lines of $12-15, given that it hardly served as an appetizer for one person, much less two. The entree selections are few, and most run from $35 and up, again with portions more along the lines of $20-35 entrees. The wine list is extensive, with lots of older vintages from top-notch vineyards, but the selections of red wine under $100 are few and far between, and the markup in some instances is outrageous. The most notable "values" were the 1997 and 1999 Mondavi Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (around $140-170). On top of the already astronomical prices, note that there is a forced 18% gratuity included, NO MATTER THE SIZE OF YOUR PARTY. As a custom, I usually tip around 10% for wine, and 20% for food service (and I know that everyone has their quirks in this realm of tipping on wine). I was quite astonished that they would force-tip a party of two, including the marked-up wine that we had, but I'm not sure on whom the blame rests for that. As for the service, I expected a bit more knowledgeable staff. While the waitstaff was friendly and attentive, they seemed inexperienced and timid.

In sum, when I decide to have another $100-125/plate dinner, I would rather go to a steakhouse like Pappas Bros., or go to one of the above 3 restaurants instead, so that the hole in my wallet is at least somewhat alleviated by a full stomach.

• Pros: Food; extensive wine list
• Cons: Price for food and wine; young waitstaff; forced gratuity