Saturday, June 29, 2013

The Rice Box - Sesame Chicken

Truck: The Rice Box
Location: 1638 Westheimer Rd
Date: June 26, 2013
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RiceBoxTruck





Sesame Chicken $6.99

Classic Chinese take out container stuffed with plenty of white steamed rice, topped with plenty if sweet sesame sauce chicken. Served with an egg roll. The chicken is battered and deep fried chunks, crispy enough to hold up to the sauce. A little shredded cabbage and onions Synopsis: a filling stick to your ribs meal. 




Egg Rolls (3) 2.99

I love egg rolls, so I got a few extra. These are chicken and vegetable. I didn't get any sense that they are made in house, but that wouldn't be the theme of the Rice Box, they are servicing classic Americanized Chinese food after all. These were cooked crispy and hot and all the classic sauces were available. Synopsis: Oh just give in to your guilty pleasures!



Friday, June 28, 2013

Koagie Hots - Koagie Dog and Kimchi Fries

Truck Koagie Hots
Location 3000 Richmond, Houston, TX
Date: June 29, 2013
Twitter: https://twitter.com/koagiehots



Koagie Dog, $7

:Large dog, seemed like mine was an all beef kosher dog, purple cabbage slaw, spicy mayo, and topped with rib-eye and a fried egg. With out a doubt this was the messiest dog I've ever eaten, the fried eye on top is just too slippery to stay in place. Personally I think this would work better with the egg under the dog. Slaw and mayo was good, and I liked he rib-eye, a little smaller chop would have again made this easier to eat. This is a good tasting dog, but you can't shy when eating it. Synopsis: Yummy, but don't wear your best shirt when you eat it.
Kimchi Fries, $6

A giant order of fries topped with kimchi, spicy mayo, feta, and scallions. Kimchi fries seem to be everywhere these days and they are becoming one of my favorites. I've reviewed Koagie Hots fries before on June 7, 2013, but I think it pays to revist a favorite from time to time. I was disappointed this time. My fries where luke warm at best, and I tried them as soon as I got them. the feta had a weird rubbery texture that I associate with over cooked tofu. Synopsis: I'll try them again because they were so good the first time.

Friday, June 21, 2013

Flip 'n Patties - Puet Burger and Flip 'n Fries

Truck: Flip 'n Patties
Location: Menil Collection, W. Alabama at Mulberry, Houston, TX
Date: June 21, 2013
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FlipnPatties


Puet Burger - $9

Big dense burger on a steamed organic bun. The buns kinda look like a bao, but the texture is more like a traditional bun, get past the weird white color and its a really good bun. Truffle patties of grass fed beef. The beef was great, cooked through, tasty and not over done.Smoked pork butt instead of bacon and provolone cheese made for a sweet over the top bacon experience. Synopsis: If the white bun bothers you close your eyes and imagine burger heaven.
Flip 'n Fries - $7 ($1 off with burger or street food)

Thick cut homemade fries I think, fried very crispy so they stand up till the end. Topped with ground pork, cheese, a sweet and spicy mayo, and a generous amount of cilantro. These are over the top good and a meal to themselves. You can get them with chicken or beef too. the heat from the mayo is just right. At first it looked like just Siracha mixed with mayo, but its too sweet and there is much more going on here. Synopsis: these could be the best fry dish in Houston right now.

Friday, June 14, 2013

Bare Bowls Kitchen - Brazilian Bowl


Truck: Bare Bowls Kitchen
Location: University of Houston, 4800 Calhoun, Houston, TX
Date: June 14, 2013




Brazilian Bowl - $5 (sm), $8.50 (lg)

Very good grilled organic chicken, boldly spiced, but not really spicy. When you grill meat, you should have some crusty caramelization like this on it. Mine was all the more tasty dark meat. The roasted orange peppers gave me a scare as I was biting into one and something in the back of my brain said "what if that's a habanero?" Turns out, just a nice sweet pepper. Great veggies with the corn and tomatoes over lots of bare bowls always great basmati rice. Synopsis: Another out of the park hit from Bare Bowls.

Saturday, June 8, 2013

The Food Patty Wagon - Grilled Chicken Po Boy and Mac Balls

Truck: The Food Patty Wagon
Location: Montrose Market HEB, 1701 W. Alabama St. Houston, TX
Date: June 7, 2013
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FoodPattyWagon


Grilled Chicken Po Boy - $7

A well executed classic Po Boy with grilled chicken. A tasty french bread roll, plenty of grilled chicken (white and dark meat I think), and fresh lettuce and tomato. This was a special and it came with seasoned fries and a drink. The fries looked fresh cut and were not your standard food service fries. Seasoning was kinds of splashed on, some were loaded, some had none, but still good fries. Synopsis: A great po boy and one of the best deals for a complete meal from a food truck I've seen in Houston.
Mac Balls - $3.00

(hehe, yeah I said balls). Two balls of good creamy macaroni and cheese, coated with panko bread crumbs and fried good and crispy. Served with a dipping sauce that seemed like a remoulade sauce. Mac balls in different versions seem to be popping up everywhere these days. I've not tried them until now because I thought they would be heavy and dense. I could not have been more wrong in this case. They were light, very creamy, and had a wonderful crunch on the outside. Synopsis: You must get Miss Patty's balls in your mouth!

Friday, June 7, 2013

Flip 'n Patties - Chicken PuPu and Filipanada


Truck: Flip 'n Patties

Location: Montrose Market HEB, 1701 W. Alabama St.
Date: June 7, 2013


Chicken PuPu - $5

Bite size bits of chicken, with a crunchy batter and sweet soy sauce glaze. My fiance Donna described them best "It's meat candy". The hard crunch on the batter held up to the sweet sauce so the last bite was a crunchy as the first. Synopsis: Sweet candy for the carnivore. 
Filipanada - $2

A version of an empanada. this one is filled with ground grass-fed beef, veggies, raisins, and a wedge of boiled. egg. There was plenty of the savory filling. It was good on its own. The lava red sauce was not overly hot, but did have a nice kick. The star of this show is the pastry. It was amazingly light and flaky. You could not tell this was fried. Synopsis: An amazing version of an Empanada.

Koagie Hots - Kimchi Kogie and Kimchi Fries

Truck: Koagie Hots
Location: Menil Collection, 1514 W. Alabama
Date: June 7, 2013


Kimchi Koagie - $9

Thin sliced ribeye, kimchi grilled onions, spicy mayo, and provolone cheese. This is a big sandwich, plenty to share. I was pleased to note the cook was using the classic method of preparing the ribeye for a Philly cheesesteak, chopping with the spatula while the meat is on the grill. Technique is everything in some foods, and I think especially in a cheesesteak. I wasn't disappointed. the meat was prefect, and I think had some sweet bbq sauce on it. The mayo and Kimchi was a nice spicy combination, not too hot, but pleasantly kicky for a heat head. Synopsis: About as close as I've ever had to a classic Philly Cheesestreak in Houston, but with a Korean twist.


Kimchi Fries - $6

I also tried the kimchi fries because I just need more spicy cabbage! Pretty standard food service fries dressed up with kimchi, spicy mayo, feta, and scallions. lots of flavors mirrored those of my Kimchi Koagie. A bit saltier though, and I don't think from the feta. These pretty thick fries could benefit from being fried crispier because they loose the crispy pretty fast with the mayo. The kimchi is chopped large so you get bites of kimchi alternating with the fries. The feta is actually the mild flavor here. This is a big serving and really is a meal by itself and not a side. Synopsis: Spicy, tasty and find someone to share with!