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One Dim Sum
On my way into downtown yesterday, I came across the signage to this restaurant driving down Gray. I knew of the Michelin-Starred Dim Sum restaurant heading into Katy Asiatown, but had no clue this was even in the works. Apparently the former sous chef of Yauatcha has found a new home in what was once Maba Pan-Asian Diner. It was too late for me to stop in last night, so I made it my first stop this morning before I ran any errands. It was a good thing because the place quickly filled 15 minutes into the restaurant opening at 11AM. I was apparently the only Asian who missed the…
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Bae
I’ve never been a big fan of the “junk food” topping on desserts, but all the pretty Instagram posts had me curious about the ice cream itself. I visited on a Friday night and despite it being relatively early in the evening (6:30PM), it was fairly packed. I’m not sure if the flavors rotate monthly like Aqua S and since there was a line, I didn’t want to be inconsiderate and hold up the line by asking too many questions. Diners though had the option of the swirl of two flavors or a single flavor on cup ($4.25), waffle cone ($4.50), or waffle bowl ($4.75). Flavors included Strawberry/Banana (Vegan), Fruity…
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Bellaire Street Food – Fat Ni BBQ
While you can usually find me at soft openings of the latest food offerings around town, I specifically waited a few months to let some of the crowd die down a bit at the Bellaire Street Food before braving the crowds. I wish I could say I was rewarded for my patience, but it was a HUGE disappointment. Fat Ni BBQ was rather unimpressive and that’s putting it mildly. I ordered a variety of things and all the skewers tasted the same — like it was sandblasted multiple times in cumin. Actually, I’m pretty sure the animal pre-slaughtered was fed a diet of strictly cumin and then sent to die…
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Sul Bing Su
My last visit out to Katy Asian Town for dessert was met with mediocre results, so I was uncertain whether this second visit would be another similarly disappointing experience. I’m happy to report that the Sul Bing Su met and exceeded every one of my expectations. I ordered the Matcha Ice Cream Taiyaki with a Pistachio Macaron. There’s the option of filling it with Nutella or Custard, but I opted for simply the Matcha Ice Cream. I appreciated that the ice cream was made from high quality ingredients unlike some of the other establishments in Bellaire that focus on novelty instead of actual quality ice cream. The fish shaped waffle…
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Izakaya Wa (River Oaks)
Second visit to this location and I’m happy to learn they ironed out some of the slow service issues from the soft opening during my first visit. I love how many authentic Japanese items I could order and found everything from both visits fresh and of high quality. One of my favorite things ordered was the Gyu Kushiyaki (beef skewers). Besides being flavorful, it was so incredibly tender, it was like biting through cotton candy. I can’t recommend the skewers enough. This place also has Onigiri which is an added bonus since I’m not sure of any Japanese establishment within the Loop that has this on their menu. Diners can…
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Spicy Girl
I’ve long decided that I prefer Cantonese food to Sichuanese food, but still wanted to try this place out and see how it compared to the other Sichuanese restaurants popping up around town. Visiting on a weekday, I was able to easily find parking and was seated promptly upon arriving for a 7:45PM dinner. Our server was incredibly nice and able to offer suggestions on what to order when I told him I liked spicy but didn’t like Sichuan Peppers. I would have loved to try the 3 course Duck dish ($56), but not knowing if I would like the quality of the food, I didn’t want my first meal…
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Sit Low (Finn Hall)
For a more accurate feel, I really need to stop visiting newly opened restaurants and give them a few weeks to acclimate before visiting. However, a show at the nearby Toyota Center enticed me to visit Finn Hall the first week of it’s opening. The layout is incredible with enough floor space among the different offerings to be comfortable and not overly crowded. I was hoping for Korean, but at 6:15PM, Yong already ran out of food and had closed early. My next place of choice was Sit Lo where I was hoping to try their Oxtail Pho (Pho Bo). That unfortunately also sold out and I had to settle…
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Eunice
I’ve never had etouffee on a bed of campanelle pasta, but the Chef’s take on it surprisingly works. The seafood in the Blue Crab & Gulf Shrimp Etouffee was incredibly fresh and flavorful. And while I typically hate coating my food in a bed of cheese, it was mild enough to where it didn’t overwhelm the other flavors on my plate. The restaurant seems right at home in it’s Greenway Plaza home along side places like Tony’s and Kiran’s. While I was welcomed despite being dressed down in jeans and a black American Giant hoodie, most diners would feel more comfortable here in business casual dress. Waitstaff was incredibly nice…
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BB Lemon
I typically like to give a restaurant a few weeks to find it’s flow before visiting, but a lobster roll craving brought me out earlier than planned. Unfortunately, the roll was a popular item and they ran out by 5PM. Opting to sit outside, the place had a steady flow of diners through the door throughout the night. The environment is more casual that it’s sister restaurant ( B&B Butchers ) and there were a few families with young children in attendance. The kids were well behaved and warmly welcomed by the staff. The Crab Beignets and Banana Pudding were by far my favorite items on the menu and I would…
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BurgerIM
Burgers aren’t usually something I actively seek out, but when I do indulge, certain expectations have to be met like a soft bun, a flavorful patty, and decent side options. What I experienced today was barely passable as a burger. The patty was cooked to the point to where I could probably have sanded down woodwork with it. On top of that, the meat was flavorless — the only thing I COULD taste was the swiss cheese and avocado. It was like some oxymoronic attempt at being healthier by omitting all the salt and oils. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind a dry patty. For instance, the patties at…