Quick Review: The Burger Palace

Not so long ago, The Burger Palace opened over on Sage near West Alabama. They set up a shop founded on the notion of serving gourmet specialty Akaushi Beef (a/k/a American Kobe Beef) burgers.  I heard of them through customers of other restaurants and knew this was a place that I needed to try.  Upon entering you see this is a very nice, Art Deco style Burger Bistro.  Mei, the owner, is always there making sure the customers are happy and keeping the place running well.

In perusing their Kobe Burger menu, I saw they had several burgers that had lots of different flavours.  There is a Greek burger with Crispy Romaine, Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Red Onions, Kalamata Olives, Feta Cheese with Garlic Oil. Also a Spicy Vietnamese burger with Cilantro, Cucumbers, Jalapeno, Pickled Daikon and Carrots, Soy Sauce & Siracha, like a Banh Mi sandwich. However, the one that caught my eye immediately was the Napa Valley Burger, mainly due to the presence of two of my favourite toppings. So without further delay, here is the...  

Burger Blueprint:
White cheddar cheese
Apple wood smoked bacon
Avocado
Napa slaw
Tarragon watercress aioli



The bun is very fluffy--not brioche bread, but more  like a Hawaiian roll.  Slightly sweet and holds much of the juices.  The Akaushi beef patty was cooked medium well with a hot pink center, the outside was slightly charred, and the beef texture was soft, sweet & buttery.  The white cheddar cheese is slighty sharp, very smooth textured and quite tasty.  All of the veggies are fresh and crispy.  Not limp or old.  The avocado was smooth, creamy with that great twang avocado adds a burger.  And of course the bacon was crispy, sweet and peppery.  Last but not least the aioli sauce had a slight hint of garlic which not too strong, enhancing the flavour and not overpowering.  Altogether the flavours, textures, and tastes are thoroughly satisfying and are a welcome gourmet burger experience for this Burger junkie.

I really love the fact that The Burger Palace offers Sweet potato fries seasoned with sea salt sweet.  It is a healthy alternative to regular fries.  They are full of flavour, sweet and crispy.  Their regular potato fries seemed to have been dusted with a bit of tempura batter prior to frying--they're also pretty good and taste slightly sweet as well as savoury.  They also have onion rings, Napa slaw and side salads as well.

As a Professor, this burger scores an A+!  I highly recommend checking them out if you're in the Galleria Area of Houston sometime.

The Burger Palace
2800 Sage Rd #1100
Houston, TX 77056
713-877-9700

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

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Quick Review: The Texan Grill

Over 20 years ago, The Texan Grill opened up on Dairy Ashford between Alternate 90 and the Southwest Freeway.  Somehow, I'd never really heard of them.  However, a quick spin from Urban Spoon pulled them up and after reading some favourable feedback, I decided that their burgers were worth a try.  Although this place is rather non-descript--in a strip-mall near a location of the Houston Swim Academy, close to some office buildings across from Sugar Creek, I noticed they had a fairly steady stream of customers and after observing the crew interacting with some of the regulars, one could easily come to the conclusion this was family owned and operated.

Of note, while the decorations are sparse, the Texan Grill has some Texas kitsch.  They also have a works bar where you can put however many pickles, onions tomato slices and either shredded or whole leaf lettuce on your burger.  This reminded me a bit of Burger-Tex.  They also had the usual condiments available and unlimited refills, standard for most burger joints these days.  Also of note they have turkey burgers, buffalo burgers, grilled chicken sandwiches, po-boys, wraps and gyros, all grilled to order.  I decided on a Big Tex Bacon Cheeseburger, so here is the....

Burger Blueprint:

6 oz grilled Angus Beef Patty

American Cheese

2 strips of hickory smoked bacon
Whole Leaf lettuce, 2 tomato slices, dill pickle chips
Mayonnaise
on a Bakery style bun

I must say that this is a good, standard burger.  The meat is grilled over an open flame.  The seasoning is a mixture salt, pepper, garlic powder, a touch of paprika and cayenne, if my taste buds tell me correctly.  I don't usually ask the proprietor's about their seasoning blends as they usually refuse to tell you.  They cooked the burger a true medium--hot pink inside, juicy, and char-grilled on the outside.  The bacon was sweet, and halfway between meaty and crunchy in texture.  You can also for an extra charge get sauteed mushrooms, grilled onions or guacamole on your Big Tex or any other sandwich here.  The fries are crinkle-cut--another reminder of Burger-Tex--with a seasoning blend that had something sweet mixed in with the salt and pepper.  Again, no nasty surprises, just fine as it was.  Seasoned fries and Onion Rings are available also. 

In looking over their menu, I am tempted to try their gyro wrap or their patty melt the next time I am out this way.  The staff is friendly.  The food was served hot, fresh, and promptly.  Again, nothing to complain about, just a good, satisfying burger at a reasonable price.  As a professor, they earn a solid B+.

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

Quick Review: Red Robin's Bruschetta Chicken Sandwich

 Red Robin is a well known casual dining chain that anchors its menus around gourmet burgers, gourmet chicken sandwiches and other standard casual dining fare.  They offer bottomless "steak fries" (wide French Fried Potatoes, seasoned in their special proprietary blend of spices), some interesting appetizers (a tower of Onion Rings if you please) and some great desserts as well.  They are better than fast food, but not quite as high brow in their burgers as say The Counter or The Burger Guys.  Still given what they offer for the price, they do offer a good deal and for the most part they are consistent across state lines and in Canada as well.  I went to the Westchase location in Houston today and decided to order something I'd never tried before:  their Chicken Bruschetta Sandwich.  So without blathering on much more here is your...

Chicken Sandwich Blueprint:
Grilled, Seasoned Chicken Breast
Fresh Bruschetta Salsa
Pesto Aioli
Melted Provolone Cheese
Romaine Lettuce
Balsamic Cream Sauce
All on a Ciabatta Bun

First of all, I want to say that this chicken sandwich is a winner!  It is full of flavour--you can taste the garlic and the pesto in the first bite!  The balsamic cream sauce has that strong, balsamic vinegar taste expected in Italian salads and the crispy Romaine lettuce complements the cheese and pesto creaminess nicely.  The bruschetta salsa is fresh--the kind you'd serve on toast points seasoned with garlic and parmigiana cheese.  Nice robust tomato flavour, with some peppers and a little vinegar.  The chicken breast is thoroughly cooked, but not dry or greasy.  The seasoning used doesn't overpower the meat and it all blends together very well in your mouth.  The Italian style ciabatta bun reminded me a bit of San-Francisco style sourdough bread, but crustier and less moist.  It works well with the whole sandwich and it holds the ingredients nicely, preventing them from messing up your hands.

Red Robin has the tagline "Yummm!!!" sung by a barber shop quartet style chorus.  While I didn't feel like singing after eating this sandwich, I was satisfied with its flavour, I was satisfied with the service and it is something I would definitely eat again in the future.

As a professor, I rate it a B+.

Red Robin--6 locations in Houston. Texas area.  I went to:

Red Robin Westchase
10465 Richmond Avenue
Houston, TX 77083
713-783-0900

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

Fast Food Feast: Carl's Jr. Guacamole Bacon Burger

Carl's Jr. in the Western US, also known as Hardee's back east, has had a mixed reputation.  If you like really tasty, delicious burgers it's got a good one.  If you're someone who doesn't like fatty fast food, then you see them as pushing heart attacks on buns.  I don't always indulge in excessively caloric burgers, but I do enjoy a good mainstream burger every once in a while.  Carl's Jr. is better than the 2 larger fast food chains, and their 6 Dollar Burgers have a good reputation with many burger lovers as being worth $6.00 or more when in fact the burgers themselves cost a little less than $4.00.

Carl's Jr. has come to Houston (I guess there has to be some balance since Dallas got In-N-Out Burger, spit-pitoo for Dallas, not In-N-Out!) and since I'm fond of guacamole and bacon, and since I needed a quick dinner, I stopped at the Carl's Jr. at 8491 Highway 6 North in Copperfield and ordered a combo with a $6.00 Guacamole Bacon Burger.  Without further ado, here is your

Burger Blueprint:
100% Angus Charbroiled Beef Patty
Tangy/Spicy Guacamole
Two Strips of Bacon
Two slices of melted pepperjack cheese
Lettuce, Tomato, Pickle, Red Onions
Santa Fe sauce
On a toasted sesame seed bun

I will say, that while normally I don't get too thrilled about a mainstream franchise fast food burger, this one is a good one.  The guacamole tastes fresh--it's quite spicy and tangy.  The bacon is peppery and smoky, the veggies are fresh--not stale or limp, lettuce appears to be hand-leafed, the Santa Fe sauce and pepper jack cheese give this burger some Oomph!  The bun is toasted but not burned and soft/bready enough to hold in the juices and innards well.  The burger is chargrilled, not fried.  And the fries are similar to Wendy's with skin on, but not sea-salted.

Overall the flavours are very good.  My only minor complaint is the patty was not as juicy as I like it--it was cooked well done and I'm more of a medium kind of burger fan myself.  But the meat was well seasoned, it was chewy--not tough-- and the patty was thick and meaty.  Next time I go there I'll ask if I can get the burger cooked medium or not.  Usually that option is NOT available at fast food places but I figure it doesn't hurt to ask.  While there are better fast food burgers out there (see my review of Tornado Burger as an example), they are usually Local Places, and when you're travelling on a long road trip without a lot of time to explore a good chain can be a nice stop where you have an idea what you are getting, and Carl's Jr. is much, much better than the big 2 of burgers if you all know which companies I'm talking about.

As a professor, I give them a B.  Better than average, well above satisfactory, but still some room to improve.

Carl's Jr. currently has 2 locations in the Houston area, both on Highway 6--one near US 290 where I ate today, and the other at 6231 Highway 6 in Missouri City, TX. According to the manager I spoke with, due to Houston being declared America's Best City for Burgers, we can expect more locations to come, along with other Burger Joints opening up as well.

As always, Eat Happy!

Zao an, Y'all!!!

Review: Tornado Burger

Take an old Long John Silver's in Stafford, TX. Fix it up, repurposed as a burger joint. Commit to locally source your ingredients. While you'r at it play with the idea of a burger--use ground chicken, pork or gyros meat. Come up with a spicy patty too. Get the word out! That is the recipie for Tornado Burger at 505 Murphy Rd in Stafford, established in 2007.

I've eaten here a few times and know a review is long overdue. They've received rave reviews from Alison Cook of the Houston Chronicle and Rob Walsh of the Houston Press. Add me in as one more rave review!  It's a great local business that grinds their own Chuck Steak into patties and prepares a burger that is a flavour bomb that goes nuclear in your mouth.  So without further ado, here is your....

Hot Spicy Tasty Double Double Tornado Burger

Burger Blueprint:
Double-meat Spicy Patty
Bacon
Double cheese
Lettuce, tomato, pickle
Grilled onion
Secret Sauce
Locally sourced fluffy bun
Served as a combo with fries and a drink.

This burger is full of flavour. The spices added--minced garlic, jalapeño, minced onion, cayenne pepper and other spices make a party in your mouth. Patties are semi sweet, juicy, not greasy, nice texture and satisfying. Lettuce, tomato, pickle all fresh and crispy. Grilled onions are seasoned kind of how I'd season a steak! Cheese melted--gooey, and satisfying. Bun is fluffy, not soggy--absorbs juices well.  Special sauce like 1000 island made in house completes the full flavour for a nice finish.

Before Chowing Down

Fries are natural cut, not too thick or thin. Seasoned with more than just salt and pepper. Slightly spicy. Would make great Poutine.  Proprietary seasoning mixture--already asked the counter guy!  I had them with a side of special sauce.  Very nice, very filling, very satisfying.

Tornado Burger General Menu

About the best comparison I can make is that it's like In-N-Out Burger but they serve beer, are more rustic and non-corporate, and have more choices, such as a pizza burger, bacon as a topping, and a gyros burger woth Tzatziki sauce. After eating here, I'm less upset about In-N-Out locating in Dallas (spit! pitoo!) before doing so in Houston.

A strong testament to how good their burgers are is the full crowd at lunch, on a Tuesday, despite road construction on Murphy blocking access to them in one direction. I see all types of folks chowing down on their burgers, gyros and cheesesteaks they serve.  I notice they are in the process of upgrading their facilities. This is nice but don't let it deter you from coming to get your burger fix. As a professor, I say their burger scores an A!

Tornado Burger
505 FM 1092
Stafford, TX 77477
281-403-3278

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

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More Great Houston Gelato: Frozen Café Bellaire at Corporate Drive

After posting my Review of Piccomolo's yesterday, I knew that between Houston summer heat and the need to cool off in a delicious, gourmet fashion, I went to another great Gelato place my daughter loves, Frozen Café. Helena has a rather complex palate for a 9 year old girl, and the Red Velvet and White Chocolate are her favourite flavours. So on the way home from work one evening, I stopped in to get my own tastes.

For those of you not familiar with the smooth, not so sweet, heavy deliciousness that is Gelato, you need to get out more and try it. Frozen Café takes the Italian treat and gives it a bit of an Asian Twist in its locations (2 of them in the Houston area so far). They have many of the favourite Italian flavours--Tira Misu, Pistachio, Spumoni, Donnatello and Rafella, added great American flavours like Cookies and Cream, Red Velvet, Chocolate and Raspbery, and then added Asian flavours like Green Bean, Red Bean, Black Sesame Seed, Green Tea, Lychee and Wasabi. They also offer frozen yogourt in many flavours, various coffees, teas and tapioca pearl drinks. They come in sizes small (one flavour) through extra large (4 flavours) and also in larger sizes to take home or to the office.

Gelato Blueprint:
Medium size/2 Flavours
Tira Misu
Pistachio

The Pistachio is a natural green, has a semi-salty, nutty flavour, is moderately sweet, very smooth, heavy and glides down your throat smooth and slowly. The Tira Misu tastes of espresso, ladyfingers, rum, cocoa and cream. It gives a mixed buzz between the mild booze and the coffee. It blends well with the Pistachio and is one of those flavours that I will always go for. I did also take a taste spoon of the Forest Berry and the Mango. Next time I feel like a fruit flavoured gelato, those will be my choices.


An interesting side note: they have a spicy Gelato challenge that I think Mijune Pak might go for: if you can eat a small dish of Wasabi and Jalapeño  Gelato by yourself, they will give you a Large 4 Flavour gelato dish of any flavours of your choice for free.  Wasabi is kinda concentrated so buyer beware!

The prices here are comparable to other Gelato places--not overpriced, but not at a discount either.  Reasonable, fair and worth every penny based upon the tastes.  If your palate is tame, you'll find plenty of flavours you'll like, or if you are adventurous, I'd recommend trying the Asian flavours like the black sesame seed, green bean or other such flavours.

The Frozen Café
9889 Bellaire Blvd Suite 317
Dun Huang Plaza
Houston, TX  77036
713-370-8948

Eat Happy & Zao an, Y'all!
快乐吃和早安你们！

Quick Review: Burger Tex Bulgogi Burger

Beef! It's what's for dinner! Great as a steak, a burger or as Hot & Spicy Korean Barbecue loaded with Garlic called Bulgogi. Burger Tex is a Texas chain founded by Korean immigrants that started in Austin in 1973. I had a Bulgogi burger for the first time at the location off the UT-Austin Campus back in the 1980s and it was spicy, garlicy and beefy. They have also been operating in the Houston area for the past few years, mainly in Northwest Houston.  They have locations near Gessner and Long Point in Houston's Korea town, off of I-10 and Barker Cypress, Barker Cypress close to Lone Star College and US 290 where I specifically went, and a few others in the Houston area.  I ordered that classic I remember so well for a slice of spicy Korean/Texan deliciousness and memories of my college days gone by.

Burger Blueprint:

Bulgogi (Spicy, tender Korean beef ribeye marinated in soy sauce, onions, garlic, sesame oil & other spices)
Swiss Cheese (not genuine Korean, but I like it on the sandwich)
Lettuce, Tomato, Pickle, Pico de Gallo & lite Mayo (fusion food folks--they have a condiments bar similar to Fuddruckers!)
On a toasted wheat bun
with crinkle cut fries and Iced Tea (I like to do the Arnold Palmer--half iced tea and half lemonade)

This location's version was not as spicy as the one from my UT days.  It was tasty, sweet and bitter, had the garlic and onions and a hint of Asian spice, but was a bit milder than the one in Austin.  Also there was no Kim Chi on the burger, which was included at the location off the UT campus.  I asked the owner about it, and he indicated that many of the Westerners that eat there don't care for it to be as spicy so they make it milder.  They also weren't aware of the Kim Chi and did say they might start keeping some in the event another customer asked for it.  I do hope so--that was a real hit to have spicy Korean Barbecue served Texas Style as a burger and the Kim Chi was just added Oomph, in my humble opinion.  This one was still delicious and I would eat it again, but I guess I was measuring it against a memory that might be defective on some level.  Oh wells!

I've had other burgers at Burger-Tex--their bacon cheeseburger for example--and they are all good, meaty, fresh tasty burgers.  The food is fresh, well seasoned and served hot to order.  The restaurant is clean--decorated in Texas Kitsch and local sports memorabilia with a slight hint of Korean-American culture thrown in.  It's a nicer location than the one off the UT campus, but the UT campus location has that old-school Austin laid back feel that's not easily captured in the Houston Suburbs.  Just the same, now that I know there are locations here, I may take a few friends over to try the Bulgogi Burger.

Of note this is not the only place with an Asian Fusion Burger: The Burger Guys has a Saigon Burger based on Vietnamese Banh Mi: it's topped with paté, pickled carrots, daikon and jalapeño that is really good.    The Burger Palace in the Galleria area has a Spicy Vietnamese Burger topped with Cilantro, Cucumbers, Jalapeno, Pickled Daikon and Carrots, Soy Sauce & Siracha that is just wonderful too. 


In conclusion, Burger-Tex's Bulgogi burger may not be the exact same one I remember from my college days at UT-Austin, but it is still all good!

Eat Happy & Zao an, Y'all!
행복한 식사 & 작별!!

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Quick Review: Piccomolo Italian Gelato & Coffee Café

Ah Summer in Houston!  Highs over 100F/38C and you need to cool off.  Nothing satisfies an adult palate like gelato on a hot day. Piccomolo has some of the best in Houston since the demise of Dolce & Freddo a few years ago.  

They make their heavy, not too sweet Italian ice creams fresh each day.  They have such flavours as Snozzberry, Mango, Rocky Road, Pistachio, Banana Cream Pie and Raspberry Lemonade.  32 flavours each day.  You can get them in cups from kids (2 flavours) up to Large (5 flavours) in a cone or a to go to take home or to the office in larger volume.  They also have Italian Sodas, shakes, Frappes and coffee/espresso/lattes. 



Gelato Blueprint:
Small/2 Flavours
Cookies & Cappucino
White Chocolate Raspberry

The Cookies & Cappucino is dense, full of coffee and cinnamon made sweet by the Oreo crums in it.  Very tasy and a mild coffee buzz comes from it.  The White Chocolate Raspberry is sweet and yet tangy, very smooth, lighter than the other flavour and goes down easy.



Overall this place is a consistent winner.  And unlike other Gelaterias, it has lasted a while here in the Houston area.  I went to the location on Highway 6 near Williams Trace in Sugar Land today.  There are other locations around Houston, plus the Dallas area, California, Virginia and in Costa Rica as well.

This isn't my first trip here.  Dai Huynh who was a food reporter for the Houston Chronicle recommended this place to me along with a few others after the demise of Dolce & Freddo.  Their tag line is sweet like your first kiss and GOOD Gelato can have that effect on a woman.  I won't elaborate further!   ;-)

I highly recommend this place for cool gelato on a hot day and/or for a hot date with your wife, girlfriend or special someone.

Piccomolo Sugar Land
3149 Highway 6 South
Sugar Land, TX  77479
281-242-6272


Eat Happy & Zao an, Y'all!
Mangiare Felice y Arrivaderci!!!


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Quick Review: Gringo's Mexican Kitchen

Based on the "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign that beckons tourists and gamblers to Las Vegas, this sign off of the SW Freeway (US 59 to non-Houstonians) passing through the suburb of Stafford, TX welcomes you to a very nice place with very tasty Tex-Mex at reasonable prices.  We've meant to come by here a few times, but in the past, it was VERY BUSY and the wait had been too long.  However, usually when there's a long wait it means it must be something good.  Also the parents of a couple of the kids' friends eat there regularly and have always said how great the food is.  On this Saturday evening when we had to forego going to the Houston Beer Festival, we were fortunate to get seated at Gringo's Mexican Kitchen and enjoyed a great family dinner with good, quick service that was also friendly.

Green  Dip and Red Salsa

We were seated within 10 minutes of signing in and were ushered to a large, comfortable booth.  The kids had lemonade that tasted fresh squeezed, not powdered--while the adults had iced tea that was fresh and crisp tasting, and a raspberry frozen margarita that did not skimp on the tequila!!!  We were also served complementary chips with a medium spicy red salsa and a green dip that was a mix of sour cream, avocado, green tomatillo, cilantro and other spices.  The green sauce is REALLY GOOD--they had to refill it twice for our party.

For the entrees, the adults had the Pollo Marisco and the Papa Chulo Combo, both served with Mexican Rice and Refried beans.  The kids had Cha-cha Chicken (chicken nuggets served with fries) and Cheese Quesadillas served with Mexican Rice and Refried beans.

Papa Chulo Combo

Pollo Marisco

Entrée Blueprints:

Papa Chulo Combo			Pollo Marisco
Beef Fajitas			Sauteed Shrimp
Chicken Fajitas			Sauteed Crawfish tails
2 Veracruz Shrimp			Creamy White Wine Sauce
2 Baja BBQ Ribs			served on a grilled seasoned chicken breast
Grilled Sausage Link			Flour Tortillas
Flour Tortillas			Mexican Rice
Guacamole			Frijoles
Mexican Rice
Frijoles

Some details:  the Veracruz shrimp are Shrimp Brochette--Jumbo Shrimp, butterflied, stuffed with Monterrey Jack cheese and jalapeño, wrapped in bacon.  The Baja BBQ Ribs are pork ribs dry-rubbed St. Louis Style in a proprietary mix of spices, smoked and then smothered in Baja BBQ sauce.

As a guy, that Papa Chulo platter was perfect--surf, turf, turf, turf and turf.  The Veracruz Shrimp are large, smokey, spicy and cheesy.  The ribs were tender, smokey, spicy, sweet and meaty.  The steak and chicken fajitas were well seasoned and there were enough tortillas for all the chicken and beef.  The guacamole was clearly fresh--nice and green, not turning purple, cool, and tangy.  The sausage was like you'd find at a BBQ place--pork, sweet and peppery.  The Mexican rice isn't as dark or salty as some--it's lighter, but not like cilantro lime rice either.  The frijoles tasted like they were fried in bacon grease rather than lard--very tasty and went well with the tortilla chips.  The Pollo Marisco had seasoned chicken breast that was well seasoned like the fajitas, had plenty of shrimp and crawfish tails that were generously covered with the white wine cream sauce.

Yummy Soft-serve!

The kids were happy with their entrées--Gringo's has taken a tactic that many other ethnic restaurants have taken so that parents with adventurous palates can bring their kids along--they have chicken nuggets with French fries and macaroni & cheese on the menu.  However the kids with the more varied palates could get quesadillas, enchiladas, nachos or a taco.  I call having both kids of kids meals VERY KID FRIENDLY and something that scores points with me.  Oh and let's not forget the free soft serve ice cream at the end of the meal--much like many Berry Hill Baja Grill locations.  With a choice of vanilla, chocolate or swirled flavours!

My family liked Gringo's Mexican Kitchen very well.  I can promise you that we will be back!

Gringos has 9 Locations in the Houston area.

We went to the location at:
12330 Southwest Freeway
Stafford, Texas 77477
T: 281.980.7482

Eat Happy and Zao an, Y'all!
Comer feliz y Adios!!!

Re-Visit for a Full Written Review: The Burger Guys

The Burger Guys looks like a small café/Burger Joint, but don't let the exterior fool you.  These burgers are meaty, tasty and satisfying for the Average Joe and the Haute Cuisine crowd alike.  Rather than asking if you'd like fries with that, you can get duck fat cooked french fries that are salted and glazed with in-house made caramel.  Rather than ketchup, you can get a great choice of in-house made aiolis, spicy sauces like Red Curry or an in-house made Ketchup.  On your burger, you can get such toppings as Foie Gras, St. Arnold's Fancy Lawnmower infused mustard (made in house), Applewood smoked bacon, Avocado, Arugula, or shredded green papaya.  The burgers are 100% Akaushi Beef (sometimes called American Kobe).  And the sodas they have are the most unique you can find.  No Coke.  No Pepsi.  Sweetened with pure Imperial Cane Sugar and NO CORN SYRUP!!!  Dublin Dr. Pepper is the headliner, along with vanilla creme, black cherry, tangarine cream and XXX root beer.  They also make their own ice cream for shakes and have had such flavours as salted caramel, black forest cake and jalapeño cheese cornbread.

Check out their Menu Board from today below: 

Last year when I began my quest to find the Best Burger Local and High End Chain in the Houston area, I was told of this great place on Westheimer near Dairy Ashford called The Burger Guys.  Founded by trained Chefs Steve Marques and Jake Muzzo, they took burgers to new heights of flavour, audacity, greatness and awesomeness.  I did a video review back in October 2010 that you can see below:



Now for the more thorough written report:

Today I ordered my favourite burger on their menu--the Sonoma Burger.  I had it with the Belgian Fries cooked in duck fat with kosher salt and caramel, and some hot aioli dip for them.  I also drank Dublin Dr. Pepper fortified with some Vanilla Creme and Black Cherry from the soda fountain (see pic start of article).

Burger Blueprint:


100% Akaushi Beef Patty cooked medium
Apple-wood smoked bacon
Cheddar Cheese
Avocado
Arugula
aioli
on a pastry-quality fluffy bun

I had mine "Shepherdized" which is a with a fried egg on top.  I had the egg cooked over hard.

Now take a look at that picture up there--makes you hungry, right?  Maybe drool a little?  This burger is an explosion of delicious flavours and textures in  your mouth.

The beef has a buttery and slightly salty taste to it.  The in-house seasoning mix works with the beef and doesn't overshadow its flavour.  The bacon is both crunchy and chewy at the same time, sweet with pork and apple essence mixed with savoury smoke.  The avocado is creamy and tangy.  The aioli is smooth and blends well with the buttery Akaushi beef.  The bun lets some juices out but holds the sandwich together and is fluffy, yet properly toasted.  I always love fried egg on my burger and the fact they have chicken or duck eggs is awesome.

Now for the fries.  I've never had the duck fat caramel fries before today.  The kosher salt, crunchy potato and sweetness of the caramel sounds contradictory, but they blend well and the textures are nice as you nosh.  I dipped a few with the hot aioli and the added spice mixes well too.  I'd eat these as a snack minus the burger, but they're great with it as well.

When I was rating my best of 2010, the Burger Guys was my best new restaurant and best high end burger of 2010, and it was the same for a bunch of other burger fans as well.  If you haven't been out there yet, I urge you get there!  It's a great value for the money, the staff is friendly and honest, and the flavours will just blow you away!

12225 Westheimer Road

Houston, Texas

11am to 9pm Mon-Thurs

11am to 10pm Fri-Sat

Closed Sundays

(281) 497-GUYS

Eat Happy & Zao an, Y'all!!! 

Fast Food Feast--Quick Review: Subway Turkey Bacon Avocado Sub

Thanks to watching news and TV feeds from stations in Seattle and Vancouver, I have heard about the Subway™ Turkey Bacon Avocado Sub for a while now, but unfortunately it has been a regional product available in Canada or on the West Coast, but not in the Houston, TX area.  Well thanks to a co-promotion with the upcoming Green Lantern movie, it's available in Houston for the dreaded LIMITED TIME ONLY.  GRRR!!!  I like avocados in guacamole.  I like avocados on burgers.  I like avocados on sandwiches.  And the fact that there are avocado groves in the Rio Grande Valley in Southern Texas as well as Northern Mexico that makes them readily available in Houston is NO EXCUSE in my book for Subway not having this product on the menu here.

I stopped my a Subway near one of the colleges where I teach and ordered one.  The nice young woman working there said they'd have it through July, that it was very popular and that a number of customers were saying it should be on the menu permanently here in Houston.  Count me in as one more.

Sandwich Blueprint:
Roasted Turkey Breast
Bacon
Creamy Pureed Avocado
Honey Oat Baguette
Lettuce
Tomato
Pickle
Pepperoncini Peppers
Swiss Cheese

Everything after the Avocado were my own choices.  You could get it on whole wheat bread, add mayo or ranch dressing to it, get pepper jack cheese and even add jalepeño peppers if you wish.  While a lot of folks eschew fast food, with good reason, Subway is true to their motto of "eat fresh."  It is very rare that I've gone into a Subway and found the veggies off temperature, the meat old or the bread stale.  They have many good choices of meat and toppings and are a good value.  The fact that I can now get avocado on my sandwiches at Subway in Houston during this limited time offer will make me go there more often until it ends.

Overall the ingredients make for a tasty sub, but  the avocado adds something extra that I would like to have as a choice ANYTIME I go to eat at a Subway.  It is my hope that Subway will listen to its customers in the Houston area and make it a permanent menu item.

Remember:  Eat Happy and Zao an, Y'all!

1st Annual Houston Beerfest--Saturday June 11th, Hermann Square Park--2 PM to 10 PM

One month after Craft Beer week, Houston is catering to beer geeks, craft beer lovers and anyone that enjoys a full flavoured brew:  the 1st Annual Houston Beer Festival is on tap (Pun Intended) this Saturday, June 11th at Hermann Square Park (right by City Hall)!  Tickets are on sale on the website mentioned.  

There's going to be over 150 different brews to choose from coming from many microbreweries, craft breweries, domestics and imports.  If you love beer or know someone who does, and you're near Houston, TX, you need to get on out there!!!

There will also be teams playing beer pong and flip cup, but according to the site, it's all full up.  However, if you are REALLY SERIOUS about those sports, you can contact the organizers and see if late registration is available.

There will also be 3 stages with various local and regional bands playing rock, country, zydeco, Hip Hop and other genres of music.  From the Houston Beerfest website, here are the bands:

Main Stage City Hall	Tranquility Park Stage	Walker Street Stage
2:00pm – DJ Nimbus 3:30pm - Dunville 4:45pm - Alex C 5:45pm - The American Heist 6:45pm - Maximus 7:45pm - Windsor Drive 9:00pm - Dimitri’s Rail	2:30pm - Westbound 3:30pm - Skeleton Dick 5:15pm - Lotus Effect 6:30pm – Tax the Wolf 7:45pm -  Beau Hinze and the Backporch Shufflers 9:00pm - Matt Reeves and the All Americans	2:15pm - DJ Big Reeks 3:15pm - Disfrutao! 4:15pm - DJ Sparks 5:30pm - DJ Sno White 7:00pm - VerseCity 8:15pm - The Niceguys 9:00pm – Block Party with DJ Tantrum

More relevant details:

June 11^th 2pm - 10pm
Hermann Square Park
900 Smith St.
Houston, TX 77002

If I can work out my schedule and a few other things, I'm going to be there and will post a review with photos galore.   As my old roommate used to say (with a loud booming, enthusiastic voice) BEEEEERRRRRR!!!!!!

And Remember:  Eat Happy & Zao an, Y'all!!!

Parting San Francisco Shot: In N Out Burger at Fisherman's Wharf

Most of ya'll know based upon my video reviews that I am a Burger Man.  I love me a good burger.  Angus Beef, Lean Ground Beef, Ground Round Beef, Kobe Beef, Akaushi Beef, Buffalo, Turkey, Veggie, Elk, Bear, Ostrich, Pork and even a SpamBurger, I love me a good burger.  One of the better chains that is going through a slow but deliberate expansion is In-N-Out Burger.  Based in California, this family owned chain started in SoCal and has gradually expanded to Nevada, Arizona, Utah and this year Texas.  Please note: I am TRYING to forgive them for setting up shop in DALLAS (insert spitting sound) rather than HOUSTON (YEAH!!! GREATEST CITY IN TX!!! WHOO-HOO!!!).  And in general I have.  However, since we were in San Francisco, I had to get my 4X4 Animal Style on.  

Burger Blueprint:
4 all beef, organic patties cooked with mustard on them
lettuce, tomatoes, grilled onions
Extra In-N-Out Spread
4 Slices of American Cheese
Fluffy Bun

Served with fries (I order mine well done with a side of spread)
and a Dr. Pepper

This Burger is THE BEST of the Value-priced chains by far.  The patty is tender, juicy and flavourful.  The meat isn't  oversalted or peppered.  The veggies are fresh (all meat and produce are locally sourced--no freezers in ANY In-N-Out Burgers EVER!!!).  The Spread is better than 1000 island dressing by Marie's.  I don't know what's in it but it's GOOD on their burgers.

There's always a line-up at any In-N-Out Burger before they even open.  If you get the chance to taste one of them, you'll see why!!!  And yes, sometime this summer I hope to be driving up to.... Dallas (insert spitting sound here) for another few of them with my son, brother in law and nephew in tow.

And Remember:  Eat Happy & Zao an, Y'all!!!

Quick Review: Loving Hut Chinatown, San Francisco

On our last day in San Francisco, we wanted to try something different.  I'm a dyed in the wool omnivore.  I enjoy meat, carbs, veggies, fruits, desserts, etc.  You name it.  While I have great respect for Vegans and Vegetarians, it is something I have experimented with but cannot fully practice.  The only folks in that group I ever have issues with are those that are self-righteous about their Veganism/Vegetarianism and give omnivores or carnivores a lot of guff over choosing to eat meat or milk or other animal based products.  That being said, Loving Hut (which I found to be a national chain after our return to Houston) is not self-righteous about their Veganism, nor are they about their well flavoured and varied menus.  To my delight, this Vegan chain has a location in Houston which we will be visiting on a regular basis.

We stopped into the location in San Francisco's Chinatown at 1365 Stockton Street for dinner and found a varied menu of Asian and Western Cuisine. All Vegan--no meat, animal milk/cheese, stocks, etc. The adults ordered the Vegan Wonton Noodle soup with mixed veggies and the Champion Burger. The kids ordered the Veggie Dog with just ketchup and some Golden Nuggets. We all shared a slice of Vegetarian Cheesecake and a Veggie Ice Cream based Banana Split.

Veggie Noodle Soup with Wontons, Golden Nuggets, Champion Burger, Veggie Dog
Meal Palate from The Loving Hut

I want to say that all of the main dishes--the wonton soup with noodles/veggies, the champion burger, golden nuggets and Veggie-dog were all very flavourful.  They had a good mix of seasonings.  They had great colour and texture.  They were edible, and enjoyable to eat.  I will also say that nobody would confuse the champion burger patty with beef either.  It was clearly protein, had a great colour and texture and was enjoyable.  But there is no way anyone would think they ate a beef burger either.  However, anyone that likes a good burger would also like the Champion Burger for a change of pace.  The Veggie Dog was eaten by a 6 year old boy,  with just ketchup.  He said it was just like eating a regular hot dog.  I did take one bite and the flavour, colour, texture and yes the taste were indistinguishable from a mixed meat hot dog.  Very well done on those two items.  The Golden Nuggets had colour, flavour and texture that were indistinguishable from regular chicken nuggets as well.  They were very well enjoyed by both kids in our party.  The wanton soup tasted much like any other, as did the Asian noodle soup.

As for the desserts:  the Vegan Ice Cream Banana Split was a total hit.  We had Coffee, Chocolate and Cherry ice creams in it and it was very enjoyable.  The Vegan Cheesecake was more liked by the females in the party than the males.  Personally, while the crust was fine and the outside colour was okay, I found the inside colour to be slightly grey and the texture was off a bit.  It was still edible but out of all the dishes we had, it was the only one I didn't enjoy as much as the others.

Vegan Banana Split   Vegan Cheesecake
Great Desserts from the Loving Hut

The Loving Hut has US Locations as well as International Locations.  Overall I can see why Vegans and Vegetarians would love it.  However I can say that Omnivores like myself would love it as well.  I urge anyone who lives in an area with a location to give it a try and add to your palate a great and different dining experience.

And Remember:  Eat Happy & Zao an, Y'all!

Quick Review: Honey Honey Café and Crepery, San Francisco

I must confess this stop was done on impulse due to having seen a show on Cooking Channel the weekend before we left for San Francisco that was dealing with an Indian Restaurant in Atlanta that was serving French Crepes filled with Savoury fillings (samosas specifically).  As we were walking down Post street looking for dinner, we saw Honey Honey Café and Crepery and decided it was worth a try.  This place had all kinds of different smells--sweet and savoury, coffee and tea, fruits and meats and we sat down to what turned out to be an awesome dinner.

The kids ordered the Spaghetti Di La Casa (Spaghetti with tomato meat sauce and garlic sourdough bread), The Adults ordered North Beach Crepes (swiss cheese, onions, mushrooms, spinach & chicken breast covered in Hollandaise sauce) served with grilled rosemary potatoes, Mediterranean Crepes (cheddar, onion, tomato, feta cheese, artichoke, black olives and avocado) with seasonal fresh fruit.  Our party also shared Banana Dessert Crepes with Ice cream.  

The food was very fresh--the crepes were thin, light, not heavy like other kinds of pancakes and did not take over the flavours.  The veggies were well prepared, the meats well seasoned, the cheeses fresh and melted enough to bring out the flavours and textures.  The sides were also well seasoned--really liked the grilled potatoes myself and the side of fresh fruit was indeed fresh, not days old in the fridge like some restaurants try to pass off to you.  And the dessert crepes.  Wow!  The bananas, the cinnamon, the ice cream, the fruit compote garnish--all of it wonderful, and no leftovers on anyone's  plate.

While I do enjoy the food scene in Houston and in Vancouver, BC, I must admit that this trip to San Francisco has also been a delight due to the varied local cuisine.  Honey Honey Café and Crepery is a great part of this scene and it is highly recommended by me.

Honey Honey Café & Crepery
599 Post Street
San Francisco, CA
(415) 351-2423

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

Quick Review: Boudin Bakery & Café, San Francisco

Someone I know from the gym recommended I make sure to try a Boudin Bakery & Café while I was in San Francisco.  My first reaction was "Boudin?"  that's a type of rice-filled Cajun Sausage!  What's Boudin gotta do with San Francisco?  Turns out Boudin is the name of the family that established that Bakery of San Francisco style Sourdough bread in 1849 and their history is strongly tied  to the city of the Cigtty and its food culture.

Boudin Bakery & Café is most well known for soup in a Sourdough Breadbowl, as well as great sandwiches on sourdough baguette bread.  Our party stopped their for lunch and ordered two Clam Chowders in breadbowls with half sandwiches (one Turkey Avocado, one Pesto Roast Beef) and the kiddos split a turkey & havarti cheese sandwich.  I also had Boudin's Organic French Roast Coffee with my meal.  Of note, we went to the location at 251 Geary Street next to Macy's Union Square.  It's not as big or grand as the Fisherman's Wharf location, but it's a nice little Art Deco Nook with good food and a nice view of the Dowtown Shopping District near Union Square!

The clam chowder was excellent, as was the sourdough bread bowl.  My son said the bread was soft and chewy and made a meal by itself (which I could see quite easily!).  The chowder was thick, creamy, loaded with clams and potatoes, and garnished with fresh basil.  The turkey avocado sandwich was also very flavourful, but my only minor gripe was I felt there should have been more avocado on it for my tastes.  Still it was tasty and satisfying overall.  The pesto roast beef sandwich was loaded with Pesto--very garlicky and very meaty.  The kids were also happy with the turkey & havarti cheese sandwich.

The organic French Roast Coffee was dark, bold, slightly spicy and very good.  I grabbed a refill on the way out the door to satisfy my coffee itch.  Also of note, Boudin uses compostable paper and plastic utensils that are made from veggie oil based plastics that compost as well.  It's nice to see a chain like this be environmentally conscious.


Overall the bread and the soup are your best bets at Boudin Bakery and Café.  There are locations all over San Francisco and NoCal, along with a couple in SoCal.  It was definitely worth a stop in and it wasn't excessively expensive either.  If its your first time in the Bay Area, it's a must.

My daughter really liked the clam chowder, as you can see here!!!

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

Quick Review: Cako Bakery and Cupcake House, San Francisco

Right next door to Dojima Ann on O'Farrell Street is this lovely little bakery that has all kinds of beautiful artfully designed cupcakes in its windows that lured my son and daughter in like moths to an incandescent white light bulb.  I offerred my kids a bribe:  behave properly at Dojima Ann and we'll get some cupcakes at Cako.  It worked... mostly!  ;-)

Cako is a simple takeaway place.  They bake up a supply of various artisan cupcakes that include standard fare like Red Velvet (my daughter's favourite) to more exotic flavours that show up in the flavour of the month, or like one of my friends would enjoy, Salted Caramel!  My daughter chose a red velvet cupcake topped with a signature cream cheese frosting.  My son chose a chocolate with chocolate buttercream frosting.  I chose a coffee cupcake with a coffee buttercream frosting.   And we ate them for breakfast the next day.

Cako Chocolate Cupcake

Cako Coffee Cupcake

First of all I want to say WOW!  That buttercream frosting was NOT at all like other buttercream frostings I've had--it was more like a light mousse, not at all heavy and NOT excessively sweet.  I really loved the coffee flavoured buttercream frosting with the little coffee-crisp style crunchies on the top.  The chocolate cupcake was rich, not excessively sweet and went down well with a cup of coffee that morning.  


My daughter was more than happy with her red velvet  cupcake--it had a velvety texture, was not too sweet--I detected hints of raspberry in the small bite my daughter shared, and the cream cheese frosting was a little heavy, but not too sweet and worked well with the cake.

Cako Red Velvet Cupake

My son's chocolate was sweeter than dark chocolate but not a sweet as milk chocolate.  He said it worked well with his milk that AM and was so very happy with it.  Suffice it to say, the whole family thoroughly enjoyed the cupcakes from Cako and we say it's a great place to stop in when you're in the Union Square area!

211 O'Farrell Street (at Powell)

San Francisco, CA 94102

unionsquare@cakobakery.com

(415) 404-7303


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