If you have ever spent some time in Houston, you know that there are some great restaurants scattered across the entire metroplex. Some are hidden gems that you may never visit (La Mexicana on Fairview) while others are in more trafficked areas. Postino in the Heights is definitely the latter. The Heights Mercantile is a fairly new cluster of trendy shops and eateries located in the heart of one of Houston’s most popular neighborhoods. And at the corner of this small, shopping district you can find Postino Wine Cafe. Don’t be fooled by their name. Postino’s offers so much more than wine. For starters (and I mean that literally), they have the absolute, most amazing cauliflower appetizer you have ever tasted. I know, I know. It is cauliflower. But once you fry it (welcome to Texas), drizzle it with olive oil, place it on top of a flavorful sauce that looks like it is made of tomatoes, but turns out it contains no tomatoes and top it with sultana raisins and capers, you literally won’t know what to do with your mouth. I think that is a run on sentence and I just oddly referenced your mouth. Sorry. I digress. I have had this dish in Denver and, now, Houston. Both times it delivered. They are also known for their bruschetta boards. My favorite: Burrata, Bacon, Arugula and Tomato.

Still don’t have your attention yet? Would it help if I mentioned that they have $5 pitchers of beer and glasses of wine, every day, before 5 pm? Yup. Pitchers. My mom surely enjoyed this perk as we sat on the patio for 3 hours. A cauliflower app, an order of meatballs, two sandwiches, two half salads and two pitchers of beer later (don’t worry, she wasn’t drinking alone), everyone left happy and ready for a nap.