Naples Influenced. Milan Inspired. Houston Cherished.

Ever-evolving Houston restaurant has 3 great new menus

One of Houston's most treasured restaurants is constantly evolving. Tony's in Greenway Plaza was founded by Tony Vallone in 1965, and recently debuted a fresh new face in the kitchen. Twenty-six-year-old, culinary rock star Austin Waiter is now head chef, and the Culinary Institute of America-trained chef has added some new creativity to the menu in more ways than one.

Or you could say menus, since Tony's has introduced three new ones that span everything from affordable lunches to a highly appealing happy hour to an approachable chef's tasting menu. No longer is Tony's a place you need to wait for an anniversary or birthday to visit — it's a little more relaxed these days, but still with a focus on incredible food, service, and atmosphere.

An express lunch has been designed with everyone in mind, with an array of elegant salads, fresh seafood dishes, and homemade pastas at midday-appropriate price points (as in, two courses for $19). A flaked salmon salad offers charred cucumber, avocado, and grape tomatoes, while the menu also features Tony’s Famous Chili, served tableside.

If you need to delay your visit to Tony's until after work hours, you're in luck. The bistro happy hour, served from 4-6 pm on weekdays, has some of the most unbelievable deals in town. You can score Five Star Ranch wagyu cheeseburger sliders, corn raviolini, duck fat favata e bruschetta, or Italian-style fried zucchini — all for $5 each.

Pair those with a cocktail or any of the 1,100 bottles — yes, more than a thousand — on Tony's extensive wine list, and you might never want to leave. Keep an eye out for the 75 bottles under $75, an exceptionally good deal for established oenophiles and aspiring wine experts alike.

Come back for dinner and you can order the chef's tasting menu. It's a multi-course selection that you can rearrange into a three-course, five-course, or seven-course meal, all with optional wine pairings. The three-course menu is only $49. If you have a hard time deciding between the hamachi crudo or the Alba white truffles, or can't choose between the Green Valley venison or the line-caught halibut, well, that's understandable. Better play it safe and get both (or bring a dining partner who doesn't mind sharing).

Tony's is also welcoming a younger crowd by having joined up with the Urbane Society, a members-only club for young professionals who sample fine-dining restaurants around Houston.

Don't be surprised if dishes from Tony's start popping up on your Instagram feed more — you can even follow Tony Vallone himself, or keep up to date on specials and news on the restaurant's Facebook page. Tony's is poised to become everyone's new favorite eatery, and you can be part of its delicious journey.

Vallone and Waiter pause for a discussion in the kitchen.

Photo courtesy of Tony's

Vallone and Waiter pause for a discussion in the kitchen.

drinks dinner promoted happy-hours chefs cocktails lunch

Coffee News

The drinks are unique at new Flower Mound shop Bruvana Coffee

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Bhuvana coffee

Flower Mound is abuzz thanks to a just-opened coffee shop with some distinctive drinks: Called Bruvana Coffee House, it's an independently-owned coffee spot that opened in January at 500 Flower Mound Rd. #108, with specialty coffee, matcha, snacks, and sweets.

The shop is in a center at the northeast corner of Garden Ridge Road, located in a former eyewear store between Pretty Pools and Guitars and Growlers, where it's serving unique creations like their best-selling Biscoff latte, inspired by the popular spiced Biscoff cookie; and special matcha flavors such as their banana pudding matcha latte.

Bruvana is from Ali Nawazuddin, who left the corporate world where he worked in project management for companies like Accenture and Slalom, to pursue his passion for coffee.

"Coffee always been in my family," he says. "My grandparents owned a coffee estate back in India, and I spent many summers there, where I became exposed to the process of growing it, washing, and roasting. I earned a degree in chemical engineering, and I love how it can be both an art and a science."

At Bruvana — which boasts a homophonous nod to "brewing" — he's created a spacious and tastefully modern place where people can grab a drink or stick around for a spell.

You can find classics like espresso and cappuccino, but also with the trendy, dressed-up beverages that have become an essential part of any coffee shop menu. That means ultra-trendy strawberry matcha latte, a rose vanilla matcha latte, and lavender-flavored drinks.

In addition to their Biscoff cookie latte, their other signature creations include a clever baklava latte with pistachio, honey, and oat milk; a gingerbread butterscotch latte, golden Vietnamese latte, cinnamon brown sugar latte, and a Hong Kong latte featuring espresso and a shot of black tea.

They rotate in seasonal specials with the current new lineup consisting of Hot Banana Cream Latte, Lavender Silk Cloud Latte, and Iced Banana Cream Cloud Latte. They do both hot and iced drinks, with non-dairy alternatives including soy, oat, and almond milks. Drink prices range from $5 to $7.50.

They also offer pastries and snacks, provided by acclaimed Dallas bakery La Casita Bakeshop, including cookies, muffins, croissants, cruffins, cakes, cupcakes, and a couple of savory items like a spinach & goat cheese quiche and avocado toast. "They matched the high standards that we wanted to champion in what we do," Nawazuddin says.

One of his major priorities is to be responsive.

"A lot of what we do is based on feedback," he says. "For example, some people wanted ceramic mugs so we added those. We're listening to customer requests."

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