Hotel Icon's Voice: Go for the duck

Just like me, the restaurant Voice in the Hotel Icon is fairly new to Houston. Opening in April 2008, the restaurant is where The Bank used to be in the Hotel Icon on Congress and Main. In fact, if you go, you'll still see the big vault door from the days when the building actually was a bank.

History aside, the food is spectacular, and the other foodies I met at the restaurant agreed.

"We came a couple of times when this was The Bank. At first, it was great and then they changed the chefs. We came again and didn't like the menu," said one couple. "This is our first time coming back since they reopened."

Executive chef Michael Kramer has created a menu that has a little something for everyone. He dubs his style as "Progressive American," and melds classic French techniques with a South Texas and Gulf Coast focus.

To put his melding to the test, I started my meal with his Gulf Blue Crab Cakes, and I must say he passed with flying colors. The crab cakes were the best I've had in Houston so far.

But that was just the beginning of my culinary experience. Let me tell you about the duck. It was fabulous, and days later, I'm still craving more.

In the last couple of years, duck has become the new chicken. However, not everyone knows how to cook it so that it's tender. I'm happy to report that Chef Kramer isn't one of those chefs. He is the master when it comes to duck.

The duck he makes at Voice is Honey Laquered and it will melt in your mouth. It comes with a fig mostarda (which is like a fig puree/gravy) on the side that complimented the flavor of the meat perfectly. I must admit that I practically licked my plate clean and was tempted to order another serving just because it was so good.

But if you don't have time for dinner, dropping in for a drink at the lounge is also worth it. Some customer favorites include the Spicy Man-Go with tequila and mango puree, the Scarlett Jo made with Southern Comfort, and the Lemon Drop Martini.

But at the recommendation of the couple beside me, I decided to get the classic Cosmopolitan.

Now normally, I'm not a Cosmo drinker just because I think it was over done in 'Sex in the City'. They also tend to be too sweet or taste like Kool Aid.

This was not the case at Voice. In fact, a Cosmo there is not going to be red. Instead, the drink is going to be as it should be - slightly pink-tinged. The flavors of citrus, Cointreau and cranberry were perfectly balanced. And while I still love a good dirty martini, after having this one, I may try a Cosmo again.

One of the reasons, I decided to go to Voice was because I had read that its décor was breathtaking. And it is.

It's classic, but with a contemporary edge that includes cowhide-back barstools.

But while it is nice and tastefully done, I found that the one thing the place was lacking was atmosphere. It was a little too perfect and it felt like you were eating in hotel. It's missing some of that warmth that you get when eating at other Houston venues.

Even with that being said, I would go back to Voice. The duck was just too good to pass up.