Little Pappasito's on Richmond

Eat here on Wednesday nights. That's because the "Fajitas For Two" are half-price. We ordered the beef, medium rare. Given the fact that most restaurants' fajitas are so thin that they can almost never be rare, I was skeptical. But some of our beef slices were actually pleasingly red. The portion was large and the beef tender. It came with the standard accompaniments: beans (I recommend the black beans), rice, guacamole, and pico de gallo. The hot platter usually has lots of onions beneath the beef, but only a few tonight, plus a big jalapeño pepper. The red and green salsas were flavorful and not spicy-hot. Fun, festive, and reliably good Tex-Mex is what you will find at this popular spot. Call ahead and they will add your name to the waiting list to save you time once you arrive.

Laurenzo's on Washington Avenue

Eat here when you don't quite know what you want to eat. I came at noon and was amazed by the vast number of menu options. I have been here many times for dinner, but never earlier in the day (my dinner favorites are their signature prime rib and seared ahi tuna salad). At midday you can choose from the weekend brunch menu, a lunch specials menu, and the extensive dinner/anytime menu. Since breakfast is my favorite meal, I chose brunch. The brunch menu consists mainly of eggs Benedict dishes (two poached eggs atop a toasted English muffin with hollandaise sauce), served with two incredible melt-in-your-mouth folded crepes and a side order of creamy mascarpone cheese grits--think Paris, France meets Paris, Texas. Having grown up in the North, I am not accustomed to eating grits, but I tried them for the sake of research, and I have to admit, they were pretty darn good. I chose the "Lake George" eggs for two reasons: (1) it sounded tempting; and (2) it was Lake George in NY where my parents first met! Don't ask me what it's doing on a Houston menu, but, hey, it made my selection a tad easier. Layered beneath my poached eggs were crisp-tender asparagus, grilled tomato, and fresh mozzarella (hollandaise sauce on the side, as requested). It was a colorful combination of textures and flavors that worked really well together. My companions enjoyed their lunch specials, which included soup, a generously-sized half sandwich, and a side dish. While we have always had friendly, well-meaning servers, the kitchen occasionally makes mistakes, so consider yourself warned. I find Laurenzo's a convenient place for dinner before downtown theater. It is not inexpensive, so look for the occasion half-price coupon to save some bucks. Come hungry and allow enough time to study this eclectic menu.

JerryBuilt Burgers on Holcombe

Don't eat here if you want an exceptional hamburger. Good buns from Three Brothers Bakery, yes. Mostly crispy sweet potato fries made from potatoes cut on-site, yes. Tempting milkshakes made with Blue Bell ice cream, yes. But when it comes to the burgers, no. They were salty, skinny patties with very little flavor and limited free and optional toppings, when compared to Five Guys. The two soft drink machines allow you to custom blend your drink, which is a real kid pleaser. They also have a gimmicky hand cleansing machine that drenches your hands, which you then must towel dry. The kids love this too, but give me an eco-friendly squirt of Purell anytime. The workers were friendly and the place was clean and attractive, albeit quite noisy. This is their first week of business, so I will cut them some slack as they work out the kinks, such as the awkward flow of customers coming in from two directions and converging on the ordering counter, and the doubling up of our order on drinks and fries. I suggest they also work on the burgers.

Cafe Rabelais in Rice Village

Eat here for a lovely French-inspired dinner. After eating lots of fabulous fresh fish in Florida, the landlubber in me was craving lamb. I decided to try the pistachio crusted rack of lamb with cranberry sauce at this attractively decorated French style bistro. It was delicious and served perfectly done at medium rare. The two thick chops were accompanied by fresh green beans (the skinny haricots verts would have been nice) and smooth, creamy mashed potatoes. The tomato basil salad featured three thick slices of beefsteak tomato (that actually tasted like a tomato...imagine that), topped with basil and roasted garlic balsamic vinegar. The salade niçoise had a generous amount of tuna and toppings for a dinner serving. The warm, rustic French bread was a stand out - crunchy crust on the outside and melt-in-your-mouth softness inside. Topped with the wonderful European butter, the bread was a highlight of the meal.  Next time we will try the mussels and pommes frites, both of which looked great. I can just picture myself dipping that heavenly bread into the white wine-infused herb broth. And I plan to leave room for one of the tempting French desserts. Service was excellent. The wine list was extensive and we enjoyed a half bottle of Côtes du Rhône. One drawback was the menu board. They only have one and it is high up and rather inconvenient to see from parts of the room. The tables are also close together, although the room wasn't noisy and we could have a conversation. This unassuming storefront holds a delightful dinner ahead, and a little taste of France, if you use your imagination.

Eating Our Way Through South Florida

We are on vacation this week with friends, eating our way from Key West (the southern most point in the U.S.) north to Coconut Grove and then Miami. So far we have cracked "world famous" (according to the restaurant) garlic crabs in the shell, enjoyed fresh grilled local snapper, sampled traditional Cuban Palmilla steak, drank Cuban coffee, and tasted pretty good Key Lime pie. We are on a mission to find the BEST Key Lime pie, though, and have a few more days to accomplish our task. Stay tuned. Let me know if you are planning a trip here and want some restaurant recommendations.

Los Dos Amigos on Washington Avenue

Eat here for good, cheap homemade Mexican breakfast. It doesn't have much atmosphere or many tables, but it's an institution that has been around since 1976, according to the sign outside. They serve the full gamut of typical Mexican egg dishes, accompanied by slightly greasy fried potatoes (possibly homemade judging from the oddly shaped pieces), refried beans, and tortillas for around $5, or a dollar less before 10am. Deliciously flavorful (not hot) green salsa and chunky red salsa, homemade chips, okay coffee, and hot food served promptly made the trip worth the drive. For a dive of a place, it was surprisingly clean, with friendly service from an attentive waitress. No one rushed our group of six, all of whom enjoyed their food. While it is not a place for a business meeting and is quite small, it had ample parking in the lot. The place isn't going to win any awards, but for what it is, it is worth considering a stop. 

Fung's Kitchen on the SW Freeway

Eat here for a scrumptious dim sum (Chinese small plates) lunch on Saturday or Sunday. We love joining the crowds of multi-generational Asian families enjoying the vast array of dim sum dishes served from carts being rolled around the massive dining rooms. Last night we rang in the "Year of the Dragon" at a special banquet dinner we learned about at our last dim sum visit. We invited friends to join us for Fung's 3rd annual Chinese New Year celebration, which featured an 8-course gourmet dinner, cooking demonstrations by celebrity chefs, and cultural entertainment. We got into the spirit by wearing red for good luck. The ten of us were eagerly seated around a round table with a lazy susan and a bottle of red wine (which we supplemented with a few more to really get into the spirit.) The feast began with an appetizer platter of BBQ pork, roasted pork, and shredded tofu. Next we were served a delicately flavored pumpkin-white asparagus-lobster soup that surprisingly had a big chunk of succulent steamed lobster meat from an entire claw in each bowl. The entrees included traditional crispy Peking duck, tender grilled Maine lobster in the shell with spicy sea salt, and stir-fried fillet mignon slices with sweet onions in a honey black pepper sauce. Delicious, golden-colored shrimp fried rice followed. For dessert, we savored the crisp, chewy fried sesame balls filled with sweet red bean paste and covered with sesame seeds (think Chinese jelly donut) and the unique Dragon's Beard candy made from superfine sugar threads encasing the sweet nutty ground mixture of sesame, peanut, and coconut. Wow! This fabulous meal was accompanied by exciting raffle drawings (Mimi & Ralph were lucky winners at our table), a traditional Lion Dance, noodle stretching demonstrations, hosting by personable tv cooking show chef and cookbook author Martin Yan from San Francisco and Dorothy Huang from Houston, goodie bags for everyone from Kikkoman, and more. Hoi Fung, chef and owner of the restaurant, made the rounds to each table (about 30 of them) with chefs Yan and Huang for a personal toast to the New Year. With a start like this, it is bound to be a legendary year. Gung hay fat choy, and see you for dim sum at Fung's soon!

Tango & Malbec on Sage

Eat here for a welcome break from the ordinary. Located in the shadow of the Galleria, Tango & Malbec serves delicious South American cuisine in an warm, attractive setting at moderate prices. I love the very extensive wine list, especially the Malbecs, by the glass and bottle. Not surprisingly, the menu features lots of grilled beef, but it also has plenty of fish and seafood, sausage, chicken, homemade pasta, and many unusual offerings for the more adventurous eaters. We started with the mango salad, which had attractively arranged thin strips of sweet mango, sliced red onions, and avocado dressed with a mango vinaigrette...a balanced blend of sweet and pungent flavors. Next we shared the beef tenderloin brochette, which consisted of four large chunks of tender, pancetta-wrapped beef cooked to a perfect medium rare, delicately topped with chimichurri, and served with grilled vegetables over the most wonderful Basmati rice. My husband loves the sautéed onions and bell peppers side dish, which sounds harmless enough. But take note (since the menu doesn't mention it), there are also jalapeños sautéed into the mix and everything is flamed table side with Bacardi 151. Consider yourself warned! If you come on the weekend, you may hear live music from a keyboardist and see a couple demonstrating the tango after 9pm or so. This place is fun, lively, and refreshingly different, with great food, wine and service. Plus, it has lots of parking, which is a real plus these days. 

Prego in Rice Village

Eat here as often as you can. If you don't live nearby, consider moving. We adore Prego and are dinner "regulars". The lively, friendly atmosphere and great Italian food keep us coming back. The food is exceptional and served piping hot, the portions quite ample, and the prices very moderate. The chewy sourdough bread is irresistible, especially when dipped in the mild olive oil spiked with red pepper flakes, basil, and chopped garlic. They've been using locally grown ingredients for years, but I am thankful they don't scream about it the way all the new restaurants feel compelled to do. While the menu is loaded with excellent choices, our favorites are: linguini pescatore with perfect al dente pasta and tender shrimp, mussels, calamari, clams, and scallops in a flavorful, not spicy fra diavolo sauce (generous enough to share, as we did tonight); their incredible, unique lasagna made with homemade veal and beef meatballs, mozzarella, tomato sauce, and pesto; wood grilled snapper topped with an ethereal lemon butter sauce and oven-dried tomatoes, accompanied by the must-have butternut squash and French green beans; and the to-die-for soft shell crabs when they are in season. They have a new gluten-free menu featuring pasta, fish and more. The waiters are all professionals who never write down a thing, yet get our orders right every time. Run, don't walk to Prego, but make a reservation first, since we aren't the only ones who love this neighborhood gem.

Candalari's Pizzeria on Holcombe

Don't eat here if you want really good pizza. While I recognize that pizza is full of personal preferences--thin crust vs. thick, Euro style vs. traditional, standard ingredients vs. gourmet, etc.--we found the pizza here wasn't any better than Domino's and a lot more expensive. The place was dimly lit, the staff not welcoming, and the service mediocre. Our pizza lacked flavor, so we asked for some garlic powder, which they didn't have. Save your money and go elsewhere or kick back and order delivery. 

Mai's Restaurant on Milam

Eat here before or after downtown theater. Mai's was a great choice my friend, Ann, made for dinner last night before we attended a performance at the Wortham. We parked conveniently in Mai's parking lot, enjoyed a delicious, modestly priced Vietnamese dinner, and were on our way within 45 minutes. The  spring rolls--2 to an order for just $3.50--were tightly filled with three shrimp (also available with chicken, pork or tofu), vermicelli, bean sprouts, and lettuce, accompanied by a crunchy peanut-laden peanut dipping sauce. The Pad Thai with chicken ($10.00), which I was glad to see on the menu even though it is not a Vietnamese dish, was very good, although not the best in town. The dish had large slices of tender, white meat chicken, slightly chewy flat rice noodles, crunchy peanuts and bean sprouts, and sauce that added just the right sweetness. My favorite dish of the evening was the baby bok choy, which was steamed to a perfect crisp-tender, and seasoned with slivers of stir-fried garlic in a light sauce. Fantastic and just $7.00! We shared everything and walked out comfortably full, with plenty of time to make our curtain. Make your way to Mai's soon.