Season 2, Week 3: HOLLEY’S FRIED CHICKEN NIGHT

Holley’s Friend Chicken Night is one of the best meals I have ever had and one of Houston’s Secret Treasures. We should go ahead and tear the Astrodome down because this dinner is the 8^th, 9^th, and 10^th Wonders of the World. In fact, it was so good that our entire table sat in a Food Coma before we even thought about getting up. No question A+. A little back-story: Chef Mark Holley has worked at various restaurants including Pesce and Brennan’s. Now, he the chef and owner of Holley’s Seafood Kitchen and Oysterette. Previously, he held pop-up “fried chicken nights” on the last Sunday of the month at various locations. It created a legendary following. At Holley’s, fried chicken night is also the last Sunday of each month and seating is limited. I kid you not, there is a “fried chicken waitlist”—I got on the list in July and waited until January. It is that good.

Chef Holley’s recipe is either his mother’s or his grandmother’s. I don’t know what he uses to season the chicken or how he cooks it; I don’t care, it is delicious. If he uses only 7 original spices, then KFC needs to return to the drawing board. When the chicken hit the table we were in shock at the small mountain in front of us. We had six people and I swear he fried three (3) to four (4) whole birds. The chicken is perfectly seasoned and each bite has a little kick. The chicken is moist but lacks the excess grease that stains your fingers, clogs your arteries, or ruins the tablecloth. I would go to the cardiologist weekly if it meant I could eat this chicken that often. It’s so good, the people would ditch “Let’s Move.” It is so good that it would turn a Vegan back to meat. Chef Holley personally fries every piece of chicken that hits the table, he personally greets every table to make sure you are satisfied, and you leave with no question that he loves what he does. In fact, Chef Holley calls you personally when he has a reservation available. As “Hallmark-y” as this may sound, I truly think that the secret ingredient is his passion and love for the food. The chicken is accompanied by a host of sides: Four Cheese and Truffle Mac n’ Cheese (real truffles, not oil), homemade biscuits and gravy, sweet potato casserole, greens with ham, and coconut cream pie. The sides are so good they could stand on their own. I would have no problem ordering the Mac n’ Cheese as a meal—except that my tailor/alterations bills would skyrocket (I have no doubt my tailor would approve). The biscuits have a perfect crunch to fluff ratio that would make the “dough boy” quit his job. Top them off with either homemade jelly or southern gravy. Southern gravy is a spicy tomato based gravy that should be the new benchmark. None of us had any complaints about the meal. Last, but certainly not least, the drink menu is outstanding. The wine list is extensive and reasonably priced. The martinis are served in traditional champagne glasses which added a bit of sophistication to the chicken. Overall, fantastic experience. Chef Holley, ManKrave begs you, please do not make us wait another six months!

Season 2, Week 2: ONION CREEK

When my wife was out of town, my ManKrave partner and his wife thought a Krave Outing was much needed—I agreed. It was a gorgeous Sunday morning and a cold front had just blown through so we decided to go to the heated patio at Onion Creek. As a side note, this was the first spot on our Krave Adventure where you order in line and at the counter. While the food was good (B), I am not sure that it makes the repeat list.

The three of us started with the Bloody Mary. The bartender advised we should make them “special” which is where they add Cajun seasoning to the mix. We were intrigued and agreed. While the seasoning did spice it up, it did not really add any substance. I’d compare it to a martini with one olive—just enough to get you excited but doesn’t do anything else. We each drank one and switched to coffee—my partner and his wife because had just worked out and wanted to be good, I was just cold.

As I reviewed the menu one item stood out: it was Onion Creek’s take on a classic brunch item with a twist—the Fried Chicken and Red Velvet Waffles. The classic with a twist will always yield one of two results: (1) overwhelming success (Christian Bale as Batman and Kid Rock’s “All Summer Long”); or (2) utter and epic disaster (Carrie Underwood’s Live Remake of Sound of Music and Kim Kardashian generally). This was a creative dish that was also very nicely plated. The chicken has a perfect crisp while remaining moist and sits atop a non-saggy waffle. They sprinkle just enough powdered sugar on top to add sweetness without making a funnel cake. Aside from the crispy batter, the chicken itself has a “so-so” taste but the waffle stole the show. If we go back, I’m asking for a plate of these waffles. They are a tad stingy on the syrup, but, in all reality, the waffle stand alone.

My Partner got the Brisket Breakfast Sandwich. It was good but didn’t wow us. Nothing about this place did. Don’t get us wrong, was a great brunch spot, but I would probably stick to drinks and appetizers.

I think the best part about this place is the patio full of TVs. Almost every table has a view to at least one TV. This was especially helpful given that the patio was almost totally full of middle age’d bikers. Think “wild hogs” (Tim Allen, Martin Lawrence, and John Travolta) meets inappropriately sized leather pants. It made for some great people watching.

Overall, good place to hang out with your friends and prices were very reasonable. I would go back—just not for brunch.

Season 2, Week 1: Downhouse

Downhouse: A cute brunch spot in the Heights by day; a casual Heights area eatery by night. Downhouse is a locavore-friendly bar and bistro serving up some eclectic takes on some classic American staples. Enamored by the menu, which highlights a fried chicken course reminiscent of Max’s Wine Dive, a Lone Star Burger that as received rave reviews by the Houston Press as one of the best burgers in Houston, and a martini menu where each drink needs an explanatory section, my mankrave partner and I (along with our two biggest groupies: our wives) decided to give this eclectic American bistro a try.

The Fried Chicken. Let me preface with this one confession: I am a fried chicken junkie. With that said, I consider myself to have eaten some of the best fried chicken in the world—Gus’ Fried Chicken (Memphis, Tennessee), Frenchy’s Chicken (Houston, Texas), Max’s Wine Dive (Houston, Texas and Austin, Texas), Table Fifty-Two (Chicago, Illinois), just to name a few. Downhouse’s fried chicken is not quite on that level. But, that certainly doesn’t mean that it wasn’t enjoyable. The sides—mashed potatoes and greens—were everything they should be: an unassuming supporting cast, so as not to take away from the lead. The spicy pepper honey was a nice touch that added a lot of flavor (reminiscent of the honey sauce at Max’s).

The Lone Star Burger. Just how fancy is it? Cabor Chedder, Heirloom Tomato, Lettuce, House Mustard, Aioli, Challah Bun and Fries. A decedent, gourmet burger that is well-deserving of the praise it has recently received from the Houston Press. To all you Bernie’s Burger Bus followers, make sure that you give this one a try.

The Martinis. You may need a translator for this drink menu. Or better yet, trust DH’s incredibly knowledgeable bartenders to guide you in the right direction. My wife is a cosmo girl. Unfortunately, DH does not serve vodka. However, they fixed her up with white rum concoction (listed below) that was delicious.

Fly By Night—White Rum/Aquavit/Absinthe/Lime/House Watermelon Syrup

My mankrave partner and I ventured out with the Old Fashioned (again ingredients listed below). Again, this was a delicious twist on a classic drink.

Old Fashioned—Bourbon/Turbinado Sugar/Angostura Bitters/Orange Peel

Overall. A solid B from the mankrave crew.

Week 5: Cook & Collins

When my ManKrave partner asked me if I wanted to go to brunch at Cook and Collins, I thought “are we going to brunch at a law firm?” Fortunately, this was not the case.  Cook and Collins is a destination for a Sunday-Funday brunch of gluttony, and for the baby shower at the table next to us, except for the mother to be, a day of debauchery.  The double-deck patio provides an abundance of outdoor seating on a beautiful fall day.  This is especially important given Cook and Collins’ refusal to accept reservations for the patio.  Aside from this, solid A-.

My ManKrave partner and I started with the house Bloody Mary while my wife chose the Bellini Collins. The mix is good but not as good as Cottonwood’s.  The “fix-ins” are classic with a twist.  It comes with a slice bacon, a poached shrimp, celery, blue cheese stuffed olives, and . . . a spicy pickled green tomato wedge.  My initial though was “this will be interesting.”  All it took was one bite to know that this should be added to every bloody from here forward.  It’s such a good idea that Al Gore probably invented it . . . I usually stick with just one so I can sample the drink menu, but today I needed a second helping.

The four of us then split the “Sinaroll” which is so ridiculously good that it makes me want to go to confession and I am not even Catholic. When it arrived the aroma of freshly baked dough and warm sugar glaze tickled our nostrils and mentally prepared us for the feat that has been placed at our fingertips.  I am sure this could cause some controversy, but the sugar glaze rivals Shipley’s Donuts.  Yes, I said it.  The roll is bigger than a grapefruit but smaller than a melon.  The kicker is that it is topped with sliced candied almonds and candied bacon.  Bacon on its own is fantastic; bacon that has been steeped in the mouthwatering glaze is indescribable.  It is the perfect combination of fluffy pillow meets candy crunch.

The couples each decided to split the C & C Burger that was fantastic. It’s topped with 3 different cheeses, melted onions, sundried tomatoes, a Parmesan chip and truffle mayo.  It is a flavor explosion that was so good that I would have eaten it even if one of the cheeses had been Brie (some may or may not know but I’m not a fan of brie).  Unfortunately, they don’t ask for your preferred temperature.  We asked for medium rare, and got well done.  As any foodie knows, there is almost no greater sin than a overcooked meat.

For dessert we split the Cookie Dough Brownie which is a cookie dough and Nutella fudge brownie topped with caramelized marshmallows. We sprang the extra $3.00 to top it off with bluebell vanilla.  Three dollars for ala mode is a bit excessive, but well worth it.  As my ManKrave partner said, “my mind doesn’t know if it’s a cookie or a brownie, but my mouth loves it.”  I could not agree more.  The combination of warm chocolate brownie, crunchy marshmallow and cold ice cream was the final prescription for the ensuing food coma.  Interestingly enough, the individual parts were not as good as the whole.

The only other issue was that they had some trouble properly entering drinks into the system, but we got a free drink out of the deal. Despite this, we left in complete satisfaction.  However, they should change the name to Cook, Collins and Nap because that is the only thing you can do after you leave . . .

Week 4: TQLA & Federal Grill

TQLA.   This week the mankrave crew ventured to the Washington corridor to try out a couple of new trendy hotspots.  We decided to begin the Friday night festivities by meeting up for a drink or three at an upscale tequila bar called TQLA (pronounced Tequila).  In order to maximize our appetites, we hesitantly passed on the chips and salsa and, instead, jumped right into the good stuff.  I started off with the tequila flight: 3 taster shots[1] from local distilleries served with two concoctions/chasers—a sweet, tangy bloody mary mix and salsa verde.  The rest of the crew went with the prickly pear margarita.  This was the real winner.  Frankly, I thought it was the best margarita that I’ve had in quite some time.

Overall, the drinks were good.  The prickly pear margarita was great.  And, I loved the concept, especially with the recent explosion of Texas vodka onto the national scene.  TQLA deserves a solid B.

 

Federal Grill. Undaunted by the platters of pork carnitas and ropa vieja waltzing by our table, the crew ventured on to the next and final segment of the night –a newly opened American bistro on upper Shepard.  Akin to a five tool player in baseball, Federal Grill did everything right.

The Opening Act: Four decedent (and complimentary) buttermilk cheddar biscuits served with jalapeno infused strawberry jelly.  Upon opening the doors to this chic American bistro, my nostrils were instantly aroused by the sweet, yet sultry aroma of these biscuits.  Nostalgia ensued as my mind wandered to a southern breakfast legend in Oxford, Mississippi called BBB (Big Bad Breakfast), where the art of baking biscuits is still cherished.  Too many restaurants perceive the biscuit as the loyal sidekick to gravy and/or jams.  However, Federal Grill and BBB staunchly abide to the traditional notion that a condiment should co-star, rather than have the lead role.  Seriously, these biscuits were so good they could put Cialis out of business.

The Cocktail Menu: Belvedere martini up with bacon, blue cheese stuffed olives.  It was the perfect twist on the perfect martini.

The Service:  Our waitress, Tina, was phenomenal.  She was engaging, intellectual, helpful, and had a great sense of humor.  By far, the best waitress we have had on tour so far.

The Main Course: bacon cheese burgers served with truffle fries.  Due to no fault of the burger, which was very good, it was merely a place-holder for the grand finale.

The Finale: half-baked chocolate chip cookie platted with homemade sweet cream ice cream.  There was nothing revolutionary about this desert, nor does there have to be.  It was exceptional.

Conclusion: Federal Grill is a must try…A+

ManKrave Challenge

Colin Cox (son of Mark Cox, owner of Mark’s Restaurant, and devout ManKrave follower): “I challenge mankrave to perform an epic event.  The challenge is to eat brunch in three different places in the same day but consisting of different brunch items.  No brunch item eaten can be the same.  I await your reply to this challenge.”

ManKrave: ManKrave will accept your challenge; however, you must participate in the Sunday Brunch Arm Wrestling Challenge.

When: Sunday, November 2, 2014 at 11:30 A.M.

Where: BRC

Main Event: Colin Cox v. Austin Grigsby

*  All proceeds go to kids meals

*  Big shout out to the newlyweds, Austin & Jamie Grigsby #gettinggrigsbywithit; #10/18/2014; #IwasatMai’s

[1] Don’t let the name fool you. These are three full shots and then some.

Week 3: Cottonwood

For our third ManKrave outing we decided on Sunday Brunch (and Texans watching) at Cottonwood, or what should actually be called “Cotton-it-is-so-good-it’ll-give-you-Wood.”  Without a doubt, this place gets an A+.  Cottonwood is Gastropub meets icehouse patio meets quasi-dog park.  I think I can speak on behalf of the Krave, and our lovely wives, that this is our new favorite “day-drink” and brunch spot.

We started off with pitcher of Mimosas that we finished about the same time as JJ Watt’s first career offensive touchdown.  We knew it was going to be a good day.  We decided to share appetizers.  We ordered the Cottonwood’s spin on Onion Rings and the Chicken Fried Steak Bites.  The Onion Rings are actually a half order of onion rings and a half order of pablano pepper rings.  The rings are a perfect combination of crunch and hot pepper.  The chipotle ranch dipping sauce reminds me of a SourPatch commercial because it has an initial kick that leaves your tongue gasping for cool water and a creamy cooling effect that soothes your throat.  The Chicken Fried Steak Bites are the best appetizer I have found in Houston.  They are spicy, crispy, and moist in a way that explodes in your mouth.  They come with cream gravy that should be bottled and sold.  It is a shame that they serve them as bites because you cannot get enough. We couldn’t, so we ordered a second order and ate them just as fast.

We decided to order Cottonwood’s Bloody Mary before our entrees arrived.  I was a litter nervous when the waitress said, “these may take a minute because the sides have to be cooked.”  They were worth the wait.  The Bloody Mary is a homemade mix that will clear any sinus infection.  It is filled with freshly cooked bacon and six grilled shrimp.  Just writing this post makes me want to go back for another (maybe two).

The couples decided to split entrees (not the ManKrave couple but actual spouses).  We split the pulled brisket sandwich topped with a fried egg.  My ManKrave partner went for the poblano stuffed “Juicy Lucy.”  The BBQ sandwich rivals any BBQ that I have had in Houston, and the fried egg adds a level of deliciousness that is indescribable.   While I didn’t try the burger, it had the an “ooze factor” that would stain white cuffs but would be worth the dry cleaning bill.

We finished off with homemade donut holes and sugar glaze dipping sauce—WOW.  The donuts themselves were a tad dry, but the dipping sauce is so good I think I could pour it on my flip flop and it would be worth eating.  I’d actually like to get an order to go and put it over Blue Bell Vanilla—I may be on to something there.

At that point, I was thoroughly satisfied, the Texans won, and we went home for food coma.  I woke up planning my next trip back…I just hope it’s sooner rather than later.

Week 2: Vieng Thai

This week the ManKrave crew met up with some friends, the soon-to-be Austin and Jamie Grigsby, and ventured out to a local Thai dive on Long Point known by Houston locals to serve up some of the best Thai food this side of the Western Hemisphere.

I was understandably skeptical.  The crimes committed against Thai food in this country are well documented: soy sauce drowning, stale white rice bludgeoning, sriracha asphyxiation—just to name a few.  Not to mention the fact that it is located in a strip center, attached to a boxing gym, and between a tire shop and a washateria.  But, DON’T let its sketchy exterior and outdated waiting area/weight room fool you, VIENG THAI is a hidden GEM that is doing the Houston Thai food scene justice.

Flavor.  Fortunately, Austin and Chaz are regulars, so they quickly guided the table to the Red Curry and Pad Thai.  Both were delicious: perfectly spicy, yet savory and sweet.  Since we were watching the Texans game, we also ordered the Thai chicken wings.  The wings checked all the boxes: not overly battered, fried to the appropriate degree of crispiness, and dipped in a sauce that doesn’t come out of a bottle.

Service.  Exceptional.  The wait staff was on us like white on rice.  We were literally put on the clock by our server because our group was too engaged in our conversation, and not engaged enough in our menus.

Drinks.  As a BYOB, Vieng Thai is what you make it.  Our group chose the path of least resistance: red wine.  However, I am convinced that vodka or bourbon would have been allowed.

Overall. Thai + Comfort Food = Awesome (A)

Week 1: Boheme Cafe & Wine Bar

For the first stop on the ManKrave adventure we decided on a double date at Bar Boheme.  We did not leave disappointed.  Boheme is an eclectic mix where young professionals, hipsters, and those looking for a sketchy hook up mingle over specialty cocktails and upscale bar bites all made in a food truck.  In fact, unless you knew the food was prepared in a food truck you would have no idea that there wasn’t a full kitchen staff in white coats.

The cocktails range from sweet to sour and everything in between.  I started with an “Ancho Mama” which is an eloquent combination of Gin, Compari and Ancho Chili.  Although it goes down smooth there is no question that it has a punch that would even put Tyson on the defense.  Don’t be fooled by the Mama’s pink color and traditional champagne glass, it allows one to feel as if they were attending a dinner with Lord Grantham himself. My ManKrave partner sipped on the “Zinger,” which was too sweet our my liking.  Our lovely spouses, and our number one fans, stuck with Boheme’s signature Frozen Mojitos, which were both refreshing and served as supplemental air conditioning on the steam bath of the August evening.  On my next visit I will stick with the Mojito.

Dinner was nothing short of superb.  We ordered the vietnamese fries (Boheme’s most popular dish), the crispy pepperoni pizza, and the local Dairy Maid’s cheese plate.  A suggestion from our waitress, the cheese plate was standard—there was no wow factor.

The vesuvius of fries is the perfect combination of siracha, creamy aioli, and peanut crunch.  Each bite transports you on dreamy trip through wonderland that would make Alice jealous.  In my opinion, the flavor combination is the ultimate goal that Hunter S. Thompson failed to accomplish in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.  My complaints: (1) the fries are considered “finger food,” which leads to potentially dirtying up one’s french cuffs or rubbing siracha in your eyeball; and (2) the price which is upwards of $9.00.

The pizza is a thin crust that has the desired crunch without going too far as to make it a cheesy matzah cracker.  The leading lady is the pepperoni—crispy but without reaching the level of over cooked bacon.  The sauce and the cheese were both supporting actors.  It is also possible that they put a half pig on this pizza.  No question that you get your money’s worth.  Cut into bite size squares, it is perfect for sharing on your date night.

Overall, it was a great experience.  Our suggestion: don’t go on a humid August evening where you will leave feeling swampy.  Great spot for a date or just a night out with friends.  A B+ experience where your significant other won’t leave rolling her eyes.  You may even get lucky on the 1970s leather couch strategically placed in the men’s room…