I knew just the friend to call, my pal Nicky. We had met at a Sushi Club event, and though Nicky is Taiwanese she’s quite the foodie all-around so I knew she would know a great Korean spot.

I sent her a message on Facebook and she immediately suggested Bon Ga. It was on.

The next week was torture as I slaved over the online menu and kept talking to my husband about what I was going to order. Visions of Hobakjeon and Bibimbap danced in my head and as each day got closer I was even more excited!

So the day finally came, Saturday night and we were on our way to meet Nicky in a horrible rain storm that decided to pop up. Nonetheless we made it to dinner only a few minutes late. As the best foodie friends do we got to talking about what to order before getting to small talk. It was quickly decided: NO, we are NOT getting BBQ (YES, my kinda peeps). We went for the following:

• Seafood Pancake (Haemul Pajeon)
• Kimchi bean curd stew (kimchi-sundubu)
• Kimchi pot stew with pork (dwa poggi-kimchi-jjigae)
• Beef Bibimbap

One of the most fun about things about eating Korean food is all the extra sides (appetizers) – 7 or so – they give you: kimchi, pickled cucumber, tofu, brocoli, squash, eggs, sprouts – LOTS of different variations. You get to have these great tasty bites in between eating all these amazing soups and stews.

Then they brought the seafood pancake which was just PERFECT. So light, eggy and fluffy and just he right amount of seafood and green onion. I’ve seen pictures of pancake with MUCH LARGER shrimps, ours were pretty small, but the taste was still good.

The best part came when they delivered the 2 soup bowls. I am addicted to the kim chi bean curd stew. I know to most people that might sound gross, but all it means by bean curd is ‘soft tofu’. And when soft, tofu just tastes like a creamy addition to any meal. It seriously is magnificent. Also, Bon Ga has a great flavor to their soup – it’s not condensed flavor from a jar, very authentic and delicious. You can pick up all the spice, tangy and savory nuances.

Korean food really is a great, adventurous outing for a couple or family wanting to try something new. I highly suggest you check out Bon Ga for their authenticity, charm, great service and quality.

Stay Hungry!

Stef

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Houston knows its food, that is becoming widely known. Houston has won the accolade of best hamburgers in North America from multiple accredited media outlets (Goode Co., Lankford, Bellaire Broiler Burger, to name a few – my fav below). However, when it comes to buffalo wings, wings in general, Houston is full of disappointment. Here are the common problems I come across:

Sticky Vietnamese Wings

• wings are too small
• wings are overcooked
• sauce tastes too manufactured and fake
• sauce is just bland or not pleasing all together
• crispiness is a huge plus, but never found (always looking for a nice crisp while still gettng some sauce)
• well balanced heat

There is not enough love and attention to all of these areas in most Houston restaurants… until recently.  Boheme has embraced the wing with technique, passion and flavor that rivals even the best chefs. About a year and a half ago, Executive Chef Rishi Singh has taken Boheme from frozen food and a microwave to one of Houston’s top flavor phenomenons  There are many menu items I could go on about, but it was the wings that hooked me.  Once hooked, I kept going back to try even more of Rishi’s intelligent and skill-fully crafted dishes.

I had two wing flavors to choose from, Mongolian Chipotle BBQ and Sticky Vietnamese, so I chose both.  It was hard to choose a favorite, both were perfect in their own right.  They surpassed everything I look for in a wing:

Rosemary Fire Wings

• fresh large wings
• cooked to perfection, still plump and juicy
• crispy
• authentic, insanely flavorful, sauces invented from scratch by Rishi
• unique flavor that was anything but run of the mill
• savory yet surprisingly a little sweet
• blue cheese dressing dip made in-house (not from the bottle)
• perfect heat
• and many other design nuances that only a true artist can give his own work

I was so impressed I coordinated a visit with a few other of my wing connoisseurs.

Our conclusion: Chef Singh’s wings at Boheme are, hands down, the best in Houston.

Stay hungry my friends, and while you’re at Boheme, try the Vietnamese Fries (the most popular menu item) or Rishi’s phenomenal pizza inventions.

-Adam

Now, back to those burger joints I mentioned  I’ve tried some of them, and they are decent slop burgers. They do always miss the best burger in town, Fleming’s happy hour bacon burger – and it’s only $6.  You won’t find better quality, taste and value in one package.

Brock Wagner, founder of Saint Arnold, told me that people often ask him what style or type of beer he makes trying to force a specific genre.  He simply responds, “we make good beer”.  And that they do. From this, Brock has a loyal group of followers that has thrusted Saint Arnold as the leader in the area. These fans love to hang out at the brewery and many even offer volunteer time just to be a part. But now we have a whole new reason for hanging out at Saint Arnold: Lunch.

During the week, Executive Chef Ryan Savoie will be serving a fixed lunch menu. The menu is updated on the site and they even offer vegetarian days. For $17.55 you get a gourmet meal prepared fresh with quality ingredients. Chef Ryan is, first, a long time fan of Saint Arnold and his passion shows in the dishes he creates, often made with Saint Arnold beer. Oh, and you get a beer glass that you can have filled as many times as you like with whatever beer you chose, even their Icon.  That $17.55 is sounding a lot better now, eh? Think friday lunches with the team.

I was invited to to Saint Arnold to try the new lunch while dining with Brock himself. Brock is one of the nicest people you will have the pleasure meeting. If you take a tour of the brewery, you most likely get to spend some time with him as well. If you’re a Jim Collins fan, this guy is a Level 5, it’s quite obvious.

While I was their, I was served delectable carbonnade au flamande with a spring green salad. The instant I took a bite, memories of my trip to Ireland (where Stef and I were married) were stirred. I could taste the perfect nuance of Saint Arnold’s Santo, as beer based dishes were common in Ireland. As we sat and ate, Brock entertained us with stories of the brewery, its fans, and even a fun story about Chef Ryan actually applying for a job at the brewery (unrelated to chef) many years ago. He then gave us a personal tour showing us where some of the specialty beers and experiments are cask aged.

Saint Arnold’s lunch is a great experience even if you don’t drink beer. Join the brewery for lunch and you are sure to be surrounded by great company as well. The dining area offers a great view of downtown. The brewery was surprisingly easy to get to and will be a destination for many lunches to come.

Cheers, and stay hungry Houston.

-Adam

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Basically all you need are 3 main things:

1. The wrap: large collard green leaves, romaine (for smaller ‘boat’ or taco type wraps), any large leafy green really. 
2. The spread: a puree of sesame seeds and other veggies.
3. The filling: any and all veggies your heart desires.

The wrap:

I used collard green leaves for all of my wraps – that’s pretty straight forward. One important thing to note is that you’ll want to trim the stem. Once you cut the stem from the end of the leaf, you’ll want to turn the leaf over and sort of ‘shave’ the remaining stem to make it as thin and flexible as possible.

The spread:

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup sesame seeds
• 1 tomato
• 3 – 4 sun dried tomato
• pinch of cumin
• pinch of salt
• juice from 1 lemon
• dash of water

Puree all of this in a high speed blender or Vitamix. If you don’t have tomatoes on hand, this would also be really good with red bell peppers. You can also add peppers for a nice kick. This is where you really want to use whatever you have on hand and whatever you like.

The filling:

This is a blank canvas you can and should use ANY veggies you have on hand. I used: chopped romaine, shredded carrots, sliced cucumber, sliced zucchini, jalapeno, chopped tomato, olives, avocado and red onion. This list can go on and on. Sprouts, bell peppers are also great.

Now just fill and ENJOY! FYI, this can get huge and MESSY, so have napkins on hand.

The Super Bowl is quickly descending upon us. You may be hosting a party or tasked to bring a contributing plate. Oh, what to make? Work is busy, baseball practice is starting, and you don’t have time. And you sure don’t want to bring a bowl of chips, sandwich pinwheels, or your famous seven-layer dip that tastes like canned dog food topped with cheese and black olives. You want to impress.  You want to delight. You want to bring a power-play of flavor. And you want it quick, easy, and top quality. But is this possible? I think I found the answer is yes, and I was so pleased with the results, I have to share.

Boar’s Head meats and cheeses have always been an easy favorite of mine at the deli, plus their barbecue sauce is my favorite sauce available in a grocery store. The flavor is everything you want in a sauce. It’s spicy, a hint of sweetness, and packs a powerful punch of flavor. It is the most well balanced barbecue that comes in a bottle. Couple this with Boar’s Head brisket, and you’re on your way to fast barbecue sandwiches that rocks my flavor jam.

Ingredients:

• Boar’s Head barbecue sauce
• Boar’s Head Mesquite Smokehouse brisket (sliced on 4)
• Boar’s Head hickory smoked Gruyere cheese (sliced on 3)
• Hawaiian sweet rolls
• Fresh Jalapeños
• White onion

In the deli, you can grab the barbecue sauce, cheese and brisket. Hawaiian sweet rolls shouldn’t be far, typically located by the bakery. Snag a few jalapeños and a white onion. Then check out and go home. The rest is a piece of cake.

You can do this cold (requires not warming, or keeping warm during a party) or you can heat the brisket quickly – 30 seconds on each side on a hot skillet. But cold is perfectly acceptable and why this can be so gersh dern easy.

Assembly:

1. Halve the rolls
2. Add barbecue sauce to, both, the top and bottom of the roll
3. Stack the brisket, and top with more barbecue sauce
4. Top with fresh jalapeño and onion
5. Add the cheese to the top

And you’re done.

The sauce makes it. But adding the onion, jalapeño, and cheese completes it. The cheese adds that hint of hickory flavor and the sweet roll balances everything. I think you are going to be thoroughly impressed. And very, very pleased.

-Adam

So here goes, for a total of 2 cups

Ingredients:

• 1/8 c. grape seed oil (or peanut oil)
• 1/4 c. water
• 1/4 c. rice vinegar
• 1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
• 3 1/2 tablespoons of miso (I got the one you see in the picture at HEB – on the Asian/International aisle)
• 1 inch piece of ginger
• 2 large carrots chopped roughly
• Salt to taste

Add everything to a blender or food processor

If you want to keep it chunky, don’t process/blend too much. to make it creamier blend more. Add salt to taste when you are done.

I made the salad how they usually serve it: iceberg, tomatoes and cucumbers. But it would be good on any salad, especially good on a chinese chicken type salad – chicken, mandarin oranges. Just get creative. YUMM!

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There are two camps in the spaghetti sandwich world; those who have always wanted to do it and those who have and now live better lives.  When you are served a spaghetti dinner, you often get a slice of bread with it.  I think it’s to mop up the sauce, but us food lovers usually end up with a half sandwich.  And we love it.

I posted a pic of a basic spaghetti sandwich recently and it was received quite well.  So I thought it’s time to elevate the spaghetti sandwich to the next level, Hungry in Houston style.  These sandwiches are usually made with left-over spagetti, but since I had no left overs, we are doing it all.

Ingredients:

You can use any sauce you like – homemade, jarred, whatever.  If you used jarred, crank it up a bit by adding your own seasoning, please.

Here what I have, but its totally up to you:

• Rosemary sourdough bread
• Butter
• Fresh grated parmesan
• Mozzarella (dont ever buy pre-shredded)
• Garlic
• Spaghetti noodles
• Spicy Italian sausage
• Fresh grated Italian seasoning
• Ground red pepper

To prep:

• Mince the garlic, shred the mozzarella, and shred the parmesan with a zester
• Heat the spaghetti sause, add the Italian seasoning and red pepper to taste.  Let simmer, reducing, until the sauce is thick – you don’t want messy runny sauce in a sandwich
• Boil the noodles until your preferred tenderness, then strain – leave in strainer to remove all excess water
• Cook Italian sausage according to directions.  Let rest and slice down the middle so it fits on the sandwich better.
• Sear the inside of the sausage on high for one minute.

The bread – the secret:

What we want to do is create a garlic bread, but since this is a sandwich, we are going to do it grilled cheese style.

• Heat a skillet on medium
• Take a stick of butter and paint the skillet with a liberal amount of butter – remember this is a garlic bread, its supposed to be buttery
• Add the minced garlic and then the shredded mozzarella to the pan
• Place the bread on to the cheese, butter and garlic and grill it for about a minute to create a garlic cheese crust
• Warm the end on the stick of butter by placing in the tip in the skillet, then brushing the top side of the bread
• Once you have the garlic cheese crust, flip the bread and grill that side until a light golden brown

 Construct:

• Plate the grilled garlic toast so the cheese side will be the INSIDE of the sandwich, the outside pieces should be the golden buttery sides
• Scoop a nice portion onto the cheese crust
• Layer the Italian sausage on top of the spaghetti
• Top with parmesan

]]> http://hungryinhouston.com/2012/12/03/the-ultimate-spaghetti-sandwich/feed/ 5 http://hungryinhouston.com/2012/11/27/countrydrive/ http://hungryinhouston.com/2012/11/27/countrydrive/#comments Tue, 27 Nov 2012 10:51:31 +0000 Adam Brower http://alwaystexan.com/?p=2531

[Update 01/19/2013: Call before heading out there, they have the store listed for sale.]

Texas offers something free for everyone to enjoy – a country drive. Country drives offer more romance than any Danielle Steel novel – though I am not sure about that Mr. Shades of Grey dude. Girls get all giggly when they mention him for some reason.

Back to driven’!  I like to take Texas up on those drives on Sunday, especially if there’s a reward at the end. And I often like to eat that reward. I have yet to find incredible barbecue in Houston, but I have found a few outside the area. One of those places is a quaint country store called Mulanax. It has charm, it’s cute, chicks dig it.

Under an hour away from Cypress, a drive to Mulanax offers beautiful scenery, dirt roads, old churches and passes  through historical Chappell Hill for you antiquers. This drive has a fistful of things Texas has to offer.

I don’t think I have much else to say other than it’s a pretty drive, there are some gems along the way, and I freakin’ loved the barbecue Mulanax offered. They won 1st place BBQ champs the weekend before I visited. Just look at the dang pictures below and Pintrest the hell out of them!

Tell your girl to throw on some Pat Green and put her feet on the dashboard, you’re goin’ for a drive.

-Adam

View map and directions to 

Since then, I’ve kept clear of the fried turkey because I knew I had a weakness for it. Well this year, Adam convinced me we should give it a go. We are hosting Thanksgiving at our house this year and when he told me it was much quicker and easier than roasting, I was immediately interested! We are so busy and I would give anything for simplicity.

We tested this out Monday night, started around 9pm – after a 5 hour flight delay in San Francisco – we had a turkey done by 10pm – no lie.

How is it that simple?  We chose an indoor electric frier. Its a small investment up front (about $100 – cheaper if you get it on sale), but trust me, it will pay you back with the benefits and ease in only a few uses. PLUS, you can use it as any indoor fryer for french fries, fried shrimp, you name it. AND if you don’t want to fry, replace the oil with water and its a boiler – voila!

Ok here’s how it works.

Ingredients:

1. Turkey (no more than 12lbs for an indoor fryer)
2. Salt & Pepper
3. Peanut Oil (less than 2 gallons) – use peanut bc of the high smoke point and taste, you can really use any

We got a Butterball indoor fryer. It basically comes assembled, all we did was rince the pans and plug it in, and we were ready to go.

• Fill the fryer with oil – there is a fill line (less than 2 gallons).
• Salt & pepper the turkey – I was going for simple, but for some good recipes using one of these, this is a good book (we’ll definitely be trying some of these)
• The red indicator light will come on that the oil is heated and ready to go. Now just drop the turkey in.

• Set the timer for about 3.5 minutes per pound – this was about 9lbs, so we did 35 minutes (I would have done a little less.) You can use a meat thermometer to make sure its fully cooked.

• Then remove the turkey. The fryer even has the handy ledge for it to rest and dry on.

This was SO easy, I could not believe it, a turkey done and ready to serve in less than an hour. Do you see that golden crispy skin? Yea, it tastes awesome! Flavor injections are really popular with fried turkeys, this book comes with a great garlic one, I recommend checking it out. You can also check John’s Pinterest for other ideas.

and at the end of it all, I still got to go ‘fat kid’ on my turkey leg. Nommmm!!

Stef

What is vegemite? What does vegemite taste like? In America, we all grew up wondering what the hell does this mean:

“He just smiled and gave me a vegemite sandwich” (Down Under, by Men at Work)

My folks are now Australian citizens for the past 12 years and they love their Vegemite.  Often curious, I would ask, “what does it taste like?”  The haters would respond, “salty”, while the evangelists would give you a look of pure dream pleasure and respond “savory”.

I used to suck.  I didn’t try many things out of the norm when I visited in Australia.  But after I chose “the red pill” (for you Matrix fans), I had to try this Vegemite.

Let me tell you, finding Vegemite even in a populated city such as Houston is not easy.  But, I often saw Vegemite’s cousin, Marmite.  When I inquired with experts, “can I just try Marmite and get the same experience?”, the turf wars began.  East coast, west coast, bloods, crips, Marmite, Vegemite, the hate began to flow.  We don’t realize this in the States, but Vegemite is Australian, and Marmite is English.  You do not culturally mix the two.  It’s like going to Japan and wearing shoes on carpet.

Marmite and Vegemite are cousins, they are both Yeast Extracts.  I decided to buy both and decide which is better from an American palate. At first notice, they are both very thick.  Marmite has more of a thick caramel (as if warmed but not) texture while Vegemite has more of a… I don’t know,  a thick dark chocolate texture (as if warmed but not).  These don’t exist in the American pool of food.  From the texture alone, it’s just weird.  But I am going to eat it.

Let’s try Marmite:

• The first split second, it taste like cheese whiz
• Then an overpowering salty “alcoholic” taste – which is very wierd
• It’s definitely savory, but way too strong in a way I don’t understand

Marmite – A cheesy, salty , mediciny, fermented, taste that doesn’t do good alone.  I’m not gagging though, and somehow appreciate the nuances.  Like a fine whiskey, this will be a developed acquired taste.

Let’s try Vegemite:

Crap, let me go clense my palate somehow, that Marmite LINGERS – my daughter just came down and said, “Whoa that stinks”.   Crikey, that Marmite is strong.  Hopefully I am not biased on the Vegemite as I type this in real time as I write.

• Less cheesiness, more fermentedness.
• Still very overpowering and salty, but not as quite as the Marmite
• The texture is like Velveeta

So now on to the toast test.  This is an test to try to subdue the flavor an appreciate it on a balanced playing field – they say to use only a thin layer:

Fun fact I learned from Stef’s vegan experimental days: Did you know Vegans will use “nutritional yeast” to add a cheese flavor for their meals?

Give me a few more tries and I might find myself craving the Vegemite as my tastes evolve.

Good Lord, thankfully this is over.  Let me get back to my habanero sauce.

We have to appreciate cultural tastes.  It makes life awesome.

Cheers, and thanks.  Let me know what you think about either.

-Adam

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