Brunching at Max's Wine Dive

Another brunch place taken down by "hungry sandy"! ::clears throat::

The other Sunday, I went out to brunch at Max's Wine Dive with two of my guy friends.  I don't know how I ended up here, but I think it's partly because I've heard so much about their fried chicken AND the boyfriend is still not back from his business trip so I made plans to keep myself busy.  Anyways, I was able to make reservations 2 hours before I got there!  (I know... I love it!) However, even with the reservations, we still waited for about 10 minutes.  But I'm still glad I made them because this place was PACKED! 

Real quick about the place: its small!  Basically there's a bar (where you can sit and dine as well) and two rows of tables.  A friend of mine mentioned how he doesn't think the place would fulfill the disability standards, and I agree.  So if you're claustrophobic, don't even think about coming here.  

Since it was crazy packed, we had a lot of time to look at the menu.  I was torn between the fried chicken and jack cakes or the fried chicken with the collard greens, brioche bread and potatoes.  I even bugged our server about which dish she'd order.  However, I ended up with their Chicken Fried Ribeye with over-easy eggs and their jalapeno cheese grits.  WHAT?! I decided I didn't want to eat around chicken bones!!  Regardless, it was a scrumptious dish.  I cleaned off the entire plate before the boys even finished their entrees (yay me!).  

Anyway, the fried chicken was not the only dish I was pondering about.  I was having a difficult time deciding what to get that day.  They have Red Velvet Pancakes and Nutella-Banana Crepes... I really couldn't decide!  Luckily, I was with some boys who also love red velvet and we ordered the Red Velvet Pancakes for the table to share.  Now, don't get me wrong... the pancakes were good, but it wasn't as good as I hoped.  It wasn't as flavorful as an actual slice of red velvet cake.  What's amazing was their cream cheese butter.  That butter did make the experience better, but I have to be honest I was a lil' disappointed with it.  Even so, I finished off my share of the pancakes too.  

Actually, looking back... I'm dang proud of myself!  Not only did I manage to finish off my glass of mimosa before the boys (there were two), but I cleaned up my plate before them (one didn't finish his entree) AND I cleaned up my share of pancakes (there were 3 so we each had one).  I didn't even realized we were competing to see who ate the most until I was sipping on coffee and watching the boys try to do the same damage I did!  One of the boys finally managed to finish everything just to make us "even"- NICE TRY, but I think I won.  I at least enjoyed everything... he was miserable half way through his pancake.  

Okay, sorry, I went off on a tangent over there.  Back to the food... I say its definitely a place to try out.  I really loved the jalapeno grits.  It was really tasty and I wish the serving was bigger!  The mimosa here was pretty darn good too.  Not the best that I've had, but it was good enough to where I enjoyed it.

I want to head back here for the nutella crepes and maybe even their egg sandwich.  Heck, I just want to try everything because it looked so good and everything I had was great!  Yes, so come try this place out!  Remember... you can make reservations the day of!

Brunch Time at Paggi House (Austin, Texas)

ALL YOU CAN EAT BRUNCH BUFFET!  Should I say more??  Actually, yes since I'm blogging.  Anyways, I was in Austin last weekend and ventured out here with my friends since they raved about it.  They also mentioned how this place is comparable or even better (I forget) than Backstreet Cafe.  Ummmm... WHAT?! Okay, now I REALLY have to try it.

The drinks here are definitely cheaper than Backstreet Cafe.  Mimosas are $1 per glass.  Yup... one dollar; however, it was not as tasty as the mimosas at Backstreet (considering that Backstreet pair theirs with other fruits).  I didn't get to try the Blood Mary, but I heard it was good (it was also $2.50).  

So what can $24 get you?  Apparently, it gets you: an assortment of cheeses, fruits, pastries, french toast, bacon, sausage, corned beef hash, quiche, bread pudding, roasted pork, veggies, and home fries.  Now, those are what were out on the buffet.  You can also order from their menu: chicken and waffle, eggs (any way you want it, but know that an order comes with 2 eggs), a garden omelette, and a bacon omelette.  

Let me tell you... the chicken and waffle was DELICIOUS! Omg... I'm craving for one right now as I'm typing away.  Anyways, you get 2 fried chicken tenders and two pieces of waffles (I know I suck... I didn't get a chance to take photos).  The syrup that comes drizzled on this dish was amazing as well.  

I also tried their poached egg.  Talk about YUMMY!  The egg was perfectly poached and it was served on top of a thick, heavily buttered toast.  It was absolutely delish!  Something I can eat everyday and gain weight on.  

The Bacon Omelette was not that impressive.  Even though it was made with brie cheese (and I love brie cheese), it wasn't that flavorful.  It was actually kinda bland, like it needed either seasoning or more ingredients.  Anyways, I digress.  

Everything I had here was awesome!  I was really impressed with the blue cheese grits.  It was creamy and tasty.  The bread pudding was also fabulous.  I can go on and on about each item, but if you haven't noticed I would only talk about how good it was.  

Service here was excellent.  Everyone was friendly, even the dude who sliced the roasted pork.  So, to answer the million dollar question... is Paggi House better than Backstreet Cafe??  I'd say "yes!"  The drinks here are cheaper (even the pitchers) and the food was delicious and unlimited!  

Now, I suggest you valet your vehicle here even though you may park on the streets.  There's a golf course located right across from the restaurant so... I don't recommend it.  I also recommend making reservations.  We were lucky that the hostess was able to seat us because the place was apparently booked.  

Hillstone (formerly Houston)

Recently, we had friends in town and decided to dine somewhere "fancy." We headed over to Houston restaurant on Kirby; however, to our surprise the name was changed to Hillstone.  Now, just because the name changed does not mean the menu changed (thank goodness!).  Houston is part of the Hillstone Restaurant Group so don't worry.  

We went to Hillstone on a Saturday night (7:30pm) and to our surprise there was no wait.  We were seated promptly for a party of 5.   But... it was during Rodeo so that could be the reason why.

Anyways, the server here was pretty attentive.  Since I wasn't really hungry that evening (I know... I was surprised myself too), I ordered their Prime Rib (cooked medium rare of course).  The steak came out PERFECT!  It was tender, juicy, and just melts in your mouth!  This dish comes with a side of french fries (I think), but I subbed it with a baked potato.  Now, what made that steak so wonderful was the au jus. So if you order this, do not forget to dip that piece of goodness in the au jus! 

I also had their caesar salad prior to the meal and it was delish.   The romaine lettuce was fresh and crisp.  I forgot to request the server to place the dressing on the side; however, the salad was mixed well and it wasn't soggy.  Please keep in mind that the salad is HUGE so consider sharing it with another person. 

Regarding drinks... a friend of mine ordered Dr. Pepper and the server brought him a bottled DP (which means no refills and DP is made with imperial cane sugar).  Just FYI for those of you who must have the unlimited refills.  

Another random thing is their "check tray."  The tray felt like it was made of stainless steel or sterling silver (basically it was heavy)!  It was definitely an item to boost the ambiance of the venue and illustrate the class of the restaurant.  It was also something my table wanted to jack (but we didn't, I promise).  

I was not able to get any good shots of my meal so I apologize for no photos :(  It was dark and I was using my phone (I know... ghetto).  But, I will visit Hillstone again and I will bring a camera with me the next time I venture out there.  

Backstreet Cafe

A girlfriend of mine was leaving town so I decided to take her to Backstreet Cafe for one of her "last meal" here in Houston. Like always, this place serves an amazing brunch! Their brunch drink menu consists of fresh fruit sangrias and also flavored mimosas. You can order it by the glass, half pitcher, or a full pitcher. The half pitcher costs about $20... so it does get a bit pricy, but its worth it!

We shared the Wild Berry Mimosa and the drink was infused with strawberry, blueberry, blackberry, and fresh lime juice. The drink was garnished with fresh slices of strawberries and whole blackberries in your champagne glass. Absolutely a delightful and refreshing drink! I've also tried their Watermelon Mimosa before and that was also refreshing as well.

Another concept I like about this place is how they serve you a "muffin & scone" platter while you're waiting for your food or just waiting for your guest to arrive. This platter usually consists of one chocolate muffin, one blueberry muffin, one banana-nut muffin, and 2 scones. Last year, they also served a sun-dried tomato muffin (which was yummy), but I haven't seen it lately.

Recently, I've tried two brunch entrees here. I first had the Smoked Chicken and Potato Hash. This dish was flavorful! The entree came with stripped chicken breasts cooked with bell peppers and onion, two poached eggs (however you like them cooked), 4 slices of avocado, two HUGE homemade tortillas, and topped with tomatillo sauce. The tomatillo sauce was definitely spicy (and sooooo good!). Their tortilla was so big, I had to tear it into smaller pieces to wrap the chicken in it. Overall, this entree was absolutely delish (but a bit on the heavy side).

The second entree I tried was the Brioche French Toast. Talk about yummy! You get 3 gianormous pieces of french toast with caramel sauce on the bottom of the plate and topped with fresh berries. Each piece of toast is basically two brioche bread infused together with slices of bananas. Now, the only complaint I have is, there should be more bananas! Other than that, this dish is pretty awesome. Again, a bit heavy since it is brioche (even though the bread is soooo fluffy and soft!), but french toast is only fabulous when its made with brioche bread.

What's unique about Backstreet Cafe is, it's literally located on a backstreet of Shepard. There's no parking except for valet (and sometimes the valet person would ask if you'd like your car vacuumed and such for $20). Service here is usually pretty good. They are very attention-detail oriented and will come top off your mimosas regularly (which makes you lose count of how much you've been drinking after a while...). So if you haven't been out here, you should definitely put this place as a "must try".

BRC (Big Red Cock)

On December 26, 2010, I went to try out BRC's brunch. Normally, I am at BRC for their happy hour (which, I recommend going out to!). However, after staring at their brunch menu the last two time I visited, I made my way out there.

First, let me tell you about the place and the decor. BRC stands for "big red cock" and literally, there's a statue of a red rooster right outside the venue near the parking lot. When you drive up to the place, it looks like

this house that doesn't seem inviting; however, when you walk into the restaurant, it has a whole diffe

rent feel from the outside. Inside the restaurant, BRC sticks with the red color scheme and there's a victorian-like feel inside. Its not a big place, in fact its very cozy (you can totally listen to the next table's conversation if you'd like). The seats are very comfortable. The booths is basically this huge button-couch. They do have one huge table that seats about 10-12 people in the dining area.

The bar area is small, but looks really awesome. They have a lot (and I mean a lot) of beers on tap. BRC also have an awesome mojito drink that is already either pre-mixed or pre-made daily. They have two separate alcohol list: one for beer and one for wine.

Service here was excellent. My server was super attentive and even changed out my silverware for me in between my appetizer and entree. My drink (coffee) was always topped off and I never once had to ask her to fill it up.

Okay, on to the food. I tried an appetizer: Blue Crab Beignets. This appetizer only comes with three (3) hushpuppies-looking "beignets". The sauce that comes with the beignets is a cocktail sauce mixed with horseradish. It was perfectly mixed and went well the the beignets. Even though the beignets were a bit small, they were made with lumps of crabmeat and were very tasty.

Now BRUNCH! Like I said, the last two times I was at BRC, I was really drawn to their brunch menu so I was super excited when I got to try it. I was really torn between three items: Poached Eggs & Potato Skins (because anyone who knows me knows how much I LOVE poached eggs and potato); Blueberry Supreme Stuffed French Toast; and Skillet Fry Bread & Eggs. Surprisingly, I ordered the Skillet Fry Bread & Eggs. I ordered that because on the menu it read that its "our Founding-Father's favorite" so I assume it just had to be good. AND IT WAS! The dish was served in a skillet with a piece of sourdough bread covered with 2 slices of bacon and cheese, and topped with two eggs cooked over hard. It was very good (and greasy as well). The breakfast potato that came with the skillet was tasty as well; however, there were a few pieces of potato that were undercooked. Overall I have to say my brunch was awesome and can't wait to try the other two dishes I was eyeing on.

I also tried the American Meatloaf Sliders. This item was listed on BRC's daily specials, which are written on a butcher paper and hung on a side panel that is near the bar. (Please note that when people are sitting by the daily special list, it might be awkward to go over there and look at it). Now the sliders are on the "typical sliders bread", but what's unique about this dish is the meatloaf is "lined" with mashed potato. The meatloaf taste just like any other, but with the mashed potato lined with it, it made the experience better.

Now, what is absolutely the one thing you CANNOT MISS! Its the White Chocolate & Dark Chocolate Bread Pudding. OMG! Its orgasmic! The bread pudding is served warm and covered with whipped cream, caramel, and chocolate. It is one of the best bread puddings I've had so far and a MUST for everyone to try!

So if you're looking for a new place to try... I suggest BRC if you're around the Washington/Shepard area.