steamed artichokes

the adventures of sarah and andrea eating their way through texas, but mostly college station. photos by andrea; text by sarah

Koppe Bridge at 11777 FM 2154 College Station, TX 77845.

Fried Pickle Spears ($5.50) Honestly I can’t even remember much about this. BTW this is a really, really late review. Andrea and I ate here about a month ago. We’re super late on this, but not to worry, we should have new, more timely reviews coming up. Anyway, yeah, the fried pickle spears were nice and tangy but nothing to rave about.

The Original Burger Basket ($7) For a restaurant that prides itself on having several Best Burger awards (recently, too!), this was astoundingly and disappointingly average. There was nothing special about this at all. Me and the other people in our group who ordered this had to force ourselves to finish it— not because the portions were too large, just because it was bland and boring as paparazzi photos of Hilary Duff coming out from Whole Foods. It might have been the most boring food I’ve ever ordered at a restaurant.

The other food at Koppe Bridge might be better, but this definitely isn’t the best Burger in BCS. I would still recommend dining here as the atmosphere is very College Station, but don’t be too excited for anything you order. :/

Qin’s Noodle House at 9889 Bellaire Blvd. Houston, TX 77036. We decided to try this place becaude it was recommended to Andrea with the simple description “cheap and big portions.” This turned out to be very true. With the exception of a handful of menu choices, everything else on the menu was around $7 at most. The fabled portions turned out to be true as well. I felt like the bowls were the size of a small bathroom sink. Mr. Kwan and I couldn’t even finish our dishes. The restaurant also has self-serve wonton and sweet and sour soup as well as water and tea. Andre and Mr. Kwan ordered the Beef Noodle Soup. Andrea thought is was really fatty, but I guess that could be expected for a giant $5 bowl of soup. Kwan couldn’t finish his; it was just too filling. It wasn’t quiet spicy enough for Andrea’s tastes, so she added a lot of the chili oil. Andrea managed to finish all the noodles and veggies but remarked that she felt disgusting afterward. I ordered the House Special Soup ($7). I can’t read Chinese, and the English description just said “house special.” I thought it would be a safe bet. OMG! It was humungous! My soup arrived in the same giant bowls as Andrea and Kwan’s food, but it was piled over with seafood and veggies. It was a little spicier than I expected, but it was still easily palatable. This soup reminded me a lot of the Korean soup Jambbong. When I ordered this, I did not know that it was a seafood dish. The soup contained whole shrimp, squid, fish balls, scallops, and a lot of shredded imitation crab. I don’t really like to eat imitation crab or fish balls, so I wish I had known about that. It was still pretty good. I especially like the noodles at Qin’s.

Qin’s Noodle House at 9889 Bellaire Blvd. Houston, TX 77036.

We decided to try this place becaude it was recommended to Andrea with the simple description “cheap and big portions.” This turned out to be very true. With the exception of a handful of menu choices, everything else on the menu was around $7 at most. The fabled portions turned out to be true as well. I felt like the bowls were the size of a small bathroom sink. Mr. Kwan and I couldn’t even finish our dishes. The restaurant also has self-serve wonton and sweet and sour soup as well as water and tea.

Andre and Mr. Kwan ordered the Beef Noodle Soup. Andrea thought is was really fatty, but I guess that could be expected for a giant $5 bowl of soup. Kwan couldn’t finish his; it was just too filling. It wasn’t quiet spicy enough for Andrea’s tastes, so she added a lot of the chili oil. Andrea managed to finish all the noodles and veggies but remarked that she felt disgusting afterward.

I ordered the House Special Soup ($7). I can’t read Chinese, and the English description just said “house special.” I thought it would be a safe bet. OMG! It was humungous! My soup arrived in the same giant bowls as Andrea and Kwan’s food, but it was piled over with seafood and veggies. It was a little spicier than I expected, but it was still easily palatable. This soup reminded me a lot of the Korean soup Jambbong. When I ordered this, I did not know that it was a seafood dish. The soup contained whole shrimp, squid, fish balls, scallops, and a lot of shredded imitation crab. I don’t really like to eat imitation crab or fish balls, so I wish I had known about that. It was still pretty good. I especially like the noodles at Qin’s.

Rise No.1 at 5360 West Lovers Ln #220  Dallas, TX 75209.

Neither Andrea, Kristine, or I had tried this place before, but we were really excited. We had looked up a few restaurants online, and Rise was the most intriguing while also staying within our budgets.

We all ordered the Chocolate Souffle, $12. This was bigger than we expected, but it certainly wasn’t enough to be split among three people (we were quite full from earlier that day. Don’t judge us!). It’s a fine portion for two people to split after having an entree, but yeah, we made work of it quite quickly. It was really good! The souffle wasn’t overbearingly chocolately. It was distinctly chocolatey but not so much that it was too much. for those who do prefer a bit more chocolate, the souffle comes with a rich dark chocolate sauce. It was delicious! The server had to bring us another small pot of the chocolate sauce. The sauce on top of the souffle was mega delicious. The texture was vaguely eggy (as it should be) and really soft. It was really enjoyable. I would very much recommend it. :)

OMG the bread! It was really good as well. Actually, I think we all enjoyed the bread more than the souffle. The bread was crunchy and salty on the outside, but so soft and fluffy on the inside. The bread-cutter was totally a plus. It was like a paper-cutter, only for bread. I became quite obsessed with using it. The homemade butter was excellent and a perfect compliment to the bread. It was the best butter I’ve ever tasted! I think Andrea, Kristine, and I now understand why Paula Deen loves butter so much. We all have a new appreciation for the food lipid.

I totally recommend Rise No. 1. Everything on the menu looks really delicious. Even the oddly named “Marshmallow Soup” is a very popular item at Rise. I am eager to try it if I ever have the chance to go again. :) I would go again just for the bread. ;P

mini-mogul and spontaneousnguyen, thanks for following! <3

Nidda Thai Cuisine at 1226 Westheimer, Houston 77006.

Pad Thai (left): My brother ordered this, so I was only able to have a small bite. It was refreshingly mild. :) The pad thai wasn’t overwhelmingly sweet or too spicy like I’ve had a lot lot of places. I didn’t have a clear impression of the dish until I had some absolutely horrid pad thai at Chef Cao’s in College Station. CC’s pad thai was sour and slightly too spicy, but the most abhorrent facet of it was it’s sweetness. It was like it was entirely made of chili sauce and tamarind sauce. It took a truly horrible example of pad thai to help me realize how good authentic pad thai is, and Nidda’s pad thai is exactly that: good and authentic.

Red Curry (right): I don’t think I can give a good review. I love red curry, and I’ve never had a poor serving of it for comparison. The chicken was tender, the basil was sweet and green, and the bamboo soaked up the flavors of the curry sauce wonderfully. It was so good. :) So good!

I would totes go back again. There are a few good Thai restaurants in Sugar Land, but if I’m ever in the Montrose neighborhood again and want Thai, I would so go back to Nidda. I only had lunch there, so I would be happy to try some of the dishes from their dinner menu. A lot of the items look really tasty. :3


Mango, Strawberry, and Watermelon Shaved Ice from Juice Box at 9889 Bellaire Blvd. Houston, TX 77036.  It looks unappetizing, but it was so, so good. There really isn&#8217;t much to it. Fresh strawberries, mango, and watermelon on top of a pile of shaved ice and drenched in sweetened condensed milk all topped off with a scoop of strawberry ice cream. So good! My only complaint is that there was a lot of condensed milk pooled beneath the ice. The mangoes were a little bitter, but I know they were out of season. I still like that Juice Box uses all fresh fruit. Just be knowledgeable about what you order so you can get fruit at their tastiest when you visit. :3 These weirdos next to us (jk guys) ordered the chocolate avocado shaved ice. What were you guys thinking. The avocado wasn&#8217;t even in season. I&#8217;ve ordered it before, and it&#8217;s interesting. That&#8217;s all I can say.

Mango, Strawberry, and Watermelon Shaved Ice from Juice Box at 9889 Bellaire Blvd. Houston, TX 77036. 

It looks unappetizing, but it was so, so good. There really isn’t much to it. Fresh strawberries, mango, and watermelon on top of a pile of shaved ice and drenched in sweetened condensed milk all topped off with a scoop of strawberry ice cream. So good! My only complaint is that there was a lot of condensed milk pooled beneath the ice. The mangoes were a little bitter, but I know they were out of season. I still like that Juice Box uses all fresh fruit. Just be knowledgeable about what you order so you can get fruit at their tastiest when you visit. :3

These weirdos next to us (jk guys) ordered the chocolate avocado shaved ice. What were you guys thinking. The avocado wasn’t even in season. I’ve ordered it before, and it’s interesting. That’s all I can say.

Bacchus is a Mediterranean winebar and coffee shop in the Montrose neighborhood of Houston at 2502B Dunlavy St. (it’s kind of behind Agora). It’s the first coffee shop/winebar in Houston to serve Illy. The manager informed us about the arduous approval process that the Illy company conducts before it allows permission to be served in restaurants, cafes, etc. to maintain quality and exclusivity, so it must be awesome. :) Bacchus has a really unique feel. It’s small but feels really spacious. The furniture is modern and ecclectic and totally doesn’t fit in with the relief vases and fishing nets on the walls. The impression of the place is very Aegean. Everything in Bacchus reminds me of Clycladic and Mycenaean stonework.

Doppio: My brother has been itching to drink cafe-prepared Illy for a while now. He usually drinks about four shots of espresso a day at home, but he says nothing compares to Illy. :) Needless to say, he gives this a positive rating. He enjoyed Bacchus and the espresso so much that he has proclaimed it his new study spot.

Macchiato: I ordered a single macchiato. It was a bit stronger than I expected, but it was definitely the richest espresso I’ve ever had. The biscotti was a bit difficult to dip into the one ounce cup, but it was great once I was finally able to. I had to let it soak for a few seconds; it was a tough little cookie. :)

For those not interested in drinking straight up shots, Bacchus has mochas, lattes, frappes, and whatever else you would expect at a coffee shop.

*Ugly photos by Sarah. Andrea was studying for CPA stuff. :(

During winter break, Andrea graced us Houstoners with her presence one weekend. I’m not sure whose decision it was to eat at The Breakfast Klub, but it was the best decision ever. :) The staff at the restaurant were all super friendly and sassy. It was very southern. This place is a big deal; when we left there was quite a line already, and that was around 10:30 am or so. If we had come any later, we’d probably have waited a long while for seating. Ambiance-wise, this place was great! It was very urban-in-the-south but cozy and warm as any coffee shop ought to be. Also, yeah, this place is in fourth ward/midtown, but it didn’t seem at all dangerous if that was a concern. It’s totally worth it.

Wings & Waffle

This is one of The Breakfast Klub’s signature dishes (the other is Katfish & Grits), and it’s completely obvious why it’s their most popular. In our party, all of us ordered this item (one of us replaced the waffle with French toast, which, I’m sure, was brilliant), and it was beautiful. Six perfectly battered and deep-fried chicken wings/legs were served circling a spongey soft waffle. I’ll begin with the waffle. I’ve never quite had a waffle like this. Whenever I order waffles, they’re usually a bit more crisp than the ones at The Breakfast Klub. The one here was very soft, but it was still very enjoyable. The softness is a perfect counterpoint to the crispiness and flakiness of the chicken. OMG the chicken! It was so good. I’m not sure how they got the chicken to be so crisp and juicy simultaneously. The batter was spicy (just a hint, not overly), and the spices were balanced really well. I usually find deep-fried chicken to be overly salty or too seasoned, but this was impressive and subtle at the same time. Great! Mr. Kwan almost inhaled his food, but he was fancy about it: forks and knives~

Double Karamel Makiato

One of the awesome things about The Breakfast Klub was that a double shot drink was only five cents more than a single, so yay! More caffeine for everybody! I think I should have ordered this without the whipped cream. It was so, so sweet. The drink itself was sweet to begin with, but the whipped cream was almost overkill. Still, it was enjoyable. Caramel macchiatos are usually considerably more sweet than a regular macchiato due to the sugar in caramel. The macchiatos at The Breakfast Klub are larger and more diluted than macchiatos are usually served, so they are less stong. Adding 3+ pumps of caramel syrup made the already dilute macchiato very, very sweet. I expected this though. I was still able to enjoy my caramel macchiato, and I would totally order this again.


Final notes:

I would try to arrive earlier than 11:15. I think by then, the line would have a super long wait. Also, be prepared to shed a few layers. I’m not sure if it was because the weather was so unpredictable, but it was sauna hot inside the restaurant when we went. Get the Chicken & Waffle when you go!

We have some food updates for Houston:

  • O_O There are three Yogurtland locations in Houston that I was not aware of until yesterday. The one I saw was at 5901 Westheimer Rd. in Shepherd Square (in the same plaza as Teahouse and Aunt Chang’s Dumpling House). There are also locations at 2055 Westheimer Rd. #115a and 303 Memorial City # 303.
  • There is also a Torchy’s Tacos in Houston. It’s about two minutes away from Shepherd Square at 2411 South Shepherd Dr. I’m fairly sure that this Torchy’s is new, but, in true Torchy’s style, it looks like it’s been there forever and looks like the furnishings were found by derelicts. :/ It was really busy though, so yay!
  • Our review for The Breakfast Klub will be written eventually. haha
  • Yay! Happy New Years and happy food times!
  • Keep reading please, and please do leave us any criticisms/questions/suggestions/friendly notes. :)
Strawberry cupcake at Crush Cupcakes (ya, that place inside Muldoons): Rather good. I&#8217;m not great at describing desserts. Nice, fluffy strawberry cake with bits of macerated strawberry inside. The strawberry flavor was pleasantly dominant, and the frosting was sweet but not overly so. I quite liked it, but it wasn&#8217;t worth $3. I think strawberry PopRocks would have been awesome as a topping instead of decorative sugar. It would have given it more zing. :)

Strawberry cupcake at Crush Cupcakes (ya, that place inside Muldoons):

Rather good. I’m not great at describing desserts. Nice, fluffy strawberry cake with bits of macerated strawberry inside. The strawberry flavor was pleasantly dominant, and the frosting was sweet but not overly so. I quite liked it, but it wasn’t worth $3.

I think strawberry PopRocks would have been awesome as a topping instead of decorative sugar. It would have given it more zing. :)