BEST PLACE FOR A ROMANTIC DATE

Bludorn, the winner of this year’s Best Place for a Romantic Date, is the eponymous Montrose restaurant of chef Aaron Bludorn and his wife, Victoria Pappas Bludorn. Their building on Taft Street that housed the original Antone’s for 40 years (and later the Pass & Provisions restaurant) is now dressed in mid-century touches with natural woods, neutral tones, and a painted mural.

The Bludorns met when he was an up-and-coming chef at Café Boulud in Manhattan, and she worked at Boulud’s Dinex Group on the operations side. He is from the Pacific Northwest, and she, of course, is the Houston daughter of Pappas Restaurants co-founder Chris Pappas. It was a match made in restaurant heaven, and when they decided to open their own eatery after getting married, they came to Houston to do it. 

For her, it was a homecoming, and for him, it was a chance to create an eatery in an exciting restaurant city with a creative culinary climate. With Victoria running the operation and Aaron in the kitchen, it seemed like a perfect plan.

But it turned out to be a rough start in early 2020, with an old building to renovate, the birth of a first child to prepare for, and the pandemic that changed everything. Before they were able to open that August, they had to expand their patio seating and space out the interior tables for COVID safety. 

Luckily, the restaurant was an instant hit in late 2020, both for its food and the lovely space. But while the reception has been better than expected, the Bludorns haven’t been resting on their laurels. The couple now has a second son, and they are planning to open a second restaurant next month. 

“It will be a seafood restaurant in Rice Village,” Aaron says. “We’re calling it Navy Blue. My father was a fighter pilot in the Navy and his call sign was Blue, so it’s very fitting.”

Their original restaurant changes its menu seasonally and also offers seafood. The dining room boasts a decadent seafood tower stacked with oysters, lobster tail, uni, tuna, and shrimp. Salmon or blackened grouper entrées round out the seafood offerings. 

Both the seafood and poultry entrées (including chicken and duck) are all sourced from local sustainable farms and the Gulf of Mexico. Chef Bludorn visits several local farmers markets and has built relationships with area farmers and ranchers. 

Signature dishes at Bludorn include a dry-aged beef burger and their famous lobster pot pie with charred corn, roasted poblano crawfish, and lime crème fraiche. Specialty wines, curated by wine director Molly Austad, include everything from a French Chablis to a Napa Valley Cab.

When asked for dinner suggestions, Bludorn recommends starting with the oysters—“raw, fried, and baked. Share a pasta, maybe the popular braised short rib ravioli, and an entrée. And of course, finish with our Baked Alaska for two.”

The couple’s restaurant is being recognized this year by OutSmart readers for its romantic atmosphere. While the elegant menu and soft decor are key features, Chef Bludorn notes a third critical element needed for a romantic evening. “What also makes it a romantic spot is the level of service. We make sure to listen to our guests. We take pride in our level of care, concern, and consistency.”

What: Bludorn
Where: 807 Taft Street
Info: bludornrestaurant.com

DINING OUT

BEST NEW RESTAURANT
Southern Yankee Crafthouse
Finalists: Acadian Coast, Figo Sugo, 93’ Til

BEST FOOD TRUCK
Eagle Eats
Finalists: BunSlut, Fries & Grind, Houston Sauce Pit, Taqueria Adrian, Yoyo’s Hotdog Food Cart

BEST 24-HOUR RESTAURANT
Katz’s
Finalists: Chapultepec Lupita, House of Pies, Spanish Flowers Mexican Restaurant, Voodoo Doughnut, Whataburger

BEST BAKERY
Dessert Gallery
Finalists: Common Bond Bistro & Bakery, Leona’s Bakeshop, Sinfull Bakery, Sweets by Tony, Three Brothers Bakery

BEST BARBECUE
The Pit Room
Finalists: Brookstreet BBQ – Montrose, Demeris Bar-B-Q, Gatlin’s BBQ, Killen’s Barbecue, Pinkerton’s Barbecue, Truth BBQ

BEST BREAKFAST
Baby Barnaby’s
Finalists: The Breakfast Klub, Harry’s, Snooze an A.M. Eatery, The Toasted Yolk, Urban Eats, Yale Street Grill

BEST BRUNCH
Riva’s Italian Restaurant
Finalists: Boheme, Gloria’s Latin Cuisine, Hamburger Mary’s, Harold’s Restaurant, Bar & Rooftop Terrace, Hugo’s, ReBar, Southern Yankee Crafthouse, Urban Eats

BEST LUNCH SPOT
Barnaby’s Cafe
Finalists: Gloria’s Latin Cuisine, Southern Yankee Craft-house, Tacos Doña Lena, Pistolero’s, 93’ Til, Urban Eats

BEST DELI
Katz’s
Finalists: Brown Bag Deli, Jason’s Deli, Kenny & Ziggy’s New York Delicatessen, Spec’s Wines, Spirits & Finer Foods, Urban Eats

BEST DESSERTS
Dessert Gallery
Finalists: Common Bond Bistro & Bakery, The Chocolate Bar, Leona’s Bakeshop, Michael’s Cookie Jar, Sinfull Bakery, SweetCup, Sweets by Tony

BEST HAMBURGER
Barnaby’s Cafe
Finalists: The Burger Joint, Hamburger Mary’s, Lankford’s Grocery & Market, Someburger, Southern Yankee Crafthouse

BEST HOT DOGS
Good Dog Houston
Finalists: Barnaby’s Cafe, Minute Maid Park, What A Taco, Yoyo’s Hotdog Food Cart

BEST DUMPLINGS
Dumpling Dudez
Finalists: Auntie Chang’s Dumpling House, Bao Shi Yi, Pho 518, Trendy Dumpling, Wanna Bao

BEST PIZZA
Star Pizza
Finalists: Bambolino’s, Bollo Woodfired Pizza, BUDDY’S, Luna Pizzeria, Meek’s Vegan Pizza, Pink’s Pizza, Pizaro’s Pizza Napoletana

BEST SEAFOOD
Acme Oyster House
Finalists: Acadian Coast, Brennan’s of Houston, Le Colonial, Eugene’s Gulf Coast Cuisine, Goode Company Seafood, Manny’s Mexican Grill & Seafood, Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen

BEST STEAK HOUSE
B&B Butchers & Restaurant
Finalists: Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, Pappas Bros. Steakhouse, Perry’s Steakhouse & Grille, Saltgrass Steak House, Steak 48

BEST STEAK NIGHT AT A BAR
BUDDY’S
Finalists: Around the Corner, Free Grillin’, Pearl Bar

BEST SUSHI
Uchi
Finalists: Kata Robata, MF Sushi, Oishii, Osaka, Sushi King

BEST BRITISH
Red Lion British Pub
Finalists: McGonigel’s Mucky Duck,
The Richmond Arms Pub, Rudyard’s

BEST CAJUN
BB’s Tex-Orleans
Finalists: Bayou City Seafood & Pasta, Brennan’s of Houston, Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen, Ragin’ Cajun, Treebeards

BEST CENTRAL/SOUTH AMERICAN
Gloria’s Latin Cuisine
Finalists: Andes Cafe, Churrascos, Latin Bites, Morfi Argentino, Mi Pueblito

BEST CHINESE
Café Ginger
Finalists: Ambassador, Auntie Chang’s Dumpling House, Cooking Girl, Heights Asian Cafe, Mala Sichuan Bistro, The Rice Box

BEST CUBAN
El Rey Taqueria
Finalists: Cafe Piquet, Flor de Cuba, El Meson

BEST GREEK
Niko Niko’s
Finalists: Anonymous Cafe, Chatter’s Cafe & Bistro, Helen Greek Food & Wine, Mediterraneo, Phoenicia Specialty Foods

BEST INDIAN
Tarka Indian Kitchen
Finalists: Govinda’s Vegetarian Cuisine, Himalaya Restaurant, Khyber, Kiran’s, Musaafer, Pondicheri

BEST ITALIAN
Rivas (tie)
Giacomo’s Cibo e Vino (tie)
Finalists: Carrabba’s, Cavatore Italian Restaurant, Figo Sugo, Postino – Montrose, Sorrento Ristorante, The Spaghetti Western

BEST JAPANESE
Osaka
Finalists: Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ, Kata Robata, Mikoto, Nippon,Soma Sushi

BEST MEXICAN
Tacos Doña Lena
Finalists: Candente, La Hacienda Restaurant, Hugo’s, Original Ninfa’s on Navigation, El Tiempo Cantina

BEST MIDDLE EASTERN/MEDITERRANEAN
Aladdin Mediterranean Cuisine
Finalists: Fadi’s, Halal Guys, Hamsa, Mary’z Mediterranean Cuisine, Phoenicia Specialty Foods

BEST THAI
Street Food Thai Market
Finalists: Khun Kay, Kin Dee, Nidda Thai Cuisine, Street to Kitchen, Thai Village

BEST VIETNAMESE
Mai’s
Finalists: Hughie’s, Huynh, Jenni’s Noodle House, Kim Son, Pho 518

BEST RESTAURANT FOR OUTDOOR DINING
Postino Montrose
Finalists: Baby Barnaby’s, Candente, Giacomo’s Cibo e Vino, Harold’s Restaurant, Bar & Rooftop Terrace, Southern Yankee Crafthouse

BEST VEGETARIAN/VEGAN
Hobbit Cafe
Finalists: green seed vegan, Govinda’s Vegetarian Cuisine, Korny Vibes,
Shiv Sagar, Sinfull Bakery, Verdine

BEST RESTAURANT FOR AFFORDABLE EATS
Barnaby’s Cafe
Finalists: Gloria’s Latin Cuisine, Oishii, Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers, Tacos Doña Lena, Taqueria Laredo

BEST PLACE FOR A ROMANTIC DATE
Bludorn
Finalists: B&B Butchers & Restaurant,
BCN Taste & Tradition, Brennan’s of Houston, Cavatore Italian Restaurant

BEST RESTAURANT FOR ELEGANT DINING
Brennan’s of Houston
Finalists: B&B Butchers & Restaurant, Eddie V’s Prime Seafood, March, Perry’s Steakhouse & Grille, Ruth’s Chris Steak House

BEST RESTAURANT FOR HAPPY HOUR FOOD
Urban Eats
Finalists: Aka Sushi House, Eunice, Federal American Grill, La Griglia, Moxies Houston, Oishii, Sushi King

BEST LOCAL LGBTQ CHEF
NaTosha Barber
Finalists: David Alcorta, Joey Cantu, Dylan Carnes, Christopher Loera, Greg Montelaro

BEST COOKING CLASS
Dumpling Dudez
Finalists: 210 Fusion Cuisine, Sylvia’s Enchilada Kitchen

FAVORITE LOCAL LGBTQ-OWNED RESTAURANT
Barnaby’s Cafe (tie)
Tacos Doña Lena (tie)
Finalists: Hamburger Mary’s, Harold’s Restaurant, Bar & Rooftop Terrace, Pho 518, Urban Eats

FRIENDLIEST RESTAURANT STAFF
Barnaby’s Cafe
Finalists: Figo Sugo, Southern Yankee Crafthouse, Tacos Doña Lena, Urban Eats 

For a full list of winners, go here.

This article appears in the October 2022 edition of OutSmart magazine.