Wheres the great houston food..

[Liljo22]

Originally Posted by ankh82

...I've been hearing about, but have yet to experience?

I recently relocated to the houston area(missouri city) and have had some bad experiences with BBQ, Mexican,Jamaican, hell I cant even find a decent Pizza place. Stopped by this BBQ joint the other day on S. Post Oak rd, and had the worst BBQ ever!! And I'm not joking, everything was out of the can, and they gave me "smoked" PROCESSED turkey breast!! WTF?!?!
I've basically been driving around looking for places, and hoping i stumble across a hidden gem of some sort.
Do any of you guys have any recommendations or can you tell me specific areas of town (I'm willing to drive a distance if need be)that are known to have good places to eat? Thanx in advance

For restaurants in Missouri City:

Old Hickory Inn on 1092 for BBQ
Brooklyn Pizza - Just opened up on HWY 6 next to Star Cinema
Hogs and Chicks - Southern Comfort Food across from the Sienna HEB
Aura - Fine French American although they are moving to Sugar Land Town Center and he is opening a different restaurant in that space.
Don Julio's behind the CVS in Sienna has decent Mexican

[texantodd]

[quote=testmo;26669429]

Originally Posted by Dopo

BTW, have you tried Rudy's BBQ?
I love that place

Rudy's is mass produced average quality BBQ. It's not bad, and it's cheap ... but it's not a top quality BBQ place. But you won't really find a top quality BBQ place in Houston probably.

Originally Posted by testmo

Houston is the best food city in the country. being in Missouri city you are not far from it. read through the chronicle blogs or the free press for food reviews.

Houston is a very good city for dining, yes. But calling it the "best food city in the country" is not only blatant hyperbole, it is a massive untruth and stretch of an overactive imagination. Houston has excellent dining, but it's not a top 5 dining city in the country. New York, San Francisco, Chicago, New Orleans, Los Angelas, Las Vegas. Houston would be somewhere in the next pack after that most likely, along with cities like Seatle and Atlanta.

[Redlionjr]

[quote=texantodd;26680609]

Originally Posted by testmo

Rudy's is mass produced average quality BBQ. It's not bad, and it's cheap ... but it's not a top quality BBQ place. But you won't really find a top quality BBQ place in Houston probably.



Houston is a very good city for dining, yes. But calling it the "best food city in the country" is not only blatant hyperbole, it is a massive untruth and stretch of an overactive imagination. Houston has excellent dining, but it's not a top 5 dining city in the country. New York, San Francisco, Chicago, New Orleans, Los Angelas, Las Vegas. Houston would be somewhere in the next pack after that most likely, along with cities like Seatle and Atlanta.

Man that's an opinion that's not truth. So he has a right to say Houston is the best food city in the country. Honestly to me the only other city comparable to Houston's food scene to me is New Orleans. New Orleans and Houston to me have the best food scene in the United States. I've been to San Francisco and L.A. great food places. But nothing that just made me go WOWWWWWWWWWW that I would pick over Houston. I've been to Chicago. Again good food in Chicago but I've had better food in Houston. I haven't been to NYC yet so I can't say. Las Vegas??? I guess people are too busy talking about gambling and the amazing sights and lights to comment on this excellent Las Vegas food? I wonder why exactly do you pick these over Houston? Even though it's your opinion? Because of the "top chef's" the number of high quality restaurants?

Me personally I'd pick Houston,New Orleans, and D.C. over any cities food scene of those places you've mentioned. Even people who hate Houston love the food in Houston. It's easy to get fat down here.

[Mr. Krinkle]

Try these spots for BBQ. Still not central Texas quality though.
The Rest of the Best: Houston's Top 10 Barbecue - Houston - Restaurants and Dining - Eating Our Words

[Johnhw2]

I like Spring Creek BBQ, sure its a chain but consistent delivery of good quality food is a plus for them. Ive tried Rudy's for my taste buds its SC all the way between these two.

For Asian I like Rattan's on Eldridge. For Mediterrean I like Cafe Benedict on Memorial near energy corridor.

Pappas is great seafood and papadeaux is great cajun seafood...

TexMex is pappacitos.

Brenners on I10 for upscale steak house and salt grass is hard to beat for affordable steak and much more.

I must be a small chain junkie...but these are where I go.

Backstreet cafe in Montrose area is also good good and a nice casual atmosphere.

Houston has good food, I believe no zoning is in part the reason....no restaurant can open up and keep compettion out by zoning as most cities do. This keeps them affordable and on their toes because someone can come in next door to them and knock their socks off by swaying customers to switch with good food and value.

[texantodd]

Originally Posted by Redlionjr

Man that's an opinion that's not truth. So he has a right to say Houston is the best food city in the country. Honestly to me the only other city comparable to Houston's food scene to me is New Orleans. New Orleans and Houston to me have the best food scene in the United States. I've been to San Francisco and L.A. great food places. But nothing that just made me go WOWWWWWWWWWW that I would pick over Houston. I've been to Chicago. Again good food in Chicago but I've had better food in Houston. I haven't been to NYC yet so I can't say. Las Vegas??? I guess people are too busy talking about gambling and the amazing sights and lights to comment on this excellent Las Vegas food? I wonder why exactly do you pick these over Houston? Even though it's your opinion? Because of the "top chef's" the number of high quality restaurants?

Me personally I'd pick Houston,New Orleans, and D.C. over any cities food scene of those places you've mentioned. Even people who hate Houston love the food in Houston. It's easy to get fat down here.

New York and Chicago yearly make Food & Wine magazines top 10 food cities in the WORLD. Other than an occaisional appearance for SF, no other US city ever makes that list. Yes there is some subjective aspect and differences in talking about food, just like talking about art. But you can say that a Rembrandt is better than the painting you find in the local Wal-Mart.

Houston comes somewhere in the 6-12 range of foodie cities in this country. It is an excellent city for certain types of dining, I love the food there. But there is no way that anyone who knows anything about food will ever rate Houton above any one of New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Las Vegas or New Orleans.

As far as Las Vegas? I don't gamble, and I'm not much of a drinker. However it is a city that has massive ammounts of money pumped into it and as such many of the finest chefs in the world have made forays into the city in order to establish a footprint in the city, and it is an outstanding dining town. Joel Robochon, Guy Savoy, Mario Batali, Michael Mina, Hubert Keller, Wolfgang Puck ... just a tiny listing of some of the finest chefs in the world with establishments in Las Vegas. What world famous chefs are there who call Houton home?

[Mr. Krinkle]

New York, San Francisco, Las Vegas, and New Orleans are the top 4 in my opinion. Chicago, Houston, DC, and LA are all in the same ballpark.

This should get you started...

Tex-mex:
El Tiempo
Ninfa's on Navigation
Lopez
El Real

Vietnamese:
Pho Saigon
Huynh
Cafe TH

Sushi:
Uchi
Kata Robata
Sushi Jin
Soma

Chinese:
Mala Sichuan or pick a spot off Harwin

Pizza:
Dolce Vita
Pizaro's (Neapolitan style)
Grimaldi's

Thai:
Asian Market
Nidda Thai

Seafood:
Reef
Danton's
Tampico

Steak:
Papas Bros Steakhouse
Vic & Anthony's
Killens

Indian/Pakistani:
Himalaya
Pondicheri
London Sizzler

Some higher end places:
Uchi
Da Marco
Underbelly
Pass & Provisions
Oxheart
Triniti
Marks
Hugo’s
The Glass Wall
Shade

[Redlionjr]

Originally Posted by texantodd

New York and Chicago yearly make Food & Wine magazines top 10 food cities in the WORLD. Other than an occaisional appearance for SF, no other US city ever makes that list. Yes there is some subjective aspect and differences in talking about food, just like talking about art. But you can say that a Rembrandt is better than the painting you find in the local Wal-Mart.

Houston comes somewhere in the 6-12 range of foodie cities in this country. It is an excellent city for certain types of dining, I love the food there. But there is no way that anyone who knows anything about food will ever rate Houton above any one of New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Las Vegas or New Orleans.

As far as Las Vegas? I don't gamble, and I'm not much of a drinker. However it is a city that has massive ammounts of money pumped into it and as such many of the finest chefs in the world have made forays into the city in order to establish a footprint in the city, and it is an outstanding dining town. Joel Robochon, Guy Savoy, Mario Batali, Michael Mina, Hubert Keller, Wolfgang Puck ... just a tiny listing of some of the finest chefs in the world with establishments in Las Vegas. What world famous chefs are there who call Houton home?

I get it, so you let a book tell you what city has the best food. It's obvious your a fan of establishments where you might spend a $100 on a simple plate all because of who the chef is and the look of the joint. Me i'm not impressed by that facade. Matter fact when I was in New Orleans the best eateries didn't, IN MY OPINION have world famous CHEFS. But it was the down home slap ya momma establishments. I'm not rich and don't have a rich appetite. Give me Willie Mayes Chicken or Port of Call over any "World Famous Chef joint". I'm a simple man and that just doesn't impress me.

I think the average american who eats at joints where you don't have to pay $20 a plate care about Michael Mina, Hubert Keller,or Wolfgang Puck. Maybe the 1% of American or the ones who like to spend a big buck or 2 on several occasions of "fine dining". I'm good on Momma's kitchen

[texantodd]

Originally Posted by Redlionjr

I get it, so you let a book tell you what city has the best food. It's obvious your a fan of establishments where you might spend a $100 on a simple plate all because of who the chef is and the look of the joint. Me i'm not impressed by that facade. Matter fact when I was in New Orleans the best eateries didn't, IN MY OPINION have world famous CHEFS. But it was the down home slap ya momma establishments. I'm not rich and don't have a rich appetite. Give me Willie Mayes Chicken or Port of Call over any "World Famous Chef joint". I'm a simple man and that just doesn't impress me.

I think the average american who eats at joints where you don't have to pay $20 a plate care about Michael Mina, Hubert Keller,or Wolfgang Puck. Maybe the 1% of American or the ones who like to spend a big buck or 2 on several occasions of "fine dining". I'm good on Momma's kitchen

You have no idea my tastes. Yes, I can appreciate a masterful meal from Hubert Keller, but I can also be in heaven eating fresh picked tommato sliced on white bread with a touch of mayo. My tastes can be as poor or as expensive as needed, I look for good food whatever the level.

But it is those fine dining places that you so easily dismiss that separate cities in their quality of dining. Most cities have some good local places. Any major city in the US will have great low to mid range cost local eateries if you know where to look. What separates great cities for dining from the rest is great diversity of population/cuisine (Houston for example has a lot of asian population and thus some great asian cuisine, same with Mexican cuisine and population), and the number and qulity of high end establishments.

[Redlionjr]

Originally Posted by texantodd

You have no idea my tastes. Yes, I can appreciate a masterful meal from Hubert Keller, but I can also be in heaven eating fresh picked tommato sliced on white bread with a touch of mayo. My tastes can be as poor or as expensive as needed, I look for good food whatever the level.

But it is those fine dining places that you so easily dismiss that separate cities in their quality of dining. Most cities have some good local places. Any major city in the US will have great low to mid range cost local eateries if you know where to look. What separates great cities for dining from the rest is great diversity of population/cuisine (Houston for example has a lot of asian population and thus some great asian cuisine, same with Mexican cuisine and population), and the number and qulity of high end establishments.

You right I did dismiss them. I was more thinking in terms of local eateries and a diverse foodie scene which I feel like Houston has over alot of cities I've been to. I didn't factor into the equation the FINEST of the FINE Dining because that's just not my cup of tea.