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The People's Guide to Houston Restaurants

By Donny Ray & Diana Oliver

It's almost here! Yes, we are almost finished with the book that is not only going to tell you the best local places to eat, but it's going to save you from a lot of bad meals too, because we also tell you which restaurants to avoid. We've certainly had our share of bad meals, but we've discovered some real gems as well, that not too many people know about. Restaurants of all price ranges will be included in the guide. Besides Houston, all areas in the Greater Houston area are included, such as Heights, Bellaire, The Woodlands, Spring, Katy, Cypress, Humble, and Galveston.
All restaurant visits are done anonymously. All reviews are honest, straightforward, and to the point. Our primary focus is on the food therefore we give a restaurant its rating depending on the taste and quality of their food. We don't believe an upscale or fine dining ambiance should give a restaurant a higher rating, especially if their food is not up to par. Neither should hype, which many restaurants seem to generate. However, we do tell you about each restaurant's ambiance, along with their price range, quality and type of service, hours of operation, and other pertinent information.

Features in the book include:

Listings in alphabetical order so restaurants are easy to find in the book
The cuisine served
Succinct descriptions so you don't have to wade through a lot of verbiage
Reliable, honest, informative descriptions
General ratings are Highly Recommended, Recommended, Good, Fair, and Not Recommended
At a glance one can see the part of town that they're located
Addresses, plus the cross street (or between which 2 major streets); more information is given if they are hard to find
Key Map locator number
Hours of operation
Price range: C for cheap (most entrees under $9), M for moderate (most entrees $10-17), E for expensive (most entrees $18 or more)
Recommended dishes are suggested for many restaurant listings
We tell you if they serve beer, wine, have a liquor license, or BYOB
WiFi if applicable
Web site if they have one
And other important information such as if restaurants would be good choices to take a date and if they have healthy dining choices

We don't have an exact count of restaurant listings since the book is not finished but it will be about 1000 different listings. Our estimated time of completion is late summer. So far the price is undetermined, but it will be around $20.

Here are 4 examples (out of approximately 1000 listings) found in the guide:

Baccailis Café American C-M 446L 3950 N Fry at Clay, SE corner

Good M-F 9-9:30; Sa 7-9:30; Su 7-5 281-579-1828 Katy

Pronounced Ba CALL eeze, this attractive restaurant has inexpensive and delicious homestyle food if you know what to get: chicken fried steak, meatloaf, pork chops and anything with the cream gravy. Mashed potatoes and green beans are the best sides. Breakfast is good too, but skip their pies. Patio.

Fu Fu Café Chinese C 529H 9889 Bellaire 1 bl E of Bltwy 8, S side, behind Re/Max

Recommended Daily 10a-2a 713-981-8818 Chinatown

This simple little 13-table cafe is quite popular, so go off-peak. True to the Beijing-style, lots of 'snacks' can be had for just a few dollars, such as green onion pancake for $1.99 (great alone or to sop up juices). Any of the well prepared dumplings, especially pan fried pork, are delicious meals in themselves. For a fun treat, try their steam pork bun (A24), only $2.99 for 4 of them. Commonly referred to as soup dumplings, they are filled with hot soup and meat. Let one cool, then pop the whole thing in your mouth or bite off one end. Also good: A38) pork with flat clear noodles, 74) sizzling chicken, 90) green beans with minced pork. Service is often slow, so don't go when in a hurry. No credit cards accepted.

Piazza Italian, Eclectic C-M 488K 1275 Eldridge between Memorial & Briar Forest

Recommended M-Th 11-9; Fr-Sa 11-10 281-589-7177 Eldridge/West Oaks

This large, bright, spotless, fast-casual eatery has a hands-on owner that has ensured this place only improves with time. Skip the pizza and order anything from their whiteboard. You can't beat their crabcakes, roasted chicken salad (with cranberries, walnuts & goat cheese), and asparagus appy. Paninis, pastas, and soups shine too. Delicious coffee. Good-sized portions. Counter service. Take home a Saran-wrapped dream bar, at the counter; they are some kind of good! Patio. BYO- $5 fee

Thai Racha Thai fast-food C 450W 10085 Long Point at Gessner

Fair M-Sa 11-9; Su 12:30-8 713-464-7607 Spring Branch

You can eat for about $5 at this mom-and-pop dive. With only a few menu choices, the Kee Mow (Basil) Chicken is probably the best item. Food tends to be a bit greasy but in a tasty way. Entrees come in 2 sizes and you get it in Styrofoam take-out containers after about 10 minutes. Fast-food atmosphere; there is even a drive-thru. Service is friendly. Room temperature is usually hot in the summer and cold in the winter. No credit cards accepted.

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