another flavor trip saintly style

houston chowhounds present houston's 2nd ever...

Miracle Berry Flavor Tripping Party
st. arnold brewery
friday, nov 7th
6:30 - 8:30PM

all you can drink microbrew + miracle berry tastebud tripping is the perfect combination for a raucously willy wonka evening!

if you missed out on the first party, now is your chance to check out the latest foodie craze!

your $35 ticket includes 1 miracle berry, a bacchanalian banquet of foods specially selected for the flavor tripping, and all-you-can-(safely) drink St. Arnold's beer! There will be 6 beers on tap including their seasonal Oktoberfest beer and the delicious St. Arnold Root beer too!

[Edit:] A portion of the evening's proceeds will go to the Koonce Family Benefit Fund set up for James and Katherine Koonce who were critically injured in the Brennan's fire.

Tickets are only available online as we expect the event to sell out before the event. There are a limited number of berries for this event as these fruit are extremely rare, highly perishable and hard to obtain in large volumes. Miracle berry tablets will also be available at the event for those looking for a more intensified berry trip.

for more details or to buy your ticket online, go to http://www.theberryfairy.com/.

until then, i leave you with this hilarious miracle berry video with juliette binoche and gordon ramsey:

no holds barred chili eat-off

the second annual "no holds barred" chili cook-off will be held on saturday, oct. 11 at the shady tavern in the heights. do you have a winning recipe? there's still time to get a cook-off team together! the team registration deadline is october 1st.


WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW from brandon mullen, one of the cook-off organizers:

"Our one rule is there are no rules. Unlike some of the more "official" chili cook-offs, we want our teams to really push the limits on style and taste.

You can cook the chili off site and re-heat it or you can cook it from scratch; you can make red chili, green chili, yellow chili or blue chile(?); you can use filler or no filler - JUST MAKE IT DAMN GOOD.

The entry fee this year is $120 per team (4 people per team). That gets you 25 drink tickets (i.e. beers); 4 wrist bands to taste all the other team's chili; set-up costs for tables, bowls, spoons, etc.; live music AND the most fun you'll find in Houston during the second weekend in October.

We're working on fitting either koozies or t-shirts into the entry fee. The more teams we have, then it becomes more probably that there will be t-shirts. Last year we had 16 teams and we'd like to hit 25 to 30 teams this year."

JUDGING. the event will have a panel for 4 judges: brandon, dock, yours truly, and fellow houston chowhound or "HouCH", katharine of sheeats and the houstonist. if the judges' votes tie, then a 5th vote will go to the public. the winning team will take 100% of the door fee. last year there were ~400 attendees which made the prize $2000 on top of bragging rights (priceless!).

as of today, brandon says they have 13 teams and we want to double that number. so please help spread the word!

more cheerleader than cook? have a deep rooted penchant for chili? or are you like me and see any "cook-off" as more of an opportunity to "eat-off"?

general admission is a mere $5 to the event which gets you a wristband, a bowl, a spoon, and a vote. bring your appetite! chili should be ready around 1:30 PM. bibs are always welcome but not required.

the event will go until 11 PM with live music and plenty of cold libations available. you(genious), the misfit of R&B, will be performing as well as others TBD.

for more info, go to the NHB website or email: nhb AT gmail.com.

my question is: has anyone tried making chili with sichuan peppercorns????

ike drama: poor brennan's

it should be no news to you by now that brennan's, our uppercrust creole eatery in downtown houston burned down early saturday morning last weekend while hurricane ike was quickly approaching. while the loss of this houston institution was tragedy enough, even worse consequences ensued. brennan's sommelier james koonce and 4 year old daughter katharine were critically injured, while general manager (and ex-executive chef) carl walker was severely burned.

the koonces are currently listed as being in critical condition and a fund has been set up at amegy bank to assist with their medical bills. please consider making a donation to the benefit bank account under "James Koonce & Katharine Koonce, Trustee: Denise Koonce." or send a check to: Bank by Mail, P.O. Box 4837 Houston, TX 77210-4837

it is touching how the local restaurant community has reacted and are trying to help. catalan food and wine is offering a brennan's inspired tasting menu for $60 of which $10 will go to the koonce family fund. the menu was offered for the first time last thursday and will be ongoing for the foreseeable future. alison cook says the "4-course homage" to brennan's will include "crab and corn bisque; Gulf shrimp remoulade; blackened redfish over St. Arnold's local shrimp boil with "all the goods"; and New Orleans style bread pudding topped with whiskey sauce."

gravitas restaurant, negociants USA and prestige wine cellars will be hosting a wine tasting fundraiser on monday, september 22 from 1:30 - 4 pm. negociants' icon release wines will be paired with seasonal appetizers. please donate generously as all proceeds benefit the Koonce family. please RSVP to david maib at 713.962.9085 or email dmaib@negociants.com or yolanda@gravitasrestaurant.com.

del frisco's, who donated so generously during houston restaurant week to benefit the end hunger network, will also be hosting a koonce benefit sunday, september 28 from 6 - 9 pm. the event will be held in their gorgeous wine cellar where they will be pouring wines from silver oak, far niente, cakebread, duckhorn and pommery. light fare will be served including andouille-stuffed goat cheese mushrooms, barbecue shrimp, sliced tenderloin, and mini crab cakes. the cost is $50 per person and 100% of the proceeds will go to the koonce family fund. brennan's executive chef randy evans will be in attendance. please call del frisco's at 713.355.2600 to reserve a spot.

please find a way to contribute to the cause. the houston chowhounds are brainstorming on how we can donate to the cause too.

ike drama: still hungry?

i'd say i've eaten pretty well since i've been back from LA. the lake house, brasserie max and julie, fu fu cafe, and houston's. i tried to get my pho fix in midtown yesterday but no vietnamese joints were open. headed to chinatown and most places are still closed except some restos in the dun huang shopping center and sterling plaza across the street.

pork and chive dumplings at fu fu cafe.

himalaya is open and the chowhounds and i are headed there for lunch tomorrow!

i've updated my list of restaurants/bars open post-ike and here it is...

* where neverfull would eat this week

THE HEIGHTS:
andy's home cafe on 11th
*beaver's
star pizza (heights)
onion creek
dry creek
*glass wall
tony's mexican
terlingua on studemont - fajitas to go only
*max's wine dive
*el tiempo on washington
pizzitola's

MONTROSE:
*gravitas
vincent's
tila's
*bb's kitchen
*mark's
*hugo's
empire cafe
*paulie's
*mockingbird bistro
*ziggy's healthy grill montrose
maria selmas
el pueblito
lucky burger
*brasserie max and julie
thai sticks
danton's

MIDTOWN / W.GRAY:
souper salads (w. gray)
dominos (w. gray)
quiznos (w. gray)
christian's tailgate (midtown)
farrago
cyclone anaya midtown
el patio midtown
nit noi cafe
buffalo wild wings

DOWNTOWN:
mia bella
frank's pizza
sambuca
cava bistro
treebeards travis
*vic and anthony's
*strip house
*VOICE
17
flying saucer
*lake house in discovery green park
the grove in discovery green park
hubcap grill
artista

RICE VILLAGE / UPPER KIRBY:
le peep village
*benjy's
*kubo's
el meson
*pasha
goode company BBQ, seafood, and taqueria
*houston's kirby
miyako kirby
red onion (kirby)
the dessert gallery
*pesce
fleming's kirby
*beck's prime kirby
the tasting room
house of pies
carrabbas
dimassi's
sushi king
*pappadeaux (kirby/richmond)
*little pappasito's (kirby/richmond)
ninfa's (kirby/richmond)
khyber grill
*hue
chuy's
avalon diner
bistro calais
armando's

S. SHEPHERD:
*au petit paris
sonoma
mission burritos (w. alabama)
hunan village
cafe adobe
my fit foods
jenni's noodle house
ruchi's (shepherd)
zake
pappas seafood house
stag's head
hobbit cafe

GREENWAY:
*tony's
oporto cafe
ragin cajun
crapitto's
*kiran's
thai cafe
skewers
berripop
collina's

get some coffee and get online:
cafe brasil (has wifi) - suspicious of this one. cafe brasil has never had wifi. call and check first.
*catalina coffee (has wifi) - closed early yesterday b/c they ran out of stuff. call and confirm first. onion creek (has wifi)
daily grind
coffee groundz midtown (has wifi)

OTL:
almost everything in the galleria/uptown park
*del frisco's
gigi's asian bistro
*the oceanaire
*pappas steakhouse
*capital grille
*arcodoro
canyon cafe
grand lux cafe
california pizza kitchen galleria
berryhill galleria
jimmy wilson's
post oak grill
*himalaya
*pico's
*fu fu cafe
*tofu village
east wall (neverfull hasn't been here yet)

bars (i'm sure there are tons more):
the harp
the social
the tavern
ROC bar/mosaic
blue label
coaches pub
dog house tavern
lucky's pub
the dirt (yesterday)
absinthe opening tonight with limited menu and lots of candles

if you know of any others, please post below.

ike drama: hungry?

i'm heading back to houston today after almost 3 weeks in LA. i am told my townhouse sustained the wrath of ike with no damage, the cats are happy and healthy, but i am still without power. hence, i don't see any home cooked meals in my future.

you guys are probably pretty hungry by now too or longing for some grub that is more organic or doesn't require the use of a can opener first.

here is a list of neartown/downtown/montrose/upper kirby restaurants that have been reported as open on the houston chronicle or houston press' websites. note: some of these businesses may be serving a small or limited menu and may not even have A/C.

beaver's
gravitas
bb's kitchen
mark's
hugo's
empire cafe
paulie's
maria selmas, el pueblito, lucky burger
chuy's
souper salads (w. gray)
christian's tailgate (midtown)
goode company BBQ, seafood, and taqueria
houston's
miyako (but don't go anyway)
red onion (kirby)
hunan village
jenni's noodle house
ruchi's (shepherd) - personally, i still wouldn't go
zake
stag's head
pesce
mission burritos (w. alabama)
pappadeaux
khyber grill
avalon diner
frank's pizza (downtown)
treebeards travis
vic and anthony's
star pizza (heights)
terlingua on studemont - fajitas to go only

get some coffee and get online:
cafe brasil (has wifi)
catalina coffee (has wifi)
onion creek (has wifi)
daily grind

if you know of any other restaurants open in the area, please post it below as a comment.

the houston chowhounds and i will be meeting downtown for lunch at the lake house on discovery green tomorrow. our inside source tells us they will be resuming operations tomorrow at 11 AM.

what better time than now for some hot comfort food while sitting around with friends enjoying the nice post-hurricane temperatures?

LA: langer's and the #19

langer's deli & restaurant
704 s. alvarado st @ 7th st.
LA, CA 90057

i missed langer's on my last jaunt to LA too. i have to admit that i didn't try that hard to get there though. i was highly doubtful that the pastrami there could even come close to rivaling katz's - i'm talking about the one in NY. the one in houston is pure crap. but i had no lunch plans so i drove myself down there.

i planned on being a purist and getting the pastrami on rye. i knew that langer's was famous for their #19, a pastrami sandwich with swiss cheese, coleslaw, and russian dressing on rye but if i hadn't, it wouldn't have been hard to figure out.

the #19 was advertised on every table.

fresh mayonnaisey coleslaw sounded refreshing so the #19 it was. the rye bread was both soft and crusty. definitely leagues better than katz's. the pastrami was meaty, unctous, and tasty. the coleslaw was cool and satisfying. the cheese was lost amid the other flavours. the homemade pickle offered more cucumber than vinegar flavor which i liked.

the close up. not as huge and ridiculously stuffed like katz's but large enough that i only finished half the sandwich. very yummy and definitely almost as good as katz's. i think i missed the sharp mustard that i'm so used to.

super crispy crinkle fries. they come well done and it was hard to stop eating them.

what the joint looked like. pay at the deli where you can also get meats and cheeses to go.

"i'll be back."

LA: i broke down and ate mexican

i told myself i wouldn't waste valuable stomach space with mexican food in LA since i can get a plethora of it at home anytime i want. but after a week here, i broke down and boy was i glad that i did. check out two amazing breakfasts that i had. the first was at good microbrew & grill. the occasion was sunday brunch and there were a variety of menu items that sounded tempting to order. but as soon as i saw the enchilada omelette, i knew it was blogworthy material.

no fancy food here. just comfort at it's finest.

ooey gooey cheese enchiladas wrapped in fluffy eggs topped with enchilada sauce and more cheddar on top. it tasted as good as it looked.

a few days later, the hankering for comida resurfaced and i popped into tacos delta for what i expected would be a greasy, yummy breakfast.

this little taco shack sits on w. sunset and is also in silverlake. we had driven by it a few times before and i noticed people standing in the walk up window ordering. this particular morning, i saw several hispanic people waiting in the parking lot for it to open. i figured it was worth checking out.

i ordered the first thing on the breakfast menu: chilaquiles con huevos. i took a seat in the outdoor dining area behind the taco shack.

it was a hefty plate of food. chilaquiles, 2 eggs over medium, compulsory rice and beans.

close up of the chilaquiles. the tortilla chips were thick and still crunchy. they were fried with scrambled eggs and some sort of meat or beans that gave it an excellent char and flavor. a generous sprinkling of chopped white onions and cheese on top finished the tasty dish. i have to say i've never had better chilaquiles anywhere else. here's a LA chowhound thread about the local chilaquile action. somehow i managed to stumble over some of the best in the city.