There’s nothing quite like a steaming bowl of rabbit stew on a rainy winter’s day. And at new restaurant Bistro Calais (2811 Bammel Lane, 713-529-1314), chef Michael Dei Maggi serves up the wascally wabbit in his ragoût de lapin au vin rouge ($17). Huge chunks of rabbit, which practically fall off the bone with just a touch of the soup spoon, swim in a thick and sumptuous red wine base along with tiny sautéed onions, carrot slices, diced okra and fingers of yellow potatoes. With just enough spice to warm the tummy, this hearty dish fits right in with the bistro’s French country-style menu and charming decor. Housed in a 100-year-old River Oaks house with a back dining room overlooking a quaint courtyard, the bistro opened right after Thanksgiving. The rabbit stew is best consumed with a bottle of Côtes du Rhône.
This article appears in Jan 6-12, 2005.