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Paris is always a good idea, and Rise n°2 in Houston is worth the visit. It’s a good idea.

I was invited to Rise to try out a few of their dishes, and I made it a brunch date with my BFF. This was a really fun way to spend time with a friend, and experience French food. I thought I knew what to expect, but I had no clue.

The Restaurant

Rise is an incredibly adorable hidden gem. The first time I saw it, I was actually driving by and I was curious about it because of how adorable the patio looked. I made a note in my phone to visit and thought it was fate when I was invited there. Everything about the space is perfect – from its cozy intimacy to the French patio chairs, and from the tree sprouting in the center of the restaurant the little frog decor details.

The restaurant itself is packed with adorable trinkets to look around at, and every detail will have you gasping just a little bit. If you like to cook, they have beautiful napkins and even a souffle cookbook that you can bring home to have your own Rise experience.

The Service

I get invited to eat at a lot of places and despite those invitations, the service isn’t always very spectacular. Rise is the standard I expect when I dine out.  They have a way of making you feel like you just stepped right into the home of someone you’ve known forever and while they’ll serve you, and treat you well, you still feel completely at home.

Not only was I taken care of, but so was everyone else around me. You could feel how excited the staff was to make recommendations based on your questions and there was always someone walking by to make sure your cups were filled and your bread was fresh. My favorite part of my experience was actually coming through the restaurant and leaving. The hostess had the most incredible presence, and it just kicked things off right and left them on a good note.

The Food

This is what you all really want to know about – the food. Just as the restaurant provided a gorgeous setting and the service was timely and attentive, the food was just as great. There’s something very whimsical about the place, and it shows through in both the aesthetic of the restaurant and the food.

Katie and I first had drinks. I had a Classic Mimosa (pictured), and Katie had a pomegranate one. I, of course, tried hers and loved the flavor. It was fruity and tart without being too sweet and was extremely delicious. From there we moved on to some bread and our cheese plate.

I really adore any opportunity to learn about foods and what they pair best with, so this part to me was extremely fun. Katie and I tried and chose 5 kinds of cheese that we wanted to snack on at our table. By far my favorite was an aged, smokey bleu cheese that I found myself munching on the whole time. I was also really pleased with all of the additional items on the cheese plate – dates, candied nuts, tiny pickles! Although it was a rich appetizer, it was certainly one of the highlights of the meal.

After the cheese plate, we moved on to the stars of the show – the sufflés. I have actually never tried a soufflé and never actually knew they weren’t just desserts! When I discovered the savory versions, I felt incredibly silly, but I knew I had to try one of each. We tried the Herb and Spicy Sausage, Crab and Raspberry. All three were silky and satisfying. I loved the bit of spice in the sausage souffle and the raspberry was a treat to end with. If you’re a brave soul, they have plenty of seasonal offerings to try, so you can literally get something different each time you visit.

At the end of the meal, Katie and I left really excited that we got to try the restaurant. As we left, the hostess gave us a parting gift – a little note we could each take with us. A small, but meaningful message for the day. It was a nice touch to wrap up the experience.

Rise n°2 was such a unique and wonderful experience. It’s definitely a place I would come to for brunch, or bring an out of towner to if they wanted to have a unique experience in Houston. I hope that you’ll add it to your foodie bucket list if you live here. You’ll love every moment of it.