Underbelly

For one of my birthday dinners, my friend and I decided to meet up at Underybelly.  

Owned by Catalan famed chef, Chris Shepherd.  I'm so excited to try their food.  Since they are known for being localvore.  You know their revolving menu is all based on local farmers markets and suppliers. 

We got the Grilled Seasonal Tokyo Turnips, the I was surprised, they give you some spicy powder on the side or the miso vinaigrette on the side for you to dip.  Doesn't matter if you try one or the other or both, they come out yummy.

This is the Korean Braised Goat & Dumpling.  This is their signature dish and probably the only dish that is available all the time.  It does have the nice spicy kick to it, but the shredded goat meat tasted yummy.  Balanced by the dumpling worked out nicely.  The dumpling is like the annual dish that the Korean/Chinese/ and Taiwanese have.  It has nothing inside, just the noodle cake type pieces.  So, it's dense but flexible to all flavors. 

Then we have the Korean style bulgogi.  They served it lettuce wrap style, you can put the lettuce, parsnips, picked veggie with the meat.  It is pretty good no matter if you eat it their way or straight   Definitely great marinate! 

This is the Waygu Shank Bibimbap.  I love how they take stretch across cooking style and we happened to picked all things Korean that night.  

But that said, once you mixed up the entire thing, the sauce and the meat, which are piping hot, mixed in the luke warm veggies, makes the entire thing hot and same temp.  This dish is so good! 

For dessert, both of us were curious about the Fried Strawberry pie.  So, that it is!  It comes with toasted rice ice cream.  You can't really taste the different by itself, but if you mixed it with the salted strawberries underneath, the rice flavors comes out.  Of course you have to mix it all together with the fried pie.  It really is like a fried strawberry jam leaking out.  Definitely yummy.

Our server gave us a very good tip, and that is if you have a 3-4 group, having the dishes on the Family Style serving is definitely the way to go.  You get more bang for your bucks.  But since there's only 2 of us, 4 dishes on the Today's Plate is plenty and satisfying.  And he was right... we barely had enough room for dessert.  That's definitely the way to go.

Definitely make reservation, they are closed on Sundays, go early.  There are plenty of parking in the back.  And they really meant it when they say they use local famers and vendors.  They give you a brochure of their recommendations, places they go to eat and visit, that really gives you a good view of the city from a Local's point of view.  

Underbelly

1100 Westheimer Rd.

at Commonwealth

Houston, TX 77006

713-528-9800