Hidden away in a small shopping center in Pasadena is Little Tokyo, a tiny and intimate Japanese restaurant specializing in sushi. The menu is extensive, offering a wide variety of sushi, sashimi, rolls, soups and salads, noodle dishes, and Bento boxes. The portions are large, and the prices are reasonable.

The fresh, made-to-order preparations mean your food may take awhile to arrive, but diners say it’s worth the wait. Regulars recommend sitting at the sushi bar to watch the chefs prepare your food. While you won't find a full bar here, Little Tokyo offers reasonably priced beers, wine, and sake. Because the restaurant is so small, it’s always busy and crowded, so be sure to make a reservation.

Take-out is available, and reservations are accepted. The restaurant is closed on Sundays.

Little Tokyo
6737 Fairmont Parkway
Pasadena, TX 77505
(281) 991-9400
http://www.littletokyosushi.net
http://www.yelp.com/biz/little-tokyo-pasadena

CC-BY-SA-2.0/Flickr/ksayer1

The simple, red exterior and no-nonsense wooden interior of Andy’s BBQ in Pasadena says you’re in for the real deal: authentic, unpretentious Texas barbecue. The brisket is tender, the ribs are smoky and slathered with sauce, and the chopped beef sandwiches are full of flavor. Sides include coleslaw, baked potato salad, fried okra, and more.

The prices are reasonable: a three meat BBQ plate with your choice of meat and served with bread, pickles, onions, and two sides will cost you less than $12. Don't skip dessert as the eatery offers a variety of Southern sweets, like cobblers with ice cream (there’s even a Cobbler of the Day!), pies, and banana pudding with Nilla Wafers.

Andy’s BBQ closes at 8 p.m. every day, so plan accordingly. Andy's is closed on Sundays. Take-out and delivery are available.

Andy’s BBQ
2826 Dedman Street
Pasadena, TX 77503
(281) 487-7388
http://www.andyshawgwildbarbque.com
http://www.yelp.com/biz/andys-bbq-pasadena-2

Public Domain/Public Domain

What do you buy for the coffee enthusiast friend who seems to have every type of coffee pot, French press, or single cup coffee maker on the market today? How about these innovative coffee gifts?

AeroPress
The AeroPress brewing method may look a bit like a high school science experiment, but it brews rich, bold coffee in just 20 seconds. The device immerses ground coffee completely in hot water quickly and efficiently to extract all of the beans’ flavors without the bitterness of more time-consuming methods, and it results in a much lower acidity than traditional coffee brewers.

Toddy
Cold brewed coffee is one of the trendiest types of coffee in cafes today, beloved for its concentrated caffeine and low acidity level. The Toddy system takes hours to brew delicious coffee by using time instead of heat. The smooth, rich taste and lack of bitterness makes it well worth the wait.

Baratza Encore
The Barazta Encore is an efficient grinder that features 40 unique grind settings, including fine espresso-style texture and coarse grinds for pour-over brewing. Its minimal parts make cleaning the machine fast and easy, and its quiet motor isn’t as abrasive as many other at-home coffee grinders.

Public Domain/Public Domain