Lingering Over the Linguine

Lynette Hawkins's new wine bar Giacomo's Cibo e Vino captures the Italian spirit of drinking, eating and hanging around.

Comments (0) By Robb Walsh Wednesday, Sep 30 2009

Desserts include six flavors of gelato supplied by the fabulous Gelato Blu outfit and a lusciously tart lemon pie. The espresso, which comes from Katz Coffee, is a mellow, low-acid roast that complemented the light Italian meal.

Owner Lynette Hawkins, formerly of La Mora, has said that the concept of Giacomo's is based on the Venetian wine bars where she used to hang around with friends. Like what you get in a Spanish tapas bar, the food in these places is served on small plates and tends toward snacks that go well with vino.

Troy Fields

It's a great place to nibble on a meat or cheese plate.

Location Info

Map

Giacomo's Cibo e Vino

3215 Westheimer
Houston, TX 77098

Category: Restaurant > Italian

Region: Lower Shepherd-Kirby

0 user reviews	Write A Review
Save to foursquare

Details

Hours: 11:30 a.m.to 10 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays.

Meat or cheese plate: $12

Turkey in tuna sauce: $5

Tortellini with cheese: $11

Hanger steak: $14

Trout: $15

3215 Westheimer, 713-522-1934.

More About

It isn't really the quality of the food that makes Giacomo's so enjoyable. In truth, the marinated vegetables and traditional pastas here aren't nearly as sophisticated or inventive as the octopus and cannellini beans or chicken liver risotto that Marco Wiles is serving at his salumi and Italian wine bar, Poscol, right down the street.

Hawkins has succeeded in creating a restaurant and wine bar that captures the essence of Italian city life and the spirit of the slow food movement. It's all about the art of savoring the moment. There is an old wooden table under a shaded arbor on the patio at Giacomo's that invites you to slow down, linger over your linguine and have another glass of wine.

Sometimes you want exciting, skillfully prepared Italian food in a restaurant that's the center of the social scene. And sometimes you just want to hang out and nurse a glass of wine and bowl of olives in peace. I'm betting Giacomo's rustic Italian food, cheap, easy-drinking wines and big, comfortable patio are going to make it a very appealing hangout as the weather cools off.