Kung Fu Tea

Heard a lot about Kung Fu Tea, so finally got to try it.

I got the standard milk tea with tapioca.  They got quite a line there when I got there a little after lunch.  

To be honest, maybe I'm missing something here, but it's not the best tea since sliced bread.  What am I missing here?  The bubble are good, but again, not any different than some others I've tried.  People, please tell me what make this tea so special.

Kung Fu Tea

9889 Bellaire Blvd

#222

Houston, TX 77036

832-831-9288

http://kfteausa.com

Kata Robata

Went for lunch at Kata...

If you're lucky enough to catch them during Happy Hour, you get tons more yummy for cheap!

I got the roll, but I forgot the name of it.  Basically, it's beef, cucumber, and lettuce.  Not bad, something different.  But I have yet to have something bad there yet.  

Agedashi Tofu, I love it.  LOVE IT!

Chirashi, I love this too!  It's like a sampler of sushi, it's just separate of the fish and rice.  It has salmon, tuna, yellowtail, scallop, tamago (egg), shrimp, eel, crab, and couple more I don't know the names of.  

So my eyes were bigger than my stomach.  By the time I got to this part, I was pretty full.  However, there was an out of towner sat next to me saw how good this looked, he got the same thing.  Mine you, he came from New York, and somehow found out that Kata has the best sushi in town.  And when he got to his Chirashi, he was super impressed with how fresh everything is.  I'm so glad that I was able to make a good recommendation for someone that they appreciate and it's good.

Kata Robata

3600 Kirby Dr

Suite H

Houston, TX 77098

713-526-8858

www.katarobata.com

Mala Sichuan Bistro

Been meaning to come down here for a while, finally made it.

I've been to the Bellaire Location many of times, finally got to the fancy schmancy Montrose location.  This was formerly a Vietnamese restaurant, Mo Mong, but they totally revamped it. 

First of all, all of their dining seating is upstairs, versus, Mo Mong, you had seating downstairs.  The few seats they have downstairs is more for the bar.  But, you do have this awesome mural on their wall.  

Dry fried string bean.  It's nice and clean and fresh.

Mapo Tofu, which is their best item on the list.  I'd like it more if they add some meat.  Otherwise, it was just perfect on the spice, the consistency and sauce to tofu ratio.  It's a thing, just go with it.  The main reason is that when you put it on top of rice, it mix a perfect mix.  Talk about a yummy comfort food.

While the Montrose location is really convenient to me, I hated that it's more upperty than I'm accustom to.  For comfort Chinese food, having to make reservation is just not right.  While the service is good and the food is still good, the atmosphere is totally not the same.  For lunch, having way too much ambiance is not my thing.  I don't mind paying for the fancy but when you know where they came from, and you know you can do it for cheaper, it's just hard to justify it.

Mala Sichuan Bistro

1201 Westheimer Rd

Ste B

Houston, TX 77006

832-767-0911

Spaghetti Western

After a movie, we were hungry and dying for a quick bite.  All of a sudden, this place came to mind.

Everything is plain and simple, but the food is decent and the service is good.  Though, honestly, haven't been back for literally years.

While you wait, they give you this basket of garlic bread, of course, they're all too happy to keep your basket filled.  I had one for taste and had to stop myself.  Need to make room for what I'm really here for.

A good ol' bowl of spaghetti and meat sauce.  And yes, I doused the parmesan on there like there's no tomorrow.  It's basically the 3rd main character that they didn't asked for but I love to have.  I liked their sauce, it's not too watery and has enough meat.  You don't feel like they ripped you off on that.  It's like how I would make it, if I were to do it at home.  Tons of meat, enough tomato on the sauce that is not too soupy, and the consistency is good enough for my spaghetti.  Yummo.

They, of course, serve more than just spaghetti.  They have decent salad, other pasta dishes, and steak?  Yes, steak.  There's pizza, calzones, chicken, fish and tiramisu!  Like I said, the place is itchy, but the food is decent, but I really do come here for the service.  Their servers are always on top of things even when they're swamped.  You never felt rush, and they want to make sure you get what you want, and shouldn't all dining experience be that way?!

Spaghetti Western

1608 S. Shepherd Dr

Houston, TX 

713-861-1313

http://spagwesthouston.com/

Taverna

Came here for a work dinner.

They are super accommodating for large party, and that's appreciated.

To start, got the cheese and meat plate.  It has salami, prosciutto, and mortadella, with parmesan, mozzarella, and pickled veggies and flatbread.

Brushetta, good for 4 toasts and tons of tomatoes for more...

Before meal, I got a Ceasar Salad.  It came with fried anchovy.  It's ok, not awesome, but definitely fresh.

The first time I came here, the lobster was so fresh that you can smell it before it get to your table.  This time, they let the lobster bolognese sat for a bit and you can tell the sauce started to congeal and the pasta started to harden.  So sad.  Doesn't even matter that it is made with gluten free pasta.

The time before, I got the ahi tuna, and that's very fresh, but not filling.  I was hoping there's more veggies to go with it.  But still better than the lobster bolognese.

For dessert, we ordered a few to share.  I got tiramisu, truly awesome, not too much coffee, but not too sweet.

Got the Budino, mini chocolate donut holes with powdered sugar on top, you need to dip with the vanilla sauce, which is warm and just make your night.  Again, these are better shared.

Both times our service was so-so.  Not sure if the servers are green, or they just didn't have a good game plan.  We see the busser come by to check in on us more than the servers.  And sometimes the orders were crossed or dishes thought was served, wasn't.  They were not so on top of their game as we thought they were.  The chef was super nice, came out to check in on us, but then went back to cook as soon as he was done.  I think I'll stick with coming here for lunch since it's easy to park and seems like service is more attentive and food is fresher.

Taverna

4444 Westheimer Rd

Suite A-120

Houston, TX 77027

713-871-0902

http://tavernabylombardi.com/

Sushi Wabi

Yet another Mom's night out...

Dinner was at Sushi Wabi, and we were there early enough to catch Happy Hour.  Wohoo!

Got the agedashi tofu, fried tofu in shoyu soy sauce with bonito flakes, some onion flakes, and grated daikon.  YUM!

Vegetable tempura... let's be honest, I really just want the sweet potato, that's the bomb!

Wango Mango Roll, it has obviously mango, salmon and avocado inside, tobiko (caviar) and mango sauce on top.  It is pretty filling on its own.

But, my eyes are bigger than my stomach, so I got another one too.  Geisha Roll, which has kani (crab), avocado, spicy salmon and eel sauce.

I like this mom and pop shop.  They made sure we were taken care of even it was semi large group.  They also stop by before the 7pm cut off for Happy Hour to make sure we get anything we needed.  Good food, good service, can't ask for more.  Happy Hour: Monday - Friday 3-7pm, Weekends 3-6pm.

Sushi Wabi

3953 Richmond Ave

Houston, TX 77027

713-623-8818

http://www.sushiwabihouston.com/index.html

Le Colonial

Went to Le Colonial for dinner with a friend... 

This time I got smart and park at the garage instead of paying $9 for valet after 6pm.  

I got a Mocktail of Spring (Mua Xuan) which has blueberries, lemon juice, Sprite, mint.  And my friend got a Saketini.  Very refreshing at these hot during the day, cool during the night's dinners.

This is Ca Tim Nuong, which is Japanese eggplant with basil lime fish sauce.  It was actually quite delicious.  I do recommend that.

This is the monkfish with various herbs.  It's not bad but not off the chart either.  I wish the chunks of monkfish were bigger instead of the small size.  As you know, it just leads to disasters everywhere.

We also got the Ca Song, which is Ahi Tuna, tomato, seaweed, cucumber on top of Taro Chip.  I don't mind the Taro chips, but again it's not anything superb that I have to come back for.  I like that it's a great tapas but not enough to fill you up.

This is the Goi Du Du, which is a green papaya salad, with carrot, lime dressing.  Again, nothing to write home about.

For dessert, the Pineapple Flambee caught our eyes, so we decided to try it.  So, it's pretty, but taste doesn't quite match.  It is essentially a slice of pineapple, which is nice and sweet.  Also watery.  Instead of really flambé per the name, it really is brûlée-d.  They added a layer of sugar on top and torched.  What you can't see very well, is that the pineapple is surrounded by cream and ice cream in the center.  

Well, here in lies the problem.  Your pineapple is already naturally sweet, and you add a layer of sugar, so I felt like I ate a mouthful of sugar, and mind you I've got a sweet tooth.  Then, the water started to seep out to the cream on the side, and it became this weird mix of mess.  Now the coconut passionfruit ice cream in the center is good.  As a matter of fact, both of us were fighting over it.  But, really it's a waste of $9.

Like a few of the restaurants in the complex, you're really there to people watch more than their food.  And sadly, with awesome decor they have here, this is exactly the case.  The bar is upstairs, and it is where the seen or be seen crowd congregate, which sadly drives the standard of the food down.  I highly expect that food in this complex should have the food to match the price point and view.  For crying out loud, my view was Harry Winston's awning.  Our server's belt is from Ferragamo, so the food needs to match the picture.  I've had better faux Vietnamese food in hole in the walls in fraction of the price.  But now I know.

Le Colonial

4444 Westheimer Rd

Houston, TX 77027

713-629-4444

http://www.lecolonialhouston.com