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Houston Top 5:
1) Goode Company Taqueira and Hamburger
2) Pappas Burger
3) Beck's Prime (it's almost not fair having one at the Memorial Park Golf Course)
4) Xtian Totem
5) Cafe Express |
It's the Pappas Family, they own about 60 restauants, mostly in Texas, they are all insanely good. As an aside, my wife an I both worked for them while in college then right afterward as managers, and I can tell you they are unbelievably well run.
Super clean, best of everything. |
I tend to like the burger grilled instead of pan seared as well. I agree 100% with D-Mob's analysis.
I like a huge variety of condiments, but to be pefectly honest, if I can put some tasty guacamole (or just fresh avacado slices) and pico de gallo on my burger, with that super tasty grilled fat infused patty and a toasted/grilled bun.....
K, it's Goode Co Taqueria and Hamburger for lunch today. Kirby at Westpark in Houston
I have to go to LA (well Orange Co) again next week, so I'm taking BongFury's recomendations. I must admit, in the same vain, that waiting 1 1/2 hrs for hot dogs at pinks a couple of months ago was actually worth it, so I'm stoked about looking for a great LA Burger. |
D-Mob and Bong-o, I agree on the high end pizza being an oxymoron. I grew up in Chicago, where one of the few great foods was Pizza. I love Chicago, great town, but not the best food town in the US, especially in the low to mid price range.
Anyway, Houston has the worst pizza in of anywhere I have ever been. Great food in general, huge diversity because of the huge foriengn population, but man, pizza here sucks. So we have gotte a few of those "High End" pizza places opening in very nice parts of town. I have a problem paying $40 for a pizza. Especially when I think of how you can walk into those little shops off the squares in Rome and get a great slice for about $2.50. Now that's pizza!
I love NY pizza too, same type deal. Different than the stuff in Italy, and much different than the deep dish (can you say Gino's East) in Chicago, but equally as satisfying.
BTW, my company's office in Cali is in Newport Beach, right off of MacArthur. Bongo I owe you at least lunch, but beer and dinner would be better, next time I am there, for my red card rant on the rap thread. I still think rap sucks though. |
My favorites in Houston, like you I travel a lot for work, and I would put Houston right at the top along with San Fran (all No Cal really) and New York for food towns. There's a lot of disposible income in Houston due to low cost of living and lots of big business (energy, medical, technology, banking) and it's too hot to be outside for about 8 months, so everyone goes out to eat!!
Top Tier Restaurants:
Brennans
DeMarco
Nino's
Cafe Annie
Mark's on Westhiemer (my fav)
Churrascos
L'Combe D'Or
Steak Houses:
Pappas Brothers
Vic and Anthony's
TexMex or Mexican:
Lupe Tortillas
Goode Co Taqeuria
Pappasitos (Little Pappsitos on Kirby is my fav)
El Tiempo
Ninfas (only the original on Navigation)
Seafood:
Goode Co Seafood
Pappadeaux
Vietnamese:
Nit Noi
Mediterrainian:
Niko Niko's
Ya Ya Mary's
There are lots of great Vietnamese and Chinese restaurants around town, we have huge immigrant populations from those countries. I usually just go along with my buddies to their mom and pop favorites where you need to speak the languages, and eat what they order for me at those spots. If you ever have interest in those, I can get recommendations on those too.
Come now before the heat starts back up next month!! |
Bongo, I ate at Anjin last week with some of the Japanese guys I work with, it was sublime, a great dining experience. We ended up at Javiers tonight, about the 100th time I've been there.
Going to Father's tomorrow, and the Dodgers game. I love SoCal, there's a reason it costs so much to live here, it really is great. |
I'm in Newport Beach for work the next couple of days, and I can't get the guys I'm entertaining convinced we should drive to, even though I offered, to Santa Monica to Father's Office. So where should I take them, that's close to NB?
thx, SoCal-ians. |
Javiers is good, great scenery, and the view is nice too!! |
I forgot to tell you guys that I have my first In-N-Out burger last week and it was definitely the best "fast food" burger I have ever had. The bun, patty and condiments were awesomely fresh.
Also, the burger at Father's office in Santa Monica was pretty much as good as it gets.
If they would just triple my salary/bonus, I could almost afford to live in SoCal and pay the income tax, sales tax, gasoline taxes (it's about $0.30 more per gallon than Southeast Texas), property taxes......
Come to think of it, I'll stay in Texas and just keep visiting Cali. Maybe as a state Texas can buy California out of foreclosure next year and we can all move there?? |
lol, I'm really missing SoCal right now. It's only May, and this morning the humidity at 6 am was 85%, and the temp was 78. On the way home, the car read 95 degree, and humidity actually went up I think.
I think I need to work on some more deals with my boys in the Newport Beach office. |
Bongo, what's that Sushi place in the same shopping area as Javier's in Newport? I ate there last time I was there, and it was excellent.
Also, I work with a bunch of dudes from Japan and they brought me to this absolutely AWESOME Korean/Japanese BBQ place right off of PCH and I can't remember the name, and I was trying to send my boss there tomorrow.
Lupe's is good, but Goode Co Taqueria (same folks that own Goode Co BBQ and Goode Co Seafood) has the best TexMex in Houston. If I have one meal left, it would be Chicken Enchiladas with Queso Fresco from Goode Co Taqueria. |
Azaud, I forgot to answer your Pappasitos Post. My wife and I actually worked at Pappasitos for about 5 yrs each as waiters, bartenders (college and grad school), then floor managers, kitchen managers, and Asst GM's before were were both hired away by other restuarant companies.
I have made thousands of racks of Agujas and they are sublime, but my father in law makes better ribs, he really does. He won the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo BBQ Cook Off with them twice in the eighties. That is extremely high praise for anyone.
The quail, simply sublime. Simply marinaded in the fajita marinade then expertly grilled over the charcoal/mesquite grill. Tough to beat. I can tell you that you can eat off of the floor in any Pappas Rest during the busiest times, they are unbelievably well run, and their quality control and cleanliness is the best you can find anywhere.
That said, I would still go to Goode Co Taqueria for my last meal. Now the best Mexican (traditional) meal I have ever had: Hacienda De Los Morales in Ciuadad de Mexico D.F.. Maybe the best meals I have ever had anywhere, better than France, Italy, Spain, NY, San Fran..... Anyone else had the good fortune to check this place out? I used to go to Mexico City for work all of the time, it was the only good thing about the trip. |
I think the best "non-gourmet" burger I have had anywhere is definitely In-N-Out burger.
We need to get them here in Houston.
That said, I was just in Philly, and went to Daleassandros for the best cheese steak (actually the best sandwich) I have ever had. We blew off a super expensive steak dinner the next night with customers, and drove back over to there for more cheese steaks and beers. |
Bongo,
I grew up in Chicago, and I have never been to Joe Boston's, but I will check it out when I am up there during the holidays.
For Chicago I-talian beef in Chi-town, we go done to Taylor Street area, Al's Italian Beef. Very tasty!!
Also, if you are downtown, I love Vesuvio (it's a great little very old Trattoria) near Navy Pier. It's still has authentic wise-guys hanging out there. Tells you how good it is!!
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Bummer Phaelon, I used to love going to Taylor Street during the summer for a sandwich and an Italian Ice. |
OK, kind of off the map for you guys, but I have moved to OKC from Houston for work, and it's been a pretty easy transition, even though the city is much smaller.
But, as far as burgers, I would put Irma's up against any I have had, including Father's Office in LA which I always thought was impossible to beat..
Irma's OKC (MidTown and 63rd at Western) |
Best Hamburgers:
5) Rudy's on the pier in Newport Beach, CA
4) Smash Burger (everywhere)
3) Father's Office Los Angles, CA
2) Goode Company Taqeueria and Hamburger Houston, TX
1) Nic's Oklahoma City, OK (11th and Penn) not even a contest. Oh my God is this place good. |
