What would be the obvious career path for someone who went to Harvard for undergrad and Yale for law school? Well, write and publish restaurant guides, of course. Duh. Houstonist had the opportunity to sit with author/entrepreneur/foodie/publisher/world-traveller Robin Goldstein and his managing editor/foodie/marketer/public-relations-exec/S.O. Alexis Herschkowitsch. Robin has just released his Houston restaurant guide – Fearless Critic, Houston Restaurant Guide (one of the very first complete printed guides in Houston - and no, Zagat doesn't count).......

Yea yea, so there are plenty of websites out there that offer reviews, rankings and information on Houston restaurants. But the problem for Houstonist is that we have to go to more than one to get the information we want. We've finally discovered a website that we actually like. Check out Urbanspoon, a new website covering Houston area restaurants. Like the –ists, Urbanspoon covers many cities around the world. As one of the best food......

Standing in front of Kenny & Ziggy's rotating dessert display case reminded us of a scene from Sex in the City. Carrie Bradshaw, a shoe zealot, presses right up to the glass of a window displaying designer shoes and says in her breathy voice, "Helloooo lov-ah." This Jewish delicatessen has plenty of good eats, ranging from matzo balls to open-faced Reubens and the decor - yaddy yadda yadda...just go straight for the Coconut Cream Pie.......

In our Retail-ist weekly feature, we share local places to satiate your shopping needs and feed your consumerist tendencies. Have a great place for us to get addicted to? Email us and let us know! Houstonist loves shopping at places that keep us on our toes. At Sandy's Market (12171 Katy Freeway), blanking out in the middle of squeezing tomatoes might cost you a nasty run-in with a group eating in the middle of......

Sometimes nothing satisfies a hunger pain like a big helping of fried chicken and fixin’s. But not just any fried chicken. We wanted the kind that didn’t come off a conveyor belt; chicken that’s been soaked, seasoned and fried with love. Perhaps a place where Rockets players can be found after practice. Frenchy’s more than fit the bill. The original store on Scott Street almost always has a line of hungry patrons waiting to place......

A reader tipped us (thanks) to a Houston Business Journal report that Eatzi's is closing its Houston location at 6 PM today. The Post Oak business was a favorite Galleria area lunch destination as well as offering a full fare of take-out options for dinner, which we pawned off as our own on many occasions. The Dallas-based company has not commented on the closing, nor does their web site offer insight on the matter. However,......

Here at Houstonist we try - in between bacon cheeseburgers - to be a little healthy when it comes to our eating habits. This is our very own recipe for herbed chicken which can be either baked/roasted and finished off under the broiler (as pictured) or grilled - you make the call. Our Cranberry Pinenut Couscous makes a nice side - add a salad and some garlic bread - maybe a homemade chocolate cake......

Simple, quick (cooks in five minutes) and compliments chicken, pork or lamb dishes exceptionally well. Houstonist makes this simple grain dish often, usually with a grilled herb chicken (we'll give you that recipe - next time). Couscous is hearty, delicious and so easy to prepare in many different ways. Follow the link to see the recipe.......

Houstonist noted some interesting chocolate incidents in the news recently, including the story of a worker who became trapped in a vat of chocolate (can that really be a bad thing?) and that of an employee at a chocolatier to the rich and famous who saw the Virgin Mary in chocolate drippings. Sure, they were great stories, but for us, they invoked memories of our favorite chocolate cake — iced while it's hot to increase......

Chess pie, a simple, custard-like creation, is an inexpensive and delicious finish to a summer barbecue (like the one we'll be attending on Labor Day). Here's Houstonist's tried-and-true version. Enjoy! (And check out the history of chess pie, too. Interesting.) 1 1/4 cups sugar 1/2 cup butter 3 well-beaten eggs 1 tablespoon white vinegar (it doesn't sound right, but it is, trust us) 1 teaspoon vanilla (preferably real vanilla; see Penzey's info below) 1 unbaked......

Glossy and purple, a fresh, ripe eggplant tends to be the most underappreciated vegetable in the bin — until now. Whether we have grilled kabobs for dinner or need a side dish/appetizer for a friendly potluck, baba ganoush is simple and very tasty! Here's our favorite recipe: 3 (1 pound each) eggplants 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 3 tablespoons tahini (sesame-seed paste) 3/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper......

If it's in season, Houstonist will find a culinary use for it — even mundane mint comes in handy for mojitos and juleps, and it adds a lot to fresh vegetables, free-range chicken and lamb. But where can you go to find organic produce in Houston? We have some ideas: In addition to the tried, true and terribly fabulous Whole Foods Market and Central Market, there are several area farmer's markets to explore. We particularly......