Being a resident of a far northwest Houston subdivision our trips into town for dinner are always set with high expectations. Friday night we met our son Collin, his wife Megan, and our other son Zach and his wife Bekah at a’Bouzy, a restaurant opened about a year ago by Shawn Virene. Shawn has a big following after serving as a Managing Partner at Brasserie 19 nearby. a’Bouzy is a wonderful addition to the wine and culinary scene in Houston and definitely worth the drive from anywhere!
Start with the name. Bouzy is a small village in the Champagne region of France, an area that produces more than its fair share of Grand Cru Champagnes. The wine list at a’Bouzy includes more than 250 Champagne labels along with more than 1,000 labels of wines from most of the great wine areas of the world. The nice thing about this world-class wine list is the fact that they are very reasonably priced compared to a lot of other places in town.
We began the evening with a bottle of 2007 Vilmart & Cie “Coeur de Cuvee” 1er Cru Brut. Did I mention the fact that a’Bouzy has a wonderful raw bar? We enjoyed some oysters on the half shell along with our Champagne and they were outstanding. The menu at a’Bouzy is not extensive but it has great depth and character. You can choose small shared plates or dive into an entrée like Wild Alaskan Salmon Crab Au Gratin with citrus butter and roasted cauliflower, Blackened Gulf Redfish served on the half-shell with artichoke, tomato, mushroom, and arugula salad, or Rack of Lamb with butternut squash, mint braised cabbage, and gremolata, among other enticing offerings. We paired our selections of Salmon, Redfish, Filet Mignon and Lobster with a 2015 Kosta Brown Gaps Crown Pinot Noir. None of us was disappointed with our choices for dinner or the wine pairing.
The atmosphere of a’Bouzy is vibrant and the serving staff was very attentive to our needs. The restaurant also has a large outdoor area and the overall décor is what I would describe as casual elegance meets eklectic. We thoroughly enjoyed our evening and Lisa and I plan to return as soon as we can. It is definitely worth a drive from anywhere in the Houston area. Just be prepared for a crowd. And for fantastic food and wine.
Mike's Wine World 
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