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This Week In Food Blogs: Why Some BBQ Lists Are Suspect and Gordon Ramsey

29-95: Can a national media outlet really name the "top" restaurants across the country without putting in the legwork that people such as barbecue blogger Daniel Vaughn do, driving over 10,000 miles to visit 'cue joints for his book Prophets of Smoked Meat? That's the question Syd Kearney asks in a ... More >>

Openings & Closings: Renovated Restaurants and Born-Again Bars

It was a busy week for openings, so we'll kick things off this Friday with some happy news. Eleven XI, the new restaurant helmed by chef Kevin Bryant, opened this past Tuesday night...and it already has three Yelp reviews. The location at 607 West Gray had to be extensively renovated to turn the f ... More >>

PSA: This Rat Fetus Was Not Found in Timmy Chan's Fried Rice

The Original Timmy Chan's on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard (a.k.a. Timmy Chan's Chicken & Rice) may have only been inspected by the City of Houston Health Department once since November 2010, but that inspection didn't turn up anything that we'd call remotely offensive. And that Timmy Chan's on M ... More >>

Kimchi Ramen and a Flaming Hot Cheeto Roll at Miso Yummy: Ramen Purists Beware

While half the city was gorging themselves on ramen at Goro & Gun this weekend, I lucked upon a less crowded spot to slurp noodles: the front patio of Inversion Coffee House, where brand-new food truck Miso Yummy was parked only a few feet away. (Full disclosure: I ended up eating ramen at Goro & Gu ... More >>

A Visiting Celebrities Guide To Houston's Sights, Sounds, And Eats

This week the city of Houston will be pummeled with celebs, reality-show dander, 30K-wannabe socialites, and pro athletes in town for the NBA All-Star Game at the Toyota Center. Though the game isn't until Sunday evening, the parties and madness will begin on Wednesday and run until next Monday mo ... More >>

This Week In Food Blogs: Maggie Rita's Meets Its Maker

Houston Business Journal: In the first of this week's big news items, the HBJ reports that Maggie Rita's has closed its Galleria and Shepherd locations. No surprise, considering the overall quality of the food and the fact that the Kirby location was closed not too long ago. Maybe we'll finally get ... More >>

Do the Curry Crawl

The top 10 restaurants in Little India.

Team Kerouac

Kristen Stewart and Garrett Hedlund chat about the film version of On the Road.

Openings & Closings, Heavy on the "Closings"

While there wasn't a whole lot of good news to report this week, there was a rash of closings. The holidays can be killer like that. After many years in business serving martinis to the Shepherd Plaza crowd, The Davenport closed last week. Often dubbed "The Davensnort" for the, ahem, activities tha ... More >>

Chefs Rate America's Food Critics at the Daily Meal; Two Houston Writers Get Ranked

They say that turnabout is fair play, and that's just what The Daily Meal did this week when it polled a group of chefs across the U.S. to see how those chefs rated some of the nation's most preeminent food critics. Those 20 food critics were chosen by Arthur Bovino, executive editor of The Daily M ... More >>

Niko Niko's: What Urbanspoon Thinks Is Houston's Most Kid-Friendly Restaurant

Now listen: I love Urbanspoon. I love that it links directly to professional food critics reviews of restaurants, so that I have a real sense of a place when I'm in an unfamiliar city. I love the map feature that allows you to find restaurants in different areas of town (this is especially handy on ... More >>

MountainFilm in Telluride on Tour

"The Popeye" with Hot Dog at Jus' Mac

For months, my friend Maggie has been gently trying to get me to accompany her to Jus' Mac. When we can't decide where to eat dinner (and this is often), she mentions Jus' Mac, and I, like clockwork, suggest another option. This is not just because I'm a selfish control freak when it comes to res ... More >>

Brasil Switching to Not "Full Table Service" But "Something Like It"

Dan Fergus, the man who owns Montrose haunt Brasil, has had a lot of complaints lobbed at him over the years. Most of them involve paying customers attempting to linger at their tables during or after a meal, which has gotten more than a few people kicked out or simply bitched out. "The owner has b ... More >>

Austin Beer Fest Turns Into Houston Beer Fest Disaster, Redux

This past June, the inaugural Houston Beer Fest at Hermann Square Park outsold the space by 8,000 tickets, infuriating attendees. But that was just the first of many problems for the event. Lines to get in stretched for blocks as many guests suffered heat exhaustion. Lines inside the event were equ ... More >>

Health Department Roundup

Last week, a commenter pointed out that we didn't include El Real's inspection report in the roundup. That was because at the time we checked out the city's database, reports ran only through February 22. El Real's inspection occurred February 28. Bitching about food is currently in second place beh ... More >>

A Call For Reason, Inspired by Man's Heart Attack, Suffered at The Heart Attack Grill

The national media was inflamed yesterday with the news that a male patron of the Las Vegas eatery known as The Heart Attack Grill fell stricken with the condition that is the establishment's namesake, otherwise known as myocardial infarction. A heart attack. A guy, eating at a place so named, s ... More >>

App of the Week: Dragon Dictation and Dragon Go!

​App: Dragon Dictation and Dragon Go! Platform: iPhone, Android Website: http://www.nuance.com Cost: Free So, let's say you decided earlier in 2011 that you were going to upgrade your iPhone 3GS to an iPhone 4. Let's also say that you were impatient and had no desire to wait until, supposedly, ... More >>

This Week in Deliciousness

Welcome back to the weekly roundup here at Eating Our Words, where we're going to try to organize an anti-SOPA fundraiser. Here's how it would go: the menu consists of SOPA-pillas, delicious Mexican batter envelopes served with honey and sugar. But seconds after your waiter brings you your SOPA-pill ... More >>

Of Pasta and Pass Receptions

For nearly two decades, Nick's Place has offered a unique combination.

The Rest of the Best: Houston's Top 10 Dive Bars

"I know it when I see it." - Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart, on correctly identifying pornography. Also applies to dive bars. The dive distinction is complicated. Used to be you could stick a bar in the non-dive phylum if a web jukebox were present. But nowadays there are dives that still fee ... More >>

Five Years Later: Food Trends That Fizzled Out

I'm still waiting for Mupcakes to catch on.​It's that time of year again: No, not the time when society's ever-emphasized consumerism is rammed even more forcefully down our gullets, disguised in festive Christmas trimmings and manipulative Coca-Cola commercials. It's the time of year when eve ... More >>

Celtic Gardens: Midtown Goes Irish, Sort Of

"Are you sure this place just opened? The sign looks old."​There are certain things you claim to regret having one more of without meaning it - drinks, usually, but we wouldn't fault you for anything more physically or emotionally damaging. You'll keep getting that extra serving, though, becau ... More >>

Mink Changes Owners, Management Nearly Overnight

Allison WagonerHouston's The Energy at The Mink, July 2011​White Mystery wasn't just the name of the band playing The Mink on Saturday night. There was a palpable feeling of tension and "weirdness," as one person put it, at the Midtown venue as word continued to spread across the Houston indie ... More >>

New Restaurant Guides Show Off Houston's Greatest Grub

New for 2011 and handy as ever.​Fearless Critic and My Table's Ultimate Food Lover's Guide to Houston are both roaring back onto the scene this year, updated and ready to guide Houstonians in their quest for the city's best. The last edition of The Ultimate Food Lover's Guide to Houston was r ... More >>

Food Fight: Battle Beignets

Photo by Matthew DresdenChez Beignets II​A few years ago, when I spent a month getting around Houston entirely by public transit, I found myself checking out from Central Market one warm spring evening at 10 p.m. It had just rained, and the air was fresh and cool, and I didn't feel like waitin ... More >>

Capri in Spring

Little restaurant outside town turns out spectacular Italian food.

First Look at El Real Tex-Mex Cafe

Photos by Katharine Shilcutt​"We had 1,000 covers on Friday night, then 1,200 covers last night," an exhausted but happy-looking Bill Floyd told me when he stopped by our table at El Real Tex-Mex Cafe on Sunday evening. It was a little past 5 p.m., the doors to the place had just opened, and a ... More >>

Health Department Roundup

​Mistakes happen. In fact, many of us are probably mistakes ourselves. Other mistakes of varying severity include falsely believing that you're above the law; writing the wrong name on a restaurant inspection report; introducing children to endless quantities of food combinations like macaroni ... More >>

Gumbo and Gin

MerCheri's is at its best serving up no-nonsense Louisiana soul food.

Getting Past the Bouncer

Local nightclub door policies aren't always black and white

Bars, Racism & Dress Codes: A Report

​In this weeks cover feature, "Getting Past The Bouncer," by Chris Gray, Shea Serrano and myself, we investigated more in-depth the Hudson Lounge Hydeout controversy from back in December, plus the other door policies at some of the nicer watering holes in town that came to light in the wake o ... More >>

On the Menu: Three Cup Chicken at China Gourmet

​The Taiwanese restaurant China Gourmet is legendary for its stinky tofu. Perhaps "legendary" is too strong a word, as many non-Chinese people have probably never heard of (let alone tasted) stinky tofu, and many Chinese people can't stand it themselves. And being famous for stinky tofu is lik ... More >>

First Look at Royal Oak Bar & Grill

This did not take place at Royal Oak. I did not do this on Friday night (and never would), but you have to admire the creativity in some small way.​When a friend wanted to meet for a late-evening bite to eat and some beers in the neighborhood last Friday night, I immediately suggested Royal Oa ... More >>

Meat Zelko Bistro: Food Network Filming in Houston for Meat & Potatoes

Photos from the filming are sadly embargoed until the show's air date.​There's a Food Network show called Meat & Potatoes? Apparently so, and I do feel better knowing I'm not the first one to ask that question. (Admittedly, not having cable does put a dent in my pop culture knowledge bank.) It ... More >>

The Best Food Apps for Your iPhone

The 42 Restaurants app is a thing of beauty.​I recently commented to a friend that reviewing restaurants is so much easier with a smart phone, taking notes on the fly and being able to instantly look up directions if you get lost on the way. In my case, I have an iPhone, and -- sad as I know ... More >>

Hudson Lounge Comes Under Fire For Supposed Racist Practices

The Hudson Lounge: Racist or not?​Last Wednesday, the Houston Press Twitter page was inundated with quick terse statements from our followers calling out the chic Hudson Lounge in Rice Village for being overtly racist after a party of African-American revelers was shut down early the night be ... More >>

Top 5 Food Trends To Watch

dwell.comUrban chicken coop.​5. Back to Basics. junkfoodnews.net​Today's green-conscious consumer pays attention to nutrition information and ingredients, particularly the ones they can't pronounce. This, partnered with the continuous barrage of bad press on everything from MSG to high ... More >>

Foodies Or Hipsters: Who's More Obnoxious?

Okay, we're discussing Hipsters vs. Foodies, not Hipsters Vs. Food. That's your first mistake.​Okay, first up, a little clarification, since a bunch of you just got pissed off at the terms used in the headline and won't even read the article before leaving enraged spittle all over the comments ... More >>

Foodies Or Hipsters: Who's More Obnoxious?

Okay, we're discussing Hipsters vs. Foodies, not Hipsters Vs. Food. That's your first mistake.​Okay, first up, a little clarification, since a bunch of you just got pissed off at the terms used in the headline and won't even read the article before leaving enraged spittle all over the comments ... More >>

Five Ways To Spot a Foodie

Courtesy of Toothpaste For Dinner​Yesterday, our own Katharine Shilcutt wrote an incisive, observant and nuanced article regarding the backlash against the "foodie" culture. Naturally, the discussion in the comments section, on Twitter, and elsewhere on the internet has primarily revolved arou ... More >>

Upcoming Events

​Despite the fact that it's now officially hot enough outside to melt Joan River's face, there is no end to the food events. We Houstonians are a hearty bunch, humidity be damned. Dine Out For The Gulf Coast is running through tomorrow night, part of a nationwide effort to gather donations fo ... More >>

What's Going On In The Champagne Room?

Photo by geishaboy500​Cha isn't quite "officially" open yet, but that hasn't prevented the new champagne bar from experiencing its share of issues already. A shakeup from top to bottom (the fallout from which you can read about in some rather dismal reviews on Yelp) has resulted in the upscale ... More >>

Fails Of The Week: Glastonbury "Ice Ice Baby," Sony "No Beyonce On YouTube," Fat Mike The Peeing Clown And... Bono

If you're reading this, you're either on the Internet, or else you've mastered multi-dimensional thought-projection processes that would make Michio Kaku cry like a little girl. We'll assume the former, and just in case you don't already know, the Internet has decided that the word "failure" is too ... More >>

Lunchwalla Makes Planning a Group Meal Far Less Painful

​No, it doesn't cook all the food for you and transport your friends and family to the same place instantaneously. But what Lunchwalla does do -- and do well -- is offer a platform for you, the constant and intrepid planner, to invite a group to lunch (or dinner) with much less hassle than oth ... More >>

The Last Day of Giftmas: Fashion

​Sick of corporate Christmas? Try shopping local. Hair Balls presents a 12-part series highlighting ideas for holiday gifts made and sold in Texas. So the Twelve Days of Giftmas are winding down and you only have one more week to shop for your Christmas/Hanukkah/Muharram/Solstice/Kwanzaa gift ... More >>

Texas Traveler: Conspiracy Dallas

Photo courtesy of Yelp​A few months ago Texas Traveler visited the always-interesting Sixth Floor Museum dedicated to the "official" account of President John F. Kennedy's assassination. It's definitely worth going to if you're interested in any way in American history or politics, but maybe y ... More >>

A Return to Falafel Frenzy...err...Factory

Photos by J.C. Reid​Last fall, Robb Walsh took note of a funky new falafel joint called Falafel Frenzy located at 914 Prairie in downtown Houston, pointing out the donut shape of the falafels and the unique coating of sesame seeds. These mentions came close on the heels of an epic falafel disc ... More >>

Kiko's Mexican Cafe

Photos by J.C. ReidKiko'sJust like mom used to make it. When was the last time you ate at a restaurant and said that to yourself? Probably not very recently. Lots of restaurants advertise "authentic, home-cooked" meals because they use the original recipes from the owner's family, but they're still ... More >>

Washington Avenue's upscale but low-key Pandora Lounge

Pandora's Box