Houston

The Breakfast Klub


The Breakfast Klub single-handedly made my Sunday afternoon in Houston. The staff was incredibly hospitable and warm, checking on me constantly, making sure I was enjoying myself. Their signature Katfish & Grits with perfectly soft poached eggs is something I wish I could find back in Los Angeles for I'd surely eat it on a more regular basis. Rumor has it around Houston that TBK's second signature dish, Wings & Waffles gives L.A.'s Roscoe's a run for its money.

The Breakfast Klub
http://thebreakfastklub.com/
3711 Travis St
Houston, TX 77002
(713) 520-7754

Hubcap Grill

Hubcap Grill
Neighborhood: Downtown
1111 Prairie St
Houston, TX 77002
713-223-5885
www.hubcapgrill.com

Hours: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.

A hole-in-the-wall burger joint right in the middle of downtown. Most Houston burger lovers have it listed as one of their top three burgers in Houston. It's garnered a lot of accolades and good press.

New Burgers
http://blogs.houstonpress.com/eating/2009/07/hubcap_grill_new_burgers.php
muffaletta burger
http://www.houstonpress.com/2008-10-09/restaurants/muffuletta-burger-at-hubcab-grill/

Yelp - http://www.yelp.com/biz/hubcap-grill-houston

99 Essential L.A. Restaurants

See the full list of L.A.'s 99 Essential Restaurants - HERE

An essential restaurant is one that reflects Los Angeles in a startling and unusual way, that uses fresh local ingredients in a fashion that respects the land in which they were grown, that showcases cooking echoing both foreign-trained chefs’ region of origin and the hypercharged mosaic of the L.A. dining scene. An essential restaurant moves people, inspires them to think about food in a different way, inspires them to think about Southern California as a great agricultural region, a great port, a builder of the shiny symbolism that is a large factor in how the rest of the world thinks of itself. And it’s also a damned good place to eat. —Jonathan Gold

http://www.laweekly.com/content/printVersion/685208

26 Beach

Famous Craftsman Hamburgers on housemade buns = Burger Heaven.

Here are 3 of my favorites:

Bombay Burger – coconut curry sauce, mango chutney, lettuce & tomato.

P B & J – creamy Skippy’s peanut butter & Knott’s Berry strawberry jam. Yes, our version of a peanut butter & jelly, this is chef Francois' favorite burger ! No lettuce or tomato on this one.

The Brunch Burger, served all day and often! – fried egg, thick applewood bacon & cheddar on top of a burger, with mayo, lettuce & tomato.

See the entire Burger Menu HERE

26 Beach Restaurant / 3100 Washington Blvd / Venice, CA 90291 / (310) 823-7526 / www.26beach.com

DENVER

The Buckhorn Exchange

Denver’s original steakhouse, The Buckhorn Exchange is located in the city’s oldest neighborhood, just 5-minutes from downtown Denver -- with a light-rail stop right across the street. This National Historic Landmark and Western Museum has been serving the finest in Old West fare since 1893.

Prime grade beef steaks, buffalo prime rib, elk, salmon, quail, game hen, and baby-back pork ribs are just some of the marvelous offerings on the Buckhorn menu. Exotic appetizers such as alligator tail, rattlesnake and buffalo sausage are available as well as Rocky Mountain Oysters.

The Buckhorn Exchange / 1000 Osage St / Denver, CO 80204 / 303.534.9505 / www.buckhorn.com

Royal/T

What this city has been missing is a Japanese cafe filled with waitresses done up in maid uniforms.

LA's first real cosplay (short for "costume play") cafe, Royal/T Cafe is inspired by the Maid Cafes of Tokyo's Akihabara district, with concrete floors, walls of glass and the occasional incongruous chandelier that make it all feel like a contemporary Asian art gallery gone wild—which it is. Patrons can expect a menu that, like the art and design of Royal/T, is authentic to a contemporary Japanese experience. The menu presents a fusion of French and Japanese texture with local and organic California style. Alongside "comfort" food and beverage classics like Curry Rice and Matcha Milk Tea, are modern creations like Ponzu Salmon and Kyoto Sunset Tea. Royal/T also offers specialty desserts and afternoon High Tea. The cafe melts into an adjoining shop and gallery currently featuring the rather demanding new exhibit "Just Love Me." But your attention will be focused on the Japanese comfort food as interpreted for California diners—think shrimp and avocado salads, flank steak sandwiches and green tea mousse cakes—and delivered by the maid serving you for the duration of your stay. (see full post @ Urbandaddy)

Royal/T / 8910 Washington Blvd (W. of National)/ Culver City, CA 90232 / 310-559-6300 / http://www.royal-t.org/ / Map

* This Friday night, 7/17/09, marks the kickoff of a new art show called Crusaders & Haters: Superheroes and Villains in American Pop Culture—and the Royal/T gallery is throwing a suitably outlandish blowout.
Curated by the world's foremost authority on all things superhero-related—an actor from Mean Girls—the show explores everything from character studies of the Joker to what would happen if Batman were actually Beethoven. (Answer: he'd be Bathoven.)
To supplement all this profundity, there's a photo booth, a DJ and some allegedly superhero-themed snacks. There'll also be an epic costume contest that's sure to draw a crowd far removed from your usual Friday-night get-togethers.

Conservatory for Coffee

The Conservatory for Coffee, Tea, and Cocoa has been part of the Culver City community for over twelve years. They pride themselves on making perfect batches tailored not just to the standard fare, but quality roasts that speak for themselves, uniquely branded as comforting, custom blends.

In the summer I love their Vanilla Iced Latte. Unlike some coffee chains that blend their drinks with ice, The Conservatory's version blends vanilla with milk then pours that mixture over ice and floats a few shots of their delicous espresso on top. So good. (Note to first timers: i ask for 1/2 the powder so as to enjoy the coffee flavor more than the sweetness)

The Conservatory for Coffee, Tea, and Cocoa / 10117 Washington Blvd / Culver City, CA 90232 / 310.558.0436 / www.conservatorycoffeeandtea.com

Yamashiro’s Pagoda Bar

Sunday BBQ at Yamashiro’s Pagoda Bar

The new and improved Pagoda Bar at Hollywood’s historic Yamashiro has kicked off summer with its BBQ pool parties. Every Sunday from 2-5pm, Executive Chef Jason Park is grilling up $3 cheeseburger sliders and Kurobuta carnita sandwiches served with a side of Asian coleslaw and house made pickles. Enjoy muddled cocktails like the strawberry Basil-Jito, Glover’s Gimlet, or one of Norman’s famous Mai Tais...

Get the full scoop at my buddy Mattyshack's DigLounge


Yamashiro's Pagoda Bar / 1999 N. Sycamore Avenue / Hollywood, CA 90068 / 323.466.5125 / www.thepagodabar.com

Breed Street Food Fair

A portal into Mexico. Right in East LA, exploring the street food of Mexico and beyond.


More info online at these sites:
Beed Street at Rants & Craves
Beed Street at Chowhound
Beed Street at Exile Kiss
Beed Street at Eat Drink & Be Merry








Breed Street Food Fair
Breed Street at Cesar Chavez, across from Big Buy Foods
Every Thursday-Sunday from 7-10 pm
link to map on Yelp.com