22
6203 Capital of Texas Highway N., 346-4411
Lunch, Mon-Fri, 11:30am-2pm
Dinner, Mon-Thu, 5:30-10pm; Fri-Sat, 5:30-11pm
A relatively new kid on the block, 22 has ambition and is still defining its menu. Chef Casey Lloyd is trying new items and combinations, and the comments of the clientele are helping to shape its direction. Since a recent visit, some changes have already been made, such as the inauguration of a fondue menu in the bar area. (Maybe this Seventies glamour meal will experience the same renaissance as the martini.) Both a traditional Swiss fondue with bread and Stilton fondue with Asian pear are currently offered, and they seem to be very well-received.
The idea of prix-fixe is evolving at 22. At this time, a set-price meal isn’t so much about finding an affordable option to a la carte dining as it is a culinary exploration of the talents of the chef and the adventurousness of the customer.
Two tasting menu options are available: a vegetarian menu and non-vegetarian. The items included on the tasting menus are a joint venture; Lloyd likes to tailor them to the patron as much as possible. For instance, while the non-vegetarian option primarily uses items from the menu, these are only the building blocks. A scampi may be coupled with some other item than is usually listed; or it will even be prepared in an altogether new manner if the diner so chooses. The particular preferences of the guest are explored so as to maximize the menu’s success. Are you a fish or fowl or meat person? Is there an entrée that you especially are interested in for dinner? The tasting menu is a chance for Lloyd to experiment beyond the standard items regularly available on the menu and it’s an opportunity for diners to expand their horizons too. Generally speaking, the items included in the menu are an appetizer, a salad and/or soup, an entrée, and a dessert. Because each tasting menu requires a good deal of customizing and the items included vary so much, the cost too ranges between $55 and $75 per person. The vegetarian option, while varying in elements, is always $55.
The individual nature of the tasting menu and the multiple courses and plates that it requires doesn’t lend itself to busy weekends and bargain-seeking patrons. The staff prefers to keep tasting menus to the front end of the week when the kitchen has the time for such an endeavor. Lloyd expects the tasting menu to become more standardized if diners express a wish for such uniformity, but for now the possibilities are wide open.
This article appears in March 2 • 2001.