Ruggles Black

Tuesday, May 3, 2016
A vegetarian walks into a paleo restaurant.

Ruggles Black - a restaurant in Houston, Texas

If any of you have been following along for a while (and thank you!), you might remember that I completed a vegetarian Whole30 last year here in Houston, and so my previous statement is neither shocking nor weird.

Last week, Jon and I had dinner at Houston's Ruggles Black with our friends Dillon, Melinda, Tuan, Thy, Jordan, and David to celebrate Melinda completing a Whole30-esque diet.

(always cause for celebration, aka alcohol).

Ruggles Black - a restaurant in Houston, Texas

The restaurant is located in Houston's Greenway/Upper Kirby area and serves - you guessed it - paleo-inspired food!

First thing's first, I went ahead and ordered one of the restaurant's specialty cocktails.

cucumber jalapeno cocktail at Ruggles Black - a restaurant in Houston, Texas

Because I'm an awesome food blogger, I don't remember the name of this drink (you're welcome). It was some sort of jalapeño cucumber martini, and it was DELICIOUS. Refreshing, light, and spicy, this was an A+ bevvy!

So, what exactly can a vegetarian order at one of Houston's premier paleo-inspired restaurants, you ask?

Answer: LOTS.

For our first round of food, Jon and I split the baked goat cheese salad (I'm not really sure if goat cheese is paleo, but I live to break rules).

goat cheese salad at Ruggles Black - a restaurant in Houston, Texas

Piled high with mixed greens, sundried tomatoes, nuts, and almond crusted goat cheese, this monster salad was pure heaven in every bite. The creamy goat cheese swirled wonderfully throughout the salad, contrasting perfectly with the various textures. The sundried tomatoes were subtle, tart, and delightful. I'm embarrassed to say that this salad - which could easily feed four (as a main course) - was completely demolished by Jon and me.

I also tried a taste of Dillon and Melinda's market salad, and that too was nothing short of awesome.

I explained to our server that I don't eat meat, so I asked her opinion on what I should order. She highly recommended the chicken masala pasta (sans chicken), so I decided to trust her!

vegetarian masala pasta at Ruggles Black - a restaurant in Houston, Texas

omg, Y'ALL.

Spaghetti squash noodles swam in a coconut cream sauce, which was combined with ginger, onions, cashews, cilantro, sundried tomatoes, green beans, bell peppers, and broccoli (I believe they threw in some extra veggies for me). This pasta was absolutely exquisite. I cannot even begin to tell you how flavor-packed and SINFULLY delicious the coconut cream sauce was. The fresh vegetables were lovely, and the dish was nothing short of comforting, hearty, indulgent, and absolutely fantastic!

After I died and went to blissful food heaven, our server brought out EIGHT THOUSAND desserts to show us.

desserts at Ruggles Black - a restaurant in Houston, Texas

Eight thousand beautiful, paleo-inspired desserts.

Really, HEAVEN.

Jon ordered a piece of their coconut cake (probably not the official name, but I was seeing stars at that point) for us to share, and I also ordered a decaf coffee.

coffee and coconut macaroon at Ruggles Black - a restaurant in Houston, Texas

WHICH CAME WITH A CHOCOLATE SPOON AND COCONUT MACAROON.

(!!!!)

And let me tell you, that macaroon was a tiny but mighty little star! Chewy and sweet, the itty bitty delight would have been plenty for me!

(yeah right)

Because of course we then had this to tackle:

coconut cake at Ruggles Black - a restaurant in Houston, Texas

Again, the restaurant hit it out of the park with this one. The coconut cake was moist, textured, nutty, dense, and not overly sweet or rich. My mind was completely officially blown!

Everything was so incredible, and I really only had one qualm - I sampled several of their glasses of wine, and I wasn't a big fan of any of their reds or the rosé that was available (but wine is totally a personal preference thing, and I am certainly no expert, so take that with a grain of salt!). I ended up landing on a chardonnay that was pretty good though. And the cocktail I drank, plus the food that I ate were SO outrageously tasty, that I would without a doubt go back. Houston's Ruggles Black is perfect for a nice night out, ESPECIALLY if you're looking to err on the healthier side of things, while still feeling like you totally indulged in some sinfully delicious food!

dinner at Ruggles Black - a restaurant in Houston, Texas

Vegetarians welcome.

Ruggles Black Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

2 comments:

  1. I love RB. Chef Molzan is so awesome. Next time you visit you have to try the "Long Drive" Cocktail. It's their twist on an Arnold Palmer. Made with house-made lemonade and crushed basil ice! Perfect summer drink for some patio fun.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You are speaking my language! That cocktail sounds incredible. :)

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