perfectlypairedhtx

The Beginning of Fall

Featured by perfectlypairedhtx, posted in Happy Hour, Restaurants

Location: The Del

Meal of Choice: Happy Hour

Perfect Pair: Gnocchi Tots and The Orange Blossom Cocktail

School is back in session, college football starts tonight, and cooler weather is hopefully coming soon…probably not soon enough here in Houston, but regardless of the temperature, it is the beginning of the best season…FALL! In honor of this fresh start, we are taking you a little further west than our usual stomping grounds to a cozy little indoor spot, perfect for escaping the heat that is still lingering, The Del. This crowd pleasing restaurant is off the beaten path and another one that you have to know where you are going in order to find it. Aptly named for the street it is on, the Del has a welcoming atmosphere with great service and even better deals!

First things first, Happy Hour is from 3:00-6:30, Monday-Friday. Another great option for those of you who have to stay at the office a little later, but even better for those wanting to start happy hour a little early! Oh how I wish we could go every afternoon at 3:00pm. The deals during happy hour are almost unbeatable! Appetizers are $5 each and still are full sized, and the drinks are all $6 or under. We have tried all the food on the happy hour menu and the clear favorite is the gnocchi tots. They are not your typical tater tot as they are made from gnocchi, so they are a little softer, and then covered in a delicious cheese fondue.

Processed with VSCO with c1 preset

Processed with VSCO with f2 preset

I know our usual cheese review is focused on cheese board type cheeses, but we do love a good cheese fondue- aka queso for the fellow Texans out there! This trip we also got the calamari, fried pickles, and of course the cheese board- because we had to. The cheese board is not included in happy hour, but we told the Perfectly Paired Boys that we had to order it for the blog :). Not sure they are totally on board with that being our new excuse to order all the delicious things, but they get to enjoy them too so it’s a win-win for sure.The cheese board is decently priced at $18, and has a great selection of delicious cheese, meats, and fruit. It for sure has the most meat and cheese we’ve ever seen for that price! Our only complaint about this particular board is the amount of bread is definitely lacking, but the bread that was there was quite tasty! If your mouth isn’t already watering, I’m not sure what will make that happen for you.

Processed with VSCO with c1 preset Now, onto the drinks! While we are always down for a nice glass of wine, the cocktails at the Del are definitely worth a try. All the classic cocktails are included in happy hour along with a few of the Del’s specialty cocktails. Our favorite is the Orange Blossom! This fun and fruity drink is not too sweet as it only has three simple ingredients, Aperol, St. Germain, and Prosecco. The boys typically go for the Old Fashioned and the rest of our happy hour group like the Moscow Mules. If we are wanting to order wine, their house selections are great. We have found that you really can’t go wrong here!

As you prepare for the Labor Day holiday this weekend, don’t forget about this hidden gem, the Del. As always, let us know your favorites or any new places we need to try!

Cheers! You’ve almost made it to the long weekend!

Peace & Pinot,

The Perfectly Paired Pals

HEB Selections

Featured by perfectlypairedhtx, posted in Grocery Stores, Hosting

Location: Home Sweet Home

The Perfect Pair: Rosemary Crackers with Gruyere and Prosciutto

From: HEB

What kind of grocery shopper are you?

Do you go in with a list outlining exactly what you need or do you keep an open mind while you shop? Do you try to get in and out as quickly as possible or do you like to wander and feel inspired? No matter what kind of shopper you are, the pals can relate! We’ve felt all of those feelings, but one thing is for sure: shopping for wine and cheese never gets old! While we find spending a ton of time in the cheese section at the store SUPER exciting, some people may find this overwhelming and not even know where to start. We totally understand, which is why we’re here today to help a sista (or brotha) out! We’ve already covered grocery shopping for wine and cheese at Trader Joe’s, but now here we are to cover a native Texas favorite – HEB. Here we go!

Processed with VSCO with a2 preset Speak the Cheese Language

To the right, we have: Gruyere, Creamy Cheddar with a Nut Coating, a Spicy Buffalo Cheddar Wedge, Brie with Raspberry Chipotle Sauce, and Goat Cheese soaked in Red Wine. YUM!

Do you have a hard time knowing what cheese to buy? We’re not cheesemongers, but we do LOVE cheese. Some cheeses have holes and other cheeses are blue. Some cheeses are creamy and other cheeses are hard. There’s medium and sharp and spicy and ahh! So many options, so where do you start? You have to start with the basics: speak the cheese language. Swiss, Cheddar, Gruyere, Brie, Goat Cheese. You can never go wrong with these everyday favorites. Those cheeses cover all the bases: white, orange, holey, creamy, rich. You name it! Your cheese board will look pretty, and more importantly- taste yummy with these classics.

Processed with VSCO with a2 preset

Pick your Pairings

To pair charcuterie, we included Prosciutto and Salami as the Perfect Pair. Picking out your meats in HEB is less overwhelming than cheese, but it can still be difficult to know what cheese goes with which charcuterie. We always just pick our favorites, and everything seems to blend together nicely! Prosciutto is very salty, so it’s a nice balance with wine and cheese. It’s always one of the first things to go on our cheese board!

A very important detail when it comes to pairing is the crackers! The cracker is a staple item when building your cheese board. It is literally what you put your cheese on, dip in your cheese, or munch on just to wash everything down! To the left, we have: Water Crackers, Rosemary Crackers, and Jalepeno Mini Bruschetta Bites. The clear favorite: Rosemary Crackers! They pair well with every cheese. You certainly cannot go wrong with these. The Jalepeno Bites add a nice crunch and spice as well. These three crackers were the perfect dynamic to the board that paired with it!

Processed with VSCO with a8 preset

Wash It All Down!

You don’t want to forget the perfect drink to wash down your yummy cheese and charcuterie board. This is also another area to be creative and specifically pair your drink with the cheese you buy at the store! Instead of just drinking wine, we decided to make a Summer Rosé Peach Sangria with fresh fruit. It was chilled and paired very nicely with our selection. And we love a beautiful drink!

Grocery store hauls are some of our favorite blogs to write because you get to pick out exactly what you want to make that picture perfect cheese board at home. It’s all personalized and customized just to your liking. How fun is that! This may be surprising, but HEB has a great selection of imported and unique cheeses. They are fairly priced, as everything is at HEB, and you will not be disappointed by what they have to offer. We encourage you to go and let your tummy be creative! Be sure to share with us the board you create… We may just have to come over and try some!

Peace and Pinot,

The Perfectly Paired Pals

Great Outdoor Patio Bar with Texas Twist

Featured by perfectlypairedhtx, posted in Happy Hour

Location: Piggy’s

Meal of Choice: Happy Hour (Monday-Friday 3pm-7pm)

Perfect Pair: Matamoros Mule and Pretzelaches

Processed with VSCO with f2 preset

Congrats! You’ve made it to Thursday and it’s almost time to go to happy hour! This week we are featuring Piggy’s Kitchen & Bar. If you haven’t noticed by some of our group’s staple bars, we LOVE any place that has an outdoor patio. It may be crazy since we are in Houston, and it’s a reasonable temperature for a brief month of the year, but there’s something about sitting outside drinking a cold drink with friends. Piggy’s is new to the rotation but is sure to be a staple because of the great patio and even better drinks!

If you weren’t looking for Piggy’s you might just drive right past it. This cute little spot is tucked in some trees between a few apartment complexes (Thanks Houston “zoning”!). Once you find it you will not forget it. There is lots of shade and some covered patio seating for those not wanting the direct sun, and if you’re not into the outdoor vibe, there is definitely the indoor option. Depending on the night of the week, you may find live music, or even a full on pig roast, but no matter the night you are sure to have a great time!

Piggy’s is open for lunch and dinner, but of course we would recommend the happy hour! Happy Hour lasts from 3-7pm Monday-Friday. This is great for those of you who can’t quite make it out of the office before 5 to make those early happy hours, which is the case for a lot of our group. No matter how much we wish for it to, happy hour won’t pay for itself! The deals at happy hour include drinks and only a few small plates, but the prices are great! $3 Texas Draft Beer, $5 select Cocktails, $5 select glasses of wine, ½ off bottles of wine! All things we love are on special! There is a large selection of Houston beers, Texas beers, White wine, Red wine, and cocktails for every taste. Our favorite cocktail is the Matamoros Mule which includes a Texas favorite, candied jalapenos! If spice isn’t for you there are lots of other sweet options when it comes to cocktails, like Processed with VSCO with c1 preset the signature frozen cocktails. These cocktails range from $8-$11 regularly, so the $5 happy hour price is really a treat! The appetizers may not all be on special during happy hour, but since your drinks are cheaper it is for sure worth the splurge on snacks. Our favorite shareable is the Pretzelaches (which we are so excited are on HH), a typical kolache but with a Texas twist (pretzel and beer cheese). Of course we also love the cheese board with the additional charcuterie, but sometimes you just need to change it up. The cheese board does have a variety of cheeses and includes a decent amount of each type which is a major plus. From the looks of the other items of the menu you can’t go wrong, so let us know what we should try next time we visit.

If you’ve already been to Piggy’s, stop by some of the other restaurants in the Creek group, Onion Creek, Canyon Creek, Cedar Creek and Cactus Cove. We have tried them all and would highly recommend.

Take advantage of the “cooler” summer weather here in Houston and stop by Piggy’s with your friends for happy hour this week!

Peace & Pinot,

The Perfectly Paired Pals

A Houston Staple, for Any Time of the Day

Featured by perfectlypairedhtx, posted in Happy Hour, Restaurants

Location: Backstreet Café

Recommended time of choice: M-F Happy Hour, or Houston Restaurant Weeks

The Perfect Pair: Garden Nachos and a half price bottle of Rosé to share

backstreet sangria.png

We’ve been to Backstreet Café on many different occasions. Dates, dinners, girl gang happy hours, double dates, you name it! No matter the event, there is one thing that always remains consistent – Backstreet never disappoints!

This wonderful little spot has been a must-try in the Houston area for over 35 years. It is located in a converted house in River Oaks just screaming to be your cozy spot for quality time and catching up. Inside the restaurant, there are multiple rooms with tables and a cute patio with string lights. With so many rooms to be seated, this popular place never feels overly packed. Every meal here is delectable, but happy hour and dinner are our faves. The Pals went recently on two occasions: for a birthday happy hour for one of our dearest friends, as well as on a date with our men for Houston Restaurant Weeks.

Backstreet apps

Happy hour at Backstreet is Monday through Friday 3PM- 6:30PM. During their happy hour, they have light bites, a variety of cocktails, beers, and half priced bottles of rosé to make it just that much sweeter. We’ve posted about it before and we’ll praise it again— a bottle Miraval Rosé was our choice to start the evening! There were plenty of different bottles to choose from that would all pair perfectly with their selection of light and refreshing bites. Our favorite small plates were the Garden Nachos and the Mini Tuna Poke. So delicious! The hummus and house made pita is so yummy as well, so definitely add that to your list to order. Following the bottle of wine, we still had plenty of things to talk about, so glasses of the Signature Red Wine Sangria were ordered all around. We always feel like we need to try the sangria everywhere we go (We’re red wine lovers even though we live in an incredibly hot city!) and Backstreet’s was up to the test. It was easy to drink and not too light; pleasant and enjoyable to say the least.

Houston Restaurant Weeks runs this year from August 1st to September 3rd and every meal benefits the Houston Food Bank. Restaurants that choose to participate provide a 3-4 course dinner for $35 or $45 a person. Restaurants can also offer breakfast or lunch for $20 a meal. This is such a fantastic way to try out restaurants in Houston, especially ones that you wouldn’t go to ordinarily (or if the price point is a little high). Backstreet’s menu was $35 a person and you had the option to include wine/cocktail pairings for an added cost. Our group opted for the Maker’s Mark, White Wine, and Bubbly menus, and they were all delightful. The red menu was incredibly tempting with a cheese plate for dessert, I repeat, a cheese plate for DESSERT! My love for steak won me over, as did the Fig Galette on the Bubbly menu. Even though the ladies didn’t order the red wine menu, we went for a glass of the Malbec anyways.

When looking through all the possibilities of where to go for HRW, be sure to check out the other restaurants in the Backstreet cafe family- Hugo’s, Caracol, Origin, Prego, and Xochi. For a full list of restaurants participating, visit: http://www.houstonrestaurantweeks.com/. Let us know in the comments below where you choose and help us decide where to go next!

Peace & Pinot,

The Perfectly Paired Pals

The BEST Bottle and Board

Featured by perfectlypairedhtx, posted in Happy Hour

Location: Postino

Recommended Time: Happy Hour before 5pm or Reverse Happy Hour- Monday and Tuesday after 8pm

The Perfect Pair: A glass of Sparkling Rosé and Bruschetta Board

Happy Thursday everyone! It’s that time again and this week we are taking you to the newest, trendy spot in the Heights – Postino! With just opening their doors at the beginning of the summer, Postino hasn’t had any trouble filling tables. With their great wine and beer selection paired with AMAZING food choices, we know why this place is always packed. The anticipation of the opening earlier this summer was worth all the waiting because nothing about this spot is disappointing. From the cool/posh vibe to the endless choices for bruschetta, the Pals will certainly be visiting again

First things first, GO EARLY! This advice comes for two reasons:

1) Happy Hour ends at 5. Some of you may be thinking, “How am I supposed to get there before 5?” And that is a great question, but the deals are worth sneaking out of work a little early. Their happy hour special is Wine and Pitchers of Beer are all $5 before 5. Luckily this is an everyday deal, so for those of you with a boss who watches the clock like a hawk – Saturday and Sunday give you plenty of time to take advantage. Another awesome special they have is a bottle of wine of your choosing and a bruschetta board for $20. You can get this after 8pm on Monday and Tuesday. For the late night crowd this is a great option and an even better deal. With the board regularly coming in at $15 and wide selection of wine to choose from, you are sure to save money

2) This place is always packed. In the dead heat of Houston summer, you can understand why the tables inside fill up quickly, leaving you with a pretty long wait. BUT, we snagged a table outside with couches under fans and umbrellas which made the heat a lot more bearable.

When the weather is this hot it is hard to sit outside drinking a glass of red wine, so the Pals opted for something a little more refreshing. This week we ordered Sparkling Rosé and Prosecco for a lighter taste (and chilled), and it did not disappoint. The prices are pretty reasonable for what you pay for wine at a nice restaurant, but if you make it during happy hour it is a much better deal. The boys stuck with their usual beer, but were pleasantly surprised by the size of the pitcher and the price they paid. If a good wine and beer selection aren’t enough to spark your interest then the food will get your mouth-watering. They have a huge selection of delicious appetizers, and for those of you whose happy hour usually spreads into dinner, they have lots of items that will help you leave with a full belly. Our favorite thing on the menu is, by far, the Bruschetta Board. At the very reasonable price of $15, you get 4 pieces of bruschetta in your choice of the 12 options. With a big group attending happy hour, we ordered two boards so we could try lots of the flavors. Some of the crowd favorites were: Burrata, Bacon, Arugula, & Tomato, Warm Artichoke Spread, Roasted Peppers with Goat Cheese, and Brie and Apples with Fig Spread. Once the boards were set on the table, it was hard to snap a pic before everyone was reaching for the delicious snack. If you are looking to transition into dinner, these boards are a great option because they are super filling, or you can choose from their selection of paninis or salads. We ordered a lot of their food and loved everything we tried!

This is for sure going to become a regular spot for the Pals, and we are eager to try their brunch!

What’s your favorite bruschetta flavor?! Let us know in the comments below!

Peace & Pinot,

The Perfectly Paired Pals