Rioja
Rioja's pallella. Photographed Friday, Oct. 29, 2010, in Houston. ( Nick de la Torre / Houston Chronicle )
Rioja's piquios de bacalo, top, and espinacas a la catalan. Photographed Friday, Oct. 29, 2010, in Houston. ( Nick de la Torre / Houston Chronicle )
Rioja owner and chef Ignacio 'Nacho' Fonseca. Photographed Friday, Oct. 29, 2010, in Houston. ( Nick de la Torre / Houston Chronicle )
Alvaro Palacios of Bodegas Palacios Remondo winery in Rioja, Spain. One of the Spanish winemakers appearing during Central Market's Passport Spain. Credit: Central Market
Rioja's chulita de cordero, tortilla Espanola and roasted asparagus. Photographed Friday, Oct. 29, 2010, in Houston. ( Nick de la Torre / Houston Chronicle )
78. Rioja
There are plenty of tapas restaurants in Houston, but the one that continues to speak to me is the westside Rioja, where Spanish chef-owner Ignacio Fonseca turns out simple, classic dishes with well-chosen Spanish wines to match. Potatoes ali-oli with an impossibly fluffy house-made garlic mayonnaise are a must with the Rioja-marinated tenderloin skewers or the crackly-skinned chorizo spiced with paprika and cumin. Morcilla, the darkly compelling blood sausage, arrives with a nifty pear confit. And oh, those roasted piquillo peppers filled with a cloudlike mousse of cod. To finish, try the molten disk of goat cheese caramelized in port and served with romesco sauce. The outdoor terraces and the late-night Spanish and South American crowd are an invitation to linger.
Cuisine: Spanish
Entree price range: $$-$$$
Where: 11920 Westheimer
Phone: 713-249-1727
Web: riojarestaurant.com
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