As Houston Restaurant Weeks truck along, we decided to try Anthony’s New York Italian, a brand new River Oaks restaurant serving lunch and dinner. Anthony’s is owned and operated by Chef Anthony Russo, the man behind the award-winning international franchise, Russo’s New York Pizzeria.
Houston Restaurant Weeks (HRW) has been a staple of our city’s culture for 23 years, allowing customers to donate a portion of their meals from participating restaurants to the Houston Food Bank and local relief charities. Last month, we explained how the donation system works and what restaurants you can visit to give back to the community.
This year, 350 local restaurants have taken part in the program as the founding organization, The Cleverley Stone Foundation, hopes to top last year’s $1,651,698 donation to the Houston Food Bank. Anthony’s is helping the organization reach this goal.
As soon as you enter the restaurant, you’re greeted with an open-concept dining room equipped with dazzling lights and a three-tier wine shelf spanning the entire back wall of the restaurant. The warm smell of freshly-made pizza floats out of brick ovens in view of the dining room. At lunchtime, the crowd is small enough that service is quick and efficient.
I ordered the pasta e fagioli for my first course, a pasta and bean soup seasoned to perfection with tomatoes, garlic, and olio verde—made with an award-winning olive oil made in Sicily, I learned. My partner ordered the harvest caesar salad, which set off our taste buds with a combination of sweet and savory flavors and a smoky base.
For the second course, we ordered the chicken milanese burrata and the gnocchi al pesto. The chicken breast was topped with fresh burrata and that same olio verde, while the gnocchi was tossed in a crisp pistachio basil pesto that added a tang to the warm potatoes.
We finished out the lunch with a two-part dessert—the Brooklyn blackout cake and the pistachio tiramisu. The cake was layered with decadent and rich chocolate while the tiramisu brought back the subtle flavors of the gnocchi.
The three-course lunch from the Houston Restaurant Week menu is well worth the visit at only $25. From hardy dishes to excellent service, this restaurant is sure to be a favorite.
Anthony’s brings ambiance and style to River Oaks with floor-to-ceiling windows, an outdoor patio, and a private dining area. I’ll be watching for how the city responds to it long after restaurant weeks are over.
