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It had been too long since we'd looked at the offerings from The Olive Oil, the Woodlands' only traditional Greek restaurant.

On a rainy August evening some hearty Greek fare sounded perfect, so we zipped over to the establishment, conveniently located on Sawdust in a large shopping center with ample parking.

The Gyro

The most popular item at many Greek spots is the iconic gyro sandwich, and The Olive Oil didn't disappoint. Thick slices of gyro meat, fresh onion and tomato, and the tangy house tziziki sauce are surrounded with a fresh pita, and wrapped for easy handling. It's a solid rendition; the juicy meat and fresh veggies are complimented by the creamy sauce. Gyro fans should be quite happy with this version.

The Greek Sampler

For those wanting to try a selection of Greek standards, The Olive Oil presents the Greek Sampler. Consisting of Moussaka, Pastitsio, cheese pie, spinach pie, gyro meat, dolmas, tzetziki, pita bread, green beans, chicken souvlaki and oven roasted potatoes, it is a great introduction to the wide variety of classic Greek favorites offered on the menu.

The Mixed Grill

In the mood for meat? The mixed grill will catch your eye. Lamb kabob, lamb chop, beef kabob, chicken souvlaki, pork souvlaki, and shrimp souvlaki are all represented, and all are well prepared - juicy and flavorful.

We enjoyed our visit to The Olive Oil, and found it to deliver consistently good Greek standards in a comfortable, pleasant setting. If you like Greek food, check it out.

The Olive Oil Restaurant | 373 Sawdust Road, The Woodlands, Texas | (281) 367-0114

Houston BBQ fans have been anxiously awaiting the reopening of Corkscrew BBQ, the award-winning BBQ spot on the north side. Before today, Corkscrew was located in a trailer on Budde road, just South of the Woodlands.

We arrived at Corkscrew BBQ just before the opening. This has become a tradition for us - we visited the original location on opening day, and were immediately impressed by the BBQ turned out by this family business.

The new Corkscrew is on the northern edge of Old Town Spring, having taken over the old Hyde's Cafe building. Will and Nichole Buckman, owners of Corkscrew, completely renovated the historic building. The setting is rustic and comfortable, with the two Corkscrew pavilions repurposed to create an outdoor seating area.

As expected, lines at the new Corkscrew were out the door to the curb. Waits to order ran about an hour, which isn't bad for top quality craft BBQ.

The assembled crowds had their waits rewarded. Corkscrew delivered its Texas Monthly Top 50 meats and delicious sides.

We're excited to see the reopening of Corkscrew BBQ. The Spring area once again has two top quality destinations for barbecue fans. We'll be back. Often.

FM 1960 is a conundrum for foodies. Driving along the road you'll pass dozens and dozens of restaurants, but very few that are on the radar for Houston's notoriously loop-centric foodie community.

So what is a suburban foodie to do? Venture off the beaten path, and try someplace new.

Our latest discovery is Le' Pam's House of Creole, a small, tidy restaurant located in an unassuming strip center just west of 1960 and Ella. We'd been hearing rumblings from member of the Woodlands Area Foodies group about great food from Le' Pam's, so we looked forward to investigating.

Upon entering the restaurant, we were immediately greeted by the friendly, professional counter staff. The aroma of creole spices filled the air, and we perused the menu board to consider our choices.

"Don't look at the menu." said a musical voice. It turns out it was from Miss Pam, aka Chef Pamela Graham, the powerhouse behind Le' Pam's. Her husband, Lee, was manning the register. Miss Pam is a force of nature - a classically trained chef who was raised in the kitchen and has the love of food you find of a native of New Orleans... or Houston.

"Today is Sunday dinner. Here's what I'm cooking." Miss Pam ran down a list of enticing options, but two items stood out for us: Shrimp and Grits, and what Miss Pam calls her Trio.

The Trio is an enticing marriage of three delicious parts.

The base is a dark, lush, rich example of the Louisiana favorite, dirty rice. Miss Pam's version is darker, moister, and more flavorful than any we can remember sampling. Miss Pam's creole seasonings carried a subtle heat that accented rather than overpowered; it was a masterful example of restraint delivering a delicious result.

Next is a breaded, perfectly fried catfish filet. This is not your run-of-the-mill catfish; it's moist, tender, and delicious. The light cornmeal breading is light and crisp, and the seasoning again accents rather than overpowers.

Topping things off is a crawfish etoufee that's fresh, rich, and an excellent counterpoint to the lush dirty rice and the flavorful fried fish. The result is a very successful dish that we can't wait to eat again.

Our other entree was Miss Pam's take on the iconic dish, shrimp and grits. Large, beautifully sauteed shrimp are served barely al dente. These well-prepared crustaceans are perched atop the creamiest, smoothest grits we've tasted in Houston. I don't know what sort of voodoo Miss Pam uses to prepare these grits, but the result is nothing short of spectacular. These are grits that will delight people who don't normally like grits.

During the meal, members of Le' Pam's staff were back and forth between the kitchen and the dining room ("My living room" says Miss Pam, and the comfortable, homey setting is far more evocative of a living room than a strip center) filling our drinks, and offering to let us sample other delights. We didn't have room for dessert, but Le' Pam's cobblers, bread pudding, and banana pudding are treats we can't wait to sample on our next visit.

FM 1960 has a new destination restaurant. Le' Pam's House of Creole is as warm and inviting as its chef. And the food left us full, but wanting more. We'll be back soon.

Le' Pam's House of Creole | 1644 FM 1960 W | Houston | 281-444-1464

Update: Robard's excellent Social Hour burger added to the list.

One of the questions we're asked most often is "Where should I eat".

Here is our list of our favorite places to eat burgers in the Woodlands area. This list represents our ideas about the best burgers in the Woodlands. We enjoy burgers at each of these places, and we think you will, too.

Our Favorites

Del Frisco's Grille - This more casual American bistro concept from the highly-regarded steakhouse chain knows its beef, and their burgers reflect this expertise. A custom grind featuring aged sirloin is formed into two quarter-pound patties. High quality cheese, fresh, crisp veggies, and an airy, eggy bun complete the package.

Hubbell & Hudson Bistro - What happens when a classically-trained chef with a love for burgers has access to the best ingredients in the world? The Bistro Burger at Hubbell & Hudson Bistro. Chef Austin Simmons starts with a carefully developed custom grind of prime beef, hand formed into a generous patty and cooked to temperature. It's covered with melted, aged cheddar and thick-cut bacon, then toped with handcrafted veggies, included oven-dried tomatoes, two process onions, and three styles of housemade pickles. No sauces are needed to dress up this master course in burger execution. For our money, this is the best burger to be had in the Houston area.

Robard's - Tucked away on the Social Hour menu may be the Woodland's best burger value. This classic steakhouse burger, a half-pound custom grind based on Robard's USDA prime steaks, is stunningly good. The beefy, expertly-handled patty is finished with high-quality cheese and fresh veggies. The value is amazing: This serious burger and excellent fries (parmesan truffle or plain) for $8.

Also Recommended

Beck's Prime - Mesquite is the key word at the well established local chain. Certified Angus beef, your choice of cheeses, sauces, and fresh veggies have kept burger lovers coming back to Beck's for decades.

Crisp - This Heights import burst on the Woodlands scene and caused quite a stir with it's Italian-accented take on casual American cuisine. The well executed burger is highlighted by addictive purple onions marinated in balsamic vinegar. It's a surprising blast of acid that pairs nicely with the high quality, hand-formed beef patty.

Fielding's Wood Grille - An obsession with high-quality ingredients and unique flavor profiles elevates Fielding's above the norm. Chef Edel Goncalves starts with 44 Farms angus beef, and artfully combines it with hand-selected cheeses, veggies, and housemade sauces to create some of the most unique burgers we've tasted. We keep coming back to his Texas Blues burger, featuring Point Reyes bleu cheese, pickled red onions, fig jam, and jalapenos.

Grub Burger - This college station import grinds its own beef, bakes its own buns, and combines this solid base with a variety of fresh ingredients to create some unique burger combinations. Don't be afraid to sample the often odd-sounding monthly special - a recent muffuletta burger was a surprising favorite.

Jax Burgers - This local take on an old-school burger joint serves up big, hand-formed patties with plenty of melted cheese and your choice of toppings. There are no gourmet pretentious here - just big, classic burgers executed well.

Tacos are one of the foods that defines the state of Texas. From the largest city to the tiniest towns, tacos are one of the foods that are enjoyed by everyone young and old. And with this sort of demand, tens of thousands of taco spots have popped up, all promising Mexican goodness wrapped in a hard or soft shell.

We'd been hearing rumblings about a great spot not far from Old Town Spring. Chycho's Tacos is located on Aldine Westfield Rd., in a lightly commercialized area that was bustling with activity when we visited mid-week at 8pm.

The festive exterior was welcoming, as was the proprietor, Edwin Santos. We were greeted with a smile, and when we enquired about his al pastor tacos, he insisted on offering up a sample of his roasted pork. It was very good - dark, savory, with gentle heat from an ancho chile rub. We were sold, and ordered. On a whim, we decided to sample one of the fajita tacos, remembering that it is one of the most popular choices among our readers.

We then retired to the adjoining pavilion, a festive, spotlessly clean place with holiday lighting and a beer garden vibe. In short order a staff member called our name and delivered our tacos.

The plate of tacos appeared, and we were immediately greeted by a delicious, smoky aroma. It was time to dig in. The tacos al pastor were as we anticipated - rich, savory pork flavor, just enough heat to add interest, a very well prepared meat. On top, the typical fresh onions had been replaced with sweet, lightly grilled onions, a substitution we applaud. A sprinkling of cilantro and a dash of lime completed what are very good tacos al pastor.

After demolishing these tacos, we dug into the remaining fajita taco. As good as the al pastor is, the fajita is the star of the show. The beef had the signature flavor of charcoal broiling, with a subtle hint of mesquite to add complexity. This is superbly prepared fajita meat, and combined with the grilled onions, cilantro, and a spritz of lime it created a delicious taco, one we'll be trying again very soon.

We generally don't focus on cost at HTownChowDown, but we'd be remiss if we didn't discuss it here. Regular price for the tacos is $1.49, but on Tuesday, they're $0.99. That's easily one of the best bargains in town for high quality, delicious tacos.

If your idea of tacos begins and ends with a certain high-profile Austin import, you owe it to yourself to visit Chycho's and discover how good real tacos can taste.

Chycho's Tacos | 23206 Aldine Westfield, Spring TX 77373 | 832-566-3022

We recently got word of a very interesting project taking place nearby in Spring. On the Rox Sports Bar, an established neighborhood bar, was turning over its kitchen to a talented local chef, Jeff Wetzel. Jeff has a broad background in the kitchen, ranging from casual to fine dining to the country club scene. We've eaten his food before, and Jeff is a very capable cook, but we wondered how his cuisine would translate into a bar setting.

Bars are interesting places for food. Great bars often have mediocre food, and bars that specialize in great food are often not very good bars. Also, bar patrons typically don't want the kind of dishes that talented chefs like to create; they're often too fussy and require too much attention to eat. Bar food needs to be easy to eat, satisfying, and based on something familiar.

How would this talented chef tackle this challenge? We went in to find out. Jeff invited us to sample the food from his upcoming menu; he plans to roll out these dishes on April 6.

First up was a starter, and it got my attention immediately. Naughty Bacon Bleu Cheese Chips consist of fresh, hand-cut potato chips, chunks of applewood-smoked bacon, and chives. It's all covered with a creamy bleu cheese sauce, and chunks of fresh bleu cheese. While similar in concept to the signature appetizer at Jasper's the addition of bacon and chives takes this dish to the next level. We were off to an auspicious start.

Next up was the bar staple - buffalo wings. We've sampled dozens of versions of buffalo wings, and few measure up to the original. For us, the flavor of Frank's hot sauce is a Platonic ideal for buffalo wings, and the farther away you get, the more the dish suffers. Jeff puts his twist on the iconic bar dish by smoking the naked wings, combining a handful of chives, and then dressing them with... Frank's hot sauce. That's a tough decision that goes against the instincts of a man who can create great sauces, but it's the right one. We approve.

After these appetizers, it was time to get to the main course(s). Jeff presented his take on the BLT - he calls it the Bloody Mary BLT. It's built on a foundation of in-house baked rosemary bread, dense and slightly crusty. On this tasty base he layers applewood-smoked thick-cut bacon, celery root slaw, and slices of beefsteak tomatoes marinated in Absolute Peppar vodka. The BLT is finished with chive creme fraiche, and a tangy balsamic syrup. This became quickly one of our favorite BLTs; the layers of flavors formed a complexity that typically isn't seen in this lunch staple. The herbal rosemary combines with the smoky, savory bacon, and the blast of acid from the balsamic, reigned in with a touch of sweetness, was masterful.

The sandwich was served with fresh-cut fries, expertly fried. Good fresh-cut fries are tough to make, and apparently Jeff sold his soul at some point, because he has been entrusted with the secret.

Continuing the sandwich theme, we dug into the Puerco Sucio. The formula is simple: Take seared confit pork belly, dress with chipotle aioli. Combine with slices of baked apples and a bit of celery root slaw, and serve on housemade ciabatta. The resulting sandwich is much leaner than the pork belly you find around town, and we found the better meat-to-fat ratio to be a good one. The smoky pork played off the sweet apples and the creamy slaw, and the result was a very good sandwich.

Our final sandwich was a new twist on the humble chicken sandwich. Called Pollo Loco, an adobo-marinated chicken breast is chargrilled, then dressed with havarti and mango radish salsa and presented on ciabatta. Chicken sandwiches can be boring, but this one was not. The mango radish salsa was an inspired choice; again, a complex, layered flavor profile makes for an interesting dish.

Jeff could sense that we were nearing capacity for the tasting -- it was tough not to finish each of the dishes he put in front of us. So he brought out one last item to try, a simple flatbread. On top of the housemade flatbread were slices of pear, melted brie, and a generous helping of arugula, all drizzled with high quality white truffle oil. This was a refreshingly light dish, refreshing yet hearty enough not to leave us craving something else.

We went into Chef Wetzel's tasting with a good degree of skepticism, but this talented chef dispelled it handily. He showed his chops, and delivered elevated version of classic bar food that would be right at home on the lunch menu of a fine restaurant. We look forward to sampling more of his creations in the very near future.

On the Rox Bar | 8905 Louetta Rd., Spring TX 77379 | 281-320-2911

UPDATE: Sadly, the Rockabilly Diner has closed.

The Houston City Council is making it tough on food trucks.  While many are operating in the city, they face an unaccommodating legal environment that makes it tougher for these creative mobile kitchens to offer a great experience for their customers.

Seating?  No can do.  Shaded seating?  You're kidding, right?

These factors alone put food trucks at a huge disadvantage compared to standalone restaurants.  Eating standing up isn't any fun.  Eating standing up under a hot Texas sun is even less fun.  Yet customers will endure these inconveniences if the food is good enough.

Even with these stumbling blocks, food trucks persevere, and some even thrive.  Hopefully the city council will someday change these anticompetitive regulations and let trucks compete without artificial barriers (that seem to be written by brick-and-mortar restaurant associations.)

Until then, some trucks will take refuge outside the city limits of Houston, where the regulations are based on health and safety, and not make-believe fantasies of back-of-the-truck drug deals and apron-wearing terrorists operating behind the grill.  (You can't make this stuff up.)

Enter the Rockabilly Diner, a food truck located just west of Kuykendall on FM 2920 (the first major road south of the Woodlands.)  Eschewing both the hipsters and the silly regulations found Inside The Loop, Rockabilly converted a vacant spot near a busy intersection into an al fresco location for lunch or dinner that's a real change from the typical suburban restaurant.

Parking is ample, and the bright yellow trailer houses a modern kitchen that would be right at home in a small mom-and-pop restaurant.

The kitchen at Rockabilly Diner

At the back of the property is a small seating pavilion, with a pair of picnic tables and a sturdy fan providing a breeze even when Mother Nature isn't cooperative.

Seating area at Rockabilly Diner

The entire property is clean, neat, and well kept, with little homey touches that remind you that Rockabilly isn't a corporate concept cashing in on the food truck craze.

Stepping up to the counter, we're immediately greeted by Chad McMullen, a Brooklyn transplant who's been in Texas long enough to add "y'all" to his vocabulary.  Chad is passionate about burgers, and his enthusiasm comes through loud and clear.  And his excitement is resonating with customers - Rockabilly has recently extended its hours from 11am to 8pm, serving the dinner crowd as well as those craving a burger for lunch.

On this, our first visit, we followed Chad's suggestions, and ordered a Bacon and Cheese Rockaburger.  Based around a hand-formed one-third pound beef patty, it's topped with your choice of several cheeses, generously sliced bacon cooked on the griddle right beside the patty, and the usual array of traditional burger toppings.

Burgers and bacon coexisting on the griddle at Rockabilly Diner

Nothing was started until our order was placed - no precooked patties here.  Or even precooked bacon, something that's very common at even the best burger joints.  We applaud Chad's dedication.  Another interesting observation:  Chad covers the burger patty with a lid on the grill, the same technique that Ricky Craig at Hubcap Grill uses to such great effect.

After a reasonable time for cooking and production, our burger appeared, wrapped in foil and placed within an insulated foam carrier.  This burger is packaged to travel well, but the only vacation in its future was into my stomach.

Bacon and Cheese Rockaburger at Rockabilly Diner

All this attention to detail was put to the test when we bit into the Rockaburger.  The coarsely ground beef was cooked medium well, but the covered griddling technique resulted in a nicely juicy patty, and perfectly melted cheese (pepper jack, as was Chad's recommendation).  The beefy flavor was front and center, seasoned gently with salt and pepper.  The hot-off-the-griddle bacon added a nice smoky counterpoint, and had a firm, dense, chewy consistency.  Veggies were crisp and fresh.  Our only disappointment was a slight one - a rather pedestrian bun that was neither toasted or griddled, but it did it's job holding everything together.

All in all, a very good burger, and one that we look forward to enjoying again.

There was a considerably lunch rush of Houstonians enjoying a burger in the great outdoors, comfortably seated alongside friends and strangers under the pavilion.  It's a shame that every food truck can't offer this sort of experience to its guests, but we're happy that the Rockabilly Diner has picked a location that allows for this kind of great experience.

We'll be back.

Rockabilly Diner | 6149 FM 2920 (Just west of Kuykendahl), Spring
rockabillyconcessions@gmail.com

The Woodlands area is not lacking for choices when you're in the mood for Tex-Mex.  From Chuy's to Los Cucos to the Rico's empire, there's a Tex-Mex spot on just about any corner.

So you can imagine my indifference when I learned that the large restaurant being built at the intersection of 2920 and Kuykendahl was going to be another Tex-Mex spot.  I enjoy the cuisine, but feel that the area would be better served by just about any other type of restaurant.

Nevertheless, a recent weekend found us shopping at Lowe's (across the big parking lot) and hungry.  Alicia's building was inviting, so we walked over and entered.

We were immediately impressed by the beautiful setting and attractive decor.  The proprietor had clearly invested some money in his new establishment, and the result was impressive.  Dining areas were in different rooms (we tire of the single, huge cavern that seems to be popular with many restaurant designers) and an inviting bar was off to the side.

One of the dining rooms at Alicias (Unused at the time)

We were led to our table, and fresh housemade chips and salsa were quickly brought.  Chips and salsa are one's first impression of a Tex-Mex spot's cuisine, and we think they're very important.  Alicia's did not disappoint - the chips were thin and crisp, glowing with a thin sheen of oil that didn't result in a heavy taste.  The salsa was light, fresh, and had the bite of citrus, an excellent choice for a hot Texas summer.

Perusing the menu, we saw all the traditional Tex-Mex favorites, plus an emphasis on grilled meats.  My eye was drawn to one of their combinations.  Called simply "Cowboy Steak", it featured a 6 oz. black Angus outside cut of skirt steak, grilled and topped with three chipotle shrimp.  A pair of cheese enchiladas, and the de rigueur rice and beans completed the dish.

Cowboy Steak at Alicia's Mexican Grille

What came out was impressive.  An aggressively-charred, lime-marianated slab of honest-to-Robb skirt steak, topped with larger-than-expected, perfectly grilled shrimp.  The chipotle sauce provided a nice, smoky counterpoint to both the skirt steak and the shrimp, forming a delightful Gulf Coast / Border version of central Texas BBQ.  It was a fusion that worked.

Perhaps even more remarkable were the cheese enchiladas.  I consider this dish to be another benchmark for measuring a Tex-Mex spot, and Alicia's did not disappoint.  Fresh tortillas rolled around melted, oozing yellow cheese, topped with a very nice housemade chili gravy.  None of the mystery red sauce that some places substitute... a revelation.  These may be the best cheese enchiladas in the Houston area.

We're looking forward to returning to Alicia's in the very near future.  But it's going to be tough to order anything else on the menu.

When we visited Jax Burgers shortly after they opened last summer, we enjoyed the restaurant and its signature burger, but felt that it just missed the mark. The hamburger patty was a bit bland and unseasoned.  But we generally liked the place, and on a sunny late June afternoon we decided to visit again.

The restaurant was just as we remembered it - sparklingly clean and full of the aroma of grilled beef.  The Jax logo was prominently displayed all over the restaurant, and two flat-screen TVs were displaying a couple of different sporting events.

It was time to check and see how the burger had fared after Jax settled in.  We ordered at the counter, and our burger promptly arrived.  We bit in, and had a surprise...

A very pleasant surprise.

We're happy to report that the previous problem we had with the burger has been addressed, and addressed well.  The beef patty is still a half-pound of never frozen beef, but it's now sporting a lively seasoning of black pepper and just the right amount of salt.  The bite of the pepper is front and center, and it plays a nice counterpoint to the rich flavor of the high fat content beef.  There's a new swagger, and a bold, beefy flavor that is worthy of the lovingly hand-formed patty.  The difference is like night and day.

The patty was griddled to a nice medium - hints of pink were still present in the center.  The thickish slice of good quality American cheese was nicely melted, and the eggy bun also spent some quality time on the flat top, and the result was a gloriously oozy burger.  Veggies were fresh, but not terribly crisp.

Interestingly, the burger arrived upside-down - something we can't recall ever seeing before.

We're glad to find that the staff at Jax have improved this burger, and we welcome Jax into the upper echelon of Houston burger joints.

Keep up the good work, guys!

We'd been hearing good things about a new burger place that opened south of the Woodlands on 2920.  Called Jax Burgers, it's not associated with the longtime Houston favorite Jax Grill.

We drove over, and discovered a clean restaurant in a strip center.  Parking was easy, and we walked in and ordered.