Exploring Houston, Texas - "This Is Gonna Take Some Time" (Part I)

This month we begin a three-month series on our new home state of Texas. We'll be moving about the Lone Star State rather quickly, so we strongly suggest you saddle up and hold on!

Newk's Express Cafe – This dandy Mississippi-based franchise just arrived in Texas over the past few months. Lucky for us, their first Texas location was divinely placed in NW Houston – just minutes from our headquarters. Sure, this is a chain eatery and many of the menu items are not exactly Southern in origin. Yet their fabulous pimento cheese sandwiches, Tippah County Caviar (essentially a tangy black eyed pea salad), and wonderful dessert cakes (made with love by our old friends at Westside BBQ in New Albany, MS) warrant our attention in this forum. Local franchise owner Judd Tucker is a former lawyer from Meridian, MS. Their sweet tea ain't bad either, people. Get totally “Newked” at www.newkscafe.com.

Baladera's Tamale Factory – I discovered this gem by chance. While searching for a recommended BBQ joint along Houston's Grant Road, I spotted Baldera's and I couldn't resist taking home a dozen tamales for dinner that night. I settled on six hot pork tamales and six chicken tamales - both were earthy excellent. The accompanying red sauce is exceptional. Take some home and splash it over scrambled eggs or a microwave burrito.

Romero's Las Brazas – They bill themselves as “The Real Mexican Deal.” Phrases such as that are often tossed around with great ease, but Romero's lives up to the hype. The mole sauce is very nutty & savory. Owner Manuel Romero is originally from Oaxaca, so this is not exactly the more easily found Tex-Mex cuisine. Las Brazas starts your meal with great chips and salsa (the latter is served up warm and spicy). I look forward to returning for their traditional Mexican breakfast – a unique touch when most Tex-Mex eateries don't open their doors until 11 a.m.

Snapper Jack's Seafood Grill – Fried seafood may be a menu staple here, but it's fried rice that brings me back to this converted Burger King structure. The owner's wife is Chinese and the popular fried rice recipe is a family favorite. The Hummingbird Cake is also first rate – chock full of banana and pineapple chunks. The atmosphere at Snapper Jack's reminds me of the many family-style fish houses we frequented in the SC Lowcountry. They are located just north of the intersection of Jones Road and Highway 290, so do stop in if you're ever motoring between Houston and Austin, TX.

Favorite's Creole Cuisine - The stuffed shrimp is out of this world featuring a massive amount of delicious crab meat. The seafood gumbo is the real thing – complete with the whole crab claw tossed in for good measure (and taste!). Po-boys at Favorite's are authentic and made with crunchy white bread shipped in from The Big Easy. Owner Linda Favorite (yup, that's her real name) migrated to Houston after Hurricane Katrina ravaged her native New Orleans. The Favorites were willing to let go of their hometown, but not the rich and zesty culinary traditions that had become the very essence of their being. New Orleans' loss is our gain --- they are already a personal favorite of mine. Great food and friendly folks = Bon Temps!

Connie's Frozen Custard – Founded by Dan and Melissa Ashby in April of 2000. We're not exactly sure who Connie might be. Regardless, this place reminds us a bit of our beloved Velvet Cream (aka “The Dip”) in Hernando, MS. There is no drive-thru window, no hamburgers & fries on the menu, and no catchy nickname, however there is a distinctly retro feel, a loyal clientèle, and a laundry list of tempting frosty treats. Another difference is the custard, which is less airy and more rich than The Dip's always-good soft serve ice cream. Frozen custard is typically served with a scoop and prepared with eggs in addition to cream and sugar. Chains of custard stands are now sweeping the country, proving that not everyone is carefully watching their fat intake these days.

New Orleans Style Shaved Ice – This style of summertime refreshment can be linked back to 1939 and the invention of Ernest Hansen's motorized shaved ice machine. Hansen's Sno-Bliz Shop is still open for business in New Orleans and very much still worth a visit to their landmark stand at 4801 Tchoupitoulas Street. They make their own syrups at Hansen's and will even add condensed milk to your Sno-Ball if you are craving an extra creamy treat. For more info on this New Orleans tradition, check out www.sno-ball.com.

New Orleans Shaved Ice, found in a bright yellow trailer near the FM 1960 & Perry Road intersection in NW Houston, offers an astonishing 350 flavors. That is said to easily be the most in the nation and who are we to doubt their claim? The Food Network is rumored to be planning a feature on them for an upcoming road food program.

We somehow whittled our flavor choice down to watermelon. The young girl in front of us ordered up the Strawberry Daiquiri flavor – no ID required. This stand has spent summers here in this location for last 4 years. The texture of their ice is softer and fluffier than your traditional snow cone ... it's sort of a cross between Italian ice and a slushy. They shut down their shaved ice operation each fall. Selling kettle corn and funnel cakes carries the operators through the winter months, making this stand a year-round fixture on this busy stretch of road.

• Baldera's Tamale Factory – 10722 Grant Road, Houston; 281 970-6807

• Connie's Frozen Custard – 12545 Jones Road, Houston; 281 469-3444

• Faviorite's Creole Cuisine – 10750 Barker-Cypress Road; Cypress; 281 758-0515

• Newk's Express Cafe – 25712 Northwest Freeway, Cypress; 281 758-1300

• New Orleans Shaved Ice – FM 1960 near Perry Road, Houston; no phone # available

• Romero's Las Brazas – 15703 Longenbaugh Drive, Houston; 281 463-4661

• Snapper Jack's Seafood Grill – 8125 Jones Road @ 290; Houston; 713 983-8222

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For further information on great Southern restaurants and food sources, please stop by our own web site at www.dixiedining.com or drop us a line at 10115 Cottonwood Canyon Drive, Houston, Texas 77095. We can be reached directly by telephone at 662 404-0816 or 281 605-8610. We look forward to hearing from you.

Until next time … “May the Fork Be with You!”