Made a visit with a friend for Houston Restaurant Week (HRW) $20 lunch. Entered a fairly quiet dining room with 3 other tables, and was greeted immediately by a friendly waiter. I opted for the charcuterie board and the salmon. Presentation was a beautiful work of art for both plates. Charcuterie board had a decent variation of meats and also had a sort of super rich salmon pate (initially I thought it was cheese). As far as the entree goes, I felt as if I had a plate of salmon alongside a bunch of random decorative vegetables. Presentation was very nice, portion was fairly large, just more so random to me. Taste was ok. We didn't opt for the $5 supplemental dessert, however we were given 3 delightful complimentary coconut and banana white chocolate truffles upon receiving the check. I'm thankful for opportunities like HRW to give me a chance to try places that I normally wouldn't go to. Not sure if I'd return though. read more

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Le Bistro is a French restaurant located inside the Culinary Institute Le Notre. What initially started off as a bad experience made a dramatic reversal. I tried to stop by on a Friday evening for dinner. Le Bistro is located on the north side of town, is not in the best area, so it was a bit of a drive. Once we arrived, we were asked if we had a reservation. We did not. They were unwilling to accommodate us as they require reservations. We had to leave and dine elsewhere. For the inconvenience, we were offered a free glass of wine on our next visit. Le Bistro is a small restaurant so I get it. But, when we visited the next week, the restaurant wasn't full. That's not to say it wasn't when we tried. Either we were unlucky or they use an antiquated system without the flexibility that diners expect in this day and age. Rant over. Fast forward to the following Friday and we stopped by for Houston Restaurants Week. They start you off with some warm bread, fresh out of the oven, with butter. A lot of it too. We demolished all of it. For my appetizer, I had the scallops which are served with risotto. Scallops are easy to mess up but they cooked them just right. Soft in the middle with a nice crispy sear on top. The risotto complimented the scallops nicely. For my entree, I had the waygu strip which is served with potato sticks (the fancy kind) and green beans. For all the steak eaters out there, you know that waygu is an expensive cut of meat. I was expecting a small portion as a result. It was not. 10 ounces which was a lot more than I expected. This dish alone is probably worth more than the $45 you pay for three dishes during HRW. This was my first time having waygu and it was as advertised. A little fatty on the outside but flavorful, chewy, and buttery when you take off the fatty ends. An excellent cut of steak that everyone should try at least once! The sides were also good. For my dessert, they were out of two out of three of the desserts listed but offered us some alternatives. I went with an apricot flan which was alright. Throughout the meal, we had a bottle of red wine which was also great. Eating at a culinary institute is an experience in itself. You're going to receive excellent service. The waiters and waitresses are students so they have an incentive to provide great service. Not only are they getting a tip but they're being graded. At the end of the meal, they give you a card to rate your experience and sign up for any culinary classes that you're interested in. Not only do they have several classes available, but you can also get a diploma as well as an associates or bachelors if you're trying to become a master chef. The chefs are from France so you're learning from the best. The presentation of the food should also be noted. The food looks like art. Which is what you would expect at a fancy French restaurant. We had a 5-star experience. The service was friendly and efficient. Just make sure to make a reservation. read more

I saved the best for my last Houston Restaurant Week at Kris Bistro & Wine Lounge located inside Culinary Institute LeNôtre. It does look sketchy outside but don't be fooled by the building. The private parking lot has about 20 spaces, which is plenty for this small restaurant. As soon as we were greeted and checked in, we were guided into the restaurant which is located somewhat in the far right of the building. You notice a glass wall on the right with several students concocting a meat dish in one of the kitchens. Restaurant is quaint and quiet - fabulous for dates. It has a classy feel without being pretentious. Our waiter was personable and knowledgeable. It seems though the other servers help out whenever they notice something, except this one point when this one waiter saw my friend finish her wine and didn't come to pour another glass. If I could change something, I would want a little history about the school when the waiter first greets us. It would be pleasant to hear about how the school started and how it is run. Otherwise, no complains with service. Food: FRENCH CRÊPE VEAL SWEETBREAD EGGROLLS (3/5, rolled crêpes filled with black truffle, veal sweetbreads, sautéed in sauternes, sesame oil, vietnamese slaw): This was an interesting appetizer. Veal sweetbread with the vietnamese slaw was different but worked. Vietnamese slaw seemed like sweet and sour sauce. This appetizer was one of those "had a few bites and I'm good" kind of dish though. I'm not sure if I would order this again, just different from what I have had before. GINGERSNAP FOIE GRAS CRÈME BRÛLÉE (4/5, rich foie gras custard, backyard garden greens, gingersnap croutons, medjool date dressing): Now, this was pretty interesting mix with the creme brûlée. My companions were arguing whether the gingersnap enhanced or overpowered the appetizer. I personally thought it overpowered the foie gras. I'd probably have a smaller bite of the gingersnap crouton while enjoying the creme brûlée. KIMCHI SNAPPER (2/5, pan-seared snapper crusted with dill bread crumbs, served with sauce vin blanc and sautéed kimchi): This was probably my least favorite dish out of the night. Snapper was full of flavor, but something was lacking aside from the "eh" presentation. I give props for them trying to incorporate kimchi into the dish because adding kimchi can be hard. I believe the sauce didn't mix well with the kimchi. SOUTH AMERICAN-STYLE TAMARIND GRILLED AKAUSHI SIRLOIN (5/5, sous vide tamarind-glazed sirloin, grilled sweet and marble potato, okra, corn, mixed ancient grains, garlic, parsley, red pepper, oil infusion chimichurri): My friend ordered this. I had to try her dish when it arrived. From the presentation to taste, it was probably the best thing from my dining experience here. I had one bite of the sirloin and okra... just melted in my mouth. You really did not need a knife for this. LEMON CHICKEN PAILLARD (pan-fried lemon-breaded farm-raised chicken breast, horseradish, apple and celery root salad, sauce sauternes finished with foie gras and black summer truffles): I didn't really get to try this. I had one bite and was not that memorable to me. My friend mentioned that the chicken was dry to him though. TROPICAL MOUSSE PASSION FRUIT CHOCOLATE (5/5, choose one of our tropical mousse selections: passion fruit chocolate, lychee pistachio, or chocolate-covered strawberry, paired with your choice of ice cream or sorbet): Oh my gosh.. One of the best desserts ever, and I'm not a big dessert person. The passion fruit chocolate mousse was so, so smooth, and the sorbet was magical. I would definitely recommend ordering this if Kris Bistro serves it. I'd probably try the lychee pistachio next time. CHOCOLAT LIME CHARLOTTE (3/5, chocolate mousse, lime mousse, lime dacquoise, berry compote, and lime sablé, served with lemon and lime sorbet): Presentation was nice but it was decent taste-wise. Lime and lemon sorbet complimented with the chocolate and berry compote. Kris Bistro, in my opinion, had the best Houston Restaurant Week 2015 menu with its extensive options compared to the typical 3 items per course that other restaurants offer. Kris Bistro offered at least 5 items that were unique for each of the 3 courses. Kris Bistro is definitely a hidden gem!!! I highly recommend you try this place, maybe even for happy hour! read more

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It feels weird in there. I went at lunch time and it was pretty empty. I ordered a lobster bisque and salmon. The food was ok, ehhh maybe slightly less than ok. I don't know what it was but I just didn't enjoy the food. They brought me my bread for my soup about 10 after I received the soup...so I ate bread for 10 minutes while o waited for the salmon. They don't accept cash. If that matters. It smelled like they go heavy on the floor cleaning products. Not what you wanna smell while eating. Don't think I would want to go back. read more

Le bistro is such a treat. Their seasonal menu covers the bases with unique combinations and stretching the limits of fine dining. With special events and regional dinners, wine paintings and talented chefs, this is a real treat. The service is amazing and attentive. A great special occasion or company dinner destination. read more

what happened? i'm sad to say that this place has done something in the background (management maybe?) and vibe has been lost. is it true that the culinary students are not the chefs anymore? correct me if i'm wrong but i asked the manager about the chefs being students of the culinary school and she said that they were graduates of the school. this is not how i remember this place and maybe we came on an 'off' night with some issues they had earlier with the a/c and staff challenges: not enough wait staff. read more

Sometimes a meal is more than a meal. It can make you smile, or have a fit, or sometimes it can take you by surprise and leave you speechless - as goes Kris Bistro. After going to the soft opening I just can't wait for this restaurant to really open so it get can the recognition it deserves. The food was INCREDIBLE and the word "best" was heard more than once at my table (all people at my table being very serious food lovers and cooks). Kris Bistro is located inside of the Culinary Institute of Le Notre. The outside is a little grungy and parking is a pain, but they are still working on it so no worries. Don't be discouraged from the outside or you'll miss out on something great. The restaurant itself is dark (in a good way) and has good mood lighting with open spaces to sit and look out into the space, or corners that let you feel more private and away from groups. We sat in a darker corner that gave us a nice view of the kitchen working hard through big glass windows, and Chef Kris, himself, garnishing plates from the hydroponic herb garden. I brought my own wine and our servers jumped on getting us glasses right away. From this point on just assume that the service was spot on the whole night. We started off with freshly baked bread and whipped butter, which was refilled promptly the whole night. Next came the appetizers - Escargots in Pomme Dauphine Kromesky (imagine the goodness of escargot in a potato beignet) and the Crispy Sweet Breads. They were both delicious. The sweetbreads were the BEST I've ever had, hands down, no contest. My salad came next and had greens, goat milk feta, and shrimp with an herb vinaigrette. The shrimp were so perfectly cooked and cleaned that they looked something out of a picture. The tomatoes garnishing the plate were so juicy and sweet that we had a whole conversation about just the tomatoes. Here were the entrees I got to try: Smoked Beef with Fried Spatzel, Grilled Hanger Steak with Potato Puree, and Poached & Pan Seared Pork Tenderloin with Bourbon Glazed Peaches & Slaw on top of a Polenta Corn Cake. My friends beef entrees were cooked perfectly and very flavorful. I found myself trying to trick them into giving me more samples. The fried spatzel blew my friend's mind as he'd never had them any other way besides boiled. My pork wasn't cooked to perfection but the glazed peach on top of the polenta corn cake??? Best polenta I've ever had for sure. I wasn't super satisfied with my pork so they brought me mussels in garlic, shallot, parsley, and white wine sauce. I massacred those mussels till there was no trace of mussels left. I am salivating at the thought of these mussels. You should be able to order these mussels by the pound, they're so good. My experience was so good that I came back 2 days later to eat again. The next time I had Pan Roasted Salmon glazed in Lavender with a Tian of Summer Vegetables. Again, perfectly cooked salmon with lots of complex sauces going on around the plate. I left a happy camper once again. Did I mention that every tiny thing is made in house from scratch? Down to the curry ketchup and red pepper coulis, everything is fresh. What else would you expect from a kitchen full of trained chefs? And the best part? The prices are SO reasonable... Kris Bistro is like a diamond in the rough - hidden inside of a dingy place is the best French restaurant in Houston. read more

I was APPALLED by the service at Kris Bistro. Their phone line was down, and their credit card machine wasn't working. I understand; things happen. BUT, the manager's response was to ask us to drive around to find an ATM. When you're paying $150 for your meal, that's unacceptable. On top of that, their menu explicitly states that they don't take cash, and wandering around that neighborhood late at night may not be a great idea (you have to go through a security door to get to the restaurant). I understand things like that happen, but the manager's response was not appropriate. Before that interesting event, we thought the food was good but perhaps a bit too expensive for what you get. The chicken dish that I ordered was flavorful but maybe not worth $28. The same for the sirloin--while nice, it wasn't out of this world and wasn't worth the $$$. And, the first two items I tried to order either weren't available any more or were only being offered as a variation from what was on the menu. read more

I saw Justine's review a few weeks ago and decided that Kris sounds like an unusual and interesting evening. I made reservations and I'm glad I did, as this place was busier than I thought it would be for a Thursday night. When you arrive, you walk through the main entrance of the culinary school and are led back to the restaurant. It had this strange little bar in the back which feels awkward and out of place. Once we were placed there to wait for our friends, we decided it was better to just get seated. The bar is just a waste of space, unless they use it for training. Everyone working here is either a student at the culinary school or someone helping in their training. With that said, I still can't give above 3 stars. Our service was all over the place. I realize they are in training, but they did some basic things wrong that anyone should know. One waiter took away beers that still had beer in them when we said we didn't want another. Hey, we wanted what was left of the one we currently had. Overall the waitstaff needs some basic training before they are unleashed on the patrons. Our food was hit or miss. The escargot appetizer ($8.50) was too heavily breaded. There was huge amounts of bread on them which made the whole thing just kind of gross. The Belgian fries ($3) appetizer was good and a great price. It was our favorite appetizer of the evening. Our apps came out quickly and our entrees took forever! We watched table after table around us get their entrees while we sat there with nothing. We even watched one table who ordered after us finish and leave before our entrees arrived. When our entrees did finally arrive, some of them were good. My pork dish ($15) was just ok, but I could tell it had been sitting around quite a while as the sauce on the plate had begun to dry and harden and there was a skin on the sauce showing its age. My husband's chicken and the olive ($15) was also ok, just nothing special. We decided to go ahead and try dessert. I got the chocolate dessert, a compressed cake like thing. It was ok and I would maybe get it again. Food here just didn't impress. I know that chefs in the kitchen were monitored and actively taught by instructors, as you can see them through the windows, but it's still not amazing even if the prices aren't too steep. It was a fun evening of glass windows in the kitchens and student watching as we watched them make one mistake after another. I just wish the whole thing was a little more together before inviting the general public in for dinner. Glad we did it, but I don't think we'll be back. read more

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Came here recently for my Work Christmas dinner. The place and environment it's nice, the decoration is formal and nicely done. The service during the dinner was ok, I don't know it there was a little disorganization or it just that's the way the work there. The food menu was well presented. The taste was a little different. The beef was a little bland and supposed to be cook medium and it's was almost well done. The dessert were good, good presentation. Always been curious about this place, with this experience not sure if I would come just to enjoy the restaurant. read more

Le Bistro - French Near Me - Houston, Texas

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I went with my husband and another couple for a birthday celebration. I really liked the look and feel of the inside of the restaurant. You need to make a reservation. The have a very nice selection of wines to pair with your meal. I had the escargot and grilled lamb chops and they were really delish. My husband had the Coq au vin and loved it. It's unfortunate that there isn't another location closer to Kingwood, this is too far away tot become a place that I go to frequently. read more

We met up with old friends here and had a wonderful time. The food was good, the selection was reasonable. The wine list was adequate. The atmosphere was perfect. Our servers seemed a little green, but if they were doing "on the job training", I can live with that. Worth giving a try. Something new. Bon apetit! read more

Unusual location, fantastic food experience and great staff. Quality cusine without a Michelin 2 star cost. Laid back yet classy, great for a romantic dinner. You can't go wrong on any of the dishes, from flavor to presentation everything is top notch. Will go there again read more

Le Bistro - French Near Me - Houston, Texas

Kris is a hidden gem in the middle of nowhere. Yes, you will have to drive out of city center; yes, it's worth it. The best thing about Kris is the atmosphere and service. Because there are a lot of culinary students here, the atmosphere is very relaxed and welcoming. They even took us on a tour of the kitchen and let us chat with the chefs and students! We came for HRW dinner ($35 per person), which I highly recommend because you get high quality food for less money out of your wallet. They started us off with complimentary bread, which was a warm, crusty baguette presented beautifully and served with butter. This was one of my favorite parts of the meal, and when I asked to take some of the leftover bread home, our waiter actually got a fresh loaf from the kitchen, wrapped it up in saran wrap, and bagged it up for us! Best. Service. Ever. Unfortunately, the food didn't amaze me, which is why I gave 4 stars instead of 5. Everything was pretty good, but just not the best. Portion sizes were pretty generous though! Out of the things we ordered, my favorites were the oysters martinique style (but how can you go wrong with fried oysters, really), and the tuna poke. The akaushi sirloin was okay, but the pan-fried fish I got was not very good. It was served "deconstructed" style in a soup-ish thing and everything was rather bland and weird because of the soup. The presentation of the charcuteries is really awesome though, and maybe worth getting just because of the presentation. They're hung like clothes drying on a line-- it's super cute! The meat itself was kind of hard, but there was a lot of variety, including duck! The desserts (casino and opera) were pretty but the taste wasn't anything really special. We did enjoy our experience here, but I'm not sure we'll be back unless it's HRW again. I don't think the menu changes much, since these are the dishes that the students practice making over and over again until they perfect them. read more

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Never had a bad meal at this place. Service is great. Nice quiet atmosphere. Decent wine selection.

Le Bistro is the French restaurant located in the Culinary Institute. Make sure you make a reservation or they likely won't accommodate you. We stopped by for dinner on a Friday. It's an awesome experience because you're served by students. The meals are also cooked by students who are supervised by French chefs. Since they're in school, you can expect great service. And that's what we had. Our waitress was super friendly and nice. We were there for Houston Restaurant Weeks. I started off with the crab cakes. You get two and they were delicious. One thing you'll notice about food at Le Bistro is the presentation. Looks like art with a great attention to detail. For my main course, I had the salmon which came with green beans and a dollop of mashed potatoes. Another great dish. We're starting to see a theme here. They were out of most of their usual desserts so they offered us some different options. I went with a sponge cake and it was so-so. All-around, awesome dining experience. They also have cooking classes on the weekends! I'm definitely going to hit that up at some point. read more

You have to make reservations here. We came for HRW for lunch and the food was very good the service was just slow. It's a cool concept that they have the students working here how it would be at a restaurant after they get out of school. read more

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If you eat here... service is non existent. Go to try the foods. Forgive the tremendous lack of service. Limited wines list. We will come back because most of our meal was delicious. read more

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Very deceiving from the location and building it is located in. Great quaint dining atmosphere and gourmet food. One of Houston's best kept secrets. Duck Confit Gumbo was excellent. read more

Le Bistro - Chutarries Maison - French Near Me - Houston, Texas

From the moment my date and I entered the building, Anthony, the gregarious greeter, started an intentional conversation as he escorted us to our table. He made us feel welcome and at home; Anthony was, undoubtedly, present in our conversation we shared. This initial interaction served as an aperitif for a rememberable evening to come. The bread brought to each table (free) is addictingly incredible. The wine selection was good, food was remarkable, and service was outstanding! Our water glasses were never half empty (or full, I know it's perspective); the server attentively refilled our glasses and ensured we were satisfied. Heads up: they do not accept cash as payment. All things considered, I'm convinced anything--yes, anything--is a winner on their menu. Highly recommend. read more

TIMING I was with a group of 18 today, we had a reservation so they knew we were coming. Lunch was scheduled for noon. Orders ere not taken until almost 1230. Wine orders about !PM. Appetizers served around 130 and main course around 215-230pm. Desert orders taken at 315 and served around 330. Got out shortly before 4P. FOOD: menu showed half a dozen oysters mignonette, only five served and they were small, a couple had shell in them, not as good what you get at Pappadeaux for half the price. Duck was beautifully presented, as was most of the other food. We may have had the class that did has finished food preparation but not cooking. The duck sauces were pleasant but nothing special. The duck was non-descript. If I had eaten it in a blind tasting I would has said 'its meat" beyond that it could have been pork or ostrich. The diner on my right complained that his steak was so over salted he could barely eat it My wife had crab cakes, tasted them, yeh! Not lump meat but nice crust. SERVICE = SLOW THEY HAD ONE PERSON FOR 18 PRICE - lunch for two, with tip and a glass of wine was $110. Going to Fuddruckers the next time I'm hungry. read more

I am in LOVE with Kris Bistro. Seriously. The service was amazing. The food was extra amazing. And I have to say, the food here was way better than the food at Gordon Ramsay Steak, for probably 1/6th of the price. For an appetizer, I had the beef tartare, which was quite lovely (4*). For my appetizer I had the trout "John Besh", which was INCREDIBLE (5*). My husband got the Peasant and the Bourgeois, a dish with duck two ways. I probably would have punched him out and stolen his food if I had any stomach space left (note: try not to fill up on the delicious bread. Try really, really hard.) Five stars doesn't even seem like enough for that dish. My favorite part of Kris is that the food is seriously upscale, for a price point that's not that much worse than Olive Garden. (Oh, shudder. I promise never to mention them again.) The location is slightly odd, but there was parking aplenty and that's good enough for me. Also, I love the idea of supporting student chefs. I don't know how this translates as far as consistency, but I'll definitely be back. Excuse me, I think I have some reservations to make... read more

I'm going to rank this place a 5 although there is still room for improvement. My wife and I love unique finds when it comes to restaurants. A place that you can honestly say does not exist anywhere else in the city. Well Kistopher Jakob, you've accomplished something that has all the makings of a big hit. We almost missed our 7PM reservations (Valentine's Day, mind you) because the sign that says "KRIS" can only be seen when you enter the parking lot. However, you cannot miss the building AT ALL with the huge letters on the building that read: CULINARY INSTITUTE. Oh so clever... although almost too clever. You had us fooled. And now here's where this place gets off on the right foot with us. Located in a part of Houston that doesn't get very much acclaim, in fact its down right ignored. And for good reason, the location is more residential and what is around this just north of the Heights locale is mostly shopping centers, moderate shops, hotels, etc. This is a restaurant you would think would be located in downtown or at least a very posh part of town. It is only 5 minutes from our Heights home so 8 minutes from downtown and let's say 15 minutes from the Galleria. It's reach for the targeted demographic is ideal. Now then, yes this is a place where students come to be trained as Chefs, not cooks, actual bonafide chefs. Once the hostess buzzes (yes, buzzes) you into the restaurant/culinary institute, you are exposed to a flurry of chef garbed people cooking there little hearts out. It's impressive. I felt like we had walked into a studio for the Food Network. Then we were brought into the restaurant itself. And let me tell you, it rivals any of Houston's best foodie favorite high $$ places. The wait staff comes across as a little apprehensive and even perhaps still in need of waiting training. Well, there's good reason. The waitstaff are the chef students in-training working as the waitstaff (everyone apparently has to pull their duty waiting on tables). They're a little rough around the edges but it becomes obvious once the newness & uniqueness of Kris' starts to become more accustomed to your senses. The first thing (for dinner only, we're told) they bring you and yes its before anyone even asks you for your drink order, is a shot of fresh vegetable and fruit juice with a last minute add of liquid nitrogen to cool it to the proper temperature. Impressive and what a nice way to get things started. It's amazing. The menu changes with the season as they keep as much as they can local and freshly grown so expect that the menu may not offer you in May what you ordered back in January. I don't want to spoil the menu but the food was for lack of a better, more 3D descriptive term: AMAZING. We were quite simply blown away. We started with the salmon starter plate - WOW. My wife order the chicken and I the pork & apples. We are anxious to go back and try more. The wine list is superb and the prices are incredible for what you are ordering. Affordable and reasonable everywhere. Kris, you've hit it buddy. This place has soared right up into our Top 5 for all Houston restaurants and we will be back soon. If you haven't been here yet, you are missing out on a new, exciting Houston treasure. Cheers! read more

We've driven by the glass 4-story building on I-45 and Crosstimbers with the "CULINARY INSTITUTE" sign on the outside, but had never thought there might be such a nice restaurant inside. Dinner was good. My husband's goat cheese tart was quite nice and very well done. My mushroom soup was a disappointment. Both of our entrees were good - I had the duck cassoulet and it was a very solid dish. Truly, the highlight of the dinner was dessert! My dish of 3 creme brûlées was fantastic! I wanted to lick the bowls:) I'm giving Kris three stars because of the mushroom soup and the service, which was distracted, tho there were only two tables to tend when we were there. When you go, take the time to look around the kitchen class rooms! read more

My girlfriend and I decided to have dinner here after a recommendation from Melissa M. I heard it can get pretty busy so I went ahead and made an online reservation which I followed up with a call. It is a pretty dressy place so we had a good time dressing up and looking nice. We are young adults so it was different and exciting. The restaurant is inside a culinary school so when you walk in a Hostess walks you through the school back to where the actually restaurant is. We got there at about 8:30 and for some reason our table was not ready. I get a bit upset with things such as reservations because the whole point to them is not have to wait. We sat at the bar for about half an hour until our table was ready. They brought us a apple type juice which was great but did not make up for our reservation not being kept. The food itself was either a hit or a miss. The appetizer fries were amazing and came with 3 very unique sauces. This is a must and comparatively is very cheap ($3). Another appetizer that is a must is the shrimp starter which was also very good ($10). It was very tender shrimp with a sauce that gave the appetizer a unique taste. For entrees we went with theSalmon Winter Provençale ($15) and the Smoked Chuck Tender ($15). I personally did not enjoy my Smoked Chuck which was essentially brisket. My girlfriends Salmon was great and was actually what I wanted to initially get. The salmon was tender and great but had some portions of it that were a bit uncooked. For dessert we got the Chocolate Noisette ($6). The dessert was also great but nothing super special. The biggest problem was the service. It was slow and there was a lot of waiting to get our orders in, to get our food, to get our food picked up, and to get our next portions. It is understandable because they are students and it is obvious they are in the learning stages. Overall, it is a great place to head to if you want a classy night out. It is a must restaurant in Houston because of the fact that it is a very unique experience but I cannot give it over a 3 due to the lack of service. All in all, it was a wonderful night with good food. But what do I know? read more

My date and I decided to try out Kris for HRW 2014. Kris is inside of the culinary school so as another review mentioned, we had to get buzzed into the restaurant. We got there a bit earlier than our reservations so we made a beeline towards the bar and I went straight for a glass of bordeaux. When we were seated, the waiter we initially started out with got switched with another waiter. Not sure what happened there but both were very attentive to us. Appetizers: Charcuteries maison & the wild-caught gravlax. I loved the presentation of the charcuteries maison. I was tickled by how I took the meat slices off of the clothes pins - it was so much fun to eat. There were a perfect array of palate cleansers to help me to transition to the next piece of meat. It was bacon-esque meat heaven. The gravlax was so tasty - it literally melted in your mouth. However, the charcuteries maison definitely stole the show, especially the duck belly... So good. Entrees: Scottish salmon & pork and the peach. My date is actually really particular about salmon preparation - he likes it perfectly crispy on the outside but soft and flakey on in the inside. He took his first bite and he was happy as a clam the rest of the evening. The pork and the peach entree was HUGE. The double cut pork chop was the size of my face. and the corn polenta was fantastic. I think I finished the polenta before I finished the pork chop (with the help of my date being my food disposal). It was so good. I was tempted to ask for just an entire plate of the polenta. Desserts: Casino & lemon tart. The sponge for the casino was so soft. It was really tasty and the portions were perfect because the appetizers and the entrees did a number on us. The lemon tart was fantastic and little toasted merengue balls were delicious little morsels that really complimented the tart. Kris did a great HRW menu. I was really impressed by their delivery and am definitely considering coming back in the near future to try out their regular menu. After our meal, we asked for a tour of the culinary school. In many of the classrooms, you get to see the students' sugar sculptures which is really neat. I definitely had a blast at Kris for date night! Although the two glasses of wine may have added to my enthusiasm. What?! I'm a sucker for bordeaux. They have some awesome bordeaux selections read more

Le Bistro - Charcuteries maison - French Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Wonderful French food, great ambiance just needs some background music. Order "The 3 course Menu" for $35 best deal and wine list is fairly extensive and Happy Hour prices. Although this is Lenotre cooking school can challenge many french restaurants in Houston. The wait staff are not students so the knowledge is limited sometimes. Local art is featured and changes frequently, it might be for sale not sure? My favorite was the Steak Tartare, have had better Foire Gras, the scallops were tender and large and for desert the cheese plate was the best choice. going back again! read more

I couldn't have had a better b'day dinner than at Kris. Food was yummylicious. Oysters Martinique style was a blend of amazing flavors. Akaushi sirloin was one of the best I've had. Dessert trio almost gave me food coma. They've good choice of wines and service was great. It is definitely my new favorite French restaurant in town. Had a great b'day dinner and can't wait to be back. read more

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My husband and I went for lunch here one day on the spur of the moment and were very pleased with the find! Word of warning, look for the Culinary Institue, not a sign for Kris. And yes, it is in a run-down part of town, but it's safe and we quickly forgot about the neighborhood once we were inside. We received excellent service - even asking the waiter about what the chefs were making behind the glass and she was happy to check for us. We mentioned we had just come from a cooking class at another institution and she brought us a class schedule for the Culinary Institute along with a menu for a special dinner coming up and a sheet on the artist who's work was on display. The food was wonderful. I had french onion soup (the best I've ever tried!) and ravioli, which was actually a vegetable soup with a few lovely raviolis thrown in. I was not expecting a soup, but when I tasted it, I was in heaven! My husband had the salmon gravlax, which I thought was nothing special but he liked it and usually doesn't, and the "secret cut" steak with fries. It was excellent considering this meal is little more than meat and potatoes. We didn't specify how to cook the steak - it came out perfectly cooked - crispy on the outside and red and tender on the inside. The suggested wine parings were wonderful. Desert was lovely. I had the sorbet - delicious, and my husband had the hazelnut chocolate cake which we had just watched being made - very rich and guaranteed to satisfy any chocolate craving. Coffee was good - not strong like French coffee, more of an American style. It was served with sugar cubes, sugar alternatives, and cream. We spent just under $100 for two people including wine and tips. That's a great deal! read more

Almost hate to let this one be known. Food is above average to excellent. Their house foie gras is excellent as well as the pork belly. The steak frites was not the best cut, even though it was tasty, but the frys were excellent. The rest of the menu look interesting. Desserts were excellent. The best part is you can get the trio (any appetizer, entree, and dessert) for $29!!!! No other french restaurant in Houston comes close to this deal. Their wine list wasn't extensive but it was very well priced. My only request would be that they had some low volume music playing to help set the atmosphere. A must try! Don't let the neighborhood scare you. read more

Kris Bistro and WIne Lounge. . . . I loved the food, loved the atmosphere and watching the classes during dinner. . . Unfortunately the service was terrible. Only 1 other couple in restaurant, and it took us 2+ hours for dinner. Our waiter would disappear for 10 -15 minutes at a time. He couldn't read any clues as to how the meal was progressing. On a weeknight, I can't spend 2 hours for an appetizer, main, and dessert. Finally at the end, after having finished dessert, waited 5 minutes, our waiter cleared dessert, disappeared for 15 minutes, came and refilled waters and didn't leave check, disappeared for 10 minutes. I had to stop him as he passed by and ask for the check. Sad the service ruins the cool vibe and excellent food. read more

I hate to give a negative review to this place, considering all the positive ones, and maybe we just caught them on a bad night, but we had far more negatives than positives when dining there last night. The positives: (1) service is very good; (2) plating/presentation is outstanding; (3) the desserts are beautiful and delicious; (4) self-parking in a private (although unguarded lot in a bad neighborhood); and (5) the fact that the restaurant allows you to bring your own wine and only charges $10/bottle corkage is great! The negatives: (1) location is about as bad as you could get; (2) food was consistently over-salted; (3) a salad was described as having a "sous vide" egg--when served, the egg was hard-boiled. Our expectation was for a soft-boiled egg, and thought a simple description would have been more accurate; (4) the fried oyster appetizer had minuscule oysters and was fairly tasteless; (5) the octopus appetizer was overcooked to the point of being very tough, and had no flavor (although presentation was beautiful). Chef Kris Jacob has announced his departure soon (12/12/15?) from this location to open his own restaurant in the Friendswood area. We wish both the lounge and Chef Kris the very best, and, based on all the positive reviews, wonder if we didn't just catch them on an off-night? read more

This place is amazing! Very... Pretty flavored food with an impeccable service! From the dining sallon you have a full vision to the kitchen which is actually a culinary school. I reccomend 100 times!! read more

Went for HRW 2013: Dressy casual. Dark-lit quiet ambience. You can see the kitchen through the panes, and if you walk around, you can check out the other sections of the cooking school. We Tasted the: Apps: fried oysters-martinique style, akaushi beef tartare, foie gras torchon Entree: pork and the peach, seafood bouillabaisse, swordfish vadouvan. Dessert: trio of creme brulee (mango, rasberry, vanilla) and chocolate mousse cake. Faves: oysters, bouillabaisse, swordfish Everything was cooked very well and looked beautiful. Great place for foodies to check out. read more

My boss and I came here for dinner on a business trip and were (pleasantly) surprised to discover that this restaurant was connected to a cooking school. The food was amazing and the server was very attentive and informative. I told her what type of wine I like, and since none of the wines that they normally serve by the glass looked to my fancy, she let me have one that they serve by the bottle since it was saved from a private event they had before. Everything we tasted was great - I just deducted one star since their menu is somewhat limited and our duck was a little cold. read more

Absolutely loved this place from the food to the service. I took a star our because the place is kind of tacky and the location is sketch. Service is amazing I though, everyone was super nice and attentive & waiter was very knowledgeable. We got the duck confit which was rich and delicious, the meat was done very well and the pastry was light and fluffy. The akaushi sirloin was on point as well, high quality beef along with with great ingredients. The creme brûlée trio was decent, nothing great but still worthwhile. Wine section was pretty good as well. read more

Le Bistro - Akaushi sirloin - French Near Me - Houston, Texas

I went with two friends for Bastille Day. First of all, it's in a terrible location. I think the concept is great, though. A restaurant inside the Culinary Institute. I am all for teaching. Food: The escargots were pretty good and so was the salad, but neither were outstanding in any way. The main course was steak au poivre. I ordered mine medium rare. It was very slightly overcooked, but the main thing I did not like about it was the sauce. To me, it was gloppy. Then they brought a cheese plate, which was my favorite part of the meal, but we were out of bread. We waited another ten minutes for the bread to come out. When it finally did, it was warm and crispy on the outside, but still frozen in the center so I had to dig out the centers. The cheese was very nice! Then dessert was disappointing too. Wine: They had a small wine selection, which never bothers me as long as there is good wine. The prices were excellent and the bordeaux we had was good. Ambiance: Once in the dining room, the ambiance is very nice and romantic red and black for drama. I probably won't be back, but I do like to support the students learning their way around a kitchen. read more

The food is quite good, but the price is high and the location is less than ideal. Compared to other restaurants in the same price range this one falls short. The first time I came here I had a student waiter who was trying very hard to be perfect which made up for some of the missteps by the kitchen. This last time it was a "professional" waiter who didn't really care which just made the missteps all the more pronounced. Gritty scallops and uninspired desserts solidified the 3 star rating. I would raise the rating to 4 stars if this place was cheaper, but at the current price level it doesn't compare to its competitors. read more

We went to the restaurant and it was so good! We had a three course meal and every bite was wonderful! Everything on the menu is homemade and it is fun to watch the classes as we ate. I would definitely suggest this to anyone in the area looking for a fun experience. I will try and go again when in Houston again! read more

I loved the food & the service the environment is nice & peaceful definitely a place to go and enjoy some good dinner or lunch.