January 27th, 2010
In 5 Words: Downtown, Groups, Historical, Appetizer, Mixology
It’s a cool Downtown Houston night and the rain inspired rush of lights pulsate with the beat of the city. As I pull up in front of Hearsay Gastro Lounge, at 218 Travis, I watch people scurry across the slick streets to their plays, concerts and dinner reservations. I pull away from the entrance to park and a city worker in a safety vest motions me to stop as a trash truck tries to maneuver perpendicular in the street. If the buzz in the city isn’t enough to feel like an authentic downtown experience, the city workers being serenaded by the horns and shouts of motorists for holding up traffic really solidify the feeling.
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— Aaron
December 1st, 2009
In 5 Words: Hulk, Carnivore, Refuel, Pint, Hippie,
Having a little chat with some of my foodie-inclined coworkers over some office petrol, one mentioned a new place called the Petrol Station, off Ella past 34th street, just outside the loop. The more he talked about it, the more interesting it sounded, so I logged it into my brain’s food directory as I headed back to my desk. Later that weekend, some friends of mine and I are sitting in traffic on the loop very near Ella and 610. With our stomachs on “E,” we decide to fuel up at the Petrol Station. After a little Google map magic and some tight traffic maneuvers, we are on our way to this cool new place (know-it-alls, please hold your patience I am building for a dramatic turn).
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— Aaron
November 27th, 2009
In 7 Words: Confit, Ragout, Whiskey, Gargantuan, Gnocchi, Versatile, Artisnal
Excited to try the new Branch Water Tavern, I sit across the street waiting for Durham traffic to clear. The parking lot is bare; the only exception is a blue E-Z up tent that houses the valet, which allays my concern of having to circle the block to find parking. As I take in the horizontal, unpainted boards against the grayish brown exterior that mark the reformed Cue and Cushion building, I can’t help but feel that the exterior décor hints at something that slightly misses the mark. I can’t put my finger on it, but there is either an abundance or lack of the wood detailing on the outside of the building that affects the finish, but I’m heading here to eat, not do an architecture tour of Washington Avenue.
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— Aaron
September 29th, 2009
In 6 Words: Spam-Wow, Benediction, Southern, Chickwich, Barbecue, Brunch
If beavers are nature’s engineers, then the one behind Beaver’s Ice House designs monster trucks. This restaurant is excessive in the most sublime way and it really captures the changing Houston spirit. On one hand, there’s the rugged outpost Houston that built its name on its ports and its oilmen. But on the other hand, there is the new Houston that is staking it’s claim with the recently reborn Washington Ave. strip, the rabbit like reproduction of modern town-homes inside the loop and the culinary and arts scenes that are commanding national reputations and attempting to bring an air of sophistication to our hard working and practical roots. Beaver’s seems a perfect microcosm of that change, by bringing sophistication to our hardworking and practical southern favorites.
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— Aaron
September 7th, 2009
In 9 Words: Offal, Pig, Rabbit, Puckish, Heaping, Pimm’s, Feast, Rustic, Brains
Feast is a welcome addition to the Houston foodie culture. Just over a year old, they almost met their match with Hurricane Ike last fall and struggled to keep the restaurant afloat. To our collective benefit, not only did they survive the setback, but it is quickly becoming the current crown jewel of Houston’s thriving culinary community, splashing the pages of the New York Times and Bon Apetit. Hit their website to see the impressive list of reviews. (Fair warning, stretch your scrolling finger first, not responsible for the carpel tunnel causing single page web design)
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— Aaron
August 12th, 2009
In 8 Words: Wine, France, Buzz, Rhythm, Salle Climatisée, Cheese, Chalkboard, Homemade
We’ll consider it an omen that I first join you, dear readers, on the back of Rabelais:
“Most distinguished boozers, and you, most dearly beloved pox suffers … interpret all my deeds and words in the most charitable way, revere the cheesy brain that is feeding you with these lovely tails; and to the best of your abilities, always keep me company, all merry and bright … And so just put your feet up, my loves, and merrily read the rest for your body’s ease and the solace of your kidneys … Remember to drink my health … and I’ll raise a toast to you this very minute”
- from the introduction of Rabelais’s Gargantua
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— Aaron
