Cafe Lili

I ate at Cafe Lili for the first time a few days ago.  While the atmosphere and food were fine, I was a little underwhelmed and just haven't been motivated to even post on it.  The eatery fell somewhere between not really boring, but no pizazz either. 

Cafe Lili

I had two friends recommend this spot.   The inside of the restaurant was clean and the service was excellent.  Not much energy, but when I left at 1:30, the place was still totally packed.  So, obviously, many folks do like Cafe Lili.  I think it is a comfort spot.

Inside Cafe Lili

We started with the Veggie Plate ($10.79), which included 3 cold appetizers.   We sampled humos, tabouli, and baba ghanouj.  The humos (pureed chick peas and tahini sauce) was pretty good.  At first I thought it lacked flavor, but the more olive oil I added, the better it got.  And, it was creamy.  Good texture and consistency.  Next the tabouli salad (chopped parsley, cracked wheat, green onions, tomatoes, lemon and olive oil dressing).  It was very light and fresh.  Very heavy on the parsley.  I like the flavor of parsley, so I was fine with that.  A little of this tabouli salad, though, went a long for me.  Finally the baba ghanouj (grilled egg plant puree).  It too was creamy and light.  And, it did have a nice delicate and flavorful finish.

Veggie Plate: Tabouli Salad, Baba Ghanouj, and Humos

For my main dish, I had the Grilled Kabob Chicken Salad -- romaine, feta, green onions, tomatoes with Lebanese spices and house dressing ($11.99).  The chicken was moist and tender with a great fire-grilled flavor.  The ingredients were very fresh.  The tomatoes were delicious.   But was the salad extra special?  Maybe not.  But, it was still a very nice grilled chicken salad (and I have had many a grilled chicken salads in my time!). 

Grilled Kabob Chicken Salad

One complaint, the pita bread was chewy and dense, not light and airy.  I didn't like it. Okay, so would I go back to Cafe Lili?  Yes, I would go back.  The service was quick and friendly and the food was fresh.  But, of all the great Houston restaurants, would I recommend it?  I don't know.  Like I said initially, no pizazz.  But, sometimes that is what you need:  fresh ingredients, dependable service, and a safe, comfortable experience.

Cafe Lili Lebanese Grill
5757 Westheimer
Houston, Texas 77057
713-952-6969
www.cafelili.com

Sur La Table -- Risotto Cooking Class

I love Risotto.  What is not to love about a creamy, starchy dish?  Comfort food at a sophisticated level.   I also love Sur La Table.  I can browse for hours at the fancy pots, array of wooden spoons, and assortment of blenders and food processors.  What is not to love about these things!?  Put the two together:  Risotto Cooking Class + Sur La Table = a super fun night with yummy results.

Our Teacher, Robbie Rensel, and our class cooking

Our teacher, Robbie Rensel, was spot-on perfectly great.  He was funny.  He was knowledgeable (he studied at CIA for goodness sakes!).  He was patient.  He was excellent.   After we practiced some knife skills, made a chive oil, whipped up an arugula pesto, and reduced onions to incorporate into a tomato jam, the classed divided into 4 groups to make 4 different risottos.  What a great format.  Our team was the most fun.  Clearly.  We were the team drinking wine!  But, truly we got lucky, our whole class was friendly and amusing. 

Our team was charged with making the Pumpkin Risotto with Fried Sage Leaves and Chive Oil.   This specific class was particularly interesting to me in that I do love making risotto, but its never perfect.  Mine always comes out creamy and flavorful, but my rice is always too al dente.  I think, thanks to Robbie, that I figured out my problem.   Working with that Pumpkin Risotto, I'm hoping I tweaked my own rice stirring skills!

Stirring, stirring, stirring

Sun Dried Tomato Jam for the Fennel and Sausage Risotto



Wild Mushroom Risotto with Truffle Oil

and

Arugula Pesto Risotto with Shaved Pecorino Romano

So, how did our group's Pumpkin Risotto turn out?  Very well, if I do say so myself!  The fried sage leaves were a perfect lightly, crunchy contrast to the creamy, subtle pumpkin risotto.  Of the four recipes the class made, the Sausage and Fennel was my favorite.   My second fave was the pesto risotto -- the pesto we made included arugula and almonds!  Robbie and Sur La Table did an excellent job of instructing ALL of us would-be-chefs to all make some very excellent, savory fancy comfort food dishes. 

Sausage and Fennel Risotto with Sun Dried Tomato Jam, Pumpkin Risotto with Fried Sage Leaves,

Arugula Pesto Risotto, and Wild Mushroom Risotto.

I highly recommend taking a class at Sur La Table.  Professional.  Instructive.  Fun.  A great evening with some great food at the end. 

Sur La Table

803 Town and Country Lane, Suite 123

Houston, Texas 77024

832-201-3492

www.surlatable.com

Eddie V's -- City Centre

I tried the Eddie V's at West Avenue back in December, I was ho-hum on whether I'd ever return there.  But, I thought I'd give the Eddie V's at City Centre a try this go around.  Did I just have one isolated bad experience at West Avenue?  Is the City Centre location better.  Hmmmmm...I wanted to see.

We started with the Gulf Oysters ($12.90).  Beautiful presentation.  Fresh. Savory.  A nice rich flavor.  A good amount of salty flavor, but not over done.  A nice way to start the meal.

Gulf Oysters

Another starter included the Maine Lobster & Shrimp Bisque with cream and cognac ($7.90).  Anything with cream and cognac has to be delicious, right?  I love those two words:  cream and cognac.  However, this soup was anything but.  It was not creamy.  It was not rich.  It was too thin.  There was no bite to it.  Very disappointing.

Maine Lobster and Shrimp Bisque

I ordered the Chilled Colossal Shrimp Cocktail back in December at the other Eddie V's.  It was very disappointing previously.  But, this time around it at this location, the shrimp were delicious.  Delicate.  Fresh.  Tender.  Very light.  The dish made me smile ($13.90).  And the melon-jicama slaw was fresh, crispy, light, and spicy! Yum. 

Our table also ordered the Wok-Seared and Sliced Pacific Ahi with soba noodles and shitake stir-fry ($12.90).  My dining companion ordered the tuna rare and it was cooked perfectly.  The noodles, broth, and mushroom stir-fry were the perfect marriage and balance of flavors.  A delicate and light dish.

Wok-Seared and Sliced Pacific Ahi

Sadly, the Broiled Jumbo Georges Bank Sea Scallops (wrapped in bacon and broiled with a tomato-basil butter sauce - $26.90) was extremely disappointing.  Sadness.  Chewy and mealy, with no bold taste, the bacon on these guys really overpowered the dish. 

Broiled Jumbo Georges Bank Sea Scallops

On side dishes, we were half and half.  The sugar snap peas (with black and white sesame seeds) were the best sugar snap peas I have ever tasted.  Crisp tender.  No stringiness.  Delicious flavor.  The au gratin potatoes were a little thin in the cheese sauce and light on flavor.

However, we finished our meal with the Hot "Bananas Foster" Butter Cake with butter pecan ice cream ($7.95).  Oh. My. Gosh.   Let me rephrase:  Oh.  My.  Gosh.  This is what I'm talking about!  This is what I expect from Eddie V's.  This was amazing.  This was Divine.  The cake is served with a flaming sauce, a nod to its parent in traditional Bananas Foster.  This heavenly delight was salty and sweet.  Caramelized.  Dense and chewy, yet soft inside thanks to the buttercake.  The outside had a crunch to it from the flames.  A pretty phenomenal way to end.

Hot "Bananas Foster" Butter Cake

All in all...mixed emotions on Eddie V's.  Two ho-hum experiences at two different locations.  However, the service was spot-on perfect.  But, some of our dishes were really disappointing.  For the amount of money we spent, I think Houston has some better options.

Eddie V's - City Centre
12848 Queensbury Lane
Houston, Texas 77024
832-200-2380
www.eddiev.com

Catalan - Food & Wine

Since Catalan opened 5 1/2 years ago, the restaurant has been the talk of creativity and innovation when it comes to food.  Chris Shepherd, chef from the inception, has made the eatery famous for using original ideas and thoughtful choices, especially in proteins. Catalan describes itself as Spanish inspired, taking its name from the Spanish region, Catalonia.  The foods are fresh and local.  The decor and ambiance are upscale, but not stuffy or formal.  Service is always great.

Main Dining Room - Catalan

We sampled a few items, starting with the Market Greens with goat cheese, marcona almonds, and citrus vinaigrette ($11).  The almonds were delicious, the greens fresh (although they could have been a little more icy cold), goat cheese extra thick and yummy (I could have used another or large hunk), and the vinaigrette light (a tad sweet, but I think it was supposed to be).    Next, The Porkbelly.  Roasted Berkshire Porkbelly with Steen's pure cane syrup ($10).  Here is where Catalan has made a name for itself -- creative meats and dishes.   We could taste the beautiful charred outside.  These little guys were packed with flavor, chewiness. I was biting down on delicious meatiness.  The syrup was sweet, but not over the top.  A nice compliment.

Porkbelly

The Spicy Garlic Gulf Shrimp ($12) were spicy, but nothing you can't handle.  The shrimp were tender and happy swimming in the spicy sauce.  Not so much a dipping sauce, as it was pretty thin, but a sauce that gave the little guys a great flavor without detracting from the freshness of the shrimp.

Spicy Gulf Shrimp

We also tried a side of the Butternut Puree ($5).  Made with lots of butter and cream, this "vegetable" side was not necessarily on the healthy side.  (Although, I'm sure I did meet my nutritional requirements of vitamin A and beta-carotene).  This side dish was like a mashed potato -- creamy, delectable.  Very savory.  Very delicious. 

Butternut Puree

As usual, our time spent at Catalan was enjoyable and delicious.  Although Chef Chris Shepherd is soon leaving Catalan to open his own restaurant this fall, called Underbelly (with partners Bobby Heugel and Kevin Floyd), I still look forward to many more meals at Catalan (and trying Underbelly, too)!  We have the best ever restaurant scene in this city.  Rejoice Houstonians!

Catalan
5555 Washington Avenue
Houston, Texas 77007
713-426-4260
http://www.catalanfoodandwine.com/

Onion Creek Coffeehouse, Bar & Lounge

What a beautiful day to try a place with lots of outside seating!  The weather today is fabulous and patio seating is just what I wanted.  We headed to Onion Creek in The Heights for some casual fare in the beautiful sunshine. 

Outside at Onion Creek

Where to begin with the disappointments?  First, it took almost 1 hour to get our food served to our table.  Yes, One Hour.   And, it was not worth the wait.  At all.  Okay, let me start from the beginning.  At Onion Creek (like its sister eateries - Cedar Creek, Dry Creek, and Canyon Creek), ordering is done at the counter.  The lines were long, but moved quickly.  And, the staff behind the counter was nice and helpful.

Inside at Onion Creek

But, an hour later, - an hour later - when the food did arrive, we were disappointed in the quality, overall lack of flavor, and high prices for nothing special.  First, up, the Greek Salad ($8.50 - not including chicken).  Nothing extraordinary.  Fresh-ish greens and ingredients.  But, so ho-hum on flavor.

Greek Salad

Next, we sampled the Cheese Pizza ($8.00) -- two cibatta bread slices with provolone, mozzarella, and white cheddar with tomato sauce.  Again, nothing fabulous to report.  Too much breading.  Not enough flavor. 

Cheese Pizza

Moving on to the Texas Frito Pie ($5.00).   Its hard to mess up a Frito Pie.  The flavor was good, but not much chili or fixins'.  Mostly chips, which was a bummer.

Texas Frito Pie

Finally, The Texican Burger ($7.95) -- mustard, yellow cheddar, jalapenos, lettuce, tomato, and pickles.  Thank goodness for the mustard and pickles, because they were the saving flavor grace of this burger.  The meat itself had zero flavor.  It wasn't moist.  Not even greasy.  What a disappointment.  And, do you know -- again, no surprise to me as I put zippo credibility in Texas Monthly's food reviews -- but the magazine actually rated Onion Creek as one of the 50 best burgers.  I completely disagree with that.

The Texican Burger

Two more complaints:  the scone I tried (blueberry and oatmeal-ish type of scone) ($2.00) was the worst scone I have ever eaten.  And, the beer on tap - was cool-ish.  Beer on tap should be ice cold, not cool-ish.  While the weather was beautiful and my dining company was fabulous, the meal and venue left a lot to be desired.  I'm not going back. 

Onion Creek Coffeehouse, Bar & Lounge
3106 White Oak
Houston, Texas 77007
713-880-0706
www.onioncreekcafe.com

Revival Market

Revival Market opened about three weeks ago.  The much anticipated opening was all the buzz in foodie circles and blogs.  Co-owned by Ryan Pera (previously executive chef at The Grove and *17) and Morgan Weber, Revival's focus is on local products -- produce, meats, cheeses, breads, baked goods, etc.  Revival is a small market, but packs a punch with the truly local, fresh inventory.  

Revival Market

I wasn't sure what to expect with the interior design.  Would it be dark and dingy?  Small and cramped?  Nope.  None of the above.  While it is small, the layout works, and the interior is bright, open, clean, and simple.  The staff was extremely nice and helpful, as well.

Butcher Counter and Pastry Counter

If you are looking to do much shopping, Revival Market is not necessarily your spot.  While the produce looked fresh and would be a great place to pick up some jam, tea, olive oil, or bread (made by Houston's Slow Dough Bread Company), the selection is small.    The cheeses are brought to you by our own Houston Dairymaids.

In addition to produce, dry goods, meats, and desserts, Revival offers homemade sandwiches and salads.  While the menu is not large, it is an excellent representation of fresh foods.  I ordered the Smoked Turkey Club ($9), made of smoked turkey breast, arugula, tomato, cheddar, cracklings on Slow Dough Wheat bread.   I'm not a fan of cracklings, but I gave it try.  It didn't do it for me.  I thought it would have a great crisp texture adding a nice balanced variety to the sandwich.  It didn't.  HOWEVER, the sandwich (sans the cracklings) was fabulous!  Everything about the sandwich was fresh and delicious.  Even the mustard was most incredible -- it had the tiny mustard seeds in it.  Yum.   For my side, I ordered the ginger lime slaw.  More yum.  Fresh, crunchy, cool.  It consisted of cabbage, tomatoes, carrots, and cilantro with a light Asian-like dressing.  Very refreshing and a perfect companion to the sandwich.

Smoked Turkey Club with Ginger Lime Slaw

I'm already a fan of Fluff Bake Bar (Pastry Chef - Rebecca Mason), who is providing a large chunk of the sweet treats for Revival.  But, I thought it was "necessary" (yes, necessary) to try some other delectables that she offers.  First up, a Hobbnobb ($1.50) -- milk chocolate covered crunch oatmeal cookie.  Actually, just one side is covered in chocolate, and actually, the cookie was absolutely divine.  It would be perfect with tea, coffee, or after a great sandwich (like today!).  Next up, the Moon Pie ($3).  True to the classic, this Moon Pie incorporates all the qualities of those moon pies you grew up with, you know the ones.  The ones you'd buy at the gas station on a road trip to your grandparents' house.  Anyway, this delectable confection had the perfect proportion of milk chocolate, marshmallow filling, and graham cracker cookie.  Hello Yumminess!

Hobbnobb and Moon Pie

Finally, the Strawberry Pie (slice $3, whole pie $22).  My first three words after biting into my slice:  Oh. My. Gosh.  Yes, it was that good.  Imagine if strawberry cobbler and strawberry pie had a baby -- this is what you would get.  A cobbler in a pie crust.  Although, my slice was cold (due to eating straight at Revival), it was delicious, delectable, and delightful cold!!  I can imagine how scrumptious it would be warm. With ice cream, too!  Wow.  Next time, I'll take it home and do so!  The top of the pie was much like a crumbly cobbler.   I could taste the brown sugar and butter.  Mmmmmmmm.  The strawberry filling was both sweet and tart at once.  The crust wasn't as thick or flaky as I would have liked, but the fabulous topping made up for that.

Strawberry Pie

I loved my first trip to Revival Market.  I predict a successful future ahead for them.  I look forward to going back to buy some steaks to grill at home AND trying the Revival Dog (prepared at the cafe) -- Smoked Mangalitsa hot dog, green tomato relish, chicharron on a Slow Dough pretzel bun.  Doesn't that sound magnificent?  They sell out quickly each day!  ($8). 

Revival Market
550 Heights Boulevard (at White Oak)
Houston, Texas  77007
713-880-8463
http://www.revivalmarket.com/

Sushi Pop

SushiPop is a hip, contemporary, fast food sushi eatery.  I was a little skeptical at first -- with a name like SushiPop, all I could think of was sushi-lollipop or sushi-soda pop.  But I had heard great reviews from friends, so I thought I'd give it a try.  I was not disappointed. 

The store was very clean, organized and polished.  The staff was extremely nice and helpful.  The interior design itself was fresh, chic, bright, and inviting.  I felt light and happy inside.

Their sushi menu has depth and breadth.  Many selections from Special Rolls to Combos to Classic Rolls to Sushi Wraps to Noodle Bowls.  Plus, they offer all you can eat soft serve ice cream!  I ordered the Chicken Bowl and the Chicken Udon Bowl.  And, I opted for Take Out on this trip.

Both Bowls were fresh, cooked to perfection, and delicious.

The Chicken Bowl included teriyaki chicken over rice with veggies ($7.00).   The Chicken Udon incorporated grilled chicken in a red miso broth with veggies  and was served with noodles ($7.00).   The chicken in both bowls was tender and moist with a great grilled flavor.  The udon sauce was the perfect sweetness, but not over powering.  The veggies in both bowls were crisp tender.  Perfect al dente.

Chicken Bowl with rice and veggies (ordered sauce on the side)

Chicken Udon with veggies and noodles (ordered sauce on side)

I look forward to subsequent trips to SushiPop.  For a quick, fresh, delicious meal, SushiPop is hard to beat. 

SushiPop

9770 Katy Freeway, Suite 100

(in the Bunker Hill Shopping Center)

Houston, Texas 77055

713-935-0707

www.sushipop.us.com

Whoopie Pies

Okay, so I'm sitting in my car at my Corner Store Valero filling up with gas.  When, what grabs my attention...but the words "Whoopie Pies." 

 Really??  The gas station makes homemade Whoopie Pies?!?  Well, that's about all it took -- I grabbed my wallet and keys and inside I went.  Yes, apparently, they are "homemade."  $.99 each. 

I tried both the chocolate and the vanilla, which were oddly, pretty good.  The cake/cookie parts alone did not hold much flavor (and I couldn't really distinguish between the chocolate and white cakes), but with the super sweet "buttercream," the flavor combination was nicely balanced.  So if you need to fix a sweet craving, these aren't so bad.   Additionally, they were pretty cute with colored sprinkles dotting the buttercream. 

Chocolate Whoopie Pie

Vanilla Whoopie Pie

You, too, can head to your local Valero store for gas, a diet coke, and a Homemade Whoopie Pie.  I love Texas. 

Trattoria Il Mulino - Houston

I watched the Westin Hotel - Memorial City be built for about 5 years.  (Seriously.  It took forever).  Finally, it opened last week, with a beautiful Trattoria Il Mulino opening within the hotel as well.  As you can imagine, I jumped on the opportunity to check out the hotel (which is lovely), and to taste test Trattoria Il Mulino.

I was not disappointed.  The restaurant is beautiful.  Clean lines.  Simple decor. Contemporary with tradition in mind.  Splashes of orange where needed.  Contrasts of dark blacks with lighter tones.  The stage was set for a great evening.

Bar at Trattoria Il Mulino

Main Dining at Trattoria Il Mulino

The service at Trattoria Il Mulino was phenomenal.  I do not exaggerate.  Phenomenal.  We had a team, headed by a Maitre d' -- Old School.  Classic service.  Service which you don't see much anymore.  It was hard to believe this restaurant had only been open one week.  They were a well oiled machine.  Very impressive.

Trattoria Il Mulino is the newest concept from the famed Il Mulino out of NYC.  With other locations around the World, the folks at Il Mulino know a thing or two about fine dining and great service.   Their Trattoria is more casual than the "original" Il Mulino.  However, this place is hardly casual in service or preparation.  It is a classy, well versed establishment.

The food was pretty good, too (although not cheap -- my cocktail Bellini was $10, and the wine menu was  a little on the high side).   We were started with the Chef's amuse bouche -- slices of salami and a roasted eggplant.  Fairly good flavor.   For our appetizer, we ordered the Arancini ($7), Italian Rice Balls (fried risotto balls).  The crispy, light crust on the outside was nice.  However, the rice was pretty mushy and bland inside.  We also ordered the Oysters on the Half Shell ($12).  They were not the highest quality, but they were not bad.  Now that my ONLY two complaints are out there.  Let me happily move on (and please don't let those two items deter you from trying Trattoria Il Mulino).

Arancini

The menu is full of traditional Italian fare -- from pizzas, pastas and cheeses to chicken, beef, and veal.   For my entree, I ordered the Homemade Ricotta Ravioli ($16).   The dish came with 8 good sized pillows of yummy ricotta goodness.  The pasta was very al dente -- authenticly made, and authentically cooked pasta.  The tomato-cream sauce was delectable.  I actually ate the sauce like a soup once my raviolis were gone.  The sauce was THAT divine.

Homemade Ricotta Ravioli

My dining companion ordered the Saltimbocca ($19), veal pounded with prosciutto and sage, with a mouth watering garlic spinach.   The veal was very tender.  And, although the veal was thinly pounded, the dish was hearty and substantial due to the heavy, very tasty sauce.

Saltimbocca

Finally, my favorite part...Dessert.  We had a hard time deciding which to order, so the excellent staff provided us with a tasting of 4 of their desserts.  The Panna Cotta ($8), Torta Di Cioccolato ($7), Ricotta Cheesecake ($7), and Tiramisu ($8).  First up, the Panna Cotta (Italian cooked cream).  Creamy.  Rich.  Thick.   Delicious.  This gelatin pudding was topped with candied orange peel.  Hello Yummy!!!  Next, the Torta Di Cioccolato -- flourless chocolate cake with whipped cream and Zabaglione.  Zabaglione can be a dessert itself -- made of egg yolks, sugar, and marsala wine (or a sweet wine).  This whipped creamy custard was an excellent pairing to the chocolate and the Ricotta Cheesecake.  The chocolate cake was rich and delicate.  An excellent balance giving the cake a unity of heavenly proportions. 

The Ricotta Cheesecake was fabulous.  Not normally a fan of cheesecake - at all - using ricotta instead of cream cheese completely changes the essence of a cheesecake.  It was sweeter, lighter, and fluffier. It paired perfectly with the Zabaglione.   I loved it!  Finally, the Tiramisu.  It was light, airy, and tasty. 

Ricotta Cheesecake, Torta Di Cioccolato, Panna Cotta, and Tiramusu

I am now a fan of Trattoria Il Mulino.  The ambiance is classy, clean, with touches of fun.  The service was out of this world fantastic.  And, the food was delicious and well prepared.  And, more fun news, Houston should expect the Flagship Il Mulino in about a year.  Most likely in the Midtown area.  Cheers to that!

Trattoria Il Mulino
(in the Westin Hotel - Memorial City)
945 Gessner
Houston, Texa 77024
832-358-0600
http://www.ilmulino.com/

Frosted Bakery

The website was super cute.  Pink and Brown.  Cute pictures.  Cute cake designs.  Cute motto:  "Because Life is Sweet."  I was so excited about trying this bakery in Northwest Houston.   But the physical store did not live up to the cute website.  I felt duped.  The cupcake selection was minimal, and there was no cute interior in which to sit and enjoy my sweet confections.  Sigh.....    

We tried almost everything they had on hand (which was not much).  Starting with the Vanilla Cupcake with buttercream icing (but it wasn't buttercream, it was white icing.  Which yes, is different).  The darker blue icing was very bitter, due to the food coloring.  The lighter blue icing was better.  But, a paltry amount of frosting.  I mean, cover the cupcake top for goodness sakes!  The cake itself was somewhere in between super dry and not so moist.  Not off to a good start.  Sigh.....

Vanilla Cupcakes

Next up, the Mint Chocolate Chip Cupcake.  The dark chocolate cake had chunks of mint chocolate inside (yummy), but, the cake was very dry.  And, I was expecting the frosting to be mint flavored.  I mean, it's green! (More like lime green to me, leading me to a craving for a Key Lime Cupcake, but I digress).  The frosting was indeed neon green, but not mint flavored.   The Italian Cream Cupcake was also super dry.  It was actually almost hard when trying to cut into it.  The coconut was nicely roasted and had nice flavor, but this cupcake did not impress me.   Finally, the Banana Split Cupcake.  This little cake was the moistest of all we sampled.  The banana icing was a nice balance with the banana flavored cake.   This cupcake was our favorite -- but, at this point, I'm not sure how much of a recommendation that is.

Banana Split, Italian Cream, and Mint Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

We also sampled the Sugar Cookies.   Cute and tasty.   These treats were maybe the best of the bakery.

Decorated Sugar Cookies

I'll drive far and wide for good food.  But, I will not drive to Frosted Bakery again.  Sigh....

Frosted Bakery

17001 FM 529

Houston, Texas 77095

281-550-7044

http://www.newfrosted.com/

La Michoacana Meat Market

You've seen them - La Michoacana Meat Markets.  They are all over Houston.   So, I went to see what one is all about.   Founded in Houston, the markets cater to the Hispanic Culture offering meats, produce and other items specific to the Hispanic Demographic.  They are authentic.  The real deal.

Hot prepared foods

From hot, freshly prepared items to a butcher counter to fresh produce, the markets do offer an array of items.  The produce is specific and plenty in the areas of peppers, onions, limes, avocados, cilantro, tomatoes, etc.  

Fresh Produce

The Butcher offers everything from chicken to skirt steak to ribs, sausage, and wings and more.    You can also find interesting spices and condiments for cooking such as nuts, coconut, chili pods, and dried whole shrimp!

Butcher

From the hot foods counter, we ordered the #1 Combo: Tacos de Harinay ensalad, which came with a 20 ounce soda. The two beef tacos were not large, but had great flavor, although a touch dry.   I enjoyed  the taco plate.  However, the establishment was not clean, at all.  And, my biggest concern was the restroom.  No toilet paper.  No soap.  And, no towels.  So, I'm not exactly sure how clean the food handlers were.  Ewwww!

La Michoacana Meat Market
Markets all over Texas, with 54 in the Houston Area
www.lamichoacanameatmarket.com