IN, BUT AS ERIC SHOWED US
EARLIER, NOT TOO MUCH RAIN THIS
AFTERNOON.
FOR OVER 50 YEARS, TONY'S ON
RICHMOND AVENUE HAS BEEN A TOP
DINING DESTINATION IN H-TOWN,
AND THE MAN BEHIND THE PLATE IS
RESTAURANTEER TONY VALLONE.
I'M SO EXCITED TO HAVE YOU HERE.
WE'VE GOT TO POUR UP SOME WINE,
MY FRIEND.
WE'RE TALKING FOOD AND
RESTAURANTS.
>> AND THIS IS ONE OF MY
FAVORITES.
THIS IS THE BEST YEAR OVER THE
LAST 40 YEARS, AND IT IS AN
INCREDIBLE, INCREDIBLE WINE.
IT'S OVER 50 DIFFERENT TO
CHOOSE FROM ON OUR WINE LIST.
>> I LOVE THAT YOU DO A BIG
POUR, MY FRIEND.
>> OH, YES.
WE'RE GENEROUS ALL THE WAY.
>> LET'S TALK ABOUT THE
RESTAURANT.
>> THE RESTAURANT HAS EVOLVED
OVER THE LAST 51 YEARS NOW, AND
WE'RE VERY HAPPY ABOUT THAT.
WE NEVER REST ON OUR LAURELS,
WE KEEP IT EVOLVING AND
IMPROVING AND INVENTING,
CREATING, AND CHEF CADE IS SO
CREATIVE AND SHE'S SUCH A
PLEASURE TO WORK WITH.
>> YOU'VE WORKED WITH SO MANY
CELEBS AND SOCIALITES THAT HAVE
COME IN OVER THE YEARS.
>> WE'VE HAD JUST ABOUT ANYONE
THAT COMES INTO THE TOWN
THROUGH THE YEARS.
WE'VE SERVED EIGHT PRESIDENTS
AND ROYALTY FROM MANY DIFFERENT
COUNTRIES.
OUR RESTAURANT HAS BEEN TAKEN
OVER BY THE PRESIDENT OF ITALY
AND DIFFERENT COUNTRIES, BY
COLOMBIA, WHEN WE CLOSE DOWN.
IT'S FUN AND EXCITING.
>> I JUST LOVE THIS LIST OF
PEOPLE YOU'VE HAD COME IN, FROM
JOAN COLLINS AND JOAN SITSER, A
LOCAL PHILANTHROPIST, AND
IVANNA TRUMP AND GOVERNOR MARK
WHITE, IT WAS GOVERNOR IN THE
'80s, AND THEN YOU JUST SAW
JOAN COLLINS
BARRON RICKIE DEPORTANOVA, AND
BOB, FAMOUS BASEBALL PLAYER,
ASPERNONTE.
I LOVE THAT RICKIE HAD HIS
FAVORITE QUOTE, LIST OF HIS
THINGS IN LIFE ARE SUN, SEX AND
SPAGHETTI.
>> IT'S TRUE.
HE USED TO COME IN AND TAKE A
WHOLE POUND OF XAVIER AND JUST
POUR IT ON TOP OF HIS PASTA.
HE'S FROM ITALY, HE HAD A
WONDERFUL PALATE, AND HE WOULD
TOO ALL KINDS OF ESPECIALLY
THINGS.
HE WAS FLAMBOYANT, BIGGER THAN
LIFE.
HE WAS SO MUCH FUN.
>> WHY DON'T WE SAY CHEERS AND
ENJOY A LITTLE WINE WHILE WE
SEND IT ON OVER TO CHEF OVER
THERE FIXING UP SOMETHING GOOD
OVER THERE >> IT'S AN HONOR TO
HAVE YOU HERE, KATE McCLAIN,
THE EXECUTIVE CHEF AT TONY'S.
THIS LOOKS ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL.
>> THANK YOU.
>> SO TELL US WHAT'S ON THE MEN
YOU.
>> WE BROUGHT THREE DISHES FOR
YOU TODAY.
THIS IS THE HAMACCI, IT'S
SEARED WITH POPPY SEED AND A
LITTLE BIT OF BLACK PEPPER,
FRESH MELON, TOPPED WITH JUST A
LITTLE BIT OF SWORDFISH BONE
MARROW.
>> SWORDFISH BONE MARROW?
>> YES.
>> OH, THAT'S WHAT YOU WERE
USING THE GRATER FOR, AND I
THOUGHT SNOW CONES WERE ON THE
MENU.
>> WE FISH IT WITH ROASTED
MELON AND HIMACCI CONSUME.
>> AND I WANT TO TILT IT UP SO
THE CAMERA CAN GET A SHOT.
CAN YOU SEE IT?
IT LOOKS AWESOME.
SO THAT'S TO BEGIN.
LOVELY.
>> YEP.
>> AND THE MAIN COURSE?
>> THIS IS A COOL NEW PRODUCT
WE HAVE, WYOMING ELK CHOP, AND
WE'RE SEARCHING IT WITH FRESH
BEANS, A LITTLE BIT OF PARMESAN
AND THEN OUR ELK BONE JUICE.
WE MAKE THE SAUCE OUT OF THE
ELK BONES.
>> AND I WANT TO HOLD THIS UP
ALSO SO OUR CAMERAS CAN TAKE A
LOOK.
THIS IS PUT DOWN ON A BED OF
EGGPLANT.
HOW LONG DID IT TAKE YOU TO PUT
THIS TOGETHER?
>> PROBABLY, LIKE, 10 MINUTES.
>> IT WOULD TAKE ME 10 WEEKS TO
DO THIS.
AND DESSERT?
>> THIS IS A COOL DESSERT WE'RE
FEATURING AT TONY'S CALLED
CHILO, WHICH MEANS CLOUDS.
THIS IS ANGEL FOOD CAKE WE MAKE
IN-HOUSE, SOME GRAPEFRUIT,
TOUCH OF TARRAGON, AND THESE
ARE SOME APPLE BUBBLES.
I'M JUST GOING TO FINISH LIKE
THAT.
>> YOU KNOW WHAT I LIKE ABOUT
THE SIZES, TOO, YOU TAKE A FEW
BITES, YOUJ ENJOY EVERY SINGLE
BIT AND IT'S NOT TOO
OVERPOWERING.
>> IT'S ALL YOU NEED.
>> SO WHAT DO YOU THINK?
YOU CLEARLY HAVE A VERY
COMPETENT EXECUTIVE CHEF.
>> AND TO WORK WITH KATE IS A
THRILL.
HER ENERGY AND CREATIVITY NEVER
STOPS.
AND ALL OF THESE DISHES ARE
WELL BALANCED, THEY'RE LIGHT,
ALL NATURAL, WYOMING ELK IS ALL
NATURAL, NO HORMONES OR
PRESERVATIVES.
WE BREAK DOWN ALL OF OUR OWN
FOODS, EVERYTHING IS DONE RIGHT
IN HOUSE.
SHE OVERSEES EVERYTHING.
>> SPEAKING OF IN-HOUSE, WOW,
THAT IS JUST SPECTACULAR.
YOU WALK INTO YOUR RESTAURANT,
YOUR SECOND HOME.
THE WINES ON THE WALL ARE
FABULOUS.
>> TRULY, TOO MONTHS AGO WHEN
WE FIRST MOVED HERE, PEOPLE
MENTIONED YOUR RESTAURANT, THEY
TALKED ABOUT THE FACT THAT IT
IS JUST THIS REMARKABLE
INSTITUTION, A MUST IN HOUSTON,
SO SEEING THE INSIDE MAKES ME
WANT TO VISIT EVEN MORE.
>> WE LOVE WHAT WE DO.
WE'RE VERY FRIENDLY AND
WELCOMING.
IT'S A WARM RESTAURANT, AND THE
FOOD IS INCREDIBLE.
>> GOOD THING YOU LOVE WHAT YOU
DO.
>> SO TO TRY THE MENU OUT FOR