Its younger sibling, Elvia's Downtown at 818 Travis, features a nuevo Latin menu until midnight Thursdays-Saturday. Created by consulting chef Charles Clark, formerly of Tasca Wine and Bar, it includes grilled salmon with black beans and corn salsa, and grilled beef fillet with peppercorn brandy sauce. Chef Mark Cox features an inventive New American menu that changes seasonally. The coffee shop offers a mouthful of simple but lively flavors such as spinach and feta pizza, Greek salad and eggplant with mozzarella cheese sandwich. With an European flair, the cozy eatery behind Nino's features such selections as a seafood salad with marinated calamari and mussels, and a 4-inch pizza with fresh tomatoes, olive oil, basil and arugula.
Huge portions make it ideal for late-night sharing with friends or the kids.
Menu includes fettucine with chicken and sun-dried tomatoes, shrimp with angel hair pasta, grilled portobello hamburger, chicken tacos, and Southern fried chicken salad. However, if business is slow and at the manager's discretion, the restaurant may close earlier, so call ahead. The breakfast, lunch and dinner menus are offered until 4 a.m. Thursdays-Saturdays. But only the lunch and dinner menus are available until 1 a.m. A favorite scene of Rice University students and professors, the quaint little Rice Village restaurant provides a quiet getaway from the hustle and bustle of downtown.