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).......

Champagne Bubble Bath The Tasting Room - River Oaks Saturday, December 8th 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. 2409 W. Alabama 713.526.2242 Taste some "sparkling wines", (hey, it's not Champagne, unless it is actually made in Champagne, France, just saying) and try some appetizers. The cost is $50/ per person, but, you get a $5 discount if you donate a new, unwrapped toy for Toys for Tots! Holiday Farmer's Market and Wine Tasting The Tasting......

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.......

Houston! We’re going to be rounding up current food and wine events once a week, so you don’t have to. Previously, we posted these gastronomic opportunities, along with festivals and the like – having let that slip was criminal! Once again, Culinary Adventures comes your way!!! Tour de Donut – “The Sweetest Bike Ride in Texas”Sunday, November 4th – beginning at 8:00 a.m. Sun & Ski Sports @ Katy Mills Mall $25/participant in advance $35/participant......

Somewhere, Marvin Zindler is rolling over in what is no doubt a very lavish coffin. While this article in the Chron todaylooks into the health inspections at sports venues makes no particular mention of slime or its proximity relative to the ice machine, you can be sure that Marvin would've known and would've shouted it from the rooftops. Or at least from somewhere near Dave Ward's elbow. The stadiums reviewed under the auspices of the......

Feel like it's time to give back? Someone did someone nice for you and you haven't paid it forward? You screwed someone over and now you've gotta get your good karma back? We've got the answer - treat yourself to a gourmet 3-course dinner! It's not often that eating out can be considered charity work. This week in Houston, your dining escapades can actually do some good for the world. Houston's annual Restaurant Week......

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......

Beginning this Sunday at 11:00 a.m. (in commemoration of Chef JJ's Birthday) you can now have brunch at MAX's Wine Dive from 11:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.! Reservations for brunch will be accepted for parties of four or larger (we highly recommend you reserve your spot - this place gets all crazy busy what with all the seein' and bein' seen going on - add the luscious food and well, it's a recipe for "Waiting,......

After much anticipation, Sugarbaby’s finally opened its doors this past summer. As a rule of thumb, Houstonist always likes to give these big openings a bit of time to iron out wrinkles before we come in. In the meantime, we had images of a Houston version of Magnolia Bakery in NYC and Sprinkles in LA. And when we finally walked in, it took us a bit to take in the interior - all black, white......

Yes, we know it's not "new" news, however, we did promise an update - even if an admittedly late one. Landry's Seafood Restaurants cut a deal with its bondholders which buys them two more years of financing for a 2% rate increase. The cost of money goes up from 7.5% to 9.5% - or, approximately $15mil/year. That's a lot of clams, but it does beat the alternative. Photo courtesy of flickr user B&M Photography......

A quickie tidbit on a local institution: Café Brasil (2604 Dunlavy) is undergoing some major construction to keep their coffee guzzlers and pizza munchers satiated. Nothing to get your feathers ruffled over, you can still order, drink and mingle as before - but you have some new goodies to look forward to. In the coming months Brasil's menu is doubling and seating area expanding meaning you'll have just that many more seats to stumble......

Ever since Inversion Coffee House opened its doors this past March fans have been raving about the artsy space, local coffee, and great Houston vibe. Though it may seem like Starbucks is taking over the world (and saving the world), this local dig is a breath of fresh air. Loyal patrons have been screaming for expansion since March. The people have spoken and owner Michael Terrazas has listened. Houstonist has learned that Inversion will be......

Oodles of noodles on Shepherd at W. Alabama! Today marks the grand opening of the second Jenni’s Noodle House. The original Jenni’s Noodle House, located in Old Chinatown downtown, opened its doors six years ago. Houstonist loves Jenni’s because of the big personality that co-owner Scott Weaver brings to the store. Always the approachable and high energy character, we chatted with Scott about Jenni, Jenni’s and the new restaurant. What were the inspirations for the......

Houstonist was driving out 290 the other day and noticed a new Luby's under construction — it normally wouldn't attract our attention, but we could tell this Luby's was going to look different. And now we know why: According to the Chronicle, the new restaurant is the first of Luby's next-generation locations, designed to bring the venerable cafeteria chain into the 21st century. Outside, the new Luby's will be faced in stucco and limestone; inside,......

Most people know that sushi and seafood are never fresh on Mondays. Many restaurants don’t get their shipments in until Tuesday and/or Thursday so the seafood you eat on Monday is likely to be the weekend’s leftovers. Against our moral fiber, we headed to Sushi King (3401 Kirby Dr) on Monday with every intention of ordering their delicious Nabeyaki Udon soup. Then we broke down and ordered some sushi. Our server informed us that they......

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......

Have you ever wondered how many people's lives you really touch? Turns out there's no better way to learn than to work at a popular restaurant while you have Hepatitis A: According to KTRK, the county thinks as many as 12,000 people could have been exposed to the virus during 12 days in January and February when a waiter worked while infected. The waiter worked at the Pappasito's at 15280 North Freeway Jan. 23-27, Jan.......

Houstonist Bartender feels morally obligated, after a week like Houston has had, to bring you a drink - a good stiff one. Yes, this has Southern Comfort in it, and yes, we know - you haven't had a SoCo drink since second grade - but, this is some good stuff. It has V-O-D-K-A and pineapple and is named for a sweet classic car. Tasty, lethal (don't drink too many - unless you are at the......

Houston-based Landry's Restaurants, Inc. had issued a letter to New York-based Smith & Wollensky Restaurant Group, Inc. in an atttempt to purchase the steak house chain. Houstonist can only say "wow". The offer of $7.50/share, or approximately $64.4 million, is about 50% over Smith & Wollensky's current price (which price increased approximately 44% in trading yesterday). Enough of the math, it gives us a headache. Word is that the offer to consume Smith & Wollensky......

Sound the horns ... tea is making a comeback! Just as brown is the new black and 40 is the new 30, it seems as if tea is finally becoming the hip hot beverage of choice in America. Two new tea houses have popped up in Houston this past year: The Path of Tea (2340 West Alabama) and Te House of Tea (1927 Fairview Street). Though both tea houses are distinctly different, they clearly pay......

The Chronicle reports today about something missing from the menus at local restaurants — something Houstonist would never even have thought of eating: guinea pigs. The critters are popular fare in Peru, and one local importer hopes to start distributing frozen guinea pigs in Houston within a year. Mmm. Guinea pigs have been eaten in the central Andes — they're called cuy there — for thousands of years; in Peru, depictions of the Last Supper......

As Texans, we can't get enough Mexican food, which is why we were thrilled to learn On the Border Mexican Grill & Cantina will be bringing more of their Tex-Mex fare to the Houston area. Like most large restaurant chains, On the Border is focusing on the suburbs, so if you ever find yourself in Spring, Humble, Rosenberg or Pearland, check them out. The casual Mexican restaurant offers traditional food: quesadillas, fajitas, and our......

Houstonist had a pretty nice weekend, enjoying the weather (did you catch the amazing heat lightning on Saturday?), ice skating at the Gallaria, eating cake at Empire Cafe, and having other assorted fun, but one particular piece of exciting news warmed our sleep-deprived soul. The 59 Diner (3801 Farnharm, at Greenbriar/Shepherd and 59) is going to be open 24 hours a day starting today. Long-term readers will know us as big proponents of latenight food,......

Good news — you can start your Christmas shopping right now, if you haven't already: The official Luby's cookbook is here. Luby's Recipes & Memories includes recipes for more than 120 of the venerable cafeteria chain's favorite dishes, including macaroni and cheese, baked fish almondine and chocolate icebox pie. If that's not enough, there are also 50 color photos of Luby's dishes as well as a collection of memories from generations of customers. The cookbook......

Sonic, America’s Favorite Drive-In, goes Dine-In or Out in a first of it’s kind restaurant located in the parking garage at the University of Houston (located at Calhoun and University). According to the Houston Business Journal , the new 1950’s style diner will not only be open to the general public, parking is free for up to thirty minutes for patrons. For anyone who's ever tried to park at UH, you know how important......

Houstonist made a botched burger attempt this past weekend at Guy's Meat Market. At first - we were sorely disappointed to learn that you can only get one of Guy's smoked burgers Tuesday - Friday from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. (or - until they are gone). Rats. Well - that's a frenzied drive from work in the making - just to try one of the burgers billed as "one of the best". The......

Good news for you old farmers ... or almanac lovers: The 2007 Old Farmer's Almanac is out on newsstands! If you're not familiar with the Almanac, it's been published since 1792 (and still has a hole punches in the corner so you can hang it in your outhouse — eww) and is a repository of folksy wisdom and long-range weather forecasts of questionable value. Piquing our interest in this year's edition are something totally odd:......

Have we been remiss, or what? …Promising burger information – working diligently toward that end – only to be distracted by the holiday. We do apologize for the burger review delay. Houstonist was unpleasantly surprised by a recent trip to Jax Grill in Bellaire – shocked, actually. We got our bacon cheeseburger and rings – the ole usual. The burger was juicy but over-grilled upon arrival and cooled to downright dry meat with a......

Houstonist reminds you that we're diligently working to bring you the best information available should you love burgers — the sacrifices we make! To that end, we made our way to Pappas Burger for our usual bacon cheeseburger and onion rings (shown in the photo). Like many of our favorite joints, Pappas is a walk-up — and a crowded one. The waitstaff was extremely friendly, and management visited our table once we were seated......

He may be under as much pressure as any rookie in the history of professional sports, but at least Mario Williams has figured out how to settle in proper in Houston. As previously reported by Houstonist, he first plunged himself into local lore by purchasing Priscilla Slade's mega-house. And now, according to a cover story in the 7/17 issue of ESPN The Magazine, he's already figured out all that this fair city has to offer......