1. Heath Bars. Warning: There is a small, small chance that eating frozen Heath Bars too quickly will chip your teeth. Then again, eating them at room temperature too slowly probably increases your chance of tooth decay by allowing the sugar to linger on your molars. Therefore, the more healthful — not to mention more enjoyable — means of consuming Heath Bars is to eat them very, very cold, at which point they taste like chocolate-covered sticks of frozen butter. Or better yet, crumble them into chilly little bits and sprinkle over ice cream.
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FAST TIMES
SUMMER MENU AT PANERA BREAD
Just order the salad.
CHRISTINA UTICONE
Hot weather does not stimulate my appetite. The other day I was hungry and driving around aimlessly, but nothing appealed to me. I passed restaurant after restaurant, in strip mall after strip mall, and nothing piqued my interest. Burgers? Too heavy. Chinese? Not in the mood. Grocery store? Too much assembly required. I had just about resigned myself to going home and eating a bowl of cereal when I caught the sign for Panera out of the corner of my eye. I loved the idea of a fresh, crisp salad, so I decided to go for it.
But you know what they say about best-laid plans!
I always intend to order the salad...until I remember how much I love simple carbohydrates and then order the pasta. With bread. And why not a creamy soup for the dunking of the bread? The problem is not lack of willpower but long lines that give me too much time to give in to temptation.
Panera Bread was advertising several new summer items: a strawberry, poppyseed and chicken salad; a shrimp roll; pesto sacchettini pasta; and a sweet summer corn soup. I liked the sound of the pesto, and I can never resist a yummy corn soup, so I ordered both items to go and opted for a side of fresh baked Panera baguette.
Given that my appetite was already on the low side of the scale, I can't say that the pasta really wowed me at all. The pesto was a little oily, and combined with the cheese, it felt awfully heavy; the freshness provided by the basil was not enough to lift and brighten the dish on its own, especially given that the pasta was overcooked and gummy. Too rich and hearty for summer, this dish is far better as comfort food — basil alone does not communicate summertime.
The sweet summer corn soup, while delicious, suffered from similar problems. Between the creamy base and the chunks of tomato, it didn't feel quite "summery" enough for a hot June day. I loved the sweetness with a hint of heat behind it, but it just felt too heavy — and so did I after eating it. I can't quite remember the last time I said this and meant it, but...I should have ordered the salad.
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RESTAURANT NEWS
OPENINGS AND CLOSINGS
Houston Food Park opens and others reopen.
MOLLY DUNN
Last week brought more openings and reopenings than closings, so let's start with the good news. Eater Houston reports that Marfreless, the makeout bar that closed in March of this year, posted an announcement on its Web site June 14 that it will be back in business at the same location in River Oaks by the end of summer.
The Web site notes, "Although we will be under new ownership, we promise the same unique atmosphere, premium menu, friendly staff, and neighborhood charm."
In other reopening news, The Palm Steakhouse announced on Facebook that it will be back July 8. The restaurant has been completely renovated and will also offer new lunch menu items.
Houston Food Park (1504 St. Emanuel) opened June 22 in EaDo. The location can hold up to eight or nine food trucks, but the Houston Food Park team has plans to expand the lot to accommodate more than twice that number. The park began serving lunch every day June 24.
Morningside Thai also reopened June 22 at its new location at 2473 S. Braeswood.
B4-U-Eat's Newsletter also reported that Mark's BBQ & Catering would close June 22. However, the restaurant is working on building a mobile unit, as noted in a post on its Facebook page, should be open by the end of July, so you can still get your favorite barbecue dishes from them this summer.
In other food truck news, Pi Pizza Truck owner Anthony Calleo has decided to create a brick-and-mortar location to sell sandwiches. CultureMap Houston reports that Sandy Witch Sandwich Company has leased the kitchen of Grand Prize Bar in Montrose and will sell his witch-named sandwiches there.
