Hugo Ortega

Chef Chat, Part 3: Ruben Ortega of Hugo's and the Traditional Foods of Mexico

This week, we've been chatting with Ruben Ortega of Hugo's and Backstreet Cafe. This is the third and final part of a three-part Chef Chat series. If you missed our previous posts, you can read Part 1 here and Part 2 here. Ruben is the lesser known sibling of Hugo Ortega, and his official title at ... More >>

Chef Chat, Part 1: Ruben Ortega of Hugo's and Backstreet Cafe and The Story of How He Came to Houston

This is the first part of a three-part Chef Chat series. Come back to read parts two and three in this same space on Thursday and Friday. In the Houston food world, everyone knows Hugo Ortega. The chef who started out as a dishwasher before falling in love with his restauranteur wife eventually ope ... More >>

James Coney Island Unveils Line of Chef-Designed Hot Dogs on June 1

James Coney Island is one of the oldest restaurants in Houston, founded in 1923 by Greek immigrant brothers James and Tom Papadakis (this explains the Greek-influenced chili which remains on the menu to this day). But although the chain is celebrating its 90th anniversary this year, the food is anyt ... More >>

Houston -- and Texas -- Well-Represented Going into 2013 James Beard Award Finals

The finalists for this year's James Beard Foundation Awards were announced in several categories today that spanned the breadth of the food world from culinary writing to cooking. And just as Houston was well-represented in the semi-finalist round, we also secured some big-name finalists in advance ... More >>

Praise the Lord and Pass the Pints

Houston's 10 best beer bars

Oh, You Mean There Is Actually A Game During NBA All-Star Weekend? (Plus, Can You Name The Rappers In Our Courtside Photo?)

After a weekend of human gridlock at the Galleria, traffic snarls, bottles poppin', and all the parties you could handle, NBA All-Star Weekend in Houston came to a close on Sunday with the Western Conference defeating their Eastern foes 143-138, the Los Angeles Clippers' Chris Paul getting the game' ... More >>

30 Essential Texas Restaurants

Eat here before you die.

100 Favorite Dishes 2012

No. 1, Korean Braised Goat and Dumplings at Underbelly.

Top 10 Restaurants in Montrose

It's been a while since we tackled neighborhood lists on Eating Our Words, yet posts such as "Top 10 Restaurants in the Heights" continue to be perennial favorites with our readers each month. The last time we compiled a Top 10 Restaurants in Montrose list was well over two years ago, at which time ... More >>

Openings & Closings: September 2012, Plus Picking a New Name for Calliope's Po-Boy

After a supremely busy seven days for restaurant news last week, this week let up a little bit -- but not by much. Starting off the week was news that chef Erin Smith is leaving Plonk. Her last day will be October 13 and after a brief trip to visit family, Smith will be back in Houston looking for h ... More >>

Upcoming Events: Sweet Charity and Celebrity Chef Tours

First and foremost, go check out today's Voice Daily Deal. It's the first time we've partnered with 100% Taquito, and today's deal gets you $20 worth of food for $10. For those (like me) who are terrible at math, that's half-off your meal. Do you know how many cups of elote you can buy for $20? A lo ... More >>

Chefs Hugo and Ruben Ortega -- Soulful Masters of Mexican Cuisine

I met chefs Hugo and Ruben Ortega of Hugo's last week, and what I walked away knowing is that I want to spend a lot more time with these guys -- in Mexico tasting their memories. Chefs Hugo and Ruben are engaging, enchanting and extraordinary, and they're coming out with a cookbook. I wondered why ... More >>

Flaming Young

Ten food-related words you need to stop misspelling

2012 Metropolitan Cooking & Entertaining Show

Hugo Ortega: Hugo Ortega's Street Foods of Mexico

Where the Chefs Eat, Latin Edition: Castre, Guerrero, Ortega

Last week, we told you where chefs Ryan Hildebrand, Michael Pellegrino and Kaz Edwards like to eat when they're not in the kitchen. Today, we bring you three Latin chefs' perspective when we chat with Roberto Castre, David Guerrero and Hugo Ortega. Roberto Castre Executive Chef and Owner, Latin ... More >>

OIMBY Returns After a Two-Year Break

Outstanding in the Field dinners -- meals which feature a tour of a local farm and food prepared by a master chef on the farm itself -- are famously fabulous, but also notoriously expensive. And two years ago, a few Houston food lovers decided to do something about it: start their own. Outstanding ... More >>

Hugo Ortega Named a 2012 James Beard Award Finalist

After racking up an impressive amount of semifinalist nods for the 2012 James Beard Foundation Awards, Houston had only one finalist for the annual "Oscars of food," announced today in Las Vegas. One of the most interesting things about the six semifinalists was how accurately they represent the cu ... More >>

Houston Racks Up Six Semi-Finalist Nods for 2012 James Beard Awards

Photo by FabioManabu Horiuchi, one of this year's semi-finalists.​We're moving up in the culinary world, Houston. Last year, five semi-finalists from Houston were in the running for the 2011 James Beard Foundation Awards. This year, we're up to six. And what a six they are. Mirroring our own ... More >>

Sampler Plate: This Week in Food Blogs

City of Ate: Our sister paper in Dallas interviewed Anthony Bourdain in advance of his new show, 48 Hours, and as Bourdain is wont to do, he dispensed some straightforward talk about his "low opinion" of Dallas Morning News critic Leslie Brenner, why anonymity in a food critic isn't critically impor ... More >>

My Table's 15th Annual Houston Culinary Awards

"This is a great city to work in," said Hugo Ortega as he accepted his award for Chef of the Year at last night's My Table's Houston Culinary Awards. "And this is truly a great country," he finished to loud cheers and applause. It was well-deserved recognition for the man who fought his way out of o ... More >>

The Way to Mom's Heart is Through Her Stomach: Mother's Day Brunch

​We've already put our mothers through enough, so don't add "forgetting Mother's Day" to the list, okay? I say skip the trinkets and go right for the good stuff: brunch, complete with cocktails. Breaking bread with Mom and spending quality time with her will make her a lot happier than the lat ... More >>

The 5 Best Dessert Menus

Photo by Gary R. WiseTres leches done the right way at Samba Grille.​Toward the end of Lent, one faithful observer emailed me with a plaintive request: I am a native Houston who has been displaced to Texas A&M in College Station (read: total dearth of anything approaching the kind of food I'v ... More >>

Chef Chat, Part 2: Greg Lowry of VOICE

​Yesterday, we spoke with VOICE executive chef Greg Lowry about how he became a chef and the evolution of the menu under his direction. Today we talk sharks, Toque 5 dinners and molecular gastronomy. EOW: Have you recovered from the Final Four? GL: Business-wise it was fantastic, but hour-wi ... More >>

Upcoming Events

​Up in Cypress, Chef John Ly is hosting a wine tasting at Strata (122 Vintage Park Boulevard, Suite A, 281-379-2889) this Saturday, January 8, from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. If you have shopping to do at Vintage Park, what better way to unwind afterward (and trust me, wine is the way to do it) than at ... More >>

Planet Houston

The world's great cuisines converge here.

Upcoming Events

Yes, they even have GF chocolate chip cookies.​No big surprise here, but a welcome announcement nonetheless: Houston Restaurant Week has officially been extended until Labor Day, making it -- in effect -- Houston Restaurant Month. HRW was expected to end on August 21, tomorrow, but will now ru ... More >>

Living La Vida Local at Hugo's

Courtesy of Paula MurphyHugo Ortega with some fresh tomatoes from his garden.​The last week of August marks the end of squash blossom season at Hugo's (1600 Westheimer), the restaurant that popularized the edible flowers here in Houston. Hugo Ortega, chef and owner, is sad that another season ... More >>

Upcoming Events

​Houston Restaurant Week is here once again, the annual benefit to assist the Houston Food Bank. And this year, "week" is a misnomer: Houston Restaurant Week runs from August 1 through August 21, giving you nearly an entire month to dine out at some of Houston's best restaurants, all while hel ... More >>

The Energy at OIMBY

Photo by Ruthie JohnsonFor more photos from the event, check out our slideshow.​Not even yesterday's exotic temperatures could stop more than 100 fine folks from celebrating at OIMBY, a backyard banquet celebrating some of Houston's finest local chefs and vendors. Like most of the vendors them ... More >>

Robb Walsh's 100 Favorite Houston Dishes: #39 Mole Poblano at Hugo's

​Over the course of the next few months, I'm counting down 100 of my favorite Houston dishes. I chose some because they are such quintessential Houston creations, others for their cultural or historical significance, and others because they are just so damn tasty. Share your own nominations in ... More >>

Top 11 Houston Restaurant Openings of the Decade

Since I started my job as restaurant critic of the Houston Press in May of 2000, I've had a chance to observe the Houston restaurant scene for just about the entire decade. Our fine dining scene has evolved in the last ten years, and so have our ethnic cuisines. Houston became the birthplace of some ... More >>

Upcoming Events

​Although the Saturday tours at the brewery are still on hold for now, you can still get your fix of walking and beer with the Saint Arnold Pub Crawl tonight starting at 6 p.m. As a special bonus, there will be limited-edition Christmas Ale on tap. The crawl will take place in the north part ... More >>

Upcoming Events

​Although it's facing stiff competition from Southern Star lately, Saint Arnold is still our favorite hometown brewery. And this weekend's Foam Raiser at the Orange Show (Saturday, October 24, from 7 to 10 p.m.) is one of many reasons why. The ticket sales for the 2nd annual Foam Ra ... More >>

Tomato Fest at Bayou City Farmer's Market

Photos by Carlos Meltzer Jr.Tomato season has begun. And last Saturday the Bayou City Farmer's Market celebrated the lipstick-red, round bottom fruits with their Fifth Annual Tomato Fest. The market felt more like a block party that day, with the usual vendors selling everything from eggs to homemad ... More >>

5th Annual Tomato Fest

Web exclusive!

Chefs Pitch In for Brennan’s Fire Victims

Movie Pirates

Scene Stealers

Anthony Bourdain, Illegal Immigrants and Sylvia's Enchilada Kitchen

Illegal Immigrants in the Restaurant Industry

Mexican immigrant Hugo Ortega went from washing dishes to owning Houston's best Mexican restaurant — now he has a few things to say about immigration

Home Sweet Home

Hugo's

Hugo: The Humble Magician

Hugo Ortega

Best Mexican Restaurant

Hot Plate

Backstreet Cafe

Best Restaurant

Hugo's

A Tale of Two Moles

To make from scratch or use a paste -- that is the question

Mexican, Straight Up

Pondering the similarities between rock and roll and Mexican food at Hugo's

Warmed Over

Plus: Shoe Scuff, Stand Up, Broiler Steam

That Sneaky Tex-Mex Camel

Hugo Ortega talks about keeping his new restaurant honest

Evolution of a Watering Hole

Backstreet Cafe outgrows its niche as a fair-weather favorite