Alsace

Dumplings to Die for at Charivari

The best of continental cuisine all in one beautiful, good mix.

The Rest of the Best: Houston's Top 10 Tapas Restaurants

Although etymologists agree that the word "tapas" comes from the Spanish word tapar, which means "to cover," that's where agreement on the origin of the Spanish snack-stravaganza ends. Seminal cookbook The Joy of Cooking claims that "tapas" originally referred to slices of bread or meat used to cov ... More >>

Gumbo and Half Bottle of Riesling for a Lonely Diner at Brennan's

Yesterday evening, when I found myself in the peculiar predicament of having to dine alone, I decided to treat myself to a bowl of gumbo at the bar at Brennan's, a landmark where I still hadn't eaten after nearly four years in Texas. Beyond the social awkwardness, dining alone for a wine lover can ... More >>

Underbelly's Underpriced Wine List Gives Us More Reasons to Love It

Because there is so very much to discuss when it comes to Underbelly, the subject of this week's cafe review, I found myself having to trim back significantly in certain areas of the review in order to get a broader point across (which, TL;DR, is that Underbelly is where it's all happening and you s ... More >>

Odd Pair: What Wine to Serve with Frito Pie?

There is perhaps no dish that inspires connoisseurship among Texans as much as Frito Pie. Shrouded in mystique and lore, this mighty staple of rigorously authentic Texas gastronomy, speaks to the citizens of our state like no other in our culinary canon. By combining indigenous ingredients and form ... More >>

Brew Blog: Samuel Smith's Yorkshire Stingo, With Bonus Peeing-in-a-Bottle Story

This bottle will never contain anything but beer. ​I believe I've mentioned my parents' somewhat progressive stance on alcohol consumption. As I grew older, it actually became a bit of a bonding experience for me and my dad. He used to be, if not a connoisseur, certainly an adventurous beer dr ... More >>

Tasting Notes: This Week in Wine Blogs

Know a Houston-based blog we should be paying particular attention to? Leave the address in the comments section below. Vintage Texas: Top Texas wine blogger Russ Kane may be based in Houston, but, man, this dude gets around. His blog is always our No. 1 go-to resource for wine events happening aro ... More >>

Odd Pair: Fried Chicken, Buttermilk Waffles, and Pinot Blanc

​Yes, I admit that this is more of an "odd trio" than "odd pair," but technically speaking, chicken and waffles is a singular dish and therefore qualifies in my opinion. The easy pairing would be a dry bubbly Mimosa, which would work well with the fried chicken and waffles, but likely clash ... More >>

Breakfast at Brasil: Eggs El Salvador

​I know that this will not sit well with many Montrose-dwelling diners, but I don't really like Brasil, at least not for the food. Sure, it's a great place to go hang out over a cup of coffee or a beer, relaxing on the patio and watching the Montrosian wildlife walk by, caught in their timele ... More >>

Five French Foods That Aren't French

"We are not French! Don't you see the glass of Stella Artois in the background?"​In honor of Bastille Day, many an American will be chowing down on greasy French fries tonight, using the excuse of "Hey, it's French independence day" as an excuse to gorge on the tasty fried potatoes. But, damn ... More >>

Wine of the Week: Now & Zen Wasabi White (2007)

Photo by pberry​Bargain buys are to me what crack is to...someone addicted to crack. So when I find a decent looking wine that's not raspberry flavored or bright blue in color for under $5 sitting in a lonely shopping cart in the middle of Foodarama, I will buy it. All in the name of blogging, ... More >>

Upcoming Events

​Buy your tickets now for our annual Menu of Menus food and wine extravaganza on Tuesday, April 13! Trust us on this one: The tickets sell out fast, and you're doing a good thing for two worthy charities in Houston, as proceeds benefit the Center for Hearing and Speech as well as Discovery Gre ... More >>

Wine of the Week: Trimbach Riesling

​Spring is here. And that means one thing: White wine is back. As the days get longer and warmer, we find ourselves drinking more white than red. Of course, there are always exceptions. But for the most part, we like to sit outside and soak up the sun with our chilled glass of white wine. No ... More >>

Odd Pair - Gingerbread and Gewurztraminer

​During the holidays, you can't escape desserts. If they're not staring you down at the office, they're waiting for you at the multitude of holiday parties. Well, we aren't any different. If you can't beat them, join them, right? In this holiday version of odd pairings, we bring you gingerbrea ... More >>

They Looked Like Jellyfish But Boy Were They Tasty at the Pagoda Vietnamese Bistro and Bar

Shrimp saladWe were all given score cards right from the start. This was a media tasting dinner, and one that was more workmanlike from the start. At each plate was a card on which we were asked to rate the dishes and wines served us during the next hour and a half. In two weeks, Pagoda Vietnamese B ... More >>

Stew Weather: Bistro Don Camillo

5 Wines That Will Blow Your Mind

Brasserie Max and Julie

We love to see classic French food in Houston, but we complain bitterly if it isn't just like what we had in Paris

Looking for Choucroute in Alsace?

Looking for Choucroute in Alsace?

All the Way to the Bank

What does it take to get a celebrity chef to put his name on a Houston restaurant?

The Bambi Syndrome

Texas is overrun with native whitetails, so why do restaurants have to buy their venison from game farms?

August Meals

Siestas fit in perfectly with Houston's climate

For the Love of Sauerkraut

Somehow a restaurant from the Black Forest finds its way to Midtown