Express Grocery and Deli Don’t look for red-checkered tablecloths or “Mom’s Home Cooking” signs at the Express Grocery and Deli — the family feeling runs far deeper than that at this delightful quick-order grill and convenience store in a corner of the Houston House apartments. Mike Baba set up shop here nearly two decades ago, weathering the then-desolate downtown area with the same genuine good cheer he dispenses to the expanding base of eclectic and ever-loyal customers. His longtime cook Margaret — as well as his cousins, son and daughter, who work there too — serve up respectable meals with good vibes and home-style charm.
This article appears in Sep 23-29, 2004.