Kerr.

Wow, extremely impressive list Dan! I've been to only a few of those, but gotta agree that City Mkt in Luling is my favorite also.

Don't know about NW side of town, but Kubo's (Rice Village) has always treated me well. They usually have a wide variety, extremely good. One night I sat at the sushi bar and watched the chef filet a big ol' honkin' whole tuna down to a few select sashimi chunks. I also have had some Alaskan King Crab there, though I did feel guilty knowing that the fisherman risk life & limb to get that stuff from the bottom of the Bering Sea.

My 3 faves: 1. City Market in Luling 2. Kreuz in Lockhart (I've still not tried Smitty's due to the family feud! A Kreuz employee brainwashed me before the move.) 3. Williams Smokehouse in Houston

I read this site and others all the time. Don't always post here however....I like to spread the wealth!

I don't know about your advice, but I do know he reads the internet posts. He's referenced them in prior articles, plus I met him once and he admitted that he's a regular reader. He told me that he never posts, not even in an assumed name.

Thanks, jscarbor. I'll be going by Vieng Thai for dinner pretty soon. I went there about 2 years ago just for something quick and have meant to go back ever since. Your reports got me fired up to go back again. Kanomwan has long been my favorite in town, but we'll give Vieng a try soon.

Similarly, I'm looking for huchepos - sweet tamales from Michoacan. Is there a source for those in Houston? (Sorry I can't help with the green sausage)

Tex-Mex: Pico's on Bellaire is terrific mid-price (might be a short wait, not sure if they take reservations). For really upscale is Hugo's on Westheimer (might need reservations). There's local-owned joints on just about any street corner. BBQ: Williams on Wheatley. Go at lunch & eat outside if it's a nice day....doesn't get any better than that! Get the brisket & ribs with peach cobbler for dessert. Enjoy our fare city!!

The whole of Market Square (or at least much of it) is encircled with vendors. Some of the parking lot on the south side also has vendors. Currently it's mostly artists selling their wares, but last weekend I did see one vendor selling wild lettuces. They are trying to have more food vendors and get the nearby restaurants open for breakfast. Also food related....V8 was there last weekend giving away juice & t-shirts. It may evolve into having some food vendors and some artists.

Sounds like you had fun! Here's some tips to make your next visit go a little smoother. I live in Houston and I assume they're similar in DFW (where you posted from). Tell the cashier you want a "Plate Lunch" or "Plato" (pronounced plah-toh, not like the philosopher). Either expression usually works. This will give you 2 meats, rice & beans & tortillas with salsa & a lime wedge. When you walk to the cook, they will ask one question: tortillas de harina (flour) o de maiz (corn)? Then the cook will start putting together the tortillas and your rice & beans. This gives you time to look at the meats and you can point to two. Cost is usually <$5. It's not all meat behind the counter. I sometimes get the poblano with cheese or poblano with tomato & onion. Yesterday I had a carrot & potato stir-fry mixed with some mild chiles. There's usually some egg with potato. They almost all have a choice of fajitas, a chicken dish, pork, chicharones, barbacoa. Sometimes they'll have something like pork chops or chile relleno. There's always a variety. Another option to try different meats is just to get them in a taco. Order 3-4 tacos and you can try 3-4 meats. The tacos are cheap; usually $1.25 each. They'll be served with just the meats inside a tortilla and salsa. This should be easier for the cashier than your method! Most days they will have a beef stew (caldo de res). This is a big bowl of soup with a large chunk of low-grade beef and lots of vegetables (carrot, potato, yuca, chayote squash, onion, etc.). These are terrific on a cold day. Menudo and pozole usually only on weekends (though I know of one place in Houston that serves pozole on Wednesdays). Before you leave, walk the aisles of the store. They will usually have a display of dessert breads (use the tongs) that you can chomp on in the parking lot. Don't eat them in your car as they leave a lot of crumbs. Enjoy! Kerr.

Topwater is terrific. After lunch, I took the kids to the baithouse next door and they had a blast. Just about then, a shrimp boat pulled up to the dock and we walked over to talk the the cap'n. I was there about 2 weeks ago and the oysters were incredible. Hard to find, even with a map, but don't give up....it's worth it! Kerr.

for BBQ: Williams Smokehouse is best. Get the brisket & ribs. Excellent peach cobbler for dessert. for seafood: it's now oyster season; get 'em fresh or fried. Any cajun place will have them. I'll be grilling some this weekend (on half-shell sprinkled with garlic). for chili (peppers, not meat): go to a Carniceria aka Meat Market. You can try La Michoacana as there are several around town. They all have a steam table offerering 8-10 meat dishes, flavored with different chilis (serrano, jalapeno, guajillo, arbol, ancho etc.) They usually have 2 salsas readily available. They will have a small grocery store where you can buy fresh & dried chilis. Have fun & enjoy H-town!

Those tamales are terrific. My fave are the sweet ones with cinnamon & raisins. They also make a gigantic "Oaxaca" style (not sure what that means) for $2.50/each, but they're always out of those whenever I've visited.

Try Villa Arcos on Navigation. Loyal clientele. Homemade flour tortillas, you can get them with anything breakfast-like (eggs, bacon, potatos, refried beans, etc.). Any taqueria or taco truck in town sells breakfast tacos, but Villa Arcos seems a cut better. Kerr.