So I'm sitting here taking a break on a Saturday night, just catching up on some shows and honestly, just trying to slow my 1098102938 mph life for a moment in time. What am I watching? well, what else? Anthony Bourdain, no reservations of course! And what's the topic or place of eats you ask? Obsessed.
Now I like to think I'm pretty freakin obsessed with food. I really do. I really am. But as they say, there's always someone more ____ than you. I agree.
Right now on the show, he's going through a little vignette on three food bloggers and well, what else, eating with them. Anthony Bourdain makes a set of comments as each blogger takes out a camera and snaps shots of the food and AB asks, at what point do you just enjoy the food? There's obsessed and then there's letting your amazing food get cold and not as good as when it first comes out!!
Now I am DEFINITELY one to take pictures of my food because honestly, it's beautiful stuff, not just visually, but mentally. I am definitely of the opinion that you need to feast with your eyes and mind before you eat and especially when I'm cooking, I like to set up each guest mentally and visually before serving because it's an EXPERIENCE, not just eating, but an experience.
But there have been occasions when I forget to whip out the camera and occasions when I specifically do NOT take it out because I know there's something special in front of me.
Usually, it's not just amazing food that I want to devote all my time and energy at THAT specific time on, but it's also ridiculously amazing company that I want to devote all my time and energy on as well.
I just came back from NYC eating at arguably the most amazing meal that I've had in my life at PER SE, and I remember making what seems to me now, an absolutely absurd comment. We had great banter with our server and at one point in the night I said something along the lines of, "this food is amazing and wonderful, but it's just food, I am enjoying the experience because of the company, I am here for the company and getting to enjoy this with the amazing people in my life." Shocking. Me, David, dismissed the food in favor of the company! And you know what, I didn't once take my camera out (luckily one of my friends did), but I was absolutely caught up in the moment of that meal, that company, and it was in a word, fun.
I have to admit, without the fantastic company that I keep when I eat, it just wouldn't make any sense. If I can't share the experience with people, both those I love and care about and the new strangers who become fast friends because of the experience, then this obsession would mean absolutely nothing to me.
So to all those out there that I am honored to share food and drink with, salud! Let's have another ;)
Showing posts with label dham eats. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dham eats. Show all posts
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Saturday, August 22, 2009
We all make our order
It’s funny how peoples’ minds work isn’t it? Take my own, my mind seems to make memories based on smells, tastes, and vehicles. Sometimes, I remember someone’s face by remembering the car they used to drive, but more often than not, it seems to come in that order, car, then face. A lot of times, it’s the same with events and faces when I’m eating. They say your memory is really linked to your sense of smell and it’s really true for me. Food, then faces.
So think how odd to me that this past week I spent in New Jersey and New York, working, eating. Food, work, then faces. I’ve been absolutely ecstatic that I was able to get reservations at Babbo Italian Restaurant, Mario Batali’s restaurant. It takes a month in advance at least, to get reservations and luckily this time around, I was able to plan things out to get those reservations. In fact, this time around, I had enough advance notice to actually put together a small group to eat with that was not just limited to coworkers that were with me on the trip. Faces, food.
Therein lies the oddity. For all intents and purposes, I should have been absolutely ready, prepared to immerse myself in this wonderful food, prepared with deliberation and intent for the sole purpose of eating and yes, entertaining me and my friends. But I have to say, the food wasn’t the highlight, I didn’t even THINK to bring out my camera to take pictures until almost the end of the meal, and did not stay the conversation to expressly enjoy the food itself. No, the conversation and fun, flowed just as evenly as the 9 wonderful courses made their way out to us, and in fact, overwhelmed the experience and makes me sit back now thinking. This was an experience! Gastronomical, yes, but social, and utterly enjoyable. 2 hours, 2 bottles, 9 courses, 3 unrelated, but completely open and enjoyable guests at the table. THIS is how we should all experience our meals, this is how we should break bread and enjoy people. So simple! Beautiful food, wonderful company, and truly, the time to enjoy it all. If only all our meals could be enjoyed as such! Faces, voices, food.
So think how odd to me that this past week I spent in New Jersey and New York, working, eating. Food, work, then faces. I’ve been absolutely ecstatic that I was able to get reservations at Babbo Italian Restaurant, Mario Batali’s restaurant. It takes a month in advance at least, to get reservations and luckily this time around, I was able to plan things out to get those reservations. In fact, this time around, I had enough advance notice to actually put together a small group to eat with that was not just limited to coworkers that were with me on the trip. Faces, food.
Therein lies the oddity. For all intents and purposes, I should have been absolutely ready, prepared to immerse myself in this wonderful food, prepared with deliberation and intent for the sole purpose of eating and yes, entertaining me and my friends. But I have to say, the food wasn’t the highlight, I didn’t even THINK to bring out my camera to take pictures until almost the end of the meal, and did not stay the conversation to expressly enjoy the food itself. No, the conversation and fun, flowed just as evenly as the 9 wonderful courses made their way out to us, and in fact, overwhelmed the experience and makes me sit back now thinking. This was an experience! Gastronomical, yes, but social, and utterly enjoyable. 2 hours, 2 bottles, 9 courses, 3 unrelated, but completely open and enjoyable guests at the table. THIS is how we should all experience our meals, this is how we should break bread and enjoy people. So simple! Beautiful food, wonderful company, and truly, the time to enjoy it all. If only all our meals could be enjoyed as such! Faces, voices, food.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Food pr0n party
So as I was watching the latest episode of Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations, episode labeled "Food Porn," all I could think was, damn, it's been a while since I've tried a totally new and crazy food item. I am in need of a bit of a taste palette tease.
As such, I think it may be an opportunity to get some of my more near and dear foodies to get together and have a little tasting party.
Of most interesting note from the No Reservations episode that I would really like to try to make, super soft boiled egg covered with a nice stinky, melty, soft cheese, and shaved truffles. Yum.
Heck, why not just call it a Food Pr0n party. Anyone in blogger world in?
As such, I think it may be an opportunity to get some of my more near and dear foodies to get together and have a little tasting party.
Of most interesting note from the No Reservations episode that I would really like to try to make, super soft boiled egg covered with a nice stinky, melty, soft cheese, and shaved truffles. Yum.
Heck, why not just call it a Food Pr0n party. Anyone in blogger world in?
Monday, July 21, 2008
Romeros Las Brazas and the King Biscuit Cafe
So I've had a chance to start up the search again and I got to experience a couple of choice places this weekend!
Romeros Las Brazas:
Heck if I know what the heck that translates to (I'm sure I could google translate it), but all I know is that the breakfast tacos were amazing! The place is waaay out off FM1960 and 290, but if you live out that way, it's worth a stop over. Probably worth a stop over even if you don't live that way!
The tortillas were, of course, FRESH made daily and served hot. This is almost a requirement of a mexican place for me now (spoiled? maybe.). I had two tacos, the chicharrones and the barbacoa.
The chicharrones one was good! For the uninitiated, chicharrones are fried pork skins, yes, that stuff. =) Except they slathered the pork skins with a beautifully spicy green chile sauce stuffed into that fresh tortilla, yum.
But the real scene stealer was the barbacoa! I've never tasted barbacoa with quite this kind of flavor before! It was mild, yet flavorful, with a wonderful mouthfeel that wasn't super greasy, but you could still taste all the goodness that is fat rendered out of the meat! And for 1.75 a pop, that's about the right price for the quality of fare here.
YUM.
The King Biscuit Cafe:
Now this place had ambiance! I would regularly go to this place if I could! It was a cute little cafe out on the north end of downtown in the older section of town. Brightly colored inside and out, lots of kitsch and interest without being pompous at all.
Maggie and Nick took care of us as if we were guests at their house, awesome. You could really tell that the people who work here care about the place and it not only was reflected in the food they served, but in their outright interest in their customers!
I found out that Nick wasn't even a server! He's actually the night cook! And Maggie was filling in that morning as well for one of the other workers who just decided not to show up. I tell ya, the place was so cool, it made me want to go and put some hours in myself!
I had the biscuits and gravy, and this was a very different biscuits and gravy for sure! Although I do love the traditional buttermilk biscuits with white meaty gravy, this one had a wonderful white meaty gravy with big ol chunks of breakfast sausage in it, but on special toasty rolls with just a hint of sourdough it seemed (maybe I was wrong)... Very good stuff and with very nicely cooked country potatoes, what a great plate! reasonably priced at 6.95 for the dish as a brunch item and we were definitely good to go =)
Romeros Las Brazas:
Heck if I know what the heck that translates to (I'm sure I could google translate it), but all I know is that the breakfast tacos were amazing! The place is waaay out off FM1960 and 290, but if you live out that way, it's worth a stop over. Probably worth a stop over even if you don't live that way!
The tortillas were, of course, FRESH made daily and served hot. This is almost a requirement of a mexican place for me now (spoiled? maybe.). I had two tacos, the chicharrones and the barbacoa.
The chicharrones one was good! For the uninitiated, chicharrones are fried pork skins, yes, that stuff. =) Except they slathered the pork skins with a beautifully spicy green chile sauce stuffed into that fresh tortilla, yum.
But the real scene stealer was the barbacoa! I've never tasted barbacoa with quite this kind of flavor before! It was mild, yet flavorful, with a wonderful mouthfeel that wasn't super greasy, but you could still taste all the goodness that is fat rendered out of the meat! And for 1.75 a pop, that's about the right price for the quality of fare here.
YUM.
The King Biscuit Cafe:
Now this place had ambiance! I would regularly go to this place if I could! It was a cute little cafe out on the north end of downtown in the older section of town. Brightly colored inside and out, lots of kitsch and interest without being pompous at all.
Maggie and Nick took care of us as if we were guests at their house, awesome. You could really tell that the people who work here care about the place and it not only was reflected in the food they served, but in their outright interest in their customers!
I found out that Nick wasn't even a server! He's actually the night cook! And Maggie was filling in that morning as well for one of the other workers who just decided not to show up. I tell ya, the place was so cool, it made me want to go and put some hours in myself!
I had the biscuits and gravy, and this was a very different biscuits and gravy for sure! Although I do love the traditional buttermilk biscuits with white meaty gravy, this one had a wonderful white meaty gravy with big ol chunks of breakfast sausage in it, but on special toasty rolls with just a hint of sourdough it seemed (maybe I was wrong)... Very good stuff and with very nicely cooked country potatoes, what a great plate! reasonably priced at 6.95 for the dish as a brunch item and we were definitely good to go =)
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Nidda Thai Cuisine
ok, this is hands down my favorite thai restaurant in all of Houston!
It's a small unassuming little joint off westheimer a couple blocks down from montrose. It always seems to be SUPER quiet and not busy at all... maybe just the times I go or something, but man, I love the atmosphere, so cozy and quiet!
The food... oh the food!!! Absolutely amazing! You can completely tell that the cooks don't 'dumb down' this thai food for the american palate! It's how thai food should be - straight from the homeland! I took a friend there the other day and she said it was the BEST curry that she has ever had and I wholeheartedly agree!
Don't forget their special 'fish in a garden,' though! I actually got that twice in a row recently! It's a whole tilapia fillet, battered and fried with a super crispy and tasty shell, then covered with green onions, ginger, bamboo, and another green, forget what he called it, cashews, and as our first staff, Saxson, called it, the 'delicious magical sauce.' And how magical it is!!! soooo good!!!
I have NOT had a bad dish at Nidda! And I gotta say, the staff REALLY brings it all home for me, they are the nicest and cutest staff, and it matches the vibe of the place VERY well. They are a big FOBish, BUT they are clearly passionate about the food they serve and are VERYYYY obviously happy to serve such great food to you! It's a combination that really really works, trust me, just go and you'll understand what I'm talking about!
I still remember the first time Natalee told us about the sticky rice and mango dessert and the homemade coconut icecream with fried bananas. She went all the way back to her youth in her mind as she described how good these desserts were - how they reminded her of the super fantastic stuff she had back home. I was SOLD! and really, the mangos are perfectly in season now and the coconut icecream is right in the perfect middle of just sweet enough with plenty of real coconut!
highly recommend this place, in fact, I've been there three times this week!
It's a small unassuming little joint off westheimer a couple blocks down from montrose. It always seems to be SUPER quiet and not busy at all... maybe just the times I go or something, but man, I love the atmosphere, so cozy and quiet!
The food... oh the food!!! Absolutely amazing! You can completely tell that the cooks don't 'dumb down' this thai food for the american palate! It's how thai food should be - straight from the homeland! I took a friend there the other day and she said it was the BEST curry that she has ever had and I wholeheartedly agree!
Don't forget their special 'fish in a garden,' though! I actually got that twice in a row recently! It's a whole tilapia fillet, battered and fried with a super crispy and tasty shell, then covered with green onions, ginger, bamboo, and another green, forget what he called it, cashews, and as our first staff, Saxson, called it, the 'delicious magical sauce.' And how magical it is!!! soooo good!!!
I have NOT had a bad dish at Nidda! And I gotta say, the staff REALLY brings it all home for me, they are the nicest and cutest staff, and it matches the vibe of the place VERY well. They are a big FOBish, BUT they are clearly passionate about the food they serve and are VERYYYY obviously happy to serve such great food to you! It's a combination that really really works, trust me, just go and you'll understand what I'm talking about!
I still remember the first time Natalee told us about the sticky rice and mango dessert and the homemade coconut icecream with fried bananas. She went all the way back to her youth in her mind as she described how good these desserts were - how they reminded her of the super fantastic stuff she had back home. I was SOLD! and really, the mangos are perfectly in season now and the coconut icecream is right in the perfect middle of just sweet enough with plenty of real coconut!
highly recommend this place, in fact, I've been there three times this week!
Friday, May 2, 2008
Onion Creek Cafe
Ok, finally got a chance to head out to Onion Creek Cafe! Unfortunately, I didn't get to have the FULL experience because it was raining - I didn't get to go out to the deck/patio area.
In any case, it was completely packed! And what a great mix of crowd too! Plenty of eye candy out there and diversity was top notch! Definitely thumbs up for crowd.
The logistics of ordering was a little questionable though... I had to go up to the bar everytime I wanted another beer or food. For a place like that, not having servers was a little odd.
Thursday night was apparently $2 red stripes, so that was fine with me and I ordered the Country Ass Reuben. Not a bad sandwich at all! The dressing was very tangy and it came out between two big ol slices of rye bread, not bad at all. The potato salad had all kinds of BAACONNN in it too, which was a nice surprise!
Atmosphere seemed laid back, which is good, but I sat with my back to a high traffic area and kept getting my chair kicked... not good.
All in all, I've decided I need to go back and give the place another shot on a beautiful day where I can enjoy the patio area and get a little more involved with the crowd. Definitely worth a try if you're in the area though!
In any case, it was completely packed! And what a great mix of crowd too! Plenty of eye candy out there and diversity was top notch! Definitely thumbs up for crowd.
The logistics of ordering was a little questionable though... I had to go up to the bar everytime I wanted another beer or food. For a place like that, not having servers was a little odd.
Thursday night was apparently $2 red stripes, so that was fine with me and I ordered the Country Ass Reuben. Not a bad sandwich at all! The dressing was very tangy and it came out between two big ol slices of rye bread, not bad at all. The potato salad had all kinds of BAACONNN in it too, which was a nice surprise!
Atmosphere seemed laid back, which is good, but I sat with my back to a high traffic area and kept getting my chair kicked... not good.
All in all, I've decided I need to go back and give the place another shot on a beautiful day where I can enjoy the patio area and get a little more involved with the crowd. Definitely worth a try if you're in the area though!
Sunday, April 27, 2008
and we're back! Two reviews, food and drink!
Cafe Montrose
Finally got a chance to check out Cafe Montrose and I have to say, the overall feel was wonderful! Very cozy and intimate, yet very friendly and open. You could tell that the staff has been working together for a while and they either ARE family, or have definitely become family at this point and that kind of service trickles all the way down to the customers, both new AND old!
You could most definitely tell that there were many many regulars and locals that frequented the place and that's always a good sign! Gwen, our waitress for the night, was amazingly friendly and had the most endearing accent and way about her!
Between Gwen and Sonia, we had excellent service. Sonia was not as personable, but you knew that she cared about the food, it's ok, she had a very european feel to her in the kind of no nonsense way about her. Again, Gwen was so downright friendly and inviting, it was like walking into their home.
Besides the excellent belgian ales ON TAP there (boy that could be dangerous for me), the food was very french-heavy, but quite tasty.
We started with Croquettes de Fromage that had sooo much cheesy goodness it was great! The mouthfeel was much more like a creamcheese as you would expect, but so much more complex in flavor. Much more meaty, yet silky creamy...
I had the Lapin aux Pruneaux (rabbit), and although I'm not generally a fan of fruits and such in my sauces, you really have to classically pair rabbit with that and it goes so well. The rabbit was not gamey in the least and cooked very well with plenty of fat still on to provide just that bit of mouthfeel that makes you go mmmm...
My friend had the Large Moules curry (large because I knew I'd be eating some!). I'm not a fan of curry and although I didn't really think the curry was all that fantastic, my friend enjoyed every bite she could until she was just too full to take any more. For me, the curry was pretty typical, with a bit too much salt, but otherwise good. I would like to try the cream sauce next time I go for sure as the mussels were very good underneath the curry!
13 Celcius
13 Celcius is a very trendy kind of wine bar that you would typically expect in midtown. Although there were plenty of the 'be seen, get seen' crowd here, I was unexpectedly surprised to see that the crowd was very diverse with older and younger, soccer mom, 20 something hipster...
The staff was very attentive and very accomodating. Mike took care of our wine selections and since I was there with a regular, he knew what she liked and hit it on the spot. We had a nice australian grenache that, although was a little sweeter than I typically like, was matched very well to the dry and breezy air of the night (it really was a beautiful night to sit outside and chat while uncorking a bottle).
One of the other staff, Shannon, was sooo nice and down to earth and she really felt like a bit of an oddity in the mix of people there that night. Everyone else felt a little on the snooty but still will talk to you side.
It was a nice surprise to have the owner of the bar greet us outside (Ian, with his gf Jennifer I believe it was) coming from a gala of some sort. I would have never known he was the owner, he put off a business friendly attitude and was more than happy to stop and say hello, never once mentioning and or acting like the place was his. I thought he was just another regular who had stopped in for a drink!
I would say it's not quite the down to earth spot that I really enjoy sitting around and chatting at, but for a slightly upper end affair, it would definitely fit the bill. The grenache was 30 bucks, so not bad on prices either.
If all the staff were like Shannon, that would definitely make the difference!
Finally got a chance to check out Cafe Montrose and I have to say, the overall feel was wonderful! Very cozy and intimate, yet very friendly and open. You could tell that the staff has been working together for a while and they either ARE family, or have definitely become family at this point and that kind of service trickles all the way down to the customers, both new AND old!
You could most definitely tell that there were many many regulars and locals that frequented the place and that's always a good sign! Gwen, our waitress for the night, was amazingly friendly and had the most endearing accent and way about her!
Between Gwen and Sonia, we had excellent service. Sonia was not as personable, but you knew that she cared about the food, it's ok, she had a very european feel to her in the kind of no nonsense way about her. Again, Gwen was so downright friendly and inviting, it was like walking into their home.
Besides the excellent belgian ales ON TAP there (boy that could be dangerous for me), the food was very french-heavy, but quite tasty.
We started with Croquettes de Fromage that had sooo much cheesy goodness it was great! The mouthfeel was much more like a creamcheese as you would expect, but so much more complex in flavor. Much more meaty, yet silky creamy...
I had the Lapin aux Pruneaux (rabbit), and although I'm not generally a fan of fruits and such in my sauces, you really have to classically pair rabbit with that and it goes so well. The rabbit was not gamey in the least and cooked very well with plenty of fat still on to provide just that bit of mouthfeel that makes you go mmmm...
My friend had the Large Moules curry (large because I knew I'd be eating some!). I'm not a fan of curry and although I didn't really think the curry was all that fantastic, my friend enjoyed every bite she could until she was just too full to take any more. For me, the curry was pretty typical, with a bit too much salt, but otherwise good. I would like to try the cream sauce next time I go for sure as the mussels were very good underneath the curry!
13 Celcius
13 Celcius is a very trendy kind of wine bar that you would typically expect in midtown. Although there were plenty of the 'be seen, get seen' crowd here, I was unexpectedly surprised to see that the crowd was very diverse with older and younger, soccer mom, 20 something hipster...
The staff was very attentive and very accomodating. Mike took care of our wine selections and since I was there with a regular, he knew what she liked and hit it on the spot. We had a nice australian grenache that, although was a little sweeter than I typically like, was matched very well to the dry and breezy air of the night (it really was a beautiful night to sit outside and chat while uncorking a bottle).
One of the other staff, Shannon, was sooo nice and down to earth and she really felt like a bit of an oddity in the mix of people there that night. Everyone else felt a little on the snooty but still will talk to you side.
It was a nice surprise to have the owner of the bar greet us outside (Ian, with his gf Jennifer I believe it was) coming from a gala of some sort. I would have never known he was the owner, he put off a business friendly attitude and was more than happy to stop and say hello, never once mentioning and or acting like the place was his. I thought he was just another regular who had stopped in for a drink!
I would say it's not quite the down to earth spot that I really enjoy sitting around and chatting at, but for a slightly upper end affair, it would definitely fit the bill. The grenache was 30 bucks, so not bad on prices either.
If all the staff were like Shannon, that would definitely make the difference!
Friday, April 4, 2008
Galveston: Leon's World's Finest BBQ!!
Ok, finally got a chance to head down to Galveston for Leon's World's Finest!
This place was EXACTLY like I pictured it! It's basically out of a worn down building, with non-matching chairs and benches inside, and locals abound! Everyone knows everyone!
The GREAT thing though, is that Pam, Leon's niece was a hoot (gold teef and all!)! Leon himself even made it around to say hello and make sure everything was good! You cannnnoooot pay for that kind of service and ambiance!
Pam cajoled a few extra things out of us when we ordered, but it was sooo worth it!
The chipped beef was excellent! I'd eat that again fo sho!
The brisket? meh. Not anywhere close to my gold standard Rudy's, BUT the smoky flavor was very good, I just need more fall apart goodness and extra moistness!
I was able to get a few samples of the spareribs outta Pam and although the flavor was very good, I'd say it needs to be a little bit more moist and a little bit more tender...
The kicked up rice was good! I could actually use even more spice for sure, and I love me some homemade mustard potato salad!
So once we got up to pay, what do I see at the counter? I mean I thought I heard the hallelujah chorus when I saw the cracklins!!!!!!! Hog chips baby!! YUMMMM-OOO... I HAD to get me a bag of those too!
all in all, a couple of plates of BBQ, drinks, and some cracklins cost 21 bucks out the door and I didn't feel bad at all!
I would recommend Leon's, definitely get the chipped beef, and DEFINITELY say Hello to Pam and Leon! They'll make you feel at home and make you wanna stay and eat all day long!
OH, and if you DO go to Leon's, please tell Pam that it's all her fault there's no cornbread =P just say you were told to say that to her... ;)
This place was EXACTLY like I pictured it! It's basically out of a worn down building, with non-matching chairs and benches inside, and locals abound! Everyone knows everyone!
The GREAT thing though, is that Pam, Leon's niece was a hoot (gold teef and all!)! Leon himself even made it around to say hello and make sure everything was good! You cannnnoooot pay for that kind of service and ambiance!
Pam cajoled a few extra things out of us when we ordered, but it was sooo worth it!
The chipped beef was excellent! I'd eat that again fo sho!
The brisket? meh. Not anywhere close to my gold standard Rudy's, BUT the smoky flavor was very good, I just need more fall apart goodness and extra moistness!
I was able to get a few samples of the spareribs outta Pam and although the flavor was very good, I'd say it needs to be a little bit more moist and a little bit more tender...
The kicked up rice was good! I could actually use even more spice for sure, and I love me some homemade mustard potato salad!
So once we got up to pay, what do I see at the counter? I mean I thought I heard the hallelujah chorus when I saw the cracklins!!!!!!! Hog chips baby!! YUMMMM-OOO... I HAD to get me a bag of those too!
all in all, a couple of plates of BBQ, drinks, and some cracklins cost 21 bucks out the door and I didn't feel bad at all!
I would recommend Leon's, definitely get the chipped beef, and DEFINITELY say Hello to Pam and Leon! They'll make you feel at home and make you wanna stay and eat all day long!
OH, and if you DO go to Leon's, please tell Pam that it's all her fault there's no cornbread =P just say you were told to say that to her... ;)
Monday, March 17, 2008
New Places to check out
So I watched the game last night at Farrago's with a private party of sorts and spoke with a guy, Sam, about some cool eateries with some History around here.
Top four spots I got out of the convo:
Thelma's BBQ
Etta's Lounge
The Mink
Leon's Lounge
Thelma's is one of those 'out of a house' places that's apparently quite famous! Sam regailed me with his recent experience of a Rudy's catered event in Austin and said that Thelma's is not quite as good (and you don't even get any 'extra moist' at catered events), but!, considering I judge ALL briskets by the benchmark that is Rudy's, I'm not surprised and would still give Thelma's a shot. That said, Roy Burns BBQ is another 'out of a house' joint that I need to check out.
Etta's is supposed to be yet another 'out of a house' hole in the wall where mama Etta cooks down home soul food at the greatest of ease! The moment Sam said that mama Etta was there, I knew immediately that I had to be there too! He said you are completely slammed with Christian paraphenalia as you walk in the door and everything's just run down enough - true Southern living here - and I can't tell you how much that would say about the food in my mind!
Apparently, the Mink offers 10 dollar bottles of wine on Tuesdays! Pretty good selection too from what I've been told. Pretty laid back joint with mods/hipsters/scenesters/nerds/geeks/professionals, etc, supposedly a good mix and cheap wine. At least worth a look and only a few steps away from Tacos a Go Go if it doesn't look good ;)
Leon's Lounge is supposed to rival La Carafe as the oldest bar in town and just as Warren's, is supposed to be chalk full of locals, run for and by the locals for years and years. A true dive bar in midtown where you can go and have a good conversation and drink...
Top four spots I got out of the convo:
Thelma's BBQ
Etta's Lounge
The Mink
Leon's Lounge
Thelma's is one of those 'out of a house' places that's apparently quite famous! Sam regailed me with his recent experience of a Rudy's catered event in Austin and said that Thelma's is not quite as good (and you don't even get any 'extra moist' at catered events), but!, considering I judge ALL briskets by the benchmark that is Rudy's, I'm not surprised and would still give Thelma's a shot. That said, Roy Burns BBQ is another 'out of a house' joint that I need to check out.
Etta's is supposed to be yet another 'out of a house' hole in the wall where mama Etta cooks down home soul food at the greatest of ease! The moment Sam said that mama Etta was there, I knew immediately that I had to be there too! He said you are completely slammed with Christian paraphenalia as you walk in the door and everything's just run down enough - true Southern living here - and I can't tell you how much that would say about the food in my mind!
Apparently, the Mink offers 10 dollar bottles of wine on Tuesdays! Pretty good selection too from what I've been told. Pretty laid back joint with mods/hipsters/scenesters/nerds/geeks/professionals, etc, supposedly a good mix and cheap wine. At least worth a look and only a few steps away from Tacos a Go Go if it doesn't look good ;)
Leon's Lounge is supposed to rival La Carafe as the oldest bar in town and just as Warren's, is supposed to be chalk full of locals, run for and by the locals for years and years. A true dive bar in midtown where you can go and have a good conversation and drink...
Friday, March 14, 2008
Riva's Italian Restaurant
So here's a new favorite of mine when it comes to Italian places.
Riva's Italian is yet another small local - the kind of place I really am drawn to.
The atmosphere is cozy and homey. There's enough visual interest in and around the area to make it a great date place and the staff is very attentive and friendly!
This place does NOT pretend to be what it isn't! If they do it, they'll do it, if they don't, they'll be up front about it and let you know too! I like that.
Now then, the food. For me, the food tastes like homemade at its best. It's not the fancy schmancy italian that you would go to Maggiano's or Michelangelo's for. It feels like what momma would make in her kitchen, comfort.
The portions are large, the prices are more than reasonable, and with every entree that I've had, I've been surprised by a salad and soup course that I had no idea was coming to me! The soup has been different each time, from a creamy veggie and ham soup of some kind to a beautiful minestrone.
The lasagna comes out hot and gooey with a wonderful meat sauce and cheese overflowing.
The pesto is warm and has a wonderfully creamy, full bodied mouthfeel.
The creme rosa sauce is wonderfully light and yet still fills your palate with a nice coating of goodness.
Even brunch is a surprising affair, with fresh fruit appetizer coming out of nowhere, large omelette with whatever entree you decide on, and of course, neverending booze to your liking...
Right behind Niko Niko's and in Montrose, they have their own parking which is a nice touch! Easy access and no worries on having to find parking with owners who are visible and interact often with the patrons. I always love that.
Riva's Italian is yet another small local - the kind of place I really am drawn to.
The atmosphere is cozy and homey. There's enough visual interest in and around the area to make it a great date place and the staff is very attentive and friendly!
This place does NOT pretend to be what it isn't! If they do it, they'll do it, if they don't, they'll be up front about it and let you know too! I like that.
Now then, the food. For me, the food tastes like homemade at its best. It's not the fancy schmancy italian that you would go to Maggiano's or Michelangelo's for. It feels like what momma would make in her kitchen, comfort.
The portions are large, the prices are more than reasonable, and with every entree that I've had, I've been surprised by a salad and soup course that I had no idea was coming to me! The soup has been different each time, from a creamy veggie and ham soup of some kind to a beautiful minestrone.
The lasagna comes out hot and gooey with a wonderful meat sauce and cheese overflowing.
The pesto is warm and has a wonderfully creamy, full bodied mouthfeel.
The creme rosa sauce is wonderfully light and yet still fills your palate with a nice coating of goodness.
Even brunch is a surprising affair, with fresh fruit appetizer coming out of nowhere, large omelette with whatever entree you decide on, and of course, neverending booze to your liking...
Right behind Niko Niko's and in Montrose, they have their own parking which is a nice touch! Easy access and no worries on having to find parking with owners who are visible and interact often with the patrons. I always love that.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Tacos A Go Go
So I went down to a little Taco joint last night in midtown literally right off the metrorail.
Tacos A Go Go is a great little midtown joint with all the classic midtown kitsch and pomp!
The moment you walk in, you get that 'austiny' feel that typically comes with a lot of the midtown locations these days. Look on the walls and you find random posters and flyers; newspapers and hangings - all in the most vibrant colors that you care to imagine! Not to mention the devilish pinup girl as you walk in ;)
As any good taco joint should be, you walk up and order at the counter - this is not a sit down and have a waiter ask for your order kind of place to be sure.
My fellow diners and I had a whole smattering of tacos and at the suggestion of our very helpful host Jeff, we went for some chips and salsa too.
Let's start off with the homemade salsas, red and green as Jeff explained it. Both were obviously fresh and made right there (love it when you can see that not all the veggies have been cut perfectly and you get that big chunk of onion or cilantro between your teeth!), but I have to say, the green tomatillo type salsa was awesome! I could always use a little more bite, but it really was quite tasty and flavorful - my fellow diners and I pretty much slathered that stuff over everything! The problem with a lot of green salsas is that you end up with a bit of a bitter endnote, Tacos A Go Go somehow has been able to remove that bitter finish for a somewhat creamy one without actually going to a cream type sauce. The red salsa could've used just a tad bit more salt and lime, BUT the fresh flavors really did come straight through nonetheless!
Now then, on to the tacos! I opted to get mine on corn tortillas (and for the health conscious, they have whole wheat too, it's midtown afterall). These folks are a wiley bunch for sure! When you order corn tortillas, they know those things are a little smaller, a little less structurally sound, so you get two for each taco - nice touch.
So letsee, we tried the carne guisado, pollo guisado, barbacoa, fish with roasted peppers, and one of a host of varieties of breakfast tacos that they sell all day long. I only tried the first three, but I have to say, I was impressed and my fellow diners told me that the others were quite nice.
Apparently, one friend is a breakfast taco afficionado and he said the breakfast taco really worked well for him. The guisado tacos were very nicely seasoned with fresh veggies topped on for wonderful visual appeal. The meat was very tender and flavorful without being so overly seasoned that you end up with a terrible mouth feel after you finish. Surprisingly, the greasiness factor wasn't there either and although I love a greasy taco out of a shady taco shack, the non-greasy finish last night really worked for me - maybe it was the midtown feel of it all, maybe I was turning into a hipster for a split second? I dunno. It worked.
I have to say, i think I liked the Pollo guisado the best! Something about the shredded pork and how it retained the 'stew' flavors was really quite nice. The mouth feel here worked much better than the others too, as it wasn't too wet or dry, and the slight crunch of the lettuce worked in concert with the shredded pieces of chicken.
After three tacos and a load of chips, what else would you need but a cool crisp sip of homemade lemonade! I was just about to just ask for a glass of water when all of a sudden I saw a nondescript plastic jar of some almost clear, yellowish liquid with a piece of plastic saran wrap draped over the top that had obviously been removed quite a few times. I presumed it was lemonade, but you never know, so i asked jeff and sure enough, homemade lemonade!
This was pure, unpretentious lemonade - lemons, water, sugar, that's it! When a restaurant goes to the trouble of actually making lemonade, you have to have it! Although I've had some really fabulous lemonade that you could sip and drink by itself on a hot summer day all day long (with a bit of alcohol sometimes too of course ;) ), but this wasn't quite that kind of drink. And although I typically like to have a bit of pulp in my real lemonade, the mix of seasoned meats and corn tortillas along with the crisp cool lemonade really hit the spot! The lemon juice wasn't overly acidic and it wasn't overly sugary either - very nice compliment indeed.
Prices could've been a little better, with the 'higher end' stuff (namely barbacoa and fish type stuff) going for 2.49 each and the more typical stuff 1.50 or so, but factor in quality of the meat and it's a bit of a wash. Plus, three tacos got me pretty full and I'm not exactly a shy eater.
The booths and tables were just run down enough to really make you feel comfortable and the atmosphere is pretty conducive to good conversation, so I would pick up your boots and head on over to give Tacos A Go Go a try! If you live right off the rail, even better!
Yet another little local joint that really makes me feel like Houston's a wonderfully unique and cool place to live
Tacos A Go Go is a great little midtown joint with all the classic midtown kitsch and pomp!
The moment you walk in, you get that 'austiny' feel that typically comes with a lot of the midtown locations these days. Look on the walls and you find random posters and flyers; newspapers and hangings - all in the most vibrant colors that you care to imagine! Not to mention the devilish pinup girl as you walk in ;)
As any good taco joint should be, you walk up and order at the counter - this is not a sit down and have a waiter ask for your order kind of place to be sure.
My fellow diners and I had a whole smattering of tacos and at the suggestion of our very helpful host Jeff, we went for some chips and salsa too.
Let's start off with the homemade salsas, red and green as Jeff explained it. Both were obviously fresh and made right there (love it when you can see that not all the veggies have been cut perfectly and you get that big chunk of onion or cilantro between your teeth!), but I have to say, the green tomatillo type salsa was awesome! I could always use a little more bite, but it really was quite tasty and flavorful - my fellow diners and I pretty much slathered that stuff over everything! The problem with a lot of green salsas is that you end up with a bit of a bitter endnote, Tacos A Go Go somehow has been able to remove that bitter finish for a somewhat creamy one without actually going to a cream type sauce. The red salsa could've used just a tad bit more salt and lime, BUT the fresh flavors really did come straight through nonetheless!
Now then, on to the tacos! I opted to get mine on corn tortillas (and for the health conscious, they have whole wheat too, it's midtown afterall). These folks are a wiley bunch for sure! When you order corn tortillas, they know those things are a little smaller, a little less structurally sound, so you get two for each taco - nice touch.
So letsee, we tried the carne guisado, pollo guisado, barbacoa, fish with roasted peppers, and one of a host of varieties of breakfast tacos that they sell all day long. I only tried the first three, but I have to say, I was impressed and my fellow diners told me that the others were quite nice.
Apparently, one friend is a breakfast taco afficionado and he said the breakfast taco really worked well for him. The guisado tacos were very nicely seasoned with fresh veggies topped on for wonderful visual appeal. The meat was very tender and flavorful without being so overly seasoned that you end up with a terrible mouth feel after you finish. Surprisingly, the greasiness factor wasn't there either and although I love a greasy taco out of a shady taco shack, the non-greasy finish last night really worked for me - maybe it was the midtown feel of it all, maybe I was turning into a hipster for a split second? I dunno. It worked.
I have to say, i think I liked the Pollo guisado the best! Something about the shredded pork and how it retained the 'stew' flavors was really quite nice. The mouth feel here worked much better than the others too, as it wasn't too wet or dry, and the slight crunch of the lettuce worked in concert with the shredded pieces of chicken.
After three tacos and a load of chips, what else would you need but a cool crisp sip of homemade lemonade! I was just about to just ask for a glass of water when all of a sudden I saw a nondescript plastic jar of some almost clear, yellowish liquid with a piece of plastic saran wrap draped over the top that had obviously been removed quite a few times. I presumed it was lemonade, but you never know, so i asked jeff and sure enough, homemade lemonade!
This was pure, unpretentious lemonade - lemons, water, sugar, that's it! When a restaurant goes to the trouble of actually making lemonade, you have to have it! Although I've had some really fabulous lemonade that you could sip and drink by itself on a hot summer day all day long (with a bit of alcohol sometimes too of course ;) ), but this wasn't quite that kind of drink. And although I typically like to have a bit of pulp in my real lemonade, the mix of seasoned meats and corn tortillas along with the crisp cool lemonade really hit the spot! The lemon juice wasn't overly acidic and it wasn't overly sugary either - very nice compliment indeed.
Prices could've been a little better, with the 'higher end' stuff (namely barbacoa and fish type stuff) going for 2.49 each and the more typical stuff 1.50 or so, but factor in quality of the meat and it's a bit of a wash. Plus, three tacos got me pretty full and I'm not exactly a shy eater.
The booths and tables were just run down enough to really make you feel comfortable and the atmosphere is pretty conducive to good conversation, so I would pick up your boots and head on over to give Tacos A Go Go a try! If you live right off the rail, even better!
Yet another little local joint that really makes me feel like Houston's a wonderfully unique and cool place to live
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Mama's Oven!
Mama's Oven
Ok, for anyone who has NOT been to Mama's Oven in the Medical Center area of Houston, you MUST go!
If you're lucky, Mama will actually be there and for me at least, she completely made the trip! Probably one of the sweetest ladies I have ever met, and she calls you "precious" and "sweetie" and "hun" all day long, and for me, that's about the best thing EVAR for a local joint!
The oxtails were AWESOME, the mac n cheese makes you think of home, and for some reason, the candied yams kept making me think of my Aunt's house! The cornbread had that slight hint of sweetness as you sopped up all the homemade brown gravy too! Talk about comfort food!
I'd stay away from the iced tea, but other than that, wow. I hear the service is really slow, but not on weekdays! My old coworker and I got super prompt service and of course, mama took care of us!
Ok, for anyone who has NOT been to Mama's Oven in the Medical Center area of Houston, you MUST go!
If you're lucky, Mama will actually be there and for me at least, she completely made the trip! Probably one of the sweetest ladies I have ever met, and she calls you "precious" and "sweetie" and "hun" all day long, and for me, that's about the best thing EVAR for a local joint!
The oxtails were AWESOME, the mac n cheese makes you think of home, and for some reason, the candied yams kept making me think of my Aunt's house! The cornbread had that slight hint of sweetness as you sopped up all the homemade brown gravy too! Talk about comfort food!
I'd stay away from the iced tea, but other than that, wow. I hear the service is really slow, but not on weekdays! My old coworker and I got super prompt service and of course, mama took care of us!
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