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Giacomo’s cibo e vino Restaurant Review

3215 Westheimer Rd. (Bammel Ln.) Send to Phone
Houston, TX 77098
713-522-1934 | Menu
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Small and large plates of authentic Italian food and plenty of wines. Giacomo’s cibo e vino Restaurant is one of our 2012 | Top 10 Houston Italian Restaurants |

Cuisine

Open

Lunch Tues.-Sat., Dinner Tues.-Sun.

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Chef Lynette Hawkins’ venture is a far cry from the elegant La Mora, an eatery she ran for years. Giacomo’s is cute and airy; inside, it’s all bright colors and retro styling: only the trellised patio has a hint of old Italy. But the kitchen hums with pure Italian flavors, serving up cicchetti e l’ombra---small hot and cold plates. Choose from ready-made dishes that include braised tomatoes stuffed with herb risotto as well as our favorite, the spicy lamb meatballs. It’s easy to make a meal from the prepared dishes, although you can also opt for made-to-order items like the gnocchi di funghi porcini, a porcini potato gnocchi with Gorgonzola cream in a hearty mushroom sauce. Lamb, turkey, fish and pork dishes are all natural, and Hawkins uses a lot of local produce in her cooking. The wall-size blackboard lists hundreds of boutique wines from Italy, France, Spain and the U.S. that are available in three- and six-ounce pours and mini carafes.

User Ratings & Reviews for Giacomo’s cibo e vino
Average rating    5
Reviews 1 - 1 of 11
NEW FAVORITE
by SvetlanaK on 09/17/2011
 
This was our first visit, and after the first taste we knew it's first of many to come.
The place itself is very welcoming as is the restaurant's staff.
The menu made our mouths water, quite literally.
We started with RADICCHIO RIPIENO ALLA GRIGLIA (grilled radicchio leaves stuffed with mozzarella, roasted sweet pepper, and prosciutto, drizzled with a touch of balsamic vinegar) - an absolute winner! The combination of flavors is spot on. Then came TORTELLI with two different cheeses and swiss chard in sage butter, easily the best pasta I've had in a long time, maybe ever. Sage is one of the stronger tasting herbs, and in less expert hands sage butter can easily over-power other flavors - not in this restaurant! The marriage of all the flavors in this dish was one of perfect harmony. I also appreciated having the option of ordering half size. My husband opted for ORECCHIETTE GIORGIONE (sauce of broccoli rabe, garlic and olive oil and spicy lamb meatballs topped with a goat cheese medallion) - again, delicious.
And I just had to try one more thing on the menu, so we ordered CAPE SANTE ALLA GRIGLIA (diver scallop wrapped in prosciutto, grilled, & served over swiss chard polenta with mushroom & white wine sauce). Another wonderful dish, perfectly executed, swiss chard polenta will definitely become a new favorite.
By this time we were pretty certain the dessert should not be missed. We shared BUDINO GIANDUIA (chocolate hazelnut mousse) and wished we had "room" for more. Giacomo's espresso and cappuccino were as good as everything else we had there. Before leaving, we met the owner, Lynnette Hawkins, perfectly lovely lady we had the pleasure of chatting with for a few minutes. We also noticed wonderful, crusty baguettes
behind the counter and decided to take one home, along with the order of traditional tuscan cannellini bean dip. Lynnette graciously offered us a sample of crostini topped with bean dip. We tasted, we loved, we bought.
It’s been about four hours since our lunch, and I just had a slice of this yummy crusty baguette slathered with bean dip, which sent me straight to my computer to write the review.
Needless to say, Giacomo's is the place we plan to visit often, whether for a leisurely lunch/dinner for two, or family get-together for birthdays, etc. Once our Houston weather turns cooler, there’s a nice patio where one can sit and sip a nice glass of wine. Oh, one more thing I should mention: Giacomo’s boasts quite an impressive wine list, with surprisingly affordable prices.
If you haven't yet tried this gem of a restaurant, I suggest don't put it off a moment longer - go to Giacomo's and tell all your friends!
_________________
SvetlanaK
 
Reviews 1 - 1 of 11



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