J. BLACK'S

CultureMap is a great resource for finding out what's going on around town and where all the hot spots are. They have been doing something called Dine Around Houston. Once a month a restaurant will do a prefixed meal and beverage for $12 benefitting the Big Brother Big Sister program...pretty good deal if you ask me. This month's event took place at J. BLACK'S which was on my list of places to visit so it was an even sweeter deal for me. You got your choice of two different entrees, drink and a dessert. Fortunately, I got to try both options because I had friends that were willing to share. First up was the "Winner Winner" pizza. This was topped with chili marinated shredded chicken, avocado, carmelized onion, and Boursin cheese. There was a bit of heat that was cooled with the avocado. Boursin cheese is a creamy cheese similar to cream cheese and a unique choice for use on a pizza. The pizza was really filling and delicious, so there were definitely leftovers, but I am not complaining about that.

The other entree option was the Washington sliders. There were three mini burgers served with homemade chips. And yes, there is a huge difference between homemade chips and ones you get in a bag. They are much crunchier and a lot less greasy. These were Wagyu beef sliders topped with Gorgonzola, mushrooms, bacon, carmelized onions and a basil mayo. I usually will not eat Gorgonzola but there wasn't a ton on the sliders and the other ingredients helped make it less pungent. The bacon was diced which was nice because every bite seemed to have some and the basil mayo was different. These were tasty little things and I would definitely try them when you visit.

I was interested to see how the dessert would turn out. It was a chocolate brownie with cajeta, carmel sauce, smoked sea salt and strawberries. Cajeta is a goat milk based sauce. You could definitely tell that there was a different ingredient in it so if you don't like goats milk, this will not be the dessert for you. The smoked sea salt definitely had a smoky flavor and created an interesting flavor combination with the chocolate and goat's milk. The vibe inside the restaurant was laid back and cozy, however your only option for parking is valet so be prepared for that. If you haven't made it to J. BLACK'S, be sure to try it.

Fraiche Kitchen Food Truck

I was lucky enough to get to go Haute Wheels Houston again this year. This is a food truck festival that has now grown to 35 trucks. It is a great time to sample new beers, wines, and tons of delicious food! For the first stop, I visited Fraiche Kitchen for their Shiner Bock pulled pork slider. Now normally, I don't usually eat pork but I didn't want to miss out anything delicious. The pork was tossed lightly in the barbecue sauce and was served with some housemade pickles. Sometimes pickles can just taste like cucumbers, but these were yummy and added that little bit of crunch to the slider. The bun was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The pork was moist and flavorful. They also had some delicious smelling spiced donuts that I wanted to try...next time! This was definitely a great way to start off the festival. Stay tuned for foods from the next food truck I visited.

Roots Bistro

Roots Bistro is a unique restaurant that focuses on using fresh, local ingredients and catering to almost every dietary restriction you could possibly think of. It is the sister concept to Roots Juice, the yummy juice bar in City Center. When you walk in, you are greeted with a warm glow from burning candles and dark wood tables and chairs. The walls are a calming cream color and the flowy curtains on the windows keep everything feeling airy and bright. Due to some unfortunate circumstances, I ended up being able to try two different meals. The Longhorn sliders were mini burgers topped with fresh mozzarella, a sriracha sauce, and some mixed baby greens dressed in a champagne vinaigrette on top of a warm square of bread. These burgers were juicy and flavorful. The crisp greens added a nice textural element and the half a bun helped to keep them from feeling too heavy.

 The other dish I was able to try was the raw "squashsta". What is "squashsta" you might ask? It is a very thin pasta made from squash and tossed with beets, sesame seeds, and cilantro in a ginger dressing. This was served cold and tasted like an Asian salad. The crunch of the veggies made it a light and refreshing dish, and it was gone before I knew it. I had never seen a dish like this before, but I would definitely order it again. I don't believe that I had beets before, but they were sure yummy. Using the raw ingredients, showcased their simple, natural flavors that complemented each other very well. Though we did not have dessert, they were definitely unique. I guess next time I will need to go back so that I can try the lemon thyme pound cake. If you are looking for a very unique and local meal, be sure to try out Roots Bistro.