7830 Highway 71 S
Fort Smith, AR 72908

Not flashy at all, this is a regular diner from the old school days. Pete’s has actually served the Fort Smith area since 1933!  Just tried Re-petes last August when I was in town for an investigation. It was surprised at how quiet the place was for a diner that seemed to get good reviews.

The waitress was exceptional and got a big tip from me. The burger was really good as well as the chili cheese fries. I could have had a large bowl of just the chili. The desserts were begging for me to try them but I was busting out of my clothes from all the food. I am looking forward to another trip to Fort Smith to sample more food from this place!

Tomball Location
10850 Louetta Rd
Houston, TX 77070

I really love a good burger and this place has a pretty good one! I almost hate to blog about it because this place is a chain that is growing all over. I think the food is overpriced for what you get, however this is the new trend it seems. The decor is bright red, industrial minimalist.

You walk in and order from a menu hanging on the wall. The burger selections are already put together for you. You can do your own combination if you prefer. They give you a number and a drink cup like many of the new chains do these days.

We decided to sit outside for the ambiance and because the temperature was perfect.

The burgers come in a wire basket with paper. The buns are not only chewy but toasted for something extra special. They offer sides like french fries, sweet potato fries, haystack onions, fried pickles, fried jalapenos and smashfries which are tossed with rosemary, olive oil and garlic. Everything I have tried so far has been tasty!

I have had the burger when I am dieting on the plate with no bun and all the way full on with a bun. Yes you can diet and eat burgers! It is called the Atkins diet:) At the moment I am eating bread. Yay for my taste buds! The burgers are good both ways. I prefer to eat them with the bun because it is fresh, chewy and adds another flavor component.

I have never had to wait long for the food which is another plus!

6925 Cypresswood Dr.
Spring, TX 77379

We decided to try out Gringos on Cypresswood the other day and I was pleasantly surprised that I really liked the food and the service.

The atmosphere is upscale casual which is a little different from the run of the mill Tex-mex type of restaurants. I felt a little under dressed in shorts and a blouse.

The parking lot was packed where we thought it would be a long wait. We actually only waited for 10 minutes which really isn’t bad. The waiter took our drink orders right away and then out came the chips and dips that are the normal fare for Mexican restaurants. One of the dips was something creamy with avocado in it which was bland but fixed with a little salt.

The waiter came back exceptionally fast with our drinks and took our order. One of our drinks was recommended highly by our waiter turned out to be really good. It is called citrus tea which is a blend of tea, orange juice and lemonade. They refilled the citrus tea all night with no extra charges

We ordered queso with meat which also turned out really good! I was really impressed that they served this dip in a deep fried tortilla bowl with shredded salad mix and pickled and fresh jalapenos on the side. I was thinking if they do this for the queso then what will they do with everything else they bring out? I could come in here for just the queso for lunch.

I ordered the presidente for my entrée which is two cheese enchiladas, a bean chalupa, queso chip, beef taco, guacamole, Mexican rice and got boracho beans instead of refried beans. I know this sounds like way too much food but I was really hungry and this entrée was only 9.59. Of course my eyes were bigger than my stomach as they brought everything out to me on 3 plates. haha!! Everything tasted good

I did take food home to my son who said OMG yum!!! I am sure we will all be eating here again soon

6915 Cypresswood Dr
Spring, TX 77379

There is an interesting cafe in North Houston and is only one of three locations. The original place was opened up in Beaumont in 1941.  It is a cafe offering breakfast and lunch items as well as a coffee house that features a full bakery. You can walk in and pick out what you want to take home instead of sitting down to eat. The counter people will pull them out of the case and box everything up for you.

They have a case full of fresh made gelato. Have you ever tried it? There are a few differences between ice cream and gelato. For example gelato has less air whipped into it because it is churned slower than ice cream which makes it denser. To some this means it is more creamy even though there is less fat. In the USA  ice cream has to have at least 10% fat to legally be called ice cream. Gelato usually has only 5-7% fat. The flavor of gelato is more intense.

According to the counter person the lemon is the best seller. This flavor is really surprising and the most unexpected because of how tart and refreshing it is. I highly recommend you to try some before you leave.

The coffee is fresh and hot all the time. They even have pictures on the wall of one of the places they get coffee from. Yes, they even have single origin beans. They will whip up the specialty  drinks for you behind the counter.  If you order a regular coffee they hand you a cup and saucer or plastic cup  (if the order is to go) over the counter for you to serve yourself at the coffee bar.

The atmosphere is laid back and relaxed which makes talking with friends over coffee nice. Most of the pastries in their cases have been taste tested by me at one time or another.

There other locations:
2596 Calder St, Beaumont,

4440 Dowlen Road, Beaumont, TX

Hwy 365, Nederland, TX

1500 Towson Ave
Fort Smith, AR 72901

When I am in Fort Smith I love to stop by to get the comfort food offered at Ed Walker’s. This is THE proverbial diner. I love this place all the way down to the melamine plates. If you love watching diners drive ins and dives this is one of those types of places. The burgers are on point with the juices running down your arm. Salads are fresh and pleasantly larger than what you expect. I have eaten here on several occasions and never have I been disappointed with the quality of the food or the service. You may have to wait at peak times for a seat but it is not for long..

The decor is all funky diner in mostly red, white and black. It is a fun place to make memories. Several things are different here than at other restaurants. One thing different is on the menu and is the 5 pound burger. It is huge! It comes with all the fixings on the side. I have not personally eaten a 5 pound burger by myself yet but I have seen it done. You can order outside from your car and get a car hop to bring you a beer! How is that for service!

I have had the burgers which are really good. The chopped steak smothered in onions, bell peppers and gravy is just really good. The flavors blend really well together especially with one of their super duper side salads.

You may want to remember your trip in a special way by grabbing an ed walker cup before you leave. This has now become my daughters favorite cup in the house.

Just look at this smothered steak. It tasted as good as it looks here. I have also tried the famous french dip which is also yummy

11919 Eastex Fwy
Houston, TX 77039

When we moved from Houston to Oklahoma this was one of the places that I missed going into. This is an authentic Mexican bakery where they claim to make everything from scratch. They say they buy nothing made or use anything frozen. There is something special about picking up a pizza pan with tongs and walking along case after case of pastries to get what you want. Many of the items are only .30 to .70 cents! I usually fill up a tray and cannot carry anymore before I stop myself and go to check out.

In the middle of the store is the refrigerated area with a counter where they will bag up all of your goodies for you. They also get what you want from these cases which are filled with sliced tres leches cakes, puddings and other goodies.

Around the walls and the front window are decorated with cakes. They all have numbers beside them to help you in ordering one for a special occasion. They take special orders on whatever you can think up as well. The specialty here with cake is not over the top fondant but easy whipped icing type of cakes. Piñatas hang from the ceiling making the store very colorful.

Before you check out with all your sweets you should know they have savory items as well. They offer pork or chicken tamales $3.50 for 1/2 dozen or $6.50 for a dozen right by the cashier when you check out. I have tried them both and find them to be authentic and tasty.

After I leave I usually grab something out of the bag to nibble on while driving home. Be careful as most of the items here are not very sweet which can make you eat more than you should. Even though nothing from this bakery is rich or filled with sugar like a normal American bakery they are all still considered pastries loaded with calories. Hope you have fun picking out your pastries!

Spring
103 Midway St
Spring,  TX 77373

When spending a day shopping in Old Town Spring I make this is one of my stops. The menu is only one page long which makes selecting what you want to eat easy. I usually order a burger and fires or onion rings depending on my mood. The fries are hand cut and sometimes limp but they are still fresh potatoes which makes up for that. The burgers are a good size with fresh toppings that slide around as you try to take a bite. If you order the Chicken Fried Chicken you need a big appetite because it is huge, taking up almost the entire plate. The beer bread is yeasty, dense and really good. It is a shame you only get one slice with a dinner entrée. If they brought everyone a loaf they most likely would be more busy. You can however, buy the beer bread mix on your way out the door.

I have never had to wait to be seated or to get service. The food always comes out fast and hot. Their menu is priced a little on the high side which may account for the lack of patrons after the town shops all close. There is little competition during the day for all the shoppers which may be one reason for the prices. The few places to eat make them have captive clients. People need to sit after hours of walking in and out of shops in all kinds of weather. I also think people consider Old Town Spring just for shopping instead of a destination place for food.

As someone who loves nostalgia I don’t just come here for the food. I love history and this building is loaded with it. Wunsche Brothers opened in 1902 as the first building in Spring as a saloon and hotel. It was the last to close during Harris County law of Prohibition. Uncle Charlie Wunsche who lived upstairs until his death in 1935 is said to still haunt the place.

The story of Charlie Wunsche is that he fell in love with a young woman who didn’t love him in return. If you talk to the staff they will all tell you tales of working there including after hours. One staff story is that someone came into the bathroom but there was nobody there. She told me she ran out and does not like to be there alone. Other interesting things I have been told is that the staff gets touched, you can see full bodied apparitions and Uncle Charlie plays around with them. Some believe there is a girl there as well although I cannot find any information to support this.
For more on the history of Old Town Spring read this article
http://www.hauntedchef.com/2011/09/11/old-town-spring/

2111 Norfolk St
Houston, TX 77098

Last weekend we decided to go check out Star Pizza in Montrose. I have been wanting to try it because the ratings have all been really good and I really love pizza. As someone who has eaten food all over the USA I have had the opportunity to try some amazing places including pizza in New York and Chicago.

I really liked that this place is in an old 2 story house that was converted into a business. There is a covered porch along 2 sides of the building with a ramp for handicapped access. Under the awnings are outdoor fans to keep you cool and white christmas lights for evening ambiance. The weather was so nice that we decided to eat in the fresh air outdoors. The hostess told us that the waitress was swamped as we were seated. I knew from reading reviews before going to expect slower service than other pizza places. I was however, pleasantly surprised that the service was better than I expected.

To start we ordered the garlic bread with cheese and a side of marinara  which was good. The bread was soft with a nice amount of cheese. We also ordered a half and half on whole wheat, deep dish style pizza. One side was a margarita specialty pizza which had roma tomatoes, garlic, basil, cheese and olive oil. The other side of the pizza was a Ben’s which has ground beef, Italian sausage, pepperoni and ham.

Both sides of the pizza turned out to be good. The Ben’s side was the best because it was more flavorful with the fresh marinara being on the top instead of buried under the ingredients. This is the best pizza that I have had in the Houston metro area so far. Sadly, this is not the best I have ever had though. I particularly enjoyed the whole wheat crust and encourage you to try it as a healthier option. You cannot tell it is whole wheat until you get the end of the slice when it really comes through. I am looking forward to the next visit!

2520 Montrose Blvd
Houston, TX 77006

We had to come check out the famous Niko Niko’s just for dessert. After all Guy Fieri has even been here before. For those of you who do not know Guy is the host of “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives ” which is on the food network.  After walking in the door my initial impression was this is a hip place. We did not have to wait long to place our order. Apparently they have many people eat here on a daily basis so they have to be fast.

We ordered baklava which is fillo filled with ground walnuts & cinnamon with honey. It was good as baklava always is. The next thing we ordered was the chocolate koulourakia which are sugar cookies dipped in chocolate & were supposed to be rolled in walnuts but we not. They were exactly like what you would imagine they would taste like but were not very sweet. This would be a perfect ending for someone who just wanted a little something not heavy or sugar laden. The last thing we ordered was the loukoumades which are greek honey balls. I have never had this treat before so I did not expect that they would need to be made only after we ordered them. We sat down to wait on the chef to make them.

Like I said the atmosphere here is upbeat and hip. You feel like you are right next to a college with people pouring in the door the whole time with the line sometimes extending out of the door. I was amazed at how fast the counter people were at getting the new customers ordered and off to their tables. Scanning the restaurant everywhere we looked the food looked good and the patrons seemed happy. The upbeat greek music playing over the speakers was a little loud but fine for they type of place. Proudly displayed on the counter right by the cashier is a greek icon.

Our coaster pager went off letting us know we could pick up our order. Wow were we in for a treat! Imagine eating something like a funnel cake in the shape of a donut hole with powdered sugar over the top. When you pop this hot thing in your mouth unexpectedly it bursts with honey all over the inside of your mouth. YUM! We could not stop eating them. Actually I can see myself sitting there with a cup of coffee and a plate of these little honey balls every morning. We are now looking forward to trying out the savory side of this place! I will be writing another review soon.

24814 Stanolind Rd
Tomball, TX 77375

We decided to go for a drive to check out Mel’s and their famous burgers. I am really glad that we did too. We walked into a very down home country cafe. I bet many of the patrons even knew each other just because of how out in the middle of nowhere it was. Red checkered plastic table clothes with paper towel holders were just waiting for all the mess we were getting ready to make with our meal. I took a look around at what people were eating and noticed for the most part one of two different plates it seemed. Catfish was stacked high on several plates with a bowls of some kind of goodness. I also noticed cornbread and salads which seemed to go with the catfish. Other plates that people had in front of them were all burgers of different sizes.

The walls of the place had pictures of people eating the famous mega mel burger and they all looked really happy. This is what it says at Mel’s/ How to get your name on the wall/ You have 2 hours to eat the Mega Mel Burger and must follow the rules.

1. IF YOU LEAVE ANYTHING IN YOUR PLATE, YOU WILL BE DISQUALIFIED.
2. IF ANYONE TAKES ANYTHING OFF YOUR PLATE, YOU WILL BE DISQUALIFIED.
3. YOU MUST BE ABLE TO WALK AND TALK AFTER EATING THE MEGA MEL BURGER.
4. IF YOU GET SICK AT ANY TIME, YOU WILL BE DISQUALIFIED.
5. YOU HAVE 2 HOURS TO EAT THE MEGA MEGA MEL BURGER.
6. WE WILL STOP YOU FROM EATING IF AT ANYTIME WE FEEL YOU ARE GOING TO GET SICK.
7. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS TO REMEMER THAT THE MEGA MEL BURGER IS A FUN EVENT AT MEL’S COUNTRY CAFE, SO PLEASE HAVE FUN WITH IT

Going through the menu the prices looked fantastic. I had no idea how big any of the burgers were other than the mega mel. Seeing pictures of people including children plastered on the wall with a mel burger made me feel I could at least try a double for 4.95. I also ordered the hand battered onion rings basket for 4.75. The waitress told me they had cobblers and chocolate pecan pie with vanilla ice cream. I wondered if maybe I should have ordered a smaller burger because the dessert sounded tempting. They do have a regular hamburger for 3.25! I was sitting there thinking about the cobbler from meers and wondering if mels cobbler could be better than that bowl of heaven?

The food came out and I was thinking I really should have got the smaller burger. The first thing I decided to pop in my mouth was an onion ring. Oh my were they good! Hand dipped in beer batter deep fried to perfection goodness. The burger was so thick I decided to cut it in half to facilitate getting it into my mouth. That is a really good burger! The meat is good and cooked to medium well unless you ask for it to be cooked differently. Even being cooked medium well the burger juices ran down my arm onto that red checkered table-cloth. Yes I actually finished it! The service was great which is refreshing for a change

Since this was a special memory making trip I decided to go for the dessert and got the peach cobbler with vanilla ice cream. It was the perfect ending to the meal. The cobbler was not too sweet with a hint of cinnamon. All the way home I had that yummy taste of cobbler lingering on my taste buds which made me very happy.

This is what the onion rings and fries looked like. They were good dipped in ranch dressing

 When we went to check out the girl wanted to make sure we loved everything. She even asked us what we had to eat and then said she can’t eat a double on her best day. She told us she has hard time getting down a regular burger. I really enjoyed people watching and the food here. I am looking forward to going back and trying some of their other menu items like chicken fried chicken.