The second season of Bravo’s Top Chef came to an end last week, and I found myself disappointed on so many levels. I wasn’t particularly impressed with any of the cooking demonstrated this year, and the judges’ decisions – in the context of their edited deliberations – often didn’t make sense to me. Early on, I had identified four competitors I thought would make it to the finale, but the editing and the producers’ response to the backstage drama that set up the final two episodes really caught me off guard. In my estimation, the only woman with a chance to win, Elia Aboumrad, sabotaged herself by repeatedly losing her composure when she encountered problems, and the justification of the choice of Marcel “Mr. Molecular Gastronomy” Vigneron as a finalist over Sam Talbot was incomprehensible. In the final analysis, however, the judges’ choice did come down to an evaluation of both talent and temperament, as it did in the first season. Eventual winner Ilan Hall did demonstrate more teamwork and collegial behavior during the entire season than his final competitor and went home with the title. He would have been my second choice after Talbot. The program developed a vocal and devoted fan base this year, and many of those fans chose the popular online food magazine Chow as their headquarters for information, gossip, postings, etc. Go there to listen to podcast interviews with winners and losers… And speaking of TV, the trend toward “consumer-created advertisements” is certainly alive and well in Central Texas. Those Freebirds World Burrito ads with the tinfoil characters crack me up, as do most of the homemade spots for HEB. However, I’m not sure what the ad guys were thinking when they approved the one where a woman eats a carrot fresh from the garden and then spits it out. Don’t all the vegetables they sell come fresh from someone’s garden?… On the local restaurant front, Warehouse District pioneer Reed Clemons announced last week that he sold Capitol Brasserie (310 Colorado, 472-6770) to Michael Girard, the owner of Speakeasy and Cuba Libre, who will continue to operate the restaurant with the existing staff. Clemons cited increased competition from well-funded upscale chain restaurants in the neighborhood as one of his major reasons for the sale. “In my opinion, the market is going to be very tough down here until all those lofts fill up,” he explains. “At least seven new restaurants have opened since the Brasserie opened its doors, and another 10 or so are slated to open soon. I believed it was only going to get harder before it got easier.” Clemons will continue to operate Reed’s Jazz & Supper Club (9901 Capital of TX Hwy., 342-7977), where he says he’s “bracing for the onslaught of new chain restaurants opening in the Domain.”… Downtown dwellers looking for that last-minute Valentine treat will want to drop by the 1886 Cafe & Bakery (Sixth & Brazos, 474-5911) to pick up some of their delectables, such as Sweetheart cupcakes with personal messages and luscious chocolate-covered strawberries. The stunner here is the Passion Fruit and Chocolate Gateau (right): layers of heart-shaped chiffon cake, pure Caribe chocolate, and passion-fruit mousse wrapped in red and white fondant with a complimentary personal inscription ($24). Preorder to pick up Feb. 10-16.
This article appears in February 9 • 2007.