Dharma Cafe

1302 Nance Street
713.222.6996

Fruits and Nuts. Granola Land. Apt descriptions for this very California-feeling restaurant. Small, intimate, beautiful. Located on a strip of street unknown to most mortals, Dharma Cafe exudes that hippy, happy feeling you get when you go into a local place run by people who are trying really hard to bring you good food and good hospitality.

There are only a few tables at this very small restaurant. They serve something of a fusion menu that is a little heavy on healthy eating and light on heavy eating. We started with the very yummy spicy tuna wrap ($10). Minced raw tuna, onions, spinach, and cream cheese comes wrapped in a tortilla-like wrap. It's big. Enough for 4 people to try a piece. Very tasty, if a bit spicy from the jalepenos.

I had the nicely cooked sea scallops (why the heck do you have to say "sea scallops," why not just "scallops") on a bed of spinach. Perfect amount of food for my small appetite. Rekha had the expensive and rich fettucini with shrimp. The pasta was fresh and hand cut.

For dessert we had the blueberry and coconut pie. The pie was worth the visit alone. In fact, we might just come here for dessert instead of dinner one night.

This is an intimate restaurant that can set the mood for a romantic or cultural night. The food is good, if a little pricey. We need more proprietors to try these concepts in Houston, even when they fail on some of the small details (high prices and limited menu).