I saw this thread linked to on EaterHouston. Around here fish sandwich suggests catfish po’boy probably to most people. Within the range of what you’re looking for? If so, lots of cajun places will offer one. I haven’t ever had one as I much prefer oyster po’boys. The best would be at Calliope’s, downtown on Jefferson, just east of 59. Probably limited to catfish, though, but they do use the most appropriate bread, softer than a French baguette but still crusty, not just a typical sandwich roll which some places use.

You can find this type of sandwich in Galveston at Shrimp 'n Stuff and Benno's on the Beach. I prefer the latter.

Another possibility would be the ubiquitous u-buy, we-fry places. Despite the similar names, they’re all individually owned and will vary in quality and choice, with the two most common probably catfish and tilapia. Also, they may do only meals, not sandwiches. I used to go to a good one on Fountainview just north of Richmond when I worked in the Galleria area but that was a couple of decades ago. The one I go to sometimes now is J&J Seafood, on Woodhollow, just off Stella Link, just inside Loop 610. You can see the sign from 610 as you approach Stella Link from the east. Two basic choices, redfish and catfish, but sometimes more. I’ve been in when you also had the ready availability of flounder and tilapia and you can select any fish in the fish market but you’ll pay more and wait longer for it to be cleaned and fileted, etc. Also, not sure if they do sandwiches and there’s no dining facilites on premises. Get the bread of your choice, etc., first, probably. The sides are forgettable but you could use the tartar sauce and cole slaw to dress a sandwich.

Right up Stella Link is Wild Kitchen which specializes in burgers and fish, with a choice of cajun style or London fish ‘n chips style. The menu does list sandwiches but I don’t know what bread they use. The fish choices listed on the menu are cat, tilapia, flounder and cod! I just tried their London style plate once and wasn’t impressed so I only get the burgers here but to each his own. Also I thought I remembered having pollock but that was several years ago.

There’s a Seller’s Brothers just a block away if you need to get bread for a sandwich from J & J and around the corner on S. Braeswood is 3 Brothers Bakery with awesome challah rolls and kaiser rolls. I bet a fish sandwich on a 3 Bros kaiser roll would be awesome. I think I’m going to plan on that next time I go to J & J.

J&J and Wild Kitchen are on Yelp so you can get directions and other comments. Calliope's on there too of course but they also have a website.

Molinas is entirely family owned, 2 locations, no franchises.
All JCI stores are company owned; same with Princes, there are no franchisees.

I had to make a quick jaunt out that way last spring I think it was. I wasn't too impressed with the Southern Flyer Diner at the Brenham Airport but it was very popular and busy. I stopped at the Must be Heaven Pie shop in downtown Brenham, an interesting old ice cream parlor with sandwiches. I just had some pie (Sawdust, which I'd never heard of before but seems to be popular around there) but sandwiches looked good. They have several locations. I wanted to try Bever's in Chappell Hill but didn't have time; looks like it's not open on Sunday anyway.

http://www.mustbeheaven.com/

http://www.brenhammunicipalairport.com/index_files/page0003.htm

http://www.bevers-kitchen.com/

Here's an earlier thread:

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/626507

That’s my favorite Real Ale beer. Never tried it with CFS though.

Some other Texas beers did well also. Two other Golds:

Category 25: German-Style Pilsener (48 Entries)
Gold
Trumer Pils
Trumer Brauerei Berkeley
San Antonio, TX

Category 41: German-Style Kölsch (46 Entries)
Gold
Saint Arnold Fancy Lawnmower Beer
Saint Arnold Brewing Co.
Houston, TX

St. Arnold also pulled in two Silvers:

Category 53: Extra Special Bitter or Strong Bitter (42 Entries)
Silver
Saint Arnold Elissa IPA
Saint Arnold Brewing Co.
Houston, TX

Category 54: Scottish-Style Ale (22 Entries)
Silver
Saint Arnold Oktoberfest
Saint Arnold Brewing Co.

And one Bronze:

Category 27: Munich-Style Helles (42 Entries)
Bronze
Cowboy Lager
The Covey Restaurant & Brewery
Fort Worth, TX

Those are the only Texas ones I saw on the list.

No, when I'm in the mood for vegetarian I usually go to a vegetarian place instead of just asking for some vegetarian special at another restaurant; places I go to are mostly farther out than Little India if I don't go there.

Here's a couple of older threads that may help:

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/695779

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/648870

I thought I remembered the one about places close to the Menil had more responses but must've been remembering another thread. I thought I remembered Baba Yega being mentioned as one place that was very veggie friendly.

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Baba Yega Restaurant
2607 Grant St, Houston, TX 77006

Try Buchanan's and Joshua's in the Heights. They're more about native plants than organic but I think they'd have what you want. Just go straight up Montrose which becomes Studemont then Studewood to 11th and turn left to Buchanan's. Used to buy almost all my plants there until I moved a lot further out.

http://buchanansplants.com/

http://www.joshuasnativeplants.com/

Agreed. Whether it meets a clinical definition of 'addiction' is doubtful but in my experience, both directly and observationally, just about any human behavior can become 'addicting' to one person or another.

Welcome to Houston. There are lots of strictly vegetarian restaurants in Houston and many, many veg friendly. There have been other threads on this in the past.

Here's a resource you will find helpful: http://www.b4-u-eat.com/ It's a much more complete listing of local restaurants than Yelp and the reviews are probably neither more nor less helpful but it will at least let you know what's available. You can use the search categories on the left sidebar to look in specific parts of town or zip codes and for special cuisines.

There isn't much Indian close to you other than what you've already identified. Bombay Brasserie is located near Shiva and there are a couple listed downtown but no others in Montrose, Heights, Washington Corridor, the Medical Center, Midtown or West U.

The area around 59/the SW Freeway and Hillcroft, a couple of miles outside Loop 610, is known as little India and has a collection of restaurants including Himalaya, which I think is the best, inexpensive Indian in town, Udipi and Sri Balaji Bhaivan (?), both of which are Udipi, and Bhojan, a Gujurati place that is actually connected to a small motel. Search on b4 in zip codes 77074 and 77036; apparently Hillcroft is the dividing line between those two zips.

I've recently heard negative reports on Bhojan and there may have been a change of ownership or management and the food may have gone down hill but I haven't been in more than a year.

Have fun and come back and tell us what you think of what you find.

That's interesting about the vegetarian. One of the most successful non-taco truck mobile vendors here is a truck specializing in the vegetarian street foods of Mumbai; it's also one of the best local trucks over all. Been at it for almost 2 years now. I guess the fact it operates in a part of town with a large Desi presence is a factor but people come from all over the city and even from outside the immediate metro area to try it.

I don't think I've ever heard of that one. I've had Old Jamaica, which is at a lot of places, and Old Jamaica Twist. The one I decided I liked best was Cock and Bull which is available at Spec's. I didn't like it at first but it grew on me. Kind of mellow compared to the others.

I dug out my Cajun cookbooks; only one of them, published in 1978, mentions chaurice; the others are Creole Smoked Sausage, Creole Hot Sausage and Andouille. They give recipes for making the sausages but not much explanation of how they're used but they do mention the cookbook authors use chaurice as a breakfast sausage. Chaurice is the only one that does not include liquid smoke.

The ingredients include lean pork, pork fat, onion, garlic, cayenne, chili powder, crushed red pepper, s&p, thyme, parsley, bay and allspice.

We do not have a Portuguese community here so I am not at all familiar with their sausages but I have always assumed they were two different sausages also. According to the Epicurious food dictionary, chaurice is pronounced shoh REEC; I guess that indicates the ending is a soft C rather than a hard C.

Cajungrocer.com has a chaurice by Poche. I imagine you can find other online suppliers of Cajun goods that can supply it.

I can't speak for NO locals but it is out there. Maybe it's kind of been neglected with more attention being paid to andouille and boudin? Have you tried just searching the NOLA/La board? Chowhound probably would move the topic if you posted over there but you might find a lots of mentions in other discussions.

There is even a place here in Houston that produces one to use in their Cajun dishes although for sale in grocery stores it's just labeled Cajun sausage, I think, with chaurice in small print.

They've posted recently that they're taking delivery of another truck to be a Fusion Pita truck.

Buffalo Sean of Melange Creperie will be on Great Day Houston on Channel 11 Friday morning (9am hour, 8/20/10) presumably demonstrating his crepe making skills. It's fascinating to watch how a 'pro' does it; he has all the equipment the sidewalk creperies in Paris use and he's got it down pat. Should be interesting even for those with no interest in street food.

Hey, thanks. Ya know I read that post when you put it up but I forgot all about it! Too xcited about posting about my own experience, I guess. Hope they venture out my way again. They appeared to be doing a very good business.

These guys broke out of the mold and came down to the near southwest side today, to Greenway Plaza. I've been wanting to try them but a trip up to the Heights or Washington Ave area where they usually hang out is out of the question most days.

The menu was real simple - chicken, pork or beef tacos ($2), tortas ($5) or quesadillas ($5) - a little simpler than what's on the website. I got 2 tacos, a chicken and a beef. I seldom order chicken on a taco truck because it's usually overcooked and dried out but this was moist and tender and flavorful and loaded with the Asian slaw. Likewise I seldom order just plain beef at a taco truck because there are usually other, more interesting meats, but this too was excellent, moist and tender and very flavorful.

These are small, like Mexico CIty style tacos, about 4", they were so loaded it was totally impossible to pick them up without picking some of the slaw off with a fork but I was a little hungry still after two and could have eaten three. I thought the slaw was perfect with the chicken but I would have least preferred less of it or something else with the beef so I could just appreciate the beef more directly.

There was an array of at least a dozen bottles of sauces to add and some limes but I ate mine just as they were offered. I remember one of the sauces was Valentina and there was an Asian chile sauce too.

The quesadillas looked very good and I'd like to try one of them next. I didn't get a good look at a torta but one of the customers posted a pic on Twitter:

http://twitpic.com/2fxto7

Here's the website but to keep up with where and when they're going to operating be you have to check Twitter:

http://www.fusiontacotruck.com/

All of these gourmet trucks seem to consider the Heights or Washington Ave area to be some sort of sainted ground; I'm glad these guys came down to the SW side and gave some of the rest of us who can't get up there a shot.

You can always check Spec's online: http://www.specsonline.com/ but the inventory listed there isn't always accurate. I've tried about a half dozen ginger beers from there but don't believe I've ever seen Barrits.

Another place to find sodas not widely distributed here is Cost Plus World Market. It's a much smaller selection than Spec's.

I'm constantly amazed by what I find in supermarkets, too. I guess sometimes managers stock a particular product in response to a customer's request. That doesn't help much in the short term, though.

If you find it let us know; I'd like to try it too.

I don't know of a Caribbean grocery store here, per se, but you might also check the international food aisles at one of the large Fiestas.

I'd never heard of that one but looks like it's been open about a year. A reviewer on Yelp said 'thin roux, not very flavorful.' Be sure to let us know what you think if you try it.

Ever had the Capt. Tom's mentioned by cooltouch above? I have once and I didn't care for it; I liked Capt. Benny's better and Tom's is a offshoot of Benny's with only modest changes in recipes, one of them being the gumbo.

A clarification - by city center you mean downtown? and by Metro are you just referring to the one light rail line or anywhere by bus?

There isn't much downtown open in the evening but will be some options. There is no bbq downtown or near the rail line worth much. There is a Pappas on Walker, over by the Library. That's a local chain that doesn't get much love here on CH. Not sure if they'd be open in the. evenings. There are a couple of outposts of Otto's downtown, an old-line bbq place supposedly the favorite of George H.W.Bush; again, not sure if they'd be open in the evenings.

El Tiempo and Mardi Gras, mentioned by TexasRedTop, would be accessible by bus out Washington avenue or a relatively short cab ride; also out that way is a new bbq place called Phil's that's getting very mixed reviews; I haven't been. The best bbq in town would be Pierson's and it would be a considerable cab ride and not open in the evenings. Washington is kind of a hot spot right now for restaurants and especially clubs but Houston is very spread out and there'd be a lot of walking.

Mexican downtown of note is Irma's and Last Concert but there are lots of others. A business associate in town from Maryland last year found Cabo, which describes itself as Mix-Mex, and loved it but I've never been.

Actually, I haven't dined downtown in 25 years and that place is closed so I'm not much help.

Brennan's would be walkable from the rail line but it's very upscale, I don't know if there' s a dress code but you might want to consider a cab anyway.

Yeah I hadn't realized that change either. I recognize the names of a couple of those establishments as local (Ruggles Green, Cyclone Anaya's) but have no experience with them (well, the original Ruggles but years ago and Ruggles Bakery in the Village which isn't very impressive). We did recently have a very negative review on Straits which is actually a chain out of California. There is much better Malaysian here.

It's been ages since I've had soft serve, perhaps since Dad used to pile the whole family in the car and go down to the new Dairy Queen in town for Brown Derbies.

What's the appeal? Texture?, Flavor? Nostalgia?

I doubt if this will help but I get dragged to Tex-Mex restaurants and family buffet type places occasionally and I've noted soft serve ice cream as a freebie, help yourself, all you can eat type thing. Never tried it because I'm assumed it's aimed at kids and very bland.

Miguelito's is closed.

I've seen frozen (Goya) arepas at the big Fiesta on Hillcroft at Bellaire and I wouldn't be surprised if they have the flour in their international section but I've never looked for it. You could try calling or try the Fiesta in the Heights or up on Fulton, is it?, the original one. Colombian restaurants do seem to be concentrated on the SW side of town, though.

I see there's a Pollo Riko up on Airline; I think that was our first Colombian restaurant. I know some Colombian restaurants will sell their house-made arepas so you also might check there.

-----
Pollo Riko
14443 Bellaire Blvd, Houston, TX 77083

You would think downtown there would be a lot of foot traffic and all those surface parking lots in which to set up, not so sure about the Med Ctr. And downtown doesn't do me any good at all so I don't really care. Where they seem to be more concentrated are in areas where there is more foot traffic which means ethnic neighborhoods. I think there is a hot dog stand operating downtown but maybe only in the evenings? There's a category of license for non-mobile but non-permanent set-ups like that. I think that's what Melange Creperie operates under.

Edit: here's the hot dog stand I had heard about but it looks like it's relocated out by the VA hospital?

http://www.myspace.com/demdamndoggs

Looks like they've relocated to Liberty Station on Washington?

http://twitter.com/hubcap_grill

The place in Katy is called Deli's Cafe.

btw, Savor Venezolano is the name of a Venezuelan truck that I've been to; it's parked on Westheimer one block east of Fondren and has a huge menu of street foods.

There are apparently 3 other Indian trucks but none near the Heights if that's what you're looking for.

Desi Grill way out on Veterans Memorial, Tandoori Nite on Hwy 6 in Sugar Land and Bansuri on S. Wilcrest at W. Bellfort. The latter two are only open in the evenings and the latter is Mumbai street food vegetarian and is very good. It's the only one I've been to. I was really surprised by the menu at Ashka and disappointed in the food.

I don't know that area either but I've had to do that drill in the past too so some thoughts: it's very easy to eat well in Houston on a tight budget. Eating out at lunch is cheaper than dinner - lunch specials and buffets, if you don't mind them, are bargains, some places keep their lunch specials in effect until 3 or even 5pm. Look for small ethnic places. Indian and Pakistani buffets are very common and can be very good. Taco trucks, if you don't mind them, and taquerias and pupuserias are good places for cheap eats, too. It's not at all hard to eat for less than $10, at least in my part of town and most of they parts of town I've been to but I just don't know much of anything about that part of town. At most taco trucks and many taquerias tacos on corn tortillas are $1.50 a piece or less and 3 is a meal. Flour tortillas are usually $.25 extra. Pupusas are usually only $1.50 each and three's a meal plus you get the cabbage salad.

Oh yeah, one other thing, if you eat your big meal at midday, you'll obsess about food less for the rest of the day and save on snacks. Ha ha - good luck with that!

Their boudin balls and etouffee are great - I find it hard to pass them up to try anything else. They are the regional franchisor for Krispy Krunchy Cajun Style chicken and it's pretty good, too.

They were among the founders of what is now Landry's and still operate Jimmy G's and until recently Magnolia Grill, which they're supposedly looking for a new location for.

http://www.louisianafoods.com/

I don't usually get there until after 1 and I've always been able to get food. The crawfish etouffee is everyday as are the boudin balls and fried chicken but there are daily specials, too. Maybe that's what I've been missing out on?

Good stuff - actually great for the price.

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Jimmy G's Restaurant
307 N Sam Houston Pkwy E, Houston, TX 77060