Houston View

Cafe Pita+

Mike Riccetti — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 11:02:06 +0000

The moniker for the small Westchase-area Cafe Pita+ is a tad misleading. It is a cafe in that the Italian-style coffees are lingered over here, and several of its dishes are commonly accompanied by pitas, but there are no pitas here. This is a Bosnian restaurant featuring hearty and flavorful cooking that is a great value.

This is tasty home cooking from the Balkans paired with presentation that is surprisingly quite nice. The small restaurant consists of an open kitchen and maybe a dozen small tables with a flat screen television in back. It is popular with local Bosnians most of the time, and nearby office workers during lunchtime. The restaurant itself might not be the most inviting around, but the affable, usually present owner makes a good effort to be accommodating and informative.

Though the entree portions are generous, the Middle Eastern dips are an excellent way to begin a meal. The hummus can be especially good. It is served with lepinja bread that is very aptly described as a cross between pita bread and ciabatta bread. It’s fluffy and airy and a good complement to the dips and the sandwiches.

The most popular item is cevap, which is seasoned ground beef rolls served with plenty of the fresti lepinja bread. It looks like a huge sandwich, but it’s expected that you tear off a piece of the bread and eat it with one of the sausage-like rolls and some of the accompanying butter. Burek is a lengthy coiled stretch of puff pas filled with ground beef or cheese; somewhat similar to a giant elongated spanikopita, and a lot of food for the price. The hand-crafted 10-inch individually sized thin-crust pizzas are quite tasty, and can be ordered with a few unique toppings.

For entrées there are shish kabobs with beef and chicken breast, stuffed peppers and stuffed cabbage, both filled with ground beef, and from the deep blue sea (or out of the blue for some), grilled sardines. If you have room for a sweet finish, there is baklava, rice pudding, and crepes with a chocolate and hazelnut mix, topped with a berry sauce.

Cafe Pita+ was featured on the Food Network’s Diners Drive-Ins and Dives.

Café Pita+
http://cafepita.weebly.com/
10890 Westheimer (between the Beltway and Wilcrest)
Houston, Texas 77042
(713) 953-7237

Copyright Mike Riccetti. Adapted from Houston Dining on the Cheap, and used with permission.

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Breakfast Klub

Mike Riccetti — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 11:30:11 +0000

On the weekends lines form well outside the entrance; some evidence that this has become a local fixture since its opening in 2001. The Breakfast Klub serves excellent and interesting, fun and unpretentious food in an informal setting with a certain amount of cool. Though stylish, the owners and staff are noticeably very friendly, and the restaurant always seems to have a warm vibe to it. Dark wood tables, chairs and some even more comfortable seats are set amidst the industrial chic type of decor, and African-inspired art adorns some of the walls, above the concrete floors.

Though not soul food in the traditional sense, the offerings have a noticeable African-American feel, and are divided neatly among breakfast plates, omelets, breakfast sandwiches, salads, and lunch sandwiches.

Only open until the early afternoon, breakfast is served all of the time and comprises most of the menu. Almost all of the breakfast choices are very good. Featuring noticeably freshly baked goods nicely complemented with tasty fat, the French toast and biscuits and gravy are among the best in town, as is the Breakfast Kroissant. This is a scrambled egg-filled sandwich featuring a buttery croissant and a choice of meats served with a properly ripe, juicy and flavorful roma tomato slice.

In fact, each of the ingredients is noticeably fresh and top-notch here. There are several other breakfast sandwiches, pancakes and waffles, omelets made with three eggs, and some other, more eclectic options. There is even Green Eggs & Ham. The eggs get their color from the hearty addition of chives, spinach and bell peppers, in case you are curious.

The Wings & Waffle is a take on the jazzy combination of fried chicken and waffles. More so the Belgian waffle, but the tasty fried chicken wings, too, benefit from a dash of maple syrup.

The breakfast sides are much more than an afterthought here. The cubed roasted potatoes are good, possibly the best breakfast potatoes outside of very good hash browns. And good for any place specializing in breakfast, the bacon is thick and crispy.

The lunch-style items are also worthy of a visit. There are a handful of artful sandwiches and salads from which to choose: a club, a chicken club, grilled chicken, tuna salad, chicken salad, and the increasingly familiar BLT with avocado. The salads are a Chef Salad, Caesar with grilled chicken and Grilled Chicken Salad with grilled chicken breast, bacon, chopped hard-boiled eggs, cheese and tomatoes among salad greens. The salads and sandwiches can also be fitted half-size with the soup of the day.

Whenever you come, the Breakfast Klub will offer likely offer a warm and enjoyable dining experience that should be worth the wait.

Breakfast Klub
www.thebreaktfastklub.com
3711 Travis (at Alabama)
Houston, Texas 77002
(713) 528-8561

Copyright Mike Riccetti. Adapted from Houston Dining on the Cheap, and used with permission.

Image Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/etee/ / CC BY-SA 2.0

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Houston Center for Contemporary Craft

Cathy Stucker — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 10:45:47 +0000

The purpose of the Center is to advance education about the process, product and history of craft, with an emphasis on crafts made of fiber, metal, glass, clay and wood. There are two exhibit galleries, a retail gallery and studio space for use by artists in residence. The exhibition galleries feature changing exhibits in many media. The retail gallery features one of a kind objects by artists from around the country, including local artists. Hands-on workshops are offered for all ages.

Docent-guided tours can be scheduled Tuesdays – Fridays between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. These tours are approximately one hour long. Visit the current exhibitions, talk to on-site Artists-in-Residence and see art in action. Tour groups also have the opportunity to explore the Craft Garden, where artists grow plant material used in craft making.

All tours and workshops are limited to forty people. There is no fee, however, donations are always appreciated.

Houston Center for Contemporary Craft
4848 Main Street
713-529-4848
Open Tues.-Sat. 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sun. Noon-5 p.m. (Closed Sundays during the summer.)
No admission charge. Donations accepted.
http://www.crafthouston.org

Take Main Street southwest from downtown. Turn right into the parking lot, just before Rosedale Street and the Lawndale Art Center.

Image Credit: Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau

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Baker’s Ribs

Mike Riccetti — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 23:27:13 +0000

Baker’s Ribs, part of a small Dallas-based chain that re-opened locally after shuttering a few years ago, is not a barbecue temple, but a unique, generally proficient part of the local smoked meats landscape. There is hickory-smoked pork, beef, turkey, sausage, chicken and ribs here. Ribs are in the name for a reason, and these are suitably meaty, moist and flavorful.

Unusual for local barbecue restaurants, Baker’s also serves non-rib pork. This, and each of the meats, is pretty good, if not as succulent or as smoky as is found at the top places. The meats are almost necessarily complemented with a number of squirts from the plastic squeeze bottle containing their warmed vinegar-y barbecue sauce. That addition makes for a nearly always enjoyable combination.

The sandwiches, with the sauce, of course, might be a better way to enjoy the meats, as these nicely feature an airy, tasty, toasted bun. The sides set in the steam table as you order can include an interesting array, such as black beans, zesty stewed tomatoes, cole slaw, pasta salad, marinated cucumbers and a sugar-laden peach cobbler. The cool, juicy tomatoes can be especially tasty, and a nice contrast to the warm barbecue.

Though conveniently located near some nice neighborhoods, Baker’s is sufficiently scruffy: there is lots of rough-hewn woods, concrete floors, low lighting, lame decorations, televisions tuned to an uninteresting program, and tables are that are often un-bussed for a while, which is probably more easily overlooked at a barbecue joint. Conversely, Baker’s is convenient for take-away as it has easy-to-order family meals for various sized groups.

Baker’s Ribs
www.bakersribs.com
2223 S. Voss (between Westheimer and San Felipe)
Houston, Texas 77057
(713) 977-8725

Copyright Mike Riccetti. Adapted from Houston Dining on the Cheap, and used with permission.

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Houston – There’s an App For That

Cathy Stucker — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 10:47:37 +0000

If you have an iPhone or iPod Touch, you may want to get some of these Houston apps. All of the apps listed here are free, so download a few from the iTunes app store and check them out.

Guides

Houston Travel Companion – From the Greater Houston Convention & Visitors Bureau. Includes information and coupons for local Houston attractions, dining, events, etc.

CultureMap – Your guide to Houston culture, shopping, dining and more.

SwamiCity Pocket Concierge – Tons of information on everything Houston. Available in multiple languages.

Houston “At a Glance” City Guide – Includes information in several categories, including history and culture, what to see, eating out, shopping, accommodations, and nightlife.

News

ABC13 – Get news headlines, weather, traffic, video and more from Channel 13, KTRK.

KHOU – Get news headlines, weather, traffic, video and more from Channel 11, KHOU.

MyFoxHouston – Get news headlines, weather, traffic, video and more from Channel 26, Fox News.

Telemundo 47 – News in Spanish.

Houston Business Journal – Business news.

Houston Traffic – Find out what is happening on Houston roadways so you can avoid the traffic jams. Get info on construction and accidents, and access live traffic cams.

Entertainment

Houston Press – Information on events, dining and more.

KUHF – Listen to news and music from KUHF public radio on your phone.

KTRU – Listen to the Rice University radio station on your phone.

Houston Symphony – News and music from the Houston Symphony.

Attractions

Houston Zoo – The official app of the zoo. Keep up with zoo events and your favorite animals.

Magazines

Houston Magazine – The iPhone edition of Houston’s lifestyle magazine.

Houston Bride’s Magazine – The iPhone edition of Houston Bride magazine.

Whatever

Craigs+ Houston – Browse CraigsList classifieds.

Check My Neighbors – With just a click, you will find out how much the residents near your GPS position earn. Interesting statistics.

You Know You Are From Houston (Lite) – Game with fun “facts” about Houston.

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The Original Ninfa’s

Mike Riccetti — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 10:50:49 +0000

Tasting the various dishes featuring the beef fajita in the warm, fun, and still often crowded setting on the east side of downtown, you can understand how this one, initially quite humble restaurant greatly helped to popularize Tex-Mex in the area, even nationally.

Original needs to be emphasized here, as everyone in town should know. The other restaurants in the Ninfa’s chain do not come close to measuring up to the original location. In local parlance, this restaurant is “Original Ninfa’s,” or “Ninfa’s on Navigation.” The old sign still hanging above this location features an image of a relatively youthful, though now deceased, matriarch, Mama Ninfa over the phrase, “Tacos a la Ninfa.” The restaurant is still fairly unreconstructed, and that is part of its charm. It shows signs of its former life as a small taco stand that grew into a restaurant, and then many restaurants. Also aiding in the appeal is the friendly and very solicitous service, fun atmosphere. And, not least, the excellent Tex-Mex, both food and drink.

From the 1970s Ninfa’s has helped to popularize the grilled skirt steak from its humble beginnings in the border areas into part of the national menu. “Fajitas” properly refer to the somewhat lowly skirt steak that has been grilled and cut in strips, and these do not come much tastier than at the Original Ninfa’s. Using marinated, high quality outside skirt steak, these are extremely flavorful and juicy, and are found in various guises here. The fajitas are the meat unadorned in sizes from a quarter-pound, half-pound and one pound accompanied with pico de gallo, guacamole and sour cream on the side. For an additional charge, there is a choice of toppings, a la Mexicana (sautéed jalapetios, tomatoes and onions), Chihuahua (bacon, poblanos and Monterey Jack cheese), and Tratinada (sautéed mushrooms, onions and bell pepper). Then there are the Tacos a la Ninfa (called tacos al carbon elsewhere), where the meat is already placed inside a large flour tortilla. And, the Enchiladas al Carbon, stuffed with the tasty fajita, makes for very good enchiladas. Other enchilada dishes are good here, as are the pork ribs, which is something unusual for a Tex-Mex restaurant. Actually, most everything is very well prepared here on their fairly extensive menu, and the portions are the size of what most patrons in the area have come to expect.

It’s tough to go wrong at the Original Ninfa’s if you are in the mood for Tex- Mex, and it’s tough not to be in a good mood while you are here. Though it is easy to spend money here with the allure of chile con queso, a bountiful entree, and plenty of Ninfaritas (the margaritas), the prices here are really not much different than other popular Tex-Mex establishments. The food will generally be better, too, and you will have a very enjoyable and filling dining experience.

The Original Ninfa’s
www.mamaninfas.com
2704 Navigation (between Jensen and Sampson), Houston, Texas 77003, (713) 228-1178

Copyright Mike Riccetti. Adapted from Houston Dining on the Cheap, and used with permission.

Image Credit: Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau

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Save on Your Houston Staycation with City Pass Houston

Cathy Stucker — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 11:30:56 +0000

Planning to stay in Houston for your vacation? Houston has lots of things to see and do, and you can see up to six of Houston’s top attractions for one low price with the Houston City Pass.

The pass is good for nine days, starting with the first day you use it. That means if you want to start your staycation on a Saturday, you can use the pass through the Sunday of the following week. With the City Pass, you save up to 47% on admission to up to six attractions. The sites included in the City Pass are Space Center Houston, Downtown Aquarium, Houston Museum of Natural Science, Houston Zoo, and your choice of The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston OR The Children’s Museum of Houston, as well as your choice of George Ranch Historical Park OR The Health Museum.

The City Pass costs $39 for adults, or $29 for kids 3 – 11. You can purchase your City Pass booklet at any of the participating attractions, or pre-pay online. The City Pass can also save you time as, once you have your booklet, you do not have to wait in line to buy tickets at each attraction.

To buy your City Pass, or for more information, go to http://www.citypass.com/houston

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One Day in Houston, Texas

Cathy Stucker — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 21:13:15 +0000

This fun video gives an overview of the sights, sounds, attractions, food, shopping and people of Houston, Texas.

From an early-morning run in Memorial Park through shopping, dining, sport events, the arts, a vibrant music scene and night life, Houston has it all. This video captures a small part of it, along with commentary from notable Houstonians such as boxer and entrepreneur George Foreman, designer and Project Runway winner Chloe Dao, members of the Houston Ballet and others.

Check it out and be reminded of some of the great things about Houston!

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Kenny & Ziggy’s

Mike Riccetti — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 11:55:40 +0000

Kenny & Ziggy’s is a spiffy restaurant just north of the Galleria that serves slick renditions of Jewish-American deli food and sports a multi- generational deli legacy. The restaurant seems to work hard: the corned beef is cured in-house; the pickles are flown in regularly from Manhattan; the smoked fish is sliced by hand at the restaurant; both Kenny’s and Ziggy’s business cards are proudly displayed at the counter for takeaway; and most notably service is usually very efficient. The cheeky menu is very lengthy, and there should be something for everyone, deli aficionados and otherwise.

There are many large-sized Jewish-American starters, soups, smoked fish, grilled chicken sandwiches, deli sandwiches, meat plates, dinners, salads, hamburgers, knishes, knockwurst and frankfurters, numerous sides, desserts. In true American style, abundance takes precedent over finesse here. The starters might not have a broad appeal with items like chopped liver, sweet and sour tongue, and pickled herring, but nearly all of entrees are fairly quite hefty.

The more familiar soups are served in pint and quart-size portions. There is chicken soup with matzoh ball, rice noodles, or kreplach (small stuffed dumplings); cold beet borscht; and a soup of the day.

Kenny & Ziggy’s probably has the biggest array of smoked fish in town: Nova Lox (brine-cured that’s less salty), sturgeon, sable, baked salmon and several more. There are nearly fifty types of sandwiches filled with the full range of deli meats and other American favorites. The sandwiches are served in several styles: hot and cold, open-faced and triple- decker. Though none of these is cheap for a sandwich, these are overly stuffed, and should satiate all but the most voracious appetites. Be forewarned that the triple decker sandwiches are nearly impossible to eat as a sandwich unless some deconstruction is undertaken. If none of the many sandwiches look appealing, you can always create your own. Each of these comes with a crisp cole slaw, and some also come with freshly made fries.

The two dozen hearty dinners include stuffed cabbage, Braised Short Ribs, grilled liver and onions, fish and chips, roast turkey, Chopped Steak, and a half of Roasted Spring Chicken. Either as dinners or starters there are also several eastern European dishes like potato-filled dough pockets, pierogies, goulash, potato pancakes and stuffed cabbage. The pierogies, a treat elsewhere, are nothing special here. Better are the grilled knockwurst served with sauerkraut and baked beans. These dinners are served with a small salad and a couple of side dishes. There’s even more: deli salad platters, knishes, hot dogs, about fifty sides, and ten or so more heart-healthy salads.

Most patrons seem to forget cholesterol concerns here, at least subconsciously, and desserts are a big draw. Their proper New York cheesecake is well done, and huge; it easily satisfies two. Other sweet finishes include a Chocolate 7 Layer Cake, Boston cream cake, apple pie, carrot cake and Ebinger’s Style Blackout Cake. Shakes, floats and egg creams are also popular.

This is a nice setting in which to enjoy overindulgence. The pleasing decor screams New York, New York, 42nd Street. The walls are covered with framed playbills of Broadway productions, posters of movies set in New York, and caricatures of New York area celebrities. Though maybe not the caliber of the celebrities whose images line walls, popular Houston Chronicle columnist and native New Yorker Ken Hoffman has proclaimed Kenny & Ziggy’s his favorite deli

Kenny & Ziggy’s
www.kennyandziggys.com
2327 Post Oak Blvd. (between Westheimer and San Felipe) 77056, (713) 871-8883

Copyright Mike Riccetti. Adapted from Houston Dining on the Cheap, and used with permission.

Image Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/cynthiamonster/ / CC BY-SA 2.0

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Jim Sanborn Light Sculpture – A,A

Cathy Stucker — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 00:21:39 +0000

The official name of this artwork is A,A. Artist Jim Sanborn took more than a year to complete the work, and it is composed of portions of poems, novels and prose written in many different languages, including Chinese, Spanish, Russian and Arabic.

Located on the University of Houston campus, the sculpture is most interesting after dark, when a projector casts lights through the copper and bronze piece, causing the text to appear on the outside walls of the M.D. Anderson Library.

The project was completed in 2004, and cost nearly a quarter of a million dollars. In addition to A,A, the library contains two other pieces by Jim Sanborn. In the library’s third-floor reading room, bronze panels display portions of poems and other literature, and a 24-ft. bronze scroll detailing the history of papermaking hangs from the ceiling to the first floor.

One of Sanborn’s most famous works, Kryptos, includes four encrypted messages. Three of the four have been deciphered, but the fourth remains a mystery. Kryptos is, appropriately, displayed on the grounds of the Langley, Virginia headquarters of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).

The A,A sculpture is located on the University of Houston campus, outside the M.D. Anderson Library. It is visible 24 hours a day, and there is no admission charge.

From downtown, take I-45 South to Spur 5 South. Turn right on University Drive (the first stoplight). To obtain a visitor parking permit, visit the Information Center at Entrance 1 on University Dr. or the Information Center on Cullen Blvd near the Athletics/Alumni Facility.

Image Credit:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/15279949@N02/ / CC BY 2.0

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