From where I sit

Don't take this site too seriously. It's a personal opinion... that's all.

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

NBA Draft - 2010

On the eve of the NBA draft, here's my predictions for the first 5 players choosen:

1.  John Wall - Fr. Kentucky
2.  Evan Turner - Jr. Ohio State
3.  DeMarcus Cousins - Fr. Kentucky
4.  Wesley Johnson - Jr. Syracuse
5.  Derrick Favors - Fr. Georgia Tech

Washington will take Wall as the first player picked.  After that, the player will remain in their draft positions, the team that owns that draft right might change.




Note: Kentucky Wildcats will have at least 5 players go in the first round!  This is the most underchieving college team since the University of Houston Phi Slamma Jamma run in the early 80's.  So good, but no ring.

Sunday, June 20, 2010

BBQ Bologna is Baloney

Are you kidding me? Outside a couple dirt farmers in Oklahoma, rattlesnakes trappers in Western Tennessee and Kentucky who else would confuse this common luncheon meat with BBQ?
This is just wrong!
BBQ Bologna (or baloney) was reportedly a favorite meal for Elvis.  Need I say more?  And yes, Billy Sims is trying to market the stuff.  But given the woeful financial situation of this former Oklahoma Sooner great, I suspect he came to know and love bologna for all the wrong reasons.

Is the world clamoring for this plain cousin of the hot dog?  Maybe.  I was impressed to see so many hits on my Google search... that is until I actually clicked on the top 10 or so links.  They are linked back to the SAME website with a VIDEO (for crying out loud) on how to throw a hunk of bologna on the grill and wait until it starts to smoke.  The guy on the video seemed uncomfortably familiar.  As one commenter to the video wrote, "Watch your back. I mean literally."

Elmer's BBQ (4130 South Peoria  in Tulsa) has been serving bologna for years.  Elmer's company motto is "It Be Bad".  Three guesses what Elmer is talking about.




Per David Letterman - Top 10 Excuses of the Guy Arrested For Smuggling 750 Pounds of Bologna

10. "I wanted to get my Christmas shopping done early"
9. "Used to smuggle drugs, but now everybody's into the Atkins diet"
8. "It seemed like a good idea when I was drunk"
7. "First I get caught mailing myself in a crate and now this"
6. "Rush Limbaugh has a new addiction"
5. "If I refused, Oscar Mayer was going to kill my family"
4. "I can't bring luncheon meats across the border? What is this, Russia?"
3. "Was just a decoy for the guy smuggling 800 pounds of olive loaf"
2. "How about I give you fifty pounds of bologna to make this whole problem go away?"
1. "It was medical bologna"

If you're really craving for BBQ Bologna and tempted to do something crazy,  here's a great "recipe" to try while you sneak that rib and slice of brisket in your coonskin pants.

Recipe For Instructional Video
Whole or Half Beef Bologna (3-6lbs)
Brown Sugar
Mustard
Soy Sauce

Cut slits in top of the Bologna roll as shown to allow proper seasoning. Coat with prepared mustard, soy sauce, and brown sugar. Place in shallow pan opposite the hot coals in a 225-300F grill. Add beer or water to bottom of pan for added moisture. Then add liquid to maintain moisture as required. "Low and Slow" for up to 4 hours, or until you can't wait any longer to eat on this bad boy!

Slice and then brown slices directly over coals. (optional) Serve with a quality roll and your favorite condiments (mayo of course).

Sunday, June 6, 2010

Spotlight on St.Louis, MO BBQ

St.Louis - Bar-B-Que Honor Roll

Here's an outsider's opinion.  What's yours? Kindly submit your comments to this post on my blog.

This Midwestern city is best known for its arch, baseball team and Busch beer (you must take the brewery tour).  However, it's time to awaken this culinary giant.  One would think nestled so nicely between two BBQ Meccas in Kansas City and Memphis that talent would escape these hotbeads of pork heaven and export this hickory knowledge elsewhere.  St.Louis it turns out has a rich tradition of slow smoked pork, beef and chicken.  Let's explore the short list of the best BBQ in the area:

1.  Rib City - 1090 Old Des Peres Road, Des Peres, MO. This professional cook-off, award winning staff offers the usual BBQ menu (ribs, chicken, beef, pork, turkey) including baby back ribs for the novice and ignorant.

2.  Pappy's Smokehouse - 3106 Olive Blvd. St. Louis, MO.  A Travel Channel celebrity has a well earned reputation for ribs, beef, pork, turkey and chicken.  One word of caution: Pappy's don't believe in leftovers.  So they usually run of the good stuff during dinner on weekdays and earlier for the weekends.  Go for lunch and be safe.

3.  Bandana's BBQ -9500 Manchester Road, St.Louis, MO.  Offering the usual slowed cooked, smoked goodness.  Bandana also has a few fish items on menu.  However, ordering this would be a violation of Prime Directive: Do not order from menu items that do not represent a restaurant's passion, e.g. Steak from a seafood restaurant, Fish from a BBQ joint.

4.  Phil's BBQ - 115 W 5th St, Eureka, MO. Nothing special just what you expect. Good BBQ with some Italian items also like pizza.  Not sure if Phil has the soul of a BBQ smokehouse.  BBQ on pizza and spaghetti has been officially outlawed in 7 Southern States ... really.

5. 17th Street Bar and Grill - 1711 West US Highway 50, O'Fallon, IL (30 minutes from St Louis airport).  Tempted to disqualify 17th for their preference of beef and baby back ribs over YES St.Louis style ribs.  The folks got too many awards and mentioned too often on Food TV and Travel Channel to ignore but common on.  They really need to do some soul searching and get back on the path to righteousness.

Seafood Gem in Little Known Huffman, Texas

Cedar Landing Restaurant at 10614 FM1960 East (just over the bridge crossing Lake Houston on FM 1960) their webpage has not one but two Gulf Coast seafood specialities - fried catfish and fried shrimp.  The catfish has a light but crunchy cornmeal coating who taste and texture rivals that of the legendary Sudie's.  The fillets are thick enough to be meaty but thin enough to maintain some crunch.  The fried shrimp is the best in class.  It's such a challenge to retain that delicate shrimp flavor.  I am convinced that no matter how careful you are unless the shrimp is dipped in hot batter on board the boat that caught it you're endanger of enjoying what might be tasty but not shrimp taste. 

Cedar Landing has done that over and over again for at least the last 10 years I've come to eat.  To enjoy the best of what they have to offer I encourage you to either order the XL Shrimp which has 30 (that's right 2-1/2 dozen) of those remarklable fried shrimp for $16.99.   If you want to enjoy both order the combo with fried shrimp and fried catfish for $19.99.  The meal comes with hushpuppies, salad and a side (baked potato is a little extra).  Desserts aren't worth considering. It's not what they do and I appreciate that.

They also offer a 16 oz ribeye for an attractive $16.99 that's grilled outside I'm tempted to order but I generally obey a basic menu selection guideline: Never Order Steak at a Seafood Restaurant! 

One warning: The service can be inconsistent. I don't want to blame it on the fact that it appears the average age of the wait staff is about 16 but that could be a contributing factor.

Cedar Landing is a gem that the locals love but the Red Lobster/Joe's Crab Shack lemmings have never heard of.

The 10 Best Amusement Parks in America | USA Travel Guide

The 10 Best Amusement Parks in America USA Travel Guide

Friday, June 4, 2010

Oh No .. Houston Astros Have a 4 Game Win Streak

Don't get me wrong. I love the Houston Astros.  Who can forget that incredible finish to the season that propelled them to the 2005 World Series.  However, at the moment we must break out of this multi-year mediocrity where they're too good to rebuild but not really good enough to be anything more than a first round fodder for the true championship contenders.  Our stars - Berkman and Oswald - recognize this and can garner the Astros solid prospects.  Unfortunately, as soon as the Astros manage to string a game or two together the clueless begin to think they're capable of a magical 20-game win streak and charge back to the top.  Give me a break and let's do this.

Most Successful Sports Teams in Houston

Houston has professional teams major and minor leagues, college teams, junior college and high school teams.  There's been a wonderful tradition of sports both past (remember Luv Ya Blue and Fly Slamma Jamma?) and present (epic battle betwen Lakers and Rockets last year).

Success must start with championships and end with sustained excellence.  With that definition, here's Houston's most succesful teams:

1.  Houston Rockets - two NBA championships and rare trips to the lottery
2.  Houston Cougars - aforementioned Olajawon/Drexler era, Final Fours and 24 NCAA golf championships
3.  Houston Dynamo - two MSL championships and generally competitive (I know, who cares?)
4.  Houston Oilers (not the Texans) - epic battles with Oakland Raiders in AFL and Pittsburgh in NFL
5.  Kingwood High School Mustangs - a few years ago winner of 7 state championships in a single year!
6.  Houston Astros - only one brush with greatness but sustained goodness

Farmers Markets in Houston

There a two good ways of really controlling what you eat. 1 - Cook it yourself and 2 - Know the source of the ingredients.  The art of cooking is a topic for the future.  Controlling what you CAN mean going to your local mega supermarket and pluck those wonderful "seasonal" vegetables all season.  Ever wonder why there doesn't appear to be a season anymore?  Today's path from farmer to grocery store in a global journey.  Not to say that putting the U.N. on your plate everyday is a bad thing, it's just not very natural.  So what's the alternative?  One fine option is to buy your fruits and veggies frozen.  Today's methodology of flash freezing (thank you Clarence Birdseye) vegetables as soon as they are picked maintains most of the nutrients of it fresh cousin.  Unfortunately, the selections can be limited and the vegetables still could taste like they came from a huge commercial farm.  For those of us who have actually raised fruits and vegetables before - you know cucumbers are not that green for example.

Houston is blessed with a lot of great farmers markets because Houston is sourced from a lot of surrounding small farm towns like Hempstead, Magnolia and the entire East Texas Pineywoods.  So where are these bastions of goodness.  Unfortunately, many come and go over time.  However, at this time try these as a first taste of what real food could taste like:
  1. Houston Farmer's Market - West University
  2. Central City Co-Op in Montrose
  3. Radical Eats - Southwest
  4. Pearland Farmers Market - Grand Blvd in Pearland (if you're looking for a complete meal including bread and meet)
  5. Canino Produce Farmers Market - The Heights
  6. Humble Farmers Market - Main St in Humble
Thanks to Yelp for their valuable contribution.

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Crawfish Season Ending

Another crawfish season is coming to a delicious end.  It is amazing how something so incredibly tied to Bayou country can be enjoyed by so many folks. One must only wonder what next season might bring us.

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Top Fried Chicken Restaurants in Houston

The fine folks at KHOU http://www.khou.com/news/local/b11-Best-Fried-chicken-in-the-Houston-areab-93061184.html conducted a viewer poll as to the best fried chicken in Houston.  Their top 11 (that's original) includes all variations of the bird including beef such as chicken fried steak and steak fingers.  Not trying to be too judgemental, here's what those fine folks think are boss birds:


1. Frenchy's- 3919 Scott (heck yes)
2. Barbeque Inn - 116 W. Crosstimbers
3. Popeye's - everywhere
4. Church's - everywhere
5. Kentucky Fried Chicken - everywhere
6. Chicken Plus - 6210 N. Wayside Dr.
7. Raisin Cane's - 12201 Westhheimer
8. Hartz - everywhere
9. Mel's Diner - Tomball
10.Timmy Chan - don't know where
11.BRC -Gastro Pub - 519 Shepard

Lagniappe:
a. Sambura - 909 Texas St
b. Mockinbird Bistro - 1985 Welch St.


This is a topic that I will put our crack review team on. More to come in the coming weeks to validate or crush this list.

Top Steakhouses in Houston

Want a steak? Forget Outback and Golden Corral (ugh). I'm talking aged prime beef.  Dark, rich and so, so flavorful.  Live in Houston area and got AT LEAST $50/person to spend.  Welcome to royalty.
A few words of caution.  Come hungry.  Dress nice. Call ahead for reservations.

My personal favorite cuts are New York strip and rib eye. 

From the folks at Gayot mixed in with my personal preferences, here's are the top Steakhouses in Houston in no particular order.  Enjoy. 

Brennan's of Houston (personal choice)
3300 Smith St. (Stuart St.)
Houston, TX 77006
713-522-9711

Brenner's Steakhouse
10911 Katy Fwy.
Houston, TX 77079
713-465-2901

Fogo de Chão Steakhouse
8250 Westheimer Rd.
Houston, TX 77063
713-978-6500

Morton's The Steakhouse Steakhouse (personal choice)Centre at Post Oak
5000 Westheimer Rd.
Houston, TX 77056
713-629-1946

Pappas Bros. Steakhouse Steakhouse (personal choice)
5839 Westheimer Rd.
Houston, TX 77057
713-780-7352

Ruth's Chris Steak House Steakhouse (personal choice)
6213 Richmond Ave.
Houston, TX 77057
713-789-2333

Spencer's Steakhouse
Hilton Americas-Houston
1600 Lamar St.
Houston, TX 77010
713-577-8325

Truluck's Steak & Stone Crab Seafood
5350 Westheimer Rd.
Houston, TX 77056
713-783-7270

Vic & Anthony's Steakhouse Steakhouse
1510 Texas Ave.
Houston, TX 77002
713-228-1111

Have any to add?