We'd heard outstanding things about the burger at Hubcap Grill, so we dropped by for lunch during the week. We'd seen the tiny little spot, with the outdoor seating area in a converted alley between two buildings, next door to the Alden (nee Sam Houston) Hotel. We parked across the street and went inside.
The place was busy but not packed. We ordered quickly at the counter and got a small surprise: Cash only. It's the 21st century, folks - if you're running a restaurant, get a credit card machine. Fortunately we had a bit of cash on hand, so the potential crisis was averted.
After a short wait, our burgers were delivered. The burger is a third pound beef patty, hand formed and griddled fairly flat. It was topped with a large slice of American cheese, about five strips of bacon, and fresh veggies. The bun was thoroughly toasted.
Our experience differs from most of the other reviews. The beef was fresh and flavorful, but it was cooked well done and was far too dry. The all-important ooze factor was absent. The generous amount of bacon was crisp to a fault; it was hard and crumbly, and the flavor had been cooked out of it.
There is potential for a great burger here, but it's going to require a more deft touch on the grill. We'll probably give Hubcap Grill another shot at some point, but we won't be rushing back.
We've been hearing the buzz about Little Bigs, the burger shack from Bryan Caswell, the mastermind behind the hot midtown spot Reef. They recently extended their hours to include lunch, so we stopped in to check 'em out.
Little Bigs is located in the old Ming's location on Montrose near Westheimer. They've really brightened up the place, sprucing up the deck and installing a bunch of large picnic tables. Indoor seating is limited and packed in tightly; if you dine inside on a busy day, you'll be making new friends.
Ordering is a snap: Choose between three varieties of sliders: Beef, chicken, or mushroom. Add some fries, and your choice of beverage, including shakes and a variety of alcoholic options. Then wait. And if they're busy, the wait can be 15-20 minutes, as it was for us this beautiful Sunday afternoon.
Our name was called, and we went to claim our sliders.
We had been disappointed with the beef sliders at Reef, but the ones served here at Little Bigs were a revelation. Cooked medium well, the mini-burgers remained deliciously juicy, with just the right amount of ooze. Grilled onions perched atop the beef, and a bit of American cheese formed the perfect finale. The whole assembly is perched atop a small yeasty roll, and the result is Slider Nirvana.
We also sampled the chicken slider: A crispy fried piece of chicken breast, seasoned with Cajun spices, served atop the same yeasty rolls. Tasty, but they play second fiddle to the superb beef sliders. (We didn't try the mushroom option.)
Chef Caswell has a winner in Little Bigs. We look forward to watching this mini-burger empire spread across Houston; a second location in Hermann park is already in the works.
Cue's Burgers & More is another blast-from-the-past restaurant located on S. Post Oak, the Street That Time Forgot.
Walk into the strip center location, and the feel is more of a small town cafe than a restaurant in a major metropolitan area. Cue's is the place where local social clubs meet, and where the police grab a bite during their shift.
Their burgers are pretty good, but not amazing. Thin machine-formed beef patty, griddled flat, and served on a generic bun with the usual topics. We had no luck getting them less than well done, so the ooze factor was factored out. But still a step or three ahead of what you'll find at a typical fast food chain.
Cue's offers a full breakfast menu, and a variety of other dishes. Best thing we've found there are the excellent pork chops - they're not huge, but they're nicely seasoned and flavorful.
If you're looking for a reasonably-priced meal in a very relaxed setting, you can do a lot worse than Cue's if you're on S. Post Oak.
Cue's Burgers & More: 10423 S Post Oak Rd, Houston, 77035, 713-726-0313
Attention to all fans of 70's funk, attractive women, and man food: Brick House Tavern & Tap has opened a location on Highway 290 in northwest Houston.
Following in the footsteps of Hooters, Brick House is a new example of the "brestaurant" concept that is gaining in popularity. Combining guy-friendly comfort food, a "man cave" atmosphere, and an attractive, all-female waitstaff, Brick House is positioned as a guy's home-away-from-home, a place where he can relax with his buddies and behave in an un-politically-correct manner.
Beer selection includes tableside micro-kegs, 40 ounce bottled beers, 100 oz beer bongs, and hand-pulled cask beer.
Brick House Tavern & Tap, 12910 Hwy 290, Houston, 77040, 713-462-0576, brickhousetavernandtap.com
Following on the heels of the smashing success of SmashBurger, the California-based The Counter burger chain has Houston in its sights.
The Counter's concept features a design-your-own burger menu that's filled out by the customer. Options go far beyond the usual burger joint, with ten different cheeses, 28 different toppings, 18 different sauces, and three bun choices, totaling over 312,000 different combinations.
Denver's Magazine named The Counter among Denver's best new restaurants for 2008.
Jasper's features modern interpretations of traditional American cuisine. Owned by Chef Kent Rathbun (one of the rare guest winners on Iron Chef America,) Jasper's delivers excellent cuisine in an upscale, casual setting.
We met a friend recently for lunch at Jasper's, and ordered one of their gourmet hamburgers.
The recipe: A half pound of high quality beef, hand-formed and grilled over a mixture of woods. Cooked to order (medium rare, in our case) and nicely juicy. Topped with your choice of cheese (cheddar for us) carmelized onions, thick cut applewood-smoked bacon, fresh veggies, and served on a barely toasted egg bun. The result is one of the best upscale burgers you'll find anywhere, and the side of housemade potato chips is a great finishing touch.
Other great bets include prime steaks, upscale BBQ dishes, and gourmet pizzas. They have a decadent appetizer of housemade potato chips covered with Maytag bleu cheese chunks and a creamy cheese sauce that's not to be missed. Desserts are excellent as well, and there is a wecome option of mini-desserts offering just a taste or three; perfect after a large meal.
Brunch is excellent as well; our favorite is Jasper's take on French Toast.
Bottom line: Best restaurant in the Woodlands... or anywhere Outside The Loop for that matter.
Jasper's: Market Street Square, 9595 Six Pines, The Woodlands, 77380, 281-298-6600
jaspers-restaurant.com
In an unrelated article, the Houston Business journal mentioned that Smashburger, the Denver-based chain, is scouting sites in the Woodlands, Memorial, and Sugar Land areas.
Smashburger opened its first Houston location near S. Main and Kirby to rave reviews.
Mel's is a little country cafe with a big dose of charm. It's a place where you can take the family (or the softball team) to get a down-home meal. It's located in Tomball, on the outskirts of Houston, a reasonable trek from the Loop (and a short hop from the Woodlands).
Mel's is know for their outstanding hamburgers, and they are superb. Hand-formed patties are juicy and delicious, and the toppings are plentiful and fresh. This is one of the best traditional Texas burgers you'll find anywhere.
NBA linemen, sumo wrestlers, and masochists can try their luck with the Mega Mel: Six hamburger patties (totaling a pound and a half of beef), a quarter pound of cheese, a pound of bacon, and a veritable mountain of fixin's. If you can finish this monument to burger excess in under two hours, you earn a place on Mel's Wall of Fame -- and probably a trip to the ER via LifeFlight.
Those with more modest appetites are well served by the regular Mel's burger. The chicken fried steak is also worth sampling; it's offered in "small" (a half pound) and large (a pound). Nicely hand-breaded, and served with a cream gravy that's moderately peppery and quite good.
Service is prompt and friendly, the dining room is clean. If you've not tried Mel's, round up your appetite and hit the road. You'll be back.
Mel's Country Cafe: 24814 Stanolind Rd, Tomball, 77375, 281-255-6357
Here is our list of Houston's Best Burgers (January 2009 edition)
10. Barnaby's (Montrose)
9. The Tavern (W Gray)
8. Mel's Cafe (Tomball)
7. 2-M's (Rosenberg)
6. Beck's Prime (multiple locations)
5. Jasper's (Woodlands)
4. Farrago (Midtown)
3. Smashburger (Reliant)
2. CJ's Cafe (Woodlands)
1. Christian's Totem (I-10 W, ITL)
A newcomer to town jumps on the list - Smashburger, the Denver-based chain, bumping Jax Grill out of the top 10.
Someburger is the classic walk-up hamburger stand that's miraculously survived into the 21st century.
It's another blast from the past: Old-school thin-patty hamburgers, lovingly prepared on a classic flat griddle. All the usual toppings are available, and they're fresh and tasty.
The staff at Someburger are great; many have been there for years. These folks know burgers, and take pride in what they do. And it shows.
Sides are quite good: Best are the onion rings, which are fried properly, only slightly greasy, and have a nice snap to them.
There's no dining room, but there are a handful of picnic tables outside the hamburger stand. Many folks choose to eat in their vehicles, especially during a hot Houston summer.
By today's standards, the burgers are downright cheap. $6 buys a burger, fries, and a Coke, and a slice of Texas history to boot.
Someburger is another place that every Houston burger lover needs to try for himself. I'll bet you go back again and again.
Someburger: 745 E 11th St, Houston, 77008, 713-862-0019