Restaurant Review: Ruggles Grill

Ruggles Grill (907 Westheimer) is a die-hard veteran among Houston restaurants. Houstonist used to frequent Ruggles for special occasions and celebrations. With the opening of so many good restaurants in Houston in the last five years, and the establishment of the casual and laid-back Ruggles Café in Rice Village, it had been years since we’ve returned. Recently, Houstonist dined at Ruggles Grill to bring back the memories.

And sadly, the memories were infinitely better than the food. Ruggles is set in a charming converted house with a décor that is a smooth blend of rustic and modern. The menu is strong in southwestern flavors, heavy on the fish and red meat options, and light on creativity. We started our evening with calamari, which came out with three different dipping sauces: a salty marinara, a run-of-the-mill tartar sauce, and a tasty cilantro aioli. The calamari itself, unfortunately, was forgettable.

For our main course we ordered fettuccine with a crab, shrimp and avocado sauce and a filet of beef wrapped in bacon and topped with foie gras. After a few bites of the fettuccine, Houstonist got tired of the dish. The few sprigs of over-cooked asparagus provided a much-needed break from the heavy avocado cream sauce. The beef filet was overcooked and a bit tough. The bacon paired with foie gras was too much; either one or the other would have sufficed. It was almost as if the chef felt it was necessary to make up for the ho-hum beef by adding bells and whistles. Our server was quick taking our order but slow in delivering. It took a full fifteen minutes for our after-dinner coffee to arrive. At the server’s recommendation, we ordered the papaya trifle for dessert. It had the plastic stale taste of whipped dairy that had been sitting in the fridge for too long. A few bites were all we could muster.

Despite the disappointment with our food, there will always be a special place in the Houstonist’s heart for their white chocolate bread pudding: Thin slices of French bread drenched in velvety custard, then quickly broiled for a crisp top layer crunch. Divine, delectable, mouth-watering, luscious, everything a dessert should be. Order it with the ice cream on the side (it will make the top layer soggy) and ask them to broil it extra crisp.

The Verdict: There are much better places to go for a nice dinner in Houston. Skip the food at Ruggles Grill and get the same white chocolate bread pudding at Ruggles Café Bakery (2365-A Rice Blvd).