brucesw

Came across this article today in Restaurant News. I doubt Austin deserves credit for starting a trend. I read more than 4 years ago an article in the LA Times about taco trucks there, some of which sounded pretty upscale compared to what I knew of in Houston. Roadfood.com has done several features on NYC trucks, including one recently on The Treats Truck, which dispenses gourmet desserts. Anyway, what about Houston? Do Tacambaro, El Ultimo, Jarro count as gourmet? What else is there. Anything over there on the streets in the Galleria???, Memorial??? I mostly look for mobile vendors in poorer, working class and ethnic neighborhoods; maybe I'm doing it wrong.

Thanks, Morgan. It's on my list but haven't gotten around to it. I'm taking a little breather after a very disappointing visit to a taqueria, seeking out comfort food for a few days.

I'm into enchiladas these days and trying to find some unique ones. Anybody know of any place serving Enchiladas en Cacahuate y Almendras (peanut and almond sauce)? or anything else not commonly found? I know about Hugo's and Otilia's offerings, have found lots of the standbys - enchiladas rojas, verdes, suizas, potosinas, and husatecas at taquerias on the SW side but still curious and wanting to find more.

I think I may have experienced the enchile first-fry last method at a taqueria this past week. I had Enchiladas Michoacanas de Cordoniz and noticed when the dish was brought to the table the tortillas looked drier; I sampled them and they were al dente, not crunchy, kind of toasty tasting like a tostada although still completely flexible, no more oily than any I've had before it seemed to me. I liked the slightly different taste and textural contrast they brought to the dish and will be trying to duplicate it when I get around to experimenting with this. I think the thing is not many restaurants do this because the oil doesn't last as long if you're putting in enchilied tortillas.

Looking forward to your report.

I was going to suggest Sartin's but the website says closed on Monday. http://www.sartinsnederland.com/ The only other thing I've heard of over that way, but haven't tried, is Dippity's in Lumberton for a burger. http://blogs.houstonpress.com/eating/2008/...cket_burger.php

Wow! Three posts in one day .... this board is roaring back to life . I haven't been but I'm looking forward to it and I think I'm going to be pleased at least with the new room, the old one gave me the creeps. I wonder how being this far removed from the downtown lunch crowd is going to affect her business?

Hi JimH. I was posting too much, not seeing enough from other people, thought I was coming across as a board hog. I want to read what others are up to, not just my own posts so much. I've also cut back a lot after seeing my expenses for last year for eating out! I mostly tend to my blog now but I keep checking in, hoping others will offer their observations and finds and get this board going again, then I'll start contributing again probably. It's always been pretty quiet here on the Texas board, though.

To re-open soon in a new location. Nicer neighborhood, looks like it's going to be a nicer facility. Much farther from downtown so maybe there'll be less of a crowd to deal with at lunch times? I'll be looking forward to trying it out.

This sounds interesting; thanks for the topic David. I've done Tex-Mex enchiladas before but I think I'll try to come up with something Mexican. I've had Enchiladas Rojos con Pollo at several taquerias; yesterday I tried the Enchiladas Potosinas at a local place (picture on my blog). I'm going to look into a couple of other local offerings to get inspired. I find the refritos and Spanish rice many times are no more than 'the usual suspects' both at Tex-Mex and Mexican places so I frequently opt for something different if offered. Many Mexican places here offer frijoles charros which I prefer and (not sure of the name) arroz con vegetales, a sort of Mexican rice pilaf usually with diced carrots and peas, minced onions, sometimes minced celery, diced green beans, etc. I may just do steamed or grilled veggies and plain white rice, which I've also had. But the enchilada sauce will be the really interesting challenge.

I'd say disgusting how quiet this forum is . Unfortunately it's not surprising, though. Sorry I don't have anything to contribute Dani. When I had an expense account I feasted on steak and prime rib regularly at the best places in town with clients, consultants and staff because that's where they wanted to go but that was years ago. When I want to splurge using my own nickels and dimes I prefer something other. For a good steak, I buy something at CM and fix it at home. Enjoy your meal. I'll look forward to reading your report. Bruce

Thanks for the explanation of the term. I had assumed 'naca' was a variant on 'nica.' The Colombian version I had included a drumstick, a small portion of rib bone (very little meat attached but I think it was pork), chicharron, peas, carrots, and other items. I was giddy after eating it it was so good. It was plate sized, about 3 inches thick. It was to-go; I took it home and was told to boil it for 20 minutes. Yes I see the resemblance to hallacas but it was called a tamale.

Did you ever get round to posting this? I was really disappointed when I found out our only Nica restaurant here doesn't serve nacatamales but have had something similar from a Colombian place (no olives, among other differences).

Just a note about a very good find, Bansuri Indian Food Corner is Houston's first vegetarian Indian taco truck! They're parked just north of West Bellfort on Wilcrest, just a couple of blocks from Lopez Mexican Restaurant. There are several Indo-Pak restaurants in the immediate vicinity and there seem to be lots of people from the sub-continent in the neighborhood. They specialize in the street foods of Mumbai and they're very good. I've been 3 times in one week. Some of the foods put me in mind of my first visits to Himalaya. They're only open in the evenings, 6 nights a week, for a few hours. More info, pictures and a menu on my blog.

Jolie Vue Farm

Torta Huerfana = Orphan Torta? at Taqueria DF 100% Chilanga, Houston The waitress on the day I tried this didn't speak much English and there are no descriptions on the menu but as best I can figure it out this included jamon, milanesa, chorizo, huevos, refritos, yellow and white cheese (per another waitress on another day who described it to me - I think they were American and Jack), avocado and tomato on a nicely toasted, crusty telera, with a couple of very good salsas on the side. A sign on the wall invites customers to try their 'nueva creacion, Torta Huerfana en Taqueria DF.' I haven't been able to find anything online so I don't know if this is a local creation or has Mexico City roots. It was very good; plenty for 2 for $9. I liked this much better than the Pambazo.

I had a very good platillo de carnitas at Mi Tienda, HEB’s Mexican specialty market on Spencer Hwy in South Houston. The food court was very impressive and I had trouble deciding what to try. The refritos were excellent; the salsa verde fiery, but the salsa roja was very tomatoey and may have just been an HEB jarred salsa. I picked up some telera, bolillo and pan dulce in the panaderia. The meat counter looks like a carniceria rather than a typical US meat market, with the meats stacked on top of each other right up against the glass instead of laid out in trays. There were some cuts you wouldn’t see in a normal HEB but I’m not sure there was anything you couldn’t find at a big Fiesta. I did pick up some chiles negro in a cello-pack, don’t believe I’ve ever seen them before in Houston. Mostly though the aisles looked just like a regular HEB with typical goods including Hill Country Fare generics; the Goya food section at the Foodtown near me is larger than what there was at Mi Tienda. Food court may be the best reason to go. Spanish is the first language spoken and the only language by some of the staff. I tried a couple of tamales and a taco suadero at Taqueria D.F., 100% Chilanga, on Bissonnet just up and across from Sharpstown Hi. Been wanting to try this for some time to see if they had Mexico City style tamales like those at Dona Tere. The tamales were larger than typical Tex-Mex but not as big as DT but the most amazing thing was how spicy they were, especially the puerco but the pollo too. Pretty good. The waitress had said the suadero was pork and I had concluded it must have been finely diced roast pork sirloin but online descriptions say suadero refers to a portion of beef brisket? Mexico City style tacos are very small. She claims they do authentic trompo (al pastor) on Fridays. An interesting entry on the menu was the Torta Huerfana (orphan). I can’t remember everything she listed but I know it included jamon, salchicha, chorizo, milaneza, yellow and white cheese, avocado, tomato. Then she pointed at the Torta Cubana on the menu and said it’s basically that with even more ingredients. $9 and she said only one person has ever finished a whole one. I may go back to give it a try. The menu is only in Spanish but she was very friendly and helpful and spoke pretty good English.

There's a rave review of the sausage on Yahoo Local. This put me in mind of the chapter in John T. Edge's book Hamburger and Fries about the slug burgers of Mississippi, also called tater burgers, cracker burgers and dough burgers - a practice dating to the Depression of incorporating filler material in hamburger meat for frugality's sake which persists today. I wonder if this is something similar. Does the label list any filler material? TVP? You might post on the Southeast Cooking and Baking board for some more notices and people familiar with the sausage and how they use it.

I tried One's a Meal for lunch (as noted by a poster responding to Allison Cook's recent review, they seem to be phasing out the 'Bibas' name - it's just One's a Meal Greek Village now). Very nice space. I wanted a sampler plate of all my Greek faves but the dinner sampler plate was $18.95, more than I like to spend for lunch and I guessed a lot of food. I went for the plate of 4 spanakopita which also netted a small, well chilled Greek salad. The pies were freshly baked, less phyllo pastry and more spinach than any I've ever had before and very good. I guess I haven't been to a One's-a-Meal since they closed the place on Memorial across from Otto's or maybe the one next to the RO theater. And I don't recall they did Greek food then! BTW, they do have chili and chili pie on the menu.

Nature may not recover without costly intervention... A report in the Houston Chronicle.

Fritanga Nica - Nicaraguan - Synott just north of Bissonnet. Small menu (page and a half), no English translations but the owner speaks good English and was very helpful. I had the Enchilada Nicaraguense, basically a thin shredded beef and rice empanada made with a corn tortilla. The owner steered me towards Vaho (pronounced Baho), a weekend special consisting of beef, yuca and plantain steamed in a banana leaf, served with white rice. It was kind of dry, a stew without broth. Everything is accompanied with ensalada de repollo, the Nicaraguan version of Central American curtido with shredded cabbage, carrot, tomato and purple onion. Rice also accompanies all dishes and plantain is very common. For a beverage I had cacao, the Nica version of chocolate milk apparently made with grated, roasted cacao beans? Other beverages are chicha (corn), chilla, and cebada (barley). Other appetizers include vigoron (yuca and chicharron steamed in a banana leaf - said to be a very popular street food), chancho adobado, and tacos nicas (flautas). Main courses will look familiar; one I want to try is Arroz a la Valenciana reflecting the Spanish influence, a Nica version of paella. Also Sopa de Cola (oxtail), available only on Sunday. This is a half portion of the Baho; I had asked about portion sizes and he offered to serve a half portion of anything. I left very full (cabbage, yuca and plantain are very filling). The most expensive thing on the menu is $9. Closed Tuesdays.

Did you happen to check out the original site in Spanish that you posted above. It's very cool. Thanks for the link! ← Glanced at it but my Spanish is not that good so didn't linger. The Pambazo - There needed to be a warning on the menu that this fell under the category of foot long sandwiches - it was huge. Chorizo, potatos, lettuce, refritos, red and green cabbage, etc., dunked or drizzled with a guajillo sauce and accompanied by a cup of frijoles negros. Lots of American style sour cream under there - I wondered how crema would have tasted as I don't like sour cream very much. Comments welcome as this is the first one of these I've tried. I like the other tortas I 've had at this deli more than this. So is the pambazo a regional specialty or pretty universal? The restaurant

Spotted today, Fritanga Nica, on Synott just north of Bissonnet, where the small Brazilian home-style buffet Cariocas was. Just googling on the term fritanga I came up with this from the LA Times so I am guessing the new place is Nicaraguan and will be our first, so far as I know. It was open for business; I'm gong to try to get over there in the next few days.

Hello, Ingredients can be quite varied. Cooked shredded pork. Sliced ham. Grilled chicken. Fresh cheese (panela). Guacamole is pretty common. The only essential (for me anyway) is that the bread roll be smeared with refried beans. In fact, I like them with nothing more than refried beans and cheese. A great variation is called "ahogada". This is a torta smothered in a rich and spicy chile de arbol sauce and then sprinkled with one of the drier cheeses. Anyone else? ← Several of us here, including Jay Francis above, have been on the lookout for the torta ahogada with limited success - only 2 finds. The one I’ve sampled was dunked in a very mild chili sauce but the thing that’s really missing is the special roll, a birote, a sturdier version of a bolillo, made to stand up to the dunking. We doubt there’s any local panaderia making this bread. Another local place does another version of a drunken torta called the Pambazo Potato with Chorizo, Lettuce, Sour Cream & Cheese Dipped in a Guajillo Sauce. I haven’t tried it yet but their other tortas are excellent. Lengua and Barbacoa seem to be offered almost universally locally. I just encountered another one this weekend, the Torta de la Barda, a specialty of Tampico and Ciudad Madera in southern Tamaulipas. This site has a better picture than what I got of mine, plus discussion. Here’s another discussion. I wonder what other regional/local specialties there are.

Thanks Bruce. The only chili I saw was on top of scrambled eggs. Not sure that sounds very appealing, but I haven't tried it yet. Wonder if it is the same as at James Coney Island? I often get a large chili to go from there and bring it home. Nothing better (than my own) for cold weather. ← Yeah, I'd much rather have it on eggs over easy, cut up, with runny yolks! Allison recently wrote up the chili burger on Burger Friday - doesn't look like JCI's to me.