Finding Soul Food In Houston

The secret to finding good soul food in Houston is much akin to the secret of a good steaming hot bowl of dragon stew, revealed in the humorous story by Tom McGowen, Dragon Stew. Achieving that home cooked taste that permeates soul food is something that restaurants in the South have been striving to duplicate for years.

If you enjoy soul food living in Houston has it’s culinary benefits. There are lots of establishments that offer some of the top soul food dishes on their menu. A word of caution to diners, Caveat Emptor, (let the buyer beware). Just because it says soul food on the outside doesn't mean they really serve soul food inside.

First of all. I’ve found in my travels that it’s nearly impossible for meals prepared for profit to recreate the rich meaty taste that makes us so enamored with the homemade dirty rice grandma cooked or cousin Vivian's chicken and dumplings.

For me it’s a unique pleasure to have so many good cooks in my immediate family within a few hours drive of the Houston. It makes it possible for me to always find a family gathering to attend where heaping helpings of down home cooking fills multiple rooms and is sometimes stacked on a row of tables so long they have to be set up outside in the backyard.

Several times each year my family prepares food and journey’s to East Texas to gather, connect and fellowship with our relatives that remain in the piney woods. Many of theses meals are centered around church activities and community events. Our branch of the family has a standing request to bring spaghetti.

Everyone always cooks enough food to feed 30 to 40 people. That includes bringing, plates, garlic bread and usually a drink or salad. The memorable part of these family events is how each family unit has developed a reputation for cooking a specific food really well.

It’s part of our custom to go from vehicle to vehicle to catch up on family details and reminisce while building a meal from the food prepared by the elder aunts, uncles and cousins, served buffet style from the trunk of their cars or bed of their trucks.

In the fairy tale to make the perfect bowl of stew didn't necessarily require a well done plump dragon in the recipe. Instead it had to be cooked by a dragon.

There are certain homemade dishes that every restaurateurs would love to duplicate.
If you are want to get a taste that’s close to some of the soul food dishes that are served at home, after a funeral and for the holidays by African Americans look for these specialties on the menu of a restaurant.

Black-eye peas
Collard Greens
Macaroni and cheese
Dirty Rice
Potato Salad
Cornbread Dressing
Chicken And Dumplings
Smothered Chicken
Fried Ribs
Beans w/Ham Hocks

One last thing, If you look behind the counter at restaurant in Houston that says it offers soul food nd notice that their are no black cooks and none of the employees look African American, you probably aren’t eating soul food.

It’s may be some good food, but the secret ingredient to good soul food is that it can only be cooked by a soul brother or soul sister.

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Where To Grab A Quick Meal Near Texas Medical Center

The next time you are in a hurry and in need of a restaurant where you can grab a bite to eat without a long wait, near the Texas Medical Center in Houston, you may want to check out these 4 places that are gaining a reputation for good food, served fast.





Cafe Express
Bodegas Taco Shop and Tequila Bar:
Charlie's Deli
Park Plaza Sandwich Shop

Fast service should never mean that you have to sacrifice quality, flavor or freshness. In the restaurant industry that means, that you don’t want to pay hard earned money for some warmed over frozen food that's been put into a micro wave to speed up the delivery time.
We have tried a few places around town that will remain nameless where they proudly serve you micro-waved food without hiding that fact.

We want to point out these 4 restaurants in Midtown Houston, because they not only serve good food, but work hard to create an exceptional dinning experience. I’m not talking about a hoity-toity style, but the kind of eatery where you can let your hair down, talk loud at the TV and relax comfortably after work or waiting which is a lot harder than working for most of us.

Bodegas Taco Shop and Tequila Bar
1200 Binz #160

Bodegas which is what small grocery stores that are sometimes combined with a wine shops in Hispanic communities are commonly called, lives up to its name.
They serve their version of taco soup and their menu highlights or a pizza and wine special.

If you have a group of hungry people in tow, you can get their wing platter that’s served with a pitcher of beer. Need to find more about their menu check online, at Bodegas Taco Shop.

Charlies Deli
1200 Binz Street

Not enough information available.

Cafe Express
MFA-Houston

If you are planning a trip and you are in or near the Houston Museum District the place to enjoy a quick bite to eat is at Cafe Express. It’s inside on the lower level of the Audrey Jones Beck Building at the MFA-Houston.

Cafe Express is noted for freshly prepared Southwestern cuisine with an artistic twist. You can get breakfast, a boxed meal or trays by visiting them or calling ahead.
They are open all week and 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. and on weekends.

On weekends is they team up with the Museum of fine arts to provide a discount on dinner and a movie. All you have to do is arrive at the box office early enough before the film screening to dine, and ask about the film and food coupon for Cafe Express when you get your ticket.

The film box office opens about an hour before the films begin. . Click here to see the current MFAH film schedule.

Park Plaza Sandwich Shop
1213 Hermann Drive

Being located on Hermann Drive places this eatery smack dab in the heart of the medical center in Houston. There isn’t a website available at this time but you can find dozens of reviews online about this Midtown Houston dinning establishment.

They are listed in the top 10 restaurants in the Museum district by Urban spoon reviewers and Google maps show them on the ground floor of the Park Plaza Hospital building.

The wonderful part about these restaurants near the Texas Medical Center is that they all have varied menus full of tasty treats. The service and the food should match your expectations for quality Southern dinning.

Best of all is that all of these restaurants offer something for every taste bud and they serve many of the local favorites like subs and soups, burger's and fries.

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The 12 Dishes Of Christmas

Take a look at these 12 eclectic dishes that are being served on Christmas day at restaurants in and around Midtown Houston. We made sure you won’t be stuck just eating turkey and dressing. Some of the restaurants that are open will be serving seafood, South Asian cuisines and heaping helpings of beef in various forms.

We have a tip on where vegans and vegetarians who want to take a break from their culinary chores can find a suitable Christmas dinner in Houston that will please their palate.

Here’s the list of the places where you can dine on Christmas Day 2010 in Houston.

House of Blues
17 Restaurant
Whole Foods Market
Lancaster Hotel
Omni Hotel Houston
Ruth's Chris Steak House
Vic and Anthony’s
Kiran's Indian restaurant in Highland Village
Cleburne Cafeteria
The Moghul’s Restaurant and M Lounge
Daily Grill
McCormick & Schmick’s.

Continue below to see some of the details about the dinner menus that are being prepared for those smart enough to enjoy Christmas day and let someone else do the cooking.

House of Blues

To get a good meal without straying to far from Midtown Houston we need go no further than the Downtown District’s foot-stomping palace, the House of Blues. Their menu will include turkey cooked in 3 classic Southern cooking styles fried, smoked and roasted.

17 Restaurant

Christmas Eve or Christmas Day when she can be treated to 17 Restaurant's delicious specialties such as milk roasted veal breast and a chocolate decadent tart! Their hours on Christmas Eve are from 3 - 9 pm and on Christmas Day 11:30 am - 9 pm, and with a reasonably pre- fixed menu for both days around $55 per person.

Whole Foods Market

A prime-rib dinner includes roasted Brussels sprouts, Parmesan asparagus and garlic mashed potatoes for $179.99 for 6-8 guests. A vegan dinner includes field roast, mashed potatoes, butternut squash, vegetables, and gravy for $14.99 per person. A la carte options include sushi, pies and gravy, among others. Call any location.

Lancaster Hotel

Rated one of the best places to stay in the world by Conde Naste Condé Nast Traveler Magazine the Lancaster is also a place to get your eat on Christmas Day. The dinning experience is intimate and charming with a not so traditional holiday menu that boast a scrumptious meal of Fennel & Garlic Crusted Pork Loin, Shrimp, Mussels & Calamar.

Omni Hotel Houston

You can treat yourself are a fab yuletide meal at NOÉ the Omni Houston signature restaurant and bar. You can take spend some of your down time during the holiday at their other popular gathering places, the Black Swan , its hip urban bar and Café on the Green a Texas-style American Bistro offering breakfast and lunch.

This year the fare includes a lavish array of food stations. Champagne Station: Meat Carving Station ect. where you can choose from sugar glazed Ham, Prime Rib or that classic red meat, Beef with Horseradish Sauce and Au Jus.

Ruth's Chris Steak House

Centrally located in the heart of Houston between on Richmond Avenue. This
Houston favorite is keeping the doors open for Christmas Day for their loyal followers who want good food done great. You can check the website for the menu or stop by from 4:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. December 25th.

Vic and Anthony’s

Too busy to cook? Head downtown for a holiday meal at Vic and Anthony’s. The menu, straight up BEEF, Filet Mignon, Prime Strip, and Prime Ribeye. The crowd for this distinctive dinning experience should be sparse so you won’t have a long wait.


Kiran's

This Indian restaurant in Highland Village is one of the places to find something other than Turkey and dressing. You taste buds will be delighted with these mouthwatering dishes.

Tandoori Chicken served with Daal & Onion Kulcha
Lamb & Chicken kebabs served with Daal & Onion Kulcha
Lamb Tenderloin Tandoori Quail Served with Mushroom Biryani & Naan


Cleburne Cafeteria

One of Houston's best known dining establishments that keep its doors open on Dec. 25. is Cleburne Cafeteria. It has provide a generation of Houston residents and visitors with fresh ingredients and home-style meals.
Some of the staples on their menu are Baked Ham, Turkey & Dressing, Honey Lime Chicken Breast with Rice & Mango Salsa,

The Moghul’s Restaurant and M Lounge

The Moghul’s Restaurant has opened up in time for the holiday. It’ll be open for Christmas day for those that prefer to celebrate the day with South Asian cuisine. If you are a lover of Pakistan and Indian food. You can have dinner al a carte, from a menu that includes Leg of Lamb, Lamb Chops, grilled meats and fish from a tandoori oven or charcoal grill.

Daily Grill


Christmas Day Reservations
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Come Join Us Again On Christmas Day As We Serve Turkey And Prime Rib Chef's Specials. We Are Open Regular Hours.

Casarez Restaurante

This CreoleMex restaurant is technically closed on Christmas -- except to those regulars who sign-up for Christmas dinner. Then they'll feed you their brand of Creole Tex Mex for free.
Before you sign-up for the meal, stop in 807 Edgebrook Drive to try the gushed-about fajitas, the enchiladas verde or the blackened pork chops.

McCormick & Schmick’s.

Seafood trio, shrimp Lump meat crab cake and grilled Salmon and herb crusted Prime Rib will be served from 11 to 9 pm.

This is just a sampling of some of the many restaurants that are serving dinner on Christmas in Houston. We did not try to make this a comprehensive list we didn't touch on the soul food restaurants in Houston that are open, because there aren’t that may people who are probably searching for places to eat.

We want to take a few minutes to wish you Happy Holiday’s and a prosperous New Year and thanks for reading the Midtown Restaurant and Entertainment guide.

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Thanksgiving Dinner Cruises In Houston

Treat yourself, your family or your significant other to a special meal during a Thanksgiving Dinner Cruise. It will create a memorable, magical and marvelous Thanksgiving in Houston for you to remember.

The cruises are hosted onboard some of the incredible luxury yachts in the area.
Expect the holiday cruise to last anywhere from two up to four hours with plenty of food, fun and fabulous entertainment wrapped in a party atmosphere.

It’s the perfect way to ensure there is lots of delicious stuffing in the turkey, without experiencing the same old stuffy holiday routine.

Thanksgiving Dinner In Houston

The meals are served while the yachts are cruising on the loal waterways. They slowly float past some of the beautiful large estates on Clear Lake, the Kemah boardwalk and Galveston Bay.

The chefs seem to go all out to put together dandy, delightful and delicious dishes for the guest on each of the fabulous yacht cruises. You can expect to be offered several dinning options.

Lite fare
Full dinner
Specialty dinner


The typical Thanksgiving Dinner Cruise menu includes, turkey and a few other local favorites like Blackened Tilapia, garden fresh vegetables, appetizers and lots of salads to choose from.

Holiday Dinner Cruises

The price for an all inclusive Thanksgiving cruise cost, on average for adults: $69.95, children: $39.95.

City Lights Cruises
Star fleet Yachts
The big White boat
Houston Party boats


This is just our short list of places that offer holiday cruises that will be setting sail throughout the 2010 season. Visit us soon for more details about other great holiday cruises and meals.

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6 Places For Scrumptious Soul Food In Houston

Sensational, spicy soul food is easy to find in Midtown Houston restaurants, when your exotic taste buds began to crave down-home African American dishes like grits, smothered oxtails and/or barbecue.

You don’t have to settle for a bland cafeteria version of these delightful Southern specialties. Houston is where you can find the real McCoy served in cordial, clean and comfortable restaurant's throughout the city.

Southern Dining In Houston

We have personally visited all of the restaurants on this list and can tell you that our desire for eating African American cuisine in warm, welcoming, and wonderful atmospheres was met beyond our expectations.

One of the traditions of Southern African American cooking is heaping helpings of hospitality and food, all of these places have got that part down pat. Their menu items are a reflection of a variety of the other cultures that have influenced generations of African American cooks.


Soul Food Specialties

Yams

We found the yams served at “This Is It” to be the sweetest things this side of heaven. They were cooked with just enough cinnamon and sugar to flavor the dish and still allow the earthy taste of the yams natural sugar to seep through.

Fried Chicken






Fried foods have taken a beating in the quest for healthier dining choices, but the wings that we were served at Sparkle Hamburgers with a waffles and wings breakfast were as close to grease-less as you can hope to find anywhere.






Fried Catfish

If you have been avoiding fish at restaurants because they only serve the well known ocean varieties of Cod and Trout and you prefer that down-home taste of Catfish, Thelma’s got you covered. Although she is widely recognized for the way she almost magically infuses smoke into a piece of beef, the lady can work wonders with fried Catfish too.


Oxtails

This cut of meat has taken a beating from health eating advocates, because it is so high in fat and protein. But it’s a part of the cow that is considered a delicacy in soul food. As their name implies “Just Ox Tails” is the best place in Houston to find them on the menu any day of the week. They have no qualms serving them for either lunch or dinner.

Houston Soul Food Restaurant List

(abbreviated menu on Sparkle Burger Building)




Breakfast Club
Bobby Cues
This Is It
Thelma's Barbecue
Midtown Smokehouse
Sparkle Hamburger
Zydeco Diner

At most soul food restaurants in Houston and those in other cities around the country you can expect to find delicious corn bread and thick, biscuit sopping gravy on just about any menu.

If you know of any place in Houston with scrumptious Creole and African American cooking that deserves a place on this hastily compiled list of restaurants, we would like to know about them. You are welcome to add their address in the comment section below or by contacting us through the email link in the column on the right.

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Houston Restaurants List Gets a Makeover

Our latest edition of "Good Eats", our new Houston restaurant listings has been expanded to include places to eat near the Texas Medical Center and Reliant Stadium. It's just about ready for publication. We have added a few of the new businesses that have hung out their shingles in the last year, and any of the ones that somehow got left off our previous list.

You'll have a listing that will give you more than just access to the names by alphabetical order, food types, and area of town. It' ll be in a convenient widget that people can download to their home page or desk top gadget.

Here's a sneak peak at a few of the names that will be on our "Good Eats" Houston Restaurant List.


Amazon Grill
Amerigo's Grille
Aquarium
Baba Yega
Backstreet Cafe
Becks Prime
Bellaire Burger
Berryhill Baja Grill
Bistro Don Camillo
Bistro Provence
Blake's BBQ

Bobbie Cues
The Breakfast Klub
Bubba's Burger Shack
Buffalo Grille
Cabo's
Cadillac Bar
Cafe Adobe
Cafe Benedicte
Café Rabelais
Capriccio Tapas
Carrabba's Italian Grill
Catalan
Chez Nous
The Chocolate Bar
Christian's Totem
Churrascos
Cullen's Grill
Daily Review Cafe
Da Marco

Damian's
Dolce Vita
Dry Creek Cafe
El Rey
El Tiempo
Empire Cafe
Escalante's Mexican Grill


If our list of Houston Restaurants doesn't include one of your favorite eating places? You can get them added by leaving a comment with 3 reasons to include __(your favorite)________ in our list of places in Houston with good eats.

You don't have to be a patron. You can be the owner or just a fan of the eating establishment. Be sure you include some of the contact information for the business that you want added to our popular list this year.

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