back to school!
I can hardly believe I’m typing those words and it’s the beginning of July. This would be why time flies in this industry. But as I’ve probably mentioned in the past, I LOVE this time of year. The buzz of fall is in the air. There’s an excitement to the end of those long, endless dog days of summer. The return of football, school, fall holidays – it sparks a whole new energy into life. It’s the return to normality. While I’m on the track to normal I found my guilty pleasure burger place, I seem to be addicted to avocados, brunch introduces me to a new technique, I get what all the hype is about at one sushi staple, and a HUGE thank you to a conglomerate of folks for one of my favorite weekends of the year.
The Grove
1611 Lamar St. 713.337.7321
At press time avocados are in season and I can’t seem to eat enough of them. I’ve become obsessed with eating at least one avocado a day. Plus I hear they are good for you even if they are fat. The Grove prepares an Ahi tuna sashimi with slices of tuna nestled atop slices of avocado topped with a mango and pineapple pico and micro greens. Delightfully light and refreshing, this dish is perfection for these hot months.
Brasserie 19
1962 West Gray 713.524.1919
Most would read soft scrambled eggs and think, nope, probably runny, scary eggs. I’m not sure of the logistics to attain soft scrambled eggs but it sounds to me like they would be fluffy. At Brasserie 19 brunch, that’s how they serve them. Soft, fluffy eggs, seasoned ever so lightly, served with a side of greens and roasted potatoes. It’s brunch and a bit of lunch all on one plate. It takes “should I order a salad” right out of the ordering process. A simple, complete meal.
BRC
519 Shepherd Dr. 713.861.2233
The buzz about their burger is TRUE. I’ve been numerous times but oddly enough hadn’t ordered it before. Those days are over. I can’t explain the perfection of the buttery-ness, juiciness, delish-ness that is this burger. It leaves me speechless and wanting to go back daily. Don’t believe me? Check it out. Monday is burger day with $8 burgers lunch or dinner.
Kata Robata
3600 Kirby Dr. 713.526.8858
After years of hearing about Kata Robata, I FINALLY made it in. All the gushing and love over the years since they opened is well deserved. I’ve heard wonders, and I was equally blown away. From the robata yellow tail collar, that as my sister would say “has no mother” (a direct translation of a Mexican saying), to the hamachi and jalapeno sashimi, the Japanese snapper sashimi with asian truffle sauce straight to the Rising Sun roll and even the traditional spicy tuna roll – the preparation, flavor, quality is perfection.
Uchi/ Tim Moloney/ Dutch Small/ Free Press Summer Fest
This is an honorable mention/thank you/shout out of sorts. Thank you, Tim Moloney, for inviting me to a media breakfast at dawn the first day of Summer Fest. And although that sounded awful, you guys made up for it BIG TIME with an UCHI BREAKFAST. Thank you. Uchi doesn’t serve lunch let alone breakfast, so we were SPOILED. They prepared a yogurt, granola, fruit appetizer and then a pork belly, scrambled egg hamachi nabe-looking dish. It was mind-blowing. As was Summer Fest. And at this rate it’s only going to get more mind-blowing. Dutch Small and the team at Free Press are dead-set on getting our hometown festival national recognition while putting local artists, musicians and Houston on the map. I only expect bigger and better things. I look forward to Summer Fest time this year, every year.
By Beatrice Allen
