Mario Batali, Houston, Babbo.

Often I (along with the rest of Houston) try to convince myself I live in a city as cosmopolitan and fulfilling as the next. Then I go to New York every few months and pummel that idea to shit. Arguably, Houston isn't lacking on many fronts - our art is rated 3rd in the nation, music is finally coming through thanks to the renovated Fitzgerald's/pegstar. We have enough restaurants to regain our title as "fattest city"(and possibly the rest of these). Old money keeps our streets draped in live oaks. Our ethnic populace gives us cred.

However, there's a refinement that our gritty metropolitan never seems to reach, much less maintain. It's not just the weighted cutlery or the sommeliers with actual licenses, it's the confidence and finesse. We're always trying to prove ourselves. Others are what we aspire to. As a native Houstonian, it hurts to think my city is always chasing after others, but the near universal argument in Houston's favor seems to be, "Our nightlife is just as good as L.A." never "Chicago's skyline can't compare to Houston."

On to the food! I had the privilege of dining at Babbo and Otto, both in NYC and both owned by Mario Batali. I didn't take many pictures, but I did drink enough wine. Those things relate more than you think.

Yep.

Rhett and I met while English Majors at UT. We had to do interpretive dance with synchronized breathing for our final project in Gay and Lesbian Literature and Culture. No one would give me a job after detailing my English degree so I had to get a law degree.

Batali's chefs did some voodoo on this Octopus. It was tentacled velvet enrobed in a sweet charred crust, reminiscent of  teriyaki and the dried cuttlefish I took to school as snacks in childhood. Those were rough years.

Rhett's face is about how I felt about this beef cheek ravioli.

DUCK BONANZA! If bonanzas were classy. This one involved duck breast and confit leg, so it might pass muster. 

Wild striped bass, sweet potato sauce heavily influenced by black peppercorns, chorizo vinaigrette that was less porky than expected. Still, excellent dish. 

1 of 2 Desserts - Sweet corn pudding, cornmeal cookies, blackberries. This sounds much less exciting than it actually was.

By the by, DaMarco Wiles's Dolce Vita is knock off, albeit pretty good, of Otto.