My mother has had treatment at MD Anderson for the past 1.5 years. When we first began going, I had to bring my two young children and father with me. My husband was working out of town so it was easier to care for everyone if we stayed at The Rotary House, the hotel that houses this restaurant. As time passed and circumstances changed, I had to send my mother for treatment accompanied by my father. They don't do well driving in Houston traffic or organizing rides, so once again, Rotary was the obvious choice. So, we lived at the hotel off and on for a year and a half. Most of the time, we ate at Apicus, so here is everything you need to know. Some of the servers and hosts are the best you will ever meet. I'd say about half. The rest are barely hanging on. Always pleasant but not always, or let's say, just not on top of the situation. But, if you get a good one, you will definitely know. They understand what almost everyone there is dealing with and surpass expectations.
Next, the food...well, it will be a far shorter list to tell you what is good as opposed to the later.
Appetizers...the brucetta is simple and good.
All of the salads are good.
The French onion soup has been 100% good, 100% of the time I've had it. It is my go to. Very, very good.
Chicken Scampi is good but the pasta is always overcooked. Do not get the shrimp scampi. Just don't.
The meatloaf is usually decent.
Country fried chicken plate is good.
Salmon with quinoa is good.
Burgers are good.
Ordering off the menu does usually take a very, very long time, so be prepared.
If I haven't mentioned it...beware.
The breakfast buffet is the absolute best. Omelet station, french toast, waffle station. All the fresh fruit, fresh juice, good coffee, plenty of light options, excellent biscuits. Yes. Go to the breakfast buffet.
The pecan pie and the molten chocolate cake both come with some of the best vanilla ice-cream I've ever had. Getting these, to go is also an option.
The dinner buffet is hit or miss. I've had decent food, good salads, and probably the worst fish I've ever had on the dinner buffet. Desert is ok...cobbler is usually good and they have ice-cream. Just vanilla and chocolate, but hey, it's ice-cream.
Prime rib night on the buffet is usually decent, but nothing special.
However, you know what is special??? The to go option for the buffet. Plenty of to go boxes make it easy to pack up an assortment of things a cancer patient may or may not like and let them graze on their own time in the comfort of their room. This is a superior option.
Atmosphere. Plenty of nights I've turned all the lights out so my mother could rest in her room and gone back to the hospital for medical chores. On the way back to the room, I stop by the restaurant bar, order some excellent red or white wine, a snack, and just mellow put before I have to step back into caregiving. Many times, I have sat down at a large table in the restaurant at a large table, alone with medical paperwork strewn about working on what I have to work on. When my mother's tumors shrank 40% during her 2nd trial scan, we went to the restaurant and had a celebration margarita. Everyone there knows one way or another what it is to deal with cancer, and you just can compare that atmosphere to anything else. It is properly appointed to allow patrons to do whatever it is they need to do.
In summation, I give Apicus 5 stars. Not because they have amazing food, not because all of the service is flawless all of the time, not because of value, but based on the restaurant as a whole. It is a sit down, nice-ish restaurant that you can walk into after a very hard day, looking like death warmed over and recieve smiles, a hot meal, a good drink and a moment to think about something other than where you are amd what you're dealing with. Friendly faces, clean and well-appointed areas, areas where families can gather together, or you can hide from the world. I am glad it is there, and I hope it stays.
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