Little Italy

Sampling Over 60 Restaurants at the 7th Annual Feast with the Beasts

Check out our pics from the Houston Zoo in our Feast With The Beasts slideshow. There were lions, cougars, giraffes, snakes, elephants, a rooster and more. Plenty of animals and plenty of food -- exactly what you'd expect to find at the Houston Zoo's 7th annual Feast with the Beasts. This past Fr ... More >>

Vietnamese, Ice Cream & Pizza: One Perfect Day in San Francisco

Recently, I spent two blissful days in Napa Valley, which I chronicled here and here. It was hard to leave places like Bouchon Bakery, Bottega and about a million wineries behind, but I had another sunshiney (slash really foggy) day in San Francisco to look forward to before we headed to visit frien ... More >>

Food Network Star Turns Former Judges into Competitors

At my house, the DVR is always set to record Food Network Star (nee The Next Food Network Star). The only Food Network mega-star to emerge from the show was Season Two winner Guy Fieri, although other contestants have developed lasting concepts that continue to air on Food Network. I think one of th ... More >>

Speaking English and Mother Love

Favorite 3: Chain Restaurants

Fleming's.​ Lauren Marmaduke 1. Chipotle Mexican Grill 2. Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar 3. Armadillo Palace Lauren's Take: I have a hard-on for foods that come wrapped in tortillas and flatbread. The compact cylindrical packaging makes Chipotle's burritos an ideal lunch option fo ... More >>

Final Four Watch Parties, Team by Team

Brittanie SheyHotel Derek, all gaudied up.​Judging by traffic, alumni from the schools playing in this weekend's Final Four are already swarming town, and if you want to get some of the sweet team-pride action, we've compiled a list of the official and unofficial watch parties happening this w ... More >>

The Houston Rodeo: Ten Classic Pictures

Photos courtesy HLS&RLook closer​Rodeo excitement is here, as our version of the State Fair ramps up with the trail riders nearing the city and Go Texan Day Friday. The Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo people were nice enough to let us rifle through their archive of pictures, and we've presente ... More >>

Top 5: Restrooms

Caffe Bello.​I'm a bit of a germaphobe, not like Jack Nicholson from As Good As It Gets, but a germaphobe nonetheless. A good restroom says a lot about a restaurant, with important aspects including cleanliness, visual appeal, and overall coolness. These are my top five restaurant restrooms ... More >>

BB's Italian Beef: Chicago Comes to Houston

Photos by Troy FieldsCharles Rivers assembles each sandwich and hot dog at BB's to order.​On a recent trip to Chicago, I had a scandalous affair with an Italian beef -- dipped, with cheese and peppers -- one late night in Little Italy. It was messy, but I didn't care. I knew the affair might l ... More >>

A Taste of Chicago: 3 Things That Would Do Well in Houston

Bloody Mary flight over brunch at Bin in Wicker Park.​I recently took a five-day trip to Chicago -- my first vacation in three years -- to revel in the cool weather, the lake breezes, the iconic architecture, the absorbing museums, and, of course, the food. Chicago's evolution into a culinary ... More >>

Molto Italiano at Sabetta Cafe & Wine Bar

Photos by Katharine Shilcutt​A new restaurant has stepped up to the plate at 2411 S. Shepherd, the former location of Crostini and -- more recently -- the ill-fated Cafe Zol. Sabetta Cafe & Wine Bar, the creation of Chef Riccardo Palazzo-Giorgio and wife Donna, opened this week. Sabetta was th ... More >>

Eating Out on Thanksgiving Day? What's Open

​Not everyone in the city celebrates Thanksgiving, and that should come as no surprise given our increasingly diverse tapestry of residents (something for which Eating Our Words is thankful). And not everyone who celebrates Thanksgiving does so with a big family dinner at home. For these folk ... More >>

Muffuletta Burger at Hubcap Grill

Giant Food

Maggiano's Little Italy

Some Sugars Added

Speaking off the toque: Richard Hazzard

Nothing Small About It

The expansive Maggiano's Little Italy serves portions to match

Gelato Bravo

Maggiano's Vanilla Ice

Hot Plate

Auntie Pasto's To Die For