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An Ode to Watermelon

By Lorretta Ruggiero

Aug 3, 2020

National Watermelon Day is today, August 3. However, most of us have been enjoying its sweet, refreshing flavor for the past month or two already. Watermelon loves the heat so August is a great time to head to the grocery store or local produce stand to pick up a ripe...

Chef Joe Cervantez and owner Raz Halili are opening a seafood restaurant.

Openings and Closings: Pier 6 This Summer, Blackbird Izakaya Closes

By Lorretta Ruggiero

Jul 24, 2020

Pier 6 Seafood and Oyster House, 113 6th, is slated to open summer 2020 in San Leon. Owner Raz Halili, the president and owner of Prestige Oysters, has brought in chef Joe Cervantez who has stepped down as executive chef of Brennan's. Cervantez took over the role at Brennan's in...

Villa Arcos, founded in 1977, serves a full array of Texas Mexican traditional dishes.

Navigating the Mexican Restaurants on Navigation: Villa Arcos

By Adán Medrano

Dec 5, 2019

This is the fourth in a series of visits to the six-cluster of Mexican restaurants on Navigation, a group of eateries that exemplifies Houston’s indigenous culinary history. Tacos at Villa Arcos are pure Texas Mexican food, fiercely faithful to the recipes and techniques of Velia Arcos' Rodríguez Durán who founded...

“Filete A La Plancha” Veracruz style, is oftentimes a daily special lunch, with the fish selection based on availability.

Navigating the Mexican Restaurants on Navigation: Taquería Chabelita

By Adán Medrano

Dec 4, 2019

This is the third in a series of visits to the six-cluster of Mexican restaurants on Navigation, a group of eateries that exemplifies Houston’s indigenous culinary history. Taquería Chabelita is one of the six Mexican restaurants clustered on Navigation, and because of its Veracruz influence, it points to the cosmopolitan...

Navigating the Mexican Restaurants on Navigation: Doña María Mexican Café

By Adán Medrano

Dec 3, 2019

This is the second in a series of visits to the six-cluster of Mexican restaurants on Navigation, a group of eateries that exemplifies Houston’s indigenous culinary history. Doña María Mexican Café serves the type of breakfast tacos that are at the heart of traditional Mexican American home cooking. The cafe...

Merida’s crispy flautas can be ordered with chicken or beef.

Navigating the Mexican Restaurants on Navigation: Merida

By Adán Medrano

Dec 2, 2019

This is the first in a series of visits to the six-cluster of Mexican restaurants on Navigation, a group of eateries that exemplifies Houston’s indigenous culinary history. The corn tortilla chips at Merida Mexican Restaurant are crunchy and sturdy, efficient scoops for the salsa ranchera, served warm. Upon request, the...

For reference - Giant slice of pepperoni and olives from Two Guys Pizzeria

Upper Crust: Two Guys Pizzeria

By Carlos Brandon

Oct 8, 2019

We love Houston, really we do. But what we wouldn't give to make this a more walkable city. To replace some of its more culturally comatose stretches of strip malls and parking lots with the urban accessibility of a New York or Chicago. For it is in those cities where...

Openings and Closings: Bravery Chef Hall is Open, Warehouse 72 Next Week

By Lorretta Ruggiero

Jul 26, 2019

Bravery Chef Hall, 409 Travis, softly opened July 23, for dinner only. Next week, the multi-chef food hall will be open for lunch as well. Last year, we wrote about some of the chefs who had signed on for the concept from partners Ahn Mai, Lian Nguyen and Shepard Ross...

Truth BBQ on Washington elevates Houston's barbecue game with it's world class brisket

Smoked Out: Truth BBQ

By Carlos Brandon

Apr 2, 2019

In this weekly series we're visiting the many smokehouses that call Houston and its surrounding suburbs home, along the way testing their mettle and judging their brisket (among other things). This column aims to highlight both the restaurants and pitmasters that define Houston barbecue. Brenham is a small, awkwardly located...

Openings and Closings: Bernie's Burger Bus, Common Bond Expand

By Lorretta Ruggiero

Mar 22, 2019

Bernie's Burger Bus, 6324 Highway 6, opened March 15 in Missouri City. This is the first location with drive thru service. It's also the first free-standing Bernie's with a patio and dedicated parking lot. There are three other locations in the Greater Houston area, including the Heights, Katy and Bellaire...

Large order of pork dumplings with won ton soup combo at Doozo Dumplings and Noodles

Stuffed: Doozo Dumplings & Noodles

By Carlos Brandon

Mar 12, 2019

We set out to find and devour stuffed food from every possible culture right here in the Bayou City. From empanadas to dumplings, kolaches to samosas, we're getting stuffed. Every now and then this city can still surprise us. Even those of us who make it our job to know...

The Blonde Pantry, a Houston based meal delivery service, just opened its first retail location in Upper Kirby

Local Meal Delivery Company Opens First Retail Location in River Oaks

By Carlos Brandon

Mar 6, 2019

The Blonde Pantry, a Houston-based meal delivery service started by registered dietitian and lifestyle blogger Marla Murphy just opened its first retail location at The Shops at Arrive. The swanky Upper Kirby retail district will play host to Murphy's intimate grab-and-go store — one which aims to bring The Blonde...

Openings and Closings: SlowPokes Expands, Truck Yard Food Trucks Return

By Lorretta Ruggiero

Feb 22, 2019

SlowPokes, 2925 Richmond, opened February 8. This is the second location for the coffee, tea, wine and beer bar. The first location at 1203 W. 34th opened in November 2016. With a mission to slow folks down in our fast-moving tech-crazy times, SlowPokes offers a comfortable, slightly hip spot to...

Kolache Shoppe is a Houston institution selling the best kolaches in town, including the star of this week's column, the brisket kolache

Stuffed: Brisket Kolache from Kolache Shoppe

By Carlos Brandon

Feb 5, 2019

We set out to find and devour stuffed food from every possible culture right here in the Bayou City. From empanadas to dumplings, kolaches to samosas, we're getting stuffed. So far this series has neglected the most essential of Texan stuffed meals — the almighty kolache. This week, we put...

First Look: Ayie's Filipino Food

By Lorretta Ruggiero

Jan 30, 2019

In Houston, it's not easy to find a Filipino restaurant that's not a buffet. Ayie's Traditional Filipino-American Food is here to remedy that. If you are missing your Manila mama's home cooking, there's a mama in the kitchen named Analyn Demeterio, better known as Ayie, who will recreate your childhood...

Grab a couple of these golden beauties at La Fogata off Wilcrest and Southwest Freeway

Stuffed: Colombian Empanadas at La Fogata

By Carlos Brandon

Jan 15, 2019

We set out to find and devour stuffed food from every possible culture right here in the Bayou City. From empanadas to dumplings, kolaches to samosas, we're getting stuffed. Ah, the empanada. The universal street food of Latin America. Every major cuisine south of the Rio Grande has its own...

The Green Machine at Vinny's makes kale delectable.

Openings and Closings: Agricole's EaDo Trio Opens, Kitchen 713 Closes

By Lorretta Ruggiero

Nov 2, 2018

Agricole Hospitality is bringing three new concepts to East Downtown. The buzz has been humming along since early 2017. Each restaurant will be its own independent space, style and menu, but the three concepts are also a collaboration from co-owners Ryan Pera, Morgan Weber and Vincent Huynh, with executive chef...

Chili and crab make sweet music together at SING.

Openings and Closings: SING Debuts, Bonjour Bisou

By Lorretta Ruggiero

Oct 19, 2018

SING, 718 West 18th, will celebrate its grand opening on October 22. The new Asian fusion restaurant comes from the team of chef and food writer, Cuc Lam and restaurateur, Jerry Lasco of Lasco Enterprises. Lasco is best known for Max's Wine Dive and The Tasting Room. Lam was formerly...

Perfect Pairings: Mussels, Belgian Fries, Aioli, Duvel at Cafe Brussels

By Kate McLean

Oct 10, 2018

Breaking news— this is the first time we've featured a foursome; because every once in a while it's kind of fun to add a couple. The first sign that Cafe Brussels was worth a pop in was when I pulled on the wooden door at 4:30 to feel the lock...

Put Eunice's gumbo on your fall weather bucket list.

Openings and Closings: Eunice Debuts, Gorgeous Gael Says Slan

By Lorretta Ruggiero

Oct 5, 2018

Eunice, 3737 Buffalo Speedway, opened October 1. The modern Cajun-Creole brasserie comes from New Orleans-based BRG Hospitality. Formerly known as Besh Restaurant Group, CEO and celebrity chef John Besh stepped down in October 2017 amid sexual harassment allegations, as reported by The New York Times. BRG Hospitality has a new CEO,...

Food Nation

Houston Food Banks Battle Skyrocketing Food Insecurity While Texas Slashes Budgets

A Pièce de Résistance About Pizza...New Haven Style!

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