035: Emma’s Grill and Mex-Mex Bistro

Chips and Salsa

When I was a child—and if you lived in the Montrose in the early 90′s, you’ll probably remember this—there was a space by the Montrose Library, what is now Kraftsmen Bakery, which could never quite settle down. At one point it was a gelato place, then a coffee place; it would close, then open again, then close again. Clearly someone needed to burn some sage in there or something. Unfortunately, there’s a place like that in Pearland. It used to be a nightclub for teens, which I can’t type with a straight face, and has been through several restaurant reincarnations as well. The latest is Emma’s Grill and Mex-Mex Bistro.

034: Escalante’s Mexican Grille

Salsa

This was my first meal after getting off a plane at IAH on a journey that was much longer than necessary. After a successful thesis defense and presentation on human trafficking—I’m technically a college graduate now, though I don’t walk until May—things took a bad turn when I missed my plane in Fayetteville and had to spend the night in a hotel by myself where I couldn’t sleep because I was so paranoid about missing my next flight.

028: Ninfa’s on Navigation

Top Shelf Margarita

In the interest of full disclosure, I should mention that Casey and I split a pitcher of top-shelf margaritas before dinner, so if I’m a little generous about the food, forgive me. Also, for future reference, I am not the person you want to split a pitcher of margaritas with, unless you want to dine with a silly girl who giggles—not laughs, mind you, giggles—at everything you say until the check arrives.

026: Pappasitos

Appetizer Sampler

Casey and I continued our food crawl by looking for dessert. We drove around trying to come up with something good until Casey decided we were going to go get his favorite dessert in town. About an hour had passed from the time we left Kim Hai to the time we showed up at Pappasitos, and I was unexpectedly hungry again.

021: Guadalajara Hacienda

Hacienda Rice & Charro Beans

Both my father and my cousin feel that Guadalajara is too fancy for Mexican food, but I couldn’t disagree more. They have my favorite chicken quesadillas in town, which are just as good cold out of a take out box as they are on the table. They’re crispy and buttery and filled with thick cuts of white meat chicken and melted cheese. However, since that’s what I always order, I opted for something else this time.

020: Las Rosas

Chips and Salsa

Sometimes food doesn’t have to wow you. Sometimes you just want to eat something out of styrofoam while you sniffle your way through a sinus infection and watch the season premiere of Lost.

010: Bodegas Taco Shop

Chicken Tortilla Soup

I spent last Friday morning checking out the Korean photography exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts before walking the few blocks to Bodegas to meet with @Fulmer, who was concerned that I don’t have what one might call a “plan” for this whole mission.

005: Spanish Flowers

Queso and salsa

Me: Can I get the queso flameado with fajita chicken?
Boyfriend: Did you just order cheese as an entree?
Me: That just happened, yes.