A short film by hamburger expert George Motz
In our constant quest (some would say obsession) to locate the best burger in the Houston area, one name kept popping up. "Sam's Deli Diner". "You've gotta try Sam's". "I've been going to Sam's Deli for years, it's the best!" I'd never heard of this place two years ago, but now it's on the radar, and it's exactly the type of burger place I love to find: Small, privately owned, and successful for decades.
Last weekend found us wandering the rats maze / retail wonderland that is IKEA, and presented the perfect excuse to try this legendary hamburger joint. So zipped down I-10 and pulled up to the nondescript strip center location.
Sam's was easy to find, and parking was plentiful on this early weekend afternoon. The place looked clean and inviting, and when we entered we were surprised by the size of the dining room, with a long, linear open kitchen tucked behind a low counter.
Clearly, the place does some business, even if it was nearly empty. We placed our order, and waited for the food to arrive.
The first attempt at my burger was wrong - I requested "dry, no tomatoes" as is my habit, and what came out was neither dry (it was slathered with mayo) nor tomato-free. This was surprising, since the room was essentially empty. The lack of attention on the part of the cook didn't bode well for the burger, but I returned it to the counter, and waited for the replacement to appear.
What came out was perhaps the saddest burger to ever come out of the kitchen from one of Houston's famed burger joints.
The grey, overcooked, machine-formed patty was dry and ooze-free. The cheese was slightly melted; more attached to the bun than to the beef. And the tired looking veggies were huddled under the patty, trying their best to avoid the prying eyes of a hungry patron.
I bit into the burger, hoping that the flavor would be the saving grace. It wasn't. I've had better burgers at McDonald's, and I didn't finish this one.
I've heard uniformly great things about Sam's, and I'm hoping I caught them on an off day. It happens. But one mark of a great restaurant is the ability to always deliver a quality product, and what was served today showed me that it is certainly possible to get a lousy burger at Sam's Deli Diner.
Update: Katharine Shilcutt visits Sam's Deli Diner and shares her experience.
Update: Another opinion, from The Mighty Rib.
Sam's Deli Diner - 11637 Katy Freeway - 281-497-8088
The Kemah Boardwalk is the closest thing the Houston area has to an amusement park, and it has the added benefit of no entrance fee. The downside, for many of us, is that the dining options are all Landry's restaurants - if you're not a fan of that conglomerate (and we're not) you won't be happy with the food choices.
We were pleasantly surprised to run across The Burger House, a small, casual burger spot located right by the Boardwalk's parking lot. Located just outside the border of Landryville, the Burger House offers a cost-effective alternative to the mediocre offerings that Landry's does so well.
We parked right in front, and climbed up the ramp to the restaurant. It's a counter-service place, so we walked up, and after perusing the big board, we placed our order. The focus clearly is on the homemade burgers, and the friendly counter person suggested that we try the onion rings. We sat down, and in short order, our burgers arrived.
First up are the sliders. They're larger than usual, and not limited to the traditional slider toppings. Alex, our 11-year-old son, chose to dress his with ketchup and pickles, and they were served over a bed nicely seasoned waffle fries.
The sliders got a "thumbs up" from Alex. We can see why; the patties are hand-formed, the cheese a nice thick slice of American, and the pickles were fresh, with a nice snap. We didn't get a chance to taste the sliders - they were devoured before we could sneak a bite.
Next up was the hamburger. A nice, third-pound hand-formed patty, topped with American cheese that was slightly melted. The bun was dense and slightly chewy, a nice surprise. And the vegetable toppings were very fresh. Biting into the burger revealed only minimal ooze and a flavor that was good but not great; we think the burger was more than a little overcooked, and the cheese was added too late in the process. But it was still a respectable burger, and something we'd pick over the generic seafood being served across the parking lot.
Earlier we mentioned that the onion rings were suggested by the helpful staff member, and it turns out that this was a great suggestion.
The sweet rings of onion were heavily breaded and fried perfectly; the breading was crispy and not at all greasy, and the onion flavor infused the crust nicely. These rings are more breading that onion, but the result was outstanding.
We liked The Burger House, and would come back, especially considering the other choices in the area. Our trip to the Kemah Boardwalk just got a lot more tolerable.
The Burger House - 600 6th St.- Kemah, TX 77565 - (281) 334-1600
Ever since they opened we'd heard great buzz about the Hubcap Grill, Ricky Craig's tiny burger joint nestled next door to the Alden Hotel downtown. We visited shortly after they opened, but we were underwhelmed by the burger... it was good, but we weren't blown away.
Our foodie friends assured us that this was an anomaly, and we recently revisited to find out for sure. A rainy Wednesday proved to be a great day to visit, because for once they weren't packed to the gills.
The Hubcap Grill truly is a tiny place. Only a handful of tables exist inside, there are a few more on the now-covered outside patio. We've seen the lines at lunch; savvy downtown burger lovers have turned this place into an institution.
During our visit, Ricky's dad was manning the counter, while Ricky and his cooks were in the back whipping up the burgers. Ricky was gracious enough to give us a brief demonstration of what makes the Hubcap Grill's burgers special:
So how was the burger? In a word: Spectacular.
Hubcap's style of burger is a thin, traditional fast-food-style burger, but the similarities to any fast food chain end there. The beef is hand-formed, well balanced between lean and fat, and extremely fresh. Ricky griddles it on a small, hot, well-seasoned griddle, and the result is a deliciously caramelized crust on a deliciously juicy patty. The cheese is American, melted to an oozy flow of goodness, and the meat/cheese ratio is dead on. The vegetables are cut in-house and extremely fresh, and the bun is custom made each day for Hubcap and lightly toasted. The finishing touch on our burger were some soulful grilled onions, marinated overnight and lightly grilled, retaining flavor and moisture.
What impressed us most about Hubcap Grill's approach to burgers is the attention to detail. Clearly, Ricky Craig is a chef who is passionate about burgers, and he has done his homework. Everything from the meat to the condiments to the bun has been thought out and refined. The fries are fresh, hand-cut and prepared using a painstaking process that results in some of the very best in town. Even the beverages are carefully considered: Bottled soda instead of fountain, assuring that the flavor doesn't drift because the fountain is out of calibration.
We applaud Ricky Craig's approach to burgers, and his attention to detail. And the proof is in the result. We are proud to list Hubcap as one of Houston's Best Burgers, moving ahead of Christian's Totem as the best traditional burger to be found in Houston.
And we won't wait so long to go back.
Hubcap Grill - 1111 Prairie - Houston 77002
713-223-5885 - www.hubcapgrill.com
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.
(This was our first post with a video segment, shot and edited on the iPhone 4. We think it adds to the review - what do you think?)
UPDATE: We've visted Jax several more times, and it's even better.
Hubcap Grill, one of downtown Houston's best burger spots, has a new way to extend its reach. Following the lead of successful cooks in Houston and Austin, they've gone mobile, with the Hubcap Grill Burger Truck.
The truck will be circulating around town, hitting the Montrose, Washington Avenue, and Heights areas. They'll be working both lunch and dinner.
With the whirlwind departure of Chef John Tesar from his self-named restaurant in the Woodlands, we were concerned that the kitchen might be losing its mojo. After all, John Tesar, the bad boy chef depicted in Anthony Bourdain's Kitchen Confidential, had to be the heart and soul of the place. His sudden departure left us wondering what would become of Tesar's, and of a spectacular hamburger, the Magic.
We decided to find out. We visited for lunch with a foodie friend, and looked for changes.
And we found them.
The first thing we noticed were subtle changes in the bar / informal dining room. New linens provided a crisp yet relaxed feel. Gone were the signs with John Tesar's cartoon likeness, something we always thought was slightly cheesy.
The service was as prompt and professional as always. We've dined here a half-dozen times, and our server remembered us and our preferences. The entire vibe of the restaurant was significantly more relaxed and upbeat than before.
Our server suggested that we try a new appetizer, and we took her advice. What appeared was a lovely tuna tartare, expertly presented over a bed of crushed ice.
The dish combined coarsely chopped tuna, a bit of wasabi-tapiko roe and roasted cashews. It was served over a mango puree dusted with sesame seeds. The result was outstanding; the tropical sweetness of the mango balanced the Asian tang of the wasabi, and the cashews provided a crunchy, smoky counterpoint to the aquatic flavor of the tender, fresh tuna. The roe snapped delightfully on the tongue, adding a small surprise that made us smile.
Next was the main course - the Magic burger, a cheeseburger we consider to be among Houston's very best. Would the departure of John Tesar ruin this work of beefy art?
We were greeted by this beautifully arranged creation, flanked by the assortment of pickles and the addictive cherry tomatoes marinated with aged balsamic vinegar. These accouterments had lost none of their zing. But it was time to sample the burger.
We've tried the Magic on several occasion, but it appears that the new talent in the kitchen has taken this already superlative burger to new heights. There's something slightly different about the beef; the flavor was even more sublime, and the ooze factor was slighly higher, and perfectly balanced with the melty cheese.
Our curiosity was now piqued; who is the talent behind this even-better burger and the wonderful new appetizer?
The answer comes in two parts. With the departure of Chef Tesar, two of his sous chefs have been promoted to Co-Executive Chefs. "Co-Executive Chefs"? At first this seemed odd to us, but after talking with the chefs, it makes perfect sense.
Helming the kitchen are the new Dynamic Duo - Chef Austin Simmons (left) and Chef Jeramie Robison Jeremy Robinson. They've been working at Tesar's since it opened. Both have a strong background working with some of the best in the business, having spent time in the kitchens of John Tesar and Wolfgang Puck. Each has a slightly different specialty; Chef Simmons focuses on the meat dishes, and Chef Robison's passion is with the fish.
This arrangement is eminently suited to Tesar's. On one hand, it's a modern steak house, with a wonderful selection of steaks and superlative hamburgers. On the other, it's a contemporary seafood restaurant, featuring fish from the Gulf Coast and those flown in from around the world. While it is certainly possible to be a creative genius who can execute both meat and fish dishes, the Simmons/Robison approach has great merit. These two talented chefs can bounce ideas off of each other, and while each can focus on his particular area of focus, both can contribute ideas to the other side of the menu.
Talking with these two chefs was a delight. Unlike some executive chefs who believe that they're God's gift to cooking (we won't mention any names) these young men are focused on delighting their patrons, and enjoy the fact that they can practice an art that "they are pretty good at".
If our meal was any indication, "pretty good" doesn't come close to describing their talent.
We walked in concerned that Tesar's would go down hill with the departure of John Tesar. Now we're confident that Austin Simmons and Jeromy Robison will take this restaurant to even greater heights. There are now two more young chefs to watch in the Houston area.
Keep an eye on these two.
Many Houstonians are making the annual drive to Austin for the zoo that is SXSW, and the question always comes up: "Where do we eat"?
We've got some favorite places, but the locals have created a Food Bloggers' Guide to Austin with information about everything you could possibly want to eat. (Thanks to Katherine Shilcutt for pointing out this and other guides to food at SXSW.)
The guide is quite comprehensive... except for burgers. I didn't see a burger guide. So here's ours.
Hot
Casino El Camino (on Sixth Street) for the best burgers in town. Thick, juicy, and incredibly flavorful.
Dan's or Fran's (all over town) for the classic griddled burger.
Dirty's (on the Drag) for a bit of Austin history from a grill that's rumored to be about three decades overdue for a good cleaning.
Not
Hut's (on Sixth Street) Revered for years as a great historic burger joint, it's certainly old but it's not very good, with mediocre industrial patties on unmemorable buns.
Some of you might have noticed that we are on a neverending quest to find superb burgers, no matter where they are. One thing that we've noticed on this quest is the gradual creeping up of burger prices in the Houston area. Fortunately, it's not gotten to the NYC/Las Vegas levels of insanity (there's a $36 burger at Daniel Boulud that we hear great things about) but it's not unusual to pay $10 or more for a burger these days.
But what if you're on a budget, and still want a serious burger? One choice is Mel's Country Cafe, the legendary restaurant between Tomball and the Woodlands. While Mel's is known for the insane Mega Mel, the non-linebackers among us will discover that Mel's does a very credible regular burger, and it starts at $2.95.
Our choice this visit was the Bacon Cheeseburger. It's a 1/3 lb patty, hand formed and griddled to medium well (Mel's doesn't do medium rare). It's topped with traditional American cheese, a lot of good quality bacon, and a plentiful portion of the traditional veggie toppings.
This is what a $4.50 burger looks like at Mel's. We think it's an excellent value. Mel's doesn't skimp on the bacon; took about half of it off the burger before we dug in, and enjoyed a very nice bacon appetizer.
The burger is very good; with a nice charred flavor to the meat. The buns are griddled, the cheese is slightly melty, and the veggies are fresh and crisp - onions are chopped, which is our preference.
The only downside was the medium well temperature of the meat. Serving it medium well minimized the ooze factor, and kept the burger from entering the upper echelons of burgerdom in the Houston area.
The cafe itself is delightful. It's a blast from the past, with local families filling up the tables and enjoying the big portions and reasonable prices. It's bright and clean, and the service is friendly.
You'll notice all those names on the wall. Those are the folks who've finished the Mega Mel (a pound and a half of beef, a pound of bacon, a quarter pound of cheese, and all the trimmings) in less than two hours, and who lived to talk about it. Some hardy soul completed this task in nine minutes. We're impressed, but it's a record we wouldn't wish to attempt.
For those of you who live Inside The Loop, Mel's is a half-hour drive into the northwest, out 249 to Tomball. But it's miles away from the slick burger joints in the city, both in its feel and its prices. Try it - we bet you'll like it.
Mel's Country Cafe
24814 Stanolind Road
Tomball, Texas 77375
281-255-6357
Mel's is CLOSED on MONDAY
Ah, Market Square. One of the few areas of Houston where history matters, and where you'll find places that have been the same for decades. On the eastern edge of the square, you'll find the Market Square Bar & Grill, a place that's known for good food as well as strong libations. We'd been here before, years ago, and really enjoyed it.
This trip... not so much.
We were there a bit after 5; prime happy hour time. And it was empty; only one group besides our party. Yet the service was glacially slow - the waitress seemed to be more interested in chatting with the cook than doing her job.
Once we got her attention, we placed our order. And waited longer. A burger and a salad should not take 20 minutes to prepare. Hopefully it'll be worth the wait.
Well, it wasn't.
Something was amiss with the beef; it had a peculiar flavor. I ate about a third of it and decided not to risk gastric disturbance. The side of new potatoes was very good, though. My companion's salad was disappointing as well. Served in a smallish bowl, it only held about a half-bowl of salad. Nothing memorable about it otherwise.
When we asked for our check, the waitress noticed that I'd not eaten much of the burger. She asked if I enjoyed my burger. "No. It was horrible, and the flavor was off." was my reply.
In 90% of cases, the offending item will be removed from the bill. Not at Market Street. Apparently customer satisfaction isn't a major concern; heck, the waitress had to get back to her conversation with the cook, and thankfully doing her job didn't get in the way.
What was good? The room is very nice; it's an old, narrow building, and has a cozy atmosphere. If the food and service improved, it would be a great spot.
Until then... pass.
