TX takes TX: Around the World in a Long Weekend

by Rachel Hamburger, intern

For LSU fall break I made my way back home to Houston. I used this as an opportunity to eat at a lot of my favorite restaurants I’d been missing while at school. Lucky for me, Houston is a major foodie city with thousands of delicious restaurants to choose from. I’m a fan of different cuisines, so naturally my favorite restaurants reflect this. Here’s some of my faves that I was lucky to stop at over the extended weekend:

Tex-Mex: Chuy’s

Chile Rellenos, Refried Beans and a Soft Taco at Chuy's

Chuy’s Tex-Mex is one of my absolute favorite spots for Tex-Mex. Although it has grown into a chain, it originated in Austin and the location I go to in Houston is one of the first franchises. I go to different Tex-Mex restaurants for different things: Los Tio’s for cheese enchiladas, Lupe Tortilla for the fajitas, El Real for nachos, etc. 

My reasoning for loving Chuy’s the way I do is for its chile con queso and chile rellenos. The queso has roasted green chiles, which gives it a great smoky spicy flavor. The rellenos are roasted and perfectly fried Anaheim peppers stuffed with delicious melty cheese.

My go-to order is a soft ground beef taco and a cheese chile relleno, double refried beans and no rice. Chuy’s has THE BEST refried beans. I don’t usually end up being able to eat the double serving of refried beans, but I always order it for leftovers.

Mediterranean: Fadi’s

Gyro at Fadi's

Fadi’s is a cafeteria-style line, with so many options. For example, they have about 10 different types of hummus alone. This time I got gyro, hummus, pomegranate eggplant, and dolmades (rice-stuffed grape leaves). Gyro meat is cooked on a vertical rotisserie. The most common is beef, which is what I ordered. Fadi’s has delicious homemade pita bread, it’s about 10x better than pita bread from a package-- hot, doughy and delicious. I try to order differently every time I go to Fadi’s, because everything is so good and I like to try out different things.

Houstonian: Local Foods

The Seasonal Harvest Salad at Local Foods

While this isn’t an ethnic restaurant, it can be considered “Houstonian” cuisine, kind of fits, right? The first Local Foods location opened in 2011, and they already have 3 locations and are working on a fourth. Their concept is just what the name entails: the use of local ingredients. 

Each location is spectacularly designed, it’s the type of restaurant you love to go to because of the atmosphere (as well as the food, obviously.) Their menu consists mainly of sandwiches, salads and soups but they also have tons of delicious sides, as well as multiple vegan options. 

Houston is a city full of food, but the focus on local organic foods has become increasingly popular, and the fast expansion of Local Foods is proof of that. I got the Seasonal Harvest Salad with chicken. I love getting this salad because it really does use whatever ingredients are in season, so it’s different each and every time I order it.

Indian: The Bombay Brasserie 

All of the things at The Bombay Brasserie

I have been going to eat at The Bombay Brasserie since I was a little girl. It is my absolute favorite Indian restaurant on planet earth. My parents both love Indian food, and introduced me to it at a very young age. I have loved it from the start and consider the Indian cuisine one of my favorites. Every day, Bombay Brasserie has a lunch buffet (typical of many Indian restaurants.)

I know that many people frown upon buffets, as they usually aren’t the best quality, but this is not the case with Bombay Brasserie. Silver ornate chafing dishes and white tablecloths are what you get at this lunch buffet.

Why do I love going to the buffet versus going for dinner? The Indian cuisine has so many different dishes and unless you go with a larger group for dinner, you won’t get to try different ones. It is a cuisine best served family style, but I typically am eating out with one parent or the other. That doesn’t enable you to be able to order in typical “family style” fashion so the buffet is perfect.

It’s all served with warm Naan, traditional Indian flatbread similar to pita, and poppadum, a thin, giant, round Indian cracker (typically made from lentils or chickpeas.) My all time favorite dishes are Saag Paneer, a creamed spinach with cubes of paneer cheese (a cheese used in many Indian dishes), and Chicken Tikka Masala, cubes of roasted chicken in a creamy tomato and butter sauce. I also can’t go to the Bombay Brasserie without ordering a Mango Lassie to drink. It’s a mango yogurt drink that is perfect in cooling your mouth down from the many spices in the food.

Thai: Thai Cottage 

Red Chicken Curry

My last stop of the weekend was Thai Cottage, my favorite Thai restaurant. I almost always order the Red Chicken Curry; because it is so good I have a difficult time straying from it. Thai red curry is very different from Indian curry. It is soupier and made with red curry paste, coconut milk, bamboo shoots, peas, carrots and basil served with rice. If you didn’t know any better you would think it was full of cream, but its smooth, velvety texture comes from the coconut milk.

When ordering, you tell the waiter which spice level you want, from one to five. I opt for level three, which is pretty spicy but not so spicy that you can’t enjoy the food. Thai cottage has nine Houston area locations, so no matter what part of town you’re staying in, there will likely be a Thai Cottage in the vicinity.

These are just a handful of my favorite Houston spots that I miss dearly when I’m in Baton Rouge. I hit up most of these places every time I’m back in H-town. If you find yourself in Houston anytime soon, check any (or all) of these out. You’ll thank me later.

A Love Letter to Latin American Food

by Sydney Blanchard

I pretty much never tire of Latin American food. In a way, it reminds me a lot of the Cajun soul food I grew up eating – spicy, atypical cuts of meat and some form of fried/bready form of carbohydrates.

With bright colors and bright flavors to boot, Latin American food makes a food blogger's job easy.

Team Bite and Booze would like to formally express our love for Latin cuisine through imagery. Below you'll find some of the most memorable meals we've had.

Scroll, and enjoy.

Dear Latin American Food,

Ceviche at El Xuco Xicana in Houston, TX

We know you sometimes get a bad wrap.

Pollo en Mole at La Reyna in Baton Rouge, La.

But you're too good for this world.

Mexican street corn

You're more than just your bright colors.

Guacamole at Johnny Sanchez in New Orleans, La.

You're more than your bold flavors.

Green mole at Mestizo in Baton Rouge, La.

You've got us wrapped around your little finger.

Barbecue chicken quesadillas with Jay D's Louisiana Barbecue Sauce

And we wouldn't have it any other way.

Tacos at The Rum House in Baton Rouge, La.

Thanks for being you.

Red snapper ceviche at The Gulf in Gulf Shores, Ala.

Palo Rojo: 7 Places to get Your South of the Border Fix in the Red Stick

Baton Rouge is home to an extremely varied population. Surrounded by destination food cities that embody Cajun and Creole cuisine, I find that the many faces of that Capital City's culinary landscape to be one of the best parts of our food culture. Most culinary regions share the same influence, but Baton Rouge is home to quite a few cultures that each present their own extraordinary cuisine. We have a strong presence of Cajun, Creole, Southern, Latin American, Western European, Greek and Mediterranean, and East Asian influences. Having that said, in no particular order, these are some of the best, authentic Latin American joints in town. If you're tired of finding that Baton Rouge is slacking on the Mexican Cuisine front only to be stuck in the same rut of casual "Mexican" eateries, then it is time to think again. Don't see your favorite here? Leave me a comment and tell me where you like to grab your favorite south of the border bite or leave me a note on the Bite and Booze Facebook Page!

Lengua Gordita

Taco n Sabor: 3151 College Drive

Fairly new on the scene, Taco n Sabor is tucked away in the small College Creek shopping center. You may have passed it up because you've been caught up in the horrendous College Dr. traffic. I'll let it slide this time, but just know that this place has developed quite the buzz around town and is worth every bit of praise received. Not used to the different kinds of meats and spices behind the counter? No problem!--the staff is very nice and will offer samples upon request or quizzical expression.

Bite and Booze Bonus: Try the Ellotes Preparados. The Mexican Street Corn is cheesy, spicy, and delicious!

Pollo en Mole

La Reyna: 13213 Perkins Rd.

It is time to check out this hole in the wall Honduran place on Perkins near Siegen. One of my top dishes to get at La Reyna is the Pollo en Mole, chicken meat braised down in a spicy chocolate sauce. It is absolutely the best mole I've had in Baton Rouge! The flavors of the sauce balance nicely with the rice and beans while a side of fried plantains supplies a nice crunchy textural contrast. La Reyna definitely represents more of the Central America region rather than straight up Mexican, which is just fine by me.

Bite and Booze Bonus: Don't shy away from one of their tropical fruit drinks. The Tamarindo offers a nice sweetness to compliment the spices in their dishes.

Torta Carnitas

La Tiendita: 6031 Siegen Ln.

While every eatery in this post represents authentic Latin American cuisine, La Tiendita is my go to Mexican craving fix. The tacos are superbly simple yet phenomenal and their other menu items shine too. I highly suggest a torta, which is close to the Mexican equivalent of a poboy. If you're looking for a bold and zesty authentic Mexican menu, you'll want to check out La Tiendita for sure!

Bite and Booze Bonus: Try the Queso Fundido... the not skillet of molten cheese brings right the right flavor to the warm tortilla chips.

Pork with Cactus

La Michoacana:103 W. Jeansonne St., Gonzales, LA 70737

Half restaurant, half Latin American Market, La Michoacana proved worthy of the drive for me. Who doesn't love a place where you can get authentic Latin American cuisine, a Mexican Coke, some cowboy boots, and blocks of queso fresco? I skipped past the fajitas and enchiladas and headed straight for the lengua burrito and tacos. A friend of mine had their special of the day, pork and stewed cactus. I would recommend this tangy, spicy, and savory pork lovers out there. My dishes were excellent as well. I'm a big fan of lengua because it's tender, juicy and goes well with some crumbled queso fresco and cilantro. With impeccable service and a delightfully fresh, mild salsa, La Michocana is worth the stop if you're in the neighborhood.

Bite and Booze Bonus: Shop through the store on your way out, they have good looking tortillas, hard to find ingredients and produce available.

La Morinita: 7981 Florida Blvd.

If you cook a lot of Mexican food at home or like to try new recipes that call for specialized Latin American ingredients, skip hopping around to 2-3 different grocery stores and check out La Morinita. It's a huge market full of everything from specialized beverages, a fresh meat market, and tons of produce and dry goods. They have an array of spices, some of which I haven't even heard of, so chances are you'll be able to find what you're looking for. It's easy to get hungry while shopping so La Morinita has a great little in-store Taqueria to cure your fix. I had a couple of carnitas tacos and made my way through the store.

Bite and Booze Bonus: Go here to buy your Mexican Coke. I always keep my office stocked with it and they sell it in 24 bottle flats at La Morinita.

El Rio Grande: 8334 Airline Hwy.

The Rio Grande is the river that forms the border between Mexico and Texas, thus, making a great name for a quality Tex-Mex restaurant. While this post is mostly about authentic Latin American restaurants, there is such a thing as authentic Tex-Mex. It's nice to have to have a place where tamales, tacos, burritos, enchiladas, and guacamole reign supreme...and did I mention margaritas? In addition to their slammin' chips, salsa, and queso, El Rio Grande has fantastic drinks and house infused tequilas. They have kind of a funky atmosphere going on, and their dishes represent what you would mostly expect to see in a Tex-Mex restaurant, but they do it right.

Bite and Booze Bonus: Don't skip on the guacamole...it's some of the best I've had in town.

Beef Quesadillas with Grilled Onions

El Paste Durado Panaderia Bakery: 6166 Florida Blvd.

The store part of this eatery is rather small. What's more unique is their bakery. Behind a little wall you can find cases of baked Latin American pastries which looked mighty tasty! I sat down to a crunchy basket of chips and fresh salsa. I had the Carne Asada while my Chief Confusion Coordinator, Blair, had the Beef Quesadillas with grilled onions at the recommendation of our server. The creaminess of the cheese contrasted the slight crunch of the grilled onions and crispy tortilla. Blair told me that is easily one of the most delightful quesadillas she's found.

Bite and Booze Bonus: Ask your server for the "Hot Sauce." It's essentially a salsa verde, but this one has a ton of jalapeño... spicy, but more flavorful than anything.

Eusebio's House for Authentic Mexican Tacos and Assorted Beverages

Last week Eusebio had Brent and I over for an authentic Mexican feast.  We did a little porch sitting, cerveza drinking, and chit chatting while the beef roast slow-cooked in a ceramic dish in the oven.  I started with a Dos Equis Lager.  Famous from the "Most Interesting Man in the World" commercials, Dos Equis was one Hell of a beer before its new-found ad campaign glory.  Dos Equis, or "Twenties" as I've heard them referred (referencing the Roman Numeral represented by XX), is a mexican-style lager beer that is crisp and refreshing and fairly gentle on the palate.  It most certainly is not only one of my favorite Mexican beers, but one of my favorite macro-brewed beers out there.

On a personal note: like all other Mexican beers, I prefer to drink Dos Equis WITHOUT a lime.  I know this is not normal in America, but when I drink Mexican beer, I prefer to drink it like a Mexican instead of like an American that is stereotyping Mexican beer drinkers.  It has nothing to do with being macho and "not fruiting beer", but rather I try to make a cultural statement by drinking my Mexican beers without a lime because that is how Mexicans drink their beers.  Limes were simply a method of using citric acid to disinfect the rim of a beer glass, clean the dusty lip of a beer can, or remove rust from the rim of a beer bottle back in the day, and now look what it turned into!  Oh, and another thing, much like Australians don't drink Fosters, Mexicans don't drink Corona.  Corona is about as American as pumpkin pie.  Maybe not apple pie, but pumpkin pie is about right.

When dinner came around we also drank a little wine.  Eusebio had two Zinfandels that we sipped on as we dined and then continued our consumption during our after-dinner story time.  One was from Gnarly Head and the other was from the Dancing Bull vineyard.  Both are California red wines with a little spice to go with the fantastic fermented fruit.  I realized on this day that I've long had a negative thought towards Zinfandels in my mind due to my dislike of ultra-sweet White Zinfandels, but the real thing, Red Zins, are actually fantastic wines and I need to drink more of them.

Dinner was as delicious as always at Eusebio's house.  The beef was better than fork-tender as it could be torn apart with just a little pressure of the fingers.  It was not ground beef like typical Tex-Mex tacos, but rather a beef roast that simmered in Mexican-spiced juices until it could melt in your mouth.  After being placed on a fresh tortilla, the succulent beef was topped with lettuce, cheese, a little pico de gallo, and some fresh cilantro to create an authentic soft taco that delivered mouth-watering flavor to my mouth.  The beef tacos were accompanied by some refried beans and Mexican rice.  The entire meal was phenomenal.  The spice of the Zins complimented the Mexican seasonings very well as each delightful bite came with a swallow of divine wine.  It was a great evening with some buddies, great food, and, of course, a little booze.  Life is good today.  O, en espanol, mi vida es buena hoy.

Casa Maria (College Dr.)

Friday evening after work I went to visit one of my former students, Fahim, to talk about life and see what he was up to. Fahim works at Casa Maria on College Drive along with Alba, another one of my former students that I have stayed in touch with. Because of it's close proximity to Lee High, Brent and I would often go there for happy hour drinks or  for after baseball practice dinner. Other teachers would also come in fairly often, and I really think that Fahim and Alba enjoyed seeing their teachers in a setting that was outside the classroom.

Steak Quesadilla at Casa Maria

The food at Casa Maria is pretty standard Tex-Mex style cuisine.  There is nothing on the menu that really jumps out at me, but nothing that I've ever ordered has been bad either.  Like most "Mexican" restaurants, Casa Maria serves free chips and salsa, and their version is pretty tasty, though nothing unique.  The steak quesadilla that I had was loaded with steak fajita meat and cheese and served with sour cream, guacamole, and jalapenos.  Like everything else, it is great for a quick, cheap meal or snack, but nothing that makes my mouth water.  When I go to Casa Maria it is always way more about the staff, the friends, and the drink specials.  Some decent food is usually an after thought and after 6 to 8 Dos Equis and three baskets of chips and salsa, the entree usually doesn't matter that much.  I'll keep going back as long as Fahim and Alba are there, and I'll keep eating, but I won't have my hopes up that I'm going to get a real culinary treat, just some pretty good Mexican food at a pretty fair price.