Josh

I'm excited for this season. Sounds like he had a good time in my new hometown: "Anthony Bourdain Thinks Houston's Culinary Scene Is Really Going To Surprise People" by Amy McCarthy on houston.eater.com

The Chronicle just released Alison Cook's 2016 Top 100 restaurants list. It's been a couple years since I've been to her number 1, Oxheart...I need to get back. As a Heights resident, I was pleased to see 4 of our neighborhood places in the top 25 (Bernadines, Coltivare, Hunky Dory, and Foreign Correspondents). Looking good in the neighborhood (and well done to the Treadsack team).

Remember, you're dealing with people in an airport, so...

Mine's on the way...hell of a deal. We'll see how long these generous benefits stick around.

Here's a (very partial) list of potentials. The Heights Sonoma Crisp Coltivare Upper Kirby Oporto Beckrew Montrose Underbelly Camerata Vinoteca Poscol Bar Boheme (Warning: Website autoplays annoying music) Fourth Ward The Pass & Provisions Downtown Public Services Midtown Oporto Fooding House & Wine 13 Celsius There are also a couple of chain-y places that people seem to like: Max's Wine Dive and Tasting Room (both run by Lasco Enterprises)

This was read at my wedding. The last stanza always gives me a little hitch in my breath. Sonnet XVII I do not love you as if you were salt-rose, or topaz,or the arrow of carnations the fire shoots off.I love you as certain dark things are to be loved,in secret, between the shadow and the soul.I love you as the plant that never bloomsbut carries in itself the light of hidden flowers;thanks to your love a certain solid fragrance,risen from the earth, lives darkly in my body.I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where.I love you straightforwardly, without complexities or pride;so I love you because I know no other waythan this: where I does not exist, nor you,so close that your hand on my chest is my hand,so close that your eyes close as I fall asleep.

I'm normally a purist when it comes to burgers, but Hubcap Grill has made me rethink that stance. Over the course of a few visits to the Heights location now, I've had a standard cheeseburger (unless you are an NFL linebacker or Olympic athlete w/ massive caloric requirements best not to go for the double), the seasonal hatch chile cheeseburger, the guacamole swiss, and the philly cheesesteak burger. The relatively thin (but massive in diameter) 1/3rd pound freshly-ground patties are cooked more or less to medium, with a nice crust. The buns are custom-made specifically for Hubcap, and accomplish the impossible feat of remaining intact despite the onslaught of drippy toppings and glorious fat. I started things simply, with the house cheeseburger. Served with standard toppings, you get a real sense of the quality of the beef, and of the deftness of the hand that is seasoning it. So far, so good. I'd come back again and again for the simple deal, though I could imagine that sometimes I might want to opt for a "lighter" meal with a smaller, skinnier, fast-food style burger, like Shake Shack (or apparently the soon-to-open FM Burger just of Washington Ave). Of the specialty burgers, the only one I wouldn't be in a hurry to order again would be the guac/swiss. Not that it was bad by any means, but it just didn't do enough for me to sway me from the plain jane. The hatch chile was a thing of beauty that will leave you blissful, sated, and wrecked. There is no skimping on the chiles here, and this is Texas, so there is no skimping on the spice level of said chiles. You will need more than one beer (or Topo Chico) for this. Order appropriately up front, so you aren't waiting in line to get another beverage, mouth ablaze. I was VERY skeptical of the Philly cheesesteak burger, but after hearing it's praises sung by Alison Cook from the Chronicle, and Texas Monthly, and then being steered that way by owner Ricky Craig himself, I had to do it. Christ almighty was that a sandwich. It's a mess, and it's huge, and you might die when you finish it, but dammit, it's good. This is a thing that if done wrong, would be the worst of 2 worlds: a shitty cheesesteak, and a shitty burger, or maybe worse yet: a good burger ruined by a shitty cheesesteak. Alison Cook recently encountered a less than stellar version, and wrote about it, lighting a fire under Craig, who went around to each of his locations to retrain (and offer free burgers to folks to prove the quality was back). I am glad to have avoided the off-day, and whatever Craig did to whip his team into shape certainly seems to have worked. Also of note: the sliders come 4 to an order, and are topped with grilled onions. Great size for the little people, but are great in their own right. Simple. Delicious. Fries are hand cut and mostly great (my last order was greasy and a bit on the undercooked side). Sweet potato fries excellent as well. Strong selection of local beers in cans and bottles.

From a review (written by a friend) of Foreign National, a new Vietnamese place in Seattle: "Of course, a restaurant is not just about the cuisine but also about the experience and how much you're willing to pay for it—from the decor, to the prime location, to costs we don't always consider, like the PR efforts that informed the press that brought us there. That said, restaurants aren't created in a vacuum where colonial history and race and well-entrenched bias don't play a part; they are reflections of our culture and a response to what people have come to expect—from both a Boulud-trained chef and an immigrant restaurateur in Little Saigon. It's worth keeping in mind, whether you're eating $6 pho in the ID or sipping $15 craft cocktails at a hole-in-the-wall-inspired bar."

We coincidentally had reservations at Foreign Correspondents on the day Bon Appetit named it one of the 50 best new restaurants. This is one of a trio of restaurants opened in quick succession by the Treadsack group in the Heights (see also: excellent Gulf Coast seafood at Bernadine's, and very elevated English pub fare at Hunky Dory), and amazingly, all three impress. Foreign Correspondents is helmed by a northern-Thai chef and her (not Thai) husband. The menu is a few steps removed from the typical American Thai joint, and reminds me of the ambitious and unflinching menus at places in DC like Baan Thai and Thip Khao. No Pad Thai or Drunken Noodles to be found here (and that's a good thing). While they offer several set menus, which look to be a great way to ease into some of the lesser known dishes, we struck out on our own since a few of the things we knew we wanted weren't included. Crispy Fried Herbs were light and crunchy, with a great balance of acid and funk, and not a hint of sogginess. Fantastic start to the meal, and more reminiscent of the fried watercress salad at Sripriphai in Queens than the sweeter version at Thip Khao in DC. Stuffed sticky rice was a simple but satisfying dish of banana leaf-wrapped sticky rice with a simple squash filling (a salted fish version is also offered). Laaps are offered in 2 styles with a variety of proteins: Isaan, which seems like what most of us have come to understand as laap, and Lanna, which incorporates prik laap, a chile paste. We opted for the fried Texas shrimp laap, which comes in the Isaan style. This was an ok dish, but was a bit on the dry side. I'm not sure if that is intentional, or a misstep...I would like to head back to try a few other laaps to compare. Although this is described as spicy, the levels are kept in check, and shouldn't deter any but the most chili-phobic. I was practically coming out of my skin in anticipation of the crispy rice salad, a family favorite from our nearly weekly visits to Thip Khao when we lived in DC. This version was good, but leaned a bit too heavily on lime juice, which kind of overwhelmed the dish. I think a heavier hand with the herbs would balance this out a bit, as the greenery was all but nonexistent in our dish. I actually self-corrected for this by mixing my crispy rice with the crispy fried herbs, and stumbled upon a truly winning combo. There was a quick break in the action, as I was brought the balut I ordered for solo consumption, knowing no one else at the table would be interested. The intact egg is brought out piping hot in a small bowl with various leaves and stems alongside and a dish of what I think is jaew dipping sauce. After appropriate instruction from our waitress, I dug into an impossibly creamy, custardy egg...just insanely rich. The embryo itself was on the small side, and other than the initial shock of seeing a little eye looking my way from the egg, did not get in the way of enjoying the dish. And amazingly, there is more food to come... A whole fried fish was nicely prepared and topped with cashews, lime, chilies, and other aromatic things. Fantastic, and more than enough for 4. The makrut lime and fish curry was a crowd favorite, and reminded me of tom kha, with just a bit more funk and acid. I am unable to not order khao soi when I see it, and FC's version was rich, decadent, and did not disappoint. It is served with a side dish of shallots and lime, and while good on its own, the broth really comes alive with a few squeezes of lime. Finally (!), the eggplant and pork came in with thick, toothsome slices of heirloom eggplant bathed in a dark, intensely smoky sauce lightened with lemon basil. So good, and even better for breakfast the next day. The cocktail menu is creative, and drinks were well-made...You might consider a pre-dinner drink at the connected cocktail bar Canard next door, and go for a glass of Riesling (both off dry and dry selections available, and as the menu says "Not trying to tell you what to do, but Riesling is the best wine to drink with Thai food.") Services was friendly, efficient, and knowledgeable, and no one batted an eye at us with our 2 little dining companions. (Note: there is also a kids menu with options like thai fried chicken with rice, fried rice with fish, and versions of laap and green papaya salad without the chilies.) Congratulations to the team at Foreign Correspondents for their BA nod...well-deserved. We'll be back. (BTW, that link to the Instagram photo of the balut is my newish Houston account @houston_dining. Follow along there or on twitter if it strikes your fancy.)

2? Ugh. Luckily there are enough legit sushi joints around town that I will never have to even consider setting foot inside either one.

It's a little far to Uber to, but may I suggest Pho Binh on White Oak in the Houston Heights?

With my wife and older boy out seeing the Astros take on the Rangers, I turned to take out for dinner tonight, and ordered from the Montrose location of Mala Sichuan Bistro. I went with my standard szechuan restaurant benchmark order of ma po tofu, cucumber with chili oil, and a noodle of some sort (typically dan dan mien, but I went with cold "funky noodles" from Mala). I am pleased to report that Mala is, as the kids say, legit. The ma po was spicy and numbing, but not overwhelmingly so. The funk of the broad bean paste was there, without the overwhelming saltiness I've experienced at other places. I stayed vegetarian tonight, but they do offer it with ground beef. The cucumbers were fresh and crisp, topped with a nice balance of chili oil and crumbled szechuan peppercorns. I think next time I'll try the version in garlic oil to add some variation to the flavors. The cold noodles were similar to Chengdu cold noodles, and a great version of them at that. The noodles were nicely cooked, with a good bit of residual bite, and nicely coated with the sauce as opposed to sitting undressed on a ladle-ful of sauce on the bottom of the bowl. There will be plenty of time to explore the legion of amazing holes in the wall in Chinatown, but for now, I'm glad to have found a more-than-solid joint close by.

Oh yeah, there's no mistaking the smell of a mussel that's no bueno. I found this news article about the safety of eating ones that don't open. I haven't read the original report it refers to, but it sounds like if they pass the whiff test before cooking, you're good to go.

20% seems a bit high. I probably average 10% or so. One thing that has always perplexed me though is why it is taught that you shouldn't eat the ones that don't open. As long as you ensure they are all alive before cooking, you should be good to go. I pry open every last one of the suckers (same for clams), and leave no mussel behind.

Happy to report that Pho Binh's location in the Heights offers "The Original" banh mi (off menu, but advertised on signs around the restaurant & on the cash register), which is essentially a cold-cut and paté sandwich. Grabbed one the other day for lunch. You're going to have a hard time finding a better way of spending $5.50 for lunch elsewhere in the city. Fantastic on its own, the flavors popped that much more with an easy shake of fish sauce and a thin line of Sriracha. I can also vouch for the lemongrass beef banh mi and the pork/spring roll bun. I am slightly embarrassed that I have yet to try the pho, especially considering the possibility of the roasted bone marrow add-on. Soon...soon.

There is an outpost of Jinya in Houston that has gotten some reasonably good reviews. With this report added to the mix, I'll definitely have to check it out soon.

In the battle between money and talent I side with talent every damn time.

If you happen to be in midtown Houston (adjacent to Downtown, Museum District, and Montrose), you could do worse than heading to the Mekong Center on Milam. While you could definitely hit one of Houston's top (maybe the top) banh mi shops in Les Givral's, I would recommend grabbing one of those to go after a lunch of home-cooked Mexican (like, real Mexican, not the delicious-in-it's-own-right Houston version of Tex-Mex) at Luna y Sol. Anywhere on the East Coast, this would likely be a relentlessly blogged-about and critically-acclaimed place. In Texas, it's good. Really good, but then, there are a number of these type of places tucked here and there, and everyone has their favorite neighborhood joint. You order at the counter from a fairly extensive menu, get a number, and have a seat. They charge for chips and a nice, aggressively-spiced red salsa that is served warm. The chips are on the thinner side and appear to be homemade. I would say it is worth the charge to get them, but many in Houston would get their pitchforks out and call for someone's head over charging for it. Enchiladas verdes were as good as they can get (which is very, very good), and could only have been better had the chicken stuffing been ever so slightly more moist. The salsa verde was mildly spicy and piquant...perfect degree of acidity from the tomatillos. Instead of drowning in cheese or crema, there was a restrained and appropriate dusting and squiggle on top. The charro beans were far from mushy, and simmered in a deeply-flavored broth that begged to be spooned over the requisite Spanish rice. I grabbed a bottle of hot sauce from the condiments counter but it remained unopened. That is a major compliment. As good as the enchiladas were, the highlight was an order of 2-bite al pastor "street tacos." These come 3 to an order, and are offered in a variety of meats and vegetables. Small, toothsome yellow corn tortillas topped with just the right amount of protein, finely diced onion and cilantro. The pork was excellent, with craggy bits of caramelization throughout. I'll have to try the rajas next time. No longer BYO, they have a good selection of Mexican beers, and make a mean michelada with whichever beer you'd like, and offer margaritas with a beer floater, though I can't speak to how good those are. There were a few other small Vietnamese joints in the mini mall that looked worth a visit, though there are approximately a million of those scattered throughout Houston as well.

I went for lunch a couple weeks after they opened. We were so busy with the move I forgot to write about it. Overall it was good, and they'll do very well once that area fills out with more residential space. The "Indian Candy" smoked salmon was delicious. I would definitely recommend getting one of the platters to start. The fish tacos were ok, but not my favorite. The shrimp poboy was delicious, with perfectly fried, juicy shrimp. The bread fell apart quickly, but otherwise no complaints.

They may not meet the precise definition of cocktails, but our longtime favorite is the Michelada (definitely invest in a little bottle of Maggi, it'll last forever). Other than that we stick with margaritas and Aperol spritz.

I'm going to be annoying and disengage here. I will link to something that this discussion led me to remember from past English lit studies: The quality of mercy...

Eric, I'm not even referring specifically to immigrants. I object to using educational level as a marker for societal worth. For anyone. Political correctness has nothing to do with it.

I haven't said a thing about the enforcement of our immigration laws. I objected to the ugly elitism in your formulation, and hoped you had been inarticulate and not sincere.

I would be very careful with equating those with a low educational level with the "dregs of society." That is a pretty odious sentiment, and perhaps not one you meant to convey.

Wow. I did not know that! And now I'll have to go back and sit at the counter to see how he's doing and get a better sense of his work. Small world.