The Black Napkin is Urban Swank's Restaurant Review Rating System
5 Black Napkins - "We've been twice this week, seriously!"
4 Black Napkins - "They know us by name...first and last!"
3 Black Napkins - "Good. And yes, we did write home about it."
2 Black Napkins - "Note to self; pass on this one."
1 Black Napkin - "Gift cards are not welcomed...EVER!"
The plus (+) sign is used when we are stuck in the middle :-)
- Category: Black Napkin
- Created: 23 September 2012
- Written by: Urban Swank
When trying to come up with words that describe Kiran's Restaurant and Bar, the food, the staff, the experience, and Chef Kiran Verma; it was a daunting task to say the least! Yeah, it would have been easy to just say, "It's amazing" or "It's really good". However, it was…
- Category: Black Napkin
- Created: 29 November 2011
- Written by: Urban Swank
Local and sustainable seems to still be going strong across the nation and in Houston we, as we like to say, ARE ALL IN. So when Sorrel Urban Bistro, Farm to Table Dining, opened about nine months ago it was right on time. It was the shared vision of restaurateur…
- Category: Black Napkin
- Created: 30 January 2012
- Written by: Urban Swank
Our hearts fluttered as we entered. Loud music pierced through our ears that seemed to increase in intensity as we drew closer. We stood in shock as we noticed chairs flung as high as the ceiling; that clearly no man could reach. Blood stained sofas adorned most walls and somehow…
- Category: Black Napkin
- Created: 28 December 2011
- Written by: Shanna "Urban Girl" Jones
J Alexander'sThe Black Napkin Review Being a huge fan of Houston's Restaurants, I was disappointed when J Alexander's occupied the Westheimer/Wilcrest location some years back. Even though the current menu has remained reminiscent of the original Houston's menu, over time, they have developed two distinct offerings. J Alexander’s is a…
- Category: Black Napkin
- Created: 26 November 2011
- Written by: Urban Swank
Brasserie 19Playing That Funky Music We know Houston is one of the top cities for dining out in the nation, but somehow we have very few restaurants that are mentioned among the best. Hopefully Clark Copper Concepts', Brasserie 19, will soon be changing things! They bought us Ibiza and Coppa…
- Category: Black Napkin
- Created: 24 October 2011
- Written by: Urban Swank
Felix 55The Shift Change Woes We walked into Chef Michael Kramer’s, formerly of The Voice, new Rice Village spot, and instantly feel in love with it. The decor was well thought out and made us smile. Swanky Girl said, "Man I hope the food is good because I want to…
- Category: Black Napkin
- Created: 20 October 2011
- Written by: Urban Swank
TQLA HoustonWe Are Official Tequila Groupies! How much do you love Tequila? Well it seems like all they do at TQLA Houston is pay homage to their love for the agave happy juice (duh, look at the name)! If that is not obvious by looking at the decor, talking with…
- Category: Black Napkin
- Created: 21 September 2011
- Written by: Urban Swank
Eddie V's City Centre When Eddie V's initially announced its first location in Houston, we were super excited! With Houston being such a hot place for the food scene, you would think 5 star steakhouses are the norm. We did have a few favorites, but we were anticipating the need…
- Category: Black Napkin
- Created: 07 September 2011
- Written by: Shanna "Urban Girl" Jones
Brennan's Houston It's funny, but the only time I have gone to Brennan's Houston was during Houston Restaurant Week. With my family ties reaching into Louisiana, I am a very hard sell when it comes to seafood and Creole cuisine. Brennan's Houston is the sister property of the famous Brennan's…
- Category: Black Napkin
- Created: 02 September 2011
- Written by: Urban Swank
Philippe Restaurant + Lounge We visited Philippe Restaurant + Lounge during Houston Restaurant Week (HRW) after hearing rave reviews from other reliable sources. We were not impressed. For some reason restaurants do not take the opportunity to "show off" as we feel they should during this time. The HRW event…
- Category: Black Napkin
- Created: 23 August 2011
- Written by: Urban Swank
Pappa's Steakhouse As Houston Restaurant Week comes to an end, we took an opportunity to reflect back on the last three years. Why the reflection? For two reasons. One, have you noticed a change in the menus? Yes, exactly...we have to! Second, we wanted to determine if our "faves" were…
