H-Town Chow Down

The Tasting Room - Serious Wines, Serious Food

2012-06-01T12:22:00.001-05:00

Wine bars are a big deal in the Houston area. It seems like every week we hear about a new one popping up somewhere. And there's a reason for this - Houstonians can't get enough of the laid-back, upscale atmosphere that is de rigueur at most wine bars. They're a notable alternative to more common adult venues, especially if you're in the mood to explore some new and interesting wines, since

Least Appetizing Burger Ever?

2012-05-24T11:44:00.001-05:00

One of our passions is finding great burgers, and we love bringing you photos of some of the delicious and often beautiful burgers that we find. This isn't that kind of post. We'd read about McDonald's in France's newish Dark Vador burger, a misguided attempt to use a poorly spelled version of a movie tie-in to create a hamburger. But not just any hamburger. Perhaps the least appetizing

Who Started Houston's Gourmet Burger Craze?

2012-05-22T19:40:00.002-05:00

A recent lunch at Beck's Prime made me wonder: Who started the whole gourmet burger trend in Houston? Beck's has been my benchmark gourmet burger for years; they opened their first store in 1985. You, pretty burger, are responsible for all this. Before that, I remember burgers from Prince's Drive-In and Bellaire Broiler Burger, but while good, they aren't the same sort of burgers that

Adios, CoalBurger

2012-05-16T12:17:00.000-05:00

We have sad news to report during National Burger Month. Coal Burger, the coal fired oven burger concept from the folks at Grimaldi's, has closed. We were fans of the burger, but will admit that there were consistency issues: Sometimes the burger was perfect, sometimes it was dried out. Apparently cooking ground beef in a 1000+ degree coal-fired oven requires a very deft touch. Combine the

National Burger Month Part 1 - Beck's Prime

2012-05-02T15:53:00.001-05:00

Growing up, I enjoyed burgers, but like many teenagers, considered them to all be pretty much the same. Only when I moved up to Austin to attend UT did I begin to appreciate the differences between a good burger and truly exceptional one. And on my frequent visits back to Houston, I'd often crave a burger. On one trip, I was fortunate enough to stumble into the then-new Beck's Prime, and I

Review: Wicked Whisk Food Truck brings Haute Street Food to the Woodlands

2012-04-13T11:42:00.000-05:00

Food trucks are one of the hottest trends in urban dining. If you're in central Houston or Austin, you have dozens of options for fast, affordable street food that puts fast food chains to shame. But if you're in the suburbs, your choices are far more limited. Pioneering the food truck culture in the Woodlands is the Wicked Whisk food truck, a new truck from ninja chef Jay Stone. Jay's

Review: JerryBuilt Burgers

2012-04-06T16:05:00.001-05:00

It wouldn't be unfair to say that a great burger is one of my favorite things. There's something essentially American about the hamburger - it's portable, filling, and available in every big city and tiny hamlet from coast to coast. Some burgers are inexpensive, some are very pricey. Many are uninspiring; a few are extraordinary. The search for extraordinary burgers was one of the original

Remembering the San Jacinto Inn

2012-04-05T21:01:00.000-05:00

One of my first great restaurant experiences was a trip to the legendary San Jacinto Inn. Located in the shadow of the Battleship Texas, it was an all-you-can-eat extravaganza. The building we visited was built in 1927, and sadly closed its doors in 1987. This video fondly recalls the restaurant, the staff, and the food. I'll never forget those amazing biscuits.

Update on Trader Joe's in the Woodlands

2012-03-29T20:09:00.001-05:00

We were excited to hear that Trader Joe's, the California-based specialty grocery company, was heading to the Houston area. We were even more excited to find out that their first Houston-area location would be in the Woodlands, across the street from our neighborhood HEB. We've been keeping an eye on the progress, and it's been good. The building is complete, the sign is up, and now the work

JerryBuilt Burgers to open Woodlands store Saturday March 31

2012-03-26T16:35:00.002-05:00

JerryBuilt Burgers, the hot new fast-casual burger place, has announced that the grand opening of its Woodlands location will be this Saturday, March 31, at 11am. The Woodlands location is located just off the ring road around the Woodlands Mall, near the Container Store. JerryBuilt Burgers is a locally owned chain that features high quality ingredients that are locally sourced when possible.

Actress Opens Datt's It - A New Restaurant with a Mission

2012-03-26T11:54:00.002-05:00

Houston has a new celebrity restaurant opening on the southwest side, and today is the grand opening. Cherie Johnson (Photo: IMDB) You may know Cherie Johnson, best known for her roles on situation comedies such as Punky Brewster, Family Matters, The Parkers and her leading role in the movie I Do.I Did. Ms. Johnson is now ready to make a name for herself as restaurateur. She has enlisted

Hubbell & Hudson's Hunnicutt Wine Dinner

2012-03-22T11:47:00.005-05:00

Hubbell & Hudson is one of the unique venues that really adds to the great quality of life in the Woodlands. From the gourmet market to the Viking cooking school, H & H is one place that every foodie should visit. And if you're not in the mood to cook, the Bistro is arguably the finest restaurant in the Woodlands, and executive chef Austin Simmons has elevated their already impressive cuisine

Soft Opening Preview: Zunum

2012-03-20T16:19:00.000-05:00

We'd read cryptic press releases about a new restaurant being developed in the Woodlands, and wondered what was behind all the mystery. Called Zunum, it's a new concept being launched on Research Forest within the city of Shenandoah. The team behind Zunum isn't new to the restaurant business, owning Russo's Pizzeria. The concept is a unique one. Zunum is a place for families, catering to both

NYC's Le Cirque pop up dinner coming to Houston

2012-03-05T10:59:00.002-06:00

New York City's famed Le Cirque, named by Gayot as one of the Top 40 Restaurants in the USA, is bringing its show on the road, and Houston will be one of the stops this spring. On April 13, the main dining room of the Downtown Club at Plaza will host this culinary classic. Executive chef Olivier Reginensi will be overseeing the travelling kitchen. Le Cirque's Creme Brulee (photo credit: Le

Sip, Savor, and Stroll with Rebecca Masson & Friends

2012-02-28T11:33:00.001-06:00

Houston's own celebrity pastry chef Rebecca Masson is organizing a star-studded event that will delight the discriminating foodie, and it's for a good cause. Entitled sweet & savory, it's a chance to sip, savor, and stroll with Chef Masson and some of her chef friends from across the country. Several were featured on Bravo's Top Chef Just Desserts. The event is limited to 125 guests. Get your

First Look at JerryBuilt Burgers

2012-02-16T22:13:00.001-06:00

There's a new player on the fiercely competitive Houston burger scene, and it's one that's worth checking out. So we trekked down from the Woodlands to Holcombe Blvd. to find out more. Called JerryBuilt Burgers, it's a new fast casual chain that does things a bit differently than other burger joints. We were invited to for a preview dinner a couple of days before the grand opening, and here

New Apps for Foodies - Trover, Fondu, Texas Monthly BBQ

2012-02-10T09:03:00.000-06:00

A while back I declared the iPhone to be the ultimate gadget for foodies. I still think this statement is true, and the explosion of interesting apps makes it even more useful and fun for foodies. In the real world I'm a partner in a technology firm, and keeping on top of the state of the iOS app world is an important part of staying current in technology. My iPhone 4s is with me all the time,

First Look at Uchi Houston

2012-01-30T22:08:00.000-06:00

Lately Houston has been the recipient of some notable Austin imports. On the moderate end, the insanely popular Torchy's Tacos opened their first Houston location to rave reports from diners. Today we were fortunate enough to take a look at an even more exciting Austin import. Uchi, the modern Japanese restaurant building a national reputation for its innovative takes on sushi and other

Win Dinner for Two at Chama Gaucha Brazilian Steakhouse

2012-01-18T16:22:00.005-06:00

Want to win Dinner for Two at Chama Gaucha, the hot Brazilian steakhouse on Westheimer? Simply "Like" H-Town Chow Down on Facebook, and add a comment to the Chauma Gaucha post. We're giving away dinner for two to five lucky winners. No purchase necessary. Terms and conditions apply. You can follow this link to Facebook to get started.

Top Ten Least Popular Family-Themed Restaurants

2012-01-03T12:39:00.001-06:00

For our first post of 2012, we turn to contributing editor Chuck Pena (@cpenahouston on Twitter) for his Top Ten Least Popular Family-Themed Restaurants: 10. Chucked-Up-Cheeses 09. Dead Robin 08. Golden Colonic 07. Chili's 06. Substandard 05. Whattamaggot 04. South of the Drug War 03. Joe's Crab Affliction 02. The Fruitcake Factory And the number one least popular family themed restaurant:

Quick Take: Brisket and Pulled Pork from Corkscrew BBQ

2011-12-30T20:05:00.003-06:00

We brought home brisket and pulled pork from Corkscrew BBQ tonight - first time I'd done carryout from them. Very well packaged, arrived in Indian Springs hot and moist. Loved that the pulled pork had its own vinegar-based sauce, a rarity in Texas. Brisket was superb as always.

Whataburger introduces Spicy Ketchup

2011-12-29T22:28:00.003-06:00

As Texans, we profess our love of Whataburger, the state's home-grown burger chain. Founded in 1950 by Harmon Dobson in Corpus Christi, Whataburger is known for its very good burgers, its fantastic customization options, and last but not least, it's delicious Fancy Ketchup. But 2012 is a time of change (just ask the Mayans) and in honor of the end of the Long Count (ok, not really)

Holiday Meals without the Work? Hubbell & Hudson's Holiday Catering

2011-12-20T00:02:00.001-06:00

What's the best part about this time of year? For us, it's a delicious holiday meal, enjoyed with family and friends. Wonderful food, great conversation, more food, relaxation. Well, relaxation for almost everyone. Not so relaxing for the home chef whose hard work makes the great meal take place: Creating a menu. Compiling recipes. Shopping for ingredients. Preparation. Hours of cooking.

Fine Tuning the Formula at Coal Burger

2011-12-03T13:52:00.001-06:00

We're fans of Coal Burger, the Arizona-based burger chain from the Grimaldi's Pizza folks. Their Woodlands Waterway location is the first store outside of Arizona, and we think they serve an excellent burger. But we've heard reports of some less-than-spectacular burgers being served. The culprit is overcooked beef. But the mastermind behind Coal Burger, Chef Bradford Thompson, has devised a

Why Burgers Look Great in Commercials

2011-12-02T17:24:00.001-06:00

Have you ever wondered why the spectacularly lovely burger you see in a fast food commercial actually looks like a sad, dreary shadow of its buffed-up self when it is served to you? Our friends at Snotr (we just link to 'em, we didn't name 'em) have an answer. WARNING: Turn down the sound before you press play. This video is LOUD.