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Looking for an epic getaway weekend that won’t break the bank or require you to leave the country? Well, look no further, we have you covered. After about a year into this whole pandemic situation it is natural to feel a little stir crazy, bored, and even a little depressed. After being so accustomed to a world where you can go anywhere you want at any point in time it is certainly tough to continue being boarded up. A few months back we were both feeling exhausted with doing absolutely nothing and decided to plan a weekend away. Houston, TX was the closest city to us so we packed up the car and started driving.
Keep in mind, please, that the issues the world is facing also exist in Houston. This isn’t some magical place where everyone is free to do whatever they want. You still need to wear masks and restaurants have occupancy regulations just like everywhere else, and these rules and regulations are always changing. Do some research before you go to see how the situation will be during the time of your trip. Alright… disclosure over with.
Until this little vacation weekend I had never been to Houston before, aside from being in the airport. This was a trip to actually explore it and since Kelly lived there for a while I knew that I was about to see the best parts of the city. We were driving in to Houston from the hurricane ravaged city of Lake Charles, LA - everything was either closed or totally destroyed so we had legitimately just been sitting at home. Houston of course had pandemic restrictions, but it wasn’t leveled by wind and rain so it sounded like a paradise. It was simple enough to get reservations at restaurants and bars but walk-in dining at the time wasn’t always possible. We just called ahead, about a day in advance, and we were able to get in all the restaurants that we wanted to experience. I can’t even begin to tell you how nice it was to feel this little bit of normalcy. Sitting down at a restaurant, ordering drinks and food, and just seeing other people out and about having fun was such an uplifting moment for our spirits. Looking at the same wall for months on end gets boring, right?
We booked an AirBnB and basically just started eating our way through Houston. There are so many restaurant options there and due to the incredible mixture of cultures and demographics there are cuisines available here from all over the world. We did a fair amount of walking but we were able to use Uber as well, provided we could all fit in the back seats (no front seat passengers allowed), we had masks on and we did not remove them at any point during the ride. Kelly and I are both total foodies and we always love trying new things so I was particularly excited about this since this was all going to be brand new to me. Of all the places we stopped at for a bite these were my most favorite restaurants.
a'Bouzy
This is a gorgeous little brunch spot. They have a lot of different menu items to choose from and they also serve some seriously amazing champagne. They have indoor and outdoor seating options (all dependent on capacity regulations these day) and they have valet parking available. We actually came here for the mimosas, but we stayed for the food. It has a fancy ambiance but it is still comfortable enough for you to feel totally relaxed there. You can check out their full menu HERE.
Oporto
If you are looking for a tapas style restaurant then you have to go here. They have TONS of menu items to choose from and they also serve some pretty killer cocktails (not to mention a great wine selection). We stayed here on a reservation for about three hours and we didn’t stop eating the entire time. If you are having trouble picking what you want to eat, just have your server make the decisions for you… you will not be disappointed. Full menu available for you right HERE.
Crú Food & Wine Bar
This was hands down my absolute favorite. The overall vibe of this place is exactly what I am looking for when I have nights out for food and drinks. They have incredible food, service, and a very large wine collection for you to choose from. Definitely try the Black Truffle Pizza and the Goat Cheese Beignets… you’ll thank me afterward. The full menu is HERE.
Kiran’s
They put the ‘fine dining’ in fine dining Indian cuisine. This restaurant is by far the best Indian food that I have ever had. Everything was just so perfect. As is to be expected from us, they also have an amazing wine selection and we had a few bottles throughout our meal. It has a modern feel to it and we found the place to be extremely comfortable. The Butter Chicken and the Lamb Vindaloo were exceptional so be sure you try those. You can find their menu HERE.
Photo Rights owned by Positravelty LLC, on behalf of @positravelty
Aside from restaurants we found Houston to be a very photogenic city and we made sure to venture out after dinner to see if we could find somewhere awesome to take a few quick photos. In the downtown area we found the perfect parking garage with stairs up to the top. We set up there for a few hours hours and snapped the two photos that you see in this article. Not bad for a short weekend getaway!
Again, if you are debating going to Houston for a weekend getaway be sure to check the current status due to the pandemic. Things are always changing these days and you don't want to head over there just to find out that the restaurants are currently closed.
Til next time…
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