Masraff’s: Elegant Houston Dining

A sleek, modern setting and an elegant menu of dining options are offered at Masraff’s. The expansive wine list offers a huge number of varietals by the glass and bottle to complement your meal.

Starters include sumptuous taste bud primers like Ahi Tuna Tartare with tobiko vinaigrette, Wild Mushroom Ravioli in truffled lemon sage broth, and Chilled Colossal Crab with horseradish aioli. The entrée menu features New Zealand Venison with aged balsamic blackberry glaze, Roasted Peking Duck Breast with sherry gastrique, and Coffee Rubbed Filet Mignon with bacon veal reduction, among other choices. Warm Double Chocolate Fondant with vanilla bean ice cream is just one of the tantalizing dessert offerings.

Masraff's is open Monday through Saturday.

Masraff's
1753 Post Oak Boulevard
Houston, TX 77056
(713) 355-1975
www.masraffs.com/
www.yelp.com/biz/masraffs-houston

Sip Sake, Nibble a Godzilla Roll at Uptown Sushi

Like your raw fish in an uber-modern, elegant setting? That’s what you’ll get at Uptown Sushi.

Settle in with a martini, sake, beer, or glass of wine and a yummy starter like chipotle yuzu prawns or tuna tataki. If a plate of beautifully crafted raw fish is your thing, order the Godzilla Roll with salmon, white onion, fresh jalapeno, and green Tabasco, or the Spicy Yellowtail Roll with jalapeno, avocado, spicy sprouts, yellowtail, parmesan, tamari. The entree menu features sumptuous fare like Shichimi Snapper with shichimi spice, garlic and miso-chipotle beurre reduction, and Curried Chicken Karaage – ginger marinated chicken, deep fried and sauteed in curry sauce. Open every day.

Uptown Sushi
1131 Uptown Park Boulevard
Houston, TX 77056
(713) 871-1200
uptown-sushi.com
yelp.com/biz/uptown-sushi-houston

Bubba’s Texas Burger Shack: Unique Houston Burgers

Bubba’s Texas Burger Shack prides itself on its Buffalo Burger. What’s so great about buffalo? For one thing, it’s leaner than beef, which means it’s lower in cholesterol and calories. It’s also higher in protein, is grass fed, and is free of hormones, antibiotics and other additives.

You can have either buffalo or beef in your burger, your choice, they’re both well-regarded by regular diners. They come with the usual add-ons, including cheese, bacon, chili, mushrooms, and salsa. Veggie Burgers, Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, Hot Dogs, and a BLT are also on the menu. Sides include Baked Potato, Garden Salad, Buffalo Chili, Frito Pie, Jalapeno Potato Salad and Chips. You can also stop by from 2 until 7 on weekdays for Happy Hour specials.

Visit Bubba's website to learn more about this Houston burger spot!

Bubba's Texas Burger Shack
5350 Westheimer Road
Houston, TX 77056
(713) 783-7270
www.bubbastexasburgershack.com
www.yelp.com/biz/bubbas-texas-burger-shack-houston

New Facebook Sweepstakes! Enter to Win an iPad Mini!

To enter the Sweepstakes, Like our Facebook Page and then look for the Sweepstakes tab (image shown below) located on our Facebook Page to enter. Sweepstakes ends October 31, 2014.

For mobile users ONLY, like our Facebook Page, and then click here to enter!

Feel a Cold Coming On? Load Up on These Surprising Vitamin C-Rich Foods!

If you feel a cold coming on, there are few better natural remedies than to eat foods that are high in Vitamin C. Orange juice is a popular option, but you can also take advantage of the high levels of Vitamin C in a wide variety of other fruits and vegetables. Here are just a few of the best sources of Vitamin C for the next time you’re feeling a bit under the weather.

  1. Papaya. Papayas are just as sweet and refreshing as oranges, and they contain 95.6 milligrams of Vitamin C in just one small fruit. Papayas are also rich in Vitamin A and dietary fiber. To get even more of this valuable vitamin, mash enough papaya to fill one cup; it provides about 140 milligrams of Vitamin C.
  2. Broccoli. Whether you toss it into a stir fry or eat it raw as a snack, broccoli is another great source of beneficial Vitamin C. One 148-gram serving provides about 132 milligrams of C vitamins that boost your immune system and prevent illness.
  3. Kale. Kale isn’t just a trendy so-called “superfood,” it actually does provide a whole slew of health benefits. Just two cups of chopped kale offers 160.8 milligrams of Vitamin C, as well as large amounts of Vitamins A and K, phytonutrients, and fiber.

Surprising Sources of Vitamin C [Berkeley Wellness]
7 Surprising (and Delicious) Sources of Vitamin C [Care2]
7 Foods With More Vitamin C Than an Orange [Huffington Post]

Happy Labor Day!

We hope everyone has a happy and safe Labor Day!

Houston Dairymaids: A Gourmet Cheese Shop

Cheeses of all varieties can be found at Houston Dairymaids, a specialty cheese shop on Airline Drive. For the past seven years, Houston Dairymaids has brought local, hand-made cheeses unlike any other to the city’s specialty foods community, seeking out products made from unpasteurized milk to offer customers excellence in flavor. Working strictly with Texas cheesemakers sets this market apart from other specialty food stores, giving recognition to some of the state’s best cheesemakers.

Houston Dairymaids is open Tuesdays through Sundays to sell cheese, honey, Slow-Dough breads, fine wines, and craft beers. Learn the subtle differences between Scarmoza and Mozzarella or which cheeses pair well with your favorite wines. Houston Dairymaids is a great place to indulge in your passion for delicious dairy products while you stock up on your favorites or pick up a few to give as gifts.

Houston Dairymaids
2201 Airline Drive
Houston, TX 77009
(713) 880-4800
www.houstondairymaids.com
www.yelp.com/biz/houston-dairymaids-houston-2

Cafe Piquet: Cuban Cuisine

Café Piquet serves up a splendid selection of authentic Cuban fare in a rustic indoor-outdoor setting. The expansive menu gives you plenty to choose from, including sandwiches, soups, salad and appetizers. You can get your meal started with a refreshing libation and an appetizer like Croquetas de Jamon – ham croquettes, Calamares Fritos – fried calamari, Tostones – fried green plantains, or Papas Rellenas – stuffed potatoes.

The classic Cuban sandwich, the Cubano, with Swiss cheese, ham, pork & mustard on a French roll, is always a great choice. Entrees include Pernil – oven roasted pork with garlic sauce, Ropa Vieja – shredded beef cooked in tomato wine sauce, Camarones Enchilados – shrimp Creole, and Pollo ala Plancha – grilled chicken breast.

Cafe Piquet is open every day in a spot not too far away from The Marq on Voss.

Café Piquet
5757 Bissonnet Street
Bellaire, TX 77401
(713) 664-1031
www.cafepiquet.net
www.yelp.com/biz/cafe-piquet-bellaire

Harvest Organic Grille: Fresh Food in Houston

Harvest Organic Grille offers diners a delicious menu of healthy, fresh, sustainable fare. They accommodate a variety of dietary styles with 36 gluten-free, 25 vegetarian, and 27 dairy-free dishes. Meat, chicken and seafood dishes are all sustainably raised and free of hormones and other additives. A nice selection of freshly squeezed juice drinks are also on the menu.

Pasta and sandwiches are offered, along with pizza and burgers. Entrees on Harvest's menu include Wild Caught Pacific Red Snapper, Chicken Parmesan, Harvest Skewers with your choice of chicken, beef, shrimp or swordfish, Jalapeno Salmon, and a Grass Fed Steak of the Day. Sides include Wild Rice, Broccolini, Sauteed Swiss Chard, Baked Potato, Green Beans, and Pineapple Quinoa. Beer, wine and cocktails are served.

Just a short drive from The Marq on Voss, Harvest Organic Grille is open daily.

Harvest Organic Grille
1810 Fountain View Drive
Houston, TX 77057
(713) 243-0900
www.harvestgrille.com/
www.yelp.com/biz/harvest-organic-grille-houston-3

Memorize These Cooking Terms Before Tackling That New Recipe

One of the first steps in becoming an expert in the kitchen is having a thorough understanding of each cooking term on a recipe. After knowing your ingredient, being able to read and follow a recipe correctly is important in how the dish turns out. Here are four must-know kitchen terms to help you out.

  1. Meuniere. This term refers to an ingredient, like poultry or fish, being dredged in flour, then sauteed in butter.
  2. Hull. When preparing a fruit salad, you may be asked to hull the berries, which means to remove the green stems and leaves.
  3. Macerate. Soften and sweeten fruits by macerating them, which means to cover them with lemon juice or liqueur until they have absorbed the flavor.
  4. Proof. Before baking bread, you may need to proof the yeast. This tests if the yeast is still active by dissolving it in warm water with sugar or honey for five minutes to see if it foams or bubbles.

The Basic Kitchen: Glossary of Cooking Terms [Le Petites Gourmettes]
Glossary of Cooking Terms [Better Homes and Gardens]
Cooking Terms [Recipe Goldmine]
Glossary of Cooking Terms [Cookery]
Culinary Terms: Food Dictionary and Glossary of Cooking Terms [Culinary Arts About.com]

Pin It on Pinterest