H-Town Chow Down

Ten Dishes that Define Houston Dining

2013-05-16T22:15:00.000-05:00

Recently Alison Cook asked me to pick ten dishes that define dining in Houston. That's a tough assignment - Houston's cuisines are incredibly varied, and there are so many great choices. My approach focuses on the classics. I'm going for the timeless dishes that describe the dining scene in Houston - great examples of dishes that have appealed to Houstonians for years, and will continue to do

Hubbell & Hudson Revamps Sandwich Bar Offerings

2013-05-07T20:57:00.000-05:00

It's no secret that we're fans of Hubbell & Hudson, the gourmet grocer, restaurant, and cooking school located in the Woodlands Waterway district. Whether we're searching for gourmet ingredients for a special dish or a great meal prepared by the Woodlands best chef, Hubbell & Hudson is our go-to destination for all things foodie. We've enjoyed each menu that Executive Chef Austin Simmons has

First Look at the Blue Mug Cafe

2013-04-03T16:50:00.000-05:00

The Woodlands keeps growing, expanding west from I-45. Woodlands Parkway is currently over nine miles long, running through the heart of the community. And we're finally witnessing the restaurant scene expand slowly backwards. No longer must a diner endure a prefabricated meal from a generic chain restaurant in the newer areas of the Woodlands. While the Waterway and Market Street areas are still

Houston BBQ Festival 2013 is a Crowd Pleaser

2013-03-25T17:35:00.002-05:00

Sunday, March 24, 2013 will go down in Houston History as the first time over a dozen of Houston's best pit masters assembled and served BBQ to a devout congregation of over 1,500 BBQ enthusiasts. The Houston BBQ Festival was the first event of its kind, and hopefully not the last. Despite unseasonably cold weather and strong winds, dedicated BBQ fans treked from all over Texas to south of the

BBQ Wars: Can't Compete? Call in the Government!

2013-03-04T20:19:00.001-06:00

Many of our readers are familiar with Corkscrew BBQ, the food trailer that serves some of the best BBQ in the entire Houston area. They've had universally good reviews, including a rare two-star review from The Houston Chronicle's Alison Cook. They've been so successful that they've had to expand from their original pit to a higher capacity model, and from their small food trailer to a modern,

Big Mac Secrets Unveiled by McDonald's Corporate Chef

2013-03-04T15:02:00.001-06:00

The McDonald's Big Mac may very well be the most popular hamburger in the world. But how is it made? Is the sauce a secret? Dan Coudreaut, Executive Chef, McDonald's, shows us how to make a Big Mac at home from ingredients you can get at the grocery store. Bon appetit.

Houston BBQ Festival

2013-02-05T19:28:00.002-06:00

Update: We recap the first Houston BBQ Festival. When you think of America's great barbecue towns, you think of Memphis, Kansas City, and Texas's own Lockhart. But if Chris Reid and Michael Fulmer have anything to say about it, Houston will be added to the national short list of great places to enjoy 'Q. It's not that Houston doesn't have great barbecue. It does. From legendary smokehouses like

Official Texan Foodie Rules

2013-01-31T20:55:00.003-06:00

Defend Whataburger Never put beans in chili Argue about the best BBQ Eat Tex-Mex Drink Dr Pepper

Houston Pavillions Embraces Food Truck Culture

2013-01-02T09:36:00.002-06:00

Beginning today, four of Houston's food trucks have a regular lunchtime spot at the Houston Pavillions. Monster PBJ Truck "We've seen the demand for more relaxed lunchtime dining alternatives in downtown Houston,"said Karen Mulville, General Manager of the Houston Pavillions. "As many Houstonians plan to test their taste buds, get healthier, and try new things in 2013, there is no better

Special offer for our readers from Goode Company

2012-11-26T10:30:00.000-06:00

Goode Company is known around Houston for its award-winning BBQ, but did you know that they're also famous for their pies? The Food Network visited Goode Company to find out more: Whether you're in the mood for pie, BBQ, or one of their other delicious offerings, our friends at Goode Company are extending a special offer for our readers. With the holiday season is in full swing, Goode

Rice Epicurean to Close Four Stores - Leasing Locations to The Fresh Market

2012-11-14T11:48:00.002-06:00

Longtime Houston specialty food retailer Rice Epicurean Market today announced that they plan to close four of their five stores and lease spaces to The Fresh market, a specialty food retailer from North Carolina. Press Release from Rice Epicurean Press Release from The Fresh Market The store on Fountain View at Inwood will remain open. Our take: We think it's unfortunate to see an

Stepping Outside the Box at Crust Pizza

2012-11-08T15:38:00.000-06:00

Even if you love to try new things, it's easy to fall into a rut. For years I was in a pizza rut - every time I'd order a pizza, pepperoni would be the key topping. Sure, I'd occasionally augment things with some Italian sausage, onion, or bacon, but it wasn't a pizza for me without pepperoni. Crust Pizza changed all that for me. Just before the grand opening I stopped by to see how

DIY Micro Happy Meal Kit - Only in Japan

2012-11-05T09:58:00.002-06:00

We've seen some weird products coming from Japan, but this instant DIY Happy Meal kit is truly remarkable

Houston Restaurants of the 1960's

2012-10-25T17:25:00.000-05:00

Houston is a city with a great history, but one that isn't celebrated nearly enough. Using footage from the University of Houston's digital library, YouTube user devroshart has put together this wonderful walk through Houston's nightlife circa 1960. I remember visiting many of these restaurants with my parents. Anyone else?

Chef David Guerrero's Ceviche Mixto

2012-10-15T14:53:00.001-05:00

Watch as Chef David Guerrero prepares his superb ceviche mixto.

Rockabilly Diner - North Houston's New Burger Truck

2012-10-04T16:13:00.001-05:00

The Houston City Council is making it tough on food trucks. While many are operating in the city, they face an unaccommodating legal environment that makes it tougher for these creative mobile kitchens to offer a great experience for their customers. Seating? No can do. Shaded seating? You're kidding, right? These factors alone put food trucks at a huge disadvantage compared to standalone

Chef Pronunciation Guide

2012-09-13T18:31:00.000-05:00

Want to sound like a neophyte foodie? A quick way is to mispronounce the name of a famous chef whose food you're claiming to have tried. Here's your guide to the phonetic pronunciation of some famous (and challenging to pronounce) chef's names: Grant Achatz- ACK-ETZFerran Adriá- feh rahn ah dree AHLidia Bastianich- lid ee ya bahs-TYAHN-itchMario Batali- BOT-tal-eeRichard Blais- BlazePaul

Hubbell & Hudson Bistro - No Compromise Dining in the Woodlands

2012-09-04T13:35:00.005-05:00

One of the ongoing battles I hear in the food community is whether one has to stay ITL (Inside The Loop, aka Loop 610 around central Houston) in order to enjoy great food. Historically, that's where Houston's elite lived, and and it's where Houston's best restaurants were located. (A quibble: At the time, Tony's was located OTL (Outside The Loop) near the Galleria, and Houstonians gladly braved

Where to Eat Now in The Woodlands - Summer 2012 Map

2012-08-15T11:26:00.000-05:00

It's been over half a year since we updated our listing of our recommended places to eat in the Woodlands, but we've been eating almost every day, searching for the best spots to recommend. From burgers and Tex-Mex to handmade pastas, fresh seafood and steaks, these are our favorite restaurants in the Woodlands area. Some notable finds: Crab Fritter at Hubbell & Hudson Cheeseburger

Torchy's Tacos brings a little more Austin to Houston

2012-08-08T16:51:00.001-05:00

Update: An eagle-eyed reader discovered that the City of Houston Health Department wasn't too pleased with what they found on their last visit to Torchy's, either. City of Houston Health Department When a foodie thinks about Austin, what often comes to mind is a quirky, casual spot that serves good food in a somewhat offbeat setting. Ever since Austin was just a college town and a hippie

Trader Joe's Opens in the Woodlands

2012-06-15T10:46:00.003-05:00

Trader Joe's opened its doors in Texas this morning, and the residents of the Woodlands showed up in droves to welcome this newest import from the West Coast. This fabled grocer is known for quality food, an interesting, well curated selection, and affordable prices. We joined the crowd to see what all the fuss was about. Walking through the door, we were greeted by the sound of a

Hubbell & Hudson to host Third Annual Beer & Cheese Festival - Saturday, June 30

2012-06-13T12:01:00.000-05:00

The Beer & Cheese festival is a great way for Houstonians to become acquainted with new and unique pairings of different styled beers and cheeses. Throughout the event, beer and cheese experts will be available to answer questions. Featured local Texas Breweries include Rhar & Sons (Fort Worth, Texas), St. Arnold (Houston, Texas), Karbach (Houston, Texas), Independence (Austin, Texas) and

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