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Tag Archives: Houston, TX

Straits (Westchase, Houston, TX)

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On a mini tour through Texas and my first stop..Houston! My previous post was on a great sandwich joint called Local Foods (click HERE for my review)…a local sandwich shop owned by Benjy’s. After a great lunch with the boyfriend, the next stop? A girl’s night at Straits.  They had a great dinner menu filled with small, delicious plates. The restaurant atmostphere was perfect for a girls night out...trendy, but still comfy! And the drinks were delicious…unfortunately, they were gone before I could photograph them…

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Roti Prata. Yellow curry dipping sauce.

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Spring Rolls. 

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Singapore Satay Sticks. Spicy Peanut Sauce.

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Murtabak. Roti Prata. Spiced Beef. Curry Dip.

Every dish left me wanting more. For a bar scene, the dishes were well thought out and infused with homey, yet rich flavors. I’m not gonna lie…we ordered more than one Roti Prata. It’s not a girl’s night if you can’t load up on carbs! haha…It’s okay. We paid for it at the gym…

I have yet to try their official dinner entrees, but if these small plates are a reflection of what they have to offer, then I can’t wait!

Straits on Urbanspoon

Fat Bao (Houston, TX : Kirby)

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There’s a new restaurant in town! Fat Bao took the traditional steamed bun and converted it into a delicious new concept. Steamed buns were most popularly stuffed with delicious roasted Peking duck, but Fat Bao has taken that idea and created their own variety of stuffed steamed buns, delicious appetizers, and even desserts…

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Avocado Chips. Panko crusted w/ Jalapeno Dip

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Crab Daddy Bao. Soft shell crab. Spicy mayo. Asian Slaw. Bulgogi Bao. Beef ribeye. Kimchi. Green onions. Peking Duck Bao. Roasted Duck. Green onions. Hoisin sauce.

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Curry Bao. Beef brisket. Cilantro. Pickled Red Onions.Crab Daddy. (close up)

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Peking Duck (left) and *Special*: Fried Portabello Bao w/ Asian Slaw

 

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Fried Bao: Cafe du Monde Bao (left) Spicy Chocolate Bao (right)

Something so simple, but transformed into something so delicious! The idea of stuffed baos is not only impressive but the quality of the food is unexpected. Along with good food, the customer service here is awesome! Check this place out..you’ll love it!

Fat Bao on Urbanspoon

Restaurant Listing

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A guide with LINKS to all of my reviews…Still thinking of a good way to organize them for y’all, but until then… Enjoy!

NEW ORLEANS RESTAURANTS REVIEWS

NOLA DESSERTS

NOLA EVENTS

TEXAS EVENTS

HOUSTON

SAN ANTONIO

FLORIDA

Torchy’s Tacos (Houston, TX)

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I travel a lot between New Orleans and Houston so I thought I’d spice this blog up a little with some Mexican food!

Torchy’s Tacos was originally an Austin taco joint, which expanded and finally reached Houston. Austin is known for it’s laid back atmosphere and character and you can definitely see that in Torchy’s menu and atmosphere…


I ordered To Go so it’s not plated up as nice as when you’re dining in, but I tried! 

Chicken Fajita. Tender marinated & grilled chicken breast. Grilled onions and peppers, cheese and pico. Flour tortilla.


Taco of the Month: Tuk Tuk. Marinated and grilled Thai beef fajitas. Cooked cabbage slaw. Pickled cucumbers and carrots. Sriracha. Avocado sauce. Jack Cheese. Lime. Crushed peanuts and mint. Corn Tortilla.


The next taco I’d love to try is “The Independent”…it has hand-battered deep fried portobello mushroom strips and more…but it had me at portobello…

Whether you’re dining in or ordering take out, Torchy’s is a great place when you’re craving some delicious tacos. The service is always friendly and helpful and food service is quick. The tacos vary from authentic Mexican versions to creative concoctions that are just as delicious. I know Houston has tons of taco joints, but Torchy’s will definitely satiate that taco craving! 

Torchy's Tacos on Urbanspoon

Uchi (Houston, TX)

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“The chef” and I were spending a weekend in Houston and a friend was raving about this new restaurant that opened. Little did we know, it was actually a second location to the original Uchiko (Austin, TX) where executive chef Paul Qui works. In case you didn’t know, Paul is winner of Bravo’s Top Chef Texas! 

Our dinner was definitely an experience…every dish brought some excitement to us…both visually and to our taste buds. We ordered the Chef’s Tasting so we had no idea what would show up to our table….

Kaki No Shiki. Shigoku Oyster. Lychee Granite.

Random Fact: These are West Coast oysters. They have deeper bowl-shaped shells from the way they roll along the coast. The flavor profile is less briney than Gulf Coast oysters.

For a girl who use to be squeamish when it comes to raw oysters, these were delicious. Fresh and plump…mMmm!

Roasted Golden Beets. Skyr Yogurt. Bitter Greens. Acacia Honey. 

Chef’s Nigiri Selection. (above and below)

Hirame Uzuzukuri. Thinly-sliced Flounder Sashimi. Candied Quinoa. Olive Oil. 

This had to be one of my favorite dishes. It was refreshing with a sweet and tangy twist to it. 

Wagyu To. Short Rib. Cauliflower. Beet. Black Pepper. Kumquat. 

Hamachi Nabe. Baby Yellowtail. Koshi Hikari Rice. Farm egg. Soy broth. 

I know, this picture makes this dish look like a plain bowl of rice, but the presentation was beautiful! When the waiter brought it out, there were these dancing rice flakes on top. It was crazyyy! As the waiter mixed the bowl, the dancing flakes disappeared and I didn’t get to photograph the interesting presentation. 

Atlantic Salmon. Yokai Berry. Dinosaur Kale. Asian Pear. Yuzu. 

Hirame Shiro. Halibut. Shrimp Cocunut Milk. Basil. Candied Onion. 

Pork Jowl. Brussels Sprout Kimchee. Romaine. Preserved Lemon Creme Fraiche. 

Okashi. Coriander Creme Brulee. Carrot. Rose. Marcona Almonds. 

*Sorry for the blurry picture! Must’ve been in food coma at this point! =P

Now that I’ve seen these works of art, I definitely see the influence it had on Paul Qui. Everything from presentation to flavor…it’s no wonder he won Top Chef!

Presentation was top notch! The sashimi dishes were unbelievable! I have never had fish so fresh in my life…it was almost like they plucked them straight out of the ocean for us.  Every dish had unique flavors and textures. It’s amazing how they could combine so many different elements onto one dish, and yet, they come together and make such wonderful dishes. I just can’t say it enough! 

The experience was definitely a pricey one ($$$$), but well worth it! 

Uchi on Urbanspoon