Adair Kitchen is Playing to a Full House!

 

My first visit to Adair Kitchen was immediately after opening and a couple of the usual missteps in a new kitchen occurred, as could be expected. Well, it's several weeks old now and I stopped in to see how executive chef Roberto Ozaeta got the back of the house whipped into shape (Very well, it seems).  Playing to a full house, it is obvious that this (my) neighborhood restaurant is already popular.

 

Owners Nick Adair and his sister Katie Adair Barnhart grew up in the restaurant business (Their father, Gary Adair, owned Skeeter’s Mesquite Grill and they learned the business from him.) and always wanted their own restaurant. Here it is and after my second visit, I’m pleased to welcome this new restaurant to the neighborhood (They’re six blocks from my house).

B.Y.O.S... Build Your Own Salad

 

Growing up, Nick and Katie were always allowed by their mother to choose what they wanted in their salads and this restaurant seems to be a tribute to Mom, as they allow customers to check off ingredients for their salads in a pre-printed check list.

Grilled Salmon Topped a Custom Salad 

 

I ordered a custom salad (B.Y.O.S... Build your own salad) and chose a grilled salmon to top it from four options. The salmon was perfectly grilled and, of course, since I chose the greens, etc, the salad was to my liking. The check list clipboard for ingredients is on a table as you walk in and approach the order counter.

A Sirloin Kitchen Burger

 

The restaurant isn’t a burger joint. In fact the effort is made to provide fresh produce and healthy options wherever it is possible. Burgers are offered with buffalo, turkey and sirloin, and you would expect expats from a successful burger business would provide a superior burger.  My sirloin Kitchen Burger was cooked medium and nestled in a freshly baked and toasted bun with crisp fresh lettuce, tomatoes, red onion and dill pickles.  Simple and un-designer, this basic classic hamburger was nice... and, as one who has eaten a few buffalo and sirloin burgers, I suggest that you order yours cooked no more than medium.  They are both notably very low-fat and mine were still nice and juicy.  Burgers are offered with choice of regular or sweet potato fries (get the sweet potato) or a fruit bowl.

Grilled Shrimp and Spinach Salad

Salads are king here and I particularly enjoyed the Grilled Shrimp and Spinach Salad with roasted bell pepper, goat cheese, purple onion, pumpkin seeds and balsamic vinaigrette. Key to this salad was the perfectly cooked shrimp.

Grilled Chicken Pesto Pita

 

Grilled Chicken Pesto Pita is a tip of the hat to the siblings’ mother (and her recipe) and an example of the quality and commitment to healthy food served in their home. The creamy pesto ranch dressing was a nice accent to the grilled chicken and the salad with diced fresh tomatoes is served on pita. I would like to see this dish kept in the menu (as it is healthy and delicious), but moved into the sandwich category and served IN a pita pocket rather than ON pita.

On October 8^th, Adair Kitchen will open for service in late afternoons and evenings.  The restaurant is open daily now for lunch and breakfast with Daily Scramble, Pancakes, Chicken & Waffles and Black Bean and Egg Tostadas.

www.AdairKitchen.com

Adair Kitchen

5161 San Felipe

Suite 390

Houston, TX 77056

713-623-6100