tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38685684574269526892009-12-11T06:52:07.966-08:00Food and Drinks in HoustonFree Press Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03576435599798196440noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3868568457426952689.post-83234466599267028162009-12-02T16:04:00.000-08:002009-12-02T16:08:14.708-08:00Hot Dawg!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.freepresshouston.com/archive/uploaded_images/hotdog1-730106.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://www.freepresshouston.com/archive/uploaded_images/hotdog1-730103.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Featured Blogger Jodie Eisenhardt<a href="http://foodiehouston.blogspot.com/">: http://foodiehouston.blogspot.com</a><br /><br /><span class="teaser">I love the idea of a place that specializes in hot dogs. I feel like Houston has lacked in hot dog finese when compared with other big cities like Chicago or New York. No longer the case with the addition of <a href="http://www.raysfranks.com/">Ray's Franks</a> to Houston.</span><br /><span class="fullpost"><br />While Ray's also serves burgers - and they may be awesome - I can't imagine going to Ray's and not getting a hot dog. There are numerous intriguing choices with clever names. I had an immediate delimna because I knew I couldn't eat two whole hot dogs but that didn't stop me from ordering two and eating half of each.<br /><br />Of course I had to have the bacon optionn - "The Mummy" - an all beef Boar's Head weiner wrapped with bacon. The bacon was thick cut, crisp and tightly wound around the great-tasting beef on a really awesome toasted oversized toasted bun with plenty of tangy/spicy mustard. I couldn't figure out how they got the bacon to stay on so well but I was impressed and eager to try my other choice - a hand-battered corndog. It had a great crunch and a sweet-ish cornbread flavor, again with the beef frank ... right on.<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.freepresshouston.com/archive/uploaded_images/hotdog2-750138.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://www.freepresshouston.com/archive/uploaded_images/hotdog2-750136.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><span class="fullpost">My friend Jenny stepped up to the plate with the "Creature from the Black Lagoon" with chili, cheese and onions (she added jalapenos). Damn ... Jenny doesn't mess around. Her dog was big on flavor (and visual appeal) but the bun wasn't toasted and it didn't hold up to the filling. We vow to try "The Chupacabra" next time with chili, goat cheese, jalapenos and curry ketchup.<br /><br />Located in the warehouse district, not far from the ballpark and just down the street from the Last Concert Cafe, parking isn't easy but it's worth it.</span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3868568457426952689-8323446659926702816?l=www.freepresshouston.com%2Farchive%2Fblog_food.html' alt='' /></div>Free Press Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03576435599798196440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3868568457426952689.post-63192487124830142182009-11-17T08:33:00.000-08:002009-11-17T08:38:49.792-08:00Midtown Mexican Madness<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.freepresshouston.com/archive/uploaded_images/RubysRita-739166.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://www.freepresshouston.com/archive/uploaded_images/RubysRita-739160.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Featured Blogger Jodie Eisenhardt<a href="http://foodiehouston.blogspot.com/">: http://foodiehouston.blogspot.com</a><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="teaser">I seem to be on some kind of “chain binge” of late, which is (a) not like me and (b) helping me discover some great chow.<br /><br />The most recent example of this would be at the new Ruby Tequila’s in Midtown (there’s another location in the Willowbrook area). This place is huge and it’s jumpin’ - especially for the “Wednesday Madness Menu” including $.99 draft beer, $1.99 margaritas and $11.99 fajitas along with plenty of other menu items discounted every Wednesday. It’s definitely a party with live music and lots of happy people (must be the drink specials!).</span><br /><span class="fullpost"><br />You’d almost worry that service would be slow or that your food might take forever but this is not the case. Speaking with the manager who stopped by to check on us, I learned that Ruby's prides itself on a super-quick turnaround even for large parties) which are all freshly prepared in the super-huge kitchen.<br /><br />Everything is made on premise and this is a good thing, especially when it comes to the fab guacamole made tableside with your choice of ingredients AND your choice of “mash” (chunky, smooth or anywhere in between). That little amenity made me <em>very </em>happy and then I learned about the little squeeze o’ orange they offer up at the end which gives the guac a really nice bright shot of flavor. I was getting <em>really</em> happy! Another appetizer much enjoyed was the Queso Inferno with taco meat – cheesy, spicy, meaty with fresh, hot chips … mmmm.<br /><br />So far, everything I’ve tried has been excellent (yes, I’ve been more than once now) including the beef fajitas which have big beefy flavor – not overly seasoned or “limey”. Just great quality fresh angus beef with a nice sear along with gorgeous house-made tortillas. I’ve also enjoyed some mains that are more “interior Mexican” style than Tex-Mex like the stellar Tacos de Res – soft corn tortillas stuffed with slow-cooked shredded brisket, served with a side rich, smoky bbq sauce. The Tacos de Comal have either “guajillo” beef tenderloin or chicken on the same soft corn tortillas. The guajillo pepper is rich, smoky and complex but not fiery hot and I appreciate that since sometimes heat can overrule everything else. This works especially well with the tender beef. Note the interesting side-dish option of “chile smashed potatoes” which are creamy, spicy and somehow work really well w/ the mains in spite of what you might think when you first read the words “smashed potatoes” on the menu.<br /><br />In fact, the menu is huge with combination plates and things you’d expect plus a number of interesting-sounding items on the “grill section” including fish options and some pork chops with an ancho-chili glaze I look forward to trying. I have sampled the “St. Louis-style” pork ribs which were fall-off-the-bone tender and served w/ the spicy bbq sauce. Not exactly what you’d expect at a Mexican food place but why the hell not as long as they’re good and these certainly are delish.<br /><br />I almost forgot to mention the vast margarita aspect of the menu. I am no connoisseur of margaritas because I really hate being hungover ...but I’m just sayin’ … there are LOTS of options including the “Dos Rita” which is a frozen margarita with an upside down bottle of Dos XX Amber in it. You’ll have to let me know how that one is. Oh and its only $4.99 on Wednesdays :)</span></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3868568457426952689-6319248712483014218?l=www.freepresshouston.com%2Farchive%2Fblog_food.html' alt='' /></div>Free Press Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03576435599798196440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3868568457426952689.post-79209140620411176842009-11-09T09:02:00.000-08:002009-11-09T09:27:18.303-08:00Mmm...Carnitas<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.freepresshouston.com/archive/uploaded_images/freebirds-759058.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://www.freepresshouston.com/archive/uploaded_images/freebirds-759052.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Featured Blogger Jodie Eisenhardt<a href="http://foodiehouston.blogspot.com/">: http://foodiehouston.blogspot.com</a><br /><br />I love a new obsession. It’s so fun to get excited about something as seemingly insignificant as a taco but hey, that’s “meaning of life” material for someone like me.<br /><br />When Freebirds first came into the Houston market, I think I ate there just once soon after they opened. All I can remember is that I didn’t do the “huge burrito” thing and the tacos came in an order of three and maybe even only as a meal in addition to that (like w/ beans and rice) and this was just too much food for me. Maybe I didn’t work hard enough to understand or maybe things have changed but the bottom line is that I’ve been missing out on some truly fresh-tasting and delicious food.<br /><br />I’m grateful for any quick, reasonably-priced delicious option – especially for lunch, since I work from home in the Heights. I used to frequent Mission Burrito on Durham for their tacos but frankly, things have deteriorated in recent years. Consistency has become an issue and I just can’t get as excited about going as I used to. Enter Freebirds as a new option. I had to go to Target anyway so I figured what the heck.<br /><br />Can you say carnitas?! Have mercy. There is something potentially fabulous about even the notion of slow-roasted pork and Freebird’s carnitas do not disappoint. I decided to try the carnitas in the form of a burrito since they come in 4 sizes now including the petite “hybrid” version. After choosing my tortilla (I went with cayenne but it wasn’t overly spicy at all), I choose from the huge assortment of ingredients heading down the assembly line. Highlights included choices of cheese (including queso fresco), a gorgeous roasted corn salsa, fresh slices of avocado, especially yummy black beans and a bright “mild tomatillo” sauce (one of seven sauce choices). I couldn’t wait to dive in.<br /><br />I enjoyed the burrito so much I returned for dinner the same day (yes, I’m weird like that when I take a liking to something). I brought the bf and we went for the taco special (3 tacos and a drink for $4.99). For tacos, the decisions begin with corn or flour tortilla or crispy shell. Tough decision but I went with the corn tortilla and while I really wanted to try the delicious-looking grass-fed beef, I had to have more of the carnitas. I was thrilled to discover the same toppings are available for the tacos as for the burritos … more of the grilled corn salsa and queso fresco, cilantro and the tomatillo sauce (I promise, I really will add variety as I move forward with this relationsihp). We also got a side order of chips and salsa as well as a side of queso. Wow. The tacos rocked but maybe even more impressive were the chips (fresh and hot) and the salsa … fresh, tomato-based … I suspect roasted tomatoes with plenty of cilantro and just enough heat. I appreciated the texture which is like a thick puree vs. too chunky or too thin. Good salsa is a thing of beauty. And then there’s the queso! Some of the best in town, the pale yellow queso (made from pepper jack cheese) is sublime with the hot chips.<br /><br />I don’t know when we’ve been so happy for so little $$ and what I really love is that they source local ingredients whenever possible and that they actually prepare everything on premise. This means 5 hours before they open, those carnitas are in the works (after marinating for 24 hours) along with all of the prep that goes into everything they are actually cooking for the day. I really like the idea of that and I’m pretty sure that’s why things taste so fresh and good. It’s the little things that make a big difference, after all. And people seem genuinely happy to work there within the fun/funky atmosphere w/ the foil sculptures displayed along the wall. I can’t find a negative thing about the place with the possible exception of a Pepsi fountain instead of coke (but they do have Dr. Pepper AND Diet Dr. Pepper even).<br /><br />While I regret not eating at Freebirds until now, I’m pretty sure I will make up for it moving forward. After all, I am now earning points via my “Freebirds Fanatic” card!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3868568457426952689-7920914062041117684?l=www.freepresshouston.com%2Farchive%2Fblog_food.html' alt='' /></div>Free Press Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03576435599798196440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3868568457426952689.post-83647385271063342152009-10-28T09:34:00.000-07:002009-11-09T09:25:42.647-08:00Loves Me Some Chicken and Waffles<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_WF0dT7vkNI4/SuStxQU2RFI/AAAAAAAAA0s/ULP-BqkOwzU/s1600-h/BK2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_WF0dT7vkNI4/SuStxQU2RFI/AAAAAAAAA0s/ULP-BqkOwzU/s400/BK2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396629315204301906" border="0" /></a><br />Featured Blogger Ruthie Johnson:<a href="http://greatfoodhouston.blogspot.com/"> http://greatfoodhouston.blogspot.com</a><br /><br />Without a doubt, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicken_and_waffles">chicken-and-waffles</a> is one of the best inventions to come out of the 1800’s, right alongside the light bulb, the telephone, and industrialization. <span style="font-style: italic;">Seriously.</span> More recently, this historically soulful concoction has found a little cubbyhole in my heart that I never knew existed. And while I generally don’t love mixing savory with sweet, I’ve developed a shameful lust for C-n-W that demands to be fed.<br /><br />To that end, I’ve been making my way around town in hopes of locating the very best iteration. Fried Chicken? Awesome. Waffles? Awesome. Fried chicken and waffles together? Triple awesome.<br /><br />It may sound obvious, but chicken-and-waffles is essentially two dishes cooked separately, then smashed together. What I’ve learned is that most restaurants place *great* emphasis on one half, while completely disregarding the other. For shame! Research below.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.thebreakfastklub.com/">The Breakfast Klub</a><br />This place is firstly famous for its Wings and Waffles dish, and indeed the chefs here crank out batch after batch after batch, breakfast and lunch, Monday through Saturday. In terms of experience, no one beats these guys. As expected, the chicken here is 100% incredible, but they have *got* to do something about their chewy, reheated, Eggo-like waffles which do this dish a severe injustice.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.maxswinedive.com/houston/index.php">Max’s Wine Dive</a><br />The Sunday brunch menu is where you’ll find Max’s Wing Cakes, an enormous plate of beautifully seasoned fried chicken waaaangs served over pancakes. Not surprisingly, the chicken here is great -- golden, spicy, and without grease oozing out everywhere. But the pancakes are just average. Also? They’re not waffles. And honestly? It seems semi-wrong to eat soul food in a wine bar. Just sayin’.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_WF0dT7vkNI4/SuStMZTdwbI/AAAAAAAAA0c/ikpYCA8UKoU/s1600-h/Maxs.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_WF0dT7vkNI4/SuStMZTdwbI/AAAAAAAAA0c/ikpYCA8UKoU/s400/Maxs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396628681959260594" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.drycreekcafe.com/home.html">Dry Creek</a><br />Dry Creek’s brunch menu features crispy wings over Grandma’s Waffle. This was, by far, the best waffle of the lot -- airy, thick, and golden -- but the fried chicken was an overly-breaded salty pool of grease. Yikes! If we could only get the waffle peeps here to meet the chicken peeps at The Breakfast Klub, we’d be in Wings ‘n Waffle heaven. Only I don’t think that’s happening this century. Poochie.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_WF0dT7vkNI4/SuStMHBXFSI/AAAAAAAAA0U/ikZEZu2vPlA/s1600-h/DryCreek.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_WF0dT7vkNI4/SuStMHBXFSI/AAAAAAAAA0U/ikZEZu2vPlA/s400/DryCreek.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396628677051487522" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.eatlola.com/">Lola</a><br />This new Heights diner serves chicken-and-waffles all day. I went in with low expectations (Lola is new, after all), and was pleasantly surprised by the gold-medal goodness. The fruit-laden waffle is nicely crisp and the chicken is expertly breaded, then fried without a mess of excess grease. While the waffle, itself, is a bit chewy, this dish is great. Theo <a href="http://feedtheheights.blogspot.com/2009/10/breakfast-at-lola-preview.html">didn’t like his</a>, but I truly enjoyed mine.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_WF0dT7vkNI4/SuStLm2LdKI/AAAAAAAAA0M/koBmYOFfgyM/s1600-h/Lola.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_WF0dT7vkNI4/SuStLm2LdKI/AAAAAAAAA0M/koBmYOFfgyM/s400/Lola.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396628668414653602" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.b4-u-eat.com/houston/restaurants/reviews/rsv5355.asp"><br />Sparkle’s</a><br />Sparkle’s hamburger joint has exactly the ambiance you seek for chicken-and-waffles. It’s a run-down shack on a run-down corner south of downtown. Perhaps my expectations were a little too high when I laid eyes on the place because I was severely disappointed with the food. The chicken was *beyond* salty and the waffle, tough. They are not afraid of the butter (as noted in the picture below), but even that godly substance couldn’t jack the love.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_WF0dT7vkNI4/SuStLdP79TI/AAAAAAAAA0E/KAl0MdkD0K0/s1600-h/Sparkle.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_WF0dT7vkNI4/SuStLdP79TI/AAAAAAAAA0E/KAl0MdkD0K0/s400/Sparkle.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396628665838335282" border="0" /></a><br />Despite their ups-and-downs, I’ve enjoyed most iterations of the dish, at least to some extent. However, I definitely haven’t found the golden standard. Any suggestions?<br /><a href="http://greatfoodhouston.blogspot.com/2009/10/loves-me-some-chicken-and-waffles.html"><br />http://greatfoodhouston.blogspot.com/2009/10/loves-me-some-chicken-and-waffles.html</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3868568457426952689-8364738527106334215?l=www.freepresshouston.com%2Farchive%2Fblog_food.html' alt='' /></div>Free Press Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03576435599798196440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3868568457426952689.post-21429478119620882262009-10-22T12:26:00.000-07:002009-10-28T10:55:01.536-07:00Himalaya or Bust (With a stop at a new spice shop)<span>Posted by <span class="fn">Commandrea</span> </span><br /><a href="http://teethpicks.blogspot.com/2009/10/himalaya-or-bust.html">http://teethpicks.blogspot.com</a><br /><br /> <div class="comment-count"> </div> <span class="post-backlinks post-comment-link"> </span> <div class="post-body entry-content"><style>.fullpost{display:inline;}</style> <p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_AFAFMasvYJk/St1cnKtQshI/AAAAAAAAEIw/Puqd9qTVQs0/s1600-h/Sago_Chandrika_Masala_1009.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_AFAFMasvYJk/St1cnKtQshI/AAAAAAAAEIw/Puqd9qTVQs0/s320/Sago_Chandrika_Masala_1009.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394569756618568210" border="0" /></a><br />My family and I frequent the Hillcroft restaurant strip at least weekly and were on our way to London Sizzler, a modern Indian restaurant we've been to a couple of times and really enjoyed. It is in a shopping center at the northwest corner of 59 and Hillcroft and is host to a few restaurants and stores including a new spice shop we dropped into first. <a href="http://www.chandrikamasala.com/">Chandrika Masala</a> is family owned and has rows upon rows of preblended curries, whole and ground spices, flours, lentils, and many things I've never seen or heard of before. The owner was kind enough to walk me through the store and explain the uses for some of the items, like a merchant tour guide. He boasted that the curries are all blended freshly in their warehouse on Murphy Rd. Their rice is cleaned and hand packed with 'no powder to be found'. The store was packed with soap nuts and jaggery, dried pomegranate seeds, chutneys and myriad other ingredients to be explored. We bought a bag of chicken masala and fish masala with a promise to return.<br /><br /><br />Instead of heading back over to London Sizzler, we poked out heads into <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps/place?oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=himalaya+houston&fb=1&gl=us&hq=himalaya&hnear=houston&cid=788088044654122680">Himalaya</a>, a North Indian-Pakistani restaurant a couple of doors down. We like what we saw and opted for a table there. The menu was written on three large dry-erase boards that hung on the walls, along with a large painting of a Mexican market and a map of Karachi. One board was for the meat dishes and desserts, one for the daily specials and the other was soley for vegetarian meals.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_AFAFMasvYJk/St1UfnblQGI/AAAAAAAAEII/1VRiNV0l6yw/s1600-h/IMG_3656.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_AFAFMasvYJk/St1UfnblQGI/AAAAAAAAEII/1VRiNV0l6yw/s400/IMG_3656.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394560830797070434" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_AFAFMasvYJk/St1c5Mym3_I/AAAAAAAAEI4/OJaDDd7Ho2U/s1600-h/IMG_3654.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_AFAFMasvYJk/St1c5Mym3_I/AAAAAAAAEI4/OJaDDd7Ho2U/s320/IMG_3654.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394570066415509490" border="0" /></a><br />Five other tables were filled with families of all different cultures and we tried to sneak a look at their plates on the way to our table. The owner, a man named Kaiser, came over for our order and we accepted all of his suggestions as he took charge. The more mild chicken-boti for the boys, a fish curry for my husband, and for me the hara tikka masala, a chicken and green curry dish.We also ordered a side of daal, and two pieces of naan.<br /><br />And as we were super hungry my husband asked about an appetizer but the owner shook his head.<br /><br />"You won't need it." <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_AFAFMasvYJk/St1dg6skt9I/AAAAAAAAEJI/rGl5Ltl2veU/s1600-h/samosas_Himalaya_1009.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_AFAFMasvYJk/St1dg6skt9I/AAAAAAAAEJI/rGl5Ltl2veU/s320/samosas_Himalaya_1009.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394570748753131474" border="0" /></a><br />We begged with famished eyes and he said, "Okay, I will send you something."<br />A few minutes later, two large vegetable samosas were sent out and we cracked them open and split them up between the four of us. They were gone before we got them.<br /><br />While waiting for our food, I overheard a conversation from a table of about ten people sitting near us.<br />A woman was asking another older woman, "What do you call this, Mom?"<br />"Naan."<br />Near the Indian mother-in-law was another older woman who laughed and said, "We call it pan!"<br /><br />A Chinese couple with two daughters walked in and sat down to eat, and an Indian man with his Caucasian wife sat behind us. The atmosphere was one of a family diner with a bustle of activity from the customers, the kitchen with it's order-up bell, two waiters running food and refilling waters to cool the happily burning tongues, and the owner keeping reign over the show.<br /><br />Soon our food arrived- first the chicken boti and a big bowl of rice, then the bread and the fish and the masala and the daal. It was all so good with simple ingredients and complex flavors.<br /><br />The chicken boti was juicy and mild enough for our four and eleven year old boys, but still jaunty with just a kick of spice.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_AFAFMasvYJk/St1VKN2T7kI/AAAAAAAAEIY/IfLfI58IqHA/s1600-h/Chick_bot-Himalaya_1009.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_AFAFMasvYJk/St1VKN2T7kI/AAAAAAAAEIY/IfLfI58IqHA/s400/Chick_bot-Himalaya_1009.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394561562664234562" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />The fish curry was awesome- two moist fillets of snapper (though we joked it was probably tilapia, the wa<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_AFAFMasvYJk/StzG2RbtCcI/AAAAAAAAEHI/ZmeMyKZwKH8/s1600-h/Fish_Curry_Himalaya_1009.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_AFAFMasvYJk/StzG2RbtCcI/AAAAAAAAEHI/ZmeMyKZwKH8/s320/Fish_Curry_Himalaya_1009.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394405089377847746" border="0" /></a>y every 'white' fish is in Houston, smothered in a curry of roasted tomatoes, sauteed onions and fresh chopped coriander.<br /><br /><br /><br />My hara tikka masala was a creamy but not too rich dish with onions, mint and coriander leaves, green chilies, garlic, tomatoes and yogurt to name a few of the ingredients. It's one of those dishes that you keep eating just one more bite of until you regret it.<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_AFAFMasvYJk/StzI5nmyPkI/AAAAAAAAEHQ/z95X2jaLj_0/s1600-h/chicken_hara_tikki_Himalaya_1009.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_AFAFMasvYJk/StzI5nmyPkI/AAAAAAAAEHQ/z95X2jaLj_0/s320/chicken_hara_tikki_Himalaya_1009.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394407345892769346" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And the daal! How could something so homely be so good? Piping hot, creamy and rife with small chunks of garlic, which I love, and ginger, which I would normally avoid but didn't mind here. Toasted cumin seeds, fried onions and fresh cori<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_AFAFMasvYJk/StzMId2mKkI/AAAAAAAAEHo/DOBUCUqACa8/s1600-h/daal.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; width: 172px; height: 200px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_AFAFMasvYJk/StzMId2mKkI/AAAAAAAAEHo/DOBUCUqACa8/s200/daal.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394410899507653186" border="0" /></a>ander topped it off. It is by far my favorite daal in town.<br /><br /><br />The naan was large and soft and served without the unhealthy shmear of delicious ghee that I love and my husband avoids, but I didn't miss it one bit.<br /><br /><br />We did wind up with leftovers which I took care of last night and were just as good as the previous day.<br /><br />Go to Himalaya- it's right off the freeway. Five minutes from the Galleria on 59 and it is well worth the 'trip'. Don't give me the "I don't leave the Loop line"- it's pathetic how much those chumps miss out on. Most of the good stuff, the really down-home-from-somewhere-far-away one star cuisine that trumps any Michelin ranked restaurant any day of the week, is outside the loop. The rest are just diluted versions to fit the Great White Palate.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Himalaya</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">6652 Southwest Fwy</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Houston, TX 77074-2210</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">(713) 532-2837</span></p></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3868568457426952689-2142947811962088226?l=www.freepresshouston.com%2Farchive%2Fblog_food.html' alt='' /></div>Free Press Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03576435599798196440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3868568457426952689.post-10923240420576936932009-05-21T22:10:00.001-07:002009-09-15T13:32:32.852-07:00The Legend of the Red Door: Last Concert Cafe<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.freepresshouston.com/archive/uploaded_images/LastConcert-755770.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://www.freepresshouston.com/archive/uploaded_images/LastConcert-755767.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><h3 class="post-title entry-title"> The Legend of the Red Door: Last Concert Cafe<br /></h3><br />By Andrea <br />Photographed by Jordan Chan<br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 12pt;font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="color:black;"><o:p><br /></o:p> Houstonians know good and well that many dreams have been wiped out by urban construction projects. Look at the businesses along I-10 out west. The majority of restaurants and stores along each side of the freeway have been uprooted and put out of business. The few that remain are taking a risk in hopes that the concrete monster—which will be 18 lanes wide when completed—won’t swallow them whole when it passes their way. Property value along the roadway has fallen and people who have investments around the area are left with little or nothing at all.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 12pt;font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="color:black;"><span style=""> </span>Back in the late ‘60s, the development of I-10 was working its way through what is now the Warehouse District. A restaurant in the area, owned by a little old lady named Elena “Mama” Lopez, was facing demolition to make way for the freeway. She decided that her establishment, her last venture—The Last Concert Café—wouldn’t kneel before the wrecking ball when authorities notified her of the plans. And how exactly does one stop a $500 million project in its tracks? Blackmail is always a good start.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 12pt;font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="color:black;"><span style=""> </span>In its former life in the ‘40s Last Concert was a well-known local brothel. Located in a neighborhood of homes with no freeway in site, one woman who grew up there recalled that she got the biggest whipping of her life when her mama found out she had been peeking over the fence into the brothel’s backyard.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 12pt;font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="color:black;">The house that the restaurant was built behind once provided the secrecy needed back in those days when liquor, homosexuality and women by the hour weren’t so widely accepted. A red door marked the spot and remained locked unless you knocked twice and were granted entry. Nearly every lascivious urge could be fulfilled all in one convenient location. Many respectable, powerful gentlemen (and women one would suppose) would pay a visit to the speakeasy and for a few bucks they could buy an hour or so of some female “company.” It was also Houston’s first gay bar, and one of the only places to buy liquor by the drink. In 1949 Mama Lopez turned it into a Mexican restaurant but its “good-time” reputation stayed. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 12pt;font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="color:black;">In the late ‘60s, 20 years later, the café was threatened by the construction of I-10, so Mama did a little reminiscing. It turns out that a few choice people involved with the roadway project were also old patrons of the establishment well before they were serving up hot enchiladas. So, long story short, it was awfully nice of those lawyers and judges to work so hard to accommodate Mama Lopez and move the freeway over enough to allow the restaurant to remain standing. She passed away in 1985 at the age of 92. Her portrait hangs just inside the door, her eyes alive as ever and full of knowing.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 12pt;font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="color:black;"><span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 12pt;font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="color:black;"><span style=""> </span>Flash forward to 2006. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 12pt;font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="color:black;">Current owner of LCC, Dawn Fudge, celebrated her 20th year at Last Concert Café this past summer. When she was 15 years old (the same age this writer discovered LCC) she was in awe of the place. It was the laidback atmosphere, the psychedelic décor of brightly painted walls and eccentric knick-knacks that set it apart from other hoity-toity downtown restaurants. That, and the fact that it was nearly impossible to find. Pushed up against the 1-10 East exit for Nance and McKee streets, the easiest way to find the place is via the Katy Freeway. Coming through Downtown takes time to master. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 12pt;font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="color:black;">Dawn wanted badly to approach LCC for a job but she could never find the darned place. “I took a course at Leisure Learning Center called “So You Want to Run a Restaurant.” I had a friend who knew of a place that would let me work there and learn the ropes. It turns out that it was Last Concert, and I was like, “Man, that’s the place!,” and they showed me how to get there. Even after I owned the place I’d still get lost sometimes and a nice police officer would lead me in the right direction.” Laughing she said, “I never did tell him I owned the place.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 12pt;font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="color:black;">The red door is still the most telling sign that you have found the right spot. By day, Downtown workers who have caught on to the hole-in-the-wall locale fill the front and back patio tables and dining area. At night, a diverse clientele take over—ranging from nearby loft residents to die-hard hippies. Whether they are stopping by to eat or to grab a strong margarita, they all feel warm and welcome and relaxed as the staff and ambiance are very friendly. It’s easier to find the place at night after dinner as the nightly band can be heard from a few blocks away. There’s much, much more to Last Concert than the food, like a midnight drum circle, jewelry vendors, hula hoopers, fire spinners and all other kinds of fun. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 12pt;font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="color:black;">Serving up delicious Tex-Mex with a healthy spin, Dawn has made sure that everyone will find something to their liking on the menu. Their produce is bought fresh daily from a local farmer’s market. Olive oil is used in sautéed dishes and even in the refried the pinto beans. Offering options like wheat tortillas, baked corn chips, vegan enchiladas and soy fajitas and burgers, it is a haven to granola heads in search of a good, cheap meal.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 12pt;font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="color:black;">With that out of the way, you’ve got to try my favorite dish, the Beef Tacos Tampicanos. Cubes of the most flavorful fajita beef are served in tortillas filled with guacamole, pico de gallo and cheese. I usually order it with the pico on the side and some limes to squeeze over the whole thing. I’ve tried the regular fajitas by the pound, but there is something about the diced meat that has an extra kick of flavor. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 12pt;font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="color:black;">Another favorite is the Deluxe Nachos dish. There is nothing that peeves me more than a restaurant that counts the number of nachos that you will receive. You either get six or 12 chips—who in their right mind would go for that? At Last Concert the small order of deluxe nachos is piled bigger than a football. The large order is a skyscraper of chips, covered in cheese, beef and chicken fajita meat, beans, sour cream, guacamole and jalapenos. Just order it with the baked chips and call it a low-cal dish. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 12pt;font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="color:black;">If I tell you that they have the best, most consistently good salsa in town, I’m sure you’ll sniff, “Big whoop, everyone has salsa.” That is, until you hurt yourself on some of the freshest, reddest, hottest sauce in town. My grandfather, Joe, used to make it that way, back before I could handle the heat. He’d throw whole tomatoes from the garden, jalapenos, garlic, cilantro and lime into a blender and pulse it a few times so it was still chunky and recognizable.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 12pt;font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="color:black;">With the weather cooling off, there is no better time to enjoy a bowl of LCC’s potato-poblano soup. Chicken broth with chunks of potatoes, spicy poblano peppers, and pico de gallo is topped with cheese and sour cream. The cheese gets all nice and melty and you get to spoon it out and slurp it down. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 12pt;font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="color:black;">There are several varieties of enchiladas on the menu. The Apolinar is filled with shredded roast beef and topped with chili gravy. Carol’s Enchiladas are filled with cheese and topped with beef fajita meat. The latter are my favorite as they offer up another source of that awesome beef. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" ><span style="color:black;">As far as dessert goes, I’ve never been a big flan fan so it took some time before I ever even bothered trying it at LCC. What I found was not your average flan. It was chocolate. And thick. And creamy. Richer and denser than mousse and less jiggly than a custard, it’s hard to describe exactly how terribly divine it is. There is also a pumpkin version that is very good but I just can’t compare the two. They also boast the world’s “richest and creamiest” cinnamon ice cream. Again, I’m not sure how they accomplish this but it is truly the best base texture I’ve ever had. I’m sure it’s not one of the healthy options but cinnamon is a great antioxidant, and helps lower blood pressure. So there. </span></span><span style=";font-family:Helvetica;color:black;" ><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Thank God for dirty politicians and a fiery old Mexican lady who fought the law and won.</span></span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3868568457426952689-1092324042057693693?l=www.freepresshouston.com%2Farchive%2Fblog_food.html' alt='' /></div>Free Press Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03576435599798196440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3868568457426952689.post-25413522590617581932009-04-20T14:28:00.000-07:002009-04-20T15:00:21.652-07:00Free Cone Day<a href="http://www.freepresshouston.com/archive/uploaded_images/ben-and-jerry-717090.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 296px" alt="" src="http://www.freepresshouston.com/archive/uploaded_images/ben-and-jerry-717087.jpg" border="0" /></a>What's better than cheap? FREE. Especially if it involves <strong>Ben & Jerry's</strong>, America's favorite tree-hugging, social activist ice cream company.<br /><br />Tomorrow, April 21st <strong>Ben & Jerry's</strong> celebrates its 31st birthday by giving away a <a href="http://www.benjerry.com/scoop-shops/feature/free-cone-day/"><strong>free ice cream cone</strong></a> to all of its customers who walk into a Scoop Shop from noon to 8 pm.<br /><br />Try one of their new flavors such as Mission to Marzipan (sweet cream with almond cookies & a marzipan swirl), Orange & Cream (orange sorbet swirled with vanilla ice cream), or Triple Caramel Chunk (caramel ice cream with a swirl of caramel & fudge covered caramel chunks). Or pick an oldie-but-goodie such as Cherry Garcia or my personal fave, Chunky Monkey.<br /><br />Stop by one of these Houston-area Scoop Shops for your sweet treat.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.benjerry.com/kirby/"><strong>Kirby</strong> </a>- 5515 Kirby Drive<br /><strong><a href="http://www.benjerry.com/champions/">Champions</a></strong> - 5602 FM 1960 West<br /><a href="http://www.benjerry.com/sugarland/"><strong>Sugar Land Town Square</strong></a> - 16155 City Walk<br /><br />- <strong>Jenny Wang</strong> of imneverfull.com<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3868568457426952689-2541352259061758193?l=www.freepresshouston.com%2Farchive%2Fblog_food.html' alt='' /></div>Free Press Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03576435599798196440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3868568457426952689.post-90040826843565861942009-02-19T16:25:00.000-08:002009-02-19T17:11:59.906-08:00You Might Be a Chowhound If...<a href="http://www.freepresshouston.com/archive/uploaded_images/CH-logo-766822.png"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 193px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 185px" alt="" src="http://www.freepresshouston.com/archive/uploaded_images/CH-logo-766820.png" border="0" /></a>As part of one of the largest organized eating groups in Houston, aptly named the <strong>Houston Chowhounds</strong> (we lovingly call ourselves HouCHies), I have pondered many a wondrous thing that separates the proverbial boys from the men. In my eating circles, (yes, I have eating circles) my non-foodie friends just don’t get it. But in my little HouCH World, they do GET it. And I love that I know a multitude of people that come from all different spokes of the food universe.<br /><br />We are full-on gastrogeeks, chefs, writers, critics, photogs & stylists, bloggers, and good ole adventurous people that take serious eating to a whole new level. We simply DIG (into) food - all fashions, all forms, all the time.<br /><br />You might wonder, what defines who we are as a group, besides the fact that we are an endless search to chase the food dragon, whenever, wherever, with whomever?<br /><br />Well, I’m so glad you asked. You might be a HouCHie if:<br /><br />- You moan, groan, or close your eyes after the first bite of something delectable, usually embarrassing your non-Chowhound eating partner.<br /><br />- You meet up with people you’ve NEVER met and first time off the bat, just dig into their plate without even asking… we do realize most *normal* people FREAK about this.<br /><br />- You double dip and ain’t scared to do so…<br /><br />- You know or know of every chef in town.<br /><br />- You take photos of your food before eating it.<br /><br />- You plan ALL events of your day around meals – read: plural, <em>MEALS</em>.<br /><br />- You have handles on various social boards that include words like foodie, never full, hungry, bites, eats, bits, etc.<br /><br />- You have friends and family who actually say you might need professional help after describing your last meal to them, blow by blow.<br /><br />- You would take a day off of work to go on a food crawl. My boss thinks I'm nuts, most people take 3 day weekends to go away; I take a day off to go on an eating spree.<br /><br />- You recite lines from Top Chef – “I can name what is in that soup in 5 flavors”<br /><br />- You travel with specialty food items in your purse or car such as Truffle Salt or your favorite hot sauce<br /><br />- You spend your free time reading food blogs and restaurant reviews<br /><br />- You've secretly thought about starting your own food blog<br /><br />- You plan vacations around restaurant reservations, most of which were booked way in advance of your plane ticket<br /><br />Most recently we did a taco truck crawl, a 40+ person event, 3 stops, 6 hours, over 15 different types of foods consumed, and that isn’t including the beverages. If food is what you are about, you have to check us out. Seriously, we don’t bite. Okay, we don’t bite <em>people</em>…<br /><br />For additional information on joining and upcoming events, check out <a href="http://www.houstonchowhounds.com/">http://www.houstonchowhounds.com/</a><br /><br />-- <strong>Jody Flood Stevens</strong><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;color:#666666;">guest blogger and fellow Houston Chowhound, </span><a href="http://twitter.com/jodycakes"><span style="font-size:85%;color:#ff6600;">Jodycakes</span></a><span style="font-size:85%;color:#666666;">, a recent Houston transplant is one of six female bloggers at </span><a href="http://www.wheresmydamnanswer.com/WP02/"><span style="font-size:85%;color:#ff6600;">Where's My Damn Answer?</span></a><span style="font-size:85%;color:#666666;">, a hilarious blog collective with musings on life, friendship, food, and wine.</span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3868568457426952689-9004082684356586194?l=www.freepresshouston.com%2Farchive%2Fblog_food.html' alt='' /></div>Free Press Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03576435599798196440noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3868568457426952689.post-84455097336889010932009-02-07T21:00:00.000-08:002009-02-19T16:56:31.676-08:00Letters to a Young Food BloggerI feel terrible that it's been over a week and I haven't posted a tasty tidbit. I promise something delicious will come soon, but in the meantime a low-cal treat for purely chuckle-sakes: Take a look at the <a href="http://imneverfull.blogspot.com/2008/12/new-rainbow-lodge.html">lovely comments I get from my readers</a> from time to time on my personal food blog. It's pretty hilarious, I promise.<br /><br />-- <strong>Jenny Wang</strong> of imneverfull.com<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3868568457426952689-8445509733688901093?l=www.freepresshouston.com%2Farchive%2Fblog_food.html' alt='' /></div>Free Press Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03576435599798196440noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3868568457426952689.post-72283198776173067712009-01-30T13:26:00.000-08:002009-01-30T13:36:16.848-08:00I'm Never FullThat’s my moniker. I’ve been known to eat fried chicken at five restaurants and then go to a churrascaria for an AYCE-red-meat-on-a-stick dinner on the same day. I have <a href="http://www.houstonchowhounds.com/">plenty of witnesses</a> if you don’t believe me. <br /><br />My perfect date would start by having apps at one restaurant, entrees at another, and dessert/coffee at a third. To some, this kind of night might sound excruciating, but not to me. I have several reasons why: to prolong the dining experience - I love dining out and the initial excitement of walking into a restaurant is a kind of foreplay; to eat in different settings - every dining room has a different personality, vibe, and mood; and to eat with the right person can be an intimate, bonding experience leading into great conversation. If I don’t enjoy eating with someone, the relationship is doomed to fail before it ever really gets started.<br /><br /><strong>Fact:</strong> I’m either a really cheap date or a really expensive one. <br /><br />My food philosophy is the best meals in a city are found in the priciest/upscale digs and cheapest/modest hole-in-the-walls. High-end restos are usually sourcing local, artisanal, and seasonal ingredients from the best suppliers available and the tiny mom-and-pop’s are often hand-picking their groceries from the neighborhood <strong>Fiesta</strong> grocery or farmers market. I find the people behind these stoves are the most passionate. On one end, you find the classically-trained or professionally schooled chefs; and on the other, you find moms or pops fulfilling a lifelong dream of cooking the food they grew up eating and owning their own business. Mid-range restaurants – especially the highly detestable chains – use processed food from big food distribution companies, seem to be more concerned with volume and the bottom line than the art of cooking or the product itself, and are always the least interesting to visit and write about. <br /><br />No worries. I’ll save the chi chi restaurant reviews for <a href="http://imneverfull.com/">my blog</a> or for write-ups I’m actually getting paid for. Here on <strong>Free Press Cuizine</strong>, I intend to share all my underground, off-the-beaten path discoveries and keep you clued into exciting foodie news and events. I’ve been promised that I can “blow off steam” and be brutally honest here. I can even cuss if I really want to for a glimpse into the really <strong>Jenny Wang</strong>. Let’s just see what happens.<br /><br />I look forward to beginning this dialogue. Feel free to email me at <a href="mailto:imneverfull@gmail.com">imneverfull@gmail.com</a> if you have questions, suggestions, restaurant news, or food-related events you’d like to share. And if you think I suck and want to diss my writing or my palate, send me hate mail! i’m a stress-eater! <br /><br />In the meantime, between posts, <a href="http://twitter.com/imneverfull">follow me on <strong>Twitter</strong></a> and keep up with what I’m eating in real time. It’s fun. I promise.<br /><br />Peas out…<br /><br />-- <strong>Jenny Wang</strong> of imneverfull.com<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3868568457426952689-7228319877617306771?l=www.freepresshouston.com%2Farchive%2Fblog_food.html' alt='' /></div>Free Press Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03576435599798196440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3868568457426952689.post-50034927205776331752009-01-29T20:46:00.000-08:002009-01-30T14:06:12.881-08:00The Girl Who Will Lead Us to the Promised Meal<a href="http://www.freepresshouston.com/archive/uploaded_images/beardpapas-782791.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 164px; HEIGHT: 157px" alt="" src="http://www.freepresshouston.com/archive/uploaded_images/beardpapas-782786.jpg" border="0" /></a>We'd like to introduce you to a real foodie, a no-dish-barred, all-you-can-eat-and-then some devotee of the cuisine realm, <strong>Ms. Jenny "I'm Never Full" Wang</strong>. She has agreed to enlighten us with her savory wisdom and help let our readers know more about her main domain: Food.<br /><br />I first found her through the web when searching for food events in town and quickly learned that she is EVERYWHERE! She writes about food because that is what she loves. She blogs about it at <a href="http://imneverfull.com/">ImNeverFull.com</a>, posts on <a href="http://twitter.com/imneverfull">twitter</a> daily, and writes about the subject. I assume she dreams and talks about it too so it's easy to say that food is her life. She first wrote as a hobby and is now published by 002 Magazine and Citysearch. She is also the founder of the local foodie group Houston Chowhounds, <a href="http://www.houstonchowhounds.com/">HoustonChowhounds.com</a>, and she has organized such events as the recent Miracle Berry Flavor Tripping parties, the 'BBQ smackdown' to judge local BBQ joints, a 'fried-chicken crawl,' and the upcoming Taco Truck Crawl. A very busy lady indeed, but I thought surely she could squeeze in a little amuse bouche for us. It is our luck and the benefit of the whole food scene in Houston that she agreed.<br /><br />When I asked her what her earliest memory of food was she said it had been experiencing chocolate for the first time, a carnal delight that had been withheld by dietarily doting parents. It was Almond Roca:<br /><br /><span style="COLOR: rgb(153,153,153)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(102,102,102)"><em>"My parents hosted a dinner party one night and a guest brought a large can of Almond Roca to the house. I must have been 3 or 4 years old and that pink canister dazzled me. I kept asking what was in it. Our guest asked my mother if he could give me a piece. I think she obliged because she didn't have much choice. (i've always been a pretty stubborn and insistent little f*ck.) After my first bite, i kept making "mmm, mmm" noises over and over again and the dinner guest thought I was a bit "off" until he was informed that I had never had candy before, or chocolate for that matter."</em></span><br /></span><br />Later in life she would find success as a data management consultant where her best perk was not the satisfaction of success but the expense account and salary that allowed her to eat at the most renowned restaurants in the country, refining her palate on the choicest ingredients by star chefs to the point that when asked what cuisine she would choose if she had to eat it for the rest of her life she says:<br /><br /><span style="COLOR: rgb(102,102,102)"><em>"French. Indeniably. I'm sure I would weigh 200 pounds too. I love classic French cooking techniques and my four favorite food groups are butter, foie gras, truffles, and duck. The french have figured out how to get all 4 on one plate. I even carry truffle salt in my purse (makes great poor man's truffle fries). If I could carry the other 3 around, believe me, I would."<br /></em></span><br />If Jenny's rich tastes throw off some of our 'poor man' readers, fret not. Just remember: Taco Truck Crawl<br /><br />Her appetite precedes her and you can trust that your bellies and tastebuds are in good hands. And now I pass the plate to Jenny...<br /><br />--Andrea Afra<br /><a href="mailto:Andrea@FreePressHouston.com">Andrea@FreePressHouston.com</a><br /><br /><div align="left"><em><span style="font-size:85%;">photo credit: </span></em><a href="http://www.attuned.blogspot.com/"><em><span style="font-size:85%;">Aaron Werth</span></em></a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3868568457426952689-5003492720577633175?l=www.freepresshouston.com%2Farchive%2Fblog_food.html' alt='' /></div>Free Press Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03576435599798196440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3868568457426952689.post-81453155343002694342009-01-24T19:46:00.001-08:002009-01-24T20:39:00.818-08:00Word of Mouth Back in the earlier days of Free Press, we had a column called Word of Mouth. While there were several contributors, it was up to me to eat something and write about it- several reviews a month. Coupled with a two year stint writing reviews for Cuizine and having a baby, I packed on a few too many pounds, and at 5'3" and 3/4" tall, I wasn't meant to be indulging in a nightly smorgasbord of decadent three to eleven course meals. Thankfully, I have whittled my waist back down by a regime of not eating 3,000 calorie meals and hoola hooping frequently. <br /> <br /> The point here is that I need some help in getting the word out about all of the great places to eat in Houston. The diversity and vast selection of our cuisine is, in my opinion, our greatest asset. You can literally taste your way around the world if you play your cards right. <br /> We are a city built on food and the service industry workers are the people who keep it going. From line cooks, waiters and baristas, to local and immigrant mom and pop restaurateurs, without them, we'd have nothing but our own measly cooking skills available and Applebee's. Instead we've got authentic food from Ethiopia at the Blue Nile Cafe, to fresh and affordable Banh Mi at Les Givral and Cali Sandwich.<br /> We'd like to open this page up to anyone who'd like to write a review about a local dining experience- good or bad- but preferably delicious. Also, any servers out there who need a place to vent, be it about the idiot customer who never tips more than a buck, or the fools who ask for a bunch of lemons because they're too cheap to buy a lemonade. Or how about the fact that people seem to be clueless that most waiters only make $2.13 an hour. <br /><br />I'll get it started: <br /><br /><b>Dinner and a Show</b><br /><br />I was enjoying a big bowl of pho at Van Loc the other day, where they are adamantly against people getting to-go cups. This is posted everywhere but somehow a woman overlooked the signage and asked for a to-go cup for her water. The server said sorry, no can do, and the woman proceeded to throw a fit, telling me how she wanted to take her water with her because she doesn't drink liquids with her meals. (I wanted to ask her if soup was in her diet, but decided to nod knowingly) I thought it was over when the woman started to walk out the door until I and the server realized she was taking the restaurant's cup with her. The server threatened to call the cops for theft, so the woman threw the cup of ice water at her and cussing her way out the door, she was gone.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3868568457426952689-8145315534300269434?l=www.freepresshouston.com%2Farchive%2Fblog_food.html' alt='' /></div>Free Press Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03576435599798196440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3868568457426952689.post-64446739268064908152008-12-13T12:30:00.000-08:002008-12-13T13:31:23.834-08:00In search of kaffir lime leaves and hidden Thai delights<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.freepresshouston.com/archive/uploaded_images/kaffir-702477.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" src="http://www.freepresshouston.com/archive/uploaded_images/kaffir-702457.jpg" width="200" /></a>Kaffir Lime Leaves: Wherefore Art Thou? </div><div style="text-align: right;"><a href="http://www.freepresshouston.com/archive/uploaded_images/kaffir-702477.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div> While I love trying Thai recipes at home there was always something missing: Kaffir lime leaves.<br />There is no substitute for the aromatic ingredient that adds that signature Thai-ness to traditional dishes. I have bought the jarred version of chopped leaves submerged in water only to have them mold something awful and have to be tossed out. They didn't even add that special oomph I sought, so it was just a waste of money all around.<br /><br /> So I Googled "kaffir lime leaves Houston" and found Asia Market in the Heights and saw that they also served food. When the fam and I pulled up to the market my husband flatly asked if we were really going to eat at a corner store. The establishment is nothing more than a strip center shop set up like a Stop-n-Go, except instead of candy bars and cigarettes they sell typical and elusive Asian ingredients, specifically catering to the Thai, Cambodian, and Laotian community. There is a small section set up with a few tables and the kitchen seemed like nothing more than a stove and a counter with an open view for those foodie voyeurs. <br /><br />We ordered dinner at the cash register and proceeded to fill the time waiting with snooping through the shelves and coolers of exotic ingredients. I did find my kaffir lime leaves, as well as baby Thai eggplants, mysteriously creamy nam pla (fish sauce), Yan Yan, curry pastes and bases and other things I will leave for you to discover. (Okay, I'm bad at secrets so I'll just tell you that if you're ever shopping for grasshoppers or silkworms, amongst other frozen critters, this is your place.) <br /><br />The food came out and while I wasn't disappointed in my dish, my husband had ordered the seafood green curry and found very few baby shrimp swimming alongside a ton of baby eggplant in a vat of sauce. I had the Panang with chicken which was decent and spicy enough but the fried tilapia with a sweet/spicy sauce was really good. None of the dishes cost more than six-eight bucks so we didn't feel slighted even though the green curry dish fell short of expectations. I would suggest to avoid ordering the seafood version of any dishes if you are looking for a larger serving of food. <br /><br />If you want some really kick ass Thai go to Thai Spice at 8282 Bellaire. Yes, it's outside the loop but I wouldn't send you all the way out there if I didn't think you'd be stupid happy after eating there. And no, it's not the same as Thai Spice buffet on Voss, nor does it resemble Thai Spice in the village, but it is the best Thai I've come across for the price since Bangkok Place in Montrose (now Nidda) closed down and broke my heart. (I really did refuse to eat Thai for a long time after Marty Chuenpreecha, who used to own Patu's and Bangkok Place, closed down and moved to California. I'm still recovering from the loss.)<br /><br />My next venture in Thai is to check out the notorious Telephone Thai. They had been closed for the past couple of weeks, but a recording said they would reopen soon.<br /><br />So we're planning another trip back to Asia Market soon. Anywhere that I can shop the unknown while I wait for my order is the place for me. You can check out their menu online to get an idea of what all they have. If you've been here before, let me know what to try next. <br /><br /><br />Asia Market<br />1010 W Cavalcade St # D<br />Houston, TX 77009<br />(713) 863-7074<br />http://asiamarket-hou.com<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3868568457426952689-6444673926806490815?l=www.freepresshouston.com%2Farchive%2Fblog_food.html' alt='' /></div>Free Press Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03576435599798196440noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3868568457426952689.post-54761755828804687212008-10-16T21:33:00.000-07:002008-10-16T22:32:37.279-07:00Yes Yes, Ya'll- Another Flavor Trippin' Party is in Effect Ya'll (@ St Arnold's Brewery)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.freepresshouston.com/archive/uploaded_images/tongue-tattoo-738496.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://www.freepresshouston.com/archive/uploaded_images/tongue-tattoo-738493.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />When: 11/7 & 11/23<br />Where: St. Arnold's Brewery<br />What: Flavor Trippin Party<br />Host: <a href="http://www.theberryfairy.com/Home">Houston Chowhounds and the Berry Fairy</a><br /><br />Please don't tell me you have something better to do than eat a crazy ass berry that changes your taste perception into a psychedelic experience. And equally excellent is the location of the party: THE St. Arnold's Brewery, where you will get to imbibe as much of their fine beverages as you can responsibly intake. <br />Basically, you eat this West African berry that inhibits your sour and bitter taste reception. A selection of foods will be provided based on their flavor interaction with the berry and your taste buds. Lemons will taste sweet, stout beer like a chocolate milkshake, cheese like cheesecake. <br /><br />From the site: <br />The Houston Chowhounds are back to host Houston's second ever Miracle Berry Flavor Tripping party @ St. Arnold Brewery, our city's favorite microbrewery located right outside the loop just 10 miles from downtown. Here's your chance to visit the brewery before they move to their new location downtown in 2009. <br /> <br />A portion of the evening's proceeds will go to the Koonce Family Benefit Fund set up for James and Katharine Koonce who were critically injured in the Brennan's fire during Hurricane Ike.<br /> <br />Your ticket includes 1 miracle berry, a spread of foods specially selected for the flavor tripping, and all-you-can-(safely)drink St. Arnold's beer! There will be 6 beers on tap including their seasonal Oktoberfest beer and the delicious St. Arnold Root beer too! <br /> <br />All you can drink microbrew + wacky berry-induced tastebud tripping = the perfect combination for a raucously fun evening Willy Wonka style! Miracle berry tablets will also be available for purchase at the event.<br /> <br />There are a limited number of tickets for this event. The party will sell out so don't be left out!<br /><a href="http://www.theberryfairy.com/Home"><br />Click here for tickets and details: http://www.theberryfairy.com/Home</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3868568457426952689-5476175582880468721?l=www.freepresshouston.com%2Farchive%2Fblog_food.html' alt='' /></div>Free Press Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03576435599798196440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3868568457426952689.post-27643939602859762832008-09-25T21:31:00.000-07:002008-09-25T22:30:36.908-07:00Hurricane Food: Houston's Biggest Asset on the Ike Diet<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.freepresshouston.com/archive/uploaded_images/pbj-725414.png"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://www.freepresshouston.com/archive/uploaded_images/pbj-725409.png" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /> Poor Houston. This Friday will mark two weeks without power and while Centerpoint is saying over 75% of service has been restored, there are many people and businesses in our area that are still getting by on generators, extension cords, or nothing at all. As I sit on my porch writing this, the street is dark and quiet save for the neighbors generator humming in the night.<br /><br /> For the first couple of days I used what was still in the kitchen and came up with a decent stove top eggplant parmesan. Then it was my famous 'macaroni and cheese dogs' and finally peanut butter and jelly (thank God for jelly). When I went to Fiesta on Dunlavy to try to find more groceries they had no lights, only a generator running the registers and all of the cold foods had been removed from the store. People were walking around the aisles with flashlights, shining them around the picked over shelves. It was an eerie setting.<br /><br /> On a bike ride later that day I caught the odor of food wafting through the air. El Pueblito was open but running off a generator and though they had 86'd half the menu, there was a line out the door of people putting in to go orders. Down the road, Chapultepec was also filling to go orders, and they only had an extension cord and a gas stove to work with, but for many grateful customers it was the first hot meal they had enjoyed in several days.<br /><br /> I have to commend these businesses for opening their doors and especially the cooks who showed up to work in the overwhelming heat to make our meals. One employee from Rudyards told me that while he really appreciated that his boss had kept them fed on barbecue for the last week, what he really wanted was a salad. It has been very hard on many business to get the simple mainstay produce ingredients they need so they are serving what they can until they can get their orders filled.<br /><br /> For those restaurants who haven't been able to reopen, consider their employees who haven't been able to work, and the owners who still have pay the lease at the end of the month. Servers only make $2.13 an hour so it isn't their paychecks they will miss, but your tips that they depend on. The next time you sit down to eat at a restaurant, skip dessert or that last drink and leave them the cash. They'll really appreciate it and you could stand to lose a few anyway, right?<br /><br /><br />Question to the reader: What was your most memorable hurricane Ike food experience?<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3868568457426952689-2764393960285976283?l=www.freepresshouston.com%2Farchive%2Fblog_food.html' alt='' /></div>Free Press Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03576435599798196440noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3868568457426952689.post-2979374876990311882008-08-04T09:21:00.000-07:002008-08-04T09:45:03.531-07:00Houston Restaurant Week August 11th-17th, Benefiting End Hunger<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.houstonrestaurantweek.com"><span style="display: block;" id="formatbar_Buttons"><span class="on down" style="display: block;" id="formatbar_CreateLink" title="Link" onmouseover="ButtonHoverOn(this);" onmouseout="ButtonHoverOff(this);" onmouseup="" onmousedown="CheckFormatting(event);FormatbarButton('richeditorframe', this, 8);ButtonMouseDown(this);"><img src="img/gl.link.gif" alt="Link" border="0" /></span></span><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://www.freepresshouston.com/archive/uploaded_images/HRW-2008-Logo-228x228-716272.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />It's time for Restaurant Week benefiting Houston's End Hunger network. Fifty of Houston's finest dining establishments are offering a three course meal for only $35,(which would normally cost 2 or 3x that amount) of which $5 will go towards helping the hungry. End Hunger not only helps to feed the hungry but it also offers job training in the culinary field for low income adults, which means that you could one day be enjoying a skillfully prepared meal by someone that you were able to help out just by eating somewhere nice. And if you've been wanting to impress a certain lady friend, this is a great opportunity to plan a special night out- but only through the week of August 11th-17th, so hurry up you procrastinators or else you'll be stuck paying full price for a T-Bone at Outback when for the same price you could have been enjoying some quality cuisine from restaurants like 17, Glass Wall, La Columbe d'Or, Quattro, and many more.<br /><br />For a list of participating restaurants, menu offerings and reservations go to<br /><a href="http://www.houstonrestaurantweek.com"> www.HoustonRestaurantWeek.com<br /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3868568457426952689-297937487699031188?l=www.freepresshouston.com%2Farchive%2Fblog_food.html' alt='' /></div>Free Press Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03576435599798196440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3868568457426952689.post-35235490104800959732008-07-31T08:02:00.001-07:002008-07-31T08:31:25.298-07:00Houston Food and Wine Talk Radio Show<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.freepresshouston.com/archive/uploaded_images/radio-773086.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://www.freepresshouston.com/archive/uploaded_images/radio-773079.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><br />FYI: <br />Did you know that Houston has its very own food and wine talk radio show? Well, we do. <br /><br />DELICIOUS MISCHIEF, With John DeMersand airs this Saturday August 2, 2008 from 11am until Noon on CNN 650. This week he's talking about the ever diverse avocado along with other local hospitality news, so tune it in. See, the radio is still good for something!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3868568457426952689-3523549010480095973?l=www.freepresshouston.com%2Farchive%2Fblog_food.html' alt='' /></div>Free Press Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03576435599798196440noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3868568457426952689.post-20117900059427959522008-07-24T17:29:00.000-07:002008-07-24T17:58:05.980-07:00Miracle Berry Flavor Tripping Party @ La Strada Friday 7/25 at 5:30<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.freepresshouston.com/archive/uploaded_images/mircleberry-764699.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://www.freepresshouston.com/archive/uploaded_images/mircleberry-764640.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />The Miracle Berry, <span style="font-style:italic;">Sideroxylon dulcificum</span>, comes from an evergreen native to West Africa. It has the odd Wonka-esque quality of changing all bitter and sour flavors to sweet. The fruit was first documented by Chevalier des Marchais, an explorer, in 1725 while on an excursion. The active chemical miraculin binds to the taste buds inhibiting the bitter and sour qualities in whatever food is eaten after chewing the fleshy part of the berry, making even a sip of acidic vinegar taste sweet. The fruit itself is not outstanding in anyway, tasting much like a bland version of cranberry. But, to my knowledge, there is no other way to get Tabasco sauce to taste like a piquant donut glaze straight from the bottle. The berries are expensive and highly perishable but La Strada is taking reservations for $20 a head which includes a berry and an assortment of foods to amuse your bouche. <br /><br />$20 at the door<br />RSVP to BerryFairyHouston@GMail.com<br /><br />La Strada<br />5:30-8:00pm<br />322 Westheimer Rd. @ Taft<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3868568457426952689-2011790005942795952?l=www.freepresshouston.com%2Farchive%2Fblog_food.html' alt='' /></div>Free Press Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03576435599798196440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3868568457426952689.post-5331544791758059722008-07-11T23:41:00.000-07:002008-07-12T10:34:58.875-07:00What to Serve: a Speech by a Seasoned Chinese Waiter<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.freepresshouston.com/archive/uploaded_images/chinesenoodles-743859.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://www.freepresshouston.com/archive/uploaded_images/chinesenoodles-743856.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />By Julie Lai<br /><br />A new face comes in and waits to be seated. You walk her to an empty table, seat her, and give her a menu. She opens it, only to encounter the most difficult choices in her life. <br /><br />On the left page, she sees:<br /><br />Chicken with Garlic Sauce<br /><br />Kung Po chicken with cashew nuts<br /><br />House special Chicken (Just how special is special?)<br /><br />General Tao's Chicken <br /><br />And on the next page, comes across:<br /><br />Chicken with black bean sauce<br /><br />Curry Chicken<br /><br />Chicken with broccoli<br /><br />Chicken with Chinese broccoli <br /><br />To make life even harder, the poor woman sees a happy Chinese family reading a booklet, which looks like a completely different menu altogether. She asks for that menu, but finds the whole thing more or less in Chinese, which she cannot read. She frowns, curls her lips, and waves you over. <br /><br />And what will you, the Chinese culinary expert, at least to that poor customer, tell her? <br /><br />As the headwaiter, I'll teach you what to serve to different customers. Remember, we cook ethnic food, and Chinese style means different dishes for different people. To be a good waiter, we need to understand all types of customers. Discrimination, especially ethnic discrimination, is important to waiters' job -- equal opportunity does not apply to Chinese cuisines. Customers believe you because you speak Chinese. In return, we cater to customers' special needs, especially ethnic needs. If we start serving everyone the same entree, our customers will throw egg-foo-yong at us. Based on my ten years at Fowl Luck Chinese Seafood, our customers are divided into four groups. <br /><br />Real Chinese usually know their stuff, so catch the bass, the salmon, or the tilapia from the tank and haul it into the kitchen -- our special of the day. How to tell if a Chinese is REAL Chinese? If she reads the Chinese menu, she passes the test. Or see if she speaks Chinese. If she opens her mouth and out comes "may I see the English menu . . . " then put her in the ABC category. <br /><br />ABC (American-born Chinese): these alphabets are a confused bunch. They never try cow's tongue, pig's tongue, or chicken's liver we Chinese really like. Some prefer the real-looking (student waiter: you mean "authentic-looking"?) dishes without going deep inside the animal -- what can I say, their love of Chinese culture is only "skin-deep". Suggest "shrimp stuffed with tofu", "salt-baked Chicken", or beef with Chinese broccoli. Some may even say the dish's name out loud. Don't be fooled: they do not know what Chinese cuisine really taste like. <br /><br />For the gweilos, I mean, the "real" foreigners, recommend the usual kung-po, curry, sa-cha, sweet and sour dishes, or Chinese food loses meaning to them. Do not wait for them to ask for forks and plates; leave them on their tables. Add a "gung fai¨, or a sharing fork -- those ghosts like privacy even when they share a table. (Waiter again: what about the M . . .) Ah, yes, if these gweis ask about MSGs, tell them that artificial processing has been the modern way; we use them like they use sweet-and-no (Waiter: it's sweet-and-low. Head waiter: enough!), margarine, and low-fat frying oil. Deep down, they like their food very processed. Many foreigners eat in a refined way -- they don't want their chicken to stare, their fish to swim, and the less the food looks like an animal the better. <br /><br />Now here comes the hardest category: customers who don't fit the three types. It is like after years of trying Chinese food, some people discover Jet Li and Chow Yun Fat after trying a few Jackie Chans. Now these people want to climb their way up the Chinese food chain. Sadly, they don't have something in the forehead that says "I like to try the authentic (a stare at the college waiter) stuff", so we assume they prefer the "traditional" dishes we serve them. We learn about them only after they put a card in the suggestion box -- poor people, I'm sure they think we are discriminating against them. So if you are not sure, see if they can pick up the soy sauce bottle with chopsticks and fold the wrappers into chopstick stands. Those who pass the test will become seasoned veterans, and we can ask them to choose between different food. If they don't like what they pick, tough luck to them. <br /><br />I know sometimes people complain we serve poorly. Don't worry, we are picked by the newspaper, for five years in a woe (young waiter under his breath: it's row), as the Best Chinese Seafood in town, so bad service won't hurt us. Bad food may, but the health inspector won't come any time soon; his wife came last week to try some Chinese vegetables, and she is so "delighted" by the flower mushrooms she won't come back for another Veggie Delight. For other whiners, simply point to the photo at the front: even Jackie Chan ate here and didn't complain (he does not even when he falls on his stunts), what should they complain about?<br /><br /><br />Julie Lai teaches English for Chinese speakers at <a href="http://www.hkenglish.org/index.html">http://www.hkenglish.org/</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3868568457426952689-533154479175805972?l=www.freepresshouston.com%2Farchive%2Fblog_food.html' alt='' /></div>Free Press Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03576435599798196440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3868568457426952689.post-32627871597693676962008-07-07T13:49:00.000-07:002008-07-07T14:05:55.836-07:00Green Drinks Happy Hour for Caroline Collective at Beaver's Icehouse<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.freepresshouston.com/archive/uploaded_images/light-beer-719814.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://www.freepresshouston.com/archive/uploaded_images/light-beer-719810.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Drink for a good local cause: <br /><br />This Wednesday, July 9th at Beaver's Icehouse on Decatur Street 25% of all drink and appetizer specials will go towards keeping the lights and energy flowing at the Caroline Collective. Snack on refreshing bites and bevs while supporting local community initiatives! <br /><br />Support local start-ups and small business ventures with Caroline Collective, Houston’s newest entrepreneurial location.<br /><br />Join Caroline Collective every Wednesday at Beaver's from 5-10 pm all summer long for $4 appetizers, $3.50 beer and $5 cocktails. <br /><br />Beaver's Icehouse <br />2310 Decatur Street (77007) <br />713.864. BEAV (2328) <br />Beavershouston.com<br /><br />Caroline Collective<br />4820 Caroline St. (77004)<br />713.825.4613<br />www.CarolineCollective.cc<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3868568457426952689-3262787159769367696?l=www.freepresshouston.com%2Farchive%2Fblog_food.html' alt='' /></div>Free Press Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03576435599798196440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3868568457426952689.post-11416189364705817672008-07-07T09:58:00.000-07:002008-07-07T12:26:49.077-07:00Coffee Time!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.freepresshouston.com/archive/uploaded_images/coffee-poster-774017.bmp"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://www.freepresshouston.com/archive/uploaded_images/coffee-poster-773978.bmp" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />Since the closing of Cafe Artiste (little birds told me it was due to very bad management by the owners) whose single brewed cups of freshly ground Kenya AA beans quickly spoiled my taste for other cafes, I have been on the prowl for the next best thing. <br />Those of you who like Starbucks are probably the same who prefer Michelob over Stella, but for me the luxury of being served my morning fix through a drive-thru window doesn't even begin to compensate for the sensation of slurping down a hot melted tire. (Plus, they're evil) Just because they are EVERYWHERE doesn't mean you have to drink it. <br />Here is my list of places to get good coffee with a reference to why they're good vs. why they suck. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />Diedrich's on Montrose</span>: <br />At $2 a pop for a large daily brew, it's worth it if you're on the go but try to by a bag of beans instead. It will pay for itself 2x over. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />Cafe Brasil on Dunlavy</span>: <br />Man, while I really like Brasil, the drip coffee is just not up to par with the rest of the menu. Not always, though, it's just hit and miss. The staff can tell you what is good that day but go for a latte or an espresso drink and your brain will be revved up in no time. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Agora on Westhiemer:</span> <br />Hmmm, I know these guys get a lot of guff for not serving Greek coffee in a Greek cafe named after a Greek market. It's not one of my favorite places to get coffee but they've got a decent cup of drip and a cute little sugar/milk bar and free candy sometimes so...<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Empire Cafe on Westheimer:</span> <br />Yeah, I have to say that these guys have a consistently good drip coffee selection and being right next to Brasil, I can't lie and say I haven't chosen Empire over Brasil for breakfast simply because I like my coffee to taste like coffee. And they give you cookies w/ your coffee cuz they love you.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Ziggy's on Fairview:</span> <br />This could be good coffee if it was brewed a little stronger. They offer some pecan flavored crap but skip that and go with the house brew. You may need to drink six cups to get your fix but the servers are really nice (though I can't say the same about the owners-- see the oppressive sign behind the counter regarding the abominable sin of the employees changing the radio station) <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />River Oaks Cafe on Westheimer</span> (out towards Weslayan, next to TruValue): <br />I really like the ladies that work here. They remember me and don't bat an eye when I'm still slurring my words and wiping eye boogies. They have a decent Kenya AA and a good house brew, as well as a really good iced coffee-- you can also try a variety of other coffees like Vietnamese style and espresso drinks, etc. Complimentary fruit is another perk here. <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />El Rey on Shepherd @ Washington:</span><br />Drive-through. Cuban espresso. Cafe con leche. Cafe Mocha con Leche. Decent daily drip brews. Drive-through. And a mean rotisserie chicken to boot. Que mas could you want? Okay, a location a bit closer to the 'Trose would be nice. <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />Blue Nile Ethopian Restaurant on Richmond, Southwest side</span>: <br />So while I don't really expect you 'inner loopers' to trek this far just for a cup of coffee, you have to know about this place. When you order coffee, you don't just get a mug with some brown stuff in it. You get a ceremony! A lovely Ethiopian woman roasts the beans in a hot pan before your eyes, the scentuous aroma hypnotic as she expertly shakes the pan under your nose. Then the coffee beans are ground and brewed and for some reason they serve it with a big basket of popcorn. Hell yeah! Ask for this kind of service at any inner loop cafe and see the apathetic glazed stare of your barista look you up and down like you're from Dallas or something. <br /><br /><br />So there you have it. If you know of any good coffee places leave a comment so and we'll add it to the list.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3868568457426952689-1141618936470581767?l=www.freepresshouston.com%2Farchive%2Fblog_food.html' alt='' /></div>Free Press Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03576435599798196440noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3868568457426952689.post-14620436509584327772008-06-29T15:36:00.000-07:002008-06-30T16:53:54.370-07:00Cheap Fills: Eating like a king on a proletariat's salaryAdmittedly, most of you probably spend an equal if not greater proportion of your hard earned money on alcohol instead of food. You'll drop a ten for two Cape Cods without a second thought, but ten bucks for one meal seems like a lot of dough for something as petty as life sustenance. We understand, and we're here to help but we'll need your participation. Just leave your comments about where you go to eat on the cheap. <br /> <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />Les Givrals <br />2704 Milam</span><br />If you don't know about the $2 Ban Mi here, then you can thank us after you've had one of the best and cheapest Vietnamese sandwiches in town. A chewy French bread roll is filled with your choice of tofu, eggs, chicken or pork, English cucumber, mayo, pickled carrots and daikon, cilantro, and a strip of jalapeno. It is truly a poor man's feast, especially paired with a side of spring rolls.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><a href="http://www.redlionhouston.com">Red Lion Pub</a></span><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">2316 S Shepherd Drive just north of Fairview</span> <br />This has got to be one of the best late night places to eat inside the Loop.(Plus industry workers get great drink specials every night.) Monday nights are $5 burger night. You get a huge pile of handcut fries with your choice of a 1/2 lb. Angus cheeseburger or 4 mini burgers. Wednesday nights are $12 Curry and Pint Night, with your choice of a bowl of spicy beef vindaloo or chicken tikka masala, served over rice with naan bread and your choice of a cold pint to wash it down.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">La Tapatia Taqueria<br />1749 Richmond Avenue at Woodhead</span><br />It's all about the torta here. Ranging from $3.25 and up you can get a fresh Mexican bun filled with anything from eggs and cheese to shrimp, chicken, beef fajita, and even tongue if you're feeling kinda lonely. It comes with avocado, pico de gallo, lettuce, tomatoes and refried beans all packed neatly inside. Plus you'll get chips and salsa. If you're a good person you'll leave more than 15% for the tip-- 60 cents ain't gonna cut it.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3868568457426952689-1462043650958432777?l=www.freepresshouston.com%2Farchive%2Fblog_food.html' alt='' /></div>Free Press Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03576435599798196440noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3868568457426952689.post-46268010846158243552008-06-28T10:20:00.000-07:002008-07-07T14:08:14.760-07:00Cuizine Houston is now at Free Press Houston<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.freepresshouston.com/archive/uploaded_images/Marines-743496.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://www.freepresshouston.com/archive/uploaded_images/Marines-743490.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />Cuizine Houston, a former print magazine and CuizineHouston.com have now merged with the Free Press Houston. Here you will find restaurant news, reviews, and the latest specials offered by your local favorite places to eat and drink. The next time you're trying to figure out where to grab a bite, check the Cuizine:Food/Drinks page at FreePressHouston.com for some ideas. If you would like to post your own review, good or bad, email us at Andrea@FreePressHouston.com-- it might be printed in an upcoming issue of the Free Press. Binge on!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3868568457426952689-4626801084615824355?l=www.freepresshouston.com%2Farchive%2Fblog_food.html' alt='' /></div>Free Press Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03576435599798196440noreply@blogger.com0