Full Review: Culver's Butter Burgers and Frozen Custard

Not too long ago, I took a look at several places in the Houston area where you could get Frozen Custard--a cool delicious premium ice cream treat!  Culver's Butter Burgers and Frozen Custard is a Wisconsin-based chain that opened its first location in the Woodlands at the corner of Six Pines and Research Forest in 2005.  They now have locations in Conroe and Atascosita.  They're well known for their butter burgers as well as their frozen custard.

A little background on the company: Craig Culver, his wife, Lea, and Craig’s parents, George and Ruth,  owned and ran several supper clubs, including the Farm Kitchen Resort in Baraboo, Wisconsin. During college, Craig Culver worked summers at the Farm Kitchen, where he met his future wife, Lea Weiss. After graduating from University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh in 1973, Craig worked for four years at McDonald’s, gaining many insights to apply to his own business. On July 18, 1984, when Craig, Lea, George and Ruth converted a former A&W root beer stand to a “Culver’s Frozen Custard and ButterBurgers.” The Culver’s chose to use only the freshest ingredients, prepared each meal exactly to a guest’s order and delivered it to their table with a welcoming smile. It didn’t take long after that before visitors to Wisconsin began asking when we were going to open a Culver’s in their home states. Since then, other families have joined with the Culver’s family to open locations 19 states. Per their company credo, the goal is always the same: every time you step into a Culver’s, you’ll always enjoy a fresh, handcrafted meal served with a smile and genuine pride. Their tagline is "Welcome to Delicious."  (Okay.  They had me at "Frozen Custard and Butter Burgers" !)

As a burger lover and a cheese lover, and just plain foodie in general, I felt I needed to further explore their menu.  I went with my son, Jason, again, and this time we got a couple of their butter burger combos.  I had a Culver's Bacon Deluxe™ and Jason had a Kids Scoopie Meal with a Butterburger Cheese Single.  Our meals came with crinkle cut fries and a beverage.  Jason had lemonade, I had their house brand root beer.  Just a note to my fellow Southerners:  This place serves Pepsi Products, not Coke Products.  However, they have Dr. Pepper, Root Beer, Iced Tea, Lemonade and a large choice of other beverages from Pepsi if you don't like their colas.

Culver's Bacon Deluxe Blueprint:

Note the pickle outside the bun... nice touch!

Fresh Midwest-raised beef 
Two strips of crisp bacon
Wisconsin Cheddar cheese
Fresh lettuce, ripe tomatoes, pickles, red onion and signature mayo. 
Cap with a lightly buttered, toasted bun. 


For a fast food burger, this one was really juicy and full of peppery sweet beef, salty juicy bacon, cheddar and buttery bun flavour.  It was satisfying, fresh, and had a little bit of ooze.  It was cooked a little more well done than I personally care for, but it's way better than the 2 big fast chains out there.  The bun was a bit like a large KFC or Hawaiian yeast roll.  The crinkle cut fries reminded me a bit of Raising Cane's--and there's nothing wrong with that at all.  Their root beer was mild and creamy--a bit like Sioux City Sarsparilla combined with Frostop's Root Beer that I grew up on in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  Definitely what I will drink on my next visit.

The Foodie Professor's Report Card for
Culver's Frozen Custard and Butter Burgers:
Bacon Deluxe:  A-
Fries:  A-
Root Beer: A+
Service: 
     Friendliness: A
     Speed:  A
Cleanliness:
     Dining Area: B+  (Saw two booths that needed bussing that weren't)
     Men's Restroom: A
Atmosphere: N/A

Overall Grade:  A-

Culver's has 3 Greater Houston Area locations.  We went to the one at:
8800 Six Pines Drive
The Woodlands, TX 77380
281-364-9595
Open 7 days a week
10:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.

And remember:
Eat Happy!
Zao an, Y'all!!!

Jerry Built Burgers--Summer of the Shake and Homegrown Market Menu

Jerry Built Burgers, including Partner Brooksy Smith, has been a good friend to this blog.  So when they told me they were working up some new delicious shakes and some locally produced dishes on their Home Grown Market Menu this Summer, I knew I wanted to pass the word on to you dear readers.  So, lets get to brass tacks and give you the inside dish.

Jerry Built Homegrown Burgers is excited to celebrate the Texas farmers, ranchers and purveyors who bring delicious locally grown ingredients to all Houstonians. As a tribute to them and their wonderful goods, JerryBuilt is featuring "Homegrown Market" specialty items this summer. From roasted Texas sweet corn to Hill Country peach cobbler, you'll find a variety of tasty options.  Help us to celebrate Texas farmers, ranchers and purveyors. who provide us, and all Houstonians, with the best possible ingredients around. Each week, we will feature a special menu item saluting a locally grown ingredient. As an Economist who fully believes in supporting local businesses and farms, to reduce transportation costs and support local economies, this menu is a winner in my book:

May 12-25: Texas Homegrown, Handpicked Strawberries - Enjoy a delicious Three Brothers Bakery shortcake topped with handpicked strawberries, Bluebell Ice Homemade Vanilla and organic whipped cream. 

May 26- Jun. 1: Texas Sweet Corn - Bite into fresh, grilled Texas sweet corn. We'll let you decide whether it's best salted, buttered or just plain sweet. (I had this already--it was WONDERFUL!!!)

Jun. 2-15: Texas Hill Country Peaches - Sample the peachy goodness of a cobbler which we've created with the help of Three Brothers Bakery. Top it off with a scoop of Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla.

Jun. 16-22: Texas Homegrown Blueberries - Taste our Texas Homegrown Blueberry Cobbler. It's sure to put a smile on your face.

Beauty of a Shake

Jun. 23-29: Fresh from the Valley Mangos & Papayas - Sip a mango and papaya shake to cool down as the Texas summer heats up.

Jul. 30- Aug. 6: Watermelon - Finish off your meal with a refreshing glass of watermelon juice or a fresh slice of locally sourced watermelon.

Their other promotion is the "Summer of the Shake." JerryBuilt Homegrown Burgers is offering a great solution for keeping cool this summer - creamy ice cream shakes. Each weekend, beginning on Friday, Jerrybuilt will feature a new shake made with one of Houston's favorite Blue Bell ice cream flavors. Take a peek below for this summer's tasty line-up:

Jason enjoying a Jerry Built
Butter Crunch Shake

• May 25 – Butter Crunch  (My son Jason and I tried one--it was butterfingery good!)
• Jun. 1 – Cinnamon
• Jun. 8 – Peachy Peach
• Jun. 15 Krazy Kookie Dough
• Jun. 22 – Mango
• Jun. 29 – Birthday Cake
• Jul. 6 – Dulce de Leche
• Jul. 13 – Cookies & Cream
• Jul. 20 – Cotton Candy
• Jul. 27 – Strawberry Cheesecake
• Aug. 3 – Chocolate Chip
• Aug. 10 – Mint Chocolate Chip
• Aug. 17 – Chocolate Peanut Butter
• Aug. 24 – Peppermint
• Aug. 31 - Dreamsicle

Come on over to JerryBuilt to chill out with a shake before they're gone!

Jerry Built Burgers is on my top 15 Burgers in Houston for a long list of reasons why.  Good burgers, friendly service, locally sourced ingredients as much as is practical, a family friendly environment and good investment in the local community, are all things that strike a chord with me.  All of these are reasons to get out to one of the two Jerry Built locations this summer and enjoy some of their great food!

And remember:
Eat Happy!
Zao an, Y'all!!!

Full Review: Connie's Frozen Custard on Jones Road

Chocolate Frozen Custard

A week or so ago, I did A LOT of driving to do a comparison on 5 different Houston Frozen Custard places.  One of them close to where I teach at Lone Star College University Park stood out to me and I paid them another visit this week to give them a full on review, as well as try a couple of their other specialty items.  I'm talking about Connie's Frozen Custard on Jones Road.  Last time I visited I had their wonderful Vanilla custard on a cake cone.  This time I tried their Chocolate custard and a Concrete Mixer--think similar to a DQ Blizzard™, but made with frozen custard instead of soft serve--specifically a Pretzel Caramel Crunch Concrete Mixer.

Chocolate Frozen Custard:
This was smooth and creamy.  Had a Sweet but Not Too Sweet Cocoa taste to it.  Reminded me a bit of how chocolate ice cream tasted back when I was a kid in the 1970s.  Freshly made and scooped, shiny, brown creamy and a nice cooler on a hot Houston day in May. Grade: A

Pretzel Caramel Crunch Concrete Mixer
Salty sweet crunchy greamy gooey heaven!!! 

Pretzel Caramel Crunch Concrete Mixer
Salted Caramel is a mainly Latin flavor that has worked its way into the American Food psyche.  We now see it in ice cream, hot chocolate and even frappucinos.  Pretzels with chocolate and caramel have been around for a while, but started as a novelty done by small candy shops.  We now have pretzel M&Ms.  This particular concrete mixer was rich and creamy (love the egg taste in frozen custard here--like mild vanilla egg nog but no nutmeg) the caramel was a little sticky, the pretzels salty and very crunchy.  This was a great mix of sweet, salty, crunchy, smooth and melty.  A clear winner! Grade: A+


Special Note:  
Connie's is like the Ritter's Frozen Custard Stand in Katy.  It has no inside seating.  You eat outside on the porch or at the tables with the umbrellas.  I do not recommend getting a cone unless you eat it fast or unless it's a spring day in the 70s F/mid 20s C.  You will get MAXIMUM DRIPPAGE in the current 90F+/28C+ temperatures of a Houston May if you get a large sized cone.  You have been warned.

The Foodie Professor's Report card for
Connie's Frozen Custard:
Frozen Custard: A/A+
Service:
     Friendliness: A
     Speed:  B+
Atmosphere: Incomplete (no interior place to sit down, just stand or sit outside and eat)
Cleanliness: A (Big window, easy to see inside, very clean)

Overall Grade:  A

Connie's Frozen Custard
12545 Jones Road
Houston, TX 77070
281-469-3444

HOURS:
Mon-Thu: 11 AM to 10 PM
Fri, Sat: 11 AM to 10:30 PM
Sun: Noon to 10 PM

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

Review: Choo Choo Moving Sushi Bar

S Voss Location Frontage

A number of years ago (back in the Nutty 1990s) I was in Vancouver, BC and visited a 2nd Floor Sushi Bar on Robson Street (the name escapes my memory at this writing) that was different from the usual--it had a conveyor belt and moved.   You didn't get up to get your rolls, the rolls moved past and the attendants marked what you took off of it on your ticket.  Someone I know also visited a similar places later on in Adelaide, Australia and in London, UK.  While the quality of the sushi varied, the conveyor belt and the moving bar was something unique and seems great for those who want the buffet experience without having to get up and go get the food or wait on a server to bring your food to you.

Views from our Spot

This concept has come to Houston in 3 local Choo-Choo Moving Sushi Bars.  The first ones opened in Houston and in Humble, both on FM 1960, around 2010.  The Voss location in SW Houston opened up a month or so ago.    While not all of their dishes are on the moving sushi bar, they have the moving sushi bar menu items color coded for price ranging from $1.50 a plate up to $4 a plate (based on the type of sushi). Yellow is the least expensive at $1.50. Edimame and simple rolls are on the yellow plates. The most expensive is the orange plate at $4.00. These are going to be the more complicated rolls that have tuna and salmon. When you are ready to check out, server will tally you up according to the color codes of plates. Also, if there's something you don't see "moving" on the bar, you can order it.  Sounds pretty simple and worth a try.

This video is from their own website--just to give you an idea:


What was nice about this was the fact that you didn't have to wait for someone to cut and bring the sushi to you.  Although I have had some experiences where the food on the moving sushi bar was not fresh, I did not find that to be the case here. For one there were a lot of patrons visiting this evening.  For another the Sushi staff was cutting from the visible kitchen area and adding to/removing from the moving bar as it went around.  A very efficient system in fact.

Among the sushi we tried included the Volcano Roll (baked spicy crawfish atop a California Roll), the Hot Red Dragon (Spicy fish roll atop tuna with hot sauce and chili powder), The Lobster Roll, the black pepper tuna, the shaggy dog (Shrimp tempura with cucumber topped with Kana), California Roll, and Smoked Salmon sashimi.  We also had Red Bean Ice Cream and Cheesecake for dessert.

(l to r) Lobster Roll, Hot Red Dragon Roll $4.00 each plate

All of the Sushi was fresh and very tasty, though I did not find the dishes labeled spicy to be as such.  But then again, I am used to eating much spicier food, so all being relative it was probably fine.  Much of the sushi was fairly standard--it was quite good  There were no nasty surprises, but nothing that blew me away either.

Kitchen Views, and Kid Friendly Sushi

What did impress me was that the staff was very friendly, very attentive and were diligent about refilling hot green tea, iced green tea and other beverages.  They were also very nice with my 2 kids and set up my 7 year old son with a set up chopstick helpers.  That and the moving bar were very strong hooks that will definitely bring us back.  The kitchen was also quite visible, very clean and the staff was working and taking care of the items on the bar.

One thing to watch out for:  how much you eat.  The moving buffet where you can grab what you want as you pass is VERY CONVENIENT.  However, it also makes it VERY EASY to rack up your tab real fast. Sushi is meant to be savoured, not over consumed or to be pigged out on, so keep that in mind when you come eat here.

I think next time I will go to the menu and try some items that you have to wait on.  They have Udon, Yaki Soba and other noodles with different meats and veggies, as well as Teriyaki and Hibachi combo meals.  I'd consider this a good and safe place for a Sushi novice to visit, and definitely a family friendly place as well.  I'd not recommend this place for Sushi snobs however.  But you know what--it's okay.  Houston has plenty of great Sushi places to satisfy Sushi pro's, snobs and novices, and that's what's so great about our fair city.

The Foodie Professor's Report Card for 
Choo-Choo Moving Sushi Bar:
Food:  B+
Service:
     Speed:  A (drink refills & non-moving-bar items handled by wait staff)
     Friendliness: A+
Cleanliness:
     Dining Area & Kitchen: A
     Men's Room:  B-
Atmosphere:  A-

Overall Grade:  B+

Choo-Choo Moving Sushi bar has 3 locations in the Greater Houston Area. We went to the location at:

1675 S Voss (at San Felipe)
Houston, TX  77063
713-783-1368

HOURS OF OPERATION:
Monday-Thursday: 11 a.m. -10 p.m.
Friday-Saturday: 11 a.m. -10:30 p.m.
Sunday: noon-9 p.m.

And Remember:

Eat Happy!
Zao an, Y'all!

A Sampling of Houston Frozen Custard Places

Frozen Custard... Mmmmm...

Readers, the summer months are upon us and that means the desire to cool off with cool treats.  Last Summer I was checking out some of our wonderful local gelato places like Frozen Café  and Piccomolo's.  This year I was thinking of Frozen Custard as a nice choice to check out as a summer cooler.  I'd oveheard some foodies grousing about how there are so few places selling this frozen treat inside the Loop and most Houston purveyors of this wonderful smooth concoction are out in the far flung suburbs north, west and south of the centre of the city.  We used to have a Kohr Brothers inside Memorial City Mall and at Edward's Marq*E but they closed down a few years ago.  So after noticing Connie's Frozen Custard on Jones Road while driving to work I decided to investigate further what we have in the way of Frozen Custard here in Houston.

A Little Background

Frozen custard ice cream originated on Coney Island in about 1919. It was sold as a carnival treat and quickly grew in popularity. In the coming years, custard could be found in Atlantic City and other East Coast resort communities. The popularity of Frozen Custard quickly grew and was the rage of the East Coast. Frozen Custard could be found at many East Coast resort areas. Many travelers had a chance to taste the new sensation and it quickly spread to the Midwest. Milwaukee is currently considered the "Custard Capital of the World." The enjoyment of Frozen Custard was taken by "Snowbirds" to winter resort havens in the Southern US. The result was that local ice cream shops had to satisfy these customers.

Chef Making a Frozen Custard Base

As custard is an ice cream, it must be at least 10% butterfat. What makes frozen custard unique is that by law it must contain 1.4% by weight of egg yolk, have a low overrun (amount of air out into the product), and be frozen and served fresh daily.  Butterfat percentage can vary in mixes, typically between 10 and 16 percent. Traditional ice cream must only contain 10 percent butterfat.   Mixes can be developed specifically for a shop so the owners can fine tune their own unique taste. 

Typically, Frozen Custard is made daily and served at 18-19 degrees Fahrenheit. Traditional ice cream is made at 22-24 degrees Fahrenheit, flash frozen to -10 degrees Fahrenheit, and stored at -20 degrees Fahrenheit. Scooping and serving temperature for ice cream is 5 to 8 degrees Fahrenheit.  During the manufacturing of ice cream, the volume can double in size by beating air into the mixture. The expansion of the product by introducing air is call "overrun." The volume of air and the size of ice crystals can result in a coarse texture. Frozen Custard usually has about 20 percent overrun--way less air in the mix.

The bottom line is that frozen custard has less air, is denser, has a smoother texture, and is semi-solid at a higher temperature than traditional ice cream. 

The Places I Tried

I started out visiting Connie's Frozen Custard on Jones Road and Kegg's Candies on Westpark (they serve frozen custard there).  Later on I tried the frozen custard at Petite Sweets inside the Loop.  A couple of days later I went to Culver's in The Woodlands and Ritter's in Katy.  Freddy's in Copperfield is not open yet, but I will update once it's open.  I tried the Vanilla Custard in a cone or in a cup at each location.  I rated each on texture, drippage, sweetness and overall enjoyment of eating. So without further ado, here are your Frozen Custard Grades:

Connie's on Jones Rd

Connie's Frozen Custard

Connie's has been in operation at 12545 Jones Road since April 2010--over 11 years now.  Dan and Melissa Ashby brought the wonderful treat with them from Melissa's native Springfield Missouri.  I stopped by after work on a hot May afternoon and got a medium sized vanilla custard cone.  The Custard was scooped (clearly made fresh that morning), had a very strong egg-vanilla flavour, was very smooth and got a little drippy.  It was sweet, but not excessively so.  Nice, cool, no brain freeze.  Just a note:  you can get sundaes and blended "concretes" as well at this location.  Grade: A.  

Kegg's Candies and Ice Cream Shop

Kegg's Vanilla Custard

Kegg's Candies has been in business in Houston for 66 years as Houston's premium hand-made chocolate and confection manufacturer.  There are Kegg's stands in a couple of local malls and they are sold at Rice Epicurean Markets.  Much like James Coney Island, they are a Houston Heritage institution.  In 2010, after years of research and months of recipe testing, Kegg’s introduced its newest product lines-Frozen Custard and Italian Ice at its 8168 Westpark Drive store location. Per their website: these products are handmade with nothing but premium ingredients and proprietary recipes in the Kegg’s tradition and are perfect as a warm weather or all year round cold treat.  I had a medium sized dish of their Vanilla.  It was sweeter than Connie's, had a bit more air in the product, had a strong vanilla flavour, but with less of an egg taste to it.  Still very good.  And FYI:  you can get all kinds of crushed Kegg's Candies as toppings if you like.  Grade: A-

Petite Sweets

Petite Sweets

Long time friend’s entrepreneur Lee Ellis, and pastry chef Susan Molzan teamed together to open Petite Sweets in September 2011. The 1500 square foot location at 2700 West Alabama I(Inside the Loop, so be quiet all InnerLooper Gripers!) has a seating area and an on-site kitchen. The Petite Sweets menu features artisan macarons, cake balls, mini cupcakes, cookies, whoopie pies, marshmallows, frozen custard and dipped cones made with Belgian chocolate, all made in house. Petite Sweets serves coffee, espresso and cappuccinos and more brewed around the clock.  I also heard that Chef Lance Fegen is a partner in this sweet shop as well.  I ended up buying a half-dozen Macarons to enjoy and write about in another blog entry.  Their Frozen Custard was the only one that was served directly from the soft-serve machine, rather than made that morning, kept chilled and scooped onto the cone.  It was served in a very ribbony pile atop a standard cake cone.  It was the smoothest and least sweet of the 5 I tried, had the least amount of drip and was the most enjoyable to eat of all  Grade:  A+

Culver's

Culver's in the Woodlands

Culver's Butter Burgers and Frozen Custard is a Wisconsin-based chain that opened its first location in the Woodlands at the corner of Six Pines and Research Forest in 2005.  They now have locations in Conroe and Atascosita.  They're well known for their butter burgers as well as their frozen custard.  I went with my son, Jason, and he got a caramel brownie sundae made with their vanilla frozen custard.  I had a vanilla frozen custard in a waffle cone.  This custard had a very strong egg taste, and vanilla was in it as well.  I did not have any issues with drippings.  It didn't have much air in it, but it had some noticeable ice crystals in it.  This was the only frozen custard that I found the ice crystals in . It was still very tasty, but the ice crystals were a detraction from the texture--made it less smooth.  I still ate the whole thing, and would probably again, but I wonder what caused all the ice crystals in the custard.  Grade: B+

Ritter's 

Ritter's, with Drippage

Ritter's is a Midwestern chain that has many locations in Michigan, Indiana and Ohio.  It has a few locations in Florida and just one in Texas, over in Katy at 3429 Fry Road, just south of Clay Road.  That custard stand has been there for many, many years.  I've been there a few times since my daughter was born 10 and a half years ago, and every time we've gone, it's always busy.  Jason was with me and he had a Cubby Paw (a frozen custard ice cream sandwich) while I got a vanilla cone.  Ritter's frozen custard had a very strong egg taste, was very, very smooth, had no noticeable air runoff or ice crystals, but was rather drippy since we had to sit outside in the 90 F/30 C heat in Katy that afternoon.  It required a fair amount of napkins to clean, but I still enjoyed the custard quite well.  My advice:  eat fast and get a bunch of napkins if you go there.  Grade: A 


UPDATE:  Freddy's Frozen Custard and Steakburgers:

Jason enjoy's a Freddy's
Vanilla Custard in San Antonio

We took a trip to San Antonio recently, and they have a bunch of Freddy's Frozen Custard and Steakburgers.  I took advantage of the opportunity to sample their frozen custard ahead of their June 12th opening in Copperfield.  I tried both Vanilla and Chocolate.  The stuff was scooped fresh from their iron lung custard machine.  The vanilla was cool, creamy, smooth and had no noticeable air run-off or ice crystals in it.  The Chocolate had a similar texture and had a nice cocoa flavour.  On that hot afternoon in San Antonio, my son and I enjoyed it immensely.  Freddy's also had great burgers, hot dogs, shoestring style fries, and yes they also sell concretes of different flavours, some of which are seasonal.  I'll be giving them a thorough review in a later blog post, once they are well under way in Houston.  Grade: A

In Conclusion:

Houston has lots of great places to get cool treats to cool off in our 10+ months of heat.  Frozen Custard is one of those wonderful frozen treats, and though many are in the suburbs, at least 2 great locations are in Central and Southwest Houston proper.  If you've not tried frozen custard yet, I advise you try any one of these great places.  My top recommendation is Petite Sweets, with Connie's and Ritter's as close seconds.  I wouldn't turn down Kegg's or Culver's either.

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

A Pair of Great Pork Sandwiches at Pappas BBQ and Flying Saucer

As many of you readers know, I sometimes like to do a comparison of similar dishes at different restaurants for a competition such as the Battle of the Burritos and the Three Wing Circus last year.  Very recently, I went to two different places that are in my rotations and tried two very different yet very delicious Pork Sandwiches they served.  Suffice it to say, if you love sweet and juicy smoked pulled pork or ham, bacon and pork belly, these sandwiches will fully satisfy you.

Pappas BBQ:  The Sweet Caroline

Sweet Caroline...
Pulled Pork never tasted
so good... 

This is a South Carolina Barbecue style pulled pork sandwich, served on a Kaiser bun, with sweet mustard barbecue sauce and cole slaw.  This is all part of a Pappas BBQ promotion done in conjunction with the National Pork Board to promote different dishes made with this wonderful meat.  South Carolina style pulled pork sandwiches are usually made from Pork Shoulder that has been smoked on low heat for over 8 hours.  It has a dry bark on the outside, a smoke ring in the lower layer and tender shreds of meat that are pulled apart to make the sandwich.  As a sandwich, it's traditionally served with a South Carolina style vinegar/mustard/hot pepper sauce with cole slaw and a pickle on the side.

Lots of restaurants that advertise pulled pork in Houston do not have a smoke ring in the meat or bark because they cook it in a slow cooker.  Pappas has a smoke house and thus their pulled pork has both a pink smoke ring and bark on the ends of some of the shreds.  The sandwich is served with a nice cole-slaw (the same they sell as a side dish) and a mustard barbecue sauce that is a little sweeter than traditional South Carolina style sauce, but I won't quibble.  The meat is sweet, tender and smoky.  The coleslaw is creamy and crunchy.  The bun holds it all together, but just barely.  It was tasty, satisfying and the flavor stayed with me for about an hour after I ate it.

My only concern is that the great Balladeer Neil Diamond make take offense on a couple of levels.  For one there's obviously the song "Sweet Caroline" which is his personal copyright.  For another, he is Jewish, and pork is not on the menu for Jews who keep Kosher.  Personally, I know a number of Jews who only keep Kosher on the high holidays who have tried this sandwich and loved it.  However, if I were working for Pappas BBQ I might consider rethinking the name.  Just saying.  No hating here at all folks.  

Grade:  A

Flying Saucer Draught Emporium:  The Pork Belly

Dogfish Black & Blue

Get in Mah Belly!!!

This sandwich is shredded pork belly, ham,  and bacon, with jalepeño chutney, lettuce and tomato.  I added Swiss cheese to mine.  This sandwich was also a sweet smoky delight.  The jalepeño chutney added a sweet yet spicy twang to the pork.  The Pork belly was much like shredded pulled pork.  The bacon was crispy and smoky.  The ham was sweet and a little salty.  Overall the sandwich was was a bit chewier & crunchier in comparison to the Sweet Caroline, and more savoury flavoured as well.  It was served on some rather crusty bread that had a good crunch, along with French Fries on the side.  

For all my fellow BeerKnurds:  I enjoyed a Dogfish Beer Black and Blue with the sandwich and the blackberry & blueberry flavours & mild bitterness of this Belgian Ale went quite nicely with the Pork Belly Sandwich.  

Grade: A

And remember:
Eat Happy!!!
Zao an, Y'all!!!

HankOnFood.com's 1st Anniversary!!!

Wow!  Hard to believe one year ago today, I decided to finally take some of my disparate videos and write ups about different restaurants and build a blog around restaurants, recipes and food I love.  In looking back I'm grateful to the following:

• Those who were examples to me of good, professional foodblogging:  Mijune Pak, Richard Wolak, Melody Fury, Albert Nurick, Jack Tyler and Mai Pham especially.  You all set a good example of the right way to do it, but also a couple of you encouraged me to find my own style, refine it and take it up a notch

• Those restaurants that inspired me to write this blog--my love of burgers for such places as The Burger Guys, Guy's Meat Market, The Hubcap Grill, Jerry Built Burgers and the Counter.  Asian and Asian fusion places like House of Bowls, Tony Thai, Uchi, Nabi and Sushi-pop.  Fine eateries like Cactus Club Café, BRC Gastropub, Café Bellini,  PHAT, Sylvia's Restaurant, Union Kitchen, and Kasra Persian Grill.  And wonderful pubs like Flying Saucer, Liberty Station, The Gingerman,  and the Richmond Arms.

• My mom and dad who'd said at times when I was a kid (back in the 1970s) that someday I might go travelling around writing about good places to eat to let other travelers know all the places I enjoyed.  Little did they anticipate the internet and blogging would lead to their sayings coming true.

• A couple of family members and friends who enjoyed trying different restaurants and weren't averse to using a few coupons or specials in order to try something different than the usual.  

• My patient, kind, tolerant wife who has put up with me more than anyone ever should have to

• Several teachers who tried to encourage my writing, even though it can be pedantic and meander at times.  

Wayback Machine:

Pre-Blog--First Food Video

Pre-Blog--First Restaurant Review Video--Five Guys Burgers and Fries:



First Short Posted Review  posted on May 14, 2011:  Fadi's Mediterranean Grill .

First Long Post Review was posted on May 30, 2011: Café Bellini  in San Francisco.  

First Full use of the Foodie Professor Report Card was for  Sushi-pop  on August 19, 2011.

First Event Reviewed:  Nabi Houston Grand Opening on November 19, 2011.

In Closing:

I want to thank all of y'all who have read this blog during the past year... Over 29,000 page views since I started a year ago, with an audience from all over the world, though concentrated in North America.  It's been a fun year and I am going to continue to refine and improve my process as I go forwards.  My goal is to explore more new restaurants and types of cuisines, to seek out new local restaurants in any locality I visit... To Boldly Eat Where No One has Eaten Before.... (okay maybe not that last part... but still...)

Thanks again for a great year of Happy Eating!  Looking forward to another year to Eat Happy!

Hank L.
HankOnFood.com

Fun Food: Recipies and Stuff I Do or Use

I am known to experiment in the Kitchen and have posted a few recipes over the past year.  I've got a couple that are great for the kiddos and adults, and are just plain fun.

Mini-Biscuit Pizzas

Ingredients:
1 can of large flaky biscuit dough
1 bag shredded Italian Blend cheeses
1 jar of pizza or spaghetti sauce
Toppings of your choice (we used Italian sausage crumbles, sliced bratwurst, and mushroom slices)





Flatten each biscuit by hand until you get a raw dough circle about 4 or 5 inches in diameter.  Put about 1 tablespoon sauce in the centre and spread it around with the back of a tablespoon.  Sprinkle cheese shreds to taste.  Add toppings but take care to not overload them.  Bake on a cookie sheet covered with aluminum foil that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray at 400 degrees for 12 minutes in a preheated conventional oven or 17 minutes in a preheated toaster oven.  Allow to cool for about 5 minutes and then enjoy.

Yes, I realize this is not the same thing you'd get from a Pizziola from a place like Pizzaro's Pizza Napoletena.  However, in a pinch it's still pretty good and it's a big hit with the kids.

Brewing Coffee at Home

Simple and yet beautiful
Makes great coffee

Although I am a big fan of Starbuck's Coffee, as well as Katz's and other high end brands like Peet's, I mainly brew my coffee at home to save money and get it the way I want it exactly.  I don't own a Keurig or Tassimo Coffee maker however.  Those little T or K cups are not environmentally friendly and I am making efforts to be responsible in this regard.  I've found the easiest way to brew one cup of good coffee is to use a pour over Funnel from Melita, and a mesh cone-shaped Filter Basket I bought at Kroger.  Both items together cost less than $10.00.  The mesh filter basket is washable/reusable and doesn't waste paper via coffee filters.  It also allows more natural coffee oils to get into the brew, and you can help this process along by stirring the grounds as you pour in the boiling water.  It makes a for a bolder cup of coffee, that has interesting dark swirls of coffee oil in it as you stir the cup.  When you're using high end brands like Gevalia or Peet's, the level and complexity of flavour you get is notable, but even with Ikea or Seattle's Best Coffee, the flavour is stronger and more complex.

I also bought a traditional style Espresso Brewing pot from Ikea--one that you use on the range-top.  I was given a fancier one a long time ago, but the assembly and dis-assembly and cleaning was a pain in the neck.  These old school European style espresso pots are easier to clean and maintain, though you do have to keep an eye on it to make sure you don't end up dry boiling the water chamber.  And although it doesn't have a frothing nozzle, I'm just fine pouring in Sugar in the Raw and Half-N-Half and enjoying it that way (Ghetto-Latté style as some snooty baristas have called it).  The pot was under $20.00 and it makes enough espresso to serve 2 adults.  Given how much money we spend on coffee and coffee making apparatuses, it is amazing what good, full flavoured coffee can be brewed at home with simple, old-school technology.

Still, I do like a Caramel Macchiatto with steamed milk at a high end coffee place from time to time as well.

Movie Mix 

Okay, this is pretty silly, but since I enjoy this, and my kids enjoy this, I thought that a few of you readers might like it as well.  I confess, I smuggle boxed candy into the movie theatres when I go see movies.  It's way cheaper than buying them at the theatre.  However, I will always buy drinks and a large bag or bucket of popcorn if I'm there with the kids or a whole crew.  When it's me and my kids, we like to add candy to the popcorn when its hot and let it melt and mix in a little.  My son and I like Milk Duds.  My daughter and I like Mike and Ike's or Sour Patch Kids.  I have to make sure to put them in separate areas so they don't get too mixed up in the overlap.  Something about the salty buttery crunch of the popcorn mixes just soooooo goooood with these candies and it makes watching a great movie like Marvel's The Avengers just that much more enjoyable.

As always readers, my continued exhortation is for you to
Eat Happy!!!
Zao an, y'all!!! 

Mini Reviews: Interesting Dishes at various Eateries

Greetings readers!  On the cusp of Hank On Food's 1st anniversary, I wanted to post some different dishes and snacks I've had at several restaurants I've visited before, but aren't enough to fill up an entire proper blog post on their own.  Some of these  are at places I've hit on a multiple return visits that, suffice it to say,  Eateries were worth the full review(s) before and my return says they are still review-worthy.  It's also been a busy May for me in my real life as a College Professor--giving and grading Final Exams is as much work for the professors as it is for the students, believe it or not.  So without further ado, let's talk some food!!!

Two Other Great Tillamook Burgers from Houston Burger Week

Tillamook Betty--The Burger Guys

The Burger Guys in Westchase are my #1 Burger in Houston for over a year now, and with very good reason.  They know a burger cooked medium is hot all the way through, has a little bit of pink and is VERY JUICY.  They also use Akaushi Beef and have creative toppings and ingredients.  I visit them at least once a month and they've never disappointed me.  The Tillamook Betty has 1/2 lb. Akaushi beef with Cinnamon Nutmeg Aioli, Bread and Butter Pickled Braeburn Apples, Arugula, and Tillamook Sharp Cheddar served on a Challah bun.  As usual, a hot, juicy, buttery, tasty burger that has an interesting mix of sweet, crunchy, and cheddary goodness.  According to the manager on duty, they researched Cheddar and its origins in England, and found that it was traditionally served with Apples.  This explains why some folks up in the Northeast love a slice of melted cheddar cheese on their apple pie!  The flavours are different--the bite of the cheddar with the sweetness of the apple, the crunch of the apple juxtaposed with the smooth melted cheddar.  Overall a lot of meaty and sweety goodness on a challah bun!  Grade:  A+ 

Tillamook Hanging Sliders

Tillamook Hanging Slider--Little Bigs 
Little Bigs over on Montrose has some great sliders and has a nice choice of patties you can get.  Of course I wish they would bring back the mushroom patty, but I digress.  They served up their traditional sliders with Tillamook Cheddar Cheese and caramelized onions.  I added their Srirachi Mayonnaise, lettuce and tomato to those sliders and had a nice little feast of them.  As usual, a good batch of sliders from Little Bigs.  Grade: A 


Kublai Khan Mongolian Stir Fry 

Before Cooking

Mongolian Stir Fry style places have become popular in recent years and have helped advance Asian and Asian Fusion cuisine in North America.  The idea is simple:  you choose your protein, your veggies, your spices, your starch and your sauce, and they cook it all together for you in a bowl for your enjoyment.  Some of them offer an bottomless bowl where you can try different combinations.  Many of them offer suggestions on some standard Asian-style dishes that are popular with Western and Eastern Palates.

After Adding Veggies
and cooking

The advantage these places offer is that the customer is able to more or less get exactly what they want, as well as be allowed to "be the chef" and have some say in assembling their food.  The disadvantage is that there is the tendency for some to gravitate to the familiar and avoid the new.  Kublai Khan was the Grandson of Ghengis Khan.  Ironically both of their namesakes have been co-opted into the restaurant chains Kublai Khan Crazy Mongolian Stir-fry and Ghenghis Grill.  While I have enjoyed both restaurants from time to time, I personally found the atmosphere at Kublai Khan more upscale, more peaceful, more open, less crammed in.  That's not to say the food or service are bad at Ghenghis Grill.  Both places usually have friendly staff and a good selection of ingredients to build your bowl with.

High End Atmosphere at Kublai Khan
Monglian Stir-Fry in Sugar Land

Personally, I usually do a mix of beef and seafood, with a lot of different vegetables and go for spicy/sweet seasoning and sauce combinations, usually over Udon or Pad Thai style noodles.  The bowl you see in the picture had beef, calamari, shrimp, scallops, whitefish, broccoli, water chestnuts, carrots, bamboo shoots, bok choy, basil, and scallions with Curry, Coconut and Cumin seasonings cooked in a Jamaican Jerk Sauce served with Udon Noodles.  It was hearty, sweet, spicy and filling, and it was exactly what I wanted at that time.

Overall Kublai Khan earns a Grade: A for its overall atmosphere and dining experience and Ghenghis Grill earns a  Grade: B+.  Either one of them are great places to try if you want to have a say in what goes into your food and if you want to be creative and come up with different combinations of meat, starch, veggies and seasonings.

Folks, my motto is as always for you to remember to Eat Happy!!!
Zao an, Y'all!!!


Hank on Food

Review: The Flying Saucer Draught Emporium

This past weekend, I made a long overdue trip to one of the two Houston area Flying Saucer Draught Emporiums--specifically the Sugar Land City Walk location.  As a fellow who loves a good craft beer and loves a nice relaxed pub with good food, I'm very surprised I did not try this place before.  I happened to notice the location when I was visiting BLU Sugar Land for a different event.  I managed to find a couple of hours in and around by busy Professor's Schedule (end of semester, grading student papers, et al) to pop over for a pint and some wonderful pub grub.  I visited twice during a week, joined the UFO Club, and tried 4 different Texas Craft Beers, along with some of their great pub grub.

Suffice it to say the Flying Saucer is wonderful as a limited run chain.  They have a great selection of taps and bottle, as extensive as The Gingerman or Yardhouse if not more!  And definitely a nice selection of local and national craft beer, as well as imports.  They have a great menu of different kinds of pub grub--some of the usual chicken wings and cheese fries, some of the more German and European style pub grub as well: soft pretzels with dipping sauces, and a snack board platter that they call the Hungry Farmer that includes a selection of 3 to 5 smoked meats and/or cheeses, with crackers apple slices, mustard and kalamata olive relish.  There's also a great selection of pizzas, sandwiches and burgers, along with salads.

On my first visit I enjoyed a Saucer Bratzel and 2 Soft Pretzels.  On my second visit, I had a Hungry Farmer that included crackers, roasted almonds, granny smith apple slices, kalamata olive relish, spicy mustard, Whiskey White Cheddar and Red Dragon Cheddar, and peppered salami.  Suffice it to say I was pleased, impressed and quite happy with both experiences.
I also took time to join their UFO club and during these 2 visits--I've knocked down 4 or 2% of the 200 to get once around the circle and earn my brass plate in the Ring of Honor.  I had the (512) Pecan Porter, The Southern Star Buried Hatchet Strong Stout, The Live Oak Schwarz-bier, and the Real Ale Full Moon Rye Pale Ale.

Bratzel toasted and covered with Swiss Cheese, Chives & Bratwurst
2 Soft Pretzels served with Queso and Cream Cheese Chive Sauce

The Food:

I am a fan of soft pretzels, especially when they are buttered, served with kosher salt and dipping sauce.  However, with melted Swiss cheese and beer brat slices its like a German Pizza!  Jawohl meine schön Fräulein!!!  Es schmecht ausgezeichnet!!!  (For you non Deutcherphones:  Yes my beautiful young lady!  It tastes excellent!!!)  I highly recommend both the plain soft pretzels and the Bratzel to enjoy with your beer. The pretzels were all crispy on the outside, soft on the inside and their saltiness mixed well with the smoothness of the cheese, the sourness of the onions and the savoury fennelly bite of the beer brats.  The plain soft pretzels were also quite tasty.  And they went well with the strong stout beers I drank during that visit (512 Pecan Porter and the Southern Star Buried Hatchet Strong Stout).

The Hungry Farmer Snack Platter 

As I said earlier, in Europe (especially Germany) when you go to a Biergarten or Pub, it's very common to be served a tray of smoked meats and a selection of local cheeses with bread or crackers and fruit to snack on as you drink.  Kind of like how many of our Tex-Mex places serve chips and salsa or some dive bars serve popcorn or peanuts for free, but on a higher level.  The Hungry Farmer is just such a platter, but you have to pay for it.  And it's well worth it.  The menu even recommends different kinds of beer to pair the different meats or cheeses with.  The crackers were fairly standard water crackers, but the two cheeses were robust, full of flavour and zest.  The roasted almonds had a smokey quality and the hard peppered salami was meaty and savoury.  It was nice to be able to nosh on the meats and cheeses, occasionally adding spicy mustard (tastes a bit like Grey Poupon) or kalamata olive relish for a change of pace.  The granny smith apple slices were a nice palate cleanser between tastes.  And this mixture of robust cheeses and savoury meat went quite well with the Live Oak Schwarz-beir and the Real Ale Full Moon Rye Pale Ale.

(l to r) (512) Pecan Porter, Southern Star Buried Hatchet Strong Stout,
Live Oak Schwarz-bier, Real Ale Full Moon Rye Pale Ale 

The Beer:

Saucer Flights leaving Daily

This is not a place to go in and ask for Coors Light or Bud Light lime.  This is a craft beer pub and if you check their current beer/tap list (always adding new ones and changing) you won't find any of the North American Bilgewater that's like making love in a canoe (Effing Close to Water!).  The whole point of The Flying Saucer is to expand your horizons and try different beer from different parts of the world, as well as local and regional craft beer.  If you're not sure about ordering a beer you can always try a Saucer Flight:  a batch of 5 oz tasting portions like the Around The World, which are on the back of the beer menu.  Here are my take on the 4 wonderful beers I had these 2 visits:

(512) Pecan Porter: Has a burnt, thick consistency, has a mildly acidic hoppy front note, a bitter middle and a smooth yet sour finish.  Reminds me of a smoky, thicker version of Anchor Porter.

Southern Star Buried Hatchet Strong Stout: Another beer with burnt hop top notes, but had a middle that reminded me a little of unsweetened Cacao and a strong, bitter finish.  It reminded me of a dark Oatmeal Stout I drank in the bar at the Sylvia Hotel in Vancouver, BC years ago.

Friendly Faces on the Flying Saucer Patio
In Sugar Land, TX 

Live Oak Schwarz-bier: The Beer Goddess (what they call the Female Wait Staff, who dress kind of like Ballista from Splatalot) described it as a Black Ale.  It was VERY SMOOTH, had hints of Cocoa and Guiness and roasted oats, with a mildly bitter finish.

Real Ale Full Moon Rye Pale Ale: This was the lightest of the beers I tried on these two visits (I'm partial to dark, stout, strong, bitter beer).  It had a top note of citrussy esters, a bit of a woody bite (reminded me a little of Sam Adam's Boston Lager) and had a clean yet hoppy bitter finish.

FYI:  Since I have joined the UFO club, I am now committed to getting my brass plate in the Ring of Honor at the Sugar Land Location.  I'm going to be adding another tab to the blog soon that will track the beer I've had and will give my impressions of their flavour, my grades of them, along with which ones are my favourites.

I will also add that the Beer Goddesses were knowledgeable about the beer, were readily available yet not intrusive nor excessive in their callbacks, and managers/buss boys were circulating to back them up.  And FYI:  Straight A's for the 4 Beers!

The Foodie Professor's Report Card for Flying Saucer Draught Emporium:
Bratzel: A+
Soft Pretzels: A
Hungry Farmer: A
Atmosphere (Faux Old Word Pub): A-
Service:
     Speed:  A-
     Friendliness: A+
Cleanliness: A

Overall Grade: A 

There are 2 Flying Saucer Draught Emporiums in the Houston area.  I went to the one at:
15929 City Walk
Sugar Land TX 77479
Mon-Wed: 11am-1am
Thu & Fri: 11am-2am
Sat: 11am-2am
Sun:11am-12am
Phone: (281) 242-7468

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

Liberty Kitchen in the Heights: Rodeo Clown Reuben Sandwich

Frontage on the Corner of
Studewood & 11th Street

After having visited Lance Fegen's BRC Gastropub not too long ago, I found myself visiting another one of his places, Liberty Kitchen & Oyster Bar, due to the Tillamook Love Loaf  Tour for the only non-burger entry in the Houston Burger week, the oddly named Rodeo Clown Reuben, or as the hostess called it "The Big Sloppy Sandwich".  It was indeed big, but I was able to eat it without it being as sloppy as the Tillamook Ice House Burger was at Beaver's.  No complaining or bellyaching here folks--every last one of those sandwiches and burgers I tried this week was very delicious--whether it was neatly or sloppily eaten. 

I will add that both of Lance Fegen's entries had a great variety of flavours combined, and though each sandwich contained a hot dog, they each used a different kind of hot dog that was cooked differently.  Kudos to Lance Fegen for using variety within different categories of meat to add to these sandwiches.  I will also add that I will be coming back to both BRC and Liberty Kitchen to try their other fare.  I also have his Glass Wall in the Heights on my short list as well.  Okay enough of this!!!  And so without further ado here is your...

Rodeo Clown Reuben Blueprint: 
Spiced Brisket
Chicken fried steak
Hot dog
Tillamook sharp cheddar & pepper jack
Sweet jalapeños, Malt slaw
Thousand Island Dressing & chile con Queso
On dark pumpernickel bread 

Chef Lance Fegen seems to be a fan of butterflied hotdogs on sandwiches.  I'm not complaining.  Though I seem to remember Alfalfa from the Little Rascals putting a hot dog on a big old sandwich too.  This Rodeo Clown is a monster sandwich of champions.  All at once it is beefy, meaty, sweet, sour, creamy, cheesy, salty, and full of crunchy yet juicy goodness. The dark pumpernickel & malt slaw are bitter and salty, and they offset the sweetness of the brisket & the hot dog quite nicely. The chicken fried steak adds more crunch along with that of the bread. The Tillamook cheese works with it all but doesn't get in in the way of the other flavours either.  And the in house made 1000 Island dressing is creamy, pickly and tangy to tie it all together. The best of the Tillamook sandwich/burger bunch I had this week!

Lunch Counter/Bar at Liberty Kitchen

Of note is the atmosphere of Liberty Kitchen: it is like a stainless steel art deco diner meets a 21st Century reclaimed wood urban chic bistro.   All types of customers here--hipsters, yuppies, tattooed old school Heights residents mixed with new school gentrifiers, bikers (motor and pedal), and a few corporate nudniks. Liberty Kitchen has a VERY lively staff, and Chef/Sous Chef was always visible at the bar/counter.  Leading from the front always gets props from me. 

Foodie Professor's Report Card for Liberty Kitchen:
Rodeo Clown Reuben: A+

Only halfway through!!! 

Service:
Speed: A+
Friendliness: A+
Atmosphere: A+
Cleanliness: A

Overall Grade: A+

And Remember:
Eat Happy!
Zao an, y'all!

Tillamook Ice House Burger at Beaver's Gastropub (Houston Burger Week)



512 Alt Amber



Beaver's Gastropub is a place I've reviewed before because of their wonderful brunch.  However, thanks to Houston Burger Week and the Tillamook Love Loaf Tour, I came back during Happy hour to try their new Tillamok Ice House Burger.  The Happy Hour crowd is a little different than the brunch crowd, but I found it as relaxed and enjoyable as before, and like before, I took my meal on their nice patio.  

The last time I went there, I did not avail myself of their tap list.  This time around I wanted a beer.  I enjoyed a (512) Craft Beer (512) Alt (German for "old" style) Amber.  I found the beer to have a mixture of a nutty, semi bitter,  hoppy top note,  with a citrus middle, and a mild clean finish  The beer had a lovely dark amber colour and had small bubbles that lasted as I sipped the beer with this monster of a burger.  so without further ado, here is your....

Tillamook Ice House Burger blueprint:

Tillamook Pepper Jack Cheese

Beer Battered Pickled Onion Rings and Cornmeal Fried Jalapenos

topped with Beaver’s house-made BBQ sauce

served on locally made TX Toast (tastes like potato bread)

Served with house made potato chips

This burger is HUGE!  And take a tip from me: don't try to eat it with your hands.  This burger is best eaten with a knife and fork.  In fact, many of Beaver's sandwiches are best eaten this way due to how much they put into them.  The beef is sweet & juicy. The Tillamook pepper jack cheese is smooth & spicy.  I especially liked the so-called Texas toothpicks (cornmeal fried jalapenos)-- as they were hot, crunchy, Corny and spicy.  All of the veggies fresh & crisp, and the Texas toast tasted and had a texture like potato bread

The pickles taste home canned--sweet yet sour.  Their home made BBQ sauce is sweet but has a hint of vinegar.  The onion rings are mild & sweet--they're not Vidalia onions, but apparently they are soaked in beer before beer battering them and this, according to my server, takes the harsh edge off of them. 

Like I fool, I put the burger together and tried to eat it with my hands, but the burger fell apart because of how loaded it was.  I'll know next time to use cutlery to eat it.  I found it to be a little messy yet very satisfying. Another clear winner from where I sit.  I will also add that the Bitterness of (512) Alt Amber offsets sweetness of beef, sauce & corn very nicely.

Grade: A

Beaver's is located at:
2310 Decatur Street (1 block south of intersection with Washington Ave)
Houston, TX 77007-7519
TELEPHONE: 713.864.2328
HOURS OF OPERATION
Monday CLOSED (stay tuned for special events)
Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday 11am -9pm
Thursday-Saturday 11am – 11pm
Bar stays open 1 hour later

And remember:
Eat Happy!
Zao an, Y'all!