Upscale Dining Restaurant Review: Mockingbird Bistro, Houston, Texas

Romantic dining is easily accessible in the Houston / Galveston area of Texas, with one upscale restaurant rivaling the other, making it difficult to select the best. Where one has ambiance and décor, another might excel at the food selections, the chef or the service. Price is always a consideration, because upscale dining is definitely not an inexpensive endeavor, so diners expect to receive comparative service for the cost.

For a romantic dining experience, it's difficult to surpass the quaint ambiance of the out-of-the-way Mockingbird Bistro. Hidden in a mostly residential area, located next door, of all things, to a coin-operated Laundromat, sits one of Houston's best kept secrets. Valet parking is complimentary at the front door, which is a good thing, since parking in this area of Houston is either at a premium or unavailable completely.

Customer Service at Mockingbird Bistro

We were promptly greeted by our hostess at the front door, who then escorted us to our table. There, upon the table, awaited fresh flowers, pre-ordered before the evening. When making a reservation with Mockingbird Bistro, the options for creating the prefect evening out include: flowers, chocolates, special dessert selections and even limo service, all for an extra fee.

Reservations are not required, but they are highly recommended and preferred, particularly on special event evenings, such as Valentine's Day. The restaurant is small, so seating is limited, and it would be very embarrassing to take a date to a restaurant that could not accommodate seating.

The wait staff was exceptional. We received complimentary champagne with frozen strawberries floating at the bottom, for the special occasion, and our glass never appeared empty throughout the evening. The waiter was unobtrusive, but friendly and knowledgeable of the menu and mostly knowledgeable of the drinks. We ordered aged scotch, and he did have to speak with the bartender about our selections, but he was courteous and helpful throughout the meal.

Mockingbird Bistro's Appearance and Ambiance

The Mockingbird Bistro is not wheelchair friendly, as there are steps to the front entrance, the tables are extremely close together, and the doorways to the bathroom or the back dining area are narrow as well. While I'm certain the staff would attempt to accommodate clients with special needs, it would be awkward dining there for those in wheelchairs.

The interior is dark and quaint, with track lighting to brighten each table, and candles aflame on the tabletop. The linens are of fine quality, but the tables are small, the chairs wooden and uncomfortable, which was surprising for an upscale restaurant such as this. When compared with Cullen's, and their soft sided, cloth-covered rolling chairs, the comfort level simply can't be compared. However, the interior is fun to look at, the lighting is interesting, the décor is aged and the chandeliers look like the old-fashioned lantern lighted castle fixtures.

Mockingbird Bistro's Menu & Food

The menu selection is limited, as is the case with most upscale restaurants, since the choices of meals are seasonal and limited to availability. The executive chef prepares a daily menu, with daily specials, along with a menu of options for the season. Mockingbird Bistro, according to their website, uses local sourced foodstuffs when possible, for the freshest, best-tasting offerings.

I would have to agree. The food was divine. The portions were on the smaller side when compared with our review of Cullen's Upscale Grille, which serves large portions for an upscale restaurant. Even so, there was plenty of food and a variety of tastes to please the palate.

We sampled ahi tuna appetizers, with a divine sauce and cracker ensemble. For dinner, we had fresh roasted vegetables, with sea bass and bowfish caviar, creamed potatoes, scallops with another divine sauce, and our side dishes. The sauces were by far the best portion of the meal, but everything tasted exceptional, especially the mouth-watering perfectly popping bowfish caviar that was a pleasant and unexpected culinary treat.

Mockingbird Bistro Dessert Selections

Dessert was likely where we were least impressed, though still satisfactory. We should point out that we dined with Mockingbird Bistro on a very busy romantic dining evening during a special event, so the menu was limited to the special event dining menu and the dessert were pre-made for the event. I would like to think the desserts are better during normal evening hours. My guest ordered a chocolate torte with melted chocolate inside, and said the chocolate crunch cakes provided by Domino's Pizza were actually better than the ones at Mockingbird.

However, they won us over when the waiter brought us frozen, chocolate dipped strawberries, with chocolate curls garnishing the plate. These were divine, the chocolate was exceptional, and I, even not being a sweets eater, could have dined on the chocolate strawberries alone.

Mockingbird Bistro Drink Selections

From aperitifs to after-dinner drinks, plus the twenty-five year aged scotch rounded out the perfect meal, along with cappuccinos to pair with the dessert. Their bar is a full bar, stocked with a selection of well-aged bottles, some of the finest wines, and most any spirit one might request.

Mockingbird Bistro's Fine Dining Experience

In the final analysis, I am glad we tried Mockingbird Bistro, and I was extremely pleased with the service-from making the reservation to the valet staff, the hostess and the wait staff-and though I would recommend Mockingbird Bistro to others as a fine dining romantic experience, I believe there are other fine dining establishments in the Houston area I would rather try than to return to Mockingbird Bistro again. That is not to say it wasn't a good experience-it absolutely was-but for the price, the comfort level while dining, and the poor desserts in comparison to their entrees, I would simply prefer to seek other dining experiences than to repeat the experience at Mockingbird Bistro.

Cullen's Upscale Grille, however, is a fine dining experience I would consider repeating, and in fact, have repeated, a number of times. By comparison, their prices and quality of food are similar, but the comfort level, the ambiance and the quantity of the food simply doesn't compare.

Mockingbird Bistro is located at: 1985 Welch at McDuffie, Houston, Texas 77019. Reservations can be made by calling (719) 533-0200, or by visiting the Mockingbird Bistro's website at: http://www.mockingbirdbistro.com/