My wife said it was the best food she’s ever had, and I agree! Here’s why: Tapas style entrees mean eating as much as you want, but not too much. The flavors and presentation are like artwork. It’s a thrill when the dishes arrive at the table. The wine list is spectacular, with unique Spanish and French wines that are not available elsewhere. The service is outstanding. The staff is friendly and always attentive, and the proprietor may even stop by your table to speak about the food or wine. The main space is smaller, seating only about 25 patrons. (There’s a bar area that will seat 5 or 6 and 4 tables designed to seat 4 to 5 people each.) So, reservations are your best bet. There’s also an adjacent event space for parties. This restaurant is so good that it works for a business meal or birthday/anniversary celebration like ours. We’ve eaten everywhere in Houston, and I’d say that Plane and Level represents the best food and service in the city. That’s no exaggeration! It’s truly world class.
Disappointed all around. Atmosphere: Cute place. The front door is small and I am a big boy, so added to the airplane feel. We were excited by the menu and pictures from Google maps and already had a few ideas in mind. Food: We ordered the duck breast, scallops, and patatas. The patatas came out first. They were soggy, which was confusing as the menu said double fried. The sauces came across as one note and flat. We both said it needed something to complete the flavors. Then we compared to pictures online: it was missing the herbs and the (assuming) ham bits. The scallops were under done and very watery. There was a significant size difference and it showed in the different cooks on them. The extra moisture was the likely culprit of the lack of sear. We ate the outer bits and they lacked seasoning and the light crunch from the sear. The romesco sauce was hard to taste as it soaked up the scallop water, and we could not find any notes of truffle oil on the plate. The duck breast was over cooked to a well done, causing it to get chewy. The breast was quite small, with the fat making up half the overall duck portion. The amount of liquid shows it did not get to rest after cooking. The sweet potato puree was smooth, but desperately needed salt. The confit grapes were flavorful and juicy. We both wanted a bowl of those. Service: While the service started out okay, it quickly fell to almost non-existent. We had to flag down a server to get both of our empty water glasses refilled. I wanted to discuss our food issues with the manager, but we didn't see the manager until we were settling the bill. Overall: 1 Star. Based on the pictures we know the food can be prepared better, but to have all 3 of our dishes be wrong in the same order, that can't be overlooked as a simple mistake.
PHENOMENAL FIND!! My wife and another couple got a table at 5pm, and we were immediately impressed with the decor and the beautiful Jamon sitting on the bar. Being fans of tapas and wine, we ordered almost every dish on the menu over the evening, along with bottles of Rioja and a Pinot Noir. From the bread service, to Jamon Iberico, to the Pulpo and the charcuterie board, we were constantly impressed and amazed at the flavors and authenticity of our tapas. The pulpo was perfect with just the right grill char, supremely tender and seasoned so well. We even convinced our friend who is from the Caribbean, yet had never had octopus, to try it, and he loved it! We ordered the chicken and rabbit paella, but we should have ordered the seafood paella- the smell of our neighbors’ was enticing. The service was next level, with Jennifer being our primary waitress. The owner, Tomas, a master sommelier, apparently trains his staff extensively on all of the food and wine, and it shows!! Jennifer recommended two excellent Tempranillos, and a Pinot for our friend. And the pairings for our desserts were spot on as well. Overall, a tremendous spot, with an owner and staff who are masters of their craft, and extraordinarily hospitable.
Someone took me to this wonderful place on a weekend and it exceeded my expectations. I was so relaxed and comfortable there. The waiter and waitresses have great customer service. The food was beautifully served and tasted great. Why couldn't I have found this place sooner? Not only did they serve food but they also have a wine bar next door and a venue. The wine bar would be my next trip.
We chose to celebrate our anniversary with a special dinner out and were blown away by the culinary experience we had at this hidden gem! From the moment we sat down and our waitress, Lindsey, greeted us with a warm congratulations on our anniversary to the last drop of the bottle of wine we enjoyed, every taste was beautifully added to the symphony of flavors! Perfectly prepared, presented, and portioned, each tasting excited our senses. You don't have to wait for a special occasion to share this experience and enjoy the best tapas and wine in the Houston area! We had the SEARED SCALLOPS, DUCK BREAST, GAMBAS ALPIL-PIL, PIQUILLOS & CRAB (our favorite *crab-stuffed piquillo peppers with pimenton aioli), JAPANESE A5 WAYGU BEEF, and for dessert, the SPICED CREMA CATALANA.
This was such a great experience. Party of 4: double date: Saturday evening: We definitely enjoyed ourselves the ambiance was good. The waitress was extremely polite and friendly she knew the menu and was able to answer all our questions. I enjoyed all the flavorful bites. We loved it so much we joined the classes/ wine tasting events. I would definitely recommend this restaurant if you’re looking for a quiet date night. It’s very intimate. Update: After attending the cooking class: On a Saturday afternoon: The class size was perfect. Everyone was able to hear and see everything. I’m pretty confident that I will be able to put that dish together at home.
The food was phenomenal, ambiance perfect for speaking to one another, welcoming music, overall super good. We will continue to go for our date nights and soon to book our Saturday cooking classes! Wine paired well with the food. I will definitely recommend this place.
This place has been in my "want to visit" list for several months and I finally found the opportunity to visit. I really appreciate the nice ambiance of the establishment and the upscale service that was provided. They offer a tapas style menu with shareable items, not full meals. The food was plated and presented well and very tasty. I felt that the price was high for what was received in regards to portion. At the same time, I do appreciate the fine culinary execution that went in to the experience. I'd recommend this place to couples looking for an upscale brunch/lunch or a date night out. I enjoyed it!