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First Look at La Calle Ella, Margaritas at Juanita's

By Lorretta Ruggiero

May 10, 2022

When the weather heats up in Houston, many of us get a yen for a cold margarita at the end of the work week and it's even better when you find a willing partner to convince you to play hooky. Last week, my husband and I decided to satisfy our...

Backstreet Cafe: Picture Perfect Patio Day

By Lorretta Ruggiero

Feb 15, 2022

The winter months in Houston this year have been up and down temperature wise. And though we are used to the fluctuations, this year seems particularly erratic; 70 degrees one day, 35 degrees the next. Last week, however, a bright sunny day with temps in the low 70s and no...

First Look: Krazy Dog Korean Corn Dogs

By Lorretta Ruggiero

Jan 4, 2022

I have never been a fan of hot dogs but corn dogs are another matter. The deep-fried cornmeal batter transforms the humble weenie into something sublime and I usually enjoy mine with more yellow mustard than a person should eat in one sitting. So, when I saw that Krazy Dog...

Hidden Gem: Trattoria Pizza and Pasta

By Lorretta Ruggiero

Dec 28, 2021

This year, our Christmas looked a little different. With Christmas 2020, COVID vaccines were not yet available and the holiday surge was a deadly one. This Christmas found us facing yet another surge due to a fairly low vaccination rate coupled with the Omicron variant and its multitude of mutations...

First Look: POST Houston

By Lorretta Ruggiero

Dec 7, 2021

Houston is a fast-growing city and one that is very popular with real estate developers because of the lax zoning restrictions. Stuff goes up, other stuff comes down, oftentimes taking the city's character with it. That's why it is something to be admired when a developer repurposes a structure rather...

Checking It Out: Willie's New Sandwiches

By Lorretta Ruggiero

Dec 1, 2021

It was a warm, sunny day in Houston and not very conducive to Christmas tree shopping. What was even less appealing was having to convince a 17-year-old boy, in this case my son, to accompany me. After his tough day at school, I pulled out the big guns and lured...

Hidden Gem: Hangar Kitchen

By Lorretta Ruggiero

Sep 22, 2021

I don't often find myself on the south side of our city so many of its dining establishments are unknown to me. With my daughter attending the University of Houston, I have begun to explore the restaurants within a 15-minute drive from the campus. One of those restaurants was Maria...

Hidden Gem: Maria Rita's Tex-Mex

By Lorretta Ruggiero

Aug 24, 2021

School is back in session and so is the chaos that surrounds the back-to-school frenzy. Throw in a dose of pandemic craziness and it's a wonder we haven't all lost our minds. For my family, it is my son's senior year of high school and my daughter's senior year at...

A Day Devoted to Dining Out In Houston

By Lorretta Ruggiero

Aug 11, 2021

We all have different ideas of a perfect day out and also with whom we want to spend an entire day. We have romantic dates with our significant others, kid-friendly experiences with our children and party nights with our pals. Then there are times you just need a friend. Just...

First Look: The Chipper in Katy

By Lorretta Ruggiero

Jul 27, 2021

The prairies of Katy might seem an unusual place for a British chip shop to land but in a strip center near Katy Mills Mall, The Chipper is bringing a taste of the British Isles to its residents. I was attending the opening of Howdy Homemade Ice Cream in Katy...

Houston's 5 Best Weekend Food Bets: Where to Get Grub This Father's Day

By Brooke Viggiano

Jun 18, 2021

Here's a look at this weekend's tasty food and drink happenings: One Year Anniversary at Becca Cakes Friday, 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. 1207 West 34th In celebration of the first anniversary of its storefront bakery and to thank its customers, Becca cakes will be offering birthday specials, including a...

Upcoming Houston Food Events: Derby Day Juleps and a Chick’nCone from Slim Thug

By Brooke Viggiano

Apr 22, 2021

Mark your calendars, because you don’t want to miss these deliciously fun culinary happenings: Chick’nCone, 1919 North Shepherd, has partnered with local celeb Slim Thug to raise funds that will support youth in low-income Houston communities, creating the ‘Still Tippin’ Cone” inspired by the artist’s favorite Kickin’ Ranch flavor and...

Happy Hour by the Bay: Pier 6 and Bayview Duck

By Lorretta Ruggiero

Apr 13, 2021

In April 2020, we were all still reeling from the daily bombardment of bad news about the coronavirus epidemic with no idea the actual toll it would take on us over the next year. Most of us did not expect that hundreds of thousands of lives would be lost to...

First Look: Shandy's Cafe Heights

By Lorretta Ruggiero

Mar 31, 2021

Having to spend a sunny Houston afternoon running errands can always be made better with a stop for lunch. Finding myself in the near downtown area, I decided to head for the Heights and try the recently opened Shandy's Cafe on W. 19th and maybe stop in at a few...

Taco Keto Continues To Bring Its Family Flavor To Houston

By DeVaughn Douglas

Jan 27, 2021

On the corner of Cullen and Gray, just a short distance from Polk, sits a trailer converted into a standing food truck. The smell of fresh baked bread wafts through the air as the ever-present reminder that the Leeland Baking building is about a block away. Two vertical lights frame...

First Look: Valencia's Tex-Mex Garage

By Lorretta Ruggiero

Dec 29, 2020

The holiday season is upon us and while it may not be as festive or grand as previous years, there are still many little joys to celebrate. One of those little joys are the sunshine-filled days that peek out occasionally in December. While our Houston summers are often unbearable, the...

Return to Marais and Normalcy

By Lorretta Ruggiero

Nov 3, 2020

My family and I have rarely gone out to restaurants since the pandemic began. My husband and I have braved a favorite Mexican restaurant for margaritas a couple of times and the tasting menu at Brennan's for our anniversary. Still, we hadn't gone out to dinner with friends for the...

Taco Cabana Margaritapalooza: Review

By Lorretta Ruggiero

Jul 14, 2020

Taco Cabana introduced its Margarita Palooza on July 3, just in time for the Fourth of July weekend, as we reported here in the Houston Press. The two dollar price tag and promise of 12 different flavors was too much temptation for this writer and her husband to pass up,...

Take Out Reviews: Sticky's Chicken

By Carlos Brandon

May 14, 2020

This column attempts to cover a wide variety of locally-owned Houston restaurants. We've reviewed takeout offerings from chef-driven fine dining establishments and local fast-food haunts. Some of our subjects have adopted takeout to survive in a post-COVID world, others are leveraging their existing takeout models to thrive in a down...

Take Out Reviews: Tornado Burger

By Carlos Brandon

May 6, 2020

The stay home order is, within limits, over for some businesses, among them restaurants. While many eager freedom lovers will rush our city's dining rooms, masked and carefree, I'd wager a bet the rest of us will continue looking for drive-thrus and takeout for the foreseeable future. I certainly will...

Restaurant Reviews

A Sneak Peek at Uchiko Houston

Michy's Chino Boricua Adds Chinese Puerto Rican Cuisine to Houston's Diverse Food Scene

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