Gus’s World Famous Hot & Spicy Fried Chicken →

1815 Washington Ave Houston, TX 77007 832.740.4022 gusfriedchicken.com

Anytime a restaurant owner is bold enough to claim ‘world famous’, it gets my attention. Besides, I began to hear buzz about this joint. Located in an unimpressive storefront on Lower Washington, without recommendation Gus’s may not be a place you would choose to stop into cold. But I was glad I did, since one of the recommendations I got dropped the phrase ‘Memphis chicken’. I know Memphis well, having gone there for 25 years on business, calling on the corporate headquarters of Holiday Inn worldwide. World class BBQ IS to be found in Memphis, so I had to check out the ‘frahed chicken’. As it turns out, Gus’s is not a one-off location, but is a franchise, of which there are many locations scattered around the country. I went and discovered the world’s shortest menu, and here it is: Starters * Fried okra * Fried pickles w ranch * Fried green tomatoes (see any hints of the South yet?) Individual pieces * Breast, thigh, tender, leg, wing * Sides * Baked beans * Potato salad * Cole slaw * Greens * Seasoned fries * Fried rice * Mac & cheese * Whole jalapeno * Plates * Two or three piece white * Three piece wing * Two or three piece dark * Three or four tenders * Half chicken, one of each piece * To go boxes, include chicken and white bread and sides of your choice * Desserts * Pie, pecan, chess, sweet potato, old fashioned coconut * Ice cream * Beverages * Coke, Sprite, Dr. Pepper * Fanta orange * Root beer * Topo chico (no refills-LOL)

Treebeards →

Gaylord Street between Bunker Hill & Echo Lane Houston 77024 713.228.2622 treebeards.com

This extremely popular neighborhood spot-the Memorial Villages-offers a varied ‘down-home’ Southern menu, much like the third restaurant reviewed today.  Order at the counter and your choices will be delivered to your table.  Free parking in front or in the garage behind.  Treebeards is in back of 9655 Katy but is more easily accessed via Gaylord Street.  Near Memorial High School.  Shareables  *  Catfish hushpuppies  * Pimento cheese  * Crab & shrimp queso  *  Chili cheese fries  * Salads & soup  * Fresh fruit cup  * Green garden salad  *  Kale salad  * Pear, walnut, & bleu cheese salad  *  Spinach salad  * Chicken salad w fresh fruit  * Vegetable soup w chicken  * Treebeard’s classics  * Red beans & rice w sausage  * Shrimp etouffee  * Seafood / chicken w sausage Jambalaya  * Gumbo  * Beef chili w beans  * Daily specials include:  meatloaf, chicken-fried steak, Jerk chicken, blackened catfish, BBQ shrimp & grits, Pot roast, pecan-crusted tilapia * Sides  * Jalapeno cornbread  * Blackeyed peas w ham  * Collard greens w ham or bacon  * Squash casserole  * Sauteed green beans w mushrooms  * French fries  * Mac & cheese  * Mashed potatoes  *  Red beans & rice  * Dirty rice  * Desserts  * Buttercake  * Yellow cake w chocolate icing  * Chocolate cake w chocolate icing  * Red velvet cake  * Carrot cake  * Lemon cake  * Bread pudding w whiskey sauce

Brennan’s of Houston →

3300 Smith St. Houston 77006 713.522.9711 brennanshouston.com

Many long-time Houstonians consider Brennan’s to be the queen of Houston’s southern-style restaurants, with its quiet sophistication and faithful New Orleans cuisine. A sister of the original in the Crescent City, Houston’s Brennan’s features a lovely brick patio and bar, perfect for a pre- or post-dinner pause for conversation and conviviality, and chances are you will run into old friends enjoying life alongside. Starter * Snapping turtle soup * Seafood gumbo * Shrimp remoulade * Chili-fried oysters * Buttermilk fried quail beignet * Jumbo lump crabmeat ravigote * Entrees * Eggs Brennan, Benedict & Sardou, poached with Hollandaise sauce * Gulf fish Borgne, crab, oysters, shrimp, parmesan mushroom rice, and creole butter * Simply grilled gulf fish, summer creole ratatouille * Texas shrimp & grits * Truffle chicken Pontalba, Brabant potatoes, bacon lardon, cremini mushrooms, asparagus, Bearnaise sauce * Beef tips Diane * Late summer vegetable enchiladas, roasted tomatillo & lentil salsa, guacamole, jalapeno jack cheese * Grilled filet mignon * Mesquite ribeye Oscar * Boudin stuffed Quail * Redfish on the halfshell * Gulf fish Pontchartrain * Dessert * Creole cream cheesecake * Bananas Foster * Bayou City petit beignets * Lemon meringue pie * Creole bread pudding * Southern pecan pie, dark chocolate & caramel, vanilla ice cream * Brunch is also served-similar menu items

JOEY Uptown →

5045 Westheimer Rd. Suite X-01 (In front of The Galleria in a free-standing building) Houston, TX 77056 346.646.5639 joeyrestaurants.com

This brand new addition to the Galleria dining scene is in a large and bright, open-feeling 10,000 SF space with high windows on all four sides. In addition, there is an outside patio and bar. Owned by a popular Canadian group, the restaurant is one of the first to open in the U.S. Smalls & sharing * Roasted corn guacamole, cilantro, fresh lime, cherry tomatoes, serranos, feta cheese, warm tortilla chips * Hummus, tzatziki, dill, olives, crispy pita * Szechuan tofu lettuce wraps, sweet soy ginger glaze, peanuts, crispy wontons, spicy aioli * Pork dumplings w hot mustard * Korean fried cauliflower, sweet & spicy Korean chili miso paste, toasted sesame seeds * Steak & lobster ravioli, 6 oz top sirloin, lobster, & prawn ravioli, truffle beurre blanc-a decadent share plate for the table * Jumbo crab cake, apple fennel salad, tartar sauce, charred scallion oil Sushi * Sushi cone, tempura prawn, avocado, spicy mayo, tobiko * Seared salmon sushi, umami sauce, shaved serrano peppers * Steak & sushi, tataki-style 6 oz prime top sirloin, ponzu sauce, seared salmon sushi or tuna & avocado roll * Salads * Katsu chicken peanut salad, crispy chicken breast, julienne vegetables, arugula, miso ginger dressing * Farmers market, fresh corn, emerald kale, hass avocado, toasted almonds, aged white cheddar-add chicken or salmon * Sandwiches & burgers * Baja fish tacos * Baja cauliflower tacos * Grilled chicken club * Hand-pressed burger * Mains * Tuna poke bowl, sashimi grade ahi tuna poke, crispy wontons, green papaya slaw, miso dressing, brown rice * Spaghetti pomodoro, Calabrian chili spiked tomato sauce, whipped ricotta, fresh basil, parmesan * Gulf shrimp peanut curry, rice noodles, roasted broccoli * Cajun blackened chicken, full breast, warm potato & bacon salad, creamy coleslaw * Sake glazed Chilean sea bass, wok-fired vegetables, gold potatoes, dashi broth * Steakhouse * JOEY classic steak, 8 oz prime sirloin, fully loaded crispy mashed potatoes, asparagus (or filet mignon, or NY sirloin) * Steak frites, 6 oz top prime sirloin, garlic butter, rocket greens, fries (choice of other steaks) * Bone-in prime ribeye, 22 oz, loaded crispy mashed potatoes, asparagus, peppercorn sauce * Sweets * Individual baked apple pie, hand-folded pastry, toasted almonds, Tahitian vanilla ice cream * Molten chocolate cake, fresh raspberries, Tahitian vanilla ice cream * Warm Italian donuts, vanilla + mascarpone cream, lemon curd

Tonight & Tomorrow →

(in the newly reconcepted La Colombe d’Or Hotel)
3410 Montrose Boulevard, Houston, TX 77006 (713) 517-1001 tnthtx.com

The original Fondren Mansion (Fondren, Sr. co-founded Humble Oil & Refining, antecedent company to ExxonMobi) has for many years been a boutique hotel owned and operated by Houston real estate man, Francophile, and bon vivant Steve Zimmerman. Steve owns a second home in St.-Paul-de-Vence, France, across from the long-celebrated original La Colombe d’Or restaurant, frequented for decades by the likes of Picasso and many other French artists, writers, intellectuals, and just plain discerning tourists. Houston’s La Colombe d’Or (the Golden Dove) has just gone through a ten million dollar renovation which includes a glittering Hines apartment tower on the grounds. Tonight & Tomorrow is the hotel’s gourmet restaurant. Starters * Vadouvan curry carrots, labneh, pesto, candied pecans * French onion soup, Comte cheese * Beets & carrots, walnut butter, golden raisins, mint, bee pollen * Caesar salad * Kale salad * Crab ravigote * Gulf crudo, raw catch, leche de tigre * Shrimp cocktail, remoulade, Mexican style * Salmon gravlax carpaccio, w traditional garnish * Cheese & charcuterie, pickled vegetables, nuts, crackers * Caviar service, traditional garnish * Entrees * Lamb rack * Pork Coppa * Steak frites – prime filet or bone-in ribeye * Bucatini, asparagus, heirloom tomatoes, squash, pistou *Market fish * Red Snapper * Crab a la meuniere * Sides * Roasted asparagus * Carrots w salsa verde * Creamer pea fricassee * Homestead grits * Mustard smashed potatoes * Wine, beer, and cocktails available * Take your platinum Amex along *