Montrose isn’t exactly known for meat— great steakhouses, that is. The owners of Mexican steakhouse La Casa del Caballo have decided they want to change that.
Godspeed to them. The old La Strada building (322 Westheimer at Taft) is one failed restaurant away from being deemed a “cursed” location. Caffe Bello, a Tony Vallone enterprise, opened there and didn’t find a foothold with the market. Don Julio survived a bit longer, but the Montrose crowd seems quite happy going to La Mexicana and El Real for their margaritas and enchiladas, thank you very much.
The “House of the Horse” (as the name translates from Spanish) seems more primed for success than either of its predecessors. First, there wasn’t a single staff member with whom I didn’t enjoy interacting. From the bartenders who actually seemed receptive to some feedback, to our conversational server and friendly hostess — we had fun. Even if the food hadn’t been pleasing, the goodwill in this joint would have been enough to make me want to pay another visit.
Secondly, while La Casa del Caballo has none of the kitschy funk of La Strada, the buildout enhanced the casual elegance of the oblong building. In other words, the place is dead sexy. Tiles of red and black glass adorn a dining alcove. A chrome bust of a horse sits on a leather bar, while a huge portrait of another hangs on the wall. They can help make you feel a little sexier, too: You can get your shoes shined at the bar for free, provided that you purchase a libation.
The food is rather sexy, too. Our group of five ordered the highly prized lomo, or ribeye cap. It’s more than four pounds and the meat is as well-marbled, moist and tender as you have ever wanted. The menu says it serves six and I can vouch for that, as we had leftovers.
I always feel uncomfortable when I order an expensive steak and realize I still have yet to add on side dishes (to my meal as well as to my bill). La Casa del Caballo does it differently. Steaks come with sides, including fried potatoes (crispy, delicious and perfectly salted), refried beans (with bacon) and either flour or corn tortillas.
The lomo is $170, but before you collapse of sticker shock, consider that the price breaks down to $34 per person for five people — and $28.33 per person if you go with six. That is on fair playing ground with the $35 12-ounce ribeye, so it’s a fair price. It’s also on par with other steakhouses in Houston. However, in most cases your steak won’t come with sides, and might not be as juicy, tender and well-seasoned as the lomo we ate during our visit.
The espresso flan left me ambivalent, although I admired the strong espresso flavor. The texture just didn’t do much for me; I like my flan a little firmer. I felt the same about the dense pecan cake that just didn’t leave much of an impression. But I’d order one those little rum cakes again without hesitation.
The one area that I strongly recommend Casa del Caballo do some work is the cocktail and wine program. There are no Old World offerings by-the-glass and none of the reds are temperature-controlled. I was surprised to not see a Spanish by-the-glass offering, many of which are optimal for beef. I was able to score a $30 bottle of Côtes du Rhône, but the optimal temperature for a lighter red is around 50 degrees. The warmer room temperature did it no favors; fortunately, one of those friendly bartenders had no problem chilling it down in a ice-and-water bath. Once the temperature was lowered appropriately, it was a treat, not to mention a bargain.
The most ordered wine (according to the staff) is the 2010 Terrazas de los Andes Reserva Malbec. It rates around 90 points when it’s presented nicely. This style does better at room temperature, but it still could have benefited from being kept at the recommended 61 to 65 degree temperature.
A final suggestion: The restaurant would benefit greatly from a consultation with a few of Houston’s many talented sommeliers and bartenders. There is no cocktail menu and the only house cocktail the bartenders cited was a margarita with Fresca and a “secret ingredient” that was some sort of yellowish syrup in a squirt bottle. Whatever that secret ingredient was, it didn’t do much for me. La Casa del Caballo is surrounded by good restaurants with stellar beverage programs and they need to step up their game.
La Casa del Caballo is open for lunch, meaning we have a new option for treating a business client or joining a friend for a relaxing meal. It will also offer Sunday brunch starting this Sunday, March 17.
LA CASA DEL CABALLO 322 Westheimer, 832-623-6467 or visit lacasadelcaballo.com