2011 My Table Culinary Awards

Restaurateur of the Year finalist Claire Smith with the crew and family of Shade & Canopy.

Houston’s Top 10 Wine Lists Awards 200 - My Table Magazine
Including two special awards:
   Houston’s Best Small Wine List 2006
   Houston’s Best Value Wine List 2006

"A great example of the wine list vibe matching the mood of the place—all funky, uncompromising,
Heights eclecticism—and at great prices.” - Robyn Tinsley

“Very clean, well-written list with an easy-to-follow layout, without getting eye fatigue just trying to read it. Very interesting dessert wines BTG, though no half-bottles.” -Martin Korson 

Texas RestaurantsTop Rankings - Top Food, New American, Eclectic and Brunch
Fans feel they have it made in the shade at this “hip” “minimalist” Eclectic-New American “destination” in the Heights- “a breath of fresh air” “without a trace of stuffiness” thanks to “adventurous” yet “unpretentious” cuisine, a “laid-back” bar and “narrow urban patio”, and “friendly, knowledgeable” service that includes the input of a “top-notch” sommelier; though a few take a dim view of the “long waits”, most think it’s all cool. - Zagat Survey

"Shade has hit its stride. There are lots of cultures represented, but the flavors are distinct. Sure, there's some fusion going on, like when Smith uses duck confit to stuff an Asian spring roll served with a Vietnamese dipping sauce. But you don't find three or four languages employed to describe a single dish. There are Southern dishes, Tex-Mex dishes and Asian dishes on the menu, each served with a Claire Smith twist." - Robb Walsh, Houston Press, July 15, 2004

"There's a freshness and joy to her menu that's a very welcome development." "Smith 's latest ideas emerged from the kitchen tasting vivid, simple and effective. A gorgeous hunk of pan-seared tuna won me over with a riveting, brothy tomato sauce in which a briny olive note sang right through. It tasted as clean and modern as it looked, stacked high on a ring of crisp-edged polenta with arrows of yellow pepper." - Alison Cook, Houston Chronicle

RESTAURATEUR OF THE YEAR: Claire Smith (owner, Shade) - My Table Magazine
   2004 Houston Culinary Award

"The cross-cultural menu leaps from Mexican-inflected quail with pickled Nopalito cactus to Chinese five spice-seared tuna carpaccio to Southern chicken-fried pork chops, but Smith is always in command of her flavors. She spikes ultra-fresh grouper with a wasabi crust and refreshing cucumber "scales"; and sauces roast lamb with a velvety eggplant-goat cheese purée. The retro coconut cream pie updated with a crumbly hazelnut shortbread crust is reason alone to come here." - Anya Von Bremzen, Travel + Leisure, December 2004

[return]