The shrimp with corn bread ($9) at Ibiza (2450 Louisiana, 713-524-0004) is not only a culinary tour de force, it’s an artistic masterpiece. A large rectangular plate holds three big butterflied, charbroiled shrimp that have a sensational smoky flavor. Each of them sits on top of a piece of corn bread that’s crispy on the outside from having been briefly tossed on the grill, yet delicate, almost soufflé-like, on the inside from the addition of crabmeat. The whole is covered in a tasso-cream sauce that adds its own spicy, smoky character.
This article appears in Aug 4-10, 2005.