Quick Review: Mama's on Washington Square San Francisco

It was a cold, dreary almost Vancouveresque morning in San Francisco. We hiked 40 minutes to Washington Square Park. We waited another 45 minutes in the lineup. We watched the staff at Mama's on Washington Square preparing chocolate cinnamon French Toast.

After placing our order we were seated in a nice booth looking out on Washington Square Park. 15 mins later we were enjoying one of San Francisco's more famous breakfast places!


I had a California Omlette (Jack Cheese, bacon, avacado) with home fried potataoes and sourdough baguette toast. The kids enjoyed very fluffy pancakes with fresh berries, powdered sugar and maple syrup. The breakfast was one of the better ones I've had in a while. The eggs in my omlette were fluffy and not runny or greasy. The bacon was crisp and not greasy. The avacado was fresh and bright green. The kids' pancakes were fluffy and sweet--the berries fresh and the syrup was real maple.

Of note the food is locally sourced and organic. This breakfast reminds me of Sylvia's Restaurant by English Bay in Vancouver, BC but on a smaller scale. The bottom line is its worth the trip and worth the wait. Eat at Mama's on Washington Square in San Francisco! You'll be glad you did!

Mama's
1701 Stockton Street at Filbert
San Francisco, CA
(415) 362-6421


Eat Happy & Zao an, Y'all!!!

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Quick Review: Café Bellini 235 Powell St San Francisco, CA

California owes a lot to the wave of post World War II Italian immigrants--its wine industry for one, and authentic pizza for another. My family went on a trip to San Francisco and stayed near Union Square. After checking in at the hotel several in our party wanted to try the local pizza and were advised on Café Bellini.
Their logo says "espresso-panini-dolci"- strong Italian coffee, sandwiches and sweets. When you walk into the cafe from Powell St, you are lured in by their dessert case displaying various cheesecakes and other treats. The interior is black, white, red and mirrored. It reminds me of some cafes on Denman St in Vancouver's West End!


Our party ordered Traditional Cheese for the kiddos and super combo for the adults. Both types have mozzarella and traditonal tomato sauce on thin crust. The super combo has sausage, salami, pepperoni, yellow and green bell peppers, red onions, mushrooms, black olives and tomatoes.
The super combo was a flavour explosion in my mouth. The crust was slightly crunchy on the outsideb and soft on the inside. The veggies were fresh and flavourful. The tomato sauce was sweet and tangy-not overpowering. The meats were well seasoned and chewy. A very satisfying pie at 10" and at $14 a good value. The kids LOVED the cheese pizza, chowed down and there were NO LEFTOVERS!!!

Now for dessert and coffee: my daughter wanted a slice of their chocolate cheesecake to share with her brother and their mom concurred. I perused the coffee menu and chose a chocolate ganace New York style cheesecake while I tried their Caffé Latté Machiatto. The cheesecake was heavy and like the layer of chocolate on top, semi-sweet like most European style desserts. The whipped cream garish was light and only semi-sweet. Very tasty and was gobbled up quick.


The machiatto I ordered was perfect, strong and had an artistic pattern done by the lovely barista. I noticed several places here in SF favour the Lavazza brand of coffee. Its been very good so far and I may have to start stocking it at home.

Our whole party thoroughly enjoyed our experience at Café Bellini and highly recommend them.

Café Bellini
235 Powell Streeet
San Francisco, CA
Other Locations around the same metro area
(415) 956-5101


Eat Happy & Zao an, Y'all!!!
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Battle of the Burritos-Round 3 Freebird's World Burrito

 

Round 3 in my Battle of the Burritos is Freebird's World Burrito.  This one is one of my favourites and after revisiting them it is no surprise as to why.  Overall this place is the best place to spend your $11.00 on a good sized burrito with great fillings, in my humble opinions.  As to why, here is your


Burrito Blueprint:


Red chili pepper tortilla
Steak
Mexican rice
Refried beans
Peppers, onlons, lettuce tomatoes
Medium Salsa
Cheese
Guacamole & Sour Cream

First of all, unlike Mission or Chipolte, Freebird's has a great selection of sizes from the Hybird for those with small appetites to the Super Monster for the really hungry folks out there.  I went with the Freebird Size, which is about the same size as Mission or Chipolte's.  Also they have 3 types of tortillas--plain flour, spicy chili pepper and spinach.  You can also get your burrito in a bowl.  They do have tacos, nachos and quesadillas too.  You have a choice of lime cilantro rice or Mexican Rice.  Further you can get refried beans, black beans or pinto beans.  Plus you have various salsas and other fresh toppings to put on your burrito. For $2.79 extra you can make it a combo where you get chips with queso or guacamole and a drink with it.  Best Value option of the 3 as I spent $10.50 at Mission and $10.68 at Chipolte for burrito and a drink.  it was $10.63 here for burrito, drink and chips with queso!

In the first bite the lettuce & tomato were fresh and crispy.  The fajita steak was juicy, chewy & well seasoned.  The guacamole and sour cream were fresh from the shooters they used--medium green colour for the guacamole and bright white for the sour cream.

All the ingredients that were supposed to be hot--the rice, beans and meat were hot.  I can also add that the refried beans had a smokey flavour. All of the chilled ingredients--the cheese, veggies, salsa were properly chilled.

Decent drink choices--more than Chipolte, but less than Mission Burrito, like Chipolte there was no splenda or equal for tea--only sugar, sugar in the raw or sweet-n-low.  Like Chipolte and Unlike Mission Burrito, Sugar Land, they had beer, wine and Margaritas.

I found there to be very friendly service and they had really good music playing.  When I came in YYZ/The Priest of the Temples of Syrinx by Rush was playing.  The atmosphere and the music reminded me of some kind of Austin, TX Tex-Mex joint that had really good  music playing in a relaxed, friendly spirit.

Overall grade:  A and The Winner of the Battle of the Burritos!!!

Like always, I welcome any comments, suggestion or dissention!  

Battle of the Burritos Round 2: Chipolte

Part of what started this battle of the burritos was a friend of mine that persuaded me to give Chipolte a second chance.  I want to say before I did this that I did my best to go into it with an open mind, to try to be fair and give them a fair review.   This was not an easy thing to do either.  Well I did the best I could and here are the results: 

My Burrito Blueprint:


Cilantro Lime rice
Fajita Steak
Lettuce
Pico de gallo
Sour cream
Guacamole
Cheese
Medium Salsa
Plain tortilla


Some of my initial comments: while it's nice they have different chips and sauces, and that you can get a beer or a margarita here, and get your burrito in a bowl, there weren't many choices with regards to the burritos.  No choice of tortilla, no refried beans, and no choice of rice. This right away makes me feel less than impressed.  Now for the actual burrito.

First of all there was too much rice in the burrito, and on top of it the rice was cold.  While the meat was warm, not very much seasoning, and it should have been hotter.  The sour cream and guacamole were quite fresh--in fact the guacamole was bright green.  They were generous with it but charged $1.75 for a shot of it versus $1.00 at Mission or Freebirds.  There was not much seasoning in the meat, rice or salsas.

Also the ingredients not well distributed--i hit a massive pack of salsa at the bottom of it but the burrito would have tasted better had it been more evenly distributed.  Furthermore, the burrito started to leak and it fell apart about halfway through.

One other personal complaint: only sugar and sweet n low were available for iced tea--no equal or splenda which are my preferred iced tea sweeteners

As a professor I grade it a C-Minus. The burrito is better than Taco Bell but not by much. I expect more choices and better food for $10.68!

Bottom line is I may come back once a year if no other choice but to go with a certain group. Overall not angry but not satisfied either.  Not at all impressed.

Battle of the Burritos-Round 1 Mission Burrito

I was only going to do Freebirds Vs. Chipolte but a Tweep (@EatDrinkHouston) mentioned Mission Burrito and I just realized I hadn't been there in a long time. However in order to compare similar restaurants it behooves me to add them as well. So I went to the 15810 SW Freeway location in Houston to give them a shot.


A couple of notes: Mission Burrito gives you a choice of plain, whole wheat, spinach or chillipepper tortilla. You can also get your burrito in a bowl. They also have nachos and quesadillas too. And a good batch of sodas and teas to choose from.





My Burrito Blueprint:


Chili pepper tortilla
Fajita Steak
Mexican Rice
Refried Beans
Mushrooms
Sauteed peppers/onions
Lettuce, Tomato
Medium Salsa
Guacamole
Sour Cream

The meat was fresh, juicy and well seasoned. The tortilla was slighty crumbly but only a few ingredients oozed out and it was spicy but not excessive. The rice and beans were tasty. The veggies were all fresh, as was the sour cream. My only gripe was the guacamole looked a day old where the surface of it had darkened but not turned purple. But it tasted okay and the restaurant was generous with it. The medium salsa was hot but not too hot and had good flavour.  Also it fell apart about 3/4 of the way through, but it held together fairly well!

As a professor, I'd declare it a B+ for the grade!


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A Great Burrito Debate: Freebirds vs. Chipolte vs. Mission Burrito

Now I will allow that there are a lot of places where you can get some good burritos.  I recently reviewed BerryHill Baja Grill, and raved about their Seafood and their Ultimo Burritos. However today a colleague and I had a debate over Freebird's and Chipolte.  I emailed another food blogger who then mentioned Mission Burrito and it got me thinking that it's time to have a Battle of the Burritos!!!

All three of these restaurants are "build it yourself" burrito places where you can choose meats, veggies, cheese, beans, etc. and have them all wrapped up in a tortilla or mixed in a bowl.  Freebird's and Mission Burrito give you a choice of regular flour tortilla, spinach tortilla or cayenne spicy tortilla.  Chipolte just has plain flour tortillas.  My friend felt that Chipolte had better fillings, but based upon my personal experience, I felt Freebird's were better.  Plus after having a couple of bad experiences with dry meats, unfresh veggies and a lack of spice/flavour  in their ingredients, I found out that at that time McDonald's owned Chipolte, I wrote them off as "Never going back." because I figured the McD's angle must be why their Tex-mex was so God awful.  Mission is one I've been to a few times, but since its a local chain rather than national, the locations are spread out and not entirely local to my neighborhood.

Now I realize that many of us have a couple of bad experiences but  that's not a reason to totally write off a chain as franchise owner-operators vary in consistency and one bad experience doesn't ruin the whole company usually.  I also found out here that McD's spun off Chipolte and they are now fully independent.  As I am working this evening, I am trying to reopen my mind about Chipolte and have decided that in a few weeks I am going to compare the three of them side by side in equivalent types of burritos I like.

I am going to order a fajita steak burrito with cheese, rice, refried beans, guacamole, sour cream and pico de gallo sauce on whatever kind tortilla I want.  I am going to taste them objectively, drinking Iced Tea (or Dr. Pepper or Mr. Pibb if they don't have Splenda or Equal available to sweeten my tea) with each burrito.  I will judge each burrito based on the following criteria:  spice/juciness/freshness of the beef, freshness of the veggies/salsa/cheese, how well wrapped the burrito is (i.e. does it hold together well or does it fall apart), quality/flavour of the rice and beans, and overall satisfaction received from eating said burrito.  I will post pictures and decide which one is the champ of the build it yourself burrito.

As always I welcome all comments!!!

Quick Review: Grimaldi's Coal Fired Pizzeria

New York style pizza means many different things to many different people. It could be square thick crust Sicilian-style pizza. Large foldable pointed rounded triangula Napoli style. You could talk Brooklyn's little Italy or even Downtown Toronto. But what is almost always heard is it's not findable South and West of Cleveland, Ohio.

A Couple of Limited chains that have expanded into Houston are working to change this. Grimaldi's is one of them. They bill themselves as "The Pizza that made the Brooklyn Bridge famous!". I don't know about that claim, but if you're looking for great, coal fired, thin crust pizza with char on the bottom and cheese, meaty, basily goodness, then Grimaldi's is a great place to find it!

I ordered my favourite--white pizza with garlic topped with mushrooms and italian sausage. The crust is crispy on bottom, chewy on top and has a texture that let's the flavour of the cheese and toppings come through. There's even fresh basil in the sauce. The caramelized garlic adds to the flavour without overpowering it. The sausage is meaty with good seasoning and visible fennel seeds. The mushrooms chewy but nothing out of the ordinary.

Overall its satisfying, flavourful and way better than the large national chains. And a couple of New Yorkers I know have conceded its closer to what you get in NYC than anything they've found in Houston.

Grimaldi's Pizzeria
16535 Southwest Fwy # 2500
Sugar Land, TX 77479-2784
281 265-2280


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Quick Review: SmashBurger

This high end chain based out of Denver, CO opened up all over Houston during the past 2 years and has been a regular in my rotations. However I have never reviewed them up til now, and this is to correct that oversight.  I needed a good, quick lunch and went with a Create Your Own Smashburger. Note they have sever signature smashburgers including one for the local area--The Texas SmashBurger in Houston area locations.

My Create Your Own SmashBurger

My Burger Blueprint:
1/3 Lb Patty, Egg Bun
Sharp Cheddar Cheese
Guacamole
Applewood Smoked Bacon
Lettuce, Tomato & Pickle

I had mine served with SmashFries (Fries tossed in olive oil, rosemary and garlic--also available with just plain sea salt). Trust me, the rosemary and garlic gives the fries some OOOMPH!

SmashBurger is a place that has never disappointed me. The meat is cooked to your liking, not overseasoned, and full of flavor. They have a good batch of toppings and add-ons as well as cheeses. They have a great kids menu which has generous portions for the price.

You can also buy mainstream and a few local craft beers, as well as some decadent Haagen-Dasz shakes.

If you live in a city that has a Smashburger and haven't tried them, get yourself out there if you love a great burger with all the trimmings!

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Finally--Video Review of The Counter Burger; Houston, TX

I filmed this review of this great burger joint back on October 8, 2010.  However, various personal issues and other distractions caused me to neglect to edit, render and upload this review of a Most Worthy High End Burger Joint in Houston.  I am now correcting this oversight.

Hope you enjoy it!



The Counter Houston
4601 Washington Avenue
Houston TX 77007
713 966 6123

Quick Review: The House of Bowls

Spaghetti with meat sauce

Jumbo Shrimp in Curry Sauce

After a music program this evening, The House of Bowls was suggested for dinner. I was told it was a reaonably priced, nice Chinese-Singaporean-Malaysian-Western Fusion place in Alief Chinatown with good service. I was told CORRECTLY!

The kids ordered a spaghetti with meat sauce & cheese that was freshly prepared and quite tasty. The adults in our party ordered Jumbo Shrimp with curry sauce and rice; eggplant vermicelli with Chinese broccoli and veggies in fish paste and Scallion Seasoned Chicken wings.

A10 Scallion
Seasoned Wings

Eggplant Vermicelli

The Jumbo Shrimp were indeed jumbo, and the curry sauce was yellow curry that tasted like they'd infused some cinnamon, cloves and coconut in it. It was creamy, started sweet and finished spicy. The Jasmine Rice was properly steamed and was fresh.

The Eggplant Vermicelli in fish paste also tasted fresh and reminded me a little of pancit and bun but the fish paste and the eggplant texture made it different. Again the food was fresh and full of flavour.

The chicken wings would go over well at a sports bar--crunchy, meaty, hot and NOT greasy. Definitely a great appetizer.

The House of Bowls has a large varied menu that would appeal to most Western and Eastern Palates. I will definitely be back!

6650 Corporate Drive
Houston, 77036
713 776-2288


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88 Cent Original Coneys Every 3rd Thursday at James Coney Island through September 19, 2011

Hey Houston Friends, Tweeps and Followers!

Every 3rd Thursday of the Month May through September 2011, James Coney Island will be selling original coneys (Hot dogs with mustard, chili and onions) for 88 cents each. Cheese Coneys are 30 cents extra. No limit, take out or eat in. This is a great deal as usually Sundays are 99 cent original coney/$1.29 cheese coney days!

Here's the details per their Facebook Wall

James Coney Island
It's that time of year! We're celebrating our 88 years in business with an anniversary special on the 3rd Thursday of every month May through September. Mark May 19 as the day to come in for 88 cent original Coneys! Who's going to come say hi?

This means the dates for 88 cent original Coneys are:
Thursday May 19, 2011
Thursday June 16, 2011
Thursday July 21, 2011
Thursday August 18, 2011
Thursday September 15, 2011

If Brent Butt of Corner Gas were in Houston, TX, he'd say "Chili Dogs! I'm THERE!!!

Some Fellow Food Bloggers I Like

I had a couple of folks send me an email asking for some links to other food blogs I read regularly. More than happy to do this.

Some Food Bloggers in the Houston area as well as in other Metros around North America whom I respect and read/follow regularly include:

Mai Pham originally from SoCal, moved to Houston, great food blogger online, who has now recently shown up on Fox-26 news for a few segments.  Worth a serious read.

Alison Cook whose search for the perfect local Burger in Houston started me off on my own search for the same thing.

JoAnn Takasaki whose blog I found online & I thoroughly enjoy!

Bite Me Houston The name says it all!

H-town Chow-down Albert Nurick covers the Houston Food scene quite well and has provided some nice feedback to me. His blog is more Woodlands oriented, which is cool since my mom lives near there in Conroe.  

Mijune Pak whose video reviews of Vancouver Area Poutine's got me on the YouTube bus doing my burger reviews

Melody Fury whose knowledge and entrepreneurial spirit appeal to me as an Econ professor and food lover alike.

Richard Wolak another great Vancouver Food Blogger who has proven to be quite knowledgeable with regards to #YVR restaurants and food alike.

I am just a Noob at this--those folks are experts and I consider them to be a great source of information and good models to pattern my own blog after, with my own personal touches of course!!!

Zao an, Y'all!!!

Quick Review: Yardhouse's (Mac+Cheese)^2

 

Yardhouse is a great medium to high end, limited chain of casual dining places that boasts a great menu, a great selection of craft and macro beers, a great kid's menu and some unique items that are hard to find elsewhere.  I've already posted an old video of my review of their wonderful Surf-N-Turf burger in this blog.  However today, thanks to a fellow foodie Mijune Pak mentioning online what is "the BEST mac-n-cheese," it made me remember the (Mac+Cheese)^2!  I did a video review of this last year, but due to bad video quality I never posted it.  However a written review is in order!

The Blueprint: chicken breast, applewood smoked bacon, wild mushrooms, cheddar and parmesan with campanelle pasta and white truffle oil.  As you can see from the picture on the right, this is NOT Mac-N-Cheese for the kiddos, though there are plenty of kids with sophisticated palates that'd just plain love this.

The cheddar and parmigiana blend in a smooth mix of creamy, cheesy goodness.  The Truffle oil adds savoury accents that add a depth to the palate.  The wild mushrooms add umami and a nice texture that blends with the smokey sweetness of the bacon and  the chewiness of the chicken breast.  It's finished with a crunch crust and one bite sends you into comfort food HEAVEN!!!

For my Canadian Friends and followers that haven't heard of it, The Yardhouse is a lot like Cactus Club Café in decor, style of food and even the dress of the servers.  It's semi-sophisticated, semi-casual and has very tasty, delicious food.

And since this is craft beer week, I would be remiss in not showing you what is 45% of their Taps.  there is another tap line just as long on the other side, plus 2 short ones on the edges!  They have a nice broad selection of imported beer, domestic beer, local microbrews and well known craft beer.  Plus they have a special Yardarm glass that's definitely worth the money if you love to drink good, tasty, craft beer.

Yardhouse is one of my favourite places to eat on a long list of such places.  Their (Mac+Cheese)^2 is one of those dishes that will bring you back like it does me!

The Houston location is in Houston City Centre near Beltway 8 and Interstate 10.
800 W. Sam Houston Parkway
Houston, TX 77024
713-461-9273

Five Guys Burgers and Fries

After my daughter's piano lessons, we stopped at Five Guys for dinner.  The kids had a little bacon cheeseburger cut in half (one is too big for one kid) ketechup only.  I just had my standard order--little bacon--little bacon cheeseburger, light mayo, lettuce, tomato, pickles, grilled mushrooms, grilled onions and A1 sauce. A small order of fries satisfies us and we have leftovers I crisp in a toaster oven to make Poutine the next day.

In general, I always have a good burger at Five Guys Burgers & Fries.


I have only 2 minor gripes about occasional experiences I have at Five Guys:

1. The bun gets too soggy, too fast--so I always ask for it extra toasty. I wish the company would address this.

2. Music on TOO LOUD. I like classic rock on XM  as much as an average guy but being unable to hear my kids talk at our table is not fun.

Below is a Video Review I did of Five Guys Burgers & Fries. when they opened their first few locations in the Houston area around June 3, 2010:

Overall this is one of the few large chains whose burgers are of high quality (others include In-N-Out, Fatburger and CheeburgerCheeburger)

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The DQ dipped cone

The beauty of the Dairy Queen Dipped Cone is in its simplicity and all around good taste and creaminess!  The curl at the top perfectly coated with the chocolate coating, the soft, creamy, heavy vanilla soft serve so comforting...

Although I like A LOT of other DQ treats and eats, the DQ Dipped Cone is my all-time favourite by far and the one I always know will satisfy my need for creamy, chocolaty, ice cream goodness!

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Quick Review: Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers

Take a couple of buddies that went to LSU in Baton Rouge, Louisiana; some seed money one earned working om fishing boats in Alaska; a great recipe for breading and a secret sauce; and an old building off the LSU Campus with a mural for a bakery. What you get is a formula for success.

I grew up in Baton Rouge but left long before Raising Cane's was founded. RC came to Houston during the past decade and its been a proven winner. The chicken is crispy outside, tender inside and prepared fresh to order in a heat lamp free zone. And the sauce like the Dude's Rug ties it all together. They ought to bottle it and take it to supermarkets. However it wouldn't be as fresh and that's the whole point of this place.  I find it amazing that no banks would loan Todd Graves the money to start this place as it's now a proven winner.  I wonder what would have happened in 1996 if Dragon's Den or Shark tank had been around... Anyhoo...

My usual order is the Sandwich combo, which gives a sandwich with three Raising Cane's chicken fingers, tomatoes, lettuce and the Secret Sauce, crinkle cut fries and a drink.  I always order extra sauce for my fries.  As per usual, the chicken was properly cooked, the veggies fresh, the fries crispy, the soda machine worked properly and the sauce was tangy, savory and vinegary.

Although I don't care for the massive chains, regional and local chains are ones that I like.  They tend to be much better due to regional fare and better quality control. Raising Cane's is this generation's Chik-Fil-A IMHO and I wish them continued growth and success.

For more info on locations, history and menu, visit the Raising Cane's website.

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Old YouTube Review of The Yardhouse's Surf-N-Turf Burger and Beer Float

Okay fellow foodies, Feast your Eyes on THIS great Chain Burger at The Yardhouse at Houston City Centre (I-10 & Beltway 8):



And this great dessert, a BEER (WITHOUT THE ROOT) float:

In Honour of Craft beer week...

Some pics of craft beer selections at the newly rebuilt Randall's Flagship (owned/operated by Safeway) on Gessner at Westheimer in Houston, TX

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Quick Review of Berryhill Baja Grill

Testing 3 different locations of this original Houston chain, that has been voted "Best Fish Taco Ever" by Zagat's, was a pleasure for me as I write this review.

A couple of weekends ago my family was in The Woodlands at Market Street location and I had their wonderful and fresh Seafood Burrito (see last picture on the left). This past Friday at the Sugar Creek Iocation had 2 Fish tacos lunch special (see first picture on the left) I. Today at Memorial City Mall location  had the Burrito Supreme Lunch Special (see 2nd picture on the left). My overall responses were Awesome, Great and Very Satisfied.

In each case the food was fresh (veggies crisp, salsa's fresh, good temps; meats and cheeses hot/thoroughly cooked), was well seasoned--not over spiced or salted; the portions were generous and the prices fair (most full meals US $12 or less, including tip). The burritos I had were smothered in a Mexican cheese/cream sauce that tasted very good. The Fish Tacos were as good as you'd find in San Diego.

They also have a great Kids Menu which features great Tex-Mex for adventurous kids and pizza/chicken strips for those that are not. All you parents out there with adventurous palates know how important this is!

My only minor gripe was the lack of free soft serve ice cream at Sugar Creek that they did have at Woodlands Market Street and Memorial City Mall. I was able to make an IBC Rootbeer float with it at those locations.

At any rate, I highly recommend Berry Hill Baja Grill anywhere you can find one!  They have fresh, well prepared Tex-Mex and Baja style food at reasonable prices. 


Check out their menu and locations at: Berry Hill Baja Grill!

Adios, Y'all!

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Past Video Reviews of Texas Burger Palace, Bubba's Texas Burger and Pappa's BBQ burger

Texas Burger Palace is my my SW Houston Neighborhood and it's got a damn good menu:



Bubba's Texas Burger is a Houston Institution over off of Westpark for decades. They have great seasoned Buffalo Burgers:



Pappa's BBQ has a great Burger as well as great ribs:

Quick Review: Starbucks Mocha Coconut Frappucino

This particular flavour is a regular in Hawaai'i but only makes a reappearance every few years on the mainland. The coconut is toasted but it makes the flavour blend well with the roasted flavour of the coffee beans and the cocoa.
I always take my frappucinos with whipped cream and any drizzled toppings. This one comes with hot fudge and toasted coconut shavings on top of the whipped cream. Its a nice change of pace from Java Chip or just plain mocha. If you like coconut, its for you. If you don't like coffee, get the creme-based one!

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Last Frappy Hour Today

I always enjoy the Frappy Hour Week at Statbucks. I get to experiment with flavours and come up with new ones. I really like the Crunch Berries Frappucino--Strawberry Creme mixed with Toffee Nut syrup. Most yummy. I did a Raspberry Java Chip for my last one though....

It was pretty good but not as good as some of the other combos I tried

Great ones:

Strawberry Creme with Toffee Nut
White Mocha with Java Chips
Mocha with shot of espresso poured on top
Raspberry Mocha
Caramel Mocha

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Quick Recipe I threw Together Today

For lunch I made a stir-fry using beef cut for stir fry that was reduced for quick sale and a great brand of frozen mixed veggies in sauce called Alexia.

The ingredients are:

1 lb beef cut for stir fry or stew
1 bag Alexia Chipolte mixed veggies (contains sweet potatoes, black beans, onions and corn)
Olive Oil
Dash of Montreal Steak Seasoning
Dash of Worcestershire Sauce

Take the bag of chipolte infused oil and dump contents in a pre-heated wok that has been coated with Olive Oil
When infused oil has warmed, add frozen veggies and stir fry until hot (about 5 minutes)
Increase heat to medium high and add beef
Quickly Stir-fry beef until properly browned and remove from heat
Serve over mashed potatoes or steamed rice

Serves 4 adults

This dish also works with pork shredded for stir fry as well.  The sweetness of the pork or beef meshes well with the yams and the chipolte infused oil.  It's got a nice savoury flavour and it's a good quick meal that's a fusion of Asian and Southwestern cuisine!

Zao an, Y'all!!!

Quick Review/Post on Fadi's Mediterranean Grill

My family went out to Fadi's Mediterranean Grill which was a nice suprise and was quite delicious. Unlike a couple of other such places in the Houston area that will go unnamed, Fadi's food was very fresh, full of flavour and was reasonably priced. I had lamb shank with 3 veggies (mushroom salad, chipolte hummus and mixed veggies) while another adult in our party had eggplant beef with mushroom salad and traditional hummus. My kids were thankful they had flavourful chicken tenders with fries (such items are a must when adults have adventurous palates but the kids do not!).

As you can see the food is colourful and fresh. I highly recommend it!

Fadi's Grill
Houston - Location 1
8383 WESTHEIMER ST #112
HOUSTON, TX 77063

That's all for now!

Past Video Reviews of Becks Prime, Max's Wine Dive

Beck's Prime is a Houston/Austin institution. Their video review is below:



Max's Wine Dive only serves their Kobe Wagyu burger on Friday and Weekend Brunch. It's tasty but expensive:

Haute Wheels Houston at HCC West Loop Sat/Sun May 14/15

All you Food Truck fans listen up:

A great selection of local and visiting food trucks will be at HCC West Loop, between Bellaire Blvd. and Westpark Drive on the Northbound feeder road of Loop 1610, from Noon to 7 PM today and Noon to 5 PM tomorrow.

For more info:

http://hautewheelshouston.com/

Vrroom! Vroom! Nom! Nom!

New Blog for my Foodie Side

What's up Peeps, Friends, Students, Fellow Foodies and so forth?

Given my tendency to go on about restaurants, food, and other such things in real life and on YouTube, I decided it was time to start my own foodie blog.  I'm no gastronome, no gourmet, no haute cuisine expert--I'm just a guy who likes good food that tastes good, fills you up, makes you happy and has flavor that's a party in your mouth. 

I have a bunch of reviews I wrote last year, video reviews I posted on YouTube, pics of food I ate that I wrote about and other media I'm going to be posting and formalizing here in the blog over the next few weeks, so if it looks like I'm running all over town making a hog of myself, I promise you, it's over a year's worth of stuff that I'm now publishing on a blog to share with other foodies and to get out the good word on good restaurants, recipes and more.

I will also post reviews of good places to eat when I travel.  My family is going to San Francisco soon and they have a great food scene.  So don't be surprised to see a bunch of San Francisco places reviewed last week of May while we are there.

Zao an, Y'all!