PaperCity Magazine

September 2016 - Houston

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W hat a wonderfully apropos name for a soufflé-centered restaurant that takes the fanciful French dish to new heights. Couple that with a second-floor locale nestled among the treetops in the sleek shopping center BLVD Place on Post Oak Boulevard, and you have a recipe for a good, playful meal. The Dallas import, technically dubbed Rise No. 2, was founded by Francophile Hedda Giola Dowd and Lyon-born chef Cherif Brahami eight years ago when they opened Rise No. 1 in Dallas' Inwood Shopping Center. Dowd has spent every summer in France, where her mother was born and her grandpar- ents resided. At both incarnations of Rise, she recreates not only the memory of lovely meals en français but also the accouterments that are so much a part of the experience, from color- ful cotton torchons (used as napkins) woven on 19th-century looms to mismatched antique silver flatware and clever table tools such as custom-made French guillotine bread cutters — all for sale in a little marché at the front of the eatery. The menu focuses on soufflés, both savory and sweet. Start with the signature marshmal- low soup: a tromp l'oeil "marshmallow" of two puffed, whipped fresh goat-cheese orbs bobbing in a warm carrot and tomato bisque, topped RISE & SHINE tableside with basil pesto ($10). The artichoke Andrée is a play on the classic steamed arti- choke filled with a Dijon vinaigrette, a vestige from Dowd's family recipe trove ($11). Entrée salads such as Nicoise ($18) and mini Parisian jambon (ham) sandwiches ($17) are proffered, but don't miss out on the savory soufflés ($17 to $20 each), which are large enough to share. Our BY LAURANN CLARIDGE. PRODUCED BY MICHELLE AVIÑA . PHOTOGRAPHY MAX BURKHALTER. favorites are the cauliflower and brie souf- flé created by chef Cameron Achee with a purée of the cruciferous v e g g i e a n d brie melted on the bottom of the ramekin, as well as the jambon and Gruyère souf- flé. For dessert, try the bread pudding soufflé, which is deceivingly lighter than you'd expect; rich chocolate soufflé (push the decadence and ask for a little crème anglaise as well); or apple galette built on a crisp puff pastry crust. Service is continuous, but only reservations for five or more are accepted. Bring the kids: Children dine with their families on antique French school desks while they play with Scrabble tiles, and waiters will hide bronze frogs for them to find after their meal. Be prepared to order your appetizer, entrée, and dessert at the start of your meal — imagine the challenge of timing at a soufflé restaurant. Rise No. 2, BLVD Place, 1700 Post Oak Blvd., Level 2, 713.850.7473, risesouffle.com. Seared Ahi tuna steak salad dressed with balsamic, quince preserve, haricot vert and cherry tomatoes Above top, right: Egg whites are beaten to a stiff peak to elevate soufflés to maximum height. Above: Rise's famous marshmallow soup is actually a warm tomato and carrot bisque with goat-cheese orbs bobbing marshmallow-like on top. Chef Cameron Achee mans the range at Rise No. 2. Right: Timing is crucial when the meal centers around a delicacy prone to falling. Below: Chocolate dessert soufflé. Apricot dessert soufflé Savory soufflé selection 190

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