Transplants, what was your initial reaction to living in Houston? (Dallas: find a job, food)

[David Dollar]

Originally Posted by diablo234

Try getting off the freeway sometime. There are numerous authentic Cajun, Chinese, Vietnamese, Indian, Thai, Salvadorean, Argentinean, etc places throughout the city.

Yeah, but most of the places I have gone to here suck compared to other places I have been. Houston has the worst Colombian food I have ever had. The cajun food is very pedestrian here. Churrasco? Here? Really? Chinese? The buffet is king here. Pupusas? Que asco.

[diablo234]

Dude, you need to get out more then.

There are tons of authentic Chinese/Vietnamese places along Bellaire that rival anything in California for example. Same thing with the Indian places along Hillcroft.

As someone who has been to Argentina several times and has family there, I can say I have had no problems getting a decent empanada here for example. Try doing that in most other US cities.

[tebor79]

The Houston Press is a good place for finding good places to eat.

Diablo was right about the Chinese Vietnamese restaurants along Bellaire.
And the Indian food on Hilcroft.

There are dozens of good BBQ joints around the city as well.

Hundreds of good places for Mexican food.

Houston was voted best burgers as well.

Ever try Moon Tower? they have great sausages made from exotic game.

there is plenty of good non chain restaurants in Midtown, Montrose, and East End.

Now the suburbs are dominated by chain restaurants.
Inner loop is loaded with awesome places to eat.

[feufoma]

Originally Posted by David Dollar

I am really not trying to be critical, but what great restaurants are people talking about? I see Houston cuisine as mostly chain food and Mexican restaurants. Please enlighten me. I want to go to these places you guys talk about.

For starters - Marks, Feast, Tiny Boxwoods, Haven, Hugo's, Reef, Ibiza, Uptown Sushi, Indika, Truluck's, Tacos a Go Go, Pink's Pizza, Damien's, Niko Niko, Tafia, Antica Osteria, Jenni's Noodle House, Bubba's Burger Shack, Radical Eats, Spanish Flower, Byzantio, Branch Water Tavern, Da Marco, Dolce Vita, Frenchy's Chicken, Fung's Kitchen. I could go on all day...

[testmo]

David Dollar - for the vast majority the great restaurants are in the city of Houston (most within the 610 loop)

little india, little vietnam, little china are inside the beltway/immediately on the border

great "ethnic" food will not be found in the chains. but there is plenty of local ones

[David Dollar]

Originally Posted by feufoma

For starters - Marks, Feast, Tiny Boxwoods, Haven, Hugo's, Reef, Ibiza, Uptown Sushi, Indika, Truluck's, Tacos a Go Go, Pink's Pizza, Damien's, Niko Niko, Tafia, Antica Osteria, Jenni's Noodle House, Bubba's Burger Shack, Radical Eats, Spanish Flower, Byzantio, Branch Water Tavern, Da Marco, Dolce Vita, Frenchy's Chicken, Fung's Kitchen. I could go on all day...

I have been to Niko Niko, Pink's, Bubba's, Spanish Flower's, and Frenchy's. I didn't like any of them. Spaish Flowers is quite possibly the worst Mexican food I have ever had. I think it may be prepared for a gringo palate even though it is in Near Northside. I know some of the places listed are more than I would pay for any meal outside of a Brazilian churascarria.

I have been happy with Indian and Jamaican cuisine here, but I don't know that much about those cuisines.

[testmo]

one spanish flowers is tex-mex and a low rent one at that. it is popular because its a neighborhood institution, open 24 hours and the location.

niko's is the same. frenchy's has multiple locations. the only one to go to is near TSU and that is just fried chicken. again it's about the history.

venture into higher end dining. its worth it

[feufoma]

Originally Posted by testmo

one spanish flowers is tex-mex and a low rent one at that. it is popular because its a neighborhood institution, open 24 hours and the location.

niko's is the same. frenchy's has multiple locations. the only one to go to is near TSU and that is just fried chicken. again it's about the history.

venture into higher end dining. its worth it

Ok sarcastic Einstein!

[MNCold]

Biggest surprise: how friendly people and welcoming to a new comer.
The weather is nice (comparing to where I'm from - MN). The summer here is nothing comparing to the brutal MN wintre.

Biggest dissapointment: Mosquito, mosquito, mosquito.
I also get frustrated with traffic.

[Seoid]

Biggest surprise was how chilly the wind in late February/ early March can be. I moved here during a cold snap.

The other shock was all of the crap on the freeways that falls out of trucks/vans. I have a tally running of all of the ladders, mattresses, boards, pipes, and other random things I've come across. More than anywhere else I have lived or spent a good amount of time.