RESTAURANT REVIEW: Rainbow Lodge

One of my main culinary tenets (shoutout to the best Christopher Nolan film, I'll hear no arguments to the contrary) is the love and appreciation of unusual meats. I almost always order venison or bison in place of cow when possible, and I strive to seek out more exotic proteins on my travels. From kangaroo in Sydney to shark in Madrid to reindeer in Anchorage, I've knocked a fair few off my bucket list, though I'll always regret missing out on cuy in Peru and not going to a recommended eatery in Vancouver that offered horse. And of course, I've yet to sample the most dangerous game. Maybe on my next trip to North Sentinel Island.

In Houston, two establishments immediately spring to mind when it comes to this somewhat niche genre. Moon Tower Inn, the quirky EaDo watering hole that specializes in wild game sausages, and Rainbow Lodge, a decades-old quasi-steakhouse (how quasi? I don't know, a four?) in the Heights which offers some more unconventional animals in addition to the classic beef and fish. Housed in an historic log cabin, there's a distinctly non-Houston feel when you enter, with the vibe of a chalet high in the Colorado Rockies rather than a restaurant in the northwest Loop. Rustic furnishings and multiple fireplaces adorn the cozy dining room, which is upscale but not too fancy, and a gorgeous, wooded backyard deck feels nestled in nature... if you can ignore the apartment block looming over one side.

An absolute banger to start... Warm Lodge Rolls served in a cast iron skillet with three different spreads: pepper jack pimento, bourbon bone marrow butter, and European-style butter with flaked sea salt. As teased last week, this was one of the best bread courses I've ever had, with the large, pillowy carbs the perfect vehicle for the excellent condiments. Personally I preferred the kick of the cheese, but overall the table's consensus was that the unctuous bone marrow was the winner. Either way, an exceptional way to kick off the proceedings.

Also solid, if unremarkable, was the NOLA-Style BBQ Shrimp, a curious inclusion here, but among the most shareable of the starters, so it made sense for our party. Eight or nine of the crustaceans swam in a tangy, savory sauce of Worcestershire, lemon, garlic, and butter. There's no actual barbecue involved, as the decapods are simmered in the mixture at high heat, though the flavors emulate something you might find at your local smokehouse. A toasted petite baguette was thoughtfully provided to dip and sop up the liquid, though if you somehow have any of the aforementioned rolls remaining, that would be an even better option.

Before going any further, I'd like to address the elephant (incidentally another meat I'd love to try... do people eat elephant?) in the room. The appetizers came out lightning fast, but there was an interminable delay before the mains appeared. This happened to be the first night of Houston Restaurant Weeks (WHY won't they just call it Houston Restaurant Month?!?!), and the place was packed with guests who all appeared to be partaking in the associated three course experience, with the kitchen seeming to prioritize those dishes. We, however, did not choose the HRW menu, and, as some of our selections were not part of that list, were perhaps something of an afterthought? Several of the entrees were not at the correct temperature when they arrived, which indicated that they had likely been sitting for a long time after being cooked.

I was very excited for the South Texas Nilgai (an Asian import which apparently means "blue cow" in Hindi), and the antelope tasted phenomenal, the lean red loin seared to perfection, even if it had lost a bit of its fire, and a smoked whole grain mustard glacé provided a touch of tangy kick. Unfortunately the accompanying roasted Brussels sprouts with garlic and Calabrian chiles were lukewarm, and a side of mashed potatoes had developed a kind of a crust on top, as if they had been left under a heating lamp for a while. Still, the meat was so delicious that I kept going back for more, and on another night with better execution, this could be a world-class dish.

It should come as no surprise that I am a big fan of any parillada-type situation, so I went with the Wild Game Mixed Grill, which came with a trio of proteins as well as a cheddar grit cake, sufficiently hot and crispy with a creamy, cheesy interior, and an enormous stalk of broccolini. The best of the triumvirate was a North American elk loin, cooked to a lovely medium rare cuisson, tender and clean in flavor, as good as you'll find anywhere in Montana. A close second was grilled chile-rubbed venison, with the splash of heat from the marinade working well against the gamier, earthy deer. Less desirable was Texas quail, a bird that I'm starting to think should probably never be eaten by anyone. Outside of a maniacal turducken-stuffed version I once had at a post-Thanksgiving brunch at Commander's Palace in New Orleans (two separate Big Easy references in one review!), I don't think I've ever enjoyed eating quail. The "bang for your buck" from the flesh-to-bones ratio is terrible, and it always seems to come out dry. It was probably only included here because you can't by definition have a "mixed grill" with only two items, and a third mammal would have been cost-prohibitive. Replace the quail with some horse or elephant and then we'd really be cooking.

Dessert was fortunately unaffected by the service issues erewhile discussed. The Warm Croissant Bread Pudding had that custardy interior texture that is so comforting, and was drenched in a sweet, spiced brown sugar whiskey sauce. Some crunch and nuttiness came courtesy of an almond toile cup, and, of course, there was vanilla ice cream to cool things down. Yum! One sweet was not enough for our insatiable crew, so we added the Blueberry Lemonade Icebox Pie as well. This no-bake pastry, hailing from the South as you might imagine (though my very Czech grandmother also used that name for the refrigerator), consists of a graham cracker crust and a chilled no-bake filling, in this case tart from the citrus. Topped with whipped cream and lemon zest, a berry reduction completed the ensemble, gorgeously composed with ample negative space on the plate (something I have become quite fond of aesthetically).

Some highs and lows on this night, but given my positive experience in the past (albeit long ago), I'm inclined to believe that this was more of a HRW-induced exception than an overall decline in quality. There were enough excellent moments that I can overlook a few issues, though if it happens again I'll certainly have to change my opinion (fool me once...). Maybe the lesson is avoid dining out on August 1 at all costs.

RANKING UPDATE: Coming in, I had this as the #2 steakhouse on my Houston Restaurant Guide (truthfully, a type of restaurant that I don't frequent all that often), and despite an off night, I've decided to keep it there, partially due to a similarly-whelming night at the #3 entry on that list, Doris Metropolitan, earlier this year (sorry I never got a chance to write about that one). That might rub some of you the wrong way, and I understand that. Though justice be thy plea, consider this: it's my site (who else is quoting Archer and The Merchant of Venice in the same post?) and I can do what I want. You are more than welcome to punish Rainbow Lodge and demote it in your personal rankings based on my less-than-perfect evening if you'd like.

NEXT UP: The unveiling of a very exciting new category on my Houston Drinking Guide