Bice Ristorante (CLOSED)   5175 Westheimer Rd Houston TX MY REVIEW: The food is very good and comparable in quality to the many Italian restaurants within a couple of blocks of the Galleria. The portion sizes, however, are not as generous. I ordered the Caesar salad $8, the Rigatoni Alfredo w/ Chicken $14 and Seafood Platter $16. The last of which was to go and, for our money, was just 1/4 cup of risotto (measured)and 2 silver dollar sized crab cakes. One was supposed to be a scallop, but they were out and never told us. I was tormented by a fruit fly the whole time I was there and wondered why he didn't seem to bother the only other 4 tables occupying this spacious restaurant. I finished my salad and had to wait an additional 25 minutes before getting my entrees. The waiter took 10 minutes to remove my empty salad plate. I would like to try other dishes there, but for the price, I'll get a better exerience at P*iatto, M*aggiano's, or C*rapitto's, which are within walking distance of Bice. Such probably explains the lack of business volume. NAME: Luv2EatOut SUBMITTED: 4/18/2008   LAST VISIT WAS: 4/2008 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: My first impression upon walking into this place was that it had a 5-star decor and would probably be expensive. I would have been fine w/ that, had it delivered a 5-star experience. I was dining alone, save for the fly (like the ones festering in over-ripe fruit) that kept doing acrobatics around my table. Having worked several years in the restaurant business I knew that this fly likely came in with their produce delivery, and if one had made its way to the remote side of the dining room, there must have been 20 in the kitchen, I therefore didn't think the restaurant was clean. I started w/ a casar salad ($8). It was very good, considering the shaved parmesean cheese on top separating it from the franchised generic caesars. $6 would have been a suitable price for it, considering the high quality and small portion. My entrees consited of rigatoni alfredo w/ grilled chicken and mushrooms & a seafood dish (to go) whose name I cannot remember. I enjoyed the fettucine ($14). The heavy sauce brought the otherwise skimpy portion into an ample serving worth $10 at best. I can't say as much for the seafood for which I was charged ($16). Both my wife and I were outraged when we opened the box to find two crabcakes, each the size of a 50 cent piece and about 1/4 cup of risotto. We were supposed to get a bacon-wrapped scallop w/ it, but they were out and subbed out the 2nd crab medallion w/o telling us. We found this out when we called and complained about how ripped off we felt. They offered us a "free dessert," which sort of obligates us to eat dinner there again, to get it. I think we'll pass. A gift card to another restaurant would have been more fitting. As far as the service was concerned, I sat and looked at my empty salad plate for 10 minutes before the waiter who had looked at my table several times, finally removed it. I waited an additional 20 minutes to receive my entree after finishing my salad and didn't understand such a delay w/ only four other seated tables in the restauant. If I go back, it will be because I enjoyed the food and someone else offered to pay. NAME: Luv2EatOut SUBMITTED: 4/6/2008   LAST VISIT WAS: 4/08 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: I've never eaten here, but be sure you dial 713-6 2 2 -2423 that's three 2's in a row. In the past 2 weeks about 50 people have been dialing my number and leaving reservations on my machine. I only just found out what restaurant this was just now when I answered the phone when someone was trying to make a reservation. 713-622-2423 spell words or something like 713 NAB 2423 or 713 MAC 2423. Just please stop calling my number at all hours. NAME: schatze SUBMITTED: 5/2/2007   LAST VISIT WAS: 05/07 MY REVIEW: We went to the restaurant last week for our anniversary. It was recommended by a colleague of mine who had a private party there last month. It took us quite a while to find the restaurant since it was at the very far side of the mall and people didn't really know about the place when we asked for directions. After going through Saks and two Macy's (yes, there are two Macy's in one mall) we finally found it at the very end of the Galleria. First impression was very nice. We were greeted by a good looking host once we walked in followed by warm greetings from waiters and who I believe was the manager as we were being taken to our table. Decoration was classy and the restaurant was clean. Our waiter seemed to be very knowledgeable about wines and the Italian wine he recommended turned out great. Service was flawless. Our waiter (Sam) took care of every single detail. Food was good but not impressive. One would expect a 40+ dollar steak would be exceptional but I've had better in Chili's. However my husband said the snapper was one of the best he's had. After dinner our waiter recommended Grapa (Italian brandy) for after-dinner drink. The aroma and smell were amazing and now my husband is addicted to it. We noticed there were a lot of beautiful people in the restaurant. The customers were well-dressed and attractive. Even the wait staff and the host were good looking. With the live piano performance and candles on the tables the atmosphere was fantastic. Overall it was a very nice experience. The $200 bill was a bit much for 2 people but we had a very enjoyable evening there. Will definitely go back. Highly recommended. NAME: Jeniffer SUBMITTED: 4/19/2007   LAST VISIT WAS: 04/07 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: Me and my girlfriend had dinner and the food and atmosphere was very good. I had the pork tenderloin with the mashed potatoes and she had the salmon and, she really like her dish as well. Our waiter Audrey was very professional and charming, he didn't miss a beat. The only thing that I noticed is the restuarant was pretty empty on a Saturday night. The prices are not for the light pockets!! NAME: fpollard SUBMITTED: 2/20/2007   LAST VISIT WAS: 2/9/07 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: Despite being a bit apprehensive of going back to Bice - after reading a couple of poor reviews and finding the restaurant virtually empty at 7.00pm on Christmas Eve - our fears were put quickly to rest. Our waiter (Gianluca) who amazingly remembered us from our previous visit shortly after they opened - was very friendly and chatty, and knowledgeable in his advice on both wine and food and as always the chocolate volcano pudding is one of the best in Houston. By the time we left the restaurant was hardly full but the lovely food and wine and the impeccable service will guarantee that we will visit again NAME: Cliff & Gill SUBMITTED: 12/25/2006   LAST VISIT WAS: 12/2006 FREQUENCY: Visited 2-3 times MY REVIEW: Pros: Excellent pasta dishes...some of the best in Houston. Also, salads that are well worth ordering even if you are a foodie who doesn't believe in salads as a first course. Lovely, sophisticated atmosphere. Knowledgeable and charming staff (but see below...). Cons (observed on my most recent visit, for dinner): entrees in the $40-and-up price range that were so so-so, we felt kind of ripped-off (e.g., the osso bucco), and a chatty waiter who was too busy striking up friendly conversations with other guests to take our dessert order. S*imposio and A*rcodoro are both a better value, I think. NAME: birthday girl SUBMITTED: 12/20/2006   LAST VISIT WAS: 12/06 FREQUENCY: Visited 2-3 times MY REVIEW: We were looking forward to visiting this new branch of Bice. Three hours later, we were not so excited. It was the Friday before Christmans, but the place was only about 3/4 full. Our waiter was wonderful, but it took the kitchen three hours to get our meal to us. When we asked, we were told there was a "big dinner" upstairs and they were very busy. The host/manager was clueless and offered to buy our desert next time. Even the dessert took over 30 minutes for a fig tarte to be heated and some ice cream put on top. Totally unacceptable. NAME: MK SUBMITTED: 12/16/2006   LAST VISIT WAS: 12/06 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: This is what a 5 star restaurant all about. The Ravioli stuffed with veal and cooked with wine and mushroom sauce is exquisit, the Penne pasta with shrimp is outstanding. We were there on Tuesday night and lo and behold they have added a celebrity pianist "Michaelangelo" playing that night. We were thrilled by his versatile Italian European repertoire and was the highlight of our Romantic evening at BICE. We ate 3 times previously but this time being serenaded by this maestro made the icing on the cake for me and my wife. Thank you BICE. NAME: Tony Sparacino SUBMITTED: 10/18/2006   LAST VISIT WAS:  FREQUENCY: Visited 2-3 times MY REVIEW: The maitre'd and staff are very attentive and warm. Superb service. My friends didn't particularly enjoy the food -- some said the pasta wasn't cooked long enough and some said the sauce was bland and tasteless. Well, I enjoyed my pasta, even though it was a bit on the chewy side. The interior is beautifully decorated and I love how there's a huge mirror so you can look around the restaurant without actually turning around. The service was very memorable--especially the maitre'd, was just oh so kind. NAME: LOL SUBMITTED: 6/1/2006   LAST VISIT WAS: 05/06 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: In summary, this reastaurant may require another visit before I can form a more well-rounded opinion. However there aren't many resaosn I'd like to return. On the plus side, the service was excellent. The atmosphere decent. On to the food... Again, I have only tried two dishes here, but I decided to go "big" in order to measure the kitchen's deftness. First beef carpaccio, with the classic arugula and shaved parmesan, and truffles. Good, but far from great. Then again, this dish kind of "is what it is," but the beef itself could have benefited from a bit of acid or salt. Or something... Granted, the parmesan and arugula are there for these exact reasons. The truffles: not much of a factor. A bit of earthiness, but seemed mostly for show. Then, onto osso buco. Again, good...solid... but not great. Somewhere in the limbo between heavy handed and lacking complexity. The braising sauce was tasty and intense, but offered very little in the way of stratified flavor. However, the meat was tender and marrow good. Served on a bed of rissoto. This was a bit odd. granted, I am not an Italian chef or cuisine expert, but the risotto looked like polenta and was almost the same consistency. Well-flavored, very (too) cheesy, but more of an overall rice mush versus a risotto that allowed its grains to remain al dente to a point and assert their individual identities on the tongue. In short, a decent meal, but not worth returning for, especially given some of the prices. This is a resaturant that I should probabyl give another chance. Howver, it is obviously not a chef-run restaurant. For a better meal that is actually cooked by a chef-owner, I would recommend S*imposio. NAME: baller SUBMITTED: 4/28/2006   LAST VISIT WAS: April 2006 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: Dinner at Bice is a memorable experience, and I mean that in a GOOD way. The service by Francesco during last night's visit was fantastic - he could not have been more attentive. Saffron risotto and osso buco were fabulous, as was the white bean and lobster soup. Since I office in the Galleria Financial Center, I will definitely be trying Bice at lunch. NAME: Byron Hood SUBMITTED: 4/1/2006   LAST VISIT WAS: 3/2006 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: Strong Points: Service, Location, Service, Ambiance/Decor, did I mention the Service? Pasta and Chicked dishes were both very good; exactly what you would expect from an upscale Italian Restaurant. Weak Points: Get ready for a hefty bill; limited vegetarian options. Overall if you are looking for an upscale dining experience, Bice is one to consider. Very good food and World-Class Service. NAME: BigRocket SUBMITTED: 1/17/2006   LAST VISIT WAS: January 2006 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: This restaurant is superb. Staff is knowledgeable and friendly and ITALIAN --so important. Classy, classy place. Food was phenomenal. NAME: Very satisfied SUBMITTED: 1/4/2006   LAST VISIT WAS: 12/22 FREQUENCY: Visited 2-3 times MY REVIEW: I LOVE THIS PLACE! The staff are all so friendly from the moment you walk through the front door until the time you leave for the evening... I will definately bring all of my friends and family here! New Year's Eve band and dinner were both out of this world. The Lounge manager passed out party favors to everyone just in time for the countdown...3...2...1.. HAPPY NEW YEAR.. and WELCOME to Houston BICE Ristorante! I will see you next week! NAME: Extremely Pleased... SUBMITTED: 1/1/2006   LAST VISIT WAS: 12/31/05 FREQUENCY: Visited 4-6 times ©Copyright 1991 - 2008 B4-U-EAT.COM. All rights reserved. Design and database by B4-U-BUY