Fig & Olive has come to Houston! They are located inside the Galleria (near Saks Fifth Avenue) in an open and beautiful space. As soon as you walk in, you are greeted by a gorgeous bar to your left.
Fig & Olive pristine bar
Lots of natural light in this lovely restaurant.
Turn around. Here’s where you entered.
The weather in Houston was amazing last week with little humidity and temperatures in the low 70s. I opted to dine al fresco on their spacious terrace.
5pm on a Wednesday evening.
We started with a couple of their signature cocktails. Since I don’t drink alcohol, they made them into mocktails for me. My favorite was the Fig & Olive. It tasted exactly how it is described on the menu: refreshing and bright.
Fig & Olive (left) and Rossellini (right). Fig & Olive – muddles grapes, basil, lemon juice, New Amsterdam Gin, Lillet Blanc. Rossellini- Passion Fruit Vodka, blood orange juice, lime juice, dry orange slice. Both were perfect and fresh (sans alcohol).
Appetizers. We ordered one of each Crostini and a couple other starters. Of the 9 Crostini, my favorite was the Prosciutto.
First plate top down of Signature Crostini: Prosciutto (ricotta, fig, olive, walnut), Shrimp (avocado, cilantro, tomato), Manchego (fig, marcona almond). Second plate of Chef’s Selection: Jamon Iberico (smoked tomato concasse), Foie Gras (fig jam, orange zest), Truffle (artichoke, parmesan, macerated truffle dressing). Third plate of Signature Crostini: Burrata (tomato, pesto, balsamic), Mushroom (artichoke, truffle, Parmesan), Goat Cheese (caramelized onion, chive). The plates are a little messy because we did some ‘food in the air’ shots and dropped them. Typical food blogger scene 🙂
A closer look at the Prosciutto Crostini (a Signature Crostini). Love that fig. Signature Crostini: 3 for $14, 6 for $22. Chef’s Selection: 3 for $19
Octopus Carpaccio – piquillo pepper puree, heirloom potatoes, black olive dust, pimenton dressing. This was quite a treat! Not only was it a beautiful dish, but the flavors were wonderful and it was absolutely delicious. It’s an extremely light dish, so it will leave plenty of room for your entree and dessert. $16
Sea Scallops- sunchoke puree, ossetra caviar. A delightful appetizer for a scallop lover. $22
Mains. Everything on the menu sounded so good, I didn’t know what to order. Our server, Thomas, steered us in the right direction with the appetizers so we also went with his suggestions for our entrees. They did not disappoint.
Truffle Risotto- wild mushrooms, Parmesan. I love truffle. I love risotto. This was a clear winner. $25
Paella del Mar- saffron rice, scallop black tiger shrimp, calamari, mussels. Beautiful presentation. Squeeze some lime on it and the rice + seafood flavors come together gorgeously. This would be a great dish to share. $32
Rosemary Lamb Chops – New Zealand rack of lamb, crisp chickpea panisse, organic wild mushrooms, tomato confit, rosemary smoke. I love a good lamb chop dish, and these were well cooked and seasoned. Definitely would order this again. $39
Dessert. One of everything, please! but we were good and only ordered four 🙂
Cheesecake – orange scented berries, olive oil crisp. They combined Crème Brûlée and cheesecake to make this incredible dessert. Definitely my favorite of the four we ordered. $10
Olive Oil Cake – soaked in Moroccan syrup, blood orange dust. The prettiest of the desserts. The cake was dense, moist, and delicious. $10
Chocolate Pot de Creme – white chocolate meringue. If you’re a fan of chocolate (which I am), get this. Soft, smooth, creamy, and chocolatey. $10
Dessert “Crostini” – amarena cherry, mascarpone, pistachio, shortbread. Get this if you want a lighter dessert option. Just enough sweetness to satisfy a small sugar craving. $10
Overall, it was a fantastic meal at Fig & Olive. The service was wonderful (thank you, Thomas, for serving us on your birthday!). Even with the fancy setting, the ambiance was relaxing and welcoming. Everyone I encountered at the restaurant was friendly and made my dining experience incredible. I’d definitely come back with my husband for date night or have a girls night out (or brunch) on the terrace.
Thank you, Fig & Olive! I’m so glad you’ve made it to Houston!
A feast for two. That’s Thomas’ hands holding the paella. He’s the best. Ask for him.
