Mushrooms

What's Cooking This Week? Baked Chicken Milanese & More

I love cooking for my fiancé and me, but most of the time, cooking for two proves to be difficult. If I don't make a plan, I end up running around in circles at the grocery store and wasting half the ingredient's I've bought (and I hate wasting food). Enter What's Cooking This Week - my weekly meal ... More >>

What's Cooking This Week? Chicken Paprikas, Black Bean Quesadillas & More

I love cooking for my fiancé and me, but most of the time, cooking for two proves to be difficult. If I don't make a plan, I end up running around in circles at the grocery store and wasting half the ingredient's I've bought (and I hate wasting food). Enter What's Cooking This Week -- my weekly mea ... More >>

Our 10 Favorite Affordable Luxuries: Treat Yourself This New Year

Most of our readers will hopefully remember Robin Leach's signature sign-off at the end of each episode of Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous during the show's decade-long run: "Champagne wishes and caviar dreams." As far as sign-offs go, the phrase is no Walter Cronkite's "...and that's the way it ... More >>

Chef Chat, Part 3: Brandi Key of Coppa and Her Modern Take on Italian Classics

Brandi Key Coppa Ristorante Italiano 5555 Washington Tel: 713-426-4260 This is Part 3 of a three-part Chef Chat series. In case you missed it, you can read Part 1 here and Part 2 here. This week, we got to know Brandi Key, the executive chef at Coppa, a little better. We learned a bit about her t ... More >>

Upcoming Events: 'Tis the Truffle Season

White truffle season has finally arrived after a delay in the harvest thanks to weather issues in Italy. And as a result of that weather delay, the white truffle supply is somewhat limited this year -- so the truffles that are already Italy's most expensive (costing upwards of $350 an ounce) are mor ... More >>

Chef Chat, Part 3: Johan Schuster of Charivari, A Mix of Classic, Nouvelle French, and European Cuisine

Johan Schuster Charivari Restaurant 2521 Bagby 713-521-7231 www.charivarirest.com This is Part 3 in a three part Chef Chat series. You can read Parts 1 here and Part 2 here. This week, Chef Johan Schuster sat down with us for a long chat. We learned a bit about his homeland of Transylvania, how ... More >>

Chef Chat, Part 2: Johan Schuster of Charivari, On Cooking Throughout Europe, What He Would Prepare Each Season, and Who He Would Want to Prepare His Last Meal

Johan Schuster Charivari Restaurant 2521 Bagby 713-521-7231 www.charivarirest.com This is Part 2 in a three part Chef Chat series. You can read Parts 1 here and Part 3 in this same space on Friday. EOW: When did you start cooking? JS: I've been doing this for 34 years. We were three brothers ... More >>

Chef Chat, Part 1: Johan Schuster of Charivari, on Count Dracula, Transylvania, and Foraging for Mushrooms

Johan Schuster Charivari Restaurant 2521 Bagby 713-521-7231 www.charivarirest.com This is Part 1 in a three part Chef Chat series. Look for Parts 2 and 3 in this same space on Thursday and Friday. Fifteen years ago, Transylvania-born chef Johan Schuster decided to leave Europe to open a restaur ... More >>

What's Cooking This Week? Weeknight Chili & More

I love cooking for my fiancé and me, but most of the time, cooking for two proves to be difficult. If I don't make a plan, I end up running around in circles at the grocery store and wasting half the ingredients I've bought (and I hate wasting food). Enter What's Cooking This Week - my weekly meal ... More >>

Muddled Mediterranean at La Fendee

I keep a list pinned up in my office of places Houston Press commenters suggest I try -- and it's a long one, because you guys are opinionated! I love it, though, because it usually leads me to excellent foods at restaurants I have yet to try. Needing a place to go for Fast Times, but looking for a ... More >>

Lemon Squash, Lobster Mushrooms and Eggplant, Oh My

Chef Surprise Night at Recipe House is never dull. Chef German Mosquera from Roots Bistro was the first guest chef of the Fall season for the Recipe for Success chef dinner series, and he brought his A game. He created a six-course tasting menu and a couple extra treats because, he said, he was "ins ... More >>

Three Rules for the Proper Use of Truffle Oil

My esteemed colleague Jeremy Parzen recently wrote an article decrying truffle oil as "evil" and as something akin to farts. Farts? Really? If truffle oil were really all that bad, it wouldn't continue ending up on dishes in some of the best restaurants in Houston. As with any other pungent ingredi ... More >>

Haters, Halitosis, and Haute Cuisine: Truffles vs. Truffle Oil

I don't like truffle oil, but I don't really care what it's made of. Don't get me wrong, I think it's vaguely misleading to pitch a $15 bottle of chemicals manufactured 100 yards off the Jersey Turnpike as a stand-in for a $6,000/pound European fungus, but I also think a reasonable amount of persona ... More >>

The Trouble with Truffle Oil (Farts and Formaldehyde)

People, I'm sorry to break it to you, but there are just no two ways about it: truffle oil (or truffled oil) is a sham, it's bad for you, and it's just downright evil. I'm currently traveling in Italy, where the world's most famous truffles are foraged. When I received an email from my editor here ... More >>

100 Favorite Dishes 2012: No. 19, Truffled Egg Toast at Dolce Vita

This year leading up to our annual Best of Houston® issue, we're counting down our 100 favorite dishes in Houston. This list comprises our favorite dishes from the last year, dishes that are essential to Houston's cultural landscape and/or dishes that any visitor (or resident) should try at least o ... More >>

What's Cooking This Week? Chilled Lobster Salad...Oh, and Chocolate Chip Pancakes, Too

I love cooking for my fiancé and me, but most of the time, cooking for two proves to be difficult. If I don't make a plan, I end up running around in circles at the grocery store and wasting half the ingredient's I've bought (and I hate wasting food). Enter What's Cooking This Week -- my weekly mea ... More >>

What's Cooking This Week? We're On the Grill with Fish in Foil, Spice-Rubbed Chops & More

I love homemade meals with my fiancé, but most of the time, cooking for two proves to be difficult. If I don't have a game plan, I end up running around in circles at the grocery store and wasting half the ingredients I've bought (and I HATE wasting food). Enter What's Cooking This Week - my weekly ... More >>

An Enthusiastic Chef and An Enterprising Menu at Mezzanotte

When I was invited to attend a press dinner featuring new dishes developed by Alberto Baffoni, Mezzanotte's new chef, I was excited (a tasting menu of Italian food, who wouldn't be?) but had a few reservations. I had never visited Mezzanotte and therefore would be unable to comment accurately on whe ... More >>

Where Are We Eating?

It's not the $95 stuffed truffled Kobe filet, but the piece of beef you see below from this famous Houston restaurant is no slouch either: It's a cut of USDA Prime steak, which is tender enough to cut with a fork, with sides of braised romaine lettuce and Brussels sprouts leaves. Think you know whe ... More >>

What's Cooking This Week?

I've promised my fiancé latkes, so this week, I'll be making potato pancakes with a twist. My sweet potato pancakes will balance perfectly with some of the other meals I have planned. Here's what I'm making: Sundried Tomato Chicken Sausage & Peppers Spiced Pork Loin w/ Sweet Potato Pancakes S ... More >>

St Patrick's Day at Khun Kay Thai Cafe

Nabi-Hood Hangout

This Montrose spot is serving up beautifully constructed modern Asian cuisine, at small prices.

FantaSea Valentine's Day Cruise

What's Cooking This Week?

Photo by cyclonebill​Last week, I made a garlicky, spicy Spinach Burger with Baked Sweet Potato Fries and Whole Wheat Spaghetti and Meatballs. With meals like those, it's hard to remember you're actually eating food that's good for you. Onward this week with some more healthy delights. Here's ... More >>

Wine & Truffle Dinner at Valentino Vin Bar

Photos by Christina UticoneDolcetto d'Alba​As if a wine hangover weren't bad enough, did you know you can actually get a truffle hangover? I woke up with one after five luscious courses of food at the recent Truffle & Wine dinner held at Valentino. Who can resist a hook like white truffles -- ... More >>

Dropping Benjamins at Dragon Bowl

Photos by Theo SantosHand rolls on the line. (Hundred Dollar Hand Roll most definitely not shown.)​A few weeks ago, while perusing the new menu at the recently revamped Dragon Bowl, my dining companion and I noticed an anomaly at the casual Heights restaurant: There, amidst the $6 and $7 hand ... More >>

Five Healthy Burger Alternatives

karitsu.​With Memorial Day Weekend just around the corner, it may be tempting to heat up the grill and cook up a giant burger. However, the holiday also marks the start of bathing suit season. Whether you are trying to lose a few or are looking for some interesting alternatives to another bori ... More >>

Happy Hour at Mockingbird Bistro

Veal sweetbreads.​If there's anything thing I hate more than cooking, it's cooking for one. Maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration -- I don't hate cooking nearly as much as I used to -- but when I'm flying solo for dinner I'd rather go out than slave over a cup of Ramen. Finding myself alone an ... More >>

Shiftwork Bites: Travel Edition (Sort of)

​When I was in Annapolis last week, I found the time to drink some beer, and work up a Brew Blog. I did not, however, manage to work in a road edition of Shiftwork Bites. I gave it some serious consideration, even worked up a few concepts, but never found the time to put a plan into action. I ... More >>

Cooking with Beer: Cold Soba with Soba Ale Tsuyu

​In last week's Brew Blog, I mentioned that Rogue Morimoto Soba Ale would make a nice sauce for some actual soba. So I set about verifying that hunch over dinner a few nights ago. I love Soba. I eat it in all of sorts of non-traditional ways. This time, though, I decided to go very, very trad ... More >>

What a Crock: Cream of Portobello Barley Soup

​Sure, it's getting warmer outside, but I'm a firm believer that there's never really a bad time of year for a good bowl of soup. Let's see how this Cream of Portobello Barley turned out. The rundown I think you'll find that most of the ingredients for this recipe already reside in your pant ... More >>

Recipe: Portobello Pizza

​I hate to admit it, but lately many of those good eating habits that I had adopted at the beginning of the year seem to be falling by the wayside. The best way to get myself back on track is to cook healthy and delicious dishes that will keep me satiated long enough to take my mind off that ... More >>

Jarred Corn Smut: It's What's for Dinner

​I'm sure a lot of you, upon hearing the term "jarred corn smut," might assume that this post would be better off as an addendum to John Seaborn Gray's elegant treatise on whole chicken in a can and other packaged delights. I suppose that's why most choose to call the silvery-black fungus that ... More >>

Mushrooms Gone Wild

Wild mushroom and walnut tortellini at D'Amico's Italian Market Cafe

What a Burger

The truffle Kobe burger at Table Seven

Antica Osteria

Rice Spaghetti

A Study in Corn

Mark's

Refined Taste

Blue Plate Bistro

Mystery Mix

Van Loc

Mycological Masterpiece

Shade

Chic Grits

Ouisie's Table

Special Sauce

Van Loc Restaurant

Panettone in a Pear Tree

Carlo Molinaro reminisces about Italian holiday traditions

Harebrained

McGonigel's Mucky Duck

Hot Plate

Baba Yega

Hot Plate

Island Italian

Luigi's lights up the Strand

Hot Plate

Conversion Experience

I was a doubter, but Cafe Beignet won me over

Sold American

With his eponymous new cafe, Mark Cox sheds his Tony's past