Student Publications
University of Houston
151C Communications Bldg
Houston, TX 77204-4015
713.743.5350

©1991-2007
Student Publications,
All rights reserved.

Last modified:

Contact:
ktruitt@uh.edu

Life & Arts

Grand Lux Cafe offers delectable variety

by JOHN-MICHAEL HAINES 
The Daily Cougar

It isn't often that quantity and quality are found at the same restaurant, but The Grand Lux Cafe gracefully brings both to the table, one dish at a time. 

The Sunday Night Pasta combines the concept of traditional spaghetti meat sauce with chunky beef stew over durum wheat noodles.

Though this may seem a little outlandish, rest assured the sauce is still overwhelmingly tomato-based and does not stray too far from the norm. The savory meats and veggies added to it give the dish a more home-cooked taste, the smell harkening back to your mother's house on a Sunday night -- hence the name. 

The pasta is perfectly al dente and is made from the highest grade of durum-wheat semolina. If you order this dish, share it, otherwise you'll be taking half of it home. 

The Mongolian Steak is thin strips of beef grilled in the true traditional style of Mongolian barbecue. It is lightly seasoned with grilled green onions to give it a nice bitter taste and is presented with several different Asian sauces. 

The dish is very satisfying and is a welcome break from  the usual Japanese and Chinese cuisine that commonly overshadows other Asian-style of cooking.

Though the portions here are big, don't allow yourself to skip dessert at Grand Lux. 

Because of shared ownership with the ever-popular Cheesecake Factory, Grand Lux offers six of the restaurant's best-selling cheesecakes. 

Grand Lux also has six baked-to-order desserts that, if ordered at the start of your meal, will be brought fresh out of the oven by the end. 

The New Orleans Beignets, made famous by Café Du Monde, are topped with powdered sugar served with chocolate, vanilla or strawberry sauces. 

.One order of these is enough to bring a smile to everyone's face at the table.

Large and impressive, Grand Lux can easily be seen from the Galleria, a mere street away from its little brother, The Cheesecake Factory. Even on a busy night, parking is not an issue, and valet parking is available if you want to seem important. 

The interior is a work of art with a motif that seems to take diners back to ancient Egypt while gazing upon the pillars of Rome. 

The music is almost inaudible and the acoustics in the main room have a pronounced echo effect, which can make the noise level a little too high on busy evenings.

The service is the best in the business. Diners feel like royalty with their own personal servant for the night. The atmosphere makes formal dress feel justified, but still tolerates a casual outfit here and there. The prices on the menu aren't too daunting because the entrees and desserts are meant to be shared. The average order for a couple should be between $30-$40. 

With more than 300 items on the menu, Grand Lux will satisfy everyone from the pickiest eater to the culinary connoisseur. 

Send comments to dcshobiz@mail.uh.edu