After 18 years and 168,000 original miles I had to put my Camry down, it got a gentles kiss on the steering wheel.
The Wifeacita has been ferrying me to work and back leaving my days off carless for about two weeks.
On Monday I took delivery on a new unit of transportation.
Tuesday day off, sorry working Wifeacita but it was a beeline for El Tiempo where I showed great restraint in ordering just two skinny margaritas and no food order from the menu other than chips and salsa. I was tempted to order something crab but put part two of my plan in place.
Roegels BBQ. I’d never been and originally planned to order a 1/4 pound each of moist brisket, turkey, and sausage but when I saw pork belly, which I’ve never had, I went with it over sausage.
It was all great with the turkey providing a nice contrast to the fattier pieces. I liked the sauce but like any good Texas BBQ it’s not needed but I did put just a dab on some of the hunks of meat.
I eschewed the sides like I usually do at good BBQ places but am open to suggestions for any outstanding sides.
Russell Roegels himself carved up my meat and when I inquired about smoked pastrami reuben Thursday he advised me to get there at 11 as the line can go out the door, therefore I’m there June 7th at eleven incase anyone cares to join.
Small mixed gumbo - there was a very modest amount of chicken, a negligible amount of sausage. The roux was medium thick but blah. I’d pass on this in the future.
Roast beef po’boy with gravy, small - excellent bread - I think this is one of the places I’ve read imports the Leidenheimer rolls from NOLA. Very good roast beef - I wonder if they make it in house or buy it already cooked? Lettuce, tomato, pickles, gobs of mayonnaise and a thick, very good beef gravy in the background. Made for a very good, very messy sandwich, plus I had gravy leftover to bring home.
I wish it had some debris but it wasn’t mentioned on the menu so I didn’t expect it.
I was wondering how I was going to follow up on yesterdays fried chicken without experiencing some letdown. This was a pretty good choice. I wanted a French Dip but didn’t want to have to drive a long way to get a good one.
I have avoided this place for years because I always got terrible service. I don’t know if there’s been a change of ownership but the staff was much improved.
I haven’t had one in ages; can’t remember where I ever found one. Wherever it was, I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s gone by now.
All I’ve had in recent years is the Cajun Roast Beef Poboy with gravy/debris or the Chicago Italian Beef. All the places doing the latter just use the Vienna Beef provisions out of a cardboard box delivered via UPS.
Looking for it on Yelp Houston’s, Laurenzo’s and Katz came up. I can’t tell much from the pictures. Never been to Laurenzo’s or Katz and haven’t been to Houston’s in 20+ years. Maybe somebody else on this board will have a suggestion???
BB’s Cafe makes a decent Beef Debris PoBoy, (they call it the “Midnight Masterpiece”). I’m going to warn you it’s pretty salty, but for me, that’s a “feature” not a “flaw”.
They offer Provolone at Laurenzo’s for a buck extra. I’m just not into cheese on meat sandwiches like a dip or a burger but having said that I bought some HEB prime chuck today for a burger and I might put some cheddar on half of it tomorrow, just half mind you.
Looking at all the French Dips shown by you and Doobs and they’re all in the 18-20 dollar range.
That gumbo sure is full o shrimp! I could deal with that if there si Crystal sauce on the table. I remember Calliaope in the news as started by Katrina evacuees I think? Anyway, I’d go for the bread alone!
Laurenzo’s dip is made with prime rib and tons of it, hence the price. They have a carving station and that beef is in many many dishes. They have the best clam chowder and now you I’m craving Laurenzo’s, though I have never come close to finishing anything there. A friend always goes for the Akaushi hot dog.
I looked up Philippe’s in LA, the original, and cheese is offered as an add-on. I’m thinking I just never had one with cheese, maybe because it wasn’t even offered.
I’m thinking the first I ever had was at The Bowery, downtown on Travis, caddy-corner to the Chronicle bldg. as I remember. And it was on a kaiser roll, which all their sandwiches were, I think. That would have been early 70s. And that might have been the last place I had one! (I’m sure there were others, but I can’t conjure up any names)
The owner of the Bowery later owned the Birraporetti’s and a place in Carillon Square that had opera singers??? Anybody ever go to that place?
They changed the name elsewhere but kept Houston’s here. Used to have friends who went several times a week.
One condiments table with large squeeze bottles of various sauces, one large bottle of Tabasco, one salt and one pepper shaker! Nothing on the tables. Yes, I thought it was strange. The gumbo needed salt. I added some Tabasco but it didn’t save it.
The original Calliope’s was on Jefferson, east of 59, started by a Katrina refuge from Louisiana (but not NOLA as I recall). Couple of years later this place started using the name; their owners were Katrina refuges from Mississippi. Apparently the one on Jefferson hadn’t protected the name and had to give it up, changing to The Cajun Stop.
The gumbo at the one on Jefferson was much better; their roast beef poboy had debris. But it’s not as convenient as this one for me. The one on Jefferson (and their other locations) uses good bread, too.
Okay, Okay, Okay. Enough already. I’m going to have to go to Laurenzo’s. (Kept seeing that sandwich in my dreams last night).
I went back to Samurai Noodle to try the Tampopo Shouyu Ramen. Chicken and soy sauce broth, pork belly, menma (marinated bamboo shoots), naruto (surimi decorated with a pink swirl), ajitama, green onion and nori. This was just what I wanted today, a lighter broth, not as rich as the Tonkotsu bowls I’ve been sampling. This and the one with a shrimp skewer at Tamashi are my two favorites so far. I got the noodles extra firm (the default here is firm) and added the pickled ginger strips, sesame seeds and chile flakes.
Some of the noodles were broken in very short pieces. Thank heaven for the spoon. The pork belly was so tender it broke apart whenever I tried to pick some up with the chop sticks (did I mention I was glad a spoon was provided?) Some of the chunks of bamboo were apparently just scraps, very thick and somewhat tough. The portion of naruto was pretty skimpy; the pieces were very thin and tasteless. Despite those quibbles, I loved this.
This place has been getting some pretty bad reviews on Yelp, mostly it seems because the staff is not welcoming enough to gratify some customers egos. I’ve had no problems. The place was about 1/3 full at 2:30 pm and the soup came out in less than 5 minutes. There was a sign up sheet just inside the door but it wasn’t being used.
Could’ve been a degree or two hotter but nothing to complain about. I am amazed to see people almost everywhere I go just picking at their soup and taking a long time to finish it.
They changed the name elsewhere but kept Houston’s here. Used to have friends who went several times a week.
