Restaurant: Branch Water Tavern

510 Shepherd
Houston, TX 77007

For dancouver's b-day, I got some folks together for dinner at Branch Water Tavern, one of many artisinal American food type of places that has been popping up all over Houston. Unfortunately, BWT does not take reservations for groups of more than seven for friday or saturday nights. ARGH! When we got there, although it was already really busy, the managers working that night really went out of their way to make sure that we got a table instead of just shutting us down. I was so thankful and appreciative. While waiting for the entire party to arrive, we munched on the complimentary biscuits and ordered some duck fat popcorn. I personally feel that the whole duck fat phenom is over-rated. Growing up in an Asian culture, you're pretty much accustomed to eating all types of weird and offal stuff. Although, I am rather picky and choose not to eat a lot of things. Pigs ear, intestines, stomach lining. Gross yes, but shocking, not so much. The duck fat popcorn was okay. You taste a hint of it in the first few bites but after that, it just tastes like regular popcorn. The food was all very mediocre. Everything was good and cooked well but my issue with places like this is always the same. FLAVOR PROFILE! So dull and boring! I'm not sure if I would go back unless someone else wanted to go there. With so many restaurants to choose from, I couldn't imagine both big poppa and I wanting to come here over other places. It ended up being quite the long evening. Dinner at BWT. Dessert at Epicure Cafe. Drinks at Gingerman's. Then more eating at Tan Tan.