After the Storm

I grew up in NY and feel a special sadness over Hurricane Sandy. If you would like to help the victims, here's how to do it (taken from George Takei's Facebook page):

We are not out of the woods yet, friends. Sandy has rocked the northeast to the core, leaving houses like this one from Jersey City (tragically overlooking the beautiful skyline of the Big Apple in the distance) in utter ruin. Many of our friends, family, and loved ones have been affected by the storms. Families are returning to their homes, and to lives that will never be the same, and they need...

our help.

Those wishing to donate to the relief effort can text the phrase "REDCROSS" to 90999 to make a $10 contribution for every message sent. In addition, iTunes users will also find a donate button located on the main page for the iTunes store set up specifically for Sandy relief. People can also make contributions by calling 1-800-733-2767.

Please take a moment to SHARE this message to let everyone know how they can lend a hand. Any support is greatly appreciated. Thanks, as always, friends. - George

 

 

Cafe Ginger

We stopped into Cafe Ginger for lunch on a Saturday. We knew that we would be joining friends for a large dinner, so we decided to order a couple of sushi rolls and miso soup. Opting for sushi instead of Chinese may have been a mistake, because Cafe Ginger has more of a classic Chinese vibe. The restaurant is decorated mostly in shades of red and gold, with carved Buddhas and attentive male servers. It has a classy, upscale, almost retro feel.

The miso soup was free but was actually quite tasty. It's probably difficult to mess up miso, and this was savory and satisfying. The rolls were another story.

We ordered the Orange Dragon and the Red Dragon rolls (even the names sound Chinese to me...). The Orange Dragon is spicy tuna rolled in salmon and avocado; the Red Dragon is spicy salmon rolled in tuna and avocado.

Unfortunately, these pretty rolls were extremely boring. The fish tasted fine but there was just nothing special going on there. Part of it is probably our fault; we chose the only rolls without shellfish, since my husband is allergic, and they weren't exactly brimming with exciting ingredients. But part of it is also because this is, at its heart, a Chinese restaurant. The menu is mostly Chinese food, and people I know who have tried the Chinese food here say that it's very good.

I do plan on going back to Cafe Ginger. I like the decor and the service, and I would probably like the food there too -- if I ordered the right thing.

Bring Sonny Back Home!

A very good friend is missing her dog. If you're in Houston and you're reading this, please Like his page and take a second to look at the pictures there. And tell your friends!

Special Out of Town Edition: California Dreaming

The hubs and I just got back from a VERY belated honeymoon in California. We saw just about everything -- we flew into San Francisco, stayed a few nights, and then drove south on Highway 1, ending up in Los Angeles. I came away with a new appreciation for red wine, a fascination with Old Hollywood, and a list of definite "dos" (and one complete "don't) for anyone travelling to California.

Places I Loved:

Perbacco (San Francisco): wonderful Italian food in a loud, slightly crowded but very stylish atmosphere. This place taught me the difference between really well-made gnocchi and the stuff I've been eating from the grocery store. Plus their "Ugly But Good" cookies are NOT to be missed.

La Bellasera (Paso Robles): This is a hotel and not a restaurant, but it's a must-do if you're in Paso. A lovely little place, very close to wineries and good food, with incredibly spacious and clean rooms at an stunningly low price.

burger. (Santa Cruz): An amazingly funky little place. Delicious, fresh burgers with fun California names ("The Dude") and a nice bar. This is a great place to stop for lunch on your way down Highway 1.

Dearly Departed Tours (Hollywood): Again, this isn't a place to eat, but it's a lot of fun. We took plenty of tours on our vacation (Hearst Castle, Hollywood Homes, Alcatraz) and this was by far our favorite. It's not for children (or the faint of heart), but it's great for anyone who loves Old Hollywood or true crime stories.

Skooby's (L.A.): Confession time -- I LOVE hot dogs. The ones at Skooby's are perfect, topped with a variety of fun and non-traditional toppings and served in warm buns on the side of Hollywood Boulevard. The lemonade is amazing too.

Place I HATED:

Whale Watcher Cafe (Big Sur): Avoid this place at all costs. It's located in the middle of nowhere, which is the only reason why we stopped -- I was starving. Flies everywhere, only one server, and they still had the nerve to charge almost $20 for a tuna sandwich. We actually walked out without ordering. Turns out, I would rather wait an hour and eat a burger at the Hearst Castle food court than eat at the Fly Watcher.

Help an Injured Fuzzy-Head

We here at TGWAH love animals, and hate people who hurt them. That's why we're asking for help raising money for a severely injured pitbull.

Elly May was rescued off the streets of Houston this week with some pretty horrific injuries. Her vet believes that she was either raped, or a firecracker was placed inside of her and exploded. Needless to say, her vet bills and medication are going to be expensive, and she will be in foster care for a while. A "Chip In" has been established to raise money for these expenses. PLEASE give if you can, and please spread the word!

Nelore Steakhouse

My in-laws were in town recently for the Metro Houston cooking show, and we decided to check out Nelore. None of us had ever been to a churrascaria before, but I liked the concept. Waiters come around the dining room with various cuts of grilled meats on skewers. Patrons can choose which types of meat to sample, and when. Side dishes and salads are located on an all-you-can-eat buffet. When you're full, or just need a break, you turn a card over on your table to signal the waitstaff to stop; otherwise, they'll continue to offer you meat for as long as you sit there.

Nelore boasts a HUGE selection of both meats and sides. I'm proud to say that I tried almost everything: chicken sausage, leg of lamb, sirloin, filet, and even a parmigiana coated pork chop. I didn't do too shabby at the salad bar either.

 

Everything was tasty. All of the meat was slightly dry, with a robust charbroiled flavor. I also noticed that the cuts of meat were a little more marbled than what I usually buy; my steak was flanked in a large piece of white fat that infused it with a lot of flavor. It wasn't what I was used to, but that doesn't mean it wasn't good.

 

However, nothing was fantastic. Only two items really stand out from everything I tried: the parmigiana-crusted pork (because it was so different) and the mango cream dessert (both because it was unique and it was delicious). Service was predictably wonderful. None of the waiters seemed to really abide by the card system -- they approached you regardless of whether you were trying to signal them not to -- but that's OK; more than once we found that we weren't really as full as we thought we were, once we were offered something new.

 

The real disappointment was the bill. Nelore charges nearly $40 per person for dinner, before drinks and dessert. We didn't know that -- prices aren't listed on the website -- and it was a little bit of a sticker shock. Even though we sampled a lot of food, there is no way that we ate enough to justify that price. If you're going to pay that kind of money for a steak dinner, there may be better options.

Kita

We were in The Woodlands for a concert last weekend, and my husband had a hankering for sushi. Kita was close to our hotel, so we stopped in for an early lunch.

We ordered a pretty typical sushi lunch: two rolls, some sashimi, sake, and a seaweed salad. The Nemo Roll is pictured below.

 

 



This roll is comprised of spicy tuna, rice, salmon and a spicy mayo. For all those "spicies", it really didn't have a lot of heat to it. It was pretty and it was tasty, but it left me longing for something more.

I felt the same way about our yellowtail sashimi. There was nothing wrong with it, per say, but it could have been better. It could have been colder, or more thinly sliced, or fresher ... or something. The spicy tuna hand roll and the salad were both completely fine, but all in all, nothing to write home about.

On paper, Kita isn't a bad place. Our server was very sweet. The space is large and well-decorated, and located in the beautiful water-way district. The food is decent, standard Japanese fare at expected prices. But the restaurant fails to leave the diner with any lasting impression, and maybe that's why it was empty.

Shade

I'm not going to lie to you, I am sick today. Seriously. Every time I look at the picture above, I feel like dying. It's not specific to that picture -- looking at, smelling, or even thinking about virtually any food seems to be enough to push me over the edge right now. With that in mind, I'm going to try to write a thoughtful and honest review of what is a pretty good Houston eatery, Shade.

We decided to try Shade at the tail end of Houston Restaurant Weeks. I did the "noble" thing (it's for the food bank!) and selflessly tried the three course restaurant weeks menu. We started with the carpaccio. I have to be honest, I was not impressed. The beef was fine quality, but something was lacking in the flavor for me. Skip it.

Next I had the scallops. Now those were special! Without going into too much detail (because seriously, my body can't handle that right now), they were sweet, succulent, perfectly cooked and paired delightfully with their sides. What more do you need to know?

For dessert we did the sponge cake with strawberry mousse. The mousse was very good, with a lot of real strawberry flavor. I recommend it.

Shade has a very intimate atmosphere and a great service staff. Our waitress and I happened to be using the ladies room at the same time, and she was accosted by a guest IN THE BATHROOM and asked to change an order. That is something I have honestly never seen before, but she handled it a lot better than I would have. Managing to be pleasant while being bugged on the toilet -- that's a true professional!

Alicia's

Alicia's is located in the West Houston/Katy area, right off the highway and close to the HEB. From the outside it looks like any other Mexican joint, but don't let that fool you. Alicia's is on the Top 100 Houston Restaurants list for a reason.

Let's start with the margaritas. They're perfect. They're light, fruity, and not too sweet. They're also an amazing value, and a great way to start your meal.

The food doesn't disappoint either. I had enchiladas rancheras (chicken enchiladas with ranchera sauce). The best part of the meal was definitely the ranchera sauce. It paired well with everything -- from the plain brown ride to the very good refried beans to the enchiladas themselves. Everything tasted real, like a lot of thought and good ingredients went into each part of the plate. It was satisfying and comforting and fun.

Service was good -- a sweet college-aged kid who actually seemed to enjoy his job -- and prices were fantastic, particularly items on the lunch menu. And it wasn't even crowded! All around, Alicia's is a win.

Branch Water Tavern

The best thing about Branch Water Tavern is the space itself. The place is surprisingly large, with a very nice lounge/bar area in the front, plenty of seating in the middle section, and a large semi-private room in the back. Everything is tastefully if rustically decorated -- hardwood floors and plain white china. As soon as you walk in you feel relaxed and welcome.

The food is standard American fare. We were there for lunch, so I had a rueben sandwich. It was nothing to write home about. I would have liked some sauerkraut on my rueben, but otherwise I have no complaints. There was plenty of good quality meat, cheese and a very nice dressing on a good piece of crusty bread. Fries on the side (a nice surprise, since they weren't mentioned on the menu). Very similar to anything you could get at Laurenzo's, BRC, or any other upscale lunch spot in the same area. Same service and prices too.

I think Branch Water would be an amazing place for a happy hour. The lounge area is large and welcoming, the bar is well stocked, and the atmosphere is laid-back and cool. It's a fine place for a meal, but the mood just says "cocktails" more than "sandwiches" (at least to me).

Kata Robata

My husband LOVES Kata Robata. The food is very creative. Above, you will see one of the specials available on the day we went. Raw Kobe beef with melon and onion. It doesn't sound good, but the flavors -- particularly the melon and the onion -- melded beautifully. That's what Kata Robata does; they take things you wouldn't expect to taste good, and prove to you that they are wonderful.

Another oddly delicious dish was grilled fish collar. I don't think that Americans regularly eat the collar of the fish, and we should. It isn't easy to eat with chopsticks (eventually we just picked the collars up and ate the meat right off the bones, like a rib), but the meat was very tender and had a nice smokey flavor. Plus we got the added bonus of a little crispy fish skin, which is always tasty.

We also had the Houston roll from the traditional roll list. Tuna, yellowtail, avocado, salmon and masago (roe) -- what's not to love? Between the rolls and the collar, we ordered the perfect amount of food. We left feeling completely satisfied but not gross.

Service was basic. Our waitress seemed a little shy, like she may be new at the job. Prices and atmosphere were comparable to most other upscale sushi restaurants in the Houston area. It's not my favorite sushi spot -- that honor still belongs to Sasaki -- but it's a nice place with an interesting menu, and I can absolutely recommend it.

The Bird and the Bear

The Bird and the Bear is a new establishment from the people behind Oussie's. It's located in a shopping center, and although attempts have been made to create a cozy space, it's hard to forget that this space is supposed to be a store-front. There are just too many windows that let in too much light.

It's also hard to forget that this is a new restaurant. Little notebooks and pencils are on every table (why I don't know), and they're emblazoned with the name "Oussie's." Things like that make you feel like this restaurant is secondary to to the older one. If they're using leftover notepads, will the recipes be afterthoughts too?

Thankfully, the food is good. The menu feels fresh and different from Oussie's, with lots of fun little touches (ie: a dish called "damn eggplant"). They also have a large selection of vegetarian dishes, which, as a former vegetarian, I appreciate. And they aren't all pastas either! I had the creative vegetable paella.



This paella is comprised of mushrooms, a variety of peppers, onions and saffron rice. At first I wasn't sure I liked it -- without meat or seafood, paella is inherently a little bland -- but I gave it a second to linger, and I discovered something. It wasn't bland, it was delicate. It was also warm, filling, and very good.

We also enjoyed an escargot appetizer. This dish was different than other escargot, as it wasn't covered in cream or puff pastry. It was just snails cooked in a savory, garlicky butter sauce, with good bread on the side for dipping. This is not a snail starter dish, since you really get the taste and texture of the snails, but if you like them this is a great way to get an escargot fix.

Dessert is NOT to be missed. We had a chocolate cake with banana filling. It was perfectly done, and worth the extra calories.

Service is good, but green. Our waiter seemed nervous, even though he was doing a great job. He overcompensated by using the same script of quips with every customer. Typical new restaurant stuff, I think. He just needs to find his stride. The whole place does. But once it gets there -- and I think it will -- this place might just outshine its predecessor. It certainly won't be an afterthought.

Dozier's

Dozier's is located in Fulshear, about 40 miles outside of Houston. The drive is totally worth it. The space is classic Texas -- taxidermy on the walls, picnic tables with striped tablecloths, etc. The best part is that there is nothing ironic or intentional about it; it's real Texas, before the hipsters got here. The only strange thing is the grocery section in the front of the store. Some of the items make sense (Texas jellies, jars of homemade BBQ sauce) and some do not (overpriced, seemingly old hygiene and pet care products). It's kind of like the "emergency grocery" section in a gas station, but I can't imagine anyone is really buying this stuff out here in the middle of nowhere.

I had the homemade sausage platter with two sides (mac and cheese and potato salad). The sausage was perfection. Spicy, hearty and served with their amazing homemade sauce. My husband's chop beef sandwich was likewise delicious. It was ready at warp speed too -- we barely had enough time to grab drinks and find a table before our food was done. Clearly the staff knows what they are doing.

As you might imagine, prices were very reasonable. Service was basic -- you order at a counter, get your own drinks and condiments, and bus your own tables -- but it was fast. The only person who made us feel unwelcome the whole time was the man at the checkout counter (you pay as you leave), who stared at us intensely for no apparent reason. I don't think he meant to be rude; maybe they're not used to seeing customers who aren't regulars. I guess the solution to that is to become one. 

Special Out of Town Edition: Moonshine

Friends from Austin have usually raved about Moonshine, so when we had to be in town for a hearing, we decided to check it out. We went in at lunch time and there was quite a crowd. It was too hot to eat outside, so we were seated at a cozy little table next to the window. Right away, we liked the country-chic decor. It felt airy and bright, like eating at my husband's grandma's house. And the food was almost as good.

We started with a plate of homemade potato chips with sour cream dip. The hubs really enjoyed the dip, but I wasn't crazy about the chips. I was expecting something akin to Zapp's, but we we got were more like Baked Lays in both flavor and texture. Pass (at least for me).

I had a small Indigo Spinach Salad. First, I love that Moonshine allows you to buy just half a salad. It was a perfect lunch portion. Second, the ingredients in this one just scream summer: blueberries, peaches, fresh spinach. It was the perfect meal for the space we were in, the season and the time of day: bright, fresh, and not overly filling. The complimentary cheddar muffins on the side were also quite good, and helped to round out the meal nicely.

Service was very good. The place was crowded, but they seemed to have a good ratio of servers-to-guests, and we never wanted for anything. Most surprising was the check. I guess we're getting used to Houston prices on everything, but this was a very good value.

Overall, I'll join the ranks and recommend Moonshine. It was just as good as I expected, based on my friends' reviews. It was much better than many other casual lunch places. And it was damn sure better than rain. 

Hearsay

I enjoyed working with the format I used on my last post, so I think I'm going to do something similar for this review of Hearsay. Cool with you? OK, good.

And away we go .....

Space: Hearsay is located downtown, in what I imagine may have been a townhouse or loft at some point. The decor is cool and polished, all hardwood and brick. Plus there is a low-cost public parking lot located about 15 feet from the front door. You can't really ask for more than that.

Service: there was a healthy crowd on the night we went, so I think our server might have been a little distracted. That said, we didn't want for anything while we were there. He just didn't seem to be around a lot, and we had to flag him down to get our check. Maybe things would have been better if we had chosen to sit at the bar and not a table.

Food: We decided to share some small plates. Below you'll find the salmon crostini and the duck quesadillas. We also had the beer-battered asparagus and seared yellow fin tuna. The stand out dish was probably the yellow fin. The fish was comparable to what you might find in any good sushi restaurant, and we both really loved the piquant little salad that came with it. The quesadillas were very good; the duck was actually in the form of sausage, and the portions were very generous. Small plate does not necessarily mean small food! I didn't really enjoy the crostini, which had a fishy flavor and a too-crisp bread that was tough to bite through. And although I appreciate the shout-out to a local beer, the asparagus were greasy, floppy and not very much fun.

Of course, this is a gastro-pub, so I would be remiss not to mention my cocktail. The one I tried was comprised of jalapeno juice, vodka, sugar and lemon. It sounds like it would be spicy (and the waiter warned me that it could be), but mine wasn't. What it was was refreshing and light, the perfect end to a hot summer day. Totally worth the money!

Overall, I liked Hearsay's atmosphere and it's inventive drink menu. The food was only fair, but in the end, a place like Hearsay probably isn't really about food. Go to drink and be seen; grab dinner somewhere else.

Mark's

It's been so long since we ate at Mark's that I'm compelled to keep this review very short and sweet. Overall, the experience was very pleasant, though a little on the pricey side. Let me break it down for you:

1) Atmosphere: Mark's is housed in an old church. The wine is stored where an organ used to be; the floors are rough-hewn wood; stained glass windows are still apparent on the walls. A very welcoming and calming space, and a beautiful repurposing of an old building.

2) Service: Impeccable. Our waiter offered to take pictures for us (it was my birthday) and gave us plenty of time to enjoy our cocktails before offering dinner menus, and our dinner before offering dessert. He also made lots of suggestions. The only thing I didn't like was that he pretty obviously tried to steer us to more expensive selections, even when they didn't really meet our needs. For example, he told us flat-out not to order the assorted chocolates for dessert, and talked us into a much larger (and pricier) item, even though I told him I really wasn't that hungry. If the chocolates are bad they shouldn't be on the menu. I don't want my choices to become a jumping off point for negotiations.

3) Food: expensive, but worth it for special occasions. The foie gras appetizer was delicious, second only to the foie we had at August. For dinner, I had one of the chef's specials (above), and was treated to a platter of fresh seafood and various vegetables. What's interesting is that this dish was almost identical in ingredients to a meal I had at Capital Grille just a few weeks earlier, but it was much better. The seafood was fresher, the side dishes seemed better seasoned, and the whole plate was just a nicer composition than the one at Capital Grille. Little differences that added up to a much better dinner.

Rudy and Paco's

The hubs and I headed down to Galveston for our second anniversary, where we dined at the tiny Rudy and Paco's. Our friendly and obviously experienced waitress told us that Paco is from Nicaragua, and the menu is mostly fresh seafood with a South American twist.

We started with the escargot. I love snails and I like to eat them wherever and whenever I can. These little babies were easily the best I have ever had. It all comes down to the garlic butter sauce, which was so delicious that we soaked up whatever we could with the complimentary bread. My snail ordering days are probably over now, since I don't think I'll be able to find better escargot anywhere else.

We also snacked on plaintain chips and huge house salads while we waited for our entrees. Luckily we saved room, because dinner was wonderful. I had one of the specials, softshell crab. They were fried and served with lump crab meat and capers. On the side were au gratin potatoes, carrots and asparagus.

The crab was perfect: savory, crunchy and satisfying. I particularly loved pulling off the crunchy little legs and popping them into my mouth. The potatoes were also very well done, although a little dry for my taste. My husband had one of their many snapper dishes on my suggestion; snapper is my favorite fish, and he could see why. His plate was completely clean.

Our waitress treated me to a piece of chocolate cake as a special surprise. It was very rich, but not overly sweet. We managed to eat most of it, but it was a team effort. And it even paired well with the wine!

Of course, the real treat was when the bill came. We paid $138 for an appetizer, two salads, two entrees, dessert, and a bottle of Spanish red wine. That is an amazing value! And all of it came with great service and a very nice atmosphere. Paco even came out and said hello to every table -- and from the handshakes and hugs we saw being tossed around, he obviously recognized many customers. Rudy and Paco's may be small, but it easily competes with the best restaurants in Houston -- or anywhere else, for that matter.

Special Out of Town Edition: Red Fish Grill

We were in NOLA over Memorial Day weekend for a friend's bachelorette party. The girls in the group went to Red Fish Grill for dinner on Saturday night. We got there a little early, so the hostess suggested we wait in the bar. And wait we did ...

Unfortunately, I've noticed that some servers don't take me seriously, particularly in nicer restaurants. It might be because I look young, or because I'm a female. Perhaps they think I don't have enough money to buy nice things or that I don't know proper tipping etiquette. Whatever the reason, the bartender at Red Fish Grill (like so many others before him) chose to ignore me. I made eye contact, and eventually, he did ask me what I wanted -- only to cut me off in the middle of my request (for a bottle of champagne; not exactly a difficult cocktail to mix), tell me he'd get with me in a moment, and then ask the people next to me if they wanted a refill on their drinks. That's right -- he chose to ask other customers for their order rather than take mine! Other customers who had already been served and weren't actively trying to flag him down to order something else. Strange, rude behavior, but luckily he was the last of it. We got our champagne and moved to our table, where we were greeted by a much friendlier server.

We started with a plate of their barbecued oysters. We ordered a half dozen, but were treated to a full dozen soft, succulent oysters bathed in a spicy barbecue sauce. It was a like a chicken wing with an oyster in the middle; for me that's a treat-within-a-treat, and I thoroughly enjoyed them.

For my entree I ordered the crayfish and cream cheese ravioli. I was treated to this playful presentation:

I took a bite into the first little pasta puff and HOLY SODIUM BATMAN. I was blinded by salt. I took a swig of champagne and braved another and ... boom, problem solved. The rest of the dish was creamy, soothing and blessedly not over-seasoned. This was a good stick-to-your-ribs dish, suitable as a base for a night full of drinking.

Like I mentioned before, our waiter was extremely sweet, not batting an eye when we needed to split the bill. Clearly big parties are something they're used to dealing with at Red Fish. This is a nice, casual, accessible place right on Bourbon. Is it the best food I've had in NOLA? No. But that doesn't mean I won't recommend it. August is perfect for a nice date or a special family meal; Red Fish brings the party. And in NOLA there definitely is a time and place for both.

Public Service Announcement

This has NOTHING to do with food (well, unless you really want to stretch it, which I don't personally recommend). However, it feels like a teachable moment, so I want to remind my friends and family over the age of 50 to get tested for colon cancer. Don't die of something that is so preventable!

Nikko

Nikko Sushi and Sake Lounge is located in Katy, about half an hour outside of Houston. And it is a lounge, with a beautiful bar and dark red accents. I was digging the space, and the service -- our greeter had lots of helpful suggestions -- but let's face it: it all comes down to the food.

We started with a seaweed salad. In keeping with the lounge theme, it was presented to us in a martini glass. Very pretty, but the salad was fairly average.

We also got our money's worth in terms of sushi. Our host recommend the sea trout, so we had sashimi (on the right of the picture). We also tried the Crazy Crunch and the Sakura rolls. Crazy Crunch is in the middle.

The trout was something we never tried before. It had a very similar texture to salmon and a mild flavor, but with a slightly fishy aftertaste. Both of the rolls were good, but I definitely preferred the Crazy Crunch. Overall, both of these rolls are very similar to anything you can get at any higher-end sushi joint in the Houston area.

Nikko also markets itself as a sake lounge, and they certainly had a nice selection of cold sakes. I don't know much about cold sake though. I can say that the price of the hot sake was very reasonable, and we enjoyed several bottles.

Overall, Nikko is your typical sushi place, but with a very nice atmosphere. Worth a drive from Houston? No. A great choice if you're in Katy? Absolutely. 

Stamp out Hunger!

Did you know that tomorrow (May 12th) is "Stamp Out Hunger" day? Participating is easy! Gather some nonperishable foods (not packaged in glass), place them in a bag and put them in your mailbox/PO Box or bring them to your local post office. Mail carriers will collect the food and deliver it to your local food bank.

More here: http://www.helpstampouthunger.com/

Pizza Deaux

**Please note: this posting contains a frank discussion of gastrointestinal issues. Viewer discretion is advised. If you're eating a sandwich, you might want to put it down. **

Pizza Deaux advertises itself as "home of the cracker crust." I like that. My biggest complaint about Texas pizza has been that it's nothing like the pizza I grew up with in New York. Pizza Deaux isn't trying to make pizza like you would find in New York. Therefore I put my comparisons aside and enjoyed the product for what it was. And what it was was pretty good.

We tried the "Ragin Cajun", which is topped with sausage, pepperoni and jalapenos. Or I should say A LOT of sausage, pepperoni and jalapenos. Seriously, there had to be a couple of pounds of sausage crumbles on that pie. The jalapeno slices offered a ton of very pleasant heat, and I really liked the cracker crust. It wasn't the pizza I was used to, but it was spicy, hearty, crunchy and meaty. I loved it.

... Until the next day. Apparently my guts didn't enjoy being subjected to a pound of spicy sausage and jalapeno slices. I like spicy foods and I eat them fairly regularly, but this was a little much, at least going out. But the pizza tastes so good, that didn't stop me from eating a few more slices for lunch, and subjecting myself to a second round of stomach upset a few hours later. That's right -- it's so tasty that it's worth knowingly getting sick.

Azuma on the Lake

Oh Groupon, you never cease to amaze me. Our certificate for Azuma on the Lake was about to expire, so we stopped in on a quiet Tuesday night. The place was almost completely empty and very nicely decorated. There is a small rock garden, lots of wood and plain white ceramic table-settings. We kind of wanted to sit outside (the patio is located on the lake, and the weather was perfect), but the hostess didn't give us the option, and (oddly) put us way in the back of the restaurant, by ourselves.

We eschewed typical starters and went for the carpaccio. It was ... different. The beef was very thinly sliced, but definitely heartier than that in your typical Italian carpaccio. I liked the soy and ginger dressing on top; it was spicy, crunchy and bright. We finished it easily and moved on to yellowtail sashimi and hot sake. The fish and booze were typically wonderful.

Next we tried some rolls. The list is extensive, with some very interesting choices. We decided to have the Smoked Dragon (eel and cucumber, topped with smoked salmon, citrus salsa and a nori foam) and Queen of the Sea (spicy salmon and avocado, toppped with red snapper, ponzu sauce and wasabi). The Smoked Dragon was definitely the standout. Don't get me wrong, QotS was good too -- something about the texture and flavor reminded me of a really amazing seafood salad, and heat from the wasabi was nice. But Smoking Dragon's citrus salsa took that roll to a different, pleasantly sweet level. My only complaint was the foam. It was too dense, more like an aioli than a foam, and it was tasteless. I didn't know what nori was going in, and after eating this foam, I still was clueless.

We took a chance and got a dessert -- Bailey's Irish Pudding. Usually desserts at Asian restaurants aren't very good, and this was not an exception. It was very dense and didn't have any Bailey's flavor. The ice-cream it was served with was nice, but there wasn't enough of it. Then again, the whole concept didn't make sense. Bread pudding isn't an Asian dish, and Bailey's certainly is not. So yeah -- it was probably our fault for trying it.

Service was amazing. Our waitress was available without being pushy, and we certainly didn't want for anything. The prices were a little on the high side, we thought -- but then again, we did eat a lot of very fresh seafood, and we did have a Groupon. So that helped. Azuma has three locations -- two in the city, and one out in Sugarland. I completely recommend that you find the one closest to you and try it. Just skip dessert. Or replace it with some sake.

Kenny and Ziggy's

I. Love. Jewish. Deli.

I'm from NY. I can't help it; Jewish Deli is like crack to me. And let's face it -- sometimes it's hard to find a good Jewish deli in Texas. Oy vey, I was happy to find Kenny and Ziggy's!

Is it authentic? Yes. Is it delicious? Yes. Is it a little overpriced? Well, yes.

I had "Jewish penicillin" (matzo ball soup) and fried pierogies. The pierogies were standout. They were served with sour cream, apple sauce and (for some bizarre reason) s HUGE mound of onion strings.


Um, where's my food?


Oh, there it is!!

These little babies were savory, crunchy, salty and paired perfectly with both the sour cream and apple sauce. This is comfort food at it's best. Still not sure what the onion strings were about, but I'll get over it. The complimentary pickles were a much better side-dish.

Portions at Kenny and Ziggy's are ridiculous. The sandwiches (with cute names, like "Fiddler on the Roof of Your Mouth") seem pricey until you realize that you can eat off of it for about a week. Even the matzo ball soup is designed for more than one person -- they bring you enough spoons for everyone on the table. Go hungry, leave happy. It's a mitzvah!

PS: told you I'd be back ...

Taking a Break

Hey blog fans,

I'm going to be taking a break from blogging for a while. We recently purchased a home in Katy, about 40 minutes from Houston. Between the drive and the expense of starting a new life together, I don't see us eating out in Houston too much in the near future. But keep checking in periodically -- you never know when I might be inspired to write again!


Thanks for all your love and support. Bless.

Cafe Piquet

Chalk another one up to Groupon. I passed Cafe Piquet many times on my way to work, and I'm glad we bought a Groupon and got the chance to try it. This is not the nicest area of town, but the outside patio provides shelter from the street and a very pleasant atmosphere. And the waitstaff could NOT be more pleasant. This is a family run place, and you can tell that the people working there take pride in sharing their heritage with others.

I had never had Cuban food before. We started with a large pitcher of (slightly overpriced) Sangria and grilled calamari. This dish isn't on the menu, but it should be. It was salty and satisfying -- like eating the ocean, but in a delightful way.



The Cuban Shrimp Creole came highly recommended. The spices and tomato sauce were right on -- this reminded me of a delicious Cajun alligator dish that I make, but with (perfectly cooked, large) shrimp. And although I don't really liked plaintains, I did enjoy the green plaintain fritters on the side. Mostly because they were tasteless, and perfect for sopping up the delicious sauce.



We didn't try dessert, but the options looked good. I don't know how anyone gets to it though -- portions are generous and the food is almost impossible to stop eating.

Cafe Piquet offers a fun, authentic alternative to typical tex-mex fare. Try it -- you'll probably like it.

Cyclone Anaya's

Time for my one word restaurant review of Cyclone Anaya's in Houston's City Centre.




Meh.

Small Businesses with Big Hearts

Lately I've had the pleasure of working with some really great small businesses. Though neither is in Houston, or even technically a restaurant, I felt compelled to give them a shout-out on here.

The first is Klassy Glass. I hosted a bridal shower for a friend at this wine bar in Waco a few weeks ago. Not only was the space beautiful (and affordable), but the people could not have been easier to work with. I absolutely recommend this place for parties, get together, or just grabbing a glass of wine.

Speaking of wine, I've also fallen in love with Pleasant Hill Winery in Brenham. Their wine tours and tastings are a lot of fun, their wine is affordable and tasty, and once again, the people are wonderful. We'll be going back this summer for grape stomping -- you should join us!

And now back to the restaurant reviews...

New Yang

We just can't find good Chinese takeout in Houston. Maybe I was spoiled, since my home town has great Chinese. And Houston has great Japanese and great eat-in Chinese (Yao's and Auntie Chang's come to mind). But Chinese takeout just isn't happening for us ...

However, on a Sunday night after a long weekend with friends, sometimes a girl just doesn't want to cook. So my husband and I took our chances on New Yang. I say "took our chances" literally, because New Yang is apparently a dangerous place after hours. The staff serves the food from behind bars.

Yes, you read that right. We get our Chinese food from a place with bars around the counter.

So, how was the food? Not bad. The beef pot-stickers had an odd sweetness to them; I don't think it was accidental though. Maybe some people like them that way. The vegetable lo mein was actually pretty good and held up well the next day. All in all, it wasn't terrible take-out. And it looked awesome on my left-over Super Bowl plates.

Ginza

And now back to sushi...

We stopped into Ginza on a very busy Saturday evening, and right away we knew it would be good. The place was PACKED. Yet, in the first of many testaments to their impressive service, we were seated right away. You see, Ginza runs like a well-oiled machine. No table has one server; every server works with every table, and no orders are written down. Yet we got the correct food and the correct bill -- and quickly. That would be impressive even if everyone working there spoke perfect English, but they don't. Add on the sheer volume of customers, the noise, the relativily small space and well .... I don't know how they do it.

I've never been to Japan, but I'd wager that Ginza is the closest experience I've had so far. It's small, loud, crowded, and very little of the menu is in English. IN keeping with the spirit of things, we decided to stick with traditional favorites: beef gyoza (dumplings), edamame, yellowtail and tuna sashimi, sake. We only went off the reservation one time and ordered a Lava Roll, which is a fried salmon roll with eel sauce.

The sashimi was very good -- fresh, nicely cut, and arrived in 5 very generous pieces. I liked the texture of the lava roll, but there wasn't much flavor there. The eel sauce tasted good, but unfortunately it gave my husband heartburn (or at least we think it did - it was the only thing he hadn't tried before, so we're assuming it was the culprit). Edamame, and even gyoza, are fairly difficult things to mess up, and Ginza didn't.

For dessert my husband tried a house specialty, green tea ice-cream. The bright green color of the ice-cream belied its delicate flavor and creamy texture. This came highly recommended, and we can see why -- it's a perfect dessert after a light Japanese meal.

Unfortunately we weren't given much time to enjoy it, or the massive amounts of sake we ordered to go with it, as we were handed our bill and rushed out the door by a waitstaff that obviously thought we owed them our table back. And that's my one complaint about Ginza: the atmosphere, though lively, isn't very relaxing. For the same kind of food, at similar prices, I prefer to go someplace a little more inviting.

Pollo Campero

It's been so long since we ate at Pollo Campero that I almost feel guilty writing about it. They just put one in on Washington Avenue next to my husband's building, and his coworkers were raving about it. I wish I could say the same.

Maybe it's just that I'm not used to Latin fast-food. I was impressed with the variety of the offerings -- not just entrees, but also sides, salsas, even the drink menu. I had the empanada trio, with one of each offered filling (Cubana pork, grilled chicken and spicy chicken). I didn't love my empanadas. They were a little bit greasy, a little bit floppy, a little bit doughy -- a little bit everything but delicious. The rice and beans I had on the side were good though.*

The people couldn't have been nicer. If anything, they were a little overly friendly; I think that might have been new-restaurant nerves though. The space itself was nice, and clean, and everything was moving efficiently. And in fairness, the fried chicken (their specialty) did look and smell very good.

I'm not saying that you shouldn't try Pollo Campero. Washington Ave has changed in the few years we've been here, and there's a great need for affordable lunch choices in this area. I'm just really hoping that they step up and work out some of the kinks, and soon. Some other places need a little competition.


*I'm trying so hard to give this place a good review. It's killing me.

Vietnam Restaurant

Sorry it's been a while, blog fans. The hubs and I spent Valentine's weekend in NYC, where we went to Colicchio & Sons (AMAZING service, impressive yet approachable food, great prices for Manhattan -- if you're travelling, try it!).

We're back now though, and we had lunch yesterday at Vietnam Restaurant.

Vietnam is located in a very modest building, across from a car garage and an upholstery place. Not exactly an ideal location, but the outside belies the nicely appointed interior and the attentive waitstaff.

We went a little before noon and found a healthy crowd. Obviously people appreciate the lunch specials, which are a good value. I had the chicken with oriental vegetables. It came with an eggroll, brown rice, and a cup of the soup of the day (chicken with mustard greens).

The soup consisted of a thin broth with plenty of greens and (as my husband pointed out) very little chicken. It was tasty though, and probably authentic and healthy.

My chicken with vegetables was served piping hot -- almost not edible, but once it cooled, it was good. Nothing was overcooked, the chicken was all-white meat and there was a nice variety of vegetables (carrots, cabbage, beans, etc). Did it stand out in any way? Not really. Was it healthy, cheap, and filling? Yes. Was that really all I can ask of a lunch special at an Asian restaurant in a not-so-nice area? Yep.

But if given the choice between Vietnam and Colicchio and Sons, take the latter.

Casey's

The hubs and I spent a great day at Galveston State Park and worked up a huge appetite, so we were happy to find a casual sit-down place called Casey's. The promise of 20 beers on tap lured us in -- and yes, we did enjoy some of them -- but we were surprised and delighted by how delicious the food was.

We started with the mozzarella sticks, which were basic but tasty. I had the Gulf Coast burger (also known as a Po Boy burger) with waffle fries. This was a very nice beef patty topped with lettuce, tomato, and fried shrimp and crawfish in a remoulade sauce. If you don't think that sounds appetizing (WEIRDO), take my word for it, and give it a try. The seafood really shown without overpowering the burger, the meat was juicy but didn't make the seafood soggy, and the homemade bun it was served on was still warm and very tasty. A creative, filling sandwich.



For whatever reason, my husband decided we needed to see the desert menu. We ended up sharing a piece of the key lime cheesecake. Like my sandwich, this dessert combined two classics without ruining either of them. Do you like cheesecake? Do you like key lime pie? If so, you'll like this. I did.



Our server was very sweet and attentive. We certainly never wanted for anything while we were there, and honestly -- we're both so full that we're still hating life right now, hours after our meal. Go to Casey's with a big appetite and an open mind. You won't be disappointed.

Special Out of Town Edition: American Grocery Restaurant

Sorry it's been so long, blog fans. It's been quite a year so far! We're building a house, still working full time, and basically trying to get our feet on the ground after the holidays. We did have some really good sushi at Kubo's and some pretty decent sushi at Sushi Hana but I honestly couldn't bring myself to write about fish again.

Last week, my husband was out of town and had a great meal, and I asked him to guest blog. So, without further ado, here's "The Husband Who Ate Houston" and his review of American Grocery in Greenville, SC. Enjoy!

Once I found out I had to be in SC for work, a co-worker told me that American Grocery was the best food he had eaten in a while. So, after a short (and quite pleasant) walk down Main Street in Greenville, I arrived outside AGR. The outside was fairly non-descript but inside the setting was classy and quite cozy. My waiter was quite helpful and friendly in a way that apparently most people in Greenville are -- which is to say they seem to genuinely enjoy talking with you.

I started off with a Pig on the Porch. This delightful little cocktail consists of bacon-infused bourbon and ginger ale. I had to say this was one of the best cocktails I have had in some time. The bacon flavor in the bourbon made it finish off quite smoothly and with just a hint of bacon on the palate.

For starters, I had the crispy pork belly. I had seen pork belly cooked on Top Chef before but had never had the opportunity to actually taste it. I must say this was the highlight of the meal and one of the best foods I have ever eaten. It was crisp without being tough (I could, and did, cut it with my fork). The pork belly tasted like the most flavorful bacon I could imagine and yet was so tender it was almost like eating a steak. The dish also came with crisp apples, grits, and pecan-bourbon maple syrup. The grits were perfectly cooked -- and I'm not even a huge grits fan -- and the syrup was absolutely amazing. (You might note that AGR loves three things: (1) local meats, vegetables, and beer, (2) bacon, and (3) bourbon. I can get on board with all of these things.)



Next, I had the Split Creek Farms Goat Cheese salad with a mustard vinaigrette. Now, I think mustard is a fine condiment but I wasn't crazy about it being on my salad. It wasn't bad -- but not great either. The pecans in the salad were very well done but, in the end, it was just a salad.

Finally, for the main course, I had a Confit of Local Rabbit with baby carrots and hunters sauce. The rabbit was tender, tasty, and the outer skin just a little crispy. Overall a very good dish. My only complaint on this dish was the farro verde -- which I thought distracted from the simplicity and tastiness of the rabbit more than it added.



If you are ever in Greenville, SC and you want an excellent meal from start to finish, definitely make your way down to AGR -- you won't leave disappointed.