-
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…
-
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…
-
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…
-
Rim Tanon
I’ve been on a Thai kick lately and wanted to check out a new restaurant near work. I was never a fan of Blue Fish, but was interested in checking out the Thai restaurant that took up residence at it’s old spot. Knowing that parking limit in this particular area, I left early to avoid any potential parking issues. I love basil and would have normally ordered the Pad Kee Mao, but several of the Yelp reviews rated it badly, so I opted for Pad See Ew instead. The meal was flavorful but sweeter than I remember this dish being. I enjoyed my meal, but the protein to noodle ratio…
-
Kau Ba Saigon Kitchen & Bar
I was happy to learn the Chef would open a restaurant in Houston after watching Episode 4 of Netflix’s Ugly Delicious. She spoke with so much conviction about Viejun food that my taste buds were excited to try something new. A part of me was also giddy with the prospect of the Chef possibly offering Bun Bo Hue on their menu in the near future. Despite going on a Saturday at noon, the restaurant was fairly empty with only 3 to 4 other groups dining at the same time. I sat at the bar and the bartender who served me was incredibly friendly and attentive. As much as I wanted…
-
Buff Burger
Instagram alerted me to Buff Burger now having lobster rolls on Fridays. I don’t know if it’s a summer special or if they will continue to offer it indefinitely, but I couldn’t pass up an opportunity to try their take on the lobster roll. This isn’t the first time I’ve dined here so I was already familiar with their service and food. Just a heads up, besides being card only, you will leave the restaurant smelling like smoke from the burgers. Not a terrible thing, but just something to be aware of when dining here. The bread was incredibly soft and buttery. They had more relish than I wanted, but…
-
East Hampton Sandwich Co.
I love seafood and was incredibly excited to hear about another lobster roll option in Houston. I probably should have chosen a better time to visit besides Sunday at 1:00PM so close to it’s grand opening because it took me almost 15 minutes to get through the line. There’s considerably larger pieces of lobster with the rolls here as well as a stronger Chesapeake Bay seasoning. I found it slightly a notch above Mainely Sandwiches. I also appreciate that they have a variety of hot non-seafood sandwiches on their menu. Neptune Oyster in Boston still has the best lobster roll I’ve ever eaten. I’m looking forward to the Montrose location…
-
Wanna Bao (Take 2)
I couldn’t stop thinking about their scallion pancakes so I made another visit to Wanna Bao — this time in the evening right as they were opening up for business. Since I had multiple dining companions with me, I was able to order and sample more items off their menu. The pancakes were on point and will be a staple order whenever I dine here. Unlike the previous dining experience, the shrimp soup dumplings arrived within 10 minutes of ordering. They were flavorful, but comparable soup dumplings CAN be found in Bellaire. I do, however, like the option of having authentic tasting dumplings near work. The Jasmine Tea Smoked Duck…
-
Lua Viet Kitchen
I was on my way to Good Dog Houston for lunch when I spotted Lua Viet Kitchen opened for business. Never one to pass on trying a new Asian restaurant in the area, I turned around and opted for lunch here instead. There was a soft opening sign on the door and a small group of people already inside the restaurant. Instead of paper menus, there was an electronic screen on the wall listing their available menu items. Any first time visit to a new restaurant usually entails an order of a staple food so I can compare it to what I’ve had at other restaurants. I ordered a Beef…
-
Kura Revolving Sushi Bar
The last time I had conveyor belt sushi was well over 10 years ago in Japan, so I was really looking forward to seeing how Houston would emulate the concept. I know this is not the first restaurant of it’s type to arrive in the city, but it was the first that was convenient to visit. The automation process was incredibly hypnotic to watch, especially when you ordered a special item on the touch screen and a Japanese female voice announced it’s arrival on the the secondary conveyor belt several minutes later. The ramen was cheap coming in under $6, but it tastes about as unique as the frozen ramen…