Houston Chronicle's Whine and Dine

[Bwana64]

Little different take, but once I saw a place called "Casa Tandori", Mexican and Indian food. It was out of business, big surprise there!

[FoodMan]

A reader's interesting request from today's W&D:

it would be nice if Dining Guide listed "truly dog-friendly" restaurants and bars. "Sometimes, after an evening at the park, it would be nice if we could go sit on a patio somewhere and have a meal without having to take the dogs home."

I cannot think of a single restaurant that is "truly dog-friendly" in Houston or anywhere else for that matter. Even if there is one, I would think it would be pretty odd for the Dining Section to include such a criteria in it's listing.

Other than that, today's section was very dry.

Elie

[FoodMan]

Absolutly nothing interesting in today's W&D. I keep hoping the following week might be better.

Elie

[FoodMan]

Everyone except one has nothing but praise for Houston restaurants in today's W&D. I'm starting to think maybe someone is reading this thread, since we have not had an iteresting "whine" in a while.

Elie

[SuperLuckyCat]

Maybe we should write some spicier ones and see if they dare publish it.

Has anyone had a really sensational experience lately? The most recent remarkable meal I have had lately has been at Tila's on Shepard (as usual), but I have been eating in the Tampa area where my client is (see my review on the famous Berns in the Southeast forum).

My eyes glaze over when all the W&D are somewhere far outside the 610 loop, I know they have to be fair but it's boring to me. That, and when the praise centers on the "very generous portions" or the complete subordination of the servers.

Maybe we should have a contest to see who could write the most out-there submission for Whine and Dine, with a 1 paragraph word limit.

[Dignan]

There was an incident a year or so ago where someone wrote a fake Whine & Dine about Da Marco. The give away was a rave about the purple onion rings. Friday about noon, folks started showing up there asking for them, and Da Marco's folks kept saying "What are you talking about?" The Houston Press' reported it with the incident with an admission of association Here.

[FoodMan]

Ok, I am very glad that our cherished Whine & Dine section seems to be picking up. A classic was born today.

Margaret Mika goes through all the trouble to write to W&D, however she does not (intentionally or not? I do not know) name the establishment of which she is dissatisfied. Why the hell write about them anyways? Beats me. Maybe I am missing something, if I am please let me know.

Also why on earth would a place with “Italian Grill” in its name serve French onion soup? Then when the “Italian” food is horrible customers complain. I would think the presence of this soup on the menu should be pretty good indication that maybe the restaurant has no focus.

The Chacho’s complain also bugs me, she has the right to not like their food, but if they want to charge for chips, it’s their right to do so. Customers expect too many freebies these days. Also, IMHO, they do serve pretty good Tortas and excellent Margaritas for a very reasonable price.

Elie

[Dignan]

The whine reads "Margaret Mika of Houston writes about a restaurant (whose name she doesn't wish to divulge)" (emphasis mine), so it appears the admission was intentional, and I agree curious. Perhaps she is a regular, and will continue to dine there despite her complaint, and doesn't want hard feelings.

Cabo's also charge for chips and salsa, but free is more common I think with these ubiquitous tex-mex items. I for one would not pay for them -- if they are there I'll usually eat them, usually too many of them, and usually regret it. It's peculiar, because I don't particularly care for them, but if they are there it's like I go on auto-pilot and munch away. Digression aside, you'd likely get a similar reaction from someone who was charged for table bread in an italian restaurant. The restaurant certainly is entitled to do so, it's just uncommon and as such sort of a minor eyebrow raiser.

[FoodMan]

The whine reads "Margaret Mika of Houston writes about a restaurant (whose name she doesn't wish to divulge)" (emphasis mine), so it appears the admission was intentional, and I agree curious. Perhaps she is a regular, and will continue to dine there despite her complaint, and doesn't want hard feelings.

Cabo's also charge for chips and salsa, but free is more common I think with these ubiquitous tex-mex items. I for one would not pay for them -- if they are there I'll usually eat them, usually too many of them, and usually regret it. It's peculiar, because I don't particularly care for them, but if they are there it's like I go on auto-pilot and munch away. Digression aside, you'd likely get a similar reaction from someone who was charged for table bread in an italian restaurant. The restaurant certainly is entitled to do so, it's just uncommon and as such sort of a minor eyebrow raiser.

Very good point. But if Ms. Mika does not want any hard feelings with the said establishment, then she probably shopuld not even mention her name either since the staff/manager at the restaurant might recognize her. It just strikes me as peculiar the way she whines about the place but does not even mention their name. It is not doing anyone any good, is it? The reader does not know who she is talking about, and the restaurant does not know to fix the problem if indeed there is one. This really is a "whine" nothing more, nothing less.

You are also correct about the chips/salsa situation. People just expect them to be free. I might not be too crazy about paying for them either but I would not complain about it, certainly not at a semi-self-service/fast-food joint like Chacho's.

...hmmm maybe we can start a thread about this.

Elie

[Kevin72]

Whine & Dine section seems to be picking up. Also why on earth would a place with “Italian Grill” in its name serve French onion soup? Then when the “Italian” food is horrible customers complain. I would think the presence of this soup on the menu should be pretty good indication that maybe the restaurant has no focus.

While I normally would agree that no self-respecting Italian restaurant would carry French Onion soup (there are plenty of onion soups in Italy), note that the name of the restaurant is Frenchie's Italian Restaurant. Perhaps its a misprint on the writer's part or W&D's and the actual menu item is "Frenchie's Onion Soup" . . . ? Or the dish is a play on the restaurant's name?

[fifi]

...hmmm maybe we can start a thread about this.

Elie

Please do.

I think the editor may have slipped up on including that whine without the name of the restaurant. When I sent a whine (more like a rant) about muffalettas a couple of years ago, it got edited down to a sniveling whine and some restaurant names were removed. I don't think it was done for space considerations. I never did figure out the logic of the edit.

[FoodMan]

nothing really worth mentioning in today's W&D

Elie

[FoodMan]

Today's W&D might not be as dramatic as we like it to be, but I did enjoy the "Pesce" praise by Carin Davidson. Although these well written and informative mini reviews are few and far between among the W&Ders, I do appreciate one when I see it.

Kudos to chef Mark Holley for his efforts.

Elie

[FoodMan]

Today’s W&D is kind of interesting because of one “whine” by a Mr. Charles K. White. When I read stuff like that it makes me wonder, why did Mona Shoup include this in the column? To fill up space? Or maybe she thought it was amusing. I mean what’s his point? Who benefits from that? Who the hell cares what he thinks is “frou frou”?

Elie

[Kevin72]

Today’s W&D is kind of interesting because of one “whine” by a Mr. Charles K. White. When I read stuff like that it makes me wonder, why did Mona Shoup include this in the column? To fill up space? Or maybe she thought it was amusing. I mean what’s his point? Who benefits from that? Who the hell cares what he thinks is “frou frou”?

Elie

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Ah, the W&D of old. You're right, how irritating. Should I write in and tell them I object to them reviewing Mexican restaurants because they give me heartburn? We should do a contest to write the most pointless, fussy letter of complaint and see if W&D will publish it.

[QuinaQuen]

1.000 apologies if someone already mentioned this whine and I missed it, but here's my favorite:

A couple of years ago, this one well-adjusted fellow wrote to W&D to complain that during the appetizer course at a certain Thai restaurant, some "debris" (garnish or something) fell off the plate and onto the table top. When the waiter bussed the appetizer plates, the debris remained on the table. The diner and his companion were so traumatized by that debris that they could hardly bear to touch their entrees.

Perhaps the editors find these letters amusing; there is a certain chuckle factor in letting people rant about things that others would rather keep to themselves.

[Richard Kilgore]

I think Mona Shoup has a sense of humor. She quotes Mr. W:

"Food that is garlicky, mustardy, tomatoey, lemony, oniony or whatever-y is a little too frou frou for my taste. And I certainly don't want to eat anything that sings, dances, bristles, pops or vibrates. That sort of stuff gives me indigestion."

A customer who knows what he doesn't like.

[QuinaQuen]

Perhaps there should be a MedicAlert bracelet for neuroses? Just flash it at your server, and you can have all the jelly sandwiches on white bread with the crusts cut off and cut in triangles, not rectangles, you want for the rest of the night.

[FoodMan]

This week's W&D is pretty dry. Although I could not quiet figure out if that lady from Erawan actually complained about her shrimp or just expected the waiter to know that they did not like it. My guess is her "whine" was edited and that part removed.

Elie

[fifi]

For those who are tired of the Kemah madness and chain-restaurant menus

Heh... I haven't confirmed this yet, but a San Leon resident tells me that Wrecker's is owned by none other than Mr. Kemah chain restaurant himself... Fertitta! All of the locals complain about the prices. Hey... It's San Leon.

[FoodMan]

Heh... I haven't confirmed this yet, but a San Leon resident tells me that Wrecker's is owned by none other than Mr. Kemah chain restaurant himself... Fertitta! All of the locals complain about the prices. Hey... It's San Leon.

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Heh...That is funny. That man is like an 80-tentacle octopus. Fertitta that is. Let us know once you know for sure.

Maybe a listing of all his restaurants can be compiled and posted along with a good/no-good rating.

Elie

[FoodMan]

Highlights from today’s W&D:

-Apparently more Houstonians are ticked off about the Valet parking situation in some restaurants. It never really bothered me much, that could be because I did some valet work in my early college years. I guess I can see the “whiners” point though, it is annoying for the valet to take up all the preferred spots. How do you feel about the Valet parking situation in your neck of the woods?

- Did bob Kietzman really wait three years to try out that restaurant? Did he save the paper clipping or something? Or maybe it was all a big mistake and it should be three WEEKS instead of years? I wonder.

-Rant: The Woodlands aka “The Bubble” is really a chain-restaurant hell! I have never heard of a decent establishment over there. With all the money in the area I would think a fine dining restaurant would be appreciated. Today, Mr. Schlesinger raves about PF Chang’s “delicious food” among other things. Other things they might have, “delicious food” they don’t. With all the great Asian/Chinese/Vietnamese restaurants in town PF Chang’s food is nothing but a poor/lame/bland imitation of the real thing.

Elie

[JetLag]

For those who are tired of the Kemah madness and chain-restaurant menus

Heh... I haven't confirmed this yet, but a San Leon resident tells me that Wrecker's is owned by none other than Mr. Kemah chain restaurant himself... Fertitta! All of the locals complain about the prices. Hey... It's San Leon.

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[JetLag]

Wreckers is owned by the same guy who owns Heartbreakers in Dickinson. Neighbors complain about the noise but the sheriff's department seems to ignore the complaints. Seems they are laying off Wreckers.

[FoodMan]

In today's W&D, I chose to pick on Ms. Lamon who believes her waiter should "know" what game shoudl show on what TV and advise his patrons accordingly. Oh, but she only requires this at a sports bar.

Elie