Phaedra Cook is eating her way through Houston and counting down her 100 favorite dishes of 2015. It’s a collection of personal favorites that is also indicative of Houston dining. It’s a scene where a vast range of dishes coexist: highbrow and lowbrow; local and international; cheap and expensive; modern cuisine and beloved tenets — and everything in between.
The Oceanaire is known for fine dining in The Galleria but they have one of the best $9 side dishes in town.
People who are on a constant quest for the best macaroni and cheese need to add Oceanaire’s to the list. If you don’t want to go the full-on dinner route, just drop by the bar for a quick bite. Not only does it sport rich, thick cheese sauce, but there’s also a delectable double-hit of smokiness thanks to the applewood smoked bacon and smoky gouda.
On top of that, there’s a hit of spiciness from tiny bits of jalapeño here and there. The menu warns, “Spicy!” but the dish is actually pretty balanced. It’s not too tame, nor is it going to send diners scrambling for their glasses of water.
Toasty bread crumb topping adds a bit of texture, too. In other words, this macaroni and cheese has pretty much got it all.
The List of Top 100 Dishes of 2015 So Far:
No. 84, The Principal Burger at Bernie’s Burger Bus
No. 85, Hunter’s Honey-Roasted Duck at Brennan’s Of Houston
No. 86, Fish & Chips at Good Dog Houston
No. 87, Sausage, Egg & Cheese Biscuit at Blacksmith
No. 88, “Saucy Balls” At Brooklyn Meatball Company
No. 89, Perry’s Steakhouse/Perry & Sons Pork Chop
No. 90, General Tso’s Chicken from The Rice Box
No. 91, Eggs, Refried Beans, Hash Browns and Hugo’s Sauce at 59 Diner
No. 92, Shipley Do-Nuts Plain Glazed
No. 93, Housemade Bologney at Public Services Wine & Whisky
No. 94, Bo Luc Lac at Cheno’s (formerly Chino’s) Fast Food
No. 95, Combo #5 at Soto’s Cantina
No. 96, Carnitas Salad At Chipotle
No. 97, Pickled Shrimp At Punk’s Simple Southern Food
No. 98, Lobster Roll At Maine-Ly Sandwiches
No. 99, Chili-Cheese Coneys At JCI Grill
No. 100, Corned Beef Hash And Eggs At House Of Pies
This article appears in Jul 2-8, 2015.