Now that Harvey has left the building for good, I feel compelled to write of something that passed us by with very little notice given the events of last week. It was in the plan to post something on August 30th, which was the 181st year of Houston's existence. Unfortunately, Harvey seemed hell bent on wiping Houston out of existence. My plans got postponed and Harvey's plans were met with resilience and grit. Houston wasn't having it.
Yes, the human toll and the damage estimates are hard to accept. Devastation was everywhere. What happened next, and what the world witnessed was Houston not lying down and taking it. Neighbors helping neighbors, even reporters getting into the trenches and helping with rescues, the tremendous display of compassion was what the county needed to see. That's Houston.
My original thought was to highlight Houston Restaurant Weeks. Every August, a collection of the best dining in town offers a special reduced price menu. It's the best way to sample the more iconic establishments in Houston and at least half price. The proceeds benefit the Houston Food Bank. It normally closes out as August ends, but given the timing of Harvey HRW has been extended through the end of September.
Brennan's was always one of my bucket list restaurants, ever since I saw Terms of Endearment. So, we went for HRW and got seated in the Terms Room.
All I can say is the food was some of the best I've ever had. It began with turtle soup. I was hesitant at first, but decided to eat like it would be my one and only chance. Turtle soup is phenomenal. There aren't any words that can do it justice. It has to be experienced. It was followed by the Eggs Benedict, my favorite brunch dish. Best Eggs Benedict I've Ever Had. Dessert was a must. You don't go to a place like Brennan's and not get dessert. My husband had the bread pudding and I ordered bananas foster, which was prepared table-side with flames. Again, something that must be experienced by all.Harvey will be remembered as one of the most destructive storms in history. It did not break Houston. It's hard to describe how I feel about Houston. I have been here almost twenty years and I fell in love with it. The selfless acts of kindness and heroism seen during this crisis demonstrate what I love the most about Houston. It's always been charitable. People look out for one another here. I'm sure that other places feel that way as well, but as of now I haven't seen it on the scale it is here. It's always been like that. Even before Harvey. It will continue now that Harvey is heading for the history books.
Houston will always be strong. Happy Birthday to the city I love and foodies everywhere cannot resist.
