Friday, August 16, 2013

Kam's

Type of establishment:  Chinese Restaurant
Located:  Montrose Avenue on the edge of the Museum District

Summary:  
I have been to Kam's a handful of times.  With how many superb reviews that I have received from friends, I have to say that I continually been disappointed.  It is not the best Chinese food that I have found in Houston and it is not the cheapest either. 

Their dumplings are pretty good (Auntie Chang's is better).  

Final thoughts:  More than three strikes.. You are out. 

Friday, April 12, 2013

Junction

Type of establishment:  Bar that serves food.
Located:  West Gray in Midtown

Summary:  
The Junction used to be the Wet Spot years ago.  They have good drinks.  Their shrimp jammer, ribs, chicken wings, bacon wrapped quail, and sampler platters are some of the best basic bar grub you will get in the area.  They have by far the best seasoned crawfish consistently this year in town.  They make it how I like it -- spicy. If you like watching sports, they have televisions everywhere in addition to nice restrooms which isn't always a given at a bar. 


Final thoughts:  Try the shrimp jammers, crawfish, ribs, and quail.   

El Rey Taqueria

Type of food:  Mexican and Cuban
Location: on Washington at Shepherd (there are other locations throughout Houston)
website:  http://www.elreytaqueria.com/

Summary:  First off, I went her with a dear friend to get a quick bite to eat around midday last Sunday.  Ordered a Lemonade, #10 (Ropa Viejo on corn) and #18 (Cuban taco with Chicken on Flour).  It was so good.  I loved the carmelization of the plantains that were in the Cuban taco in addition to the perfectly (unbland) black beans, rice, and chicken.  Then you add onto that the juiciness of the roja viejo and perfection of the lemonade----I pretty much wanted to camp out at El Rey for the remainder of the day and  to eat my way through the menu.  I didn't stay because I had to do errands, but in less than a few hours later, I was at El Rey again ordering an iced tea and a large tortilla soup with another friend.   The tortilla soup had awesome flavor and was good even without lime or cilantro (which says something); on top of it, the large was huge.  I ended up having to take it home and have it for another meal.  I am not complaining at all.

Final thoughts:  This place is now a favorite.  It has good prices and my mission is to try everything on the menu...  

Saturday, March 2, 2013

Chicago Italian Beef

Location:  Airline at 20th Street/Cavalcade.  Northeast Houston/Heights. 

Type of Food:  Chicago classics.  Deepdish pizza, hotdogs, burgers, and Italian beef sandwiches.

Summary:  Today, I decided to try out Chicago Italian Beef on Airline.  I have been wanting to visit this restaurant for years.  I am an Italian Beef snob.  I know how to make it in addition to know I understand what it is supposed to taste like.  The Italian Beef at this location tastes like a glorified French dip sandwich without flavor.  It didn't have the right seasonings or correct type of peppers.  Additionally there was not enough juice. 

Final Thoughts:  I think that I will try to wait for the real food in Chicago or try making it myself. My version may not taste exactly like the real thing, but it tastes a heck of a lot more like the real thing than Chicago Italian Beef's version.  Maybe I will go back and try their deep dish. Maybe, but I fear it may be like Star Pizza's version which is NOT CHICAGO DEEP DISH!!!


Kublai Khan

Location:  Milam in Midtown

Types of Food:  Mongolian Stirfry and Traveling Sushi

Summary:  On Friday, I decided to go to Kublai Khan for lunch.  I ordered the stir-fry where I given a bowl and traveled through the food line to handpick protein, vegetables, spices, and sauces.  The cooks fried it up and delivered it to my table along with a starch of my choosing (white rice, brown rice, fried rice, noodles).  I decided to go with all fish since it was a Friday during Lent.  While waiting for my food, I chose a few sushi dishes traveling on the conveyor belt.  All the food was complemented by the great hot tea.  My server was very nice.  You could tell that the restaurant was new and they were working some of the kinks out of the business. 

Final Thoughts:  I will be back.  I love stir-fry and athough, it wasn't perfect, I really, really like stirfry. 

Van Loc

Location:  Milam in Midtown section of Houston

Type of Food:  Vietnamese

Summary:  On the last Sunday of Chinese New Year's, I went with my friend, Isabel, to Van Loc.  Isabel had been to Van Loc many times over the year  I hadn't been there at all.We ordered small order of Gỏi Cuốn (Spring Rolls - Shrimp and pork rolled with fresh lettuce, vermicelli in rice paper), Com Tôm Xào  (Steamed rice with shrimp and vegetables), and Bún Chả Gìo (Imperial egg rolls with vermicelli).  
The food was really good.  The service was a bit off.  Also, we didn't like the atmosphere as much (it was a lot plainer than it was previously).  

Final Thoughts:  It is good food overall.




The places that we were sad to see go...

Feast (located on Elgin on edge of Midtown/Montrose area):  This was an awesome restaurant with a great Chef's Table.   Kris and I ate the Chef's Table which included 3 appetizers, 5 entrees (it was supposed to be 4, but there was a mistake), and 3 desserts for her birthday back in July 2012.  One of the best meals we had ever tasted in Houston area. 

Big Mamou (located on Studewood between White Oak and 11th):  It was a cajun style restaurant/bar.  They closed within the last week.  They supposedly had great beignets.

Stella Sola (Located on Studewood near 9th in the Heights):  When they closed over a year ago, I was in tears.  I had one of my best all-time meals there less than a year before they closed. They had great food and service in addition to a drink menu that I would have drank anything off of.