In its simplest form, the Italian appetizer called bruschetta is toasted bread scraped with garlic, drizzled with olive oil and topped with tomatoes. The dish also can be as complex as the chef wishes it to be. At McCormick & Schmick’s (1201 Fannin, 713-658-8100), they take six thin slices of French bread, lightly toasted, and then add a slice of portobello mushroom and a slice of goat cheese, before topping it off with finely diced tomatoes and garlic, basil and rosemary. The result is a wonderful amalgam of flavors.
This article appears in Dec 18-24, 2008.