Must-try eats in Houston

[spikemom]

Yo, e-Gulleters. I may be coming to Houston for Super Bowl weekend (only if the Phila. Eagles are in it) and am looking for your guidance to: 1. Bodacious sandwiches; 2. The best BBQ; 3. Small restaurants where the chef cooks with passion and individuality. I write about restaurants for Philadelphia magazine, and love delving into local specialties when I travel. So if there's a chicken fried steak in Houston that I should not miss, let me know. Thanks!

[FoodMan]

Welcome to Houston, here are some of my picks:

Best bbq in town is at "Hickory Hollow" on Hights blvd. It's a family run business where everything is great. My faves are the pork ribs.

Small Chef restaurants. Try "Aries" in Montrose, "Rouge", or the new Monica Pope place "T'afia" (I've never been here but her "Boulevard Bistrot" was very good).

For Sandwiches , try Ragin Cajun where they have great po' boys and Muffelettas.

Fadi's on Westheimer has good Falafel, Shawarma and Kafta (kabbab) sandwiches.

I'll post more if something else comes to mind. Let me know if you need any more info about these places.

Elie

Edited January 13, 2004 by FoodMan (log)

[slbunge]

For Sandwiches , try Ragin Cajun where they have great po' boys and Muffelettas.

Fadi's on Westheimer has good Falafel, Shawarma and Kafta (kabbab) sandwiches.

You took the words right out of my mouth!

Of course I'm only a semi-frequent Houston visitor so what I recommend should be regarded with some suspicion.

[slkinsey]

Best bbq in town is at "Hickory Hollow" on Hights blvd. It's a family run business where everything is great. My faves are the pork ribs.

The inclusion of the word "hickory" in the name and your mention of pork ribs makes me wonder if this place serves echt Texas barbeque, which is to say: mesquite-smoked brisket with a thinish, tomato-based, black-peppery sauce on the side.

What do you think of the Goode Company Barbeque on Kirby for TX barbeque?

[FoodMan]

Goode Company is excellent as well, very good brisket and surprisingly good turkey sausage!! I know many Houstonians are very partial to Goode Company but, if I had to choose one place it would be "Hickory hollow" who also makes superb brisket, ribs and a couple of non-bbq items such as Chicken Fried steak with gravy. The reason I said I love their ribs is because that is usually my favorite bbq item with brisket coming a close second

Elie

Elie

[jscarbor]

For BBQ I would say that Williams Smokehouse is the only place in Houston area that can at times come close to the Luling/Lockhart places. Williams can have excellent brisket most times and always good ribs.

In addition to the other chef driven places I would add De marco for Italian, Marks (eclectic american), and Hugos (Topolabampo type Mexican).

For standard tex mex you can give El Tiempo a try even if it is a little pricey for great fajitas or the ORIGINAL Ninfas on Navigation on the east side of town. Ninfas is the birthplace of fajita's insomuch as it being widely known. They also serve killer carnitas.

For a little different mexican try Tampico for seafood. The grilled snapper is one of the towns best dishes ask for it and don't order anything else except appetizers if you want.

Houston has a large asian population and tons of viet/chinese places. I would suggest a visit to Sinh Sinh and order the peking ducfk and seafood. Make sure you ask for the full menu. Don't let them give you the white man menu. Also look at the oyster, ginger and scallion dish, I haven't had it yet but some people I know love it and I trust them.

[Jay Francis]

www.b4-u-eat.com is a great source for places in Houston.

If you would like, and have the time, send me an e-mail when you get here, and perhaps we can hit some spots together. I tend more toward the hole in the wall places rather than the expensive places. But, here is my short list.

For chicken fried steak: Ouisie's on Tuesday, Rio Ranch, Hickory Hollow, Jax

For Tex-Mex: Felix's or Lopez

For Mexican Food (top quality): Hugo's

For Mexican Food (fun atmosphere, authentic Northern Mexico): El Hidalguense on Longpoint

For Italian: Simposio

For Vietnamese Banh Xeo: the food courts at Hong Kong City Mall

For Cajun: Ragin Cajun on Richmond

For Barbecue: Goode Company, Williams Smokehouse, Thelma's Barbecue

For Cornmeal battered catfish: Thelma's Barbecue

Taqueria and antojitos: Gorditas Aguascaliente on Bissonnet

Ethiopian: Blue Nile

Jay Francis

[fifi]

Echoing the list above with one exception... I had the worst CFS in my life at Rio Ranch. It was tough, greasy, and had a really strange crust.

I haven't been yet but a friend of mine from Hong Kong swears that the dim sum at Ocean Palace in the Hong Kong Market center at Bellaire and Boone Road is the best she has had since she left home.

[jscarbor]

www.b4-u-eat.com is a great source for places in Houston.

If you would like, and have the time, give me a call when you get here, and perhaps we can hit some spots together. I tend more toward the hole in the wall places rather than the expensive places. But, here is my short list.

For chicken fried steak: Ouisie's on Tuesday, Rio Ranch, Hickory Hollow, Jax

For Tex-Mex: Felix's or Lopez

For Mexican Food (top quality): Hugo's

For Italian: Simposio

For Vietnamese Banh Xeo: the food courts at Hong Kong City Mall

For Cajun: Ragin Cajun on Richmond

For Barbecue: Goode Company, Williams Smokehouse, Thelma's Barbecue

For Cornmeal battered catfish: Thelma's Barbecue

Ethiopian: Blue Nile

Jay Francis

713-863-9590

"For Mexican Food (fun atmosphere, authentic Northern Mexico): El Hidalguense on Longpoint" Bingo! I would get the Taco dish that is ham, cheese, and avacado, this taco is really good. This place specializes in bbq goat and the weekends are the best time to sample this specialty.

"Taqueria and antojitos: Gorditas Aguascaliente on Bissonnet" Bingo! Althuogh you might need a little guidence if you are not familiar with antijitos. On the other hand everything is good so it reall doesn't matter.

I've seen a couple recs for Ragin Cajun and I can't dissagree more. I really don't see what the fuss is about? But many people do like it and it is very popular.

[fifi]

*getting out wet blanket*

I have to agree with you on Ragin' Cajun. Actually, I haven't found any really good Cajun food here. Acceptable, yes. Really good, no. I am not sure why that is. I think that it just doesn't translate well to a commercial kitchen. Or something.

I haven't been to Thelma's but Alison Cook did a review a few weeks ago and, while she raved about the catfish, she said the brisket was tough. There is no excuse for tough brisket.

*wet blanket going back into the cupboard*

There is so much good food here that I would hate to see a visitor dissappointed.

[spikemom]

Thanks for all the great suggestions, Houston. Not sure how many places I can hit in three or four days, but I'll definitely go for a mix. Jay, I may give you a call once I find out where I'm staying. BTW, this is my first trip back to Texas since 1978. My first job out of college was at the now-defunct Grand Prairie Daily News. Texas played a key role in developing my palate: it's where I learned to eat spicy food (at various Mexican restaurants) and how to drink terrible coffee (at the Jack-in-the-Box next door to the paper).

[mcdowell]

For a good Soul Food experience, give This is It on West Grey a try.

[Jay Francis]

You'll want to do some shopping at the Goode Company store across from Goode Company barbecue on Kirby. If you want a great price on cowboy boots, you'll have to drive over to Deer Park to go to The Boot Barn, which, I believe, is on Cedar Street.

Also, if you happen to be in Houston Friday evening and want a real taste of a good ol' honky with comfort food, greasy fries, chicken fried steak, live honky tonk country western, shuffleboard, etc. , you will want to head over to Blanco's on West Alabama near Weslayan starting around 9:00 p.m. This is the place I take all my European visitor friends for a taste of Texas.

If you are looking for a good (expensive but worth it) steak, I'm very partial to Taste of Texas on I-10(one of the few non hole in the walls I go to). I think their rib eye steaks are perfect.

[fifi]

Also, if you happen to be in Houston Friday evening and want a real taste of a good ol' honky with comfort food, greasy fries, chicken fried steak, live honky tonk country western, shuffleboard, etc. , you will want to head over to Blanco's on West Alabama near Weslayan starting around 9:00 p.m.  This is the place I take all my European visitor friends for a taste of Texas.

Good call, Jay. Though I have to admit it has been a while since I have been there.

I don't know about you guys, but I will be residing under my rock on Super Bowl weekend.

[Lone Star]

For the best and biggest Cobb salad you have ever had , along with bodacious burgers and sandwiches, go to BARNABY'S CAFE on Fairview. We go there often for lunch and everthing is fabulous in a very eclectic setting.

For good old get-your-fix Mexican Food, the SPANISH VILLAGE on Almeda (not too far from the stadium!) . The place is 50 years old and looks it, but it is always crowded at lunch time.

For Chicken Fried steak or the choice of bbq - you cannot go wrong with the mention of Hickory Hollow in the Heights.

Have fun!

[slbunge]

A thread about tres leches cake got me thinking that I should have mentioned 100% Taquito on SW Freeway. (Buffalo Speedway exit? Sorry can't remember.) If you are in the area, it is worth stopping in for their tres leches cake. Large piece of well soaked cake topped with whipped cream. Not overly sweet (my biggest complaint with other versions) and a really subtle carmel flavor in the soaked cake.

The cake definitely outshines the other food on their menu.