One of my top meals in Houston. Located in the Middle Eastern strip mall on Richmond, near Westpark Tollway and 59, and right next to Cedars Bakery – another favorite Houston spot of mine – Al Aseel caters to a wide variety of clientele. It focuses on Mediterranean food, in the broadest sense. You’ve got…
Morocco
Morocco is a part of the Maghreb region of Africa, which also includes Algeria, Tunisia and Mauritania. This portion of North Africa is a mix of influences – ranging from the Roman Empire and the Islamic Umayyad Caliphate to French colonization. This region has fascinated me because of this rich mix of influences. My only…
Bodard Bistro
Bodard Bistro is a small shop on Bellaire with a combination of central and southern Vietnamese cuisine. Their menu is long, but I’m highlighting a few dishes below not to miss. It’s also worth getting the Vietnamese coffee here, as it’s much smoother than most I come across. Nem nuong cuôn nha trang What Bodard…
Nam Giao
Nam Giao, featured on David Chang’s Ugly Delicious, is in a run-down shopping center off Bellaire. I turned off a couple times too early before actually finding this place. Nam Giao specializes in cuisine from Huê. This is one of only a couple restaurants in the city that do, in addition to the bún bò…
Vietnam: Huê
Huê, in central Vietnam, was the imperial capital, ruled by the Nguyen Dynasty for over a century before French colonization really took over, forcing the emperor to abdicate in 1945. The city is particularly known for its imperial citadel – what’s left anyway after the Vietnam War and resulting neglect by the communist regime. When…
Vietnam: Saigon
Saigon, or Ho Chi Minh City, is a food HAVEN. It’s located in southern Vietnam and is also the country’s crowded business center. You may have to dodge people riding their scooters on the sidewalks, because the streets are so packed, but it’s worth venturing out for the city’s incredible, and cheap, cuisine. Bun Mam…
Kau Ba Saigon Kitchen
“Vietnamese food becomes Viet-Cajun. Viet-Cajun goes back to Vietnam as Viejun.” Kau Ba opened in Montrose in late July 2018. The chef, Nikki Tran, was featured on Ugly Delicious for having taken back Viet-Cajun food to her native Saigon. Viet-Cajun is a fusion that owes its existence to Vietnamese refugees who came to coastal Louisiana and…
Vietnam: Hanoi
Hanoi. The capital of Vietnam, and an absolute cacophony of sounds, sights and smells – a true sensory overload. Walking along the beautiful tree-lined boulevards, you’ll have to dodge both the sparks from the welders on the sidewalk and the never-ending swarm of motorcycles. The museums and surrounding areas of Hanoi are spectacular – to…
San Dong Noodle House
San Dong Noodle House is in a corner of the shopping center in Bellaire with H-Mart, 85 Degree C and the former Uyghur Bistro. It serves Taiwanese soups and dumplings, as well as dumplings/buns to take to-go. The beef in the roast beef noodle soup melts in your mouth, and the dumplings are a must….
Anthony Bourdain
I talk so much about Anthony Bourdain that I figured it was time to have an article dedicated to him. I love Bourdain. His ability to show a different perspective on misunderstood areas of the world such as the Middle East and Africa. His focus on food as a window into different cultures. His willingness…
Eat Local, Eat Global 