Montrose Chinese Restaurant - Give it a Try

The Skinny: Skip a trip to Houston's Chinatown for the same meal, same deal...but with better bathrooms.

The Fat: Overall, I'm not a huge fan of Chinese food. Like the common pizza, if Chinese food is not made extraordinarily well, it becomes a diluted, US influenced version of its original form.

While we are one of the largest cities in the country, let's face it, our Chinatown (tucked between 59 and Beltway 8)is vastly different from those of our bustling counterparts partly because it can't be reached with the same fluidity. That being said, if you're up for an outer loop adventure it's not half bad. There are some pretty neat shops, bakeries and restaurants.

On the other hand, if you're an inner loop homebody looking for some inexpensive Chinese with FREE delivery, then Montrose Chinese Restaurant will satisfy your urge.

They offer what you might expect from a Chinese joint - anything from a simple Wonton soup to flavorful Crispy Orange Flavored Beef to a Club Seafood Delight which includes all the seafood gems like prawns to lobster.

Vegetarians and meat lovers alike can choose from a considerable number of entrees, appetizers, and soup selections which is one of the things that makes Chinese food such a great option. Their entrees - all with tender meat and/or crisp veggies and rich sauces in the $8 to $13 range - make this place an anchor of the fast food variety.

Forget the Pork and Vegetable Dumplings. The first time we went my friend and I had just finished a lazy day of bike riding. I had seen some dumplings at the local grocery the day before and simply couldn't get them out of my head. This hole-in-the-wall place right by my house came to mind, so we made our way there and ordered the Vegetable Dumplings.

The sweet lady working the counter became very anxious when I ordered them, telling me it would take at least 10 minutes. I assured her that I could wait.

The loveliness of a well steamed dumpling is how translucent, slippery and delicate it becomes when it's had enough time to cook. When these dumplings arrived, however, the dough was - for lack of a better description - al dente. The filling was ideal, but each bite exposed bits of the tough, white dough that had remained untouched by the essential steam.

I've been three times now and each time since, I've asked them to steam the dumplings thoroughly. I politely express to them that time is not an issue and that I like my dumplings "well done". Nonetheless, I get the same outcome.

They're so concerned with getting your order to you in a flash that they sacrifice the necessary steaming time. While a "fast food" mentality is invaluable for a place with only four tables, it takes vital a toll on this one dish.

Everything else is hot, well cooked and bursting with flavor. They serve up everything you love about Chinese; tender meat, fluffy rice, rich sauces and spicy accents.

The dining area is adequate, bathrooms are clean, service is great and restaurant is tidy - but the small space looks not unlike the inside of a hospital waiting room, so if you love going out to eat this is not an ideal destination.

I give this place a thumbs up mostly because they're fast, they deliver for free and the food's not half bad for the price. Take out and delivery is when Montrose Chinese Restaurant really shines. Your to-go bag will be filled with chopsticks, all the necessary sauces and fortune cookies, without question.

Location: 1952 Montrose Blvd. - 713.529.5288

P.S. If you want extraordinary dumplings, but don't mind the drive to Chinatown, try Lai Lai Dumpling House. They serve yummy, yummy dumplings in an yucky, yucky place. There are dusty silk flowers everywhere and it looks like an ideal spot for making drug deals, but I'm not a scaredy cat. I live for good food...so why not die for it?

Van Loc - Give it a Try

The Skinny: They make Tofu actually taste good!

The Fat: Carnivores and Vegetarians alike will enjoy this Vietnamese/Chinese wonderland. I've been a fan since my "down-and-out law school days" and for 12 hours a day, seven days a week, they were always there to serve up some low priced, awesome Asian fare.

After you figure out how to get to the restaurant (through the maze of one-way streets and the Main Street Light Rail) you'll feel like your efforts may have been in vain when you pull into the shabby parking lot with potholes and cris-crossed yellow parking lines. Keep going, the prize is yet to come.

First of all, Van Loc isn't going to dote on you. The only time anyone was actually cordial was when I brought one of my dearest friends to dine with me one night. The fact that my friend is neither Vietnamese or Chinese, but a Korean/Cuban hybrid, was seemingly of little importance because my slanted eyed guest and I managed to solicit the rare, but quite sincere smile from the hostess/cashier. This acknowledgment was, aside from the thrill of immediate acceptance, totally invaluable. After all, the hostess wasn't going to be cooking my food, right? Yes, that's right.

Here's the deal, the prize is not the service, not the sleekness of the bathrooms, and certainly not the decor. Ok, maybe I'm making Van Loc seem like little more than a soup kitchen with a Vietnamese menu and a price tag, but it's just a regular place so I want you to be prepared. While the servers are usually on their game, it's certainly not a fine dining establishment. Just put on a pair of flip flops and get ready to eat until you drop...and maybe have some food left over to go.

Their Pho is amazing. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Pho, it’s an enormous bowl of steaming hot broth filled with rice noodles, sliced onions and whatever type of meat you choose-from chicken to raw beef.

By the way, the pronunciation of Pho is a delicate conglomeration of fah (like, “fa”...a long, long way to run) and fuh (like Pho-ck off, jerkface.) You should feel proud to pronounce it correctly, but if you're too nervous just point to it or use the ever reliable "number system" that Asian restaurants have been kind enough to attach to their menu items. But you're more adventurous than that, aren't you?

Anyway you say it, they serve it up just right. Each bowl comes with a plentiful side of bean sprouts, cilantro (I'm not a fan of cilantro) lime, and basil so that each person can add as much or as little of the fresh additions as they choose.

Before you order your entree, be sure to get an order of the shrimp spring rolls to share. Delicate vermicelli, crisp lettuce, fresh basil and sliced shrimp are tightly rolled into thin pieces of rice paper and served with some of the best peanut sauce I’ve ever had at an Asian restaurant - no lie.

People will argue that Mai’s, a similar Vietnamese restaurant down the street, is a fierce competitor, but I say “NO WAY”! Mai’s is just as unfriendly, just as unattractive...but their peanut sauce cannot hold a candle to that of Van Loc’s! Additionally, their rice paper is often over folded and quite rubbery. It’s no contest.

Now, I love meat just as much as the next gal, but once I discovered the glory of their Tofu selections, I was done. Since then, I rarely order anything else. While their chicken and beef dishes are fantastic, smothered in well thought out sauces and served with glorious, crisp veggies, I’m firmly hooked on two of their several vegetarian selections: “Tofu in Clay Pot” and “Garlic Tofu.”

The Tofu in Clay Pot is a heavenly pot of richly doused tofu combined with perfectly adorable cap mushrooms and served with a soft bed of white rice. The Garlic Tofu is, by far, my favorite. Here the semi-soft tofu cubes are gently fried and then tossed in an inexplicably perfect mix of roasted garlic and onions and then laid over a fresh bed of lettuce and tomato slices - all saturated in an anomalous vinaigrette that I’ve yet to recreate to this day.

I could go on and on, but you should just...go. Van Loc Rocks!!!

P.S. The portions are pretty substantial. Since there are so many fantastic items to try, you may want to take a moment to find a couple of things that you and your guests can share. If you're insanely hungry, go for the shrimp spring rolls right off the bat. They come out fast and will keep your growling belly at bay while you take time go through the rather extensive menu. About four people can easily enjoy two or three items - like one full size appetizer, one regular size soup and one entree. Van Loc is a bargain and a delight.


Location: 3010 Milam Street- 713. 528. 6441

Sambuca - Give it a Try

The Skinny: For a well rounded night of good service, perfectly executed fare and some lively contemporary music, get Dolled Up and head Downtown.

The Fat: I'll admit, I'm not a huge fan of lunging myself into the Houston mess on the weekends. Why should I venture Downtown when there are more than enough great places in Montrose, River Oaks and The Heights where I won't have to pay $15 to park my car and walk 10 blocks to my destination? However, there are a few places that make the madness well worth it.

I've visited Sambuca about five times over the past few years. Sometimes I'll go on a date, other times I will step in with a group of friends. Whomever may accompany you, this is one of the Houston establishments that really makes you feel like you're living it up. Although they serve a fantastic lunch menu, it's just one of those places you should visit when the sun goes down.

The restaurant has two main levels, each cozy in their own right. Dark accessories and leopard print upholstery pepper the restaurant. Tables for larger groups tend to be upstairs or set off to the side. Some tables are placed right in front of the stage. If you want to feel like part of the action, ask to be seated there. Late night, they move some of the stage-front tables to allow more space for a dance floor. I have been seated upstairs and, while it's the perfect retreat for an intimate occasion, the downstairs level is by far my favorite place to sit.

If you're there to dine, I highly recommend making reservations. There's a swanky bar area where you can wait for an opening or just sip on Martinis, but if you want a table you may as well reserve a spot. My only suggestion would be that you make a specific request for where you'd like to sit.

The last time I made a reservation, I asked for a booth. Requesting a booth is usually a great idea because each one is placed along the perimeter and is curved to face the main dining area. When we arrived, however, all the downstairs booths were occupied, so we were shuffled upstairs to the one remaining booth. We felt quite isolated from the rest of the restaurant. For a reservation with a special request for booth, you'd think they would have asked us if we wanted to sit at THE ONLY BOOTH UPSTAIRS...alone...away from the rest of the crowd. While it was the perfect place for a wild make-out session, (don't get me wrong, I'm pretty adventurous) it was only 6pm and we had a show to attend at 8pm. So shoot me if I didn't want to wrinkle my dress before the Symphony!

Ah, the food. For starters, the Carpaccio in the Raw is a must. This duo of delicate salmon and beef was drizzled with orange and balsamic vinaigrette, respectively. So sublime.

Oh, and I'm always up for a little escargot too. The escargot at Sambuca is an outstanding selection. While I much prefer the basic preparation of butter, garlic and little else, this appetizer was just as alluring because it was smothered in lemon, garlic, spinach and smoked Gouda. They're also topped with small puff pastry pieces, which were flavorless additions that detracted from the dish. In fact, I think it would be best if the escargot were served without them. I promptly removed them from my plate. Instead I used some of Sambuca's crusty bread to sop up the ridiculously cheesy goodness that was left on my plate after I inhaled the snails.

But do sop up the remnants. Don't be shy, what's the point? This is food, people. It's meant to be enjoyed.

You'll surely be satisfied with any entree you order, but I tend to lean toward the steak. I always love a good fish, but I cook a lot at home and so the last thing I wanted was another salmon dish. I'm in it for the meat. The Petite Filet (to be exact) was more than enough for me, but a larger version is available. If there were side dishes on the plate (which there were) I overlooked them entirely. The meat had all my attention...and rightly so.

The great thing about the meat at Sambuca is that, while it is always perfectly prepared (medium rare, baby) they top each steak variety with it's own little pat of seasoned butter. Who doesn't like butter? Mine came with a slice of Gorgonzola Walnut butter. My date's New York Strip came with Roasted Garlic and Thyme butter...oh my god...sh!

P.S. I never make it around to dessert at Sambuca, but I'm sure it's delicious. The last thing I remember is that they never offer enough chocolate dessert selections...but with a precursor of good wine, good music, and (if you're lucky) good company, I'm thinking that a fantastic dessert will follow suit.

Location: 909 Texas Avenue (713) 224-5299

Photo courtesy of Kenny Haner