Golden Dim Sum

Went back to Golden for dim sum.

This time really was my eyes was bigger than my stomach...

Upper left (clockwise): shumai - pork dumpling, baked pork buns, custard egg tart.  

I love baked pork buns, they put on a layer of honey on top, nice and sticky.  Their egg tart has a great shell: full of layers and nice and crunchy.

Steamed Taro (Ube) cake.  I'm bigger fan of turnip cake than taro cake, plus the turnip ones are usually pan fried, the taro ones are only steamed.  Sad face.

The other is the pan fried rice noodle roll with XO sauce.  It has a strong kick of spice, that's for sure. If you cannot finish this dish, take it home but don't let it sit too long.  I made the mistake of not eating it until the next day.  It basically marinated and everything got hotter and spicier the following day.  Lesson learned!

Also for fish filet congee.  It's nice and warm for any cold day.  Beware, they do come out piping hot. I just love a bit of fish to go with the congee and a bit of salty to go with the fish.  Super delicious.

Golden Dim Sum

10600 Bellaire Blvd

Ste 105

Houston, TX 77072

281-495-1688

http://goldendimsum.com

Fat Bao

Quick dinner at Fat Bao.  I haven't been there for a while, forgot how popular this spot is.

One of my favorite is the Duck, it has house-made pickle, hoisin sauce, and green onions.  I love that the duck is not too dry and they give you lots of meat.  If they give me more hoisin sauce that'll would've been awesome!

I got the Curry Brisket Bao, which has the brisket in curry sauce, and pickled onions.  It's not spicy as the name suggests but does have a nice taste to it.  Not at all dry.

The other is the fish, which the fish is tempura-ed, pickled apple and jalapeño mayo(which I didn't taste much of it).  Overall nice and crunchy, not too dry.

I think hat's one thing that I love coming here, the food here can easily be made wrong or dry, yet they deliver every time.  I also love the casualness of the place, several communal tables and they're fast with the food.  Highly recommend here for a quick and casual meal.

Fatt Bao

3419 Kirby Dr 

Houston, TX 77098

713-677-0341

https://www.fatbaohouston.com

Hong Kong's Cafe

Went back to my default go-to...

This time for lunch I got Red Bean Ice - Adzuki beans, nice and sweet, with cooked beans and coconut milk.

Got my fav: half honey roast pork and half chicken.  The pork is nice and sweet but my favorite is the ginger sauce that comes with the chicken.  Not too spicy but has a bit of salty that comes with it.  I actually wanted to put the sauce on the rice and eat it all up.

Hong Kong Cafe

9108A Bellaire Blvd

Houston, TX 77036

713-772-9633

One Dragon Restaurant

I love eating Shanghainese food, and don't usually get to One Dragon.

This is a second reincarnation of One Dragon.  Previously, it was a Hong Kong Style food, noodles, stir fry dishes...etc.  It was not as popular as the Shanghainese food, but I had great memories eating there, it was a great comfort food place for me.

Xiao Long Bao - Shanghai Soup Dumpling.  Very fresh, not frozen at all, very yummy pork, and yes I made a mess.  It does squirt everywhere.

Shanghai stir fry thick noodles with pork thin slices.  I just love the oily soy sauce taste, it reminds me of my childhood, seriously.

Here's the Crispy Bottom Pork Bao.  One of my other favorite, it is super hot when it arrives.  It does have a very crispy bottom.  The pork is cooked thru, which always baffles me how it's all done.  The top is steamed, and then they pan fry the bottom.  Yet, none of it over cooked.  It always amazes me.

Most of the time I come here, it's super pack.  So, don't mind the wait.  Have one person wait, while the rest of the party just hang outside or go next door.  By the time you get back, however, I promise the food is worth the wait.

One Dragon Restaurant

9310 Bellaire Blvd

Houston, TX 77036

713-995-6545

Maine-ly Sandwiches

Went back to Maine-ly sandwich because I have a Living Social discount.

So, let's start with the orange soda.

I got the half Lobster Roll, which I learned that if you get the full roll it's actually alot of food.  And a cup of the clam chowder.  I will say that the clam chowder isn't as great as I'd imagined it to be.  Their lobster roll never disappoints.  I like how the roll is toasted with butter on it, stuffed with steamed lobster with mayo and lightly peppered.

It is a casual setting.  You go get a ticket, market what you want, hand it to the cashier.  Grab your drink, your whoopi pie, and a number and grab a sit.  They'll get you your food.  Of course, don't forget to pick up after yourself after you're done.

Maine-ly Sandwich

3310 S. Shepherd Dr

Houston, TX 77098

713-942-2150

https://www.mainelysandwiches.com

Kata Robata

It's been a while since I've eaten at Kata.

I always enjoys the bar, watching the chefs working with each other behind bar and plates of deliciousness just comes out, just amazing to me.

Got my beloved Chirashi, it's like sushi deconstructed.  

The bottom is a layer of rice, and veggie and seafood and all looks amazing. 

Top layer are all sashimi fish variety: tuna, salmon, scallop, yellowtail, and 8 other kinds of fish.  Basically, if you order sushi of each of these would've exceeded the price of the Chirashi itself.  

You know how after eating sushi, like an hour or so later, you're hungry?  If you are having Chirashi, you're filled to the bream, totally.  Not hungry after an hour or two or three, for sure.

Kata Robata

3600 Kirby 

Suite H

Houston, TX 77098

713-526-8858

https://www.katarobata.com

Toulouse

Meeting a fellow mom friend for a casual dinner.

Been meaning to try Toulouse, and finally got a chance to do it.

As true to Bistro style, you get a mini baguette and some butter to boot.

We got truffle mac and cheese.  Super divine, highly recommend it.  

This is Veal Scaloppine with mashed potato and veggies on the side.  It's flavorful with some lemon zest into it.  The sauce was great not too strong, great for potato to wiping it up.  Yum!

We split an Apple Tart Tartin, it was again, very well balanced, no too sour from the apple, not too sweet with the ice cream.  It is delicate that is comforting.

I would say, parking is not as much as a challenge, as I had anticipated.  You can park in some reserve spaces after 6pm, just need to pay attention with the signs.  Then, one escalator ride to the from door of Toulouse, very convenient.

Toulous

4444 Westheimer Rd

Ste E100

Houston, TX 77027

713-871-0768

http://www.toulousecafeandbar.com/

Salt and Pepper

A lot of times, people think that it's so great to work in the mall because you have more food to choose from.

While I've been in offices where there's only one deli which allows for monopoly on price due to supply and demand.  Sometimes, mall food is that, mall food.  This is however, a bit different.

They are Mediterranean food, and cooks all their food onsite.  Here's their entree options.  

Lot's of side options and skewers.

I was craving a gyro, so basket it is!  They give you alot of meat and alot of veggies, so a normal gyro sandwich you may get at the food court is another 50% larger for them.  And when you order to go, you do have to wait, they are making the food fresh for you.  

Sultan Pepper

in Houston Galleria Mall

5015 Westheimer Rd

#A1281

Houston, TX 77056

832-487-9852

http://sultan-pepper.com

Ramen Tatsuya

When the weather is cold, what is great?

A bowl of belly-warming ramen, of course!

We got an order of gyoza to share.  It is actually pretty good, pan fried, doesn't taste frozen.

Got the original tonkotsu, it has the yummy pork bone broth, has so much layer to it.  This ain't your regular ramen soup, my friend.  Chashu (their soy braised pork belly), nice and soft, falls off your chopsticks when you touch it.  Mushroom, scallion and the 60 degree egg.  

As taught by Mr. Agu, you sip the broth when it arrives at the table, before you mix everything up.  Try to enjoy that taste.  Then, you mix everything up and then try the broth again.  That should give you some contrast, not huge, but it should stir up the flavors.  Try it next time.

Funny thing about Tatsuya, almost every time we came here, our appetizers came after our ramen.  Ramen usually comes out within a few minutes of us being seated.  I love how ordering everything is when the crowd arrives.  Parking lot may not be the case, but the inside, everything is managed orderly, which is much appreciated.

Ramen Tatsuya

1722 California St

Houston, TX 77006

http://ramen-tatsuya.com

Little Sheep

Another one of my fav's for the cold weather:

Hotpot at Little Sheep.

Got the original soup based, there's some medicine and mushroom.  The other soup base is spicy soup base.

Got beef?  We got some.

Our eyes were bigger than our tummies.  Got mushroom, tofu, fish balls, fish tofu...

Upper left corner: squid balls, dumplings, enoki mushroom, vermicelli, squid slices, beef tribe.

So, the thought here is you cook all of your food in the soup, and then they have little ladle to rescue your food.  You just have to pay attention to how fast the food cooks. 

They have cooked items too, this is the beef meat pie.  That's actually very very good despite the name.  It's beef patty inside and the whole pie fried, but this is very good.

So, they do have an all you can eat menu to choose from, they also have lunch combo to choose from as well.  The lunch combo are done in individual serving, so it's great if you're here for lunch by yourself.  Though the menu said it's for weekday only, our server didn't bat an eye when we were asking about them, and we did see people ordering it.  So I'm guessing they will bring it if you order it.  The all you can eat has different price Monday-Friday than weekend.  Though they have a set menu, and seem like you can order other items off the menu as an add-on, but apparently that's not the case.  Whatever you order, they want you to only do it from the all you can eat menu, even the add-on.  For instance, spinach is not on the all you can eat menu, so it'll somehow switch you to the regular menu, which does add up.  My tip, find the server and they're usually pretty friendly when you ask them which to pick.

Another tip: weather is cold, more people then to show up.  Try to call ahead and see if they'll take reservation.  Or else bring your patience for a long wait.

Little Sheep Mongolian Hot Pot

5901A Westheimer Rd

Houston, TX 77057

713-975-0687

https://www.littlesheephotpot.com

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Noodles & More

Since it's been so cold, wanted something to warm my belly...

yet, came into NAM and got a Iced Vietnamese Coffee.  I will say that theirs is not strong enough for me.

For starter, we got the egg rolls.  I like this starter, nice and crunchy and you wrap it with lettuce leaf and dip in the fish sauce.  One of my favs wherever I go.

I got the Un-Pho-gettable Pho.  It's the equivalent of Pho Duc Biet elsewhere.  It has eye round beef, beef meatball, brisket and in beef broth.  Of course, you get scallions, onions, and sprouts.  Talk about yummy for my tummy.  It just warms you all the way.

Price is on the higher side than any hole in the wall Vietnamese place, but it's decent and fast.  You walk up, order, pick a table and they bring the food to you.  Parking is not an issue, they have some out front and lots more in the back lot.  Worth checking out.

Noodles & More

2512 Rice Blvd

Houston, TX 77005

713-533-1188

http://namnoodlesandmore.com

Ono Poke

Wanted something quick and yummy before heading to a show and we ended up at Ono's.

You park at the side of the building and the door is facing Richmond.

I got the Classic Ahi, which is Ahi Tuna, scallions, sweet onion, sesame seeds, and classic shoyu.  What you don't see is a bed of rice underneath.  So they make it all in front of you, and less than a few minutes, your food is ready, and you can devour all you want.  

They have 6 pre-tested combos or most popular combos.  But if you want to customize your poke bowl, you can pick your own.  First thing is brown/white rice or half and half.  Second step you pick your fish, which they have salmon, tuna, albacore, shrimp or catch of the day.  Third thing is the sauce, they have 6 to choose from.  It went by spicy level and wasabi level.  Lastly, toppings.  Possibilities are endless.

Seating is limited, but because it's a quick dish, alot of people can eat quickly and let you have a seat. They have seating outside and it's not bad taking it to go either.

Ono Poke
607 Richmond Ave
Houston, TX 77006
832-831-9453
https://www.onopokehouston.com

Bernie's Burger Bus

Been a while since we were at Bernie's.

Came here for lunch, must try the special!

But first!  We get a Strawberry Lemonade.  This was sweeter than I liked, a bit too tart.

That's a huge burger, with some sweet potato fries with housemade curry ketchup, super yummy.

This is their Field Trip special, which is duck confit, with their own bearnaise sauce with arugula.  I asked for a regular buns, just didn't want pretzel bun, which would've been too heavy.  The duck was decent size, not dry at all.  The only thing was that they piled alot of duck meat chunks on top of each other; it was a real mess biting into it.   Besides the mess, it's delicious and they never disappoint.

Bernie's Burger Bus

5407 Bellaire Blvd

Houston, TX 77401

713-349-9400

http://berniesburgerbus.com/

Raclette

During the holiday, me and my mom friends had another round of Raclette Dinner.  It is still done by Sylvia from Kindli Haus, but they no longer had that location.  However, she will do home catering.

Started out with salad and vinaigrette.

3 dipping sauces, green goddess, curry, and mustard

Sides: pearl onions, pickles, and diced veggies

First course: sliced cucumber and zucchini.

While that's grilling on top, the raclette cheese is being melted underneath.

Look at the ooey gooey cheese.

Cheeeeeeeese....

Protein course: there are pork tenderloin, bratwurst, and chicken.  A little different than last year.

For dessert, we had traditional chocolate mousse and with the delicate vanilla crackers.  It was delightful for sure.

It was about $45 per person, but they provided service, food, and everything.  We basically showed up and BYOB and that was it.  Well worth it, plus it gave us time to catch up with each other and have a relaxing time.  Well worth it.

Kindli House

281-235-7734

http://www.kindlihaus.com/raclette.html