Email Author Dennis Abrams

2000 Stories by Dennis Abrams

• The Price of Perfection

  published November 9, 2000

  In a world fraught with ambiguity and doubt, one thing can be stated with absolute certainty: Teuscher champagne truffles are the finest... More >>

• Location Be Damned

  published August 24, 2000

  The legend of 1512 West Alabama has developed like a spellbinding gothic novel, beginning with a few blessedly naive souls who refused to believe... More >>

• Raising the Bar Too High

  published August 10, 2000

  In his classic book The Physiology of Taste, writer Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin boldly stated, "The discovery of a new dish does more for... More >>

• The European Experience, Via Katy

  published July 20, 2000

  I have a confession to make: I'm a big-city food snob. So when I was told that there was a great Spanish restaurant in Katy, my initial reaction... More >>

• Falling For It

  published June 22, 2000

  The Humpty Dumpling Café had its work cut out to overcome some major biases on my part. First, there's the restaurant's name. I hate... More >>

• Name Above the Title

  published May 18, 2000

  To: Zumm Escudier, executive chef, Angelika Cafe and Bar From: Dennis Abrams, Houston Press Subject: Groveling Mr. Escudier, I may... More >>

• Through the Past Darkly

  published May 11, 2000

  Let's do the time warp again: Imagine continental cuisine served without irony, and waiters who do more than recite the day's specials and... More >>

• Get In Line

  published May 4, 2000

  It seems everybody's doing it. First, it was Robert Del Grande and his clan (Cafe Annie), then it was Michael Cordóa (Américas and... More >>

• Hot Plate

  published April 20, 2000

  Nothing Fishy Here: I had been eating at Van Loc [3010 Milam, (713)528-6441], one of my favorite Vietnamese... More >>

• Takes the Cake

  published April 13, 2000

  Sometimes, late at night, I start imagining there are only two kinds of restaurants: the kind that makes you feel as though you should be grateful... More >>

• Waiting for Turbot

  published March 30, 2000

  Setting: The Remington Grill. A weekday night. David, Ruth, Robert and Dennis arrive on time, having previously confirmed their... More >>

• Bloody Good

  published March 23, 2000

  Sometimes, when grazing from an all-you-can-eat buffet, it's best not to know exactly what you're stuffing into your mouth. More on that in a... More >>

• Drowning in Marinara

  published March 16, 2000

  The medieval question used to be, How many angels can dance on the head of a pin? The question for Houstonians in the year 2000 might be, How many... More >>

• Sibling Rivalry

  published March 2, 2000

  Mediterranean restaurants, which used to be called "Middle Eastern" before we developed an acute case of political correctness and learned to stop... More >>

• Get Sauced

  published February 17, 2000

  As I write this, I turn 40. With all the worries and self-evaluations that go with that chronological milestone, I've been thinking about, among... More >>

• Crema de la Crema

  published February 10, 2000

  When one thinks of south-of-the-border cuisine, one does not immediately think of El Salvador, a country more known for surviving a vicious civil... More >>

• Bear Hug

  published February 3, 2000

  When you go to Cafe East -- and you definitely should -- make sure to call ahead to find out if it's open. Here's the deal: The... More >>

• Ooh Lai Lai!

  published January 27, 2000

  The first thing you need to know about Lai Lai Dumpling House is that the restaurant doesn't take credit cards. It's a cash-only eatery.... More >>