/u/MaillardReaction207 - HoustonNewMedia.org https://houstonnewmedia.org/author/u-maillardreaction207/ Building "Bridges" Across the Bayou City! Sun, 02 Nov 2025 00:59:38 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.3 https://i0.wp.com/houstonnewmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/cropped-cropped-Houston.png?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 /u/MaillardReaction207 - HoustonNewMedia.org https://houstonnewmedia.org/author/u-maillardreaction207/ 32 32 103504436 Maison Chinoise – Peking Duck with Promise https://houstonnewmedia.org/maison-chinoise-peking-duck-with-promise/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=maison-chinoise-peking-duck-with-promise https://houstonnewmedia.org/maison-chinoise-peking-duck-with-promise/#respond Sun, 02 Nov 2025 00:59:38 +0000 http://houstonnewmedia.org/?guid=27f6991af108bbb26ce3f0db198ab616 I wasn't expecting to like Maison Chinoise. I'm not crazy about sister restaurants Toulouse and Lombardi. And Dallas concepts generally dont seem to land in Houston. But maybe low expectations make for happy dining. My meal at Chinoise on...

The post Maison Chinoise – Peking Duck with Promise first appeared on HoustonNewMedia.org.

The post Maison Chinoise – Peking Duck with Promise appeared first on HoustonNewMedia.org.

]]> https://houstonnewmedia.org/maison-chinoise-peking-duck-with-promise/feed/ 0 1056392 Zaranda – Hugo Ortega’s Beachy New Spot Downtown https://houstonnewmedia.org/zaranda-hugo-ortegas-beachy-new-spot-downtown/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=zaranda-hugo-ortegas-beachy-new-spot-downtown Sun, 19 Oct 2025 17:43:16 +0000 http://houstonnewmedia.org/?guid=b678aaffc000a6cb5bb955f65917ca13 Zaranda is a pretty new spot at the edge of Discovery Green that takes the hits from Caracol and Hugo's, updates them a bit, and sets them in soft beach tones, warm light, and biomorphic curves. I don't mean to suggest that there is nothi...

The post Zaranda – Hugo Ortega’s Beachy New Spot Downtown first appeared on HoustonNewMedia.org.

The post Zaranda – Hugo Ortega’s Beachy New Spot Downtown appeared first on HoustonNewMedia.org.

]]> 1048061 What’s up with the super mid ramen at Loro? https://houstonnewmedia.org/whats-up-with-the-super-mid-ramen-at-loro/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=whats-up-with-the-super-mid-ramen-at-loro Thu, 09 Oct 2025 23:10:44 +0000 http://houstonnewmedia.org/?guid=856017659dc53800ec2c463301ab2306 Stopped in at Loro for the first time in a while. Was excited to be there on a Wednesday for the Spicy Japanese Curry Ramen. I was badly disappointed. The dish wasn't spicy at all, but the curry was overwhelming and skewed very heavily cinnam...

The post What’s up with the super mid ramen at Loro? first appeared on HoustonNewMedia.org.

The post What’s up with the super mid ramen at Loro? appeared first on HoustonNewMedia.org.

]]> 1041356 Levant BBQ made a solid first impression https://houstonnewmedia.org/levant-bbq-made-a-solid-first-impression/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=levant-bbq-made-a-solid-first-impression Sat, 20 Sep 2025 21:18:23 +0000 http://houstonnewmedia.org/?guid=a476513d4561ced58851591b8287423f Stopped by for a brisket shawarma sandwich and got sucked in by the siren song of loaded fries. This was, admittedly, not the move for evaluating the true quality of the BBQ. But both items were solid, and the sides on the steam tray looked tasty...

The post Levant BBQ made a solid first impression first appeared on HoustonNewMedia.org.

The post Levant BBQ made a solid first impression appeared first on HoustonNewMedia.org.

]]> 1030515 Is "good" good enough for Yiayia’s Greek Kitchen? https://houstonnewmedia.org/is-good-good-enough-for-yiayias-greek-kitchen/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=is-good-good-enough-for-yiayias-greek-kitchen Wed, 13 Aug 2025 04:18:34 +0000 http://houstonnewmedia.org/?guid=2105b6150a4fdf542b5a4ea8df12836f I've recently seen a lot of virtual ink spilled by influencers gushing over Yiayia’s, Pappas's ressurected Greek concept. I agree that it's good, but I had much higher hopes for what it might be when I heard it would be filling the lo...

The post Is "good" good enough for Yiayia’s Greek Kitchen? first appeared on HoustonNewMedia.org.

The post Is "good" good enough for Yiayia’s Greek Kitchen? appeared first on HoustonNewMedia.org.

]]> 1005437 The Unlucky Surprise of Dining Next to a Houston Food Influencer https://houstonnewmedia.org/the-unlucky-surprise-of-dining-next-to-a-houston-food-influencer/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-unlucky-surprise-of-dining-next-to-a-houston-food-influencer Fri, 08 Aug 2025 04:39:29 +0000 http://houstonnewmedia.org/?guid=ba43fb39c0cce8b2c50b84847b8ac2b4 I get it. Influencing is a job, and content is the product. But must the content be produced at prime dinner time in a busy, newly opened restaurant? The answer, I learned, seems to be yes. And I also learned that creation of the content involves lots...

The post The Unlucky Surprise of Dining Next to a Houston Food Influencer first appeared on HoustonNewMedia.org.

The post The Unlucky Surprise of Dining Next to a Houston Food Influencer appeared first on HoustonNewMedia.org.

]]> 1002486 Agnes & Sherman – Worth a Try (but Maybe Not a Drive Across Town) https://houstonnewmedia.org/agnes-sherman-worth-a-try-but-maybe-not-a-drive-across-town/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=agnes-sherman-worth-a-try-but-maybe-not-a-drive-across-town Sun, 29 Jun 2025 20:31:54 +0000 http://houstonnewmedia.org/?guid=215821c21c1e9017b3462e03e0a407f7 There's a lot to like about Agnes & Sherman. A fresh, cheffy take on Chinese-American food is a welcome addition to the scene. And I particularly like the vibe of this place -- it's nice enough to feel like you're actually going o...

The post Agnes & Sherman – Worth a Try (but Maybe Not a Drive Across Town) first appeared on HoustonNewMedia.org.

The post Agnes & Sherman – Worth a Try (but Maybe Not a Drive Across Town) appeared first on HoustonNewMedia.org.

]]> 977069 Succulent Fine Dining – a’Bouzy goes shabby chic https://houstonnewmedia.org/succulent-fine-dining-abouzy-goes-shabby-chic/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=succulent-fine-dining-abouzy-goes-shabby-chic Sun, 15 Jun 2025 20:22:54 +0000 http://houstonnewmedia.org/?guid=626bb155a1db6bc0ad286d42eb254a31 For those familiar with a'Bouzy, much about Succulent will feel entirely familiar. The food: There's chicken liver mousse. The staff: Shawn Virene, the owner of both spots, tends the dining room. Even the vibe: Buzzy, buzzy, buzzy. None ...

The post Succulent Fine Dining – a’Bouzy goes shabby chic first appeared on HoustonNewMedia.org.

The post Succulent Fine Dining – a’Bouzy goes shabby chic appeared first on HoustonNewMedia.org.

]]> 969099 Am I the only one who found Bistro Menil largely unremarkable? https://houstonnewmedia.org/am-i-the-only-one-who-found-bistro-menil-largely-unremarkable/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=am-i-the-only-one-who-found-bistro-menil-largely-unremarkable Tue, 03 Jun 2025 23:07:44 +0000 http://houstonnewmedia.org/?guid=ce6af1e04a0a91d54abee71e9aa8cb29 I've heard several people lamenting its planned shuttering later this month: https://www.papercitymag.com/restaurants/bistro-menil-restaurant-closing-houston-chef-greg-martin/?amp I never had a particularly bad experience at Bistro Menil. And the l...

The post Am I the only one who found Bistro Menil largely unremarkable? first appeared on HoustonNewMedia.org.

The post Am I the only one who found Bistro Menil largely unremarkable? appeared first on HoustonNewMedia.org.

]]> 962049 I had dinner in a Courtyard by Marriott, and I liked it. https://houstonnewmedia.org/i-had-dinner-in-a-courtyard-by-marriott-and-i-liked-it/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=i-had-dinner-in-a-courtyard-by-marriott-and-i-liked-it Sat, 31 May 2025 01:36:08 +0000 http://houstonnewmedia.org/?guid=6451aae7cc7071a3d944a9c1114a67df A friend told me about a high-end dim sum spot in the Courtyard by Marriott - West University. We were a couple of drinks in at the time. I assumed it was a joke. I filed the information away in my "likely apocryphal trivia" file. But a...

The post I had dinner in a Courtyard by Marriott, and I liked it. first appeared on HoustonNewMedia.org.

The post I had dinner in a Courtyard by Marriott, and I liked it. appeared first on HoustonNewMedia.org.

]]> 960262 Mexican Sugar – (Mostly) Mediocre Tex-Mex Mayhem https://houstonnewmedia.org/mexican-sugar-mostly-mediocre-tex-mex-mayhem/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=mexican-sugar-mostly-mediocre-tex-mex-mayhem Tue, 06 May 2025 01:05:00 +0000 http://houstonnewmedia.org/?guid=e0dac35f50c6641a7b0c47c3e31bdc98 Here's a science question: What is the saturation point for Tex-Mex restaurants in Houston? Seems as if we may never know. Or, at least, that we're not there yet. And apparently our friends in Dallas think that what we are really lacking ...

The post Mexican Sugar – (Mostly) Mediocre Tex-Mex Mayhem first appeared on HoustonNewMedia.org.

The post Mexican Sugar – (Mostly) Mediocre Tex-Mex Mayhem appeared first on HoustonNewMedia.org.

]]> 949099 Hot Take – Blacksmith’s BLT is one of Houston’s best breakfast sandwiches https://houstonnewmedia.org/hot-take-blacksmiths-blt-is-one-of-houstons-best-breakfast-sandwiches/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=hot-take-blacksmiths-blt-is-one-of-houstons-best-breakfast-sandwiches Sun, 04 May 2025 15:22:27 +0000 http://houstonnewmedia.org/?guid=d0ccfb9e1f1098670d65cc0c2103f674 And like many virtuous foods, it's not overly complex. No idea how they decided on a bun instead of toast, but it works so well. The pickled green tomato and Gouda are chef's kiss. submitted by /u/MaillardReaction207 [lin...

The post Hot Take – Blacksmith’s BLT is one of Houston’s best breakfast sandwiches first appeared on HoustonNewMedia.org.

The post Hot Take – Blacksmith’s BLT is one of Houston’s best breakfast sandwiches appeared first on HoustonNewMedia.org.

]]> 948780 Maximo – Solid Escape from Tex-Mex Tucked Away in West U https://houstonnewmedia.org/maximo-solid-escape-from-tex-mex-tucked-away-in-west-u/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=maximo-solid-escape-from-tex-mex-tucked-away-in-west-u Sat, 26 Apr 2025 19:49:57 +0000 http://houstonnewmedia.org/?guid=db7663e75eab0609910be1897804b7f2 When I first visited Maximo months ago, it was a taco joint that, in terms of authenticity, existed somewhere between Laredo Taquería and Torchy's. It was (mostly) good, but certainly not worth a drive across town. A month or so ago, I heard ...

The post Maximo – Solid Escape from Tex-Mex Tucked Away in West U first appeared on HoustonNewMedia.org.

The post Maximo – Solid Escape from Tex-Mex Tucked Away in West U appeared first on HoustonNewMedia.org.

]]> 944901 Chardon – Can a hotel restaurant make it in Houston? https://houstonnewmedia.org/chardon-can-a-hotel-restaurant-make-it-in-houston/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chardon-can-a-hotel-restaurant-make-it-in-houston Wed, 16 Apr 2025 04:06:57 +0000 http://houstonnewmedia.org/?guid=c341618c23ca52fc260be7de23b35b80 Chardon is the new French(ish) restaurant in the Thompson Hotel off of Allen Parkway. It's stylish and the food is tasty, but I've found it mostly empty on three separate visits. This could be simply because it's so new, or it could b...

The post Chardon – Can a hotel restaurant make it in Houston? first appeared on HoustonNewMedia.org.

The post Chardon – Can a hotel restaurant make it in Houston? appeared first on HoustonNewMedia.org.

]]> 939582 Chardon – Can a hotel restaurant make it in Houston? https://houstonnewmedia.org/chardon-can-a-hotel-restaurant-make-it-in-houston/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chardon-can-a-hotel-restaurant-make-it-in-houston Wed, 16 Apr 2025 04:06:57 +0000 http://houstonnewmedia.org/?guid=c341618c23ca52fc260be7de23b35b80 Chardon is the new French(ish) restaurant in the Thompson Hotel off of Allen Parkway. It's stylish and the food is tasty, but I've found it mostly empty on three separate visits. This could be simply because it's so new, or it could b...

The post Chardon – Can a hotel restaurant make it in Houston? first appeared on HoustonNewMedia.org.

The post Chardon – Can a hotel restaurant make it in Houston? appeared first on HoustonNewMedia.org.

]]> 939583 Cafe Adel – the Bosnian Food You Didn’t Know You Need in Your Life https://houstonnewmedia.org/cafe-adel-the-bosnian-food-you-didnt-know-you-need-in-your-life/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=cafe-adel-the-bosnian-food-you-didnt-know-you-need-in-your-life Fri, 14 Mar 2025 04:18:40 +0000 http://houstonnewmedia.org/?guid=7b8c34f309c46bb7b6b2381d63fbb717 Stumbled on Cafe Adel when searching for Albanian food in Houston. (The reason for this search is beyond the scope of this post, so I'll spare you the details.) Adel is Bosnian, and I can't comment on whether the food it serves is the sam...

The post Cafe Adel – the Bosnian Food You Didn’t Know You Need in Your Life first appeared on HoustonNewMedia.org.

The post Cafe Adel – the Bosnian Food You Didn’t Know You Need in Your Life appeared first on HoustonNewMedia.org.

]]> 918633 Annam – A Real Letdown https://houstonnewmedia.org/annam-a-real-letdown/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=annam-a-real-letdown Wed, 05 Mar 2025 05:22:14 +0000 http://houstonnewmedia.org/?guid=87cffc516e0a81bad79a71672ba607f2 A week or so ago, Houston food critic (personality? freelance PR agent?) Mai Pham called Annam the best Vietnamese restaurant in Houston. I'll spare you a diatribe about the sorry state of food writing/journalism in Houston, but suffice it to...

The post Annam – A Real Letdown first appeared on HoustonNewMedia.org.

The post Annam – A Real Letdown appeared first on HoustonNewMedia.org.

]]> 913598 Best enchiladas in Houston? https://houstonnewmedia.org/best-enchiladas-in-houston/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=best-enchiladas-in-houston Mon, 06 Jan 2025 03:37:46 +0000 http://houstonnewmedia.org/?guid=83af91186937274697a758c8ed87258b I was at the original Ninfa's last month and ordered cheese enchiladas. They were some of the worst I've had, nothing like what they used to be a decade or so ago. I'm also not at all crazy about the enchiladas at El Tiempo. Any spots that ...

The post Best enchiladas in Houston? first appeared on HoustonNewMedia.org.

The post Best enchiladas in Houston? appeared first on HoustonNewMedia.org.

]]> 874678 Milton’s (Rice Village) is a modern Italian-leaning bistro dressed up as an old school red sauce joint. https://houstonnewmedia.org/miltons-rice-village-is-a-modern-italian-leaning-bistro-dressed-up-as-an-old-school-red-sauce-joint/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=miltons-rice-village-is-a-modern-italian-leaning-bistro-dressed-up-as-an-old-school-red-sauce-joint Sat, 04 Jan 2025 05:23:23 +0000 http://houstonnewmedia.org/?guid=31461348ed246dd95589ae010f99ffff And I'm here for it. The space manages to be both cozy and buzzy, clubby and current. There are some issues--the space is long and narrow and the spaces between tables can be treacherous, servers and food runners and patrons scooching past e...

The post Milton’s (Rice Village) is a modern Italian-leaning bistro dressed up as an old school red sauce joint. first appeared on HoustonNewMedia.org.

The post Milton’s (Rice Village) is a modern Italian-leaning bistro dressed up as an old school red sauce joint. appeared first on HoustonNewMedia.org.

]]> 873417 Baso is good … in some cases, very good … but is it worth it? https://houstonnewmedia.org/baso-is-good-in-some-cases-very-good-but-is-it-worth-it/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=baso-is-good-in-some-cases-very-good-but-is-it-worth-it Mon, 16 Dec 2024 03:36:02 +0000 http://houstonnewmedia.org/?guid=4cf0cb24ef4f1400b1dfbfa2bd5290e8 Tried Baso over the weekend. We ordered eight dishes (one of which was pistachio ice cream) and two of the least expensive bottles of wine on the list. Bill approached $200 per person. This isn't a complaint, but it's relevant context. Ba...

The post Baso is good … in some cases, very good … but is it worth it? first appeared on HoustonNewMedia.org.

The post Baso is good … in some cases, very good … but is it worth it? appeared first on HoustonNewMedia.org.

]]> 862664