Episodes

  • The Full Menu: Where to eat in Houston for special occasions

    The Full Menu: Where to eat in Houston for special occasions
    Nov 13 2024

    What are the best places in Houston to take someone for their birthday, an anniversary, or a graduation? In this month's installment of The Full Menu, food writers discuss some of their favorite restaurants to go to for special occasions.

    Some of the restaurants they mention were among the 24 Houston establishments that received recognition this week from the prestigious Michelin Guide in its first-ever Texas list (as noted below).

    In the audio above, we hear from Eric Sandler of CultureMap Houston, David Leftwich of Edible Houston, and Isabel Protomartir, social media and public relations specialist.

    Establishments Mentioned in this Edition:

    Haidilao
    Bludorn (Michelin recommended)
    Brasserie 19
    Shabu En
    ChòpnBlọk
    Drake's Hollywood
    Marigold Club
    Axelrad
    St. Arnold Brewing Company
    Fung's Kitchen
    Hai Cang Seafood Restaurant
    Aga's
    Tatemó (Michelin One Star)
    Street to Kitchen (Bib Gourmand)
    Hongdae 33
    Bori
    Josephine's Gulf Coast Tradition
    Taste of Texas
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    16 mins
  • The Full Menu: Great places in Houston for small plates and dishes to share

    The Full Menu: Great places in Houston for small plates and dishes to share
    Sep 4 2024
    Sometimes you want a traditional meal of appetizers, entrees, and desserts. But other times, you want to really experience more of a range of what a particular restaurant has to offer. In that case, you might want to try smaller dishes -- and therefore a lot more of them.In this month's installment of The Full Menu, food writers discuss some of their favorite places for small plates and things to share.In the audio above, we hear from Eric Sandler of CultureMap Houston, Felice Sloan of the Swanky Maven lifestyle blog, and David Leftwich of Edible Houston.Establishments Mentioned in this Edition:BludornAga’sShri Balaji BhavanBASOToasted CoconutLittle’s Oyster BarNobie’sNonno’s Family Pizza TavernElro Pizza + CrudoTraveler’s TableDim Sum BoxFung’s KitchenDough Zone Dumpling HouseOcean PalaceTheodore RexOktoHamsaHugo’sColtivare(L-R) Eric Sandler of CultureMap Houston, Felice Sloan of the Swanky Maven lifestyle blog, and David Leftwich of Houston Food Finder, discuss the local restaurant scene on The Full Menu.
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    15 mins
  • The Full Menu: The Houston restaurants that have opened, closed, and endured over the past decade

    The Full Menu: The Houston restaurants that have opened, closed, and endured over the past decade
    Jul 3 2024
    Ten years ago, we had a group of local food writers on Houston Matters to debate what our city's signature food might be. After Eric Sandler, David Leftwich, and Katharine Shilcutt finished making their cases on the air for the likes of fajitas, barbecue, and Viet-Cajun fusion, they stayed in the lobby for quite some time talking about restaurants they'd been to lately and who in the Houston food scene was doing interesting things.Overhearing their conversation, we realized we could probably just put a microphone in the middle of them and that would be a compelling recurring segment on the show.And that's how The Full Menu was born, our monthly conversation with local food writers about where to eat and what to eat in our city's amazing food scene.In this month's installment, we mark ten years of doing this segment by bringing Shilcutt back. At the time she was with Houstonia Magazine but has since left the food writing sphere to work for Rice University.In the audio above, she joins our group of food writers, which includes two original members -- Sandler of CultureMap Houston and Leftwich of Edible Houston and Houston Food Finder, and more recent addition Felice Sloan of the Swanky Maven lifestyle blog. They reflect on the past ten years of restaurants and food in Greater Houston.Establishments Mentioned in this Edition:ColtivareKillen’s BBQCommon BondBurger Bodegaburger-chanGood Dog HoustonFat Cat CreameryMF SushiCaracolState of GraceUchiKata RobataNancy’s HustleTiny ChampionsPondicheriGiacomo’s cibo e vinoGatlin’s BBQCorkscrew BBQTruth BBQBlood Bros. BBQClosed Restaurants:Bernie’s Burger BusSaltAirKitchen 713The Pass & ProvisionsReefPax AmericanaTriple A
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    14 mins
  • The Full Menu: Where to go in Houston for ice cream and other frozen treats

    The Full Menu: Where to go in Houston for ice cream and other frozen treats
    Jun 5 2024

    The long, long...long ordeal of blazing heat in Greater Houston has arrived. So, naturally, to help us all cope, in this month's installment of The Full Menu food writers discuss their favorite places to go for icy cold frozen treats around the city.

    In the audio above, we hear from Eric Sandler of CultureMap Houston, Felice Sloan of the Swanky Maven lifestyle blog, and David Leftwich of Edible Houston and Houston Food Finder.

    Establishments Mentioned in this Edition:

    Underground Creamery
    Honeychild’s Sweet Creams
    Amy’s Ice Creams
    Fat Cat Creamery
    milk + sugar
    Flower & Cream
    Dolce Neve
    SweetCup
    Lick Honest Ice Creams
    Tampico Refresqueria
    Rita’s Ice-Custard-Happiness
    Ritter’s Frozen Custard

    (more below)


    Katami
    SnoDreamz
    Oasis Snowballs
    Island Snowball
    Fluff Bake Bar
    All We Need Farm
    Bubble Egg
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    14 mins
  • Houston’s best hidden gem restaurants (May 1, 2024)

    Houston’s best hidden gem restaurants (May 1, 2024)
    May 1 2024

    In this month's installment of The Full Menu, food writers discuss their favorite underrated restaurants and hidden gems around the city.

    In the audio above, we hear from Eric Sandler of CultureMap Houston, Felice Sloan of the Swanky Maven lifestyle blog, David Leftwich of Edible Houston and Houston Food Finder.

    Establishments Mentioned in this Edition:

    Belly of the Beast
    Tris
    Late August
    MF Lobster & Ceviche
    Ema
    93’ Til
    Zamani Grill
    Carol Kay’s Café
    La Cruderia
    Bahel
    Dandelion Café
    Himari
    Cornrow
    Cup and Char Pizza
    Conservatory Galleria
    Street Food Thai Market
    Pacha Nikkei
    Dim Sum Box
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    15 mins
  • Houston's best Middle Eastern & Mediterranean food

    Houston's best Middle Eastern & Mediterranean food
    Apr 3 2024

    Shawarma, gyros, hummus – Mediterranean and Middle Eastern food is healthy and tasty. And lots of Houston-area restaurants serve it. In this month's installment of The Full Menu, food writers discuss their favorite places to get it and what dishes they enjoy.

    In the audio above, we hear from Eric Sandler of CultureMap Houston, David Leftwich of Edible Houston and Houston Food Finder, and restaurateur Raffi Nasr.

    Establishments Mentioned in this Edition:

    Craft Pita
    Phoenicia Specialty Foods
    Arpi’s Phoenicia Deli
    Hamsa
    Kriti Kitchen
    Cedars Bakery
    We’re-Dough
    Al Aseel Grill and Café
    Suzie’s Pastry Shoppe
    Taha Spreads
    Café Lili
    Aladdin
    Istanbul Grill
    Droubi’s Bakery
    Rumi’s Kitchen
    Kabab Erbil
    Abdallah’s
    Le Café Josephine
    Niko Niko’s
    Al Shami
    AL Quick Stop
    Ekko’s Greek American Deli
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    15 mins
  • The Full Menu: Where to eat in Montrose and Midtown

    The Full Menu: Where to eat in Montrose and Midtown
    Mar 6 2024
    In this month's installment of The Full Menu, food writers discuss their favorite places to eat in Montrose and Midtown.In the audio above, we hear from Eric Sandler of CultureMap Houston, Felice Sloan of the Swanky Maven lifestyle blog, David Leftwich of Edible Houston and Houston Food Finder.Establishments Mentioned in this Edition:CandenteThe Pit RoomAndironElro Pizza + CrudoOstiaClark’s Oyster BarLittle’s Oyster BarBlacksmithCitizens of MontroseThe Breakfast KlubSpicy GirlMala Sichuan BistroCooking GirlTaste of MulanSiu Lap CityCali Sandwich & PhoThien An SandwichesPho SaigonGraffiti RawKatamiWinnie’sJosephine’s Gulf Coast TraditionBludornPaulie’s RestaurantRomano’s PizzaHugo’sThe Gypsy PoetBrennan’s of HoustonNonno’s Family Pizza TavernUchi
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    14 mins
  • The Full Menu: Houston’s best spots for date night

    The Full Menu: Houston’s best spots for date night
    Feb 7 2024

    Valentine’s Day is a week from today – consider yourself warned. Houstonians contemplating a date night on or near the holiday need to look no further.

    In this month's installment of The Full Menu, food writers discuss their favorite places for a romantic date night. In the audio above, we hear from Eric Sandler of CultureMap Houston, Felice Sloan of the Swanky Maven lifestyle blog, and David Leftwich of Edible Houston and Houston Food Finder.

    Establishments Mentioned in this Edition:

    Clark’s Oyster Bar
    BCN Taste & Tradition
    Lombardi Cucina Italiana
    Turner’s
    Squable
    Doris Metropolitan
    Rainbow Lodge
    Tatemo
    Bludorn
    Toro Toro
    Houston Dairymaids
    Giacomo’s cibo e vino
    Andiron
    13 Celsius
    Tavola
    Aya Sushi
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    15 mins