Places that Hounds Love to Hate (but I like)

[rudeboy]

TroyTempest had this idea, so I thought it would be fun. Here's one of mine:

Kerbey Lane

[willtryanythingonce]

I don't think I've seen them slammed enough on this board to consider it a place "Hounds Love to Hate", but they strike me as in the same vein as the much-maligned Chuys, and there's a lot of inconsistency on the menu, but if you order the right stuff and have enough mexmarts and green sauce, I love me some Trudy's.

[slowcoooked]

Mi Madres may not be hated but gets little love here. I love their guisada and cheddar taco and their sausage omelet (not on menu but they'll make one with rice and beans on the side for 7.50 I think it is)

[brentwood]

Matt's El Rancho. And turkey & havarti sandwiches from 7-Eleven.

[rudeboy]

Summary:
Kerbey Lane
Chuy's
In n Out (I guess CA hounds disparaged it)
Maudie's
Katz's ( I liked their chicken hot pot)
Torchy's
Dorito Supreme (personally, I think that the dorito flavor is incongruent with the taco filling, but that's a separate subject and board)
Jack in the Box Tacos (even the lettuce is deep fried)
Austin Java
Polvo's (another one of my selections - funny, people either love Polvo's or they have a very emotional negative reaction to them....seems like no one is indifferent. I understand the hipster/popular aspect and the chip thing, which are negatives).

[jwynne2000]

Austin Java (the one on Barton Springs, at least)

I've found their veggie burger (add fresh jalapenos), their breakfasts-for-lunch, and all of their soups to be pretty decent.

[Veggo]

A second for Chuy's tortilla soup. Also, I know Threadgill's is out of vogue, but I still like their CFS, veggie platters, and chicken livers.

[dinaofdoom]

polvo's.

[ghastlyfop]

Polvo's is one of those places you have to be at least slightly drunk and in a group to appreciate. for a sedate date I'd imagine it's hell. Also the beer-marinated fajitas are pretty much essential.

However the salsa island sprung a leak last time we were there and a stream of filthy melted ice ruined my wife's favorite handbag. The staff reaction was not exactly sympathetic or compensatory so we'll probably never go again.

[NirvRush]

the fish "fajitas" are my new thing at Polvo's. the guajillo fajitas (w/ pork) were always great, but too much of the roasted pepper ratio. the salsa bar charge is a damn scam, i realize that, but for $2 i love the black (ok, dark brown) roasted salsa and the escabeche. as soon as you realize they charge you, and have the option to decline the chips that they bring you w/o asking first, i'm cool with it tho. yummy pitchers of margaritas, yummy exotic enchiladas or fish fajitas...idk, i think it's delicious.

[NWLarry]

you guys are playing it safe :)
do you have any really awful music in your iTunes collection? Like Abba? George McCrae? Yes, even some Blink-182? well I do. 'Cause I like crap. As much as I love rockin' some Jesus and Mary Chain, or Mick Taylor-era Stones, I still need 'I know your boyfriend hates me'.

If you haven't had a Dorito Taco Loco Supreme and Baja Blast from Taco Bell, you haven't lived.

[Pmd669]

Bump for the Doritos Loco Taco Supreme! Also, contrary to Anthony Bordain, I do not find chicken McNuggets to be the most disgusting thing I've ever eaten. Far from gormet, no doubt, but not disgusting.

[danny_w]

No thanks, I don't want sour cream on my taco, thank you very much. But I do sometimes get their regular crispy tacos.

[Pmd669]

I want sour cream on every single Mexican food I eat. Perhaps, even some sour cream flan?

[TroyTempest]

I was thinking more of popular places that Hounds hate on.
But if you're going to go there. Jack in the Box Tacos. Maybe it is nostalgia, i'm not sure, but sometimes i just get a hankering, and at 2 for a buck what a deal.

[danny_w]

I agree! I just had them a few days ago.

[verily]

Only when I'm drunk. Then I don't have to think about what the inside of those tacos looks like.

[Pmd669]

It's closed now, but Katz's.

[verily]

Barry Katz's restaurants are still open in Houston. It's essentially the same food. I usually wind up at one of the two locations when I'm visiting family. I prefer the Katz Express version because it removes the (usually awful) waiter element.

[TroyTempest]

Thanks rudeboy for following up on this. Mentioned already in the previous thread:
Maudie's

[danny_w]

Torchy's

[tim irvine]

In n out

[TroyTempest]

I have never been to in n out, and when we get one i hope that it is good. My gripe with it is that no matter how good it is, there is no way that it can live up to the hype.

[tim irvine]

I don't know. My daughter had her first in n out this summer, a double double animal style. She said she'd give Phil's an 8 and gave this a ten.

[amysuehere]

Chuy's. Love the tortilla soup and the mexi-cob (1/2 order: sub beef fajita and add extra green chile).

[sweet100s]

Amy what is the mexi-cob? (combination?)

[amysuehere]

mixed greens, cabbage, carrots, green chile, avocado, tomato, shredded mont. jack and cheddar and chicken - I order a half-order (which is more than enough) and sub out fajita meat, hold the avocado, extra green chile....and I put a ton of the salsa on top.

[foodiegal71]

Ha, me too! Jalepeño ranch, chips and a mini bean and cheese burrito with green chili sauce...sometimes it just hits the spot. And then I can't go back for a year because I feel so gross and self loathing.