The Americana Cafe

I work in the building this place is located in… I’ve ordered a few times and I can’t say that I’ve ever been #1 impressed or #2 they have gotten my order right. Let me first start by saying just about everything on the menu has some hot additive to it — meaning spicy. Ok, fine, I get you are trying to have some ‘flair’ to your game, some mystique. But some folk have sensitive tummies (aka yours truly) and that hot shyt just don’t sit well with Mama. EVERY time I have tried to order something WITHOUT the hot shyt present — NOPE — I get the hot shyt regardless of my request. EVEN on the damn BLT!!! a BLT!!! How do you get hot shyt on a BLT, you question so incredulously? Damn dijon mustard! Who in the HEYL puts dijon on a BLT? Pretentious bastids, that’s who. Well, last week took the cake, pie, custard and whatever other dessert there is under the heavens. They have like three different versions of burgers on their menu — I told the waiter ‘look man, I don’t want your fancy crap, just gimme a burger, with cheese, that’s it.’ Simple enough, right? I get my order to go, get back up to my desk and bit into it — BOOM!!! Jalapenos grilled INTO the damn patty!!! Bombs going off in my tummy, mouth blazing and I’m over it. I’ll raid the junk machine in the breakroom or order Jimmy John’s forever more before I venture to let them set my innards ablaze again… URRGGGHHH.

Good meal, quiet and comfort restaurant for lunch

I have put off reviewing this place for a while to give it a fair shot. Many restaurants have come and gone from this small location inside the Decorative Center of Houston, and the owner is also the head chef. I know he strives to do well…
I have never dined in since I work in the building. But the to go service is quick and friendly. I’ve tried a lot of different things on their menu now, so below is my critique of everything I’ve tried.
Chicken salad sandwich: delicious chicken salad, but the bread (described as a ‘wheat thin’ on the menu) is often hard, like it is stale. Chicken salad should be served on croissant anyway! I would order this more often, but until they change the bread I’ve given up on it.
French fries: skinny and crispy, with lots of seasoning. I love their french fries and have ordered them as a side to the soup.
Kale soup: I’ve never had anything with kale before I tried this soup. It is mostly chicken broth, with kale, garbanzo beans, and veggies. I did like it, but it is something I would order if I didn’t feel well, because it certainly didn’t fill me up. I went back and ordered french fries.
Chicken tortilla soup: Delicious. This is my go to. Sometimes it is thicker, but it’s always good.
(At one point they did different soups, and one time they did a pureed artichoke that was amazing, but they haven’t done any different soups in a while. You can also ask for a sample of their soup before committing)
Flatbreads: I’ve tried the roasted tomato and the wild mushroom. I liked both of them, but wish the crust was crispy. When they first opened, the pizza came in an actual to go pizza box & the crust was perfect. Now they come in a normal to go box, not made for a pizza, and the crust is soft or even soggy.
Mozzarella Caprese salad: a typical caprese salad. The balsamic glaze comes on the side when you get it to go, and it is a little thick, but this salad is delicious.
Café Salad: a great salad, also a go to for me. Mixed Field Greens, Sliced Apples, Goat Cheese, Walnuts, Plum Tomatoes, Onions, Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette. The goat cheese and walnuts are not mixed in, it is a big lump of goat cheese covered with walnuts.
Grill Chicken Panini: Avocado, Lemon Fritti, Jack Cheese, Roasted Red, Fresh Coriander Pesto– this sandwich has great flavor, but I’m not a big fan of having a big chicken breast on a sandwich. I wish they sliced it or something.
And I saved my favorite menu item for last!
BLT Club: I always enjoy this sandwich. It comes with french fries. It is consistently great.
There are many other menu items… and they have changed the menu slightly since they’ve opened. I will continue to go back and try new things, and I really hope this place makes it because it does have great potential.

Yesterday two of my friends and I met@ 12:30 in Americana Café inside the Houston Decorative Center on Wood Way. They were a few people sitting at the bar, but we were the only one in the dinning room. There was only one waitress (slow business to have more). She had no clue and somehow unprofessional. We had to wait an hour for a simple stir fry chicken dish which all of us ordered the same. I promise we have never experienced such a bad tasting and stale food. We hardly could eat the food. I told the waitress about the food and she said «sorry». When she came back with our check I asked her if she had share our opinion with the manager who was standing behind the bar and she said yes. The manager never showed his face. My suggestion would be if you can not run a business, then shut it down. We would never go back. Just horrible.

Great lunch spot to have a simple sandwich while on the run or to dine in. I love the fact that it’s right in the middle of the whole building with a great open plan. Plenty of seating and great music.
It’s my first time dinning but so convenient. The sandwiches are pretty good. Can’t wait to try other items from their menu next time.

We were so happy that a restaurant re-​opened in the Decorative Center, that we couldn’t wait to go.
We ordered a flatbread pizza and the chicken salad sandwich. It took too long to get them. One nice thing is that they carry the plates out of the kitchen with stainless plate covers on them.
The chicken salad itself was good. The skinny bread was stale and right out of the bread bag. You could do so much better with a local bread. The fries that came with it were cold.
The flatbread had a lot of flavor, but the crust was never baked! The only way to eat it was to fold it over.
The menu selection was good but not too sure we’ll be going back.

Just ok.
The tortilla soup was good during opening time, as soon as they got settled in the quality dropped.
The flatbread pizza is soft not baked, would be better if it was crispier.
Had the chicken salad sandwich and it was too sweet one that had been sitting there was soggy so I skipped that one.
Will go only when I can’t leave the office like it happened in this case.

I first heard about the «Americana Café» in the Design Center Houston, through my boyfriend who raved about the service and food while attending a class in the building. Although expectations were not extremely high, since we had just stopped for lunch, I was pleasantly surprised by the ambiance, staff and excellent food! Our waiter Rick was extremely personable and attentive to our needs and helped recommend my choice of the Blackened Salmon. A choice in which I can’t wait to return and try the Signature Salmon dish that Rick also suggested that was not on the menu. This establishment is truly a hidden gem.

The tortilla soup was awesome. I love the shrimp dish too. Specialty burgers are fun too. Awesome !