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Three Best Bites: Coffee, Pasta and Dessert Balls



by Ruthie Johnson Miller
This week's favorites run a wide range - from coffee to a Vietnamese food truck.

Three bites (or the occasional sip) that have left an impression.

Flat white at Tuscany Coffee

Tuscany_FlatWhite
I drink drip coffee by trade—most coffee drinks are too sugary or too rich for me—but last week the @greenwaybarista introduced me to a coffee drink I’d never heard of… the flat white. This is essentially a cappuccino-sized latte: a shot of espresso topped with creamy steamed milk. Sure, it’s nothing groundbreaking, but for me provides a happy middle; I can get my coffee fix with the rich flavor of whole milk, but without the sheer volume of it. And since this one was from Tuscany Coffee, you know the beans’re outrageously good. 

Pasta Giacomo at Giacomo’s

PastaGiacomo
The Pappardelle at Telefono at Giacomo’s calls to me like a siren song—and so great is its effect over me that seldom can I veer away. But this week I proved my inner fortitude by trying something new. (Hooray for small victories.) The Pasta Giacomo is long strands of warm linguine topped with grilled shrimp, sundried tomato puree, cherry tomatoes,  garlic, olive oil, and few leaves of arugula. Classic, simple flavors in a classically simple sauce. While I probably won’t be able to veer away from my usual again soon, this delicious new dish confirmed to me that Giacomo’s is a well-rounded star.

Sesame balls at Phamily Bites

SesameBalls
The Phamily Bites food truck has a lot going for it—steaming hot pho, decent banh mis, and a camera that’s built into the side of its truck for buzzworthy party pics. You might not think to order dessert there, but the sesame balls are an absolute don’t-miss menu item. These doughy, golf-ball-sized sweets are filled with savory-sweet bean paste and fried till the sesame seeds coating the outside just turn golden crisp. They’re not overly sweet, but they are beautifully and texturifically delicious. 

What are your recent Best Bites? Let us know in the comment section below.

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Our hearts go out to Sylvia Casares of Sylvia’s Enchilada Kitchen as we hope she will make a quick and speedy recovery after a tragic incident this week concerning her business partner and boyfriend.

March 21 and Houston committee members and local artists will demonstrate their crafts and sell bowls at the Whole Foods Market on Kirby. Benefiting the Houston Food Bank in conjunction with the Empty Bowls Houston event. Whole Foods plans to donate 5 percent of the day’s sales from all four area locations to the Houston Food Bank.

Oxheart opened this week. Among the Uchi’s and Underbellys of the culinary scene Oxheart is right up there with them. Be sure to put it on your to-try list for March.

This Monday, March 19th The Last Chef Standing Restaurant Challenge will kick off at The Tasting Room from 6 - 8 p.m. The competition will have local restaurants compete against in each other in a bracket-style competition to determine a People’s Choice Winner over the course of five rounds.

Be sure to check out Eater Houston’s Amber Ambrose’s interview with Lyle Lovett on growing up in Klein, Texas and some of his favorite restaurants in Houston like Ninfa’s on Navigation, RDG Cafe Annie and the like.

Over the weekend a favorite local restaurant, Haven experienced a honey heist. That’s right - someone stole Haven’s beehive right out of their backyard garden. Oh Houston, you never cease to amaze us.

Da Marco gets an almost perfect Zagat rating for 2012 with a 29/30 .

Surprise, surprise, Houston leads the country in most meals eaten outside of the home at an average of 4.1 per week. The survey released March 6 also stated that the national average to-go mean intake is 3.1. That’s not that bad

America’s Favorite Cookie turns 100 years old this week. That’s right we’re talking about you - Oreo.

Underbelly is officially open at 1100 Westheimer Rd. We’ve got reservations.

Paul Qui of Uchiko a sister restaurant to Tyson Cole’s Uchi wins Top Chef Texas.

Underbelly is now accepting reservations. Make yours here.

Another month, another list. Check out Culture Map’s Top 10 restaurants to try out right now. Including Roost, Artisans and Hay Merchant.

Crawfish Season can be confusing. Where to get tail is something that is on everyone’s mind. Thankfully our friends at Eater Houston have solved that problem with the Boiled Crawfish Map.

Eatsie Boys the food truck, will be food truck no more. As they expand their franchise they will lose their wheels. Expected to open somewhere in Montrose hopefully this summer.

Liberty Station’s annual Chili Cookoff will be March 10th. The cookoff will benefit Young Texans Against Cancer. Team Entry is $25 per team get more info here.

Houston may have just been ranked the #1 most overweight city, but at least we’re not the most obese. We’ll leave that spot for our friends in Dallas.

James Beard Award Semi-Finalist Nominees were released this week. This year, Houston has six chefs in the running, that’s one more than last year.

Sprinkles Cupcakes is featuring a limited edition cupcake to honor the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston’s opening of the Japan Gallery. The special cupcake features Cherry Blossoms and will be available until March 20.

Johnny Mandola named General Manager of Damian’s Cucina Italiana, located at 3011 Smith St., Houston, TX 77006.

From Chicken and Waffles to Meat Chips to a Crispy Lamb Sweetbread Po’boy Hay Merchant is open and we’re excited.

Trader Joes is said to open in The Woodlands first, then Montrose as originally expected in the Alabama Theatre but now we’re hearing Memorial too on S. Voss near San Felipe.

Uchi opened February 2nd and now a month later, Katsuya schedules to open it’s doors March 2nd. Must be something in the water.

Cinq Chef Jeramie Robinson is leaving Houston for Austin as Chef Tyson Cole offers him a job with Uchi Austin.

Acclaimed Mexican chef Aquiles Chávez opens his upscale Mexican and seafood restaurant this Saturday — La Fisheria. Filming for the new show Aquiles in Houston begins soon.

Come celebrate Fat Tuesday at BB’s. Festivities start at 5:30 p.m. with live music from Keyun & They Zydeco Masters. Expect Abita beer specials, King Cake and of course Crawfish. 2701 White Oak.

Guadalajara Bakery will close it’s doors February 29th after 45 years in business. The new building owners have decided to turn the well-loved taco-spot into a bar. The Chavez family has no plans to reopen their doors elsewhere.

We walked you through Uchi step by step. Now, it’s Katsuya’s turn. CultureMap gives us a first look at Philllipe Starck’s latest concept expected to open it’s door in Houston this spring in the West Ave shopping center.

Next up on HOUSTON CULINARY TOURS - Chef Bryan Caswell of Reef, Stella Sola and El Real along with cookbook author Robb Walsh explore all-things oyster. The tour is Sunday, March 18, 2012. Tickets on sale now.

Doug Kurz and Matt Taormina of RICHMOND CHILL are rumored to be opening a new establishment sometime this year named Oak Forest Chill, located on the corner of Oak Forest and Judiway.

BRC GASTROPUB has released their spring menus. BRC Gastropub now has a brunch, lunch and dinner menu available. We can’t wait to get in and try out the Infamous Coop-Style Burger, Eggs Queso.

Eater Houston takes the cliche that we eat with our eyes to the next level by hosting the HOTTEST CHEF OF 2012 contest this month. Check out who's the most delicious.

The much anticipated UCHI has opened. When you get there, we suggest the Shag Roll.

Jonathan Jones steps down from XUCO XICANA.

New York City’s famous restaurant LE CIRQUE launches a series of pop-up restaurants, with one of them in Houston. New executive chefOlivier Reginensi hosts the pop-ups; he started his culinary career with Le Cirque in 1993 and is excited to be back.

EATSIE BOYS food truck sits down for an interview with Eater Houston on their one year anniversary.

THE RAILYARD, a River Oaks bar, is a finalist in the 2012 Nightclub & Bar Awards for “Small Wonder Bar of the Year,” only one of two Texas bars to reach the finals. The other nominee is STATS SPORTS BAR AND GRILL of Tomball, TX as a finalist for “Sports Bar of the Year.”

GEORGIA'S MARKET opens a downtown store January 27th. With four distinct sections, is there anything Georgia’s doesn’t have? Complete with the famous all-day buffet, an organic grocery store, a second-floor area meant to be a reading loft and last? The cellar soon to start serving up local microbrews and sustainable wines that can also be found up stairs in the grocery.

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