The Best Thing You Ever Ate: Houston

[Lambowner]

I'd say it's the Peking Duck at Fung's Kitchen. What's your favorite dish in the Houston area?

[James Cristinian]

Oops, just found the answer on B4ueat, Long Point and Campbell in the old Smokeys BBQ.

[air]

Spicy 2x2 - Tornado Burger

Ma Po Tofu - Mala Sichuan Bistro (I'm sure better individual dishes exist there from talking with drricky, but this was the best thing I ate on my particular dinner)

Rabbit dog - Moon Tower Inn

Bone marrow - The Modular

Any banh mi sandwich - Don Cafe

Madras Thali - Shri Balaji Bhavan

Dahi Puri - Sweet n Namkin

Pho - Pho Binh trailer

Blood sausage - Feast

I really wanna try Oxheart and Underbelly next time I get to go home...

[Lambowner]

@air, I don't know where you are located, but you may be interested to know that Tornado Burger is opening a second location on the west side of Houston north of I-10 on Long Point! WooHoo! I don't get to Mo. City often. Tornado Taco can't be far behind. I have people that think those tacos are the best.

[air]

Awesome. My parents are from Katy (where I stay when I visit), so that's an easier trip than Missouri City.

[James Cristinian]

Lambsy, where on Long Point? I checked the web with no result, you must have inside info. Could it be Long Point and Campbell where an old BBQ place had a fire and is being rebuilt into something?

[Lambowner]

I was a little underwhelmed with Underbelly but I'm game to try again. Oxheart is just not my style, I don't think. If anyone has tried it, I'd be interested to hear the lay review! The pros are all googly over it!

[Jaymes]

Snapper Raphael at Antonia's in Katy. An utterly perfect dish.

Not on the menu. They only have it when they can get good fresh snapper. You have to call ahead and ask. And if they're going to have it that night, you're smart to "reserve one." Otherwise, when you get there, they might be all sold out. It's that popular with folks in the know.

[DoobieWah]

Hey Jaymes, Where you been hidin'?

Can you describe this dish in more detail, please?

Antonia's? Italian?

[Jaymes]

Yep, Antonia's is Italian. Named after the owner/manager/chef Roberto's mama. And he's almost always in the kitchen and I think that makes a huge difference. His brother operates another Antonia's, up in Cypress, but I haven't tried that one.

The Snapper Raphael is fresh snapper, very very lightly breaded, then fried to flaky fish perfection, then served on a bed of pasta with a generous ladle of Raphael Sauce overall. Raphael Sauce is made with tomatoes and artichokes, and I love it.

Been hidin' out here in Katy. Last I heard from you, you were going to come on out and join me for a little Middle Eastern. Still waitin'!

[DoobieWah]

Fish sounds dee-lish-uss.

Saltena right? I have a busy weekend but we'll get there soon.

[jscarbor]

There was this braised chicken in milk dish at Aries that I remember being incredible. 10+ years ago.
Grilled Snapper at Tampico
Primo's Carne Asada in early 80's
Pasta and Fresh truffles at Tony's
The first molten lava cake I ever had at Morton's many years ago.
Toro sushi at Kata Robata
Swiss chard and ricotta pasta at Giamcomo's.

[James Cristinian]

If you can go to the way back machine, so can I. Tacos al Carbon at the original Ninfa's on Navigation in the mid to late 70's with their almost buttery taste and never, ever any gristle or fat. That was the original, the one now is in name only.

[mjust]

Hm, so many options... for starters I would say:

Panang curry at Thai Bistro off of 59
Lump crab quesadilla at El Tiempo on Washington
Housemade tagliolini with black truffles at Da Marco
Agree with tlegray re: the Sticky Toffee Pudding at Feast ... also the snails on toast at Feast ... oh, and any kind of rillettes they serve...
Any fish dish I had at Rainbow Lodge when Randy Rucker was there, and any game dish I had at the same place when Mark Schmidt was there
Crepe Normande at Jeannine's Bistro
Cheese enchiladas at Juanita's on TC Jester (I doubt they remotely approach best in the city, but it's our neighborhood place, and I love them!)
Salmon nigiri at Kata Robata

Sorry, I can't pick just one. :)

[texasredtop]

I agree on the crab quesadilla at El Tiempo. I recently had it at the one on Richmond too and it was just as good.

[texasredtop]

I don't know if it's the best thing I've ever eaten in Houston but I love the scampi grotto at Grotto on Westheimer. It's a appetizer but I order a side of angel hair pasta and make it an entree.

I had some excellent scallops last week in a salad at Carraba's on Kirby. Best scallops I've ever eaten. They were perfect!

[superluckycat]

Dolce Vita - Tallegio Pizza
Max's - Fried Egg Sandwich with truffle aioli
Hugo - crabmeat nachos
Cup of coffee at La Guadalupana

[James Cristinian]

I've never had the nachos at Hugo's but my favorites are the crabmeat nachos at El Tiempo and the super nachos with chorizo at Merida on Navigation. I get both dishes with the refried beans on the side, and the beans at El Tiempo are particularly outstanding.

[tlegray]

This is tough. I'm sure I'll think of others when I'm through but the things I go back for;

Max' Wine Dive - Creme Brule French Toast. I don't even like French Toast and I want this one

Feast - Sticky Toffee Pudding

Market Seafood (Clear Lake) - Fried Catfish & Hushpuppies. This is the only place I've had Hushpuppies but I crave them.

Dolce Vita - Brussel Sprout Salad

Catalan's - Pork Belly

And just like DoobieWah my own cooking

[UrbanSwankGirl]

Now that is a really tough question! I will have to ponder over that one a bit, but I will take on desserts first...

I would say the Bananas Foster at Eddie V's, the Chocolate and Caramel Brownie at The Counter, or the Artisan Chocolate Colossal Cake from Randall's (I seriously eat one several times month).

For my dishes, I will go with the Shrimp Dumplings at Japaneiro's Sushi Bistro & Latin Grill‎, the Tortilla Soup @ Houston's Restaurant (or J Alexander's), the Tomahawk Steak from Eddie V's Houston, or the Chilean Sea Bass at Rattan Pan-Asian Bistro.

These are the items that come to mind...Houston just has great food!

[abcd3fg]

I don't know about the best dish ever, but that Chilean Sea Bass at Rattan is definitely the best fish I've ever had in this town.

[DoobieWah]

What a tough question, Lambsy.

I haven't had the Peking Duck at Fung's, but I love their dim sum. In fact, OtherBrotherDarrell and I were there just last Saturday. Great as usual.

The first time I had the Stuffed Snapper at Tejas, I was wowed.

The clam chowder at The Rusty Pelican in the 80's was a favorite.

The oo toro sashimi at Sushi Jin is too too good to have very often. It would ruin you for everything else.

But the Best thing I EVER ate in Houston?

Probably something I cooked!

(Hahaha!)

[Lambowner]

If you are a fan of clam chowder, try the one at Laurenzo's on Washington. It's of the best things they make, all full of clams.