Hong Kong's Cafe

I know it's not the first time you read about me going to Hong Kong's Cafe.  This time we're there for dinner.

I like to get my usual, Iced Lemon Tea.

This is Satay Beef over rice with Bok Choy.  They use Shacha Sauce to stir fry the beef with the brown sauce.  I just love mixing the sauce with rice.  Definitely a comfort food type of meal.

Hong Kong's Cafe

9108 Bellaire Blvd

Suite A

Houston, TX 77036

713-772-9633

Muiishi Makirritos

I got the Tuesdays mixed up with the Tasty Tuesday in Post Oak Plaza.  So, did a quick Twitter check and see if there's any food truck around work.

As luck would have it, Muiishi Makirritos were down the street from me.  Parked against an office building across from Uptown Park.

I had the Bibimbap, burrito style.  It has beef marinated bulgogi style, veggies, kimchi, and all goes together very well.

I wish their stuff aren't so filling so I can try other dishes they have to offer.  Each dish is a great deal and very filling, but I'm so full that I can't even add to it.  Maybe they'll do a sample dish in the future or maybe when I see them participate in a food truck fest.

Muiishi Makirritos

http://www.muiishimakirritos.com/

Del Frisco's

A co-worker was kind enough to take me to lunch at Del Frisco's.  

If you were to do lunch there, you can choose their Business Lunch.  It's a great deal, for $29 you get 3 courses.  I chose the seafood soup.  Very delicious and filled with meat even though the base is very much like a vegetable soup.

For the main course, I had the filet medallion, which is on top of a pile of very nice mashed potato.  The sauce on the side is very good, you should mix that with the potato.  The green beans though pretty, not the best.  It was too raw for my taste.

For dessert course, not pictured, I had the chocolate mousse to go.  I will say that if you take it to go, the portion is huge versus the portion there.  Which was in a wine glass with the pretty raspberry.  Overall, the entire meal was a great deal overall.  Plus lunch during the week, you are guaranteed a place to sit, unlike on weekend or at nights.

Del Frisco's

(near Forever 21)

5061 Westheimer Rd.
Ste 8060 

Houston, TX 77056

713-355-2600

http://delfriscos.com/houston/menus/lunch

Shanghai Restaurant

The other day I had a hankering for some red bean fried pastry, so despite the horrible traffic on Bellaire, I braved it just to get some.  

Just in case you can't find it, it is this one.  There is another restaurant down the street that has the same English name, but not the same Chinese name.

This is their Shanghai Soup Dumpling, which is very delicious.  

Here's the fried red bean pastry.  It really is simple, it's red bean paste inside and they roll it up.  Fried it, and cut it up.

Pan Fried Meat Bun, it is very meaty.  But watch out, it is very hot.  They do steam first and then pan fried, so it's super hot.  

For this place, you do need to know what to ask for and what to get.  Best bring a friend who knows their way to the menu.  Otherwise, lots of smiles usually does get you thru.  The other thing is that this restaurant is next to Golden Grocery, not the one by Welcome Grocery.  So, that's how you distinguish one from the other.

Shanghai Restaurant

9888 Bellaire Blvd

Houston, TX 77036

713-771-8825

Jenni's Noodles

It's so convenient that there's a Jenni's in the Galleria area for a quick Vietnamese food fix.

This one is hidden behind Maggiano's on Post Oak by Hilton hotel.  It's in the corner behind the sports store.

I like getting their Limeade mix with Iced Tea... very refreshing.

Got a teaser eggroll dish.  It's perfect, because you're not filled up on that and no room for the noodle.

I was hankering for pho.  Sometimes you just want that hardy soup and noodles just to warm your belly.  And that just hits the spot.

Jennie's Noodles

2027 Post Oak Blvd

Houston, TX 77056

713-NOODLES
http://www.noodlesrule.com/index.php

Coppa

Another quick bite while hanging out at the park.  Went by Coppa in the Village during their lull.  

This time I got the Fusilli and meatball.  It's has Italian Sausage and spicy marinara as sauce.  I think I like their parmesan cream sauce better.  But we can continue to try their other dishes.

Coppa Osteria

5210 Morningside

Houston, TX 77005

713-522-3535

http://coppaosteriahouston.com/

Osaka Sushi

For some quick dinner, we went to Osaka.

We got several rolls to share, spicy tuna, spicy salmon, and snapper/masago/and green onion.

Trying a new roll... unagi, carrots, green onion.  Not bad.

Chopped scallop, my favorite as always.

Osaka Sushi

4001 Bellaire Blvd

Houston, TX 

713-838-9812

Araya Macarons

As one of my birthday present, I got a nice cute little box...

This is from Araya Chocolate shop in River Oaks.  For chocolate, they do have some awesome boxes designs.  But for tiny macs, this will do.

It fits 2 macs just perfect.

Sadly, the macs aren't so lucky.  The shells were hard and as you bite into them they fell apart.  As you can see, there's air between the outside shell and the cookie, that's not a good sign.  Previously, we've heard that though they may have made the macs themselves, the cookies were frozen.  And while they can definitely make the cookies last longer, the quality does suffer some.  If that's the case, not surprise that the cookies turned out the way it did.  Bottom line: it's not as fresh as say couple days ago... might as well walk down to Patisse.  Maybe they should stick with fancy chocolate, which are worth every penny.

Araya Chocolates

2013 W. Gray

Houston, TX 77019

832-767-5939

http://www.arayachocolate.com/

Kona Grill - desktop cafe

The luxury of working inside the mall is that besides Food Court, there are decent restaurants in there for some variety.  For a quick lunch, I ordered sushi to-go.

Kona, like 51Fifteen, also offer Mall Associate lunch.  The price is about $10-13, basically is a few of their main dishes or salads at a discount. 

I had ordered the dragon roll, which was eel crab with the eel sauce (in containers) with crispy tempura bits on top.  The other is the caterpillar roll which has eel, avocado, cucumber and eel sauce (in container).  

I like the staff there, which if you order to-go you'll be dealing with the host and hostesses.  They're super friendly, very fast.  I would say, I feel like I had better service this experience than the previous sit-down experience here at Kona.

Kona Grill

in Galleria

5061 Westheimer Rd

Houston, TX 77056

713-877-9191

http://www.konagrill.com/

51Fifteen

A co-worker wanted to go to lunch together, so we go to our good o' standby at Saks.  If your standby lunch spot is at Saks Fifth Avenue, life is not shabby at all.

As I've mentioned the Associate Lunch Program, $13 includes entree, drink (non-alcoholic) and tax.  If you want bread or dessert, that's extra.  But it's definitely fast and cheap and non-mall food.

I got the Chicken Crepe.  I am just addicted to their vinaigrette with the cream sauce.  So delicious with the spinach.  There's no other, I tell ya!

Since it was celebrating my birthday, we also split their bread pudding dessert.  It's their top selling item.  Once  you tried it, you'd understand why.  Not too heavy and the raspberry puree goes beautifully with the ice cream, fruit and the bread pudding... yum!  I definitely don't encourage the gluttonous to take on this challenge yourself, split it with someone, you'll thank yourself later.  It is rich.

As usual, if you want to take advantage of the Associate lunch, tell the hostess or just walk up to the bar, or the bar table.  Any formal sit down would consider the full menu.

51Fifteen

5115 Westheimer Rd

inside Saks 2nd floor

Houston, TX 77056

713-963-8067

http://51fifteen.com/

Kuu

For my birthday, I talked my friends into taking me to Kuu for dinner.

If you've never been before, Kuu is nested by the freeway across from the Memorial City Mall, but the restaurant itself is in the middle before you hit Gessner intersection, across from Churrasco.  

Our server overheard us that we're celebrating my birthday, they gave us a complementary Citrus Cured Fluke, which is citrus cured flounder, kale chips, edamame puree at the very bottom, and those little cubes are citrus gelee'.  You eat the kale chips, with the flounder, and the cube together topped with the puree.  Very reminiscent of Uchi's Yakai Berry.

I had heard alot about the Waygu and Unagi from various places.  I was highly curious because it's essentially a mini surf and turf but the marinated is salty and sweet.  Turns out it's  a perfect harmony and you kinda think, duh... so obvious and how come I didn't think of it first?!  I love Waygu beef and love unagi as fish... how awesome!

Here's some nigiri.  As you can see, they try to give you more fish than alot of other places.

This is their Poseidon roll, it has chopped scallop (yum), diced tuna, salmon, yellowtail, tobiko, with citrus truffle vinaigrette.  While the fish is fresh and the combo is cool, I really think it's the vinaigrette that did the trick.  Call me bias, but I really think so.

I had the ginger cake with green tea ice cream and a slice of granny smith apple.  I'm normally not a ginger anything person, but the pairing worked for me.  It's kinda refreshing for that day.  Light and fluffy, can totally compete with Chris Leung's dessert at Kata.

Overall, the decor is hip and though they claim to be Japanese fusion, it's more Japanese than fusion.  Definitely points for creativity to their dishes.  I've heard people comparing Kuu with Uchi.  Personally, they are not competitive to each other in terms of dishes and taste... they are just different.  To me, Kuu is really about taking advantage of fresh food.  While Uchi, yes definitely fresh, is about creativity, that's where their 'fusion' came from.  One is not better than the other, just different.  And I've heard people complain about their service, personally, we went during lunch on a weekend, and service was great, the manager stopped by to check in on us, as did the chef, guess it wasn't super busy.  But, definitely no issues there and looking forward to return.  Reservations are recommended.

Kuu Restaurant

947 Gessner Rd #A180

Houston, TX 77024

713-461-1688

http://www.kuurestaurant.com/

Tiny Boxwood

Since I've been going to all the Tiny No.5s, I decided to go to the original location for a change of scenery.

I was going to get the Migas, but instead I changed my mind and go the Mother's Breakfast.  It has ground sausage, eggs, homemade biscuit and strawberry jam.  The sausage was definitely nicely done, and very meaty, you definitely got your money's worth there.  Of course, the jam is homemade too, very good and goes very well with the biscuit.

If you manage to go to the original location, go early so you get a decent parking spot and easy to get a table.  If you manage to go later, remember to bring your patience.

Tiny Boxwood

West Alabama & Saint Street

Houston, TX 

713-622-4224

http://tinyboxwoods.com/

Liberty Kitchen & Oysterette

Another birthday meal, we went to Liberty Kitchen & Oysterette.

I've been to the Liberty Kitchen in the Heights Location many of times for brunch.  This is my first time for dinner.

We ordered the Crazy Grilled and Fried oysters.  They have the fried ones on top of the grilled ones, and at first, you think: that's too much.  But when they arrive, you would be so surprise how good they are together.  From left to right: pork belly bacon with apple cider vinaigrette, salt & pepper with butter, lastly jalapeno juice, tequila lime with avocado oil.  Now matter how you slice it or dice it, all of them are good.  

My friend ordered the Seafood Gumbo that has whole crab, fried oysters, shrimp and andouille sausage.  I like it ok, not too spicy, very flavorful, and as you can see, you get meat every bite.

This is their Friday night special, which is Seafood Pho.  Very much tried to be Asian, but the seafood broth was so flavorful that you know it's not.  And like the gumbo, they did not skimp on the seafood.  Every bite you get seafood of some sort.  

There's lobster balls in there, along with shrimp, octopus, king crab, oysters, and scallops.

For dessert, we split a piece of chocolate cake.  It was superbly rich, richer than your landlord rich.  Amazingly, this was the least tasty course of the whole evening.  All of the other dishes were surprisingly good, and this one some how was sub par.  That was kind of disappointing.

This location is definitely very chic and matches the clientele who can easily walk across from the neighborhood.  Did you know this space used to be an Adult Only Tex Mex place?  Nothing naughty, just a kids free zone.  They tried to sell it as a sexy Tex Mex, but alas, for this space LKO had it right with casual chic.  The decor is fun and if you have a big enough party, you can sit at the half bar in the back.

Liberty Kitchen & Oysterette

4224 San Felipe

Houston, TX

713-622-1010

http://www.libertykitchenoysterette.com/index.php

Red Lobster

For Lent, we decided to go bad on Friday!

We went to Red Lobster.  I love their biscuit, totally addictive.

Got a Shirley Temple.... yum!

We were lured by the pictures they have on the menu, and ordered the Lobster, Crab and Seafood stuffed Mushroom.  It just came out of the oven, be careful, they're super hot!!!

We split the Lobster Lover's Dream, this comes with Lobster two ways, rock lobster tail & split Maine lobster tail.  It also came with lobster & shrimp linguini, which surprisingly great tasting.  The veggie and mashed potato (not pictured) left a little to be desired, but the lobster & pasta was very good.

If you sign up for their mailing list, they do often send you coupons and discounts notice.  For your birthday, they also send you a discount on 2 meals too.  Now, printing & retrieving is not easy, doesn't work with several web browsers but if you do get it, it is a decent deal.

Red Lobster

2323 Hwy 6

Sugar Land, TX 77478

281-313-2525

http://www.redlobster.com/

Hong Kong's Cafe

Hong Kong people are big on Afternoon Tea.  Not as fancy as this, there are some like that, but not all the time.

Back at Hong Kong's Cafe, for less than $6, you get a meal deal!  You get a drink.

You get a main dish.  I had the ramen with egg and spam.  Amazingly, as much as people in the States don't like spam, in Asia, that's a big thing.  And they pan fried it along with the eggs, and then put it on top of the noodles.  Don't expect the noodles to be some first class, home made noodles, but you can expect to be some kind of home from it.  

Hong Kong's Cafe

9108 Bellaire Blvd

Ste A

Houston, TX 

713-772-9633

Bite Macaron

So, back on March 20, was Jour du Macaron.  Bite was participating, so I thought I'd participate too.

The Jour du Macaron started in France to promote business.  Now, it's just becomes a fun event.

So, as you know, I cannot get just one.  Like the Lays Potato Chips, you can't have just one.  I have here, Salted Caramel, Hazelnut, Pistachio, Honey Lavender, Earl Grey, Blackcurrant.  

They have more than just macarons these days, so of course, go try the other stuff.  They do have cute desserts and coffee to boot.  That is a great way to spend an afternoon.

Bite Macaron

5172-B Buffalo Speedway

Houston, TX 77005

713-664-2483

http://www.bitemacarons.com/

Sprinkles

Did you know that for your birthday, Sprinkles Cupcakes give you a free birthday cupcake?

Of course, you'll have to sign up on their mailing list first.  But if it's free, why not... 

It happened to be St. Patrick's Day, so they have their special Irish Chocolate cupcake.  The frosting is Bailey Irish Cream Cheese frosting.  Which goes perfect with the Belgian Chocolate cake at the bottom.  They ran out of the clover toppers, but I'll take the green one and got a sticker instead.  The next thing, they need to make more flavors gluten free, install the Cupcake ATM, and bring some of those cupcake ice cream flavors to Houston.

Sprinkles

4014 Westheimer Rd

Houston, TX 77027

713-871-9929

http://www.sprinkles.com/locations/texas/houston

Batanga

So I met a friend for lunch downtown.  She suggested Batanga because she's in the mood for tapas.

Lunch during the weekday was not busy at all.

Pao de Queijo, which is the Brazilian Cheese Roll with Guava Preserves.  The cheese roll is more like a mini coconut macaroons.  But it does taste like a cheese roll.  Though, I was expecting it to be a bit larger.  You can go to Spec's and get a pouch $1 for 6, and they are bigger.  

I got the Express Hanger Steak.  The steak is pretty good, it has a couple pieces of plantain and potato.  The potato wasn't cooked all the way, so maybe in haste, they didn't check.  But the salad and the plantain is pretty good.

That day we were there, the day was pretty good, so alot of people chose to sit outside.  They only had one server to run around out there for the multiple tables, and couple of those were large parties.  For tapas, things weren't fast and wasn't as good as people were raving about.  The server had forgot one of my dishes, so thank goodness I got the steak.  When you see the hostess and the bus-person step in to help fill water and run the food, you know they need to have another server to help.  At one point, our server, the one and only server, avoided eye contact when we tried to flag her down for our check.  C'mon... your tip depend on service, for that type of service, I can take it or leave it.

Batanga

908 Congress

@ Travis

Houston, TX 77002

713-224-9500

http://batangahouston.com/