Other Houston Call-outs

I may have eaten at Treebeard's disproportionately given the number of total meals, but hey, good is good and I can appreciate that.


But here are a few other standouts:


Vic & Anthony's steakhouse brings it.  Perfectly cooked medium rare rib-eye served on a piping hot plate as a shallow lake of butter surrounded it.  Their wild mushroom side is excellent and so is the Smith & Hook Syrah that paired righteously with the steak.  If you're on a budget, though, this place may break the bank...

 If Vic & Anthony's breaks the bank, then this next meal can be paid for out of your kid's piggy bank.  Houston has a network of underground tunnels throughout the downtown area, presumably for the exact opposite reason Minneapolis has skyways - because it can be so dangerously hot in the summer, who can blame someone for not wanting to go outside?  Fortunately, it's not just scary and dungeon-like.  Their lined with quick eats for those busy bodies on their way to the next big thing.  


One day, I decided to take a break from Treebeard's and opted for some good ol' comfort food - Chinese Dumplings.  A quick look at Yelp led me to the Star Chef Dumpling House, which I was even more inclined to patronize when I found out the owners were from Taiwan.  My parents would be proud!


I ordered a mix of pan-fried pork dumplings, seen on the left, and the steamed pork dumplings on the right for $5.95.  The pan-fried dumplings were stellar.  The skin was thin and crispy, the meat concoction in the middle was savorific, and I wished I had an entire order of them.  The steamed ones were fine, but they didn't blow me away, and I can beat those at home.  I still haven't quite figured out how to perfect the pan-fried dumplings now that I won't make them by hand anymore, so these were a great stop gap.  

Vic & Anthony's
1510 Texas Avenue
Houston, TX 77002
(713) 228-1111


Star Chef Dumpling House
930 Main St, #240
Houston, TX 77002
(713) 659-5600

Houston - Things really are bigger in Texas...

Oh, to be home again.  After two weeks away, I was starting to feel at home living out of a suitcase, and I really hate living out of a suitcase.  But if that's happening, it also means I'm having some pretty terrific meals.  

It's been decades since I've been to Houston.  I recall some family trip down there to visit some family friends as a 13 or 14 year-old, and I definitely remember having a crush on one of the sons.  He was tall and dreamy and 16!  

Anyway, on the plane ride down, I solicited a foodie conversation with those around me.  I just can't help myself, and most of the time, everyone else wants to pitch in with their opinion on the best eats of the city.  Of course, during the conversation, I dump in questions like, "Yeah, is that like the salad at Olive Garden?" or "how does that compare to the steak at Outback?" because I need to assess where they are on the food critic chain.  When they say, "Hmm, that's a great question - which is better?" I pretty much let go of any mental note on anyplace they've mentioned.  If they say, "Seriously?  Olive Garden?" I know there may be a tastebud match.

In that little discourse on Houston Eats, I heard Treebeard and Pappa Deux's for Cajun, a few places for steak, and more than plenty of places for Tex-Mex.    

During my seminar on Strategic Foresight with the University of Houston which was held at the downtown Magnolia Hotel, they mentioned a church across the street that had some pretty good cajun.  So without much prodding, several of us headed over.  What a clever way to use a church during the week.  Great home cajun cooking that fed the people of downtown Houston during the week at way cheap prices, and I'm sure that helps to pay for the soup kitchen work they do along with helping to subsidize the church.  I like the mind of these people!!  The best part was after I paid for the meal, which was served cafeteria style, the receipt said "Treebeards" and I was so delighted that the Gourmet Food Fairies had led me to this gold mine without a second thought.  

And when I say the Cajun was great, it was!

This is the fantastic Shrimp Etouffee that was a tad fiery, lusciously rich, and with a complex flavor.  I had this over dirty rice, rued the fact that it had a few too many celery stalks, but was overall quite pleased.  This dish was all of $6.95.  Incredible! 

And then nothing was as sweet as these watermelon cubes served with lime and mint leaves.  I had never done much to dress up watermelon, but after going to a Greek restaurant a few years ago for some Watermelon & Feta salad, I was hooked.  This is just as good a combination of flavors, and I can't imagine not having watermelon with a squirt of lime atop anymore.  The combination, along with the mint is so refreshing, inviting, and satisfying, I can't believe I wasn't introduced to this before.  But hey - better late than never...