One Star for Dish Society; the Farm-to-Table Commitment

This week, the Chron's Alison Cook headed to Dish Society: She awards the eatery one star, lamenting that her first visit made it hard to return, but that subsequent meals were better. Cook notes that the owners are recent MBA grads and that the concept "feels calculated rather than heartfelt." She says that the menu is "designed for broad appeal" with some "predictable" dishes, but that they are made with high quality ingredients. Cook concludes that it "seems to be fitting into its niche just fine" and that "time will tell whether this particular business plan turns into a restaurant that feels more organic - and more specific to its city."

The Houston Press also heads to Dish Society this week: Kaitlin Steinberg writes that she couldn't "help wondering how much of Dish Society's" farm-to-table "mission is a gimmick,"noting that some of their ingredients come from Kroger. She commends the "valiant effort" to commit fully to its stated goal, but says that "in order to truly do farm-to-table well, a restaurant has to completely embrace the concept."

More reviews: The Gastronaut heads to Trenza and suggests that locals check out the West Ave. spot despite an uneven meal of inconsistent but bold dishes, set in a date night-friendly space. The Gastronaut also takes a look at Fielding's Wood Grill and their already-popular burgers: "What makes the burgers at Fielding's so good is exactly what should make them pricey: everything is made in-house here." Lastly, Urban Swank's Joanna O'Leary visits Cove, the raw bar inside of Haven: "The secret's out and now Cove commands its own clientele."