Jay Francis

Comment of the Day: Getting Serious about Tortillas

​Here on Eating Our Words, the commenters absolutely make the blog, and our Comment of the Day honors the best of the bunch. Every day, we read you guys and pick the commenter, or commenters, who made us laugh, cry, salivate over something delicious, or think about things in a new way. In re ... More >>

Bryan Caswell Comes to the Food Network Along with Several New Shows

Caswell during competition on the Next Iron Chef.​By now, the news that Houston's own Bryan Caswell will have his own four-episode show on the Food Network has worked its buzzy way through Twitter, Facebook and the rest of the Internet. Starting in May, the busy chef will be hosting a run of ... More >>

Openings & Closings

​After an extended hiatus, Las Alamedas (23501 Cinco Ranch Boulevard, Suite F410) has finally reopened -- but not in its former location on Katy Freeway. Instead, the old-school Mexican restaurant known as the site of many a special occasion dinner has moved west to Katy's La Centerra developm ... More >>

Has the "Foodie" Backlash Begun?

Courtesy of Toothpaste For Dinner​Late last year, all of the sister papers in the Village Voice Media chain were informed that we were no longer to use the word "foodie" in blogs or in print. The reason? "Foodie" has not only become overused but has developed a strongly negative connotation: A ... More >>

A Student's Death

Readers respond to the death of Bellaire senior Tobi Oyedeji.

My Mole Smuggling Days are Over

​The mole pastes found in Oaxacan mercados are so good, I used to bring them back in my suitcase. And so did a lot of other people, judging by this post from Jay Francis last year. In the comments section of that post, Jay talked about a new bottled mole available at Spec's Warehouse store dow ... More >>

2010: Year of the Meatball?

​ "2010 is going to be the year of the meatball," my friend Jay Francis declared as I ate a warm and gooey meatball parmesan sandwich at Kojak's Deli on 18th Street. When I looked puzzled, he told me he had been noticing meatballs in all the glossy New York food magazines. So I Googled meatb ... More >>

Sampler Plate: This Week In Food Blogs

Each week, we put together a sampler plate of the most interesting links from both local and national food blogs. Know a blog we should be paying particular attention to? Leave the address in the comments section below. Dude, You Going To Eat That? Dr. Ricky has been quite prolific lately, owing in ... More >>

This Week In Deliciousness

Smallpox vaccination scars are sexy as hell.​Welcome back to the weekly roundup at Eating Our Words, where we never roll less than three sous-chefs deep, y'all. Paul Knight started off the week by attending the Grand Opening of Lucky Strike Lanes and sampling their grub. We'll spare you the in ... More >>

Big House on the Hill

Casa Grande, the Tex-Mex restaurant on a cliff above I-45 is a truly offbeat spot to eat nachos and dance salsa.

How to Review a Restaurant When You're Quarantined

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Breakfast in BissBeechistan

Photos by Robb Walsh​My friend Jay Francis refers to the neighborhood west of Beltway 8 between Bissonnet and Beechnut as BissBeechistan because of the excellent Pakistani restaurants found in the area. La Sani is the most famous of the bunch. But Francis is extremely fond of King's Chicken on ... More >>

Laredo Cavalcade

If you like the tacos at Laredo Taqueria on Washington, wait until you try the tacos at Laredo Taqueria on Cavalcade.

Photos from Laredo Taqueria

The Laredo Taqueria location on Cavalcade is the subject of this week's Café review. Here are some photos of our last breakfast outing there. ​These four tacos are stuffed with calabacitas con puerco, huevos con chorizo, huevos con nopales and barbacoa. They cost $2 each.

Just-Off-the-Griddle Tortillas at Laredo Taqueria

Photo by Robb Walsh​In this week's Café review, we visit Laredo Taqueria on Cavalcade, where breakfast is a wondrous experience. When you get in line to order your breakfast tacos, you find yourself standing in front of the griddle where the flour tortillas are being prepared. If you watch ... More >>

Loaves and Fishes

The best taquerías, like Taquería Jesus Maria, serve great Tex-Mex along with the regional Mexican fare.

Farm Stand Junkie: Watermelons and Field Peas

Photo by Robb WalshThe old split watermelon trick -- works every time. On me, anyway. On the way home from a Memorial Day car trip yesterday, I saw a wagon full of watermelons out on Highway 6, just before the entrance to 290, and I pulled the car over I hate to pass a well-stocked produce stand. I ... More >>

Mongolian Hot Pot

Photos by Jay FrancisIt's so refreshing to find a place that isn't afraid to keep the heat in their Mongolian hot pot, spicy version. Here are two excellent places where you can test your tolerance. I had Mongolian hot pot with a group of Houston Chowhounds at the wonderful Sichuan Cuisine (9114 B ... More >>

This Week In Deliciousness

Photo by Jay FrancisJapanese peppers: God's own napalmWelcome back to our weekly food blog round-up. This has been an unusually delicious week for all of you, because, like the universe, it begins and ends with me. Yes, Monday kicked off with my in-depth investigation into the roll-slowing prowess o ... More >>

Shanghainese, If You Please

You can get THE hot stuff if you want, but don't miss the bold flavors at one of the city's only Shanghainese restaurants.

This Week In Deliciousness

Treacle sponge and custard at the suspiciously low-priced Feast Well, I never. Last week, a couple of truants snuck in a pair of articles after This Week In Deliciousness went to press, so even though they were tardy, go read about Spec's cheese-less Wine & Cheese festival, and make sure you send t ... More >>

Las Delicias Mexicanas

Photos by Jay Francis Las Delicias, a new wholesale/retail store on Airline Boulevard just up from Teotihuacan, is selling traditional Mexican candies. There's the variety made by cooking fresh fruits and vegetables (pumpkin, for example) in sugar syrup, and also ate, a fresh-fruit puree in bar for ... More >>

Fresh Pinto Beans J'Arrivee!

Photos by Jay Francis Pinto beans have a very short season, which is why you hardly ever see them fresh. But fresh pinto beans, when boiled with a little cilantro, salt, butter and onion, are absolutely delicious. The center is creamy, with the consistency of a chocolate truffle. Dried pintos can b ... More >>

This Week In Deliciousness

Photo by Katharine ShilcuttPictured: Damn fine pie. Not pictured: Laura Palmer, Log Lady, backwards-talking jazz dwarf Welcome back to the weekly Eating Our Words round-up! This week started out with more Cinco de Mayo fare and the triumphant return of Robb Walsh with his Top 5 Cinco de Mayo Mariach ... More >>

If I Could Wine and Dine Guy Fieri

If I could take Guy Fieri out for a taste of Houston I'd do the following in this order (all on the same day...we'd have to start early): First stop: Crispy puffy tacos at Loma Linda and Los Tios. Photos by Jay FrancisPuffy tacos at Loma Linda Puffy tacos at Los Tios

This Cinco de Mayo, Take a Break From the Margarita

Photo by Jay Francis Viva rompope! Theodore Roosevelt once remarked that the American grizzly should have been our national symbol instead of the American eagle, which he described as "just a dandified vulture." For me, the margarita is just a dandified tequila sour. My Cinco de Mayo drink of ... More >>

Football Watching Food (No, Really)

Okay, nice joke J.C., you totally had me. Although I should have known something was up since nobody makes their own corny dogs (except maybe Jay Francis). Don't look for any Super Bowl recipes from me. The spirit has gone out of our great national guacamole-eating holiday since the NFL started su ... More >>

Greek 101

Robb Walsh wrote about Ekko's this week in the Press. A couple of days ago, someone asked me whether "gyros" was singular or plural and I thought I'd share this with you so that you can dazzle the Greek guy behind the counter the next time you're out and about. Like many words that come from fore ... More >>

Port for the Holidays

I was at Spec's the other evening and ended up in the Port section.  I struck up a conversation with a guy who looked a little overwhelmed by all of the different choices and we ended up having a nice conversation about port.  Here's some basic information that I hope will help you with ... More >>

Be Thankful for Mole

  The photo here is of a tortilla enmolada at Otilia's, one of several restaurants in town that make mole from scratch. The mole of Mexico is a rich gravy, made of combining chile puree (reconstituted dried chiles), fruits, toasted bread, nuts, herbs and, in some cases, chocolate. The gravy is ... More >>

Who's Crying Now?

Flounder Fanmail for Jimmy Wilson's Seafood & Chop House

Over the Weekend: Pearl Bar, Los Tios, Escalante's and Houston Aeros

Pork Ribs Taste Like Candy at Midway BBQ

Over the Weekend: Mugsy's, Big Easy, SW Foodservice Expo, Tom Waits and Astros

Where’s the Great Espresso?

Jay Francis, Food Explorer: Afghani Nan at Kings Chicken

Keep Houston Weird: Dry Creek Café

It's a great place to hang out

Anthony Bourdain, Illegal Immigrants and Sylvia's Enchilada Kitchen

Poor Boys, Ethiopian Tacos and Dynamo Fans

Jay Francis, Food Explorer: Ethiopian Chili Tacos at Nazareth Cafe on Chimney Rock

Jay Francis, Food Explorer: El Angel’s Gigante Tortaburger

Chipinque Cuisine

You can't go wrong with margaritas and crab quesadillas at Santos The Taste of Mexico

Comida sin Fronteras

In 21st-century Houston, it's getting hard to tell the difference between Mexican and Tex-Mex

Blaze of Glory

Jarro Cafe's salsas are set-your-face-on-fire picante

Globalization's McBacklash

Guatemala’s Pollo Campero has American fast-food franchises running scared

Short Courtship

A whirlwind romance with The Little Havana

The Aroma of Authenticity

El Hidalguense makes its Long Point neighbor seem downright American

The Best Dim Sum in Guangzhouston

A new champion is crowned

Ethnic Explorer

Does the thought of combing through the Chinese restaurants on Bellaire intimidate you? Let Jay Francis help.