Robard’s new menu raises the bar

Robard’s previews its new menu and raises the bar for steakhouses in the Woodlands.

Ever since their opening, Robard’s Steakhouse has set the bar for meat lovers in the Woodlands. From the beautiful setting to the exemplary service to chef Sammy Holmes’s delicious cuisine, we recommend Robard’s to anyone looking for a great dining experience.

But GM Chris Perry can’t leave well enough alone. He has found ways to raise the bar yet again.

The biggest change is a change to the beef supplier. Robard’s dry ages its steaks in-house for 36 days in an on-site climate-controlled dry aging room. But what they’re aging has changed. Instead of the USDA prime beef they’d been sourcing, Robard’s has upgraded to Texas Wagyu; specifically Rosewood Ranches Texas Gold Wagyu, an A3-grade product that is noticeably superior to USDA Prime.

Tasting this steak was a revelation. The signature flavor of Robard’s dry aged beef was still front and center, but the texture of the beef was remarkable. Wagyu has fine, regular marbling, and the result is a tender texture that borders on buttery, with the perfectly rendered fat delivering a lush, beefy flavor profile that takes this superb offering to new heights.

There may be a better steak in the Houston area. We’ve not found it.

While the upgrade to wagyu beef is the big news on Robard’s new menu, it’s not the only exciting change. We previewed new appetizers from the culinary mind of Chef Sammy Holmes. First up was Shrimp Classic: Three humongous cold-boiled shrimp served alongside Robard’s tangy house cocktail sauce.

Three shrimp doesn’t sound like a lot, but these are the biggest cold-boiled shrimp I can remember seeing. Execution on this dish is flawless; if you like shrimp cocktail, this may be your new favorite.

The other appetizer we sampled was a very clever combination of brie en pastry, roasted garlic, and chopped apricots.

Served with lightly toasted housemade bread, the flavors melded beautifully. Brie, garlic, and apricots are not a combination I would have ever considered, but Chef Sammy pulls off this surprising combination with his signature verve.

We have to declare the new menu at Robard’s a stunning success. Raising the bar at an already notable restaurant is a risky and difficult proposition, but Chris Perry and his team make it look easy. We can’t wait to return and sample the rest of the new offerings.