Restaurant Review

Mondays are dedicated to bringing you a restaurant review from Houston or even from around the country.

Christian's Tailgate
2000 Bagby Street
Houston, TX 77002
http://www.christianstailgate.com/

The Rundown: Christian’s Tailgate is the real deal! I’m not getting in the middle of a “Best Burger in Houston” pissing contest. Let’s just say my burger lived up to the hype. But CT was more than just a great burger joint…it was a real, honest to goodness sports bar. Those are rare in Houston.

The Food: I had tunnel vision for the hamburger…specifically, the 1/3 lb. Swiss mushroom burger. It came with a side of fries, onion rings, or a combo of both. I went with the combo. After the first bite, I really couldn’t help but channel Samuel L. This really was “a tasty burger”. I generally don’t like my patty so well done, but it wasn’t dry at all and the mushrooms and Swiss cheese really vaulted the burger to greatness. The fries were fries, but the onion rings....oh dear! They were light, but crispy...and every time you took a bite, the entire piece of onion didn’t come with. My St. Arnold’s (best beer ever) on draft tied the entire meal into a nice little bow.

The Price: Given the location (midtown), I was very pleased with the overall prices at Christian’s. My burger combo was $7.29. That’s pretty standard in these parts.

The Overall Opinion: CT’s was outstanding…I only wish I lived closer. Loved the layout, the beer, and the food. Next time there’s a big sporting event, I’m making the drive. It will be hard not getting the burger, but I may try some of their other items. I checked out the menu again. Its everything you want in a sports bar…beers on tap, wings galore, sandwich options, and even seafood baskets. The burgers start at 1/3 pounders and go up to a pound.

Helpful hints: CT’s parking is as bad as their burgers are good.

Tip Jar

Every Sunday you'll get a tip...take it or leave it.

Shower Cap Food Saver

Imagine a dinner that yields a massive amount of leftovers. You go for the plastic wrap...but alas, you're out. What do you do? What do you do? (sorry...this is a reference from the movie Speed...it was on this week, and it's so bad you just can't turn it off) Remember that little box-o-shower-cap you nabbed from the 4-star hotel? Go ahead and break it out. It works wonders in a pinch. Start a collection and save a little money...they re-use quite well. In this picture, I wrapped up my sausage (thank you..I'll be here all weekend...remember to tip your waiter).

Test Kitchen

Every Saturday I'll try out a new, found recipe...you'll see the good and the bad of it.

Goat Cheese Sandwich with Prosciutto and Apricot Preserves

Ingredients:
--Sourdough bread
--1 slice of prosciutto
--1 TBSN apricot preserves
--Healthy spread/crumble of goat cheese
--Butter for outside of bread
Make sandwich and if you’ve got a panini press…you’ll be in a happy place in about 5 minutes.

Description: Several weeks ago, a reader (Amy via her sister Erin) suggested I try this out. It may take me some time, but I usually get around to all suggestions. The fresh sourdough, buttery crust, tangy goat cheese, salty prosciutto, and sweet apricot preserves is a starting five that could take down the Lakers.

Recipe Difficulty (Scale of 1-10): 1
If any sandwich is harder than a “1” you’re probably not making a sandwich.

How it turned out: Really good
The only fault with this sandwich was my own doing. I put a little too much prosciutto and not enough preserves. Like most recipes, this one was much better the second go-around. I nailed it with the balance of flavors.

Would I make again: Yes
The recipe world of sandwich-making is a crowded field, but this one makes the cut. My level of cooking creativity is less than zero. Translation: I would’ve never come up with this sandwich. That’s why I am so very appreciative of readers’ suggestions. Thank you so much and please keep them coming.

Note: Please also note that a little preserve on the side for dipping works very well.

Back to Basics

Fridays are dedicated to the beginner cook.

Guacamole
In Texas guacamole is a way of life. It’s a fixture at every gathering…and for good reason. It tastes great with everything and it’s EASY to make!

1. Take two large, ripe avocados (when squeezed, they should have a little give to them).
2. Take a large, sharp knife and cut avocados lengthwise until you hit the pit. Remove pit and scoop out the good stuff.
3. Place the avocados in a large bowl.
Add:
¼ cup fresh chopped cilantro
1 TBSP of lemon juice (or juice of half a small lemon)
¼ cup of finely chopped red onion
1 TBSP of sour cream
1 tsp each of salt and pepper
4. Take a fork…mix and mash the ingredients with the avocado.

Note: I like to keep mine a little chunky. Also, remember that guacamole is not an exact science. Add or take away any ingredient you choose.

Tip: Want to keep your guac from getting that disgusting look from sitting out? Take the pit and place it in the middle of the mixture when serving.

Happy Hour

Every Thursday I'll get you ready for the weekend with a drink recipe.

Sunrise 43
1 oz. Licor 43
1/3 oz. White tequila
3 oz. orange juice
top with grenadine and maraschino cherry
Combine ingredients, pour over ice, top with grenadine.

My journey to clean out my liquor cabinet, while passing along quality drink recipes, continues. I love me some Licor 43. I found this to be a perfect brunch drink. After several bad college memories, I am no longer a fan of tequila. But it seems to work well in this drink...probably because of its limited amount. And then there's that darn maraschino cherry again. Makes you want to drink that drink even more...doesn't it?

Vegetarian's View

Molly gives her view of Hobbit Cafe...through the eyes of a vegetarian.

Hobbit Cafe
2243 Richmond Avenue
Houston, TX 77098

Overall Vegetarian Selection: (5) Stars
Brief Take: Hobbit Café is a vegetarian’s dream. The selection is very diverse with over 20 vegetarian (and some vegan) dishes on the menu. Every category has a variety of meat-free options. The vegetarian selection is so large I actually have a difficult time deciding what to order. This is a new and strange feeling to me which hardly ever occurs since many restaurants only have two or three vegetarian items not counting the kid’s menu.

Taste: (5) Stars
Brief Take: I didn’t order an appetizer but out of the 10 appetizers, six were vegetarian. That is what I call getting off to a good start. For my entrée I ordered a sandwich called the Shire. Hobbit Café has two sandwich size options: slim and classic. I was super hungry when I went and opted for the classic which was HUGE! The Shire sandwich was piled so high I could hardly take a bite, but I am not complaining. The sandwich was sliced in half with generous portions of avocado, tabouli, tomato and alfalfa sprouts on whole wheat bread. The menu calls for the sandwich with mayo but I decided not to include that. I really liked the Shire and thought the taste and texture complimented each other nicely. The avocado got a little messy but it was still very delicious.

The sandwich comes with black beans, brown rice or chips. I substituted fries for a small charge. The fries were just ok, I didn’t each much of them. Next time I will get the beans/rice instead.

Other menu items that caught my eye and I will probably consider next time include the Hobbit Wrap and Veggie Enchiladas. I didn’t order a smoothie but wished I would have because Hobbit Café’s smoothie selection looked wonderful. They even have the option to add protein or yogurt for under a dollar – that always makes a vegetarian happy.

Healthy Rating: (4) Stars
Brief Take: My sandwich was very healthy, but the fries were not, hence four stars instead of five. If I ordered the beans/rice instead, my Hobbit Café dish would have easy garnered five stars. Everything on the sandwich was healthy from the whole wheat bread to the tabouli.

Overall Opinion: (5) Stars
Summary: Hobbit Café is a win-win for vegetarians and meat eaters. I go with my husband and he always is pleased with the variety and selection of meat and seafood dishes. The restaurant is very laid back and the menu consists of American fare. I like to dine on the patio when the weather permits. Parking can sometimes be a problem during peak hours. I’ve been lucky a few times and parked in the lot but mostly I end up on a side street nearby. Their wine section is pretty good but next time I am getting a smoothie with protein for sure.

Unique Randomness

My random thoughts...brought to you once a week.

The more I work on this blog, the less television I watch…that’s a good thing. I’m not a big “show” watcher, but of course I still have my opinions…

Best Show: Pawn Stars
This one is easy. If you read this blog, you know how much I love Pawn Stars. They can’t keep the new episodes coming fast enough for me.

2nd Best Show: Chopped
I just love the concept. The great job of editing always creates a little drama.

Worst Show: Food Network Challenge
Listen, I know there are many worse shows (like everything reality driven), but I just hate these stupid Food Network challenges. I don’t give a sh*t if someone can make a human-sized Sponge Bob cake. Does it taste good? I never see the judges try a piece. On that note…you can have Ace of Cakes as well. I spend most of the show staring at Duff’s 5o’clock shadow that starts one inch below his eyes.

Show on the Decline: The Office
I know…it pains me to write it. This show is going downhill and Steve Carell knows it. I tried to pinpoint its demise. It’s the moment Dwight stopped idolizing Michael. Think about it…I’m right.

Show on the Rise: Hung
I was on the fence with this show after its first season. Thus far, season two has been a success…much better writing.

Top Heavy Show: Entourage
Where would this show be without Jeremy Piven? Answer…canceled.

Show I Want Back: Deadwood
I would pay part of my salary to have this show back on air. No kidding. Maybe the best writing ever on any program.

Show That I Know is Popular but Still Have Not Seen: True Blood
Easy one…vampire stuff scares me…there, I said it.

Best Cartoon: Family Guy
Family Guy runs laps around all the others. Stu Griffin is my all-time favorite.

Facebook Folley of the Week: Going on Vacation
You know the “Going on Vacation” guy. He’s the one who announces to the world all the details about his impending two-week vacation to Cabo. Really? Did you leave the front door unlocked as well? You know what type of people are on the internet? Perves, criminals, nutjobs, freaks, etc. Stop acting like the internet/facebook is a safe place. And another thing…only about 2% of the people in your life care about your vacation. The other 98% are pissed and jealous they can’t go. Think it’s not true? Honestly, what was your first thought when you saw that last facebook beach pic?

Mighty Good Recipe

It's Tuesday...time for a Mighty Good Recipe!

Today marks our first submitted reader recipe. I trust Amy...and these sound good.

Chipotle-Grilled Pork Tacos
From the June/July 2008 Cook's Country

1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 (8 oz) can pineapple chunks in juice, drained and chopped 1/4 cup
juice reserved
3 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 tablespoons minced canned chipotle chiles in adobo
1 (8 oz) bag coleslaw mix
3 scallions, sliced thin
salt
2 pork tenderloins (1 1/2 to 2 lbs total), sliced in half lengthwise
12 corn tortillas

1. Whisk mayonnaise, pineapple juice, cilantro, garlic and chipotle in
a large bowl; reserve 1/4 cup mayonnaise mixture. Add pineapple
chunks, coleslaw mix, scallions and 1/2 teaspoon of salt to bowl with
remaining mayonnaise mixture and toss to combine

2. Pat pork dry with paper towels and season with salt. Rub with
reserved mayonnaise mixture and grill over hot fire until browned all
over and meat registers 145 degrees; about 6 minutes. Transfer to
cutting board, tent with foil and let rest 5 minutes.

3. Grill tortillas over hot fire until lightly charred, about 15
seconds per side. Slice pork thin, arrange on tortillas, and top with
coleslaw.

Serves 4

Note: Thinks this would be just as good with fish, chicken or beef. And don't forget the guac!

City Jewel: Dallas-Ft. Worth

Mondays are dedicated to bringing you a restaurant review from Houston or even from around the country.

North Main BBQ
406 North Main
Euless, TX 76039
http://www.northmainbbq.com/

The Rundown: North Main represents the essence of Texas bbq. This Dallas-suburb eatery has it all…the rustic look, the “Best BBQ Anywhere” sign, and the haunting smoky aroma that slaps you in the face upon entry. Admittedly, I was drawn to this place by the power of advertising. North Main was featured for their ribs on the Food Network’s “Best Thing I Ever Ate”. Even more intriguing than the food was the older gentleman who runs the place…Hubert Green. He projected such a confident attitude on television and I wanted to see this guy in person.

The Food: Let's get one thing straight right off the bat…these were not the best ribs in the world, but they were VERY good. The best ribs in the world are located at Oklahoma Joe’s in Kansas City (and are the inspiration for this blog). North Main’s ribs are extremely lean, with an outer crust that is seasoned extremely well. Before I get to the rest of the food, it’s important to know how things run at North Main. You walk in, grab a white or black Styrofoam plate and proceed to the line of plentiful meats and sides. The white plate represents an “all-you-can-eat” experience. The black plate is half the cost but only gets you a sandwich and side. Guess which plate I grabbed? I went for it all: ribs, brisket, sausage, pulled pork, chopped beef, potato salad, and slaw. That’s it…no frills, and I think it's a great concept. As I stated, the ribs were fabulous. The pulled pork and brisket were very good, and were helped out by the tasty bbq sauce. The sausage was one notch above terrible. The sides were nothing special…not bad, but certainly not memorable. It was obvious the ribs were the main attraction, and for me they were great.

The Price: North Main is a fat man’s paradise…$12 for as much bbq as you can stuff in your pie hole. That price simply can not be beat…especially when you take into account the quality of food.

The Overall Opinion: I loved my experience at North Main. The food was great and I enjoyed watching the workers run the show. Those slabs of ribs were treated like Rembrandts, with the artist (Hubert) himself watching over everything like a hawk.

Helpful Hints: North Main is only open on the weekends. The parking lot is tight, but we had no trouble finding a spot. Just a warning…you will feel like an absolute fat pig after this meal. Wear something loose and have a jug of water for your unquenchable thirst. It felt like someone threw sand in my mouth for the rest of the day.

City Jewel: New York City

Thought I'd post this one a little early...it's our first feature on a New York City restaurant. Thanks so much to my good friend Lettie for submitting this great review!

Lombardi's
32 Spring St.
New York, New York
http://www.firstpizza.com/home.html

The Rundown: After my cousin took a trip to New York last summer, he came back to Houston raving about what else … pizza! Not just any pizza - the pizza at Lombardi's, America's first pizzeria.

For those of you unfamiliar with the story, Lombardi's opened in Little Italy as a grocery store in 1897. Eight years later, that's 1905 for those counting their fingers, Lombardi's was established as the first pizzeria in America with New York's issuance of the mercantile license.

For a more detailed history lesson, visit Lombardi's website.

Even with all the wonderfully creative and tasty dishes I've had the pleasure of enjoying as an adult, nothing beats a good slice of pizza. And thus, I trekked the three miles on foot (didn't want to feel guilty about eating what surely didn't qualify as health food) to Lombardi's to enjoy a slice (or three) of heaven.

The Food: Let's make one thing clear before you read on. When it comes to pizza, I decide what I want depending on the type of establishment I'm dining at. If I'm at a nicer Italian restaurant and order pizza, I will often opt for a pie with pesto, sundried tomatoes, portabella mushrooms and the like.

However, if I'm at a no-frills establishment that serves up the more traditional toppings like sausage, pepperoni and hamburger meat, then that's what I'll have - nothing fancy.

And that's exactly what I did at Lombardi's. I split a small pizza with a friend, half mushroom-half pepperoni. When the waiter came out with our coal-fired pie, the cheese was appropriately oozing off the sides the serving pan. The fresh-out-of-the-oven heat didn't deter two hungry chicks who had just walked three miles to enjoy a good - scratch that, great - slice of pizza. At first a little disappointed in the small, nickel-sized slices of pepperoni, I quickly came to appreciate that I didn't have to tug at my pizza in order to get one of the little suckers in my mouth. It's the little things in life that you learn to appreciate as you get older. The pizza was sprinkled with fresh basil, a nice addition I apparently looked over on the menu. The dough was fresh and thick enough to make you appreciate it, but thin enough (this is New York, after all) that it didn't overpower the pie itself.

I didn't try any of the mushroom pizza, but given that my friend and I sat in almost complete silence for the next 20 minutes after our pizza arrived at our table, I am confident she was equally as impressed.

The Price: Both the small (six slices) and large (eight slices) pies run less than $20. This being a New York eatery, that's not bad for a meal, especially when you split the bill. Lombardi's also serves up calzones and a small assortment of salads, all of which are reasonably priced.

The Overall Opinion: A definite must for visitors to New York who staying more than a day or two. Was it the best pizza I've ever eaten? No. And if you're looking for a big slice of greasy goodness, Lombardi's isn't where you're going to find it. But if what you're looking for is a nice slice of traditional pizza with a little bit of added flavor that brings it up a notch, Lombardi's is definitely a must. A friendly waitstaff, even in New York, made the experience all the more enjoyable.

Helpful Hints: Lombardi's is regarded as one of New York's best pizzerias. That being said, you should expect a 20+ minute wait to be seated as the establishment is not very big.