Houston Hideaways: Ruggles Green puts organic food first

By Sasha Schoch and Allie Schaich     4/12/12 7:00pm

If you are in the mood for something hearty and healthy, look no farther than Ruggles Green. We took a short drive to 2311 West Alabama to try "Houston's First Certified Green Restaurant," recognized by the Green Restaurant Association, and we were not disappointed.

Ruggles Green has a covered patio that makes a great environment for either a date or a casual dinner with friends. Even though it was a Friday night, we did not have to wait too long before ordering at the counter, and we seated ourselves at a table a few minutes after. Ruggles Green has walk-up service: Order the meal at the counter, sit down, and the waiters will bring the food to the tables.

We first tried the grilled chicken sandwich with sweet potato fries. The sweet potato fries were voted the best in Houston by CultureMap Houston, so we had to try them. Along with the chicken breast, the sandwich included applewood-smoked bacon, spring lettuce mix, tomato, house-made pickles, onion, fresh avocado, Swiss cheese and homemade mango-ranch dressing on a whole-wheat bun. The applewood bacon added an extra sweet-and-salty flavor, and the applewood flavor was apparent but not overwhelming. All the vegetables were fresh, and the avocado added a creamy finish to the sandwich. The mango-ranch dressing was sweet but still had the traditional ranch base flavor. The sweet potato fries were delicious and very sweet. The batter was not heavy, which magnified the sweet potato flavor.

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We also tried the veggie sourdough panini, which contained grilled eggplant, crimini mushrooms, onions, zucchini, organic hummus, fresh herbs and fresh goat cheese on toasted bread. It came with fresh fruit and a balsamic raspberry dipping sauce.

This sandwich had a rich and slightly smoky flavor. All of the vegetables were fresh, and the goat cheese was subtly tangy and creamy. We could taste the goat cheese in every bite, but the flavor and texture did not dominate the other ingredients in the sandwich. The bread was crispy and complemented the soft vegetables. The side dish of fruit was fresh, and the sauce had the distinct bite of balsamic vinegar accompanied by the sweet flavor of raspberries. The sauce provided a new flavor that was both sweet and a bit sour.

We would highly recommend Ruggles Green to anyone looking for a place to get an organic filling meal. Do not be discouraged if there is a long line to order: The service is quick, and the food is worth the short wait.

Sasha Schoch and Allie Schaich are Wiess College freshmen. Houston Hideaways is a column that explores Houston restaurants beyond the usual Rice ?student haunts.

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