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).......

We're talkin' about the McRib, ya'll. That's right. We said "McRib." Say it loud, say it proud: we heart the McRib. Let us preface this post by saying that we rarely ever find ourselves at the MickeyD's, especially in a town that offers us so many quick, good fast food of the non-world-domination variety. However, being a sucker for processed-meat (sausage, hot dogs, spam...), we have a special place in our heart for the McRib.......

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......

Trips to New York City always entail a few specific requirements for Houstonist, one of which is a visit to Joe’s Shanghai for the mind-blowing soup dumplings. Our last visit to NYC was over a year ago, but the soup dumplings have haunted our dreams ever since. So we set out to find soup dumplings of our very own in the international mecca of Houston. After many disappointing experiences, we finally found a place that......

A recent Houstonist article about beignets sparked a little debate about donuts. Curious about where the best donut in Houston resides, we decided to hold a taste test.* A quick google search revealed a number of donut shops in Houston. We chose four locations for their proximity and reputation. So, at six a.m. on a weekday morning, we set off to Christy’s Donuts, Shipleys, Duncan Donuts and Fresh-n-Best Donuts. To keep the test as scientifically......

There are some restaurants we go to because we love the food and others because we like the décor and atmosphere. Jenni’s Noodle House is neither but we love going here because we like how it makes us feel. This popular downtown lunch hot spot is quirky and personable. Devoted patrons almost seem to carry a badge of honor after a meal at Jenni’s. Owners Scott and Jenni imprint their personality throughout their humble restaurant.......

We recently tried out Chilosos Taco House as part of our never ending search for the best breakfast tacos in Houston. Owned by two sisters, Chilosos Taco House is located in the Heights on 20th Street near Studewood. This unassuming villa opened recently (within the past 6 months) and serves up some amazing (and cheap) Mexican food. The menu is neither extravagant nor complex, but instead offers the a quick alternative to the standard Tex-mex......

With a Mexican food restaurant on nearly every corner of our fair city, it can be difficult to find any standouts among the crowd. Houstonist recently visited Sylvia’s enchilada kitchen for lunch and can safely say this is a hidden gem for Mexican food. Located at 12637 Westheimer (between Eldridge and Dairy Ashford) the lunch rush comes from the Westchase District and Energy Corridor crowds (think liquid lunch meets power lunch). As the name suggests......

Woe to he who ignores blessings as righteous as these: Ben and Jerry's, the crazy Vermonter ice cream chain, is offering a free cone of ice cream today from noon to 8 PM at all of its area locations. There's no catch; just show up and enjoy. The venerable ice cream makers are marking this year's Free Cone Day by introducing two new flavors, Créme Brulée and Cinnamon Buns, thus propagating the trend of......

Some weekends just seem to be made for relaxing, lazy mornings. Houstonist recently had a similar type weekend and decided to try out Spanish Flowers Mexican restaurant for breakfast. Spanish Flower is located on North Main at Airline Dr. in the Heights area. Although we went in the late morning, the restaurant is open (and breakfast is served) 24 hours a day (except Tuesday night through Wednesday morning). The restaurant is popular among the......

A furniture store? For a date? Yes. Ikea is not only filled with strangely attractive objects with names like Kroby, Dekad, and Tostarp, it has two restaurants and entertaining people-watching. While Houstonist cannot be held responsible for the consequences of attempting Ikea for a first date, once that special someone has had sufficient time to realize you aren't a complete cheapskate (or has come to terms with it), it can be a novel, unexpected......

Let's go get some pan-Asian cuisine! Can't get enough of it these days? Obviously you all can't, as this town seems to be spawning another PF Chang's or Pei Wei or Nit Noi or So Very Tall Rockets Player Restaurant every 15 seconds. If you find yourself trapped in Sugar Land looking for some safe and non-intimidating Thai/Vietnamese/Chinese food, though, perhaps you should drop by The Wild Ginger for a slightly fresher take on......

The first in our series of Mom & Pop burger joint reviews takes us to Annie's Hamburgers, 10821 S. Post Oak Road. We tried the bacon cheeseburger (dragged through the garden, of course) and an order of onion rings. And we weren't disappointed! The burger was hot, juicy and fresh, cooked over a gas flame — a similar method to some fast-food restaurants. The bacon topping the gently melted American cheese was thick and crispy,......

Another day of unseasonably warm temperatures – what a great day for free ice cream! Ben & Jerry’s is celebrating 28 years of existence by hosting a Free Cone Day. Even though the Houston location is much younger (and looks it, thank you), they are partaking in the festivities. You have until 8 p.m. tonight to pickup your free stoner-induced flavor (Cherry Garcia, Half-Baked, Phish Food), or Houstonist’s favorite, Chunky Monkey. Free Cone Day......

If you haven’t noticed, we like lunch. If it weren’t for lunch, we’d probably not make it to dinner. If it weren’t for lunch at Thai Cottage, we’d probably go insane. The food is so good that we almost forget that two people can eat there so well for around $15. Located near the Edwards Grand Cinema on the corner of Richmond and Wesleyan, it’s a favorite amongst the Greenway set. The location affords......

The one thing Houstonist never got about Austin is why it was such a sub town. Really, Austinites are passionate about their subs. Houston has always been a sandwich town, at least in our humble opinion. Exhibit A: the Brown Bag Deli. With three locations in Houston, Brown Bag Deli serves up sandwiches that you would make if you had a deli. No fancy organic cinnamon havarti spreads, no pheasant or Nigerian flatbreads. This deli......

Sometimes there is so much to eat in the West Loop area that our head explodes and our stomach churns emptily from over-contemplation. On those days we ditch the dishes we love from exotic lands and instead drop $4 for a quick cafeteria-style lunch at Sky Deli. Hidden in the Executive Office Building (affectionately and giggly known to Houstonians as the Berwanger building) along U.S. 59 just east of the West Loop, Sky Deli is......