@movernie
Did you know…..Houston, Texas has the 2nd largest Asian population in the United States? I totally didn’t know until Houston First invited me on this Press Trip. And one of the highlights is to explore and visit a number of Asian inspired restaurants, bars, lounges and cool spots in Houston.
Many of my followers know how much I luv to eat & drink and try new places, this is a total “Food Heaven” for me! You can find many Asian restaurants and bars all around the city. You are not restricted to only visiting Chinatown, Koreatown or Little India in order to find good ethnic cuisines. The beauty about Houston is that everyone luvs different cultural cuisines that it spread out all over the city.
During this Houston Press Trip, we went on a progressing food tour where every hour, we hop to another good place to try different food items. I would like to thank the amazing team at Houston First for researching and planning such a great food tour. This is by far one of my favourite Press Trips of all-time. Every single spot was amazing! Good food, good drinks, good times and good company!
In this MoVernie BLOG, let me show you all the Asian places that we dined and experienced so that whenever you are visiting Houston, you get all these food inspirations. These eateries are sorted by alphabetical order.
Are you ready? Let’s FEAST!
Bombay Sweets – Indian Vegetarian Restaurant
There are so many Indian sweets to choose from at Bombay Sweet. They are all made in-house. Not even sure what to choose and where to start coz there are just so many varieties. Luckily, one of the journalists on our Houston Press Trip knows what to order, it was so cool we get to share and try different sweets as a group.
And I fell in luv with the Chai Tea, luv the aroma, the flavour and the texture. Perfect combo with the sweets. If you are looking for a great Indian restaurant that serves vegetarian items, Bombay Sweets Houston is da place!
Website: www.bombaysweetshtx.com
Bombay Sweets – Indian Vegetarian Restaurant
Cajun Kitchen – Vietnamese Seafood Fusion
Cajun Kitchen is a Vietnamese seafood fusion restaurant serving lots of fresh seafood dishes with a nice twist using unique Vietnamese ingredients, spice and sauces to elevate the seafood game.
In particular, I luv oysters. At Cajun Kitchen, they chargrilled the local fresh oysters from the Gulf Coast with garlic, green onions, butter. That char!!! Oh my! That aroma, super juicy. I am in seafood heaven right now!!!! And during crawfish season, they also served up a storm with this delicious dish as seen from the picture below. Don’t be afraid to use your hands, that’s the best way to indulge your food, it’s finger licking good.
LUV it! And good value with good price.
Website: www.cajunkitchenhouston.com
Instagram: @cajunkitchenhouston
Cajun Kitchen (crawfish with Vietnamese cooking style, garlic, green onions, white onions, some spicy and heat)
Da Gama – Portuguese-Indian Cuisine
Da Gama is a very unique restaurant offering Portuguese-Indian dishes, plus wine & cocktails. It’s located in a new chic shopping plaza with a beautiful patio and modern & vibrant interior dining experience.
We luv the vibe, the food & the overall ambience of this upscale restaurant.
Website: www.dagamahtx.com
Instagram: @dagamahtx
Da Gama – Portuguese-Indian Cuisine
Hong Kong City Mall – Asian Shopping Mall
Sometimes the best hidden gems are not in the restaurants or at bars, but instead at Asian grocery stores, or at the food court. At Hong Kong City Mall, it is an Asian shopping mall with 100+ stores from clothing to grocery stores, tea shops, pastry shops and all kinds of interesting things. You explore, you will be rewarded with interesting finds.
During this Press Trip, we all participated to play a game. Each person has to explore this shopping mall and come up with a most interesting item (food or non-food item) that is less than $5 USD. It was fun as we discovered so many items that were less than $5 USD and we all got to try the various food items that we each bought.
You should play this game with your friends and family. It’s definitely way to get to know your friends and family better!
Website: www.hkcitymall.com
At Hong Kong City Mall, it is an Asian shopping mall with 100+ stores from clothing to grocery stores, tea shops, pastry shops and all kinds of interesting things.
Kâu Ba – Vietnamese-Cajun
Our Houston First PR brought us here at Kâu Ba and this was definitely one of my favourite highlights of this Press Trip. Kâu Ba is an award winning restaurant featuring some of the most delicious and incredible food items in the world.
Every item that we ordered were super tasty and delicious. But in particular, two items that are MUST ORDER are 1) Texas Style Smoked Brisket Pho and 2) Pho Loma Cocktail. Oh mine! This is food heaven for me coz the I luv the BBQ aroma of the smoked brisket. You often had beef pho but this BBQ smoked beef is another level. So unique and so worth it!
Meanwhile, the Pho Loma is an award winning cocktail using pho spice syrup and other Vietnamese ingredients. Moreover, luv the unique ceramic tea cup presentation. What’s more, there are strands of Vietnamese noodles inside the cocktail, surprise! A totally impressive cocktail experience!
Website: www.kaubakitchen.com
Instagram: @kauba_htx
Kâu Ba – Pho Loma (MUST ORDER cocktail)
Koffeteria – Cambodian Fusion Pastries & Coffee
Koffeteria is located in the up & coming area of East Village in Houston. Owner, Vanarin Kuch being the 1st generation of Cambodian-American. Vanarin, also a chef has integrated ingredients, unique flavour and Cambodian influence into the pastries.
I luv every one of these unique pastries. And I appreciate the chef pushing the limits to use ingredients that aren’t typical in our daily pastries but it works! It’s nice to open people’s minds and taste buds. They were so delightful to indulge. Coupled with the tasty hot beverage, this would be one of my favourite spots coz I would just do nothing and just enjoy the sun, listen to calm music and eat and relax. C’est la vie!
Website: www.koffeteria.com
Instagram: @koffeteria
Koffeteria – Cambodian Fusion Pastries & Coffee
Le Colonial – Vietnamese Cuisine
Le Colonial is Houston’s Famed Vietnamese Restaurant located in the upscale River Oaks District. The 2-floors restaurant looks amazing inside-out, filled with some of the great interior designs with French decor influence.
We were seated on the 2nd floor at the terrace area that overlooks the beautiful shopping plaza. What a beautiful private dining area, you felt like you have the whole space to you and your group.
Cocktails and food are phenomenal here! A MUST VISIT! An unforgettable evening filled with laughter, good vibes with excellent service here at Le Colonial.
Website: www.lecolonialhouston.com
Instagram: @lecolonialhouston
Le Colonial – Vietnamese Cuisine
Myung Dong Kyoja (MDK) – Korean Cuisine
Myung Dong Kyoja (MDK) is a Korean restaurant that specializes in hand pull noodles that made in-house plus dumplings that are prepared fresh daily. It’s a casual place with comfort food. Highly recommend to order a bottle of Soju, a perfect alcoholic beverage to share among friends and family while enjoying Korean food.
Website: www.mdknoodlestx.kwickmenu.com
Instagram: @mdknoodles.htx
MDK Noodles (Pan-Fried Pork Dumplings + Steam Shrimp Dumplings + Korean side dishes such as Kimchi & radish)
Pho Ben – Vietnamese Cuisine
Vietnamese is the 2nd largest Asian population in Houston, Texas, so there is no way I wouldn’t visit a Vietnamese restaurant coz I know I will find good Vietnamese food here and it didn’t disappoint.
On the MOVE to Pho Ben. This place is super modern, clean, very chic and classy to enjoy Vietnamese cuisine. I was impressed of how massive this restaurant is. It serves comfort traditional food such as Beef Pho, Mango Slushy, Shrimp Spring Rolls or grilled BBQ Pork, etc.
Website: www.phobennoodle.com
Instagram: @phobenrestaurants
Pho Ben (Beef Pho Special – Large)
POST Market (Food Hall)
POST Market is a very unique food concept, transforming an old post office into a cool, vibrant venue with live concert hall in one section, upper rooftop for yoga and growing sustainable plants & food. Plus, a food hall filled with different cultural food offerings by local entrepreneurs.
POST Market (Food Hall)
What I like about this Food Hall concept is that…everyone can order something that they enjoy and gather together to have a good time. If I like freshly shucked oysters, I can go to order them from a food vendor. If someone is vegan, they have vegan options at another food vendor. Everyone just order and dine together with the tables and chairs available, or they can bring the food up on the rooftop and enjoy the food outdoors.
And there are a variety of Asian food offerings. In particular, there are 1) East Side King & 2) Soy Pinoy
1) East Side King – Japanese Street Food (Sushi & Steam Buns)
We ordered the sushi roll sampling tray plus ordered the fried chicken steam bao. Both are tasty and good quality.
Website: www.posthtx.com/eat/east-side-king
Instagram: @eastsideking
1) East Side King – Japanese Street Food (Sushi & Steam Buns)
2) Soy Pinoy – Filipino Cuisine
It’s nice to have Filipino cuisine being offered in any city. We tried all the good tasty Filipino items in one tray with the banana leave to set the food up. So, many delicious items. In particular, I always luv the Lechon, crispy pork skin and juicy meat and the BBQ chicken was super tasty with great smoky flavour.
Website: www.posthtx.com/eat/soy-pinoy
Instagram: @soypinoy
2) Soy Pinoy – Filipino Cuisine
Sao Lao Thai Cafe – Lao & Thai Cuisine
What started off with a food truck a few years back turned into a reality for the owners of Sao Lao Thai Cafe. They opened a brick & mortar restaurant and providing some of the most authentic Lao and Thai dishes to the Houstonian. I really like every item here and they are all delicious.
In particular, I really like the Lao Chicken noodle soup. The broth is flavourful and this is comfort food especially perfect during the cold weather. It’s made with hand made fresh rice noodles in a 8-hour slow simmered chicken broth along with the quail eggs, cilantro and green onions.
Instagram: @phojita
Sao Lao Thai Cafe – Lao Chicken Noodle Soup
Uchi – Japanese Cuisine
Uchi is a hidden gem. It serves innovative freshly made sushi & fusion plates at this upscale Japanese hot spot. From the hostess to the server and to the chef, everyone is super friendly and makes you feel super welcome!
Although it’s an upscale restaurant, the best time to come is during its “Happy Hours”, lots of great deals on cocktails and snack bites. I ordered the Wagyu beef skewers and Blue Fin Tuna sushi and each item was only $10 USD each, which is pretty decent. Luv the ambience. A perfect place on a date night!
Website: www.uchihouston.com
Instagram: @uchihouston
Uchi – Happy Hours (Sapporo Beer + Blue Fin Tuna Sushi + Wagyu Beef Skewers)
The visit to the diverse city of Houston during this press trip was provided by Houston First. However, as always, the opinions expressed in this post is entirely my own.
