Subject:

Mai Pham

  • Blogs

    April 11, 2013

    The Rest of the Best: Houston's Top 10 "Fancy" Food Trucks

    Talk about an agonizing list to write. Houston food trucks have never been more clever, more inventive or more consistently enjoyable than they are right now. (The most recent sold-out Haute Wheels food truck festival can surely attest to that.) A few years of winnowing out dilettantes since the fir ... More >>

  • Blogs

    February 21, 2013

    13 Houston Chefs Who Have Celebrity Doppelgangers

    Check out which local chef sure looks a lot like a Spice Girl, who might be hosting a game show in his spare time, and who we think is a long-lost triplet: See also: - 12 Celebrity Chefs Who Have Cartoon Doppelgangers - 13 Celebrity Chef Doppelgangers 13. Kaz Edwards vs. Joshua Jackson We could s ... More >>

  • Blogs

    January 4, 2013

    The New Trader Joe's in Memorial Opens in One Hour; Are You Ready?

    After receiving its sales tax permit all the way back in December 2011, the Trader Joe's #427 at 1440 S. Voss is ready to open -- at 8 a.m. today. The new Trader Joe's location is situated on a once-empty pad site that was previously occupied by a Michael's and smack in the middle of one of Houston ... More >>

  • Blogs

    December 24, 2012

    All 52 Restaurant Reviews of 2012, Broken Down and Mapped Out

    View 2012 Restaurant Reviews in a larger map. In 2012, I reviewed 50 restaurants. Jeremy Parzen and Mai Pham graciously stepped in when I went on vacation two weeks, filling in for me and each writing a full restaurant review of their own. Together, the three of us wrote one restaurant review for e ... More >>

  • Blogs

    October 11, 2012

    The Rest of the Best: Houston's Top 10 Sushi

    For the next 20 weeks, we'll be rounding up the runners-up to our 2012 Best of Houston® winners. In many categories, picking each year's winner is no easy task. We'll be spotlighting 20 of those categories, in which the winner had hefty competition from other Houston bars and restaurants. It wasn' ... More >>

  • Blogs

    October 2, 2012

    Culinary School Matriarch Marie Lenôtre Awarded Chevalier Award by Daniel Boulud

    It's not every day that legendary chefs come to Houston. In fact, the last time Thomas Keller visited Houston, it was 1986. For one whirlwind weekend, however, Keller, Daniel Boulud, Jerome Bocuse, and the Bocuse d'Or USA team of chefs graced Houston with their presence. First on their agenda was ... More >>

  • Blogs

    September 27, 2012

    Chef Chat, Part 2: Matt Marcus of the Eatsie Boys Food Truck, on Life in The Fat Duck Kitchen and Where He'll Be in 5 Years

    Matt Marcus Eatsie Boys Food Truck 845-430-8479 www.eatsieboys.com This is Part 2 of a three-part chef chat series. Read Part 1 here and Part 3 in this same space on Friday. Yesterday, we chatted with Matt Marcus of the Eatsie Boys about everything from selling burgers in his military school dor ... More >>

  • Dining

    September 13, 2012

    Yum, Fried Bubble Gum

    Top 10 State Fair of Texas foods

  • Blogs

    July 16, 2012

    Top 10 Octopus Dishes in Houston

    Octopus. Regardless of how it's prepared, I generally love eating the squirmy, tentacled creatures. A great, low-fat seafood option, octopus has this wonderfully distinctive texture. It's also light and fun to eat -- the perfect summertime dish. Our city's chefs must feel the same way I do, because ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 20, 2012

    Go Gourmet This 420 Day: Houston's Best Stoner Snacks

    Today is 420 Day, the day known fondly to stoners everywhere as a kind of unofficial National Marijuana Appreciation Day. It's a holiday that's been around for more than 40 years -- you're not as hip or cool as your parents were, kids; they started this shit in 1971 -- and the evolution of the holid ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 18, 2012

    The Bold and the Blu in Sugarland

    After reading Mai Pham's Chef Chat series with Executive Chef Junnajet "Jett" Hurapan of Blu Restaurant in Sugarland, I knew a trip of my own to Towne Square was in store. I was lucky enough to attend a media tasting at Blu, where I tried delicious and innovative food and fancy cocktails in a trendy ... More >>

  • Blogs

    March 19, 2012

    First Look at Katsuya by Starck

    It was a rainy, humid, otherwise uneventful night, and glitzy California import Katsuya by Starck was having its soft opening. Only, there was nothing soft about it. Not the loud shouts of "Irrashaimase!" when you entered the main dining room, not the sexily lit bar with beautiful people milling abo ... More >>

  • Blogs

    February 24, 2012

    Chef Chat, Part 3: Junnajet "Jett" Hurapan of Blu - A Taste of Thai and More

    Photos by Mai PhamChef Jett Hurapan's family recipe crispy whole fish with spicy tamarind sauce​The last two days, we've been chatting with Chef Jett Hurapan, who is currently at the helm of the fledgling Blu Restaurant and Lounge in Sugar Land. Today, we try his food. Before meeting Chef Je ... More >>

  • Blogs

    January 27, 2012

    Chef Chat, Part 3: Roberto Castre of Latin Bites Cafe - New Cebiches and More

    Photos by Mai PhamCebiche de conchas (scallops), a new item from the Cebiche Bar at Latin Bites Cafe​Chef Roberto Castre of Latin Bites Cafe knows what it means to work hard. The last two days, he shared the details of how he worked up the ranks after graduating from culinary school in Peru, a ... More >>

  • Blogs

    January 11, 2012

    Samba Grille and Its Chef, David Guerrero, Are About More Than Just Steak

    A few months ago, I watched as mouth-watering photos of ceviches and tiraditos and steaks and seafood came marching through my Twitter stream. They were all from Samba Grille, where the downtown steakhouse with a strong South American twist was doing a media tasting. The photos from my friends atte ... More >>

  • Blogs

    December 22, 2011

    Hand-made Korean Noodles and Kickin' Kimchi

    Photos by Mai PhamInstead of banchan side dishes, you get an urn of some of the best kimchi I've had in Houston​The thought of eating handmade noodles was too tantalizing to ignore. So within a week of hearing that they were a specialty at Korean Noodle House (1415 Murray Bay St., 713-463-8870 ... More >>

  • Blogs

    December 9, 2011

    Hot Cross Buns: Houston's 10 Best Bakeries

    Get your green waffles at Parisian Bakery III.​My friend Dr. Ricky has long said that there should be a comprehensive list of all the wonderful ethnic bakeries in town. I don't disagree, and in fact that's a list for another time. Today, however, we're focusing on all the different forms and ... More >>

  • Blogs

    December 9, 2011

    Buffalo Bayou Brewery: A Preview

    Photo by Mai PhamCrostini by Ryan Pera​ If you haven't heard about the Buffalo Bayou Brewery, one of the new local craft beer makers in Houston, it's probably because they haven't officially opened yet. But to get the buzz going and to let people know what's coming down the line, they held a ... More >>

  • Blogs

    December 7, 2011

    Cute Alert: Lucky Dog Rescue's 4th Annual Gingerbread Doghouse Fundraiser

    Photo by Stuart RosenbergThe winning Lucky Dog Gingerbread House, by Julie Busch-Johnson and Liz Sanford Westwood Country Club​Some events just make you go "Aww," or in the case of the Lucky Dog Rescue Gingerbread Doghouse Charity Competition, "P-aww." The popular fourth annual event took plac ... More >>

  • Blogs

    December 1, 2011

    Messina Hof Has the Best Wine in Texas, According to the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo

    This year, more than 2,500 wines were entered into the annual Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo's International Wine Competition. Of those entries, 736 were from Texas wineries. And of those Texas wineries, Messina Hof swept up 20 medals and the coveted title of Top Texas Wine for its 2004 Solara, whic ... More >>

  • Blogs

    November 14, 2011

    Revisiting Rice Bowl II for Tasty Indonesian Cuisine

    Photos by Mai PhamTelor belado, Indonesian eggs, shown here are two orders to go ​It's easy for a restaurant to become old news. Case in point: Rice Bowl II, which got some buzz a couple of years back, has fallen a bit off of the radar lately. But just because it's not getting the buzz that it ... More >>

  • Blogs

    November 7, 2011

    The 6th Annual Feast with the Beasts at the Houston Zoo

    Photos by Mai PhamFestive zoo-goers wearing "beastly" caps, all smiles in the VIP lounge​Check out all the tasty-looking dishes in out slideshow from Feast With The Beasts. For the last six years, the Houston Zoo has been home to an autumnal fundraiser and eating extravaganza cheekily referre ... More >>

  • Blogs

    October 20, 2011

    Comment of the Day: The (Chinese) Butler Did It

    ​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 >>

  • Blogs

    October 17, 2011

    Do These Noodles Look Kind of Alive in the Bowl?

    Photos by Mai PhamThis is the picture I posted on Twitter. Do the noodles look alive? ​When I posted this picture with my Tweet of "Cold Korean noodles rock!," I thought people would take a look at the picture and immediately agree about how yummy it looked. But no, that's not quite what happe ... More >>

  • Blogs

    October 4, 2011

    Spicy Korean Tofu Soup (Soondubu Jigae) with a Side of Mackerel

    Photos by Mai PhamSpicy Mushroom Korean Tofu Soup "Soondubu jigae"​You'd think that a restaurant with the name "Tofu House" would be vegetarian, but this only applies outside of Chinatown. Inside Chinatown, where the Asians are, people can tell that a name like Jang Guem Tofu House means that ... More >>

  • Blogs

    September 20, 2011

    Ham & Eggs Pizza at Coppa Ristorante Italiano

    Photos by Mai Pham"Ham & Eggs" Pizza​I visited the new Coppa Ristorante Italiano a couple of weeks ago, curious about the reincarnation of what is now the late Catalan. Hailed as an upscale Italian restaurant, Coppa had a surprisingly informal, somewhat abbreviated one-page menu made up prima ... More >>

  • Blogs

    September 14, 2011

    Dry Chicken Pho at Pho Thai Binh Duong: Best in the City

    Photos by Mai PhamPho Ga Kho at Pho Thai Binh Duong ​Pho Thai Binh Duong (11528 Bellaire Blvd #G, Tel: 832-351-3451) is one of those under-the-radar pho places that is patronized primarily by Vietnamese. It's partially tucked behind a building in the back of a strip mall near the intersection ... More >>

  • Blogs

    September 9, 2011

    Chef Chat Part 3, Cunninghame West of Valentino Restaurant Is No Food Snob

    Photos by Mai PhamZucchini stuffed with cauliflower and shrimp over a three-tomato sauce​The last two days, Chef Cunninghame West has been entertaining us with stories about moving around the country looking for new jobs, hiding things in cane fields and sleeping outside by the ocean; see our ... More >>

  • Blogs

    September 7, 2011

    Comment of the Day

    ​Yesterday, Mai Pham wrote about an unpleasant meal at Giacamo's, which was having A/C issues. Commenter Ivalee thought that was a deal-breaker: No matter how good the food may be at any restaurant, if the servers and management does not see to the customers comfort, they do not deserve your ... More >>

  • Blogs

    August 16, 2011

    Valentino's All-You-Can-Eat Summer Sashimi Event

    Photos by Mai PhamAhi tuna sashimi with spicy aoili ​If you weren't there, you missed out. More than 100 people attended Valentino's all-you-can-eat Summer Sashimi event last Thursday night, an extravaganza that included sashimi, more sashimi, and a bottomless selection of four wines -- a Ries ... More >>

  • Blogs

    August 5, 2011

    Comment of the Day

    ​Today Mai Pham wrote about the great pizza and people-watching at the new Alto Pizzeria at West Ave, which led everyone's favorite EOW commenter, SirRon, to discover a weird photo on the restaurant's web page. Commenter Florida63 kindly broke the photo down for us: Clearly they are a hot co ... More >>

  • Blogs

    July 29, 2011

    Stomping the Grapes at the Messina Hof 2011 Harvest

    Photos by Mai PhamGrapes harvested at Messina Hof are transported in large bins prior to the stomping​I've been on countless winery tours, but it was not until last Friday that I attended a wine harvest, complete with grape picking, grape stomping, and a lot of wine tasting. If you've been sa ... More >>

  • Blogs

    July 19, 2011

    Comment of the Day

    ​Mai Pham told us all about a no-name dumpling place that apparently has some amazing...surprise, surprise...dumplings. Numerous commenters agreed with Mai's assessment, but there were also a few concerns raised. Toddyfree brought up one salient point: thanks for letting out the secret. here ... More >>

  • Blogs

    July 13, 2011

    Fried Pork Intestines and Other Taiwanese Specialties at Kiki Cafe

    All photos by Mai PhamCrispy fried pork intestines at Kiki Cafe, a Taiwanese specialty​Last week, when a I took a friend to try authentic Taiwanese food at Kiki Café (9126 Bellaire Blvd at Ranchester, Tel: 713-772-8883), he took one look at the appetizer menu and said "I'm gonna have the frie ... More >>

  • Blogs

    June 24, 2011

    Comment of the Day

    ​Mai Pham stopped by Olive & Vine and got us all salivating for some fine olive oil and vinegar. Commenter Mark W seemed to swoon a little: Jesus Christ on a toast, the truffle oil is the best damn oil I ever had. In fact, I can still remember the beautiful sensation linger in my mouth after ... More >>

  • Blogs

    June 21, 2011

    Comment of the Day

    ​Mai Pham visited Revival Market and wrote about her awesome experience there. Commenter Ali agreed that it's a great place: Love it. I'm such a fan. The bread. The meat. The coffee. All of it. And I run in to people I know there all the time. AND I love the grocery sacks. I know that's a wei ... More >>

  • Blogs

    June 13, 2011

    Highlights from the Wine Rendezvous Grand Tasting & Chef Showcase

    Mai PhamMini causitas by Chef Roberto Castre at Latin Bites Cafe​For me, this past Saturday was the culmination of a week's worth of anticipation and a day's worth of appetite-saving, a chance to taste more than 500 wines and sample 50 chef's tastings at HEB Wine & Food Week's Wine Rendezvous ... More >>

  • Blogs

    June 9, 2011

    Meet Houston's Most Underrated Chefs

    Photo by Matthew DresdenWhich "underrated" chef made this beautiful tai ceviche?​Two weeks ago, Mai Pham's excellent post about the modern Franco-Japanese cuisine Chef Jason Hauck is cooking up at Soma Sushi shed some light on the fact that Soma serves much more than just sushi, despite its na ... More >>

  • Blogs

    June 8, 2011

    The Sonoma Burger and Salted Caramel Duck Fat Fries at The Burger Guys

    Mai PhamThe Sonoma Burger at The Burger Guys. Applewood smoked bacon, cheddar, avocado, arugula, aoili​I am happily burger-obsessed. I crave them, I find them, I eat them, and I enjoy them. I repeat this process regularly, and last week, the process led me to what has got to be one of Houston' ... More >>

  • Blogs

    May 27, 2011

    Franco-Japanese Meets Molecular Gastronomy at Soma Sushi

    Mai PhamAkaushi short ribs, truffle sukiyaki glaze, Boucheron goat cheese mousse​Soma Sushi is probably better known as one of those trendy restaurants. It's nestled in the heart of the Washington corridor at the Shepherd intersection, making it the perfect pit stop for some nosh before a nigh ... More >>

  • Blogs

    May 27, 2011

    Comment of the Day

    ​Mai Pham had a spectacular dinner at Soma Sushi and took some beautiful photos. Readers liked the piece, and one was even inspired to pitch an idea: Katharine maybe this could be the basis for a good story or article? Houston's most underrated chefs as a storyline. People like Chef Hauck, wh ... More >>

  • Blogs

    May 16, 2011

    The Place to Be: Ava Kitchen & Whiskey Bar in West Ave

    Mai PhamSmoked muscovy duck breast with liver mousse and apple endive​If you've driven by the new West Ave development on Kirby and Westheimer at twilight, you've probably seen the crowded, happening scene taking place through the floor-to-ceiling windows at Robert Del Grande's new Ava Kitchen ... More >>

  • Blogs

    May 13, 2011

    Chef Chat, Part 3: Juan Carlos Gonzalez of Bistro Alex in City Centre

    Mai PhamDuck Debris & Butternut Waffle at Bistro Alex​The last couple of days, we've been chatting with Chef Juan Carlos Gonzalez at Bistro Alex (see our conversation here and here). Today, we'll taste cuisine he describes as "modern Creole with a twist." I started with his signature dish, th ... More >>

  • Blogs

    May 4, 2011

    Comment of the Day

    ​Mai Pham went out for oxtail pho with a side of raw veal at Pho Ga So 1 and loved it. Commenter Jay Francis is a fan of the soup too: I agree with you. I came across a recipe that recommended oxtail for the base because of its perfect blend of bone marrow, fat and meat and I haven't looked ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 27, 2011

    My Favorite Meatball Banh Mi at Thim Hing

    Mai Pham​Walking into Thim Hing Banh Mi (11107 Bellaire Boulevard at Boone), it's as if I've been transported to somewhere in Vietnam. The grayish-green linoleum has seen better days, the Formica- topped tables are chipped, the dark-brown diner chairs have that circa-1970s look, and if I worr ... More >>

  • Blogs

    March 9, 2011

    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?: If you read only one blog post this morning, read ... More >>

  • Blogs

    March 1, 2011

    Comment of the Day

    ​Katharine Shilcutt had a disastrous brunch at Tiny Boxwood's, and the commenters by and large agreed with her that the place is overrated. But one commenter, Mai Pham, made us want to give it a try, anyway: I can see why the experience was less than stellar, but I'll go out on a limb and be ... More >>

  • Blogs

    August 26, 2010

    Recipe: Hue-Style Noodle Soup

    Tam Vo​Most people are familiar with the Vietnamese beef noodle soup, pho (pronounced "fuh"). Pho is good, but bun bo Hue (pronounced boom baw way), or Hue-style beef noodle soup, is great. If pho was like flying a kite, bun bo Hue would be like flying a jet fighter: intense and not for the we ... More >>

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