Josh

On 9/23/2017 at 1:45 PM, will_5198 said:

Overall, a quality showing by Shepherd and his team. I didn't fall in love with Underbelly, but it's worth visiting for anyone who appreciates loud flavors with global influences -- basically the "Houston creole" cuisine that the restaurants trumpets. 

I wholeheartedly agree with your conclusion here.  We liked it, but weren't blown away as one might expect from the longstanding and loud fanfare.  The iconic Korean braised goat (essentially ddukbokki with goat) was quite delicious (and liberal with the heat, as you noted).  Great wine list and knowledgeable bartenders.  We paired the spicy goat with a Peter Lauer Riesling that complimented it perfectly.

@Mark Dedrick & I were lamenting the loss last night, and like @DaRiv18, we will miss he tremendous range BR had. So many family meals with my kids there.  So many out of town guests. And yes, so many late nights at the bar. My oldest would often ask to go see "Chef Brad," and we were always happy to oblige. 

If you look at one of my early posts in the Houston forum, you'll see me describing my search for a BR replacement. Everyone should be so lucky to have a place like Boundary Road. 

I hear from my H St. NE friends that Boundary Road has closed. Sad news. BR really was our go to spot when we lived in the neighborhood. 

On 7/14/2017 at 10:18 PM, Pool Boy said:

At the 'top level'of DonRockwellian Food are New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Houston, Philadelphia, Washington and Baltimore. All in that most curious order.

When I look at Houston, it has 97 posts. About 43 places to eat in Philadelphia.

Then I look at the Intrepifd Traveler section and notice this that make me say 'Hmmmmmmm.' Like, New Orleans, Chicago, Las Vegas, Charlottesville, VA,  Paris, Boston and THIRTEEN other cities (9 of those in USA) that have more posts.

Just curious what makes Houston stand out?

Just pontifficating.

Uh...me?

On 7/12/2017 at 9:42 AM, mtureck said:

Pretty sure that's applicable for all notable restaurants of any type, but point taken.

Absolutely. I do think, though, that it's harder to hide variations in quality in Central Texas-style barbecue than other types of cuisine.

On 7/1/2017 at 11:12 AM, Ericandblueboy said:

Tim Carman ranks Hill Country #1.   He even claims Hill Country is better than Franklins, which ticked off the entire state of Texas.  In retaliation, the 'boys promises to wipe the floors with the 'skins.

I had some moist brisket just now and they are delicious, as are the pork ribs, even the shoulder clod (flat iron).  3 meats and 2 sides plus cornbread is now $25.  That's enough good for 2.

I haven't eaten at Franklin's (and probably won't anytime soon due to the ever-present line), but the calling card of a "great" barbecue joint is consistency.  That ability to pump out excellent stuff day in and day out (without the use of a "gas assist") is what sets apart the best Texas places from their peers.  DC places have always suffered from inconsistency, not helped by the frequent chef/pitmaster shuffles.  We'll see if these joints can stand the test of time.

On 6/21/2017 at 3:41 PM, ad.mich said:

Those Southside Market sausages (especially the garlic or 1882 hot varieties) are my plutonic hot guts.  Just a perfect 3 napkin sausage that needs no accompaniment.  They are located in Elgin, which is ground zero for the style.

They mail order, but shipping is pricey.  If you have the option to swing through Elgin, do it.  It's a short hop from Austin and nearly as much a part of the story of Central TX BBQ as Luling or Lockhart. 

Central TX Barbecue tour

That Central TX tour map misses a biggie: Louis Mueller in Taylor, TX. Steeped in smoke and history. King of the beef rib, and delicious homemade sausages in the regular and spicy jalapeño varieties.

I can't believe I haven't started a thread for Pinkerton's yet.  We've eaten here a half-dozen times by now, and find new things to love with each visit.  Up until now, we haven't hit a major line situation, though with them making the latest Texas Monthly Top 50, that may change.  Unlike most Central Texas BBQ places Pinkerton's not only serves beer (with $1 beer Thursdays), but has a full bar which stays open late even if they've sold out of meat.

The brisket here is a solid rendition, and an order I never go without when we're here.  I've never had a dry piece, though there was one time it was tender to the point of mushiness.  Haven't had anything similar before or since, so it must have been an aberration.  The pork ribs here are certainly tender, though they are a bit too sweet for my tastes.  Others (in my own family) disagree.  The beef rib I had on our last visit was massive and excellent.  No reason it wouldn't hold its own with the big boys in Taylor, TX.

Sides are standard, elevated by an extra mustardy potato salad and the ultra-rich duck and sausage jambalaya.  

The vibe here is friendly and low-key, with communal tables inside, and corn hole boards and picnic tables outside.

We continue to frequent Nobie's, both for dinner and brunch, and they continue to kill it.  The menu changes with such frequency, it's tough to recommend any single item, but you'll be pleased with whatever they happen to be serving.  We went for Father's Day brunch the other day, and had the chance to meet the whole extended Nobie's family.

My special hash with pork belly and smashed & crispy potatoes was excellent. Nicely salted, great textural contrasts with the crispy exterior of both the potatoes and pork giving way to a softer inside. Might throw a little hot sauce on it next time.  The Back to Life Cocktail is actually a glass of bright and tangy seafood cocktail served with saltine crackers.  Nice contrast with the hash.

On 7/2/2017 at 9:13 PM, will_5198 said:

I should make it to Houston before the end of the summer. I'll put it on my list -- currently hitting up Corkscrew, Tejas Chocolate and Killen's while I'm in the area.

I have been remiss in not hitting Corkscrew and Tejas Chocolate.  Hope to remedy that soon.  The pork rib at Killen's may be the best I've had.  The Pit Room is certainly worth a visit.  They do some fun stuff with homemade flour tortillas made with rendered brisket fat.  Pinkerton's up in the Heights (where I live) puts out some fantastic brisket and Grant's beef rib was firing on all cylinders last time I was there.

Shoot me a message if you want a dining or drinking partner when you're in town.

I've had lunch twice now at the original outpost here in Houston, and am a believer.  The menu is inventive, but authentic.  Does that make sense?

The chili shrimp dosa is the perfect hot Houston Spring lunch...especially if you start with the (actually very) spicy goat samosa.  Parents take note: they also have a kids platter (the "Tuk Tuk Thali) with grilled chicken, fries, braised greens, and naan for $12.  It's a ton of food, and was plenty split between our 2 boys (age 2 and 4).

I am in love with the pork ribs at Killens.  The only others that come close for me are from City Market in Luling.  We'll see how the brisket changes now that Ronnie is changing the sourcing for his beef to Snake River Farms in Idaho (in hopes of getting a more consistent product than he was).

June 19, 2017 - "Killens Barbecue Elevates Their Brisket Game" by Scott Sandlin at houstonfoodfinder.com

Great night at Riel a few days ago. I went in with very few expectations, other than remembering that I read somewhere that the chef was Canadian, and at some point served borscht.  We didn't opt for the borscht on our first visit, though we will certainly get into it (and the plate of Montreal smoked meat) next time.  Cocktails are interesting, well-crafted, and well-priced at $10.  I started with "Oslo in the Summertime," a nice riff on a Negroni, with Aquavit subbed in for the gin.  Cristina is a sucker for gose, and started with a refreshing beer cocktail (Ready Set Gose) of Real Ale Gose (which has dominant lime notes), Cocchi Americano, and cucumber.

It was feeling like that kind of night, so we opted to roll hard and start with the caviar service.  Beautifully presented on a cut log platter, were were served 3 varieties - American, Russian, and Iranian along with house made butter (fantastic), freshly made rye blinis, and traditional accompaniments.  Just as I was about order a couple glasses of champagne, the manager came over with an ice cold bottle of house infused vodka.  All the better.

(Click the arrows on the photos to see the crab and hangar steak.)

Tempura cauliflower was served with a slightly too-salty kimchi sauce.  The cauliflower were nicely breaded and fried, drizzled with the smoothly pureed sauce.  There was some spice, but I would have liked a little more kimchi funk. Seemed like a popular dish, as we saw several plates heading out from the open kitchen.  Having spent the last few years in DC, it's almost impossible for me to pass up a seasonal soft-shell crab special.  Riel's comes lightly breaded and fried, served with greens and a tamarind sauce.  Great dish that balances the salty fried crab with the sour tamarind.  Bright and aggressively spiced.  We wrapped it up with the 44 Farms hangar steak, cooked to a perfect medium rare, served over a horseradish cream sauce alongside pan-crisped potato-cheddar pierogi.  Another winner of a dish.  Simple, unfussy, but cleanly presented.

Riel generated a lot of early press, but still somehow feels a little under the radar.  Such is life in a sprawling city with so many choices.  That said, I'm confident we'll be back, and would be happy to recommend a meal there to anyone visiting.

4 hours ago, will_5198 said:

Tom Micklethwait puts more pride and knowledge of craft into his sausages than any other I've tasted in Texas. He can give you a perfect rendition of the classics -- their jalapeno cheddar link is a benchmark -- and as mentioned, his more creative takes are as good or better.

Have you made it to the Pit Room in Houston? I'd love to hear what you think about their sausages.  I've become a big fan of the venison.

LA Barbecue in Austin puts out a mean hot gut.  For a less traditional (but sometimes more delicious) take on sausage at a bbq joint, Micklethwait's (also in Austin) always has interesting stuff.  On my last trip there I had a Thai chili sausage that added juuuuuust enough spice and funk to distinguish it from other spicy versions. 

I can't keep track of all of the new poké joints opening or popping up around Houston, but I can say that I am a fan of Pokeology.  I was a little surprised to see that rather than a standalone restaurant, it's a permanent stand/booth scenario situated in the back of Doc Holliday's bar in Rice Village.  They have a number of "signature" bowls you can choose from, or a Chipotle-like build your own bowl option.  There are 2 sizes, and for most people, I would recommend the larger.  @CeeBee chose the "Applemachi" (hamachi, with green apple) and I went with the "Salmon Thaiviche" (salmon, fish sauce, basil, thai chili). All bowls come with cucumber and seaweed salad.  I added on masago (no charge) for a little extra saltiness and didn't regret it.  The proportions were right, the fish fresh, and not overly marinated.  The rice was nicely seasoned, and stood on its own.  Apparently the head chef behind the operation has several years in the sushi business, and the quality of his rice reflects that.

Everything is served in plastic to-go bowls, and there is seating both inside the bar (dark and not terribly inviting, especially when the weather's nice), and on the patio.

My bowl, and the few bites I had of @CeeBee's at Pokeology yesterday were much better than what I've had previously in Houston (or in DC for that matter).

Houston is a taco-rich environment, and I had come to believe that at a certain level of goodness, all tacos kind of play at the same level, without stand-outs.  I was wrong.  The tacos at Tierra Caliente are the truth.  These are the Platonic ideal of taco. They are the essence of taco-ness.

I sampled 3: lengua, pastor, and barbacoa.  Both the corn and flour tortillas are excellent, each spending a little time on the griddle before getting wrapped with the meat and a generous sprinkling of onion and cilantro. Both red and green salsa tasted fresh and bright, with a little bite, but not so spicy as to overwhelm the other ingredients.  My only quibble was that the pastor veered a little on the sweet side for my tastes.  (I prefer the version I had at Taqueria Tacambaro the next day up in the Heights.)

Luna y Sol took home the trophy in Houston Press' best breakfast taco tournament against some pretty stiff competition.  I've never had the breakfast tacos there, but I can definitely corroborate how good their tortillas are.  I'll have to give them a shot soon.

Taste Test: We Found the Best Breakfast Taco in the Loop by Erika Kwee on Houstonpress.com

1 hour ago, Ericandblueboy said:

I had CFS at Hickory Hollow and didn't think much of it.  When I was a kid, McDonald's had chicken fried steak biscuits that were pretty darn good.

Why on Earth were you eating at Hickory Hollow?

On 4/18/2017 at 8:54 PM, naxos said:

Thanks, Don!

The main purpose of the trip is eating well and we will walk it all off afterwards hiking in the Bernese Oberland.

We are trying to limit our driving- having done an intense trip  in Portugal a few years back and have learned to limit our distances. We fly in and out of Bilbao.We have considered visiting the dunes near Arachon and may go a day trip.

Carcassone is enticing, but further east and will save that for a May trip when I'm no longer tied to an academic schedule.

We have 5 nights in Donastia so we have time for one  or two splurge restaurants and will try for a reservation at  Arzak but it may be too late. Your directional advice for the pintxo crawl is helpful- had no idea!

Honestly, Lectour was added after reading a recent NYT article about Gascogne and the duck, foie gras and markets.

Gentaria for percebes and seafood and Biarritz for some France.

Reading lots of blogs and looking for other recent recommendations.

This forum is an amazing wealth of information !Thank you for all your hard work.

 

Check out the San Sebastian thread for some recs on tapas places.  La Cepa is a great place for "traditional" tapas...especially fried things. La Cuchara de San Telmo really shouldn't be missed either.

If you're driving to and from Bilbao you will hate yourself forever if you don't book a lunch or dinner at Etxebarri.  I've had the fortune to go twice and they are both the most memorable meals of my life.  A prawn I had last year still haunts me.

Another short drive from San Sebastian that is fully worth it would be to do a lunch at Elkano.  Fish perfected.

And do try to get a spot at Arzak.  I waited too long on our first trip there and was really bummed that we couldn't go, but they worked us in after a cancellation.  The folks there are incredibly friendly and would likely bend over backwards to get you in if you really express an interest.

Houston is a haven for CFS, traditional and non.  One of our neighborhood Vietnamese joints has a very respectable version that is served traditionally (as in cream gravy, mashed potatoes) or with spring rolls and fried rice.  It's quite good, but what I really love, and suggest everyone who comes through Houston make a point of trying is the masala chicken fried steak at Himalaya.  It's not on the menu, but ask and you shall receive.

On 4/23/2017 at 8:08 PM, DonRocks said:

So, brace yourselves, Houston: Hawaii is coming to you, and don't be surprised to see a few more - mostly using the fast-casual / quick-serve format.

Oh...it's here in force now.  I had a bowl at one of the "elders" of the scene here (Liberty Kitchen) and found it to be...eh.  Probably my fault for sticking to a very plain mixture of ingredients, but for that setup, I prefer chirashi with really good rice as opposed to the plain-jane steamed variety.

New Players in Houston's Poke Scene by Cuc Lam on houstonpress.com

A Poke Tour of Houston by Beth Levine on houstoniamag.com

Where to Eat Poke in Houston Right Now by Amy McCarthy on houton.eater.com 

1 hour ago, yeah said:

Les Grival's has very good bread and the grilled pork is better cut/less grisly than what I'm typically getting in the DMV.  But don't miss the spring rolls either, there's something going on in there that seems different or maybe just atypically well-executed. 

Thanks for the report! Which location did you go to? Milam St. or the one on Washington?

Apologies for the needlessly snarky reply, though the article does address that another traveler was the person who reported the events.

As a man, I'm in a position such that my sartorial choices are not likely to be questioned or used to shame me.  Yes, "rules are rules," and certainly United has the legal authority to dictate how their employees and the children/friends of their employees dress when using company benefits.  And at the same time, the way they have written and enforced those rules is biased against women and, as @ktmoomau points out, a PR disaster.

I would also say that what seems like a tempest in a teapot comes at a time when women in this country are feeling the pressure of their elected officials (many of whom are nakedly misogynistic) aiming to restrict their healthcare options and bodily autonomy.  So I can understand the outrage over this seemingly silly episode of dress code enforcement.