Credence and Sidebar: A Sneak Peek

Levi Goode is a well-known James Beard Award-nominated restaurateur in Houston primarily due to his success owning and operating the Goode Company group of restaurants which includes Goode Co. BBQ, Goode Co. Kitchen & Cantina, Goode Co. Fish Camp, and Armadillo Palace. While all of these operate under the Goode Company name, Goode has stepped out of the box with a couple of new ventures that expand on the live fire approach common at his other restaurants while going a little more uptown.

The new concepts, Credence and Sidebar, are a side by side duo in the Memorial City area, a Houston neighborhood once known mostly for its mall. It has seen enormous growth in the past 20 years and there is certainly no dearth of eateries in the area with casual ethnic restaurants, mid-range chains and fine dining steakhouses lining both sides of the freeway.

While Goode Company restaurants have always had a reputation for quality, the ambiance of most of the concepts is family-friendly. Credence, however, is more on the posh side with an adjacent speakeasy-inspired bar that boasts its own entrance but is also accessible from Credence itself through a side curtain. The Houston Press was invited this past weekend for a media preview of the space and a sample of the cuisine that the new concepts will offer. Credence and Sidebar open to the public August 20.

I had my son drop me off at the venue so that I could meet my husband after work. That gave us only one car to valet. We did attempt to find parking nearby so that we didn’t have to wait for the crush of other guests at the end of the evening but parking is a premium in the Memorial City area due to the number of restaurants, each very proprietary regarding the spaces for their own clientele. A cart-riding security guard does his duty watching the spaces. If you’re going to Credence, it’s best to valet.

As we exited our vehicle, we were welcomed by a red carpet leading to the entrance. An attractive outdoor patio fronts the restaurant but the fun is to be had inside. The main dining room is to the left while a beautifully decorated bar and lounge area sits to the right. A mix of velvet and linen upholstery and leather Chesterfield sofas creates an elegant ambiance while a baby grand piano adds to the glamour. It is retro and modern at the same time with furnishings that might be at home in a 1950s dinner club yet it is open and bright due to the high ceilings and walls of windows.

We were immediately given a glass of sparkling wine and a server brought us sparkling water as well. Though the sofa was a tempting spot to while away the evening, we knew we needed to check out more of the space. We headed toward the dining room and were lucky enough to snag a passed bite of cornbread madeleine topped with caviar. There are three different caviar options at Credence, served with traditional garnishes and the cornbread madeleines. That delicious treat inspired me to dig out my madeleine pan and make a few of my own, though I probably won’t be buying Royal Osetra Reserve caviar anytime soon.

We spied the Sidebar entrance and decided to head in to listen to the chill jazz trio playing. The interior is dimly lit, as any speakeasy should be. The bar to the side recalls the Art Deco style of the 1920s with bow-tied bartenders ready to mix a martini, shaken or stirred. The overhead chandeliers drip with beads that evoke the gowns of the flapper-era and the layers of pearls that used to adorn the necks of the daring women who wore them.

We sat at a table to take in the view of the band and were quickly approached by a young woman offering cocktails. She suggested the Voladora, a white tequila cocktail with grapefruit, citrus oleo, elderberry and falernum. I expected it to be a bit more tart due to the grapefruit but it was actually kind of sweet because of the falernum liqueur.  Personally, I could have used a hint of lime in the drink but a fellow writer liked the sweetness, so preferences are always subjective.

We enjoyed the elegant atmosphere while my husband, Classic Rock Bob, seemed in awe of the six-string bass that was being played expertly. We could have stayed there all night but we were there on a mission to experience more than just the band. Eventually we headed back to the dining room, being offered bites of Wagyu beef on toast cubes and devilled eggs with black truffles.

We ran into some other media types and sat at one of the banquette-style tables. This seems to be a current trend in American restaurants borrowed from the brasseries of Paris where banquettes line one side with chairs opposite. Our was a corner spot and a very comfortable one at that. However, in order to avail ourselves of some of the delicious seafood, it was necessary to make our way up to the open kitchen. A chef worked busily in front of the fire, a pair of ducks behind him slowly smoking to perfection.

The oysters we enjoyed seemed to be of the East Coast type, smaller than our Gulf beauties but full of slightly briny flavor. While we tried both undressed and caviar-topped versions, we felt that the oysters were perfect on their own. I am not sure if it was creme fraiche or sour cream on the caviar-topped oyster but it detracted from the sweet oyster itself. Maybe I am not a luxe type of gal, but I just don’t get caviar. It’s fine but I can do without it and I certainly think oysters can do without it as well.

The boiled shrimp were hefty specimens, perfectly chilled and meaty. There was both a red cocktail sauce and what I believe to be its comeback sauce, an orange-colored condiment resembling remoulade. The cocktail sauce could have used a hint more horseradish for my taste. I was surprised to see Gulf Crab Claws on the menu and they were also available for the preview party. Served chilled, they were sweet and tasty but I would love to see warm crab claws served in a garlic butter sauce, a dish I first ate as a teenager at a long gone restaurant in the Galleria area. I wish more Houston restaurants served crab claws and I’m happy to see it on the menu at Credence.

My companions were all drinking the Voladora but one photographer friend’s drink looked much darker than ours. Later, he had another version of the drink and liked it much better, so there may be a bit of a learning curve for the mixologists and the new cocktail menu. However, the service was on point and I appreciated the classic and professional look of the servers’ uniforms. So often, it’s difficult to tell the difference between the staff and the clientele. No “pieces of flair” here.

Toward the end of the evening, we saw one tray of waffle cones go out with what I assume was the restaurant’s soft serve ice cream, but we never saw any after that. We made do with the smooth red wine that was being offered. I don’t know the name of the wine but Credence has a wine list befitting its steak and seafood luxuries.

And luxury is definitely on display at Credence and Sidebar. High rollers can spend some flash cash but it is still accessible for we less posh folks who don’t need caviar and prime dry-aged steaks. Many lunch entrees can be had from $24 to $38 while there are sandwiches for less than $20. The CSB Burger is $21 and is made with dry-aged prime beef and comes with French fries. Dinner is a little pricier but not by too much unless one is opting for the more decadent fare. The cocktails are along the lines of most upscale Houston hotspots in the $14 to $18 range and there are several zero-proof drinks for $12.

However, it’s a beautiful space for a special occasion. The Fire-Roasted Seafood Tower may be $220 but it will definitely impress the table, tempt your significant other to say yes or cement your position as your parents’ favorite child.

As for the next door Sidebar, we’ll leave that up to your imagination.

Credence and Sidebar
9757 Katy Freeway
713-568-2525
credencehtx.com