Houston Restaurant Week - Crave Sushi Review

One thing I love about Houston is that new restaurants pop up in places where you least expect them. Take for example Crave Sushi. This trendy new eatery wasn't easy to find, mainly because it's located in a Midtown shopping center where you'd least expect to find a nice restaurant. But don't judge a book by its cover. Crave Sushi might not look like much from the outside, but inside, it's a place to see and be seen. This is the place where according to my friend, players from the Houston Dynamo hang out. (BTW, Dynamo's Brian Ching was there that night).

I didn't choose to come to Crave. I had no idea it even existed. My friend picked it out of the Houston Restaurant Week restaurant list and thought it would be a good place to try. We had made reservations, but ended up getting there an hour late (that's another story). Anyhow, we didn't receive the gracious welcoming we thought we would, and that's because they wouldn't sit us down. The empty tables we were angrily staring at were reserved, and we had lost our reservation spot.

We wanted to leave, but realizing it was our fault we decided to stick it out for a half hour. Once seated, we evidently went for the Houston Restaurant Week special: four courses for $35. That was a steal considering an average sushi roll there costs about $16. The good thing about these courses is that we had great options off menu plates we wouldn't normally choose because of the price.

This is what I chose:

• Appetizer: Tempura Shrimp Stuffed Mushrooms.
• Sushi Roll: Crave's Cheetah Roll (**This is their signature item).
• Entree: Macadamia Nut Crusted Red Snapper.
• Dessert: Fried Coconut Ice Cream.

What can I say? The Tempura Shrimp Stuffed Mushrooms (normally $6) were great, but I don't know if it was because I was starving. The bad thing: there were only two pieces!

The sushi took a while to get there, but it was worth the wait. Crave's Cheetah Roll (normally $15) is a peculiar-must because of its creativity and great flavor. Take crab meat, avocado, cucumber, spicy mayo, Sriracha sauce and combine it with flaming hot Cheetos! As weird and strange as it sounds, the roll was off the chart.

My friends also tried different rolls. Theirs were excellent as well, especially the 4 a.m. Roll (normally $13), which had strange ingredients, like kiwi, strawberry and a pomegranate glaze.

It is fair to say, however, that Crave Sushi has a especialty and that is, of course, sushi. The Macadamia Nut Crusted Red Snapper (normally $23) was OK. I wasn't wowed by the taste. Something was missing and I was not too fond of the sweet rice which had pineapple chunks and tasted coconutty. I ate almost the whole thing, nonetheless (I put the rice to the side of my plate).

The best did not come at last. The ice cream in the Fried Coconut Ice Cream (normally $7) had melted and soaked in the Tempura batter. Boo! I ate the whole thing.

If it wasn't for Houston Restaurant Week, I would have spent a total of $51. With this great deal (which benefits the Houston Food Bank) I saved about $16.

Using my rating system of BURP=delish!, GULP=pretty good, and BARF=yuk, Crave Sushi gets a GULP!


Crave Sushi
2900 Travis Street, Suite F
Houston, TX 77006
(713) 527-8744

Ray's Franks n More Review

Hidden within the Warehouse District is one of Houston's prized new jewels: a hot dog restaurant! Ray's Franks n More is located where the romantic Dharma Cafe used to be. But Ray's Franks n More is way far from romantic. It's a fun place to be laid back and have what I consider one of the best wieners in town!

With terrorizing names like the "Mummy" or the "Chupacabra," and a set-up reminescent of classic Brooklin delis, Ray's Franks n More makes an artistry of hot dog combinations. The idea is for your appetite to suffer a delicious, horrific death!

Try the Freddy Kruger. It's what I had. This monstrous dog is as wicked as it gets with crispy "scissor sticks" of onions and jalapeños covered with cheese, slashed over a tender bun . I also opted to go for the "overachiever" Corn Dog, which is extremely perverted in size and twice the size of the corn dogs you'd normally get at the school cafeteria. Two dogs + sweet tea= About $12

My friend chose to go to the exotic side and had the Curry Mustard hot dog. His opinion on the Curry Mustard dog is that it pales in comparison to the dogs he had at street vendors in Austin. However, he seemed quite satisfied with his outcome.

If you're a hot dog lover, you've got to try this one. Using my rating system of BURP=delish!, GULP=pretty good, and BARF=yuk, Ray's Franks n More gets a BURP!

Beware, this place closes at 7 p.m.

Ray's Franks n More

1302 Nance Street

Houston, TX 77002

(713) 224-6441
(Sorry, no official website yet)

Coco's Crepes & Coffee Review

Coco's Crepes & Coffee and I have a history. I've taken many people to this place and it's primarily for one reason: their awesome crepes! But recently, my affair with Coco's has evolved into something much more serious and not just your usual late night after dinner calls for dessert. I had failed to see there was more to Coco's than her sweet rewards. I came to realize Coco's Crepes & Coffee also serves a good lunch!

Coco's Crepes & Coffee is owned by the same folks who own Mia Bella and Saffron. In fact, the owner is one of coolest, nicest guys: Ali Bendella, who served me a tray of crepe samples on my birthday last year. Bendella was able to incorporate his Mediterranean upbringing into his food and even the ambiance of this cozy café. Enter and there's even Electronic/Arabesque music playing.

Lately, I've become infatuated with Coco's Turkey Spinach Panini. Nothing like a crisp sandwich to entice my taste buds and satisfy my appetite. It's the succulent mayo in this panini which has a special taste to it. I also had their very special Coco Loco smoothie, which tastes like a refreshing Piña Colada without the alcohol. Boo! Price tag: about $9.

But a trip to Coco's wouldn't be complete without having a taste of their notorious crepes. One single bite and this 5-min. affair might turn into a long-term relationship. I go for the classic Nutella crepe (Nutella is a pretty famous worlwide brand of chocolate hazelnut spread). The crepe's dough is not as paper-thin as the ones they'd serve in Europe, but it is pretty darn close and just as delish. Price tag: about $4

Coco's Crepes & Coffee has outdoor sitting for those who like to people watch-and believe me, there are lots of pedestrians on this side of Midtown. They also have Wi-Fi for the "social networkers."

One of my favorite places in town, Coco's Crepes & Coffee gets a BURP! using my rating system of BURP=delish!, GULP=pretty good, and BARF=yuk.

Coco's Crepes & Coffee
218 Gray St.
Houston, TX 77002
(713) 521-0700

Amazón Grill Review

Call Amazón Grill a steal. This quick chain eatery is really worth more than what you pay for. This is where you go when you're hungry, want to spend OK money, and you want it NOW! Order, take a number, have a seat and they'll bring it out to you. There's a plantain bar and a soda bar, too (they used to have a salad bar, but understandably they've cut back on costs).

The mastermind behind Amazón Grill is Michael Cordúa, a self-made entrepeneur from Nicaragua, who seamlessly was able to blend the best of Latin American cuisine in a modern, laid back kind of a place.

Marketing-wise, you'll notice they were able to brand and capture sort of an urban jungle kind-of-feel, mixing tropical plants and greenery over concrete space. The art itself has been deliberately picked out with Alberto Godoy paintings. Godoy is a Cuban artist who hails from Houston. His signature is painting subjects who are pudgy.

Whenever I go to Amazón Grill, I go for the kill. I get the Puntas, which is tender grilled beef over jalapeño sauce. This really is to die for...You won't get something like this anywhere else in town for $13. It comes with rice, veggies, and a side of sweet plantains. But what makes this an entirely unique plate is the jalapeño sauce, which gives it a nice kick and compliments the meat perfectly. (You might opt for the black bean sauce if you're not into spicy, you wuss!)


Another great plate, which my intern ordered, is the Piraña. No, this isn't piraña from the rain forest, but it tastes just as dangerous as its name sounds. Piraña is pecan-crusted tilapia with maple-lime sauce. It's interesting to see how maple can be used in other ways than putting it over pancakes. The tilapia is so tender, it literally melts in your mouth. Plus, the crispiness of the pecan crust makes it much more indulging than having a grilled filet of fish. This also comes with a side of rice, veggies and sweet plantains, as all entreés do. This plate is $12.

Using my rating system of BURP=delish!, GULP=pretty good, and BARF=yuk, Amazón Grill gets a BURP!

BTW I did not have dessert this time, but I can guarantee you Amazón Grill serves one of the best tres leches in Houston.


Amazón Grill
5114 Kirby Drive
Houston, TX 77098
(713) 522-5888

Brown Bag Deli Review

Did you forget to pack your lunch? Brown Bag Deli's got you covered. Come and grab your very own lunch bag in this quick eatery, but get there early because there's always a line!

Brown Bag Deli is about sandwich choices. You get to choose your bread, meat, cheese, toppings... you name it, you probably choose it. The place in itself is an experience. You get to check mark your choices on items printed on a brown bag. And yes, just like you did when you were little, you also get to write down your name on the bag so no one else gets it. The idea is that if you're on the run, you can just stuff your sandwich in the bag and go!

Well, that seems like a lot of paper waste right? Who knows? But the food is pretty health nut stuff. They serve wheat bread, baked chips, reduce fat cheese, and such. So, you'd figure in one way or another they might be into recycling too. I did notice their cups are biopolymer containers. Biopolymers are made from plant materials which means it's renewable. They also break down and are good for composting. But enough of this green crapola! It's up to Brown Bag Deli to "choose" whether to recycle or not.

I've been preconditioned to make healthy food decisions for a while now. So I chose:

• Bread: Wheat
• Meat: Egg Salad
• Cheese: Monterey Jack
• Topping: Mayo, Deli Mustard, Lettuce, Tomato.
• Side: Fresh Fruit Cup

OK, so not really healthy stuff with the mayo and the mustard, but healthier than what could have been. But what about the sandwich? I was pleased, very pleased. Everything tasted really fresh and the sandwich portion was pretty big. Very messy to eat, though, or maybe it's just me who's the messy one.

If you choose to go for the combo rather than getting things individually, you'll save about $.50 when you order a drink. I spent a total of about $10.

Brown Bag Deli gets a GULP under my rating system of BURP=delish!, GULP=pretty good, and BARF=yuk. Oh, yeah! Did I mention lots of hotties in here? Doors open at 11 a.m.

Brown Bag Deli
2036 Westheimer
Houston, TX 77098
(713) 807-9191

Zoës Kitchen Review

Zoës Kitchen feels like something out of a Scandinavian country, with IKEA-type of furniture, vivid spring wall colors, and staff who wears khaki shorts to work (though I'm not sure folks in Scandinavia really do). This eatery, right off Shepherd and 59S, might be missed by those just passing by. However, good luck finding parking! Zoës Kitchen is almost certainly packed for lunch.

Just like its minimalist decor, don't expect too much from the menu of this chain eatery. Everything there is simple, but it doesn't mean it's not good. Zoës Kitchen is all about health conscious stuff. Think olives, pita bread, tuna salad, etc. It's mediterranean food meets contemporary chic. And, it's apparently where lots of good-looking people gather to eat, too.

However, my experience at Zoës Kitchen started off on the wrong foot. After getting my pick-up number, all the tables were taken, except for one which hadn't been cleaned yet. I set my stuff on that table, waiting for someone to clear it out. With no luck, I decided to take matters into my own hands (even though I dislike cleaning up after people I don't know). Immediately after, a lady came over to wipe the table, but I had pretty much done all the work.

However, however, such small incidents don't discourage me from what could be a good place to munch away. And, when my Chicken Quesadilla arrived, I have to admit I was pretty happy. This quesadilla was different. The dough was made of pita bread and it was nice and warm. Inside there was spinach, chicken and feta cheese. It also came with a side of fruit, salsa and sour cream. These last two condiments were much needed. The pita makes everything really dry.

And, that's exactly what my co-worker, Ricky, a graphic designer, said about his order. He had the Tuna Salad Wrap with a side of rice pilaf and jalapeño cheese (which looked like a mountain of play dough). He stole my salsa and smeared it all over his wrap. Apparently, though, he said his food tasted really good, especially the rice. (However, notice his shirt says "obey propaganda").

We both ended up spending about $11 each with drinks.

Using my rating system of BURP=delish!, GULP=pretty good, and BARF=yuk, Zoës Kitchen gets a GULP!

Zoës Kitchen
3701 South Shepherd
Houston, TX 77098
(713) 522-7447

100% Taquito Review

100% Taquito is 100 percent local. The mastermind behind this laid-back eatery is Marco Garcia, a U of H graduate, who wanted to bring the feel of Mexico City into his restaurant. The place is literally a city complete with street tiles, a facade of houses, car shop, taco stand, street lamps, and even clothes hanging out to dry on the roof, just like they do in Mexico City! And they're always playing Latin music videos on their TV screens.

Walk into 100% Taquito and the first thing you'll notice is the classic V-Dub taxi with what looks like scary lifelike puppets inside. The tables are set on the "street" making you feel like you're eating on the run, which you really are because at 100% Taquito, you order, take a number, eat, and go - perfect for lunch!

What makes 100% Taquito authentic is the size of the tacos (and of course, the taste). They are not your usual Tex-Mex size. They are small, just like in Mexico, which means an order of three tacos might not be enough to satisfy your appetite (think appetizer size).

Well, that's what exactly what happened to my intern, Claire. She ordered the exquisite Chicken Tacos. They were really good and tasted fresh! But, it just wasn't enough. And at around $4 per order, Claire was not too happy. She asked me to recommend what else to get and I told her to go for the Chicken Quesadillas (which I had never had there). To our surprise, her quesadilla order was basically the same as her taco order, except with cheese! We found out later that exact disclaimer was stated in the menu.

I went for my usual Chicken Mole Torta. "Tortas" in Mexico are sandwiches, which I find funny because in many Latin American countries, "tortas" are cakes. And, for those who don't know, Mole is a traditional chocolate sauce. Yes, you read correctly: chocolate. From what I've been told, this exotic concoction has indigenous roots. A chef once told me the word "mole" is french, meaning to grind. He said it came to be used when French nuns would yell out to the natives: "molé, molé!" and forced them to grind chocolate beans. However, there are many stories about this famous Mexican national dish.

Mole is an acquired taste. People are not fond of the look or the taste. Claire said the chicken mole on my baguette looked like dog food. I can assure you it doesn't taste like it (not that I've ever tried dog food). But it is a strange taste to describe. It's not sweet, for sure. It's kind of like having barbecue sauce, but without the sweetness.

100% Taquito is an experience. A pricey one, nonetheless. My sandwich and a frozen mango slushy cost me about $11. Using my rating system of BURP=delish!, GULP=pretty good, and BARF=yuk, I'd say this place gets a GULP!

100% Taquito

3245 Southwest Frwy.

Houston, TX 77027

(713) 665-2900