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The Galleria Mall At 5085 Westheimer Rd.


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Yeah, it was late. No, I don't think there will be a Galleria V soon, because of all of the developments going up around the Galleria. You don't want too much retail.

I wonder if any of the upscale stores in the Galleria will move over to BLVD Place?

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Until BLVD Place can establish itself as a place people will go and shop, I think retailers will still prefer to get into the Galleria. The Galleria is swarming with people ready to spend money.

I think they will eventually build a Galleria 5 though. BLVD Place is competition to whoever it is that owns the Galleria. Although they will have to get creative as to how they build it, I don't see much open land around there.

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I think they will eventually build a Galleria 5 though. BLVD Place is competition to whoever it is that owns the Galleria. Although they will have to get creative as to how they build it, I don't see much open land around there.

The Galleria will need to do something, with 4 mixed used developments opening all in the same area houston is going to get a lot of new retail it has never had before. Which will bring competion espically for people want to get away from malls. I think the galleria should do something with the dillards, its right off the freeway, so it is usually the first store people see when they go there. Then i would just tear down Galleria 3 and make it a outside shopping area.

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  • 1 month later...
I think they will eventually build a Galleria 5 though. BLVD Place is competition to whoever it is that owns the Galleria. Although they will have to get creative as to how they build it, I don't see much open land around there.

The Galleria will need to do something, with 4 mixed used developments opening all in the same area houston is going to get a lot of new retail it has never had before. Which will bring competion espically for people want to get away from malls. I think the galleria should do something with the dillards, its right off the freeway, so it is usually the first store people see when they go there. Then i would just tear down Galleria 3 and make it a outside shopping area.

The Galleria doesnt own Dillards

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  • 2 months later...

Can someone give me the heads up on Oceanaire. I am headed there for dinner for a family member's birthday.

Ever review I have read is either love it or hate it ... and they all talk about how expensive it is.

This wouldn't have been my first choice for dinner, but it wasn't my decision to make.

Thoughts?

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Can someone give me the heads up on Oceanaire. I am headed there for dinner for a family member's birthday.

Ever review I have read is either love it or hate it ... and they all talk about how expensive it is.

This wouldn't have been my first choice for dinner, but it wasn't my decision to make.

Thoughts?

I've only been to the one in DC when the firm was paying. Everything was really good and extremely large portions. If you have enough people, you should try the hashbrowns a la Occeanaire. One desert is big enough for at least 2-3 people, maybe more if you're not huge eaters.

And yes, it is extremely expensive. My firm no longer allows people to go there for luches anymore because the bills get so high.

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I've only been to the one in DC when the firm was paying. Everything was really good and extremely large portions. If you have enough people, you should try the hashbrowns a la Occeanaire. One desert is big enough for at least 2-3 people, maybe more if you're not huge eaters.

And yes, it is extremely expensive. My firm no longer allows people to go there for luches anymore because the bills get so high.

Okay, looking forward to it, even if my extremely thin wallet is not.

Thanks for the heads-up.

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The Oceanaire is one of the restaurants participating in Houston Restaurant Week, so if you've really been wanting to give it a shot but (like me) can't afford it on a regular basis, then try it during Houston Restaurant Week when it's only $35 per person. Here's their menu for that week:

Amuse Bouche - a special little treat from Chef White

1st Course - Choose One

Caesar Salad

House Salad

New England Clam Chowder

2nd Course - Choose One:

Grilled Idaho Rainbow Trout

with Habanero Barbeque Sauce & Shrimp Creole Slaw

"Black & Bleu" Pacific Red Grouper

Dirty with Sweet Onion Confit & Blue Cheese Butter

Seared Massachusetts Diver Sea Scallops

with Bacon Wilted Spinach & Roasted Garlic Butter

3rd Course - Choose One

Oceanaire Key Lime Pie

Scoop Of Ice Cream or Sorbet

Warm Chocolate Chip Cookies and Milk

Pretty sweet deal for $35, especially at the Oceanaire...

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Okay, here's an update...

We arrived at 6:00 p.m. and were promptly seated in a private dining room with wine racks in the walls. We could see out onto Westheimer. The place is very nice (like a big ocean-liner in look) and the waiters and other attendants are attentive. They bring out sour dough breads and this cold platter of fresh veggies, pickled herring (never had it but it was good), water and such.

The waiter chose several appetizers for us including shrimp and grits (awesome), calamari (nice sweetness to the crunchy batter), oysters Rockefeller (okay, but not my favorite), and crab cakes (very good).

We ordered dinner and between us we had several surf and turf plates, a fried fish plate, lobster thermador ... I had a stuffed flounder, etc. All in all, the meal was excellent. We had a few sides including hash browned potatoes (very good but VERY rich) and spinach sides. The meals are ample in size even for my big appetite, and yes, every thing is a la carte.

After dinner, the birthday girl got a chance to meet the chef who came out to light her complimentary cake and ice cream (baked Alaska?) and mingled with us for a few minutes.

Let me say, I was expecting a gigantic bill and wasn't disappointed. It topped out a little under $600 for 9 people (and only one bottle of wine).

The experience was stellar, the food was superb, but it is a little too rich (for me) for all but the rarest of special occasions.

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The experience was stellar, the food was superb, but it is a little too rich (for me) for all but the rarest of special occasions.

Perfect synopsis!

Been to several business mixers here and loved it. Grandioso atmosfera.

Trust me, you will go back! :P

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  • 3 months later...

Ed Hardy just opened, Adidas will open later this year.

Ermenegildo Zegna opens in early 2009. (Finally) also in 2009 Valentino, Guess Footwear, Gilly Hicks (that huge barricade with a dog next to Wet Seal), Hilfiger Denim, Frette, and Cinnabon (will put you in a diabetic comma) will open.

Also Adrenalina, Avalon, Fredricks of Hollywood, Sneaker Lab, and Republic of Couture will open.

Lilly Pulitzer and Ruehl are long over due.

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  • 1 month later...
thats pretty...interesting.

rainforest cafe in a mall...hmm

It won't be the first one... There are at least 2 others, one of which is right here at Katy Mills Mall.

Edit: Just found a list of their locations. It appears that close to 1/2 of their approximately 37 locations are currently in malls.

Edited by Houston19514
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Can someone explain to me what the appeal of this place is? I heard it was "amazing" so I took my kids and another family to the one in Galveston. After waiting an hour for a table among swarms of people and the shlock in the gift shop, we were finally seated... I must say, what I remember are the wait, the crowds, and the noise, not the food. I have no idea what we ate or whether it was good. I was scarred. Is it always crowded? Why do people like it?

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Can someone explain to me what the appeal of this place is? I heard it was "amazing" so I took my kids and another family to the one in Galveston. After waiting an hour for a table among swarms of people and the shlock in the gift shop, we were finally seated... I must say, what I remember are the wait, the crowds, and the noise, not the food. I have no idea what we ate or whether it was good. I was scarred. Is it always crowded? Why do people like it?

Same here. I went to the one in Katy Mills about 8 years ago, and just barely remember it now. The food was nothing special.

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Can someone explain to me what the appeal of this place is? I heard it was "amazing" so I took my kids and another family to the one in Galveston. After waiting an hour for a table among swarms of people and the shlock in the gift shop, we were finally seated... I must say, what I remember are the wait, the crowds, and the noise, not the food. I have no idea what we ate or whether it was good. I was scarred. Is it always crowded? Why do people like it?

My kids loved it when they were little, but I always felt it was average.

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Can someone explain to me what the appeal of this place is? I heard it was "amazing" so I took my kids and another family to the one in Galveston. After waiting an hour for a table among swarms of people and the shlock in the gift shop, we were finally seated... I must say, what I remember are the wait, the crowds, and the noise, not the food. I have no idea what we ate or whether it was good. I was scarred. Is it always crowded? Why do people like it?

I wouldn't go so far as to call it "amazing," but it's certainly fun. If you're the sort of person who can't stand crowds then you just have to go at an off-time, usually 11am or 2-4pm are the best times in my experience.

If you're the sort of person who harshes on Disney because you think it's cool to hate, then the Rainforest Cafe isn't for you (I'm not saying you're that kind of person, but there are plenty of those kinds of people on HAIF and even in this thread).

You just have to relax and enjoy the experience. Use the same willful suspension of disbelief you use in the movie theaters and enjoy the moving decor and the artificial rain storms.

More importantly, there aren't many places that will serve you food with dry ice bubbling up or sparklers sticking out of it. So it's different at least for that.

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Can someone explain to me what the appeal of this place is? I heard it was "amazing" so I took my kids and another family to the one in Galveston. After waiting an hour for a table among swarms of people and the shlock in the gift shop, we were finally seated... I must say, what I remember are the wait, the crowds, and the noise, not the food. I have no idea what we ate or whether it was good. I was scarred. Is it always crowded? Why do people like it?

Kids love it. Where else can you go and eat in a rainforest? It's nothing like Chili's, you get the thunderstorm every 30 minutes, the animals move, food it ok but you go for the experience. I think it'd be great to have one in the Galleria because you could shop while you wait. It would make the wait much more bearable. We do the same thing with the Cheesecake Factory when that wait gets long.

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