Shilcutt Wraps Up With Oxheart; 4 Stars for MF Sushi

For her final review as the Houston Press's food critic, Katharine Shilcutt praises Oxheart as one of Houston's most unique dining experiences. "And what Oxheart is making is as much art as it is food. It's art that reflects the creator's passions and influences, from California to Copenhagen to the Gulf Coast. Art that speaks to the creator's desire to see a tidal change in the way that people view food. Art that challenges its consumers, as all good art should." [Houston Press]

In her review this week, Chronicle critic Alison Cook crowns MF Sushi as Houston's sixth four-star restaurant based mostly on chef Chris Kinjo's elaborate, $75 and up, omakase tasting menus. "Part of the joy of omakase at MF Sushi has nothing to do with the fine quality of the fish - it's the excellence and novelty of some traditional Japanese preparations seldom seen here. In a Houston summer, there are few things more refreshing than Kinjo's salad of black seaweed served in a bat-winged ceramic bowl, to be beaten up with an egg yolk and a blob of freshly grated horseradish root." [Houston Chronicle]

Houstonia food editor Robb Walsh decides that the cheeseburger at Highland Village's Up is, at 3/4lb, simply too large to be cooked properly medium rare in the middle without being overcooked on the outside. "So I chalked it up to experience—at $14 it was an expensive lesson." [Houstonia]

The Blogs: Catherine Martin arbitrarily finds herself out of a place as a non-craft beer drinker at Petrol Station. Hank on Food adds a mac and cheese topped burger at Hollister on Washington to his Houston top 20. Patty and David try the weekly ramen night at Upper Kirby's Fat Bao. Chili Bob's Houston Eats takes a break from obscure ethnic restaurants to consider the burger at Freddy's Frozen Custard and Steakburgers.