The Mama Bleu Burger

 You have to be a hermit if you have never stopped in one of the Creek Cafes in Houston. I myself have never eaten at one but I have always enjoyed the atmosphere for sharing a few drinks with my friends. Although I’ve never been to Dry Creek, I have spent many nights drinking Texas beers around the fire at Cedar Creek and jammin’ to the reggae vibes on Thursdays at Onion Creek.

Looking for something to eat, I stumbled upon their latest addition, Canyon Creek Café on Westcott, just off I-10. Located in the old Westcott Bar & Grill building, Canyon Creek has transformed the place into a cozy southern dive with flat screen TV’s. I hadn’t heard much talk about the place so I decided to stop in and check it out. Walking in the bartender greeted us and told us to have a seat anywhere. There are no waiters so when ready to place an order you have to do so at the bar. I proceeded to the bar and grabbed some menus and a few beers. We sat back to soak the place in and there was something about being here that kind of felt like home. Maybe it was the fact that they carried Pearl beer or that it was far enough away from Washington Avenue to escape that pretentious vibe.

Whatever the case, the menu was looking good and the beer was cold so I ordered up a Mama Bleu Burger which was topped with bacon and bleu cheese crumbles. I returned to my table with a couple more beers in hand and sat back to watch some sports until the food arrived. Since it was a pretty slow afternoon here the food arrived pretty quick. The size of this burger was a little intimidating but as soon as it hit the table my hunger struck in. This juicy burger was fit for a king and seemed to be the size of Texas. Upon my first bite the mixture of beef, bacon and bleu cheese seemed to create an explosion of flavors that sent my senses swirling. This burger was amazing and I think I had finally found the meaning of food porn. I was beginning to enjoy this burger so much that I felt like I was going to make my girlfriend jealous, but I could easily see that she found the same ecstasy that I was in. The fries were perfectly fried and seasoned just right.

By the half was point I could feel my end was near, but this burger was just too good to put down. I started to slow down, enough to savor each bite and by the time I was finished I felt like I couldn’t move. We sat back for a moment to let it all marinade in our stomachs then finished off our beers and headed on our way. Could I have found the best burger in Houston? I know there are a few other contenders but this was going to be hard to beat. I will admit this burger haunted my dreams and I look forward to the next time I get to see Mama Bleu.

 Canyon Creek

 6603 Westcott Street
Houston, TX 77007-2040
(713) 864-5885

Raul Dominguez hard at work

Raul Dominguez, a native of San Francisco, California and world class bartender, is shaking up some of the most exotic and unique cocktails this side of the Orient. Raul is the man behind the bar at Yelapa Playa Mexicana that experiments with some of the most interesting ingredients he can find to make a drink that will blow you away.

Raul got into bartending when he was serving in the United States Marine Corp. while deployed in Okinawa, Japan. When asked how he got into this business he simply stated he racked up a bill that needed to be worked off. It was here where Raul discovered the craft of bartending that has taken him where he is today. While in the Marines he would bartend every chance he got while on deployment so that he could practice the trade and learn as much as he could. By the time he was discharged, Raul had become a worldly bartender serving many throughout the Philippines, South Korea, Thailand, Singapore and Australia.

Once he got back to the Bay Area, Raul got a job working with the #2 Bartender in San Francisco, Jamie Hara. While working with Jamie he learned about new cocktail influences and the art of infusions. Being inspired but also yearning for travel, Raul just felt the need to get away. One day he hopped on a bus and went south, bartending through several Latin American countries. By the time he made it to Brazil, Raul had bartended in Mexico, Argentina, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras, Panama and Chile.

After backpacking and bartending for some time he felt a little burnt out, he then took up the art of tattooing in Brazil but it didn’t take long for him to miss the action behind the bar. Raul headed back to the States where he landed a job as a manager at a bar, but he no longer felt at home in California. Still having that desire for travel he visited family in Houston. As he drove down Richmond Avenue one day he passed by a restaurant that was hiring. Lucky for us that restaurant was Yelapa and this is where Raul has made his home.

At Yelapa you can find something different almost every day. With infusions like jolokia pepper infused tequila or mahlab seeds in Grand Marnier, Raul is working hard to bring new flavors to your palette to go with the amazing food Chef L.J. Wiley is cooking in the kitchen. Raul is a person that loves bartending so much that he doesn’t mind giving away his secrets.

“For me, I’m always coming up with something new. I don’t mind if people copy my recipes. I like the idea of people taking my ideas and making it their own” says Raul. As a man of his word he gave me the recipe to one of his most popular drinks, the Jalapeno Martini. Try making it at home and if you’re looking for something new stop by Yelapa and see what Raul is shaking up today.

The Jalapeno Martini

Raul’s Jalapeno Martini

1 Spoon Jalapeno Jam

1 ½ oz. Gin

½ oz. Fresh Lemon Juice

½ oz. Fresh Lychee Juice

Shake with ice and strain into a martini glass, top with soda and enjoy!

Yelapa Playa Mexicana

2303 Richmond Avenue
Houston, TX 77098-3204
(281) 501-0391

Do you love Lone Star Beer, Texas music and good times? Well here is your chance to prove it. The 2^nd Annual Lone Star Bash at the Brewery is coming and Bite Me Houston has your tickets. On September 25^th in San Antonio, TX, Dale Watson, The Bluebonnets, Band of Heathens, Hacienda, The Texas Tornados and Bob Schneider will be rocking the old Lone Star Brewery and it will be a day you will never forget. The best part is you can’t buy your way into this party, you gotta win them and this is where Bite Me Houston comes in. Take a picture and show us how much you love Lone Star Beer, get creative and have fun! We will choose 3 of you to win a pair of tickets and a prize pack including the official event poster, CD and an awesome koozie to keep you beer cold. The contest is open to contestants 21 years and older and you have from August 4^th-25^th to submit your photos so get to work!

Submit your photos to: BiteMeHouston@gmail.com

Subject Line: I Love Lone Star Beer

Please keep you photos under 2mb.

Include your Name, City, State, Email Address and Phone Number.

For more information about the event you can visit: http://www.lonestarbeer.com/indiebashatthebrewery

Submissions Gallery

[View with PicLens]

If you know me then you know I have a special place in my heart for Austin, TX. I know you’re probably already booing me, but hear me out.From boudin tacos to pizza and cupcakes to popcorn Austin is on top of feeding their city from rigged up restaurants on wheels. Over the last year Houston has started to join in on the bandwagon and began setting up shop atop four wheels.

Oh My Pocket Pies is whipping up some interesting recipes and stuffing them into flakey dough. Recipes like Salisbury steak and chili chicken relleno make your mouth water. Their S’mores dessert (made with nutella) makes packing on the extra pounds worth it, but their shrimp burger is what caught my attention.
The ground up fresh gulf shrimp are formed into a patty and thrown on the grill. I had never thought about a shrimp burger before, but today was going to be a first for me. Topped off with lettuce, pickles, mayo and a little Sriracha sauce for an added kick, this was a beauty to behold. Biting in for the first time was amazing, the shrimp was grilled just right and still juicy, plus the added kick of the Sriracha sauce added just enough fire to make this meal complete.

You don’t have to worry about any BP oil in their shrimp or hormone-induced beef and chicken because owners Joe Phillips and Joanna Torok only select the finest meats and vegetables from local farmers markets. They are doing their part to bring that home cooked taste made with the freshest ingredients and unique ideas to bring you some of the best food you can get on four wheels. They were at the Texas Vodka Throwdown recently and completely sold out, so they must be on to something good. If your driving around midtown or Washington Ave. keep an eye out for the tagged up Oh My Pocket Pie truck. Get you a Shrimp Burger and tell them Bite Me Houston sent ya!

For more info on Oh My Pocket Pies visit them here www.OhMyPocketPies.com or on twitter at @OhMyPocketPies

It’s a rainy Thursday night and I’m walking the streets of downtown Houston. I remember when this place was full of bars and fun places to stop in. Sadly, Main St. has become a ghost town. Everyone says that the renovations are coming and downtown will once again be the place for fine dining and entertainment. At present, walking down Main St. is a little depressing.

Heading toward Rusk I hear a loud crowd cheering. The Flying Saucer is still running strong and almost every table is full both inside and out. I figure this must be a great place to be when you have people sitting outside in the rain covered by small umbrellas and sipping on their favorite brews. As I walk inside and try to dry myself off I’m greeted by a shrine to beer lovers.

All over the walls, including the ceiling, are saucer plates with the names and words of great men and women who have achieved greatness by drinking 200 different beers. (My neck becomes sore from staring up too long, and, when I finally look down, I see the beautiful bar with tons of beers from all over the world on tap.) I head over to a table and try to collect myself. A waitress comes over and tells me about the Mystery Tub Thursdays: For $3 they reach into a tub and pick out a random beer. My odds are good so I give it a shot.

A voice comes over the speakers, and the manager ask that everyone raise their glass because two gentlemen just hit their 200th beers. It was almost instantly I grabbed my application and filled it out. I was now a U.F.O. Club member and ready to take on 200 different beers. I know it’s going to take a long time but I am destined to one day get my saucer on that wall.

Chris Fielder, left, and Quinton Miller hit the 200 mark.

I head over to meet the two beer lovers that just hit their 200 mark. Chris Fielder and Quinton Miller are hanging out upstairs surrounded by their friends. I had to know what it took. “It was a lot of beer and I can’t remember all of them but I really like the Southern Star Buried Hatchet Strong Stout” said Chris, and Quinton replied with his love for Green Flash West Coast IPA.

I head back downstairs for another beer, and to start my quest for 200. With so many beers in the world, I figure the best way to start is with Saint Arnold’s here in Houston and work my way out.

I’m going to need some support so keep an eye out for me and join me for a drink.

Cheers! Salud! Slainte! Zum Wohl! Kampai! Mabuhay! And Na zdorovje!

Right in the middle of the Washington Avenue strip sits Houston’s newest restaurant. Thanks to an early and often PR pitch, it seems like everyone was eager for Phil’s Texas Barbeque to open its doors, which it did on Thursday, June 17.

Having never been to a restaurant on opening day, I was pretty shocked to not see this place jam-packed. We arrived around 6 p.m. and found parking right up front. I thought at the time it was a little odd that I couldn’t smell any burning wood. As you walk in to Phil’s, you are greeted by a chalkboard menu and the choice of heading to the bar or jumping in a line for food. Unfortunately, the smell of fresh paint masked the delectable scent of barbeque.

As we were meeting some friends, we headed to the bar. An amazingly quick study of our names, the bartender was very nice, providing menus and offering to take our order when we were ready to eat. As hot cuts of smoked meats, big baked potatoes and stuffed sandwiches hit the tables around us, our stomachs started to growl. It was time to eat!

I ordered the four meat combo with pork loin, turkey, sliced beef and ribs with a side of potato salad and beans. (I figured if you’re gonna try it, you gotta try it all.) When it arrived, the plate looked good but sans the ribs. Not a big deal. Informed of the oversight, the staff had the ribs at the table in seconds.

As it was a combo, I was really expecting a lot more food. It was basically two slices of everything for $13.99. The potato salad was very flavorful and creamy, but it had big cubes of undercooked potatoes. The beans were a little bland, as though something was missing. And none of the meat really popped. The pork loin looked like roast beef and it was not too bad when you slathered it in Phil’s spicy barbeque sauce. The sliced beef, however, didn’t have a very strong smoke ring and was dry. Without barbeque sauce, the sliced beef would have been hard to swallow, but it was still better than my girlfriend’s chopped beef. Basically, it was just over charred chunks of brisket and fat, which she refused to eat it.

The turkey actually was pretty good. I would have preferred it to be a bit more peppery, but it was juicy and I liked it. I saved the ribs for last and right away noticed something was wrong. I like my rib meat to fall off the bone, there was barely any meat on these ribs. I’ve gotten more meat out of crawfish than the ribs I was served. Very disappointing.

Just as everyone was finishing their plates, I realized the whole meal was missing something: the ubiquitous Texas barbecue condiments of bread, onions, pickles and peppers. Those would of really helped the meal. (And, yes, we should have asked.) As we were leaving, I walked around to the other side of the restaurant where I found the condiment bar.

Phil’s isn’t really different than your average barbeque restaurant. On opening day, the staff was flawless but the food not so much. So I will give them a month to work out the kinks and then go back to make my final decision.

After the success of the Texas Tequila Throwdown in January the public kept asking, what’s next? Being a one man show has its setbacks and it takes time to put together a great event. Granted the Texas Tequila Thowdown was put together in about three weeks, it was my first large scale event outside of the bar and nightclub scene and I learned a lot of things from it. After the dust started to clear I looked back at the event and thought about how I could overcome some of the challenges that I faced and what type of event I could host next. I wanted to stay true to my cause and support local and help raise donations for a charity. After months of planning the Texas Vodka Throwdown was born and this time it would be benefiting the Houston Food Bank.

Nine Texas vodka companies were called but only seven accepted the challenge. Bert “Tito” Beverage started it all and was the first person to begin distilling in Texas. As years went by Texas has exploded with new distilleries all across the state. Here you can find vodkas, whiskeys and rums competing with the more popular commercial brands on shelves. My goal was to bring some national attention to Texas and the vodkas that are representing the lone star state all while raising donations for the Houston Food Bank.

The day finally arrived and everyone was showing up to see who would be crowned the best vodka in Texas. Seven neutral spirit vodkas and two tea infused vodkas arrived to sample their products out to the public but their fate was to be judged by a blind tasting panel made up of members from the Houston bar and restaurant industry as well as writers and reporters from the local press. Almost an hour before the doors were opened, guests were already arriving with bags of donations in their hands. As soon as the doors were opened the crowd flowed into the Caroline Collective and practically filled the building to capacity. There were so many donations coming in that the Houston Food Bank donation boxes were nearly full within the first hour. As guests continued to arrive the temperatures in the room started to rise, people poured out into the back courtyard to mingle and enjoy the hot July weather which seemed to be cooler than inside the venue. The A/C was blowing at its highest setting but no air conditioning unit could cool off the body heat of over 500 attendees. While the heat was a problem to some, many blew it off and enjoyed the event. This was the first time an event like this had ever happened in Houston and it was a great chance to sample all of the major brands of Texas vodka including DeLos Vodka (Lewisville, TX), Dripping Springs Vodka (Dripping Springs, TX), Famous Vodka (Austin, TX), Hudson Ferus (San Antonio, TX), Savvy Vodka (Austin, TX), Tito’s Vodka (Austin, TX) and Zodiac Vodka (Richardson, TX) along with the tea infused vodka companies Deep Eddy Sweet Tea Vodka and Graham’s Texas Tea both from Austin, TX.

As the judging began it was anyone’s guess who would come out on top. Out of the seven neutral spirit vodkas competing, Tito’s Vodka had the most to lose. Being the first company in Texas they had a lot of new competition that was out for blood and were all looking to walk away with the title of “Best Texas Vodka”. Fifteen judges went through the seven samples and were asked to pick their favorite based on their pallets preference. The sample cups were tallied up and with seven votes out of fifteen, Tito’s Vodka was crowned the best in Texas followed by DeLos Vodka with four votes and Savvy Vodka in 3^rd with two votes. The judges weren’t done yet, there were two tea infused vodka and only one was going to walk away the best. The judges were given two sample cups and with an eleven out of the fifteen votes Dripping Springs Sweet Tea Vodka dominated their competition.

As the event came to a close it was one for the record books. The Houston Food Bank raised over 2000lbs of food and one of the largest food donations they had ever received from an event like this. It was a first for the Caroline Collective as well, they had never had a crowd that large and it was a great chance for Houston to view the nonprofit hub for artists and free thinking types. It was also great to see people of all different age groups, sexual orientations and nationalities coming together for a great cause. When you put it all together it makes for a pretty successful event.

Neutral Spirit Vodka

Sample 1: Dripping Springs Vodka

Sample 2: Hudson Ferus Vodka

Sample 3: Zodiac Vodka

Sample 4: Famous Vodka

Sample 5: Tito’s Vodka (1^st Place)

Sample 6: Savvy (3^rd Place)

Sample 7: DeLos Vodka (2^nd Place)

Tea Infused Vodka

Sample 1: Graham’s Texas Tea (2^nd Place)

Sample 2: Deep Eddy Sweet Tea Vodka (1^st Place)

Photography by Pauline Alderete. For more pictures please click here.

Some people see gentlemen’s clubs as seedy places where old horny perverts go to eye-bang pretty young girls that they would never have a shot at. While I’m sure there are some places out there like that, I was lucky enough to come across a couple of decent upscale clubs. Personally when it comes to strip clubs, I’m a novice. I’ve never seen the point of paying for overpriced beer and getting all turned on and then going home alone. It’s kind of like going to Hooters, except that the food is better at the gentlemen’s clubs.

I find it hard to believe you can get a good meal in a gentlemen’s club, but I hear tons of people praising it. So I decide to do some investigative work. I have to admit the idea of eating at gentlemen’s clubs seems a little unsanitary. Going into this I was expecting to get a free side order of “crabs” with every meal. All I could do was pray I was wrong!

Working in the nightlife industry, I’ve heard people talking for years about heading to The Men’s Club on Friday and Saturday after 2 a.m. for the club’s amazing breakfast buffet. This, I imagined, would be a great place to start.

Granted, I hit up the spot on a Tuesday evening during happy hour so the place was a little empty. The best part was that there was no cover charge during happy hour and wells/domestics were only $1.50. As a broke Mexican, I thought this was too good to pass on.

As I made my way to the buffet table, I felt a little duped. There were only three things from which to choose, so I took one of each. With a stuffed potato skin, a slice of pepperoni pizza and a boneless buffalo chicken breast patty on my plate, I grabbed a beer and found a seat. Lovely women walked around wearing almost nothing and there I was sitting all alone with my food and notepad. I bet I looked strange, but then again it is a gentlemen’s club and I’m pretty sure they get plenty of weirdos now and again.

Now why was I here? Oh, yeah the food.

The potato skin was overcooked and dry as the desert; the pizza was soggy and the crust was rubbery; the buffalo chicken was covered in a tangy, vinegary barbecue sauce. I was let down by the food, but pleased with the cheap beer and nice array of women. I was shocked to see that the Men’s Club lacked a pole on stage and all of the dancers wore pasties covering up the goods. Had the chicken tasted more like a boneless hot wing, I would have preferred that over the latex-covered breasts. I finished my beer (in no hurry, of course) and headed out the door. I’ll have to come back for their ballyhooed breakfast buffet to see what the hype is about because the happy hour buffet was a fail.

For the next stop, I needed a place that could redeem the last I hoped the Penthouse Club would answer my prayers.

Walking in, you are greeted by a beautiful door girl whose charm takes the sting out of the $6 cover. Something about this place seems classy and inviting. It exudes cleanliness. With tons of seating and beautiful aquariums around the room, you almost forget that you’re at a men’s club. (Well, minus the big stage with a pole.)

A hostess escorted me to my seat as I eyed the happy hour buffet. It was an impressive selection that included a salad buffet. The club offered $1.50 domestics and wells during happy hour, so I ordered a drink and then filled my plate with hot buttered rolls, baked chicken, fried boneless chicken breast, turkey and gravy with rice and steamed veggies.

The Penthouse Club
I have to admit that club’s beautiful women made it pretty hard to concentrate on the food but, again, I am a professional. So I ate quickly so I could enjoy the show!

The food was rather good. The baked chicken was tender and falling off the bone. While the fried chicken breast was your average frozen patty, the turkey and gravy was excellent. I couldn’t really find anything about this place I didn’t like.

While sitting there I struck up a conversation with a regular at the Penthouse who also is a big fan of the club’s food.

“The wings are great and flavorful and their Club sandwich is to die for,” the patron said, even mentioning the chef by name. “This place (Penthouse Club) knows how to treat their customers, they have great service, good prices and damn good food, and it’s why I keep coming back.”

How could you argue with that?

During the visit, I had a chance to speak with Tom Jones, director of operations at the Penthouse Club. (And, yes, it was pretty hard not to break into What’s New Pussycat. Tom was a great guy and appeared to really like his job. He spoke highly of his chef, who has worked for the club for about 10 years. Tom introduced me around and made me feel very welcome. If I ever get in the mood to hit up a gentlemen’s club … great staff, good food, cheap drinks and beautiful women. What more could you want?

It started to get late and happy hour was coming to a close. I was on a mad dash to find one last stop: Joy of Houston on the northwest side near Jersey Village. Word was that Joy offered a happy hour buffet until 9 p.m.

Upon arrival I was turned off by the location. There diesel yard next door and the pink neon lighting made it seem like one of those “seedy” places everyone talks about. Heading in, I went through a metal detector and was patted down. Now I was a little nervous.

The person at the door let me know that happy hour was still going strong but there was a cover charge of $13! Shocked at the hefty price, I was thinking this better be a damn good place. A hostess showed me to a table where I learned about the happy hour drink prices: $3.75 for domestic and wells. That was high, but the biggest letdown was that there was no buffet!

At this point, I’m pretty pissed and ready to bail but the sign on the wall says there is a two-drink minimum. This place seemed like a money trap and I wasn’t very happy about it. But my mission meant that I had to try the food.

I asked for a menu from the hostess who already was asking if I wanted another drink. Mind you, I had only taken two sips from the one she brought me only 5 minutes ago. The menu selection was what you would expect to find at any ol’ bar. Asked for an opinion, she related that “the spaghetti was OK and the cheeseburger was good, too.” Underwhelmed, I ordered the cheeseburger and sat back to soak in the club.

One big appeal of Joy is that here the dancers didn’t have to wear latex pasties. The crowd seemed to be much older than those at the other clubs and the dancers here seemed a little desperate. The overall quality was pretty far south of the Penthouse and the Men’s Club. Just as my food arrived, a dancer fell into my lap — literally. I kind of sat there frozen, not really knowing what to do. While she was cute, she had a ghetto accent so harsh that it made her hard to understand. After I turned down a dance she jumped off my lap and into the seat in front of me.

While I didn’t want to be rude and eat in front of her, I listened to what she had to say. It was kind of annoying as she kept asking me to buy her a shot. So I did, in hopes that she would move on to someone who wanted the attention. (Should I have been shocked to find out that the shot was $9.50?) My burger sat there getting cold and exposed to whatever was floating in the air as I sipped on my beer and the dancer told me all her problems.

She kept spreading her legs to entice me for a dance but her loose G-string kinda made the thought of eating a turnoff. After a good 20 minutes of propositioning gone awry, she stumbled away and onto the stage. I took this as my chance to down the burger and head for the door. The burger was decent; it made me think of something from McDonald’s. I knew I wasn’t going to get some gourmet burger, but I’ve had better burgers at bowling alleys.

I closed my tab and almost cried when I saw the damage. The place made me fully remember why this isn’t my scene.

Over a thousand people flocked to Austin, Texas for the Great Austin Beer Festival. With over 40 breweries, patrons were able to sample to their hearts delight. If you were lucky enough to get in the doors early you didn’t have to stand in that block long snake of a line plus you were able to score a plastic keepsake sampling glass. Everyone was given a card and you were only allowed 10 samples of beer. With over 40 breweries and each carrying at least two different styles of beer people were a little disappointed, but the buzz going around was that you could get another card if you were still sober so a few beer nuts suggested getting another card before you even start drinking. After our third sample the pourers stopped marking our cards and no one seemed to care how much you drank, I suppose as long as you held your composure then all was good. The Austin Music Hall isn’t all that big and with booths for all of the breweries it made for a pretty jam packed event. The lines were long but moved pretty quickly and standing in the line wasn’t all that bad because everyone was very friendly and eager to talk about beer. Overall I think the Great Austin Beer Festival was a great event and I think we need more like it. It’s always good to see the hometown boys of St. Arnold proudly represented and we even ran into our good friends over at No Label Brewing Co. who told us they are expected to have the majority of things rolling by the end of this year. There were so many great beers at the festival and the patrons seemed pretty happy with the breweries involved but personally I would have liked to see a heavier Texas concentration. I’m pretty positive most of us have tried beers like Sam Adams, Dos XX and Shiner; I was really hoping to see more craft breweries represented but all in all I think it was a great event and I had a great time. Cheers!

So I just found out this morning that Bite Me Houston has been nominated as one of the Best Local Bloggers in the Click2Houston Best of Houston contest. I am very honored to be nominated for this award and I want to thank everyone for their support. Please head over to http://ctvr.us/bitemehouston and cast your vote now!