Yelapa Playa Mexicana

name of restaurant :: Yelapa Playa Mexicana

address :: 2303 Richmond Ave.

hours :: M-Sa 11AM - 11PM

meals served :: L & D
prices :: $10 lunch, $20-30 dinner

dress code :: casual

reservations :: walk-ins welcomed

website :: www.yelapatime.com

review :: It's a good omen when, as you walk up to the door of a seafood restaurant, you catch a faint salty whiff of the sea. My increasingly frequent rambling quests to find new lunch spots near my work had led me here - Yelapa Playa Mexicana - and a gentle ocean-y tang practically emanated from the kitchen here.

Relatively new, Yelapa was nearly devoid of diners when I stepped inside - but the waiters were welcoming and the place had a laid-back feel to it. The main room was cabana'd out but not kitschy - cozy, with some modern touches. A bar and a secluded patio stood on one side while on the other side darker, more intimate dining spaces snaked off further back amongst racks of wine.

Billed as "fresh, local seafood with a Latin American twist" (i.e. expensive), my interest was only piqued after I learned about a $10 lunch menu. Ten bucks nets you 2 choices from the "nooner" menu - choices range from ambitious takes on familiar Tex-Mex to more mundane "home-style" dishes - the latter being a spicy red pozole (soup with pork and hominy) with a side of homemade tortillas here, a bowl of cheesy shrimp n' grits with chorizo there.

Among the gutsier choices you'll find "the real guacamole" - more like a salad with avocado, pineapple, dill, lime, tortilla chips embedded throughout and an arc of sweet cinnamon sauce to the side... it sounds (and should have been) ridiculous, but it was just really, really tasty.

The ceviches are another good example of their fetish for mixing disparate flavors. On top of a solid foundation of impeccably fresh-tasting mix of shrimp, scallops, and fish, one had artichoke hearts, tarragon, olives, and mustard -which made for a delicious, tart salad-y affair. Another was a bit more traditional, the margarita-marinated seafood naked on a bed of tortilla chips except for a few strategic bits of jalapeno and mint, alongside a shot glass of "leche de tigre" - tiger's milk, rimmed with salt. If that sounds scary, believe me it is. Apparently it's the leftover juices from the ceviche-making process, in all it's salty, sour, fishy glory. Altogether, the dish was like the essence of ceviche taken to the nth degree. If you're looking for something different, you've found your place.

Despite my fears to the contrary, the two dishes that come with the nooner menu are more than enough to fill you up nicely. Combine that with perhaps a Rio Red grapefruit agua fresca with basil or maybe a dessert - how about the absurd _cinco_ leches cake? - and you've got a recipe for not getting any more work done the rest of the day.

rating :: 5 forks
reviewed by :: John Malone

Lucky’s Pub

name of restaurant :: Lucky's Pub

address :: 801 St Emanuel
Houston, TX 77003
hours ::
meals served :: L, D and Happy Hour
prices :: $$
dress code :: Casual
reservations :: First come, first serve
website :: www.luckyspub.com
review :: We had the pleasure of eating at Lucky's Pub, thanks to the Great Urban Race starting and finishing there. Let me preface by saying, we did not eat anything all day. Our first meal was at Lucky's at around 4 in the afternoon. So, this review could be swayed by the fact that we would probably eat just about anything at the time.

I ordered the Lucky Burger and added Pepper Jack cheese, with a side of fries and for my hubby, he ordered the swiss and mushroom sliders with fries. I scarfed it down so fast, I think I may have forgotten to chew. The meat was pretty good, it did not taste frozen or fried. It had the right amount of juiciness to meatiness. I think the fries were the frozen variety, but they added a little bit of seasoning to it, that I didn't mind too much. As for the sliders, I only had one bite of them, but the hubby seemed to enjoy all three of them. I didn't care for the tomatoes on the bottom of the bun, but like I said, he didn't seem to mind.

For the price of the food, I think I would've gone somewhere else to enjoy a burger and fries. But, being in the moment with good friends and a great event, I didn't mind it too much.
rating :: 3 forks
reviewed by :: goose

Tradicao Brazilian Steakhouse

name of restaurant :: Tradicao Brazilian Steakhouse
address :: 6800 SW Fwy Houston, TX 77074
hours :: Mon-Thu. 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Mon-Thu. 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Fri. 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Fri. 5:00 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.
Sat. 4:00 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.
Sun. 2:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
meals served :: L & D, Brunch on Sundays
prices :: $$$
dress code :: casual
reservations :: first come, first serve but reservations are taken
website :: www.tradicaobraziliansteak.com/
review :: This is the first time I've ever had a Churascaria experience. And what I've heard is true, if your card is flipped to green, they will just swarm you with meat after meat after meat.

You first start off with the salad bar. It wasn't a typical salad bar, with different salads of your choosing. There was potato salad, hearts of palm, artichoke, cucumber salad, a selection of cheeses and many more that I can't quite remember. After making my selections and heading back to the table, the card was flipped to green. I can't exactly remember all the meats I had, but I remembered there was a lot. They had varying cuts of meat, such has Filet Mignon, lamb shanks, baby beef, the house specialty, as well as sauteed shrimp. Overall, most of the meat was good, some were a bit salty and some over cooked, I like my meat well done. By the end of the meal, I was pretty stuffed. But I did save room for dessert, a cup of creme brulee. Even though I've had better elsewhere, the creaminess of the dessert and the sweetness of the sugary crust helped even out my taste buds from all the meat.

I do recommend the lemonade, free refills too. It is a blend of a whole lime, some water, sugar and condensed milk, which gives it a frothy top.

If you're looking to load yourself with meat, but don't want to spend a fortune, check out Tradicao. The waitstaff was always courteous and ready to please your needs.
rating :: 4 forks
reviewed by :: goose

Sugarland Shake

name of restaurant :: Sugar Land Shake
address :: 16019 City Walk - Sugar Land Town Square
hours :: Mon-Fri 7am open, Sat.- Sun. 8am open

meals served :: B, L & D
prices :: lunch $10-13 , dinner $10-13
dress code :: casual
reservations :: walk-ins welcomed
website :: www.sugarlandshake.com
review :: The sole owner of Barnaby's has converted the old Johnny Rocket's located in the Sugar Land Town Square into a delightful little diner. While there I ordered the California Chicken Sandwich (grilled chicken, avocado, cheese and wheat bun) with an order of fries. One thing I liked off the bat was the Sonic ice they use to fill their drinks! The ambiance is fun, equipped with pop music in a diner atmosphere. All ages where present as well as a spinning display of shakes, cakes and pies. My sandwich was more than a mouthful especially the fries. The fries portions can be split by two, maybe three people. Other menu items included cold sandwiches, shakes, as well as Buffalo, turkey and boca burgers for the health conscious. Sweet potato fries, grilled cheese and vanilla wedding cake look like something I'd go back for. They have patio service right along the sidewalk for people watchers and they serve breakfast too!The waitstaff was super nice and we received our food in a reasonable amount of time considering this place just opened recently.
rating :: 5 forks
reviewed by :: foxyladyjc

Feast

name of restaurant :: Feast
address :: 219 Westheimer Road
hours :: 5-10PM, lunch F, Sa 11AM-2:30PM
meals served :: L & D
prices :: lunch $13-16 , dinner $21-28
dress code :: casual
reservations :: walk-ins welcomed
website :: http://feasthouston.googlepages.com/home
review :: Based on some good press (and boredom), I decided to pop on over to Feast for lunch. I was a bit apprehensive; Feast has a reputation as an eatery for the "adventurous", you see. The British chef & owner imported their "nose-to-tail" cuisine to Houston - homey, hearty "peasant" food that's not afraid to use the whole animal. Think fried pig tails w/ dipping sauce, snail fritters, black pudding, stuffed calf's heart... you get the picture.

The place really does have a cozy vibe - stout, dark wood furnishings in what basically looks like a converted home (what I imagine one in Europe would look like, no less). There's also a nice upstairs deck with views of downtown - so I've heard - but I was comfortably perched in the main room amid a small, thirties+ crowd.

To my surprise, most of the menu is actually "normal" stuff, but I'm feeling a little bold so, at the recommendation of the friendly waiter (who I later found out is the wife of the owner - the equally-pleasant English chap who showed me to my seat), I start with a "chicken onion". It turns out to be a whole onion marinated in olive oil (and other stuff I forget), covered in chicken skin and baked in an oven. The deliciousness will haunt my dreams forever.

Next I sampled the lamb stew with dumplings and mashed potatoes. It's as good, aroma-tastic, and filling as you can imagine. I can put away food as good as anybody, but their 3-course lunch meal put me under the table. I barely finished the upside-down plum cake w/ ginger for dessert (not for lack of trying). Red-faced from a bottle of "Imperial" Stout, I returned to work stuffed and weirdly happy (and sleepy) .

I can't wait to return and taste whatever other surprises they may have to offer, plus I felt the price-to-quality/quantity-of-food ratio was ridiculously reasonable, at least for lunch.
rating :: 5 forks
reviewed by :: John Malone

Lola

name of restaurant :: Lola
address :: 1102 Yale at 11th St
hours ::
meals served :: B, L & D
prices :: $-$$
dress code :: Casual
reservations :: first come, first serve
website :: www.eatlola.com
review :: While in a bind to get my husband dinner I stopped by Lola in the Heights. He wanted a turkey sandwich so I ordered him the Day After Thanksgiving sandwich (which comes with fries or a salad). The sandwich lives up to its name. Stuffing is smeared across the bottom of the sweet, buttery bun then buried underneath a mount of thickly sliced turkey and layer of cranberry sauce. A side of brown gravy is included. We ordered it with fruit which had suspiciously super sweet grapes.

Personally I could have used more cranberry sauce since I like the sweet tang against the salty turkey and stuffing but my husband has taken to it so much he has ordered it 4 times in the week since we tried it. I give it a 4 but the husband gives it a 5. The sandwich costs around $12 after tax. I don't long for it as he does but I will certain order it again. It hits the spot.

Beware going during the busy hours. Though there is a decent amount of seating, when it gets busy you might get stuck in close proximity with strangers.
rating :: 4 forks
reviewed by :: spankypants

Ray’s Franks and More

name of restaurant :: Ray's Franks and More

address :: 1301 Nance St Houston, TX 77002
hours :: Mon-Sat. 11:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
meals served :: L & D
prices :: $
dress code :: Casual
reservations :: N/A
website :: www.raysfranks.com/
review :: Located north of downtown this little hole in the wall is a little hard to find but well worth the search. They serve hamburger and hot dogs. Both excellent. I got the Frankenstein - sauerkraut and spicy mustard - topped with sweet cool relish. Husband bypassed the cleverly named hamburgers and wanted just a regular with avocado and ketchup and a bottle of Coke. We split an order of fries. Total cost $13 not including tip. Not bad at all consider the portion side. They brought out my hot dog first. Nestled in a large bun that resembled a hoagie bun but was soft and fluffy it was brimming with sauerkraut, spicy mustard and relish. They did not skimp out on the condiments. The Boarshead dog was juicy, plump and much larger than a normal hot dog. Husband's hamburger came out next. I didn't see the size of the patty but the bun was huge. Our crinkle fries came out last, hot from the fryer and dusted with a delicious seasoning we kept popping them like pills even though they scorched our mouths.

Will definitely return again when I get a hot dog hankering.
rating :: 5 forks
reviewed by :: spankypants