Frenchy's open, Acacia closed, Lotus gets a rave - UPDATED 9/1/17

The Frenchy's Fried Chicken on the Beltway at West Bellfort is open for business.  Frenchy's has been adding locations all over town.  UPDATE:  THIS LOCATION HAS NOW BECOME WALLA-BEES - THE STING IS IN THE WINGS.

Acacia Food Market, the ambitious and impressive Turkish market on Wilcrest at the Southwest Freeway has closed. Correction:  Acacia just moved, just south of 59 at 11821 S. Wilcrest, back behind a Popeye's, in a big strip center with an Office Depot and Dollar General.

Another option for Turkish foods is Makkah Mart, 10560 Synott @ West Bellfort, Sugar Land, and, of course, Phoenicia on Westheimer. Makkah Mart is now known as Anatolia.

Lotus Seafood Market, 8550 S. Braeswood at Gessner got a rave review in Houstonia Magazine.  It's rare for any place in our part of town to even be noticed by the foodie media.  Dining in accommodations are very basic.  The tales of long lines are true and the parking lot is usually crammed; it's best to call in an order and get it to go.  Lotus Seafood Market on Facebook.  There are pictures of the menu.

Ruchi's Taqueria on Gessner between 59 and Beechnut has become Jabastian's.

Edit to add:

I drove by the former Sheba Cafe location, 6521 Bissonnet @ Hillcroft, and saw the 'Open' sign lighted in the window again.  I found a Facebook page.  It's now called Habesha Cafe, an Eritrean restaurant, and apparently it's been open all along.  The sign in the window says it's open 7 days a week.  They must neglect to turn on the Open sign many days! 

Panaderia y Pupuseria La Sultana has moved into the space formerly occupied by Panaderia Mexicana & Colombiana, 6039 Bissonnet.  La Sultana was for a long time located in the center at Beechnut and Bissonnet that has been razed for an Aldi.  It also housed a Central American grocery store at the former location but I don't know if that's the case here.

Mido, the Turkish/Middle Eastern sandwich shop at 6905 Bissonnet has closed.

Openings and Closings on the Southwest Side

Bansuri Indian Food Corner is currently closed and will be re-opening in Sugar Land.  The way I read the announcement on the website, it seems they're going all brick and mortar on us eventually.

A new truck has been parked in Bansuri's long time spot on S. Wilcrest, Yashoda Chat Express, and has a menu posted that is very similar to what Bansuri offered.  I haven't caught it open yet.

The Chili Shak, Fondren at S. Braeswood has closed.  That is a location that has failed a couple of times now.

Yemeni Cafe, Beechnut at Wilcrest, has closed after only a few months.  The restaurant was a long way from where most of the Gulf States expats reside in Houston and drew little attention, I enjoyed a Fattah Lahm and some Yemeni tea there before it closed.

Mo's Knock-out Grill in the Medical Center area has closed.  I'm very sorry to see that one go.

Edit to add:  Pupusa Baleada Buffet has been open for several months at 7303 Bissonnett @ Lugary, apparently riffing on the success of the Pupusa Buffet restaurants on the SW side.  Actually a baleada buffet sounds like a good idea, I much prefer the Honduran over the Salvadoran specialty.  I haven't been.

Pupuseria Emanuel

5822 Telephone Rd.

I had to drop a friend off at Hobby recently and took the route down Telephone so we could get a Tex-Czech fix at the Original Kolache Shop. Heading on down the road I spotted Pupuseria Emanuel and remembered I’d read an Alison Cook review a couple of years back and had it on my list to try if I was ever over that way. So I dumped my so-called friend at the terminal, told him I’d call him if I wanted to pick him up when he got back to town, and headed back to tend to the important business of the day.

It's several notches below funky as far as ambiance goes - a couple of metal benches and a metal picnic table out front, more of the same in a screened-in but un-air conditioned dining room. The pupuseras work out of sight so you can't see or hear them patting out the pupusas but you can see them sizzling on the griddle. As I walked up to the window the entire griddle was covered with them - they were working on a large to-go order and it was ten minutes before they took mine.


The pupusas here are larger than most and excellent, not as greasy as some and with lots of filling and with some varieties not commonly seen. I got a couple of those - calabacito con queso and camaron con queso. The curtido is mildly brined, not overwhelmed by the vinegar as some are, and the salsa is shockingly spicy. At most Salvadoran places, the salsa is not much more than tomato sauce since Salvadoran's supposedly don't like spicy food, but this had a lot of heat. The pupusa de camaron y queso was the best. It was just tiny, frozen shrimp but they imparted a lot of flavor making this probably the most flavorful pupusa I've ever had. Too hot to pick up right off the griddle, of course; amazingly I got all the way home and they were still good and warm.

There are a couple of other unusual items on the menu - besides tamales de pollo and elote there is a tamale piques, which means a bean filling. I was going to order one of those, too, but they said they couldn't do that the day I was there. There are also some desserts including Nuegados con Miel - fried dough with honey, which sounds like a sort of a Salvadoran beignet.

Prices are a maybe little higher than most pupuserias but the pupusas are large. This is Central American comfort food at it's best.

There are English translations on the menu posted in the window for those who don't know much Spanish or Salvadoran food but the staff I encountered was not very fluent in English. There's a second location now on Edgebrook that is also a panaderia.

I couldn’t find Cook’s old review but did find my notes - she recommended the pastelitos. So I guess I’ll go back some time to try those and since I’m going to be in the neighborhood, I’ll go ahead and pick up that guy.

Vegetarian for a Week, Part 2

See the first part of this report here.

By Day 4 I was thinking wistfully of the Gujarati Thali at Sweet n Namkin but since that's no longer possible, I pulled a wild card out of the deck and went to Pupusa Buffet, previously mentioned here.

Salvadoran is not a cuisine that springs readily to mind when thinking of vegetarian options but I remembered the one time I went, to the original location on Bellaire just after it opened, I had liked the pupusa con queso y ayote best and I couldn't think of any other pupuseria that even offers one.

I arrived at the Hillcroft location just as lunch service was beginning. My pupusas were just being brought out of the kitchen as I ordered them - two squash and one loroco. Too hot to handle at first, and too soggy, I couldn't wait and dug into the first one using a fork. By the time I'd finished that one, the others were cool enough and dried out enough to pick up and eat. I discovered that the sogginess I had noted on my first visit is not just due to their being on a steam table - they come out of the kitchen that way.

I also got a big portion of the very vinegary curtido, surprisingly spicy for Salvadoran food with two kinds of chile peppers, both in escabeche, and the salsa picante.

Being vegetarian in Houston has got to include some vegetarian Indian and Pakistani fare and I had planned on going to Shiv Sagar for dabeli on Day 5 but got a late start on the day and didn't want to deal with the crowds in Little India on the weekends, so I headed over to Savoy Tika Kabob Restaurant and Grocery on Wilcrest for a couple of their great samosas - chunks of potato, peas, crushed spices, two kinds of chillis, I think - this is still my favorite of the samosas I've found, slightly larger and much spicier. I was going to get an assortment of pakoras, too, but they didn't have any on the menu. The samosas proved to be enough by themselves. The garlic chutney was very garlicky; I hardly bothered with the date/tamarind chutney.

On Day Six I had a jury summons for the afternoon sessions at the county courthouse. With not enough time to go to a restaurant for lunch I made a wrap at home with some of the markouk from Cedars Bakery using some vegetarian shrimp I had picked up recently at San San Tofu (made from milk whey protein), lettuce, daikon, cucumber, and, for lack of anything better, salsa. It was quite good. In fact, I made another one for dinner. I forgot to take pictures both times as I usually don't take pictures of my home meals, so that's just a picture of the markouk, right out of the bag, all folded up. The sheets unfold to 21" in diameter.

Go to the 3rd part of this report here.

Taqueria y Pupuseria El Invasor

11916 Bissonnet @ Kirkwood - Disappeared from this location present whereabouts unknown.


The Invader has arrived.

I was searching for some comfort food after discovering one of my favorite food trucks on the southwest side has disappeared and decided to try this new wagon. I've only been eating pupusas a few years but they're a nice simple, comforting food.

This very new wagohttp://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=4855897705208332617&postID=4936922517754362923n sits up very high - the sill outside the window is at least 5 feet off the ground. There's not much adornment other than a couple of pot plants on the sill (a rosemary plant and a bamboo plant). The menu is very simple; only three meats are listed for tacos, tortas, quesadillas, etc., pastor, fajita and lengua. There's a very short breakfast menu and only the words ricas pupusas.

I ordered a pupusa revuelta then got distracted by a cell phone call and didn't see if the pupusera made it from scratch (it's a point of pride with Salvadorans). There was a lady who spoke broken English on board but she left soon after I ordered and ever since, I've only had Spanish speaking servers. The pupusa was a beauty to behold, except for the lack of an appropriate to-go container. Nicely browned to a golden brown over most of the surface, a bit thicker and larger than most, a little crusty from the griddle. The interior, however, was puzzling - paste-like with no detectable pieces of meat and barely detectable cheese. I'd experienced this once before that I could remember at another place and did some digging. I looked pupusas up online and came upon an article in Wiki I'd never seen before saying that this is typical in El Salvador - cooked pork is ground to a paste-like consistency (this is what is called chicharron in El Salvador) for a pupusa revuelta.

The curtido was at room temperature but crisp, vinegary - not the best I've had but good. I also got two 1/4 c portions of salsas - a deep, reddish brown smokey one that had some good heat and a somewhat watery, creamy green one that was milder. This is unusual; the sauce usually served with pupusas is hardly more complex than canned tomato sauce. I concluded I had gotten the salsas meant to accompany the Mexican offerings by mistake.

When I get a craving for comfort food it usually takes 2 or 3 fixes to satisfy it and a couple of days later I decided to give this place another try.


I got another revuelta and a queso. This time I saw the pupusera take the raw dough out of a tub, pat it back and forth between her palms and place it on the griddle. Unfortunately, her back was turned to me the whole time (if you stand on the street side of the cart, you should be able to watch). The finished products weren't as beautiful to behold as the other one had been (partly because I left them in the container until I got home and they got steamed and sweaty and a little soggy), nor quite as thick, but there were some detectable small pieces of meat in the revuelta and a little more noticeable cheese (queso fresco is used). I also found small pieces of dried chile pepper and what looked like minced carrot.

I got both the salsas again (the green one a bit more watery) and another surprise: those dark red pieces in the curtido are pieces of fiery, dried chile peppers, unchewably tough but with seeds. I've had a curtido before that was mildly spicy but I don't think I've ever had pieces of chile included.

A few days later I got the idea it would be interesting to see what this cart does with the Mexican version of a pupusa, a gordita. The dough was taken from the same tub, formed up and griddled while the meat (I chose fajita) was also taken out of a tub and warmed on the grill. The gordita wasn't thick enough and the knife not sharp enough and the gordita as presented was not very attractive and impossible to pick up without falling apart. The dough wasn't quite done enough and the meat mediocre with a somewhat pasty exterior.

I was asked what toppings I wanted and asked for cebolla y cilantro; I also wound up with a few shreds of lechuga and a slice of roma tomato. This time I got only the green salsa and it was thicker and as fiery as the red one had been before.

The price has been more than fair - the pupusas and gordita were only $1.50 each and you also get the salsas and a generous approximately 1 cup portion of curtido, even with just one pupusa.

I've become very fond of street food over the past year. There are lots of taco trucks around these days that offer pupusas but only a handful that I know of that include pupuseria in the name. Health Department records indicate a recent change of ownership for this cart. I'm guessing the new owner is Salvadoran and the old owner was Mexican.

I expect I'll hit El Invasor again from time to time but I'm going to stick with the pupusas. I think it's their forte. And I'll remember to open the take-out container for the trip home so the pupusas don't get steamed.

Pupusa Buffet - ?

5920-G Bellaire, esquina con Renwick

There are now several locations of this restaurant.

'Un Nuevo Concepto en Pupuseria' the business card says. I saw this and had to try it to find out what was up. A smallish place, very cramped inside, in a very new strip center amidst all that development along Bellaire. The sign on the building also says Cocina Latina so perhaps there was another restaurant in that space previously.

I wondered how the concept of pupusas off a buffet would jibe with Salvadoran pride in the fact their national treat is made fresh by hand? You pay up front, get a plate and go through a short line; it's not really a buffet, pupusas are dished out from covered bins by a server, then you help yourself to curtido and salsa (picante and no picante). There may have been refritos available, too, from the server but I didn't notice them. I expected them to be in the self-serve containers. Drinks are extra; tamales and I think tostones are also available for extra too.

You can see the pupuseras in the kitchen, as many as three at a time when I was there, patting out the pupusas which are held until needed, then cooked and passed to the front, so the time from raw dough to finished product to ready-to-eat product on your plate is not long, at least when the place is busy (it's been packed both times I've been there; in fact the first time I just peeked in and left as there were no seats available).

The curtido was crisp, well chilled, very vinegary, a little spicy, very good. I used so little of the salsa picante I didn't get enough of a taste.

I pointed to a pork and cheese bin; the server, who spoke no English (the cashier spoke good English) motioned to the pork/cheese/bean ones instead and I went with that, plus ayote y queso (squash). I don't know if there's a limit on how many you can order or if you can go back for seconds - that was all I wanted.

The pupusas weren't bad - there wasn't much pork in the first one but it was flavorful enough; the cheese and squash one was my favorite, plenty of cheese - I don't think I've ever had a vegetable pupusa before.

Unfortunately both were too soggy, both from the steaming effect of being in the covered bin a few minutes and from the juice of the curtido. It was impossible to pick them up and eat them out of hand as pupusas are supposed to be consumed, but that's a problem at many pupuserias anyway. Plastic ware is available although I had to search for the dispensers.

This is an interesting concept, useful perhaps if you're in a hurry and don't want to have to wait for table service at one of the numerous pupuserias in the immediate vicinity (4 that I know of). I was surprised to see it so busy both times given the proximity of other choices but convenience counts I guess. Both pupusas were certainly more flavorful than the frozen ones you can get at the supermarket.

Maybe they need to consider removing the covers from the bins on the steam table so the pupusas don't get steamed while waiting to be served?

The 'buffet' was $4.99, a tamarindo agua fresca was $1 extra.

Quick Bites IV

Pico’s Bakery, 5710A Bellaire, in the same center with Sabor and the former Alebrije

CLOSED!

I should probably write a full review of Pico’s but it’s already been covered by so many other bloggers and the newspapers that I feel I’d just be redundant. It’s a big treat though and if you’re familiar with Pico’s Mex-Mex down the street you should give this place a try.

I wasn’t that impressed with the Torta de Pierna I tried on my first visit (the fixings were kind of skimpy and the roll too large) but everything else I’ve had here has been excellent. One of my favorite things is the Chilorio Foot Long burrito; at only $2.25 their foot long burritos are a bargain. I’d never had Chilorio at the restaurant before and I’m kicking myself for that. I’ve also tried the Crazy Bill’s Breakfast taco. It’s an oversized tortilla and the sign says ‘don’t ask’ what’s in it but I believe it had eggs, cheese, tomato, potato, salchicha, chorizo, and a nice level of heat. If it had only had bacon it would have been perfect.


The baked goods are awesome, even better than El Bolillo I think, and I particularly appreciate that they’re labeled in the display cases. The Tres Leches is very good; moister and more dairy flavor than I believe I’ve ever had in a Tres Leches and they don’t rely on a surfeit of sugary icing for the appeal which resides in the cake itself.

I’ve also tried the tamales, $4.95 for a half dozen, chicken or pork; they’ve just recently added larger, banana-leaf wrapped tamales, also, for $1.95 each.

They serve Katz coffee and carry a small selection of Katz beans. The cookies are also excellent.

Pico's Bakery


Neveria La Michoacana, 2840 Broadway, just south of 610

I happened across this place on a blisteringly hot day and went in for some refreshment. It’s a very new place in a new strip center. It looks a lot like it might be a franchise outlet but they didn’t even have printed business cards or menus, much less a website.

They had about 2 dozen flavors of ice cream. I sampled several before settling on Nuez y Cajeta which they translated as Butter Pecan with Caramel. It didn’t have as much butter fat or pecans as Hank’s famous Butter Pecan and was very, very sweet but was good. They also have paletas and fruit cups.

Although they didn’t have a printed menu I did pick up a flyer that lists Nachos, Frito Pie, Elotes, Raspas, Cocktel de Frutas and Chicharron Preparados.

I was like a kid in an ice cream parlor (duh) and didn’t think to ask whether they make their own ice cream or not.


Pupuceria Ramirez, S. Post Oak, just north of W. Orem

I’ve seen this Salvadoran trailer many times in my trips to the south side and it’s usually doing a good business; I finally got around to stopping by recently. I had other plans for lunch so I just got one pupusa revuelta. It was done to a beautiful golden color on both sides and had more ‘crust’ than any pupusa I’ve ever had before, but the meat and cheese were minced and didn’t have a lot of flavor. The curtido was excellent, coarsely shredded cabbage the way I like it, very, very vinegary and with a surprising heat level. This was probably the spiciest curtido I’ve ever had at a Salvadoran place and the red sauce, which often times seems to be taken right out of a can of tomato sauce and unadulterated, likewise had some heat and a little chili flavoring. The menu on the side of the wagon was small and had several items I’d never seen before. I’ll probably stop back in to try more.

A note: Tacos Don Beto DF which I posted about in Quick Bites II has apparently moved on but there are a couple of new vendors along S. Post Oak, both named Sabrosos Tacos de Mexico DF. One is a truck park just a few doors from where Don Beto was located, in front of Variedades Sinai, a place which advertises pupusas, and a trailer parked at a Shell station about a quarter mile south of S. Main on S. Post Oak. I’ve discovered there is a commissary not far from the intersection of S. Post Oak and W. Orem where mobile food vendors go to restock and clean, etc. This may account for what seems a large number of mobile food vendors in the immediate vicinity, including dueling pollo asado wagons at the intersection of S. Post Oak and W. Orem, a pollo rostizado bus down near the Beltway, and at least one bbq truck. There used to be another Salvadoran trailer, also.


Tacos Garcia, a trailer on Bissonnet across from Sharpstown High School


THIS TRAILER HAS RECENTLY REAPPEARED AT THIS LOCATION AFTER BEING MISSING FOR SOME TIME.

Howard Rushing has posted about this place (and other finds on the SW side) on this thread on Roguefood and recently sent me some pictures, too.


Howard says he likes the cabbage included on the tacos along with the onions and cilantro. I haven’t tried this yet but it looks good to me.

I appreciate Howard sharing his finds with me. He takes some very good pictures.

A Couple of Pupuserias

La Pupusa Alegre
6209 Bellaire, near Rampart

This has been recommended to me several times on this blog and I finally got around to trying it recently, during the height of our heat wave when I hardly ever was going out. The interior of the low-slung building is very homey and time worn. It shares a rather cramped and uneven parking lot with a machine shop or auto garage or similar business. I sat where I could catch a glimpse of the lady in the kitchen, slapping the pupusa back and forth; I've only been able to witness that before at El Cuscatleco and it's a treat. I had the place to myself at about 1:30 in the afternoon and ordered a Tamal de Elote and Pupusa Revuelta.


I remember the first time I tried a tamal de elote thinking 'What the..., there's nothing in here,' but I've come to love them (corn is one of my favorite vegetables anyway) and this was a very good one with a very generous dollop of Crema Salvadorena.

This pupusa revuelta had perhaps more pork than any I've had and was very good; I particularly liked the charring. Another blogger has bragged on how un-greasy the pupusas here are and I found that to be true although this was too hot to pick up at first and by the time it cooled off enough to handle the bottom had gotten soggy and the filling broke through. This was a very good pupusa but I don't mind the greasier ones I've had.

This pupuseria keeps its curtido more or less at room temp as many do and it had fermented just a bit. Combined with the loroco that can make for a rather unpleasant taste to me; this one wasn't bad but I prefer a well chilled, crisp curtido.

Oh yes, I had a big glass of lemonade. I don't think it was fresh squeezed but it sure did hit the spot on that blistering, brutally hot day. The menu is rather small and they did not have a copy to go but I noted Bandeja Paisa, the Colombian combo plate, Carne Guisada, Ropa Vieja, Chile Relleno, and Tacos Alegres. The sign out front says Comida Salvadorena y Latino America.

La Pupusa Rica
9399 S. Gessner, between 59 and Bissonnet

I stopped in at this place for the first time today; it has been open about 6 months and is doing a good business. It's a very large, banquet hall-sized room.

I had a Tamal de Elote con crema, Pupusa Revuelta and Pan con Gallina or chicken sandwich.

The meal was preceded by chips (store bought I think, Doritos?) with a warm salsa; I've never had chips and salsa at a Salvadoran place before. The coffee came with a carafe for refills. I've never had that before either and it was a pretty good, basic coffee.

The steamed tamal had a cake-like texture; it was not very warm but good nonetheless. The crema had a pinkish tinge to it but I couldn't decide what the flavoring was; it had a whipped texture and was very good and there was a generous amount.


The pupusa was very thin and very big and seemed to include some yellow cheese, which is unusual. I could taste some pork flavoring but I'm not sure I ever encountered any actual shreds of meat. The pupusa tasted more like an American grilled cheese sandwich than any pupusa I've ever had, not that there's anything wrong with that.


The chicken sandwich was very good. A hollowed out, toasted bolillo with mayo and/or crema, curtido, chunks of tender, braised, seasoned chicken breast (a generous amount), with thick tomato, cucumber and radish slices. Despite being a very wet filling the bottom of the roll never gave way and the only drawback was the charred portion of the bread. Alas my picture doesn't show any of the chicken.

I had wanted to order the Empanada de Plantano, according to the menu a deep fried plantain puff stuffed with custard cream, but they weren't able to serve it so I went for the sandwich, which is on the appetizer menu, and I wound up with way too much to eat. I've had Salvadoran empanadas before and wouldn't have described them as puffs so I'm interested in going back to try this. What I've had were deep fried portions of plantain with a thick dairy filling which has been described to me as a milk cream.

The curtido was in a large jar on the tables and was very vinegary but you got a pasta fork to retrieve a portion with and could let it drain; mine was still pretty crisp. You can see the prongs of the pasta fork sticking up behind the sandwich in case anybody wondered what that is.

The service was very blah but I was able to coax both the waitress and the cashier into a smile.

I liked both of these pupuserias and likely will return to both. La Rica is just blocks from my home.

La Roca

Tamaleria, Pupuseria, Panaderia and Taqueria
6407 Bissonnet, right across from Bayland Park

There are more than 2 dozen Salvadoran restaurants listed on b4-u-eat and I’ve been to a third of them and this is my favorite. You can choose table service or some items are readily served from a steam table next to the cashier for quick in-and-out. I’ve done both.


The menu is pretty extensive. I’ve had the riquas which has been basically a thin, elongated corn fritter most times I’ve had it but on the most recent visit was drier, more like a corn pancake. I think this is produced by wrapping the dough or batter in a banana leaf and grilling it rather than steaming it. It’s served with a generous slab of a firm, slightly salty feta-like cheese, like the Mexican cotija but probably Queso Duro, or a dollop of crema Salvadorena. The first time I inquired about it the waitress brought over a plate to examine that had both the cheese and the crema and when she tried to take it away I insisted she leave it so I got both. You can get both for $1 extra but be advised it's a pretty good sized chunk of queso. It’s on the appetizer menu but I saved it for desert as it was quite sweet and so good.

Pupusas come with a variety of fillings, arroz (estilo olocuilta), queso, chicharron, loroco, frijoles, fajita, and, of course, revueltas (mixed) and are the best I’ve had. They’re served so hot you can’t pick them up like you’re supposed to. When they split and the oils from the cheese and meats spill out, it is like they were sauteed in butter.

The curtido is made of more coarsely shredded cabbage than others I’ve had and has sliced carrots instead of shredded and is very vinegary and a bright yellow color. You get an individual fresh serving of it rather than dipping out of a communal crock like at some pupuserias, which I appreciate, and it is the best I’ve had. Every time I’ve had it the vegetables have still been good and crisp.


Tamales are a specialty and are available in either pollo or puerco, both with potato. Some Salvadoran tamales have a gelatinous texture but La Roca’s are positively creamy and delicious - and very, very moist. They are among the best tamales I’ve ever had anywhere and quite addictive. These are served on the plantain leaf they’re steamed in with curtido and are also available piping hot on the steam table, individually wrapped in plantain leaf and foil and usually double-bagged by the cashier because they’re so moist. I stop by to pick one or two up sometimes for a snack and head for a table in the park across the street. You’ll need napkins for your hands just getting them open and a utensil to eat with - they can’t be picked up.

Another option is the tamal de elote. This is pure masa, served with a dollop of Crema Salvadorena. This didn’t seem all that interesting to me until on one visit I saw a tableful of young Salvadoran men having nothing else, 2 or 3 each, and wolfing them down with gusto, and I had to try them. These are served in the corn husk they’re steamed in; they’re very good but I find them a little less interesting and would like them better if steamed in the banana/plantain leaf, but I suppose that would be culinarily incorrect.

The aroma of fresh baked pastries coming from the Panaderia in back is a real plus and I seldom leave without picking up some baked goods. You can serve yourself from a large display of Salvadoran pastries and breads, unfortunately not labeled. You take a tray and a pair of tongs and take your selections to the cashier.

There’s also a small grocery section with a selection of Salvadoran products including coffees. They do not serve tea at La Roca, only coffee (one of El Salvador’s main exports) but I was surprised there are no coffee beans and mostly instant coffees for sale. In the cooler section you can find gallon jars and pillow packs of Crema Salvadorena or Hondurena, several Salvadoran and Honduran cheeses, tropical sodas and other products.

My waitresses have all been friendly and helpful though none of them were really fluent in English. The cashier usually speaks English.

The biggest drawback I’ve encountered is the limited parking. The place can be very busy and double-parking is common in the tiny lot. Signs indicate you might get towed if you park in the strip center next door, even though there are several vacancies among the shops, so be forewarned (La Roca used to be located a few doors west).

La Roca apparently supplies other eateries in town with both baked goods and tamales. I’ve seen their labeled baked goods at several places, taquerias and even other panaderias, and their tamales at carnicerias including Nortenito, on Bissonnet at Wilcrest and Carniceria La Michoacana # 27 further out Bissonnet and I presume you may find them at other locations of this extensive chain. These have been Mexican tamales, much spicier than those served at La Roca itself.

Ever since discovering the tamales here about a year and a half ago, they’ve been my favorite tamales in town, despite the blandness of Salvadoran foods. The creamy texture is like eating corn flavored whipped cream. However, having tasted the Colombian tamale at Las Delicias that has supplanted La Roca’s tamales as my favorite.

A blurb on the menu at El Pupusodromo down the street explains the importance of corn in Salvadoran cuisine: Pre-Colombian cultures believed that corn was a gift from their gods. Therefore, it was accepted as a holy meal. The preparation of the ground, the planting of the seed and harvesting the grain were considered a religious act.

La Roca does well by those ancient beliefs with it’s offerings.

Photo added 8/16/11 - Rigua, Empanada de Platano, Tamal Frita, Tamal de Pollo.

See comments on other tamales.

Cruising for Street Food: Bissonnet

Bissonnet - Chimney Rock to Synott

Taqueria Tampico Hermosa - @ Fondren (see Torta de la Barda on my blog; not the best example of this sandwich)

Garcia’s - just down and across from Sharpstown Hi - REPORTED ON PREVIOUSLY ON THIS BLOG BUT THIS UNIT IS SOMETIMES MISSING FOR WEEKS IN A ROW.

Mi Bonito Michoacan - between Gessner and S. Braeswood in front of a convenience store - looks like a twin to Laoxaqueno on Harwin but with a menu on the side. This one caught my eye because it lists enchiladas con guilotes and flautas con pollo - quail on a taco trailer? That’s unique. On the first visit I saw another menu that just lists enchiladas o flautas con pollo so maybe there’s no quail? The plates are $10 so I decided to spring for a couple of tacos on my first visit. The al pastor was very flavorful and juicy, relatively large chunks of tender meat, a little fatty and quite greasy - it was excellent although there was no hint of pineapple. The barbacoa was very bland by comparison; also comparatively larger pieces of meat and somewhat fatty. They were served on flour tortillas with lettuce and tomato - I wasn’t asked my preferences for either. The barbacoa had some peppers in it but no salsas accompanied the tacos. Another customer lauded the enchiladas and also the quesadillas, which are $5.

Taqueria La Tacasita - a big bus 1 block w. of BW 8 - been there for a long time, sometimes parked but not open for days or even weeks at a time. I went once; it was pretty Americanized fare. When open it does a good business.

Taqueria Mi Linda Huetamo # 1 - between Wilcrest and Kirkwood, sometimes not there, sometimes very busy; I’ve never stopped but I do think this is not the same owner as the excellent truck with the same name but # 2 on Hillcroft

Taqueria y Pupuseria El Invasor - 11916 Bissonnet. A new addition. (Reviewed on this blog).

Taqueria Vallarta - 12300 block just before Dairy Ashford In front of Carniceria La Michoacan # 28 - I went several times a couple of years ago attracted by the sign on the side proclaiming en estilo Tlaquepaque (an arts and crafts district in Guadalajara) which means the salsa has broth from the stewing pot added to it. I got tacos that had a combo of barbacoa and lengua but came without onions or cilantro (got it to go and didn’t realize it until I got home - I hadn't been asked if I wanted them). This is where I discovered Piratas and Gringas and they were excellent. NOTE: I'VE SINCE DISCOVERED YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO DRENCH THE TACOS WITH THE SAUCE INSTEAD OF USING JUST A SMALL AMOUNT AND THESE ARE TYPICALLY SERVED WITHOUT ONIONS AND CILANTRO.


A gringa (on the left in the picture) is a thick flour tortilla folded over a filling of al pastor meat, avocado and queso then toasted on a grill like a quesadilla; a pirata is the same with fajita meat. At least that’s what the names means here. I’ve tried gringas at several other places (they aren’t as common as tacos, tortas, quesadillos or burritos) and never had better. This place does a good business. NOTE THIS TRUCK HAS DISAPPEARED AND IN ITS PLACE A BUS AND TRUCK LABELED TAQUERIA VALLEJO, USUALLY ONLY THE BUS IS OPEN. THE MENU IS SIMILAR TO VALLARTA PLUS POLLO ASADO AND IT’S DOING A GOOD BUSINESS. THERE IS ALSO A TAQUERIA VALLEJO UNIT RIGHT ACROSS FROM SHARPSTOWN HIGH WHICH WILL BE REPORTED ON SEPARATEDLY ON THIS BLOG

Taqueria Yolis - across the street from Vallarta/Vallejo, The sign proclaims Super Tacos but I didn't inquire what that means. There for a couple of months then disappeared but has recently reappeared. I tried a gringa and a pirata here about 6 months ago. They weren’t bad but not as good as Vallarta across the street. A specialty is the Torta Norteno which I haven’t tried but probably gives a hint as to the regional emphasis of the food. I was told it includes both al pastor and fajita among other things. The tortillas were store bought and not very good.

THIS POST LAST UPDATED 6/10/10.
Some units move regularly; these lists are often out-dated within a few days of being published. It has proved to be impossible to keep them updated.

Cruising for Street Food: South side

I spend some time on the south side occasionally, around South Post Oak, Hiram Clarke, West Orem and West Fuqua, as well as passing through the area occasionally. It's an interesting area; most of the brick and mortar restaurants are not listed on b4-u-eat and there are sure to be some neighborhood gems. I've noted many mobil units, especially along S. Post Oak where I've seen as many as 9 on one trip, and stopped at several. Many stay only a short time, others have been there for as long as I've been passing through the area. One reason possibly is the presence of a commissary just north of W. Orem on S. Post Oak, one of the places where the units have to go for cleaning and restocking. This is a list of the most recent inventory that I've observed.

S. Post Oak, Loop 610 to Hwy 6 (everything below S. Main)

Taqueria Don Felix @ Allum - this one may not be operational

Tacos and Burritos To Go @ Brookstone - never seen this one before

Pupuceria Ramirez - just north of W. Orem; I've reported on this one in Quick Bites IV. Recently it has not been open when I've been down that way. UPDATE: Missing for several months, this one has been replaced by a trailer (perhaps the same one re-painted) named Pupusas y Tacos La Benedicion.

Taqueria Ayala Pollo Asado and Esparza Pollo Asado - dueling pollo asado wagons across from each other at W. Orem and S. Post Oak. I've stopped at both and wasn't very impressed. The aroma from Esparza often wafts across the intersection and is very enticing but I found the chicken to have an unpleasant metallic taste.

Sometimes there is also a bbq wagon on this corner - Jus Smokin’

There is a no-name Taco & Pupusa truck @ Heatherbrook. I’ve been down this way frequently in the last year and there is almost always a unit at this location in front of Variedades Sinai Pupuseria but they have changed several times.

Tacos Don Beto DF - @ Grapevine; this was reported on also on this blog on Quick Bites II at another location.

Taqueria Tacoocho - @ a Conoco station @ BW 8, reported on on this blog.


Taqueria Salmanca - BW 8 @ S. Post Oak, across Post Oak from Tacoocho, mentioned in the report on Tacoocho. I tried just one item, a taco de mollejas.


At West Orem @ Hiram Clarke is a unit with the intriguing name Taqueria Los Mangos de la India Bonito. I've seen it there for a long time but it seldom is doing any business. Despite the exotic name (India in Spanish should refer to the West or East Indies, not India the country) there is nothing on the menu that is out of the ordinary for a taco truck.

W. Fuqua @ Hiram Clarke - Taqueria D’Molkas - appears to be a brand new unit with a ‘grand opening’ sign by the street; on the menu are adobado and deshebrada.

W. Orem @ Monrad, 1 blk e. of Hiram Clarke - Chilangos - reported on on this blog.


Note: Some units move regularly; these lists are often out-dated within a few days of being published. It has proved to be impossible to keep them up to date.

International Mobile Vendors Roll Call

The majority of Houston's mobile food vendors purvey Mexican food, hence the common name Taco Trucks. Okay, there are numerous bbq wagons or trucks, a few Cajun, a few shaved ice, but mostly it's tacos, tortas, quesadillas, etc.

Then there are a handful of vendors offering the cuisines of other nations. Here's a list of the ones I've encountered or heard about with international fare.


CHINESE

The Rice Box Truck


COLOMBIAN

Cholaos Kitchen - a Colombian/Mexican truck
Perrida de Mao - I've just seen this one parked (at a repair shop), not in operation, but from the name and the pictures on the side, it's a Colombian hot dog cart.

Los Perros, Houston - this one operates in a strip center parking lot at 9411 Richmond and serves hot dogs and kabobs according to a guy I talked to once. It's open only in the evenings.


FRENCH - L'es-Car-Go - review here. .


GUATEMALAN - see a separate report here.


GREEK

Papou Jerry's


HALAL/MIDDLE EASTERN

Abu Omar - Hillcroft @ Pagewood, Mexican menu during the day, Middle Eastern menu in the evening.


HONDURAN

Antojitos Hondurenos - 7171 Fondren, just north of 59, and 9713 Airline - the Fondren location has been reviewed on this blog.

Comida Tipica Hondurena El Caracol - first seen on Beechnut at Club Creek but now parked on Bissonnet @ Hillcroft. A smaller bus than any of the other Honduran mobile units I've seen but what looks like a larger menu, reviewed here.

Jennifer's Food - Comida Hondurena - a truck spotted rumbling down Bissonnet but location of operation not known.

La Polera Colora - 2435 Wayside, just NE of 45, noted by Alison Cook in the Chronicle but I haven’t checked it out. As Alison noted, from the name it was apparently at one time a Colombian vendor. I have made several trips and never found this truck.

Sabor Catracho - a big bus, similar in appearance to the Antojitos Hondurenas bus, one block east of 59 on Bellaire.


INDIAN

Ashka's Dhaba - Beechnut, just east of Highway 6 - originally located in the Heights, this trailer has relocated to the far west side, outside the city limits. Far back from the street it's easy to miss though there is a big street-side sign. It is open 7 days, evenings only. There are covered tables.

Bansuri Indian Food Corner - Wilcrest, just north of W. Bellfort, vegetarian street food of Mumbai, reviewed on this blog.

Tandoori Nite, 7821 Hwy 6 South, Sugar Land, at a 66 Station, 7130-852-7642; open evenings, 5pm - Mid except Tuesdays, reviewed here.


Desi Grill and More - an Indian truck serving tandoori chicken and the like at 12672 Veterans Memorial Drive near Bammel-North Houston at a Valero station.

Wally Wally - Indian street food for the streets of Houston. Facebook, Twitter.


MIDDLE EASTERN

FezExpress


NIGERIAN

There is a Nigerian food truck at Bush Intercontinental reportedly that sells mostly to cab drivers.


PUERTO RICAN

El Mofongo Boricua - 1925 Hwy 6 S, by the Mayflower Center (about 1/2 mile south of Briar Forest). Reviewed on this blog.


SALVADORAN

Pupuceria Ramirez - Salvadoran - S. Post Oak, just north of W. Orem, mentioned in Quick Bites IV on this blog. but missing from that location for some time.

Taqueria y Pupuseria Esmerelda - See for a long time on Highway 6 @ Bissonnet @ a 66 Station, Sugar Land, but recently missing. They advertised tamales on weekends.

Taqueria y Pupuseria El Invasor, formerly found on Bissonnet but current location unknown. Reviewed on this blog.

I have seen numerous other taco trucks around that also serve pupusas but they usually don't have 'pupuseria' in the name.

THAI

The Pad Thai Box


VENEZUELAN


Arepas y Empanadas Dona Maria - 1960B east in Humble. UPDATE: The cart is no longer in operation but there is now a restaurant at 1315 E. 1st Street.

El Punto Criollo - now located next to the parking lot for World Foods, on Beechnut, just west of Highway 6. A table and awning are also provided for customers now; reviewed here.

Sabor Venezolano - parked in a filling station driveway at Crossview and Westheimer, one block east of Fondren (713-780-2663). According to their card there is another unit at 5130 Hwy 6 N (281-859-2324). I've never checked that one out but did happen across another unit on Fry Road in Katy, about a half mile north of I-10, in the parking lot of a Gulf station.  Arepas, Cachapas, Empanadas, Patacones, Pastelitos, Tequenos, Pabellon, Venezuelan hot dogs and hamburguesas, Pepitos, Tacos, Quesadillas, Burritos and Tortas are listed on the business card which also says they're open til 4:30am Friday and Saturday.


On a visit a couple of years ago I had the Patacones here, a Carne Mechada (shredded beef) sandwich using mashed, fried slices of plantain instead of bread. It was no where near as good as the one I had had at the short-lived Pana's Cafe on Scarsdale. More recently I tried the Venezuelan hot dog here and an empanada carne mechada. Houston is not a town for great hot dogs and this one did nothing to change my view on that; the empanada unfortunately was made ahead of time and had been sitting in a glass case but the filling was very good, rivaling the best empanadas at the Original Marini's.



On another visit I had the Empanada Pabellon with carne mechada and black beans and an Arepa Pelua with more of the carne mechada and queso amarillo. The empanada in this case was much fresher and warmer and also included some plantain. The arepa was freshly made; apparently I could have asked for a different cheese. The arepa itself was very tough.


VIETNAMESE

Givral's Vietnamese Cafe, located on Bellaire in New China Town, has launched a Banh Mi truck that appears regularly at Jones Plaza. Keep up with the schedule on Facebook.

And Les Givral's Kahve has the BanhMieria.

Phamily Bites - pho cups, banh mi, Vietnamese egg rolls, etc. Picture here.


See also the list of Specialty Vendors and other taco truck (Loncheras) reviews on this blog.