By Jim Ayres Make no mistake. Hunky Dory and Bernadine’s did not flop with critics or the public. Their closing just 18 months after opening reflected shady fiscal mismanagement more than the tastes of Houston diners. But…it happens. Those restaurants are history and life moves on. Houston-born, Atlanta-based chef Ford Fry certainly did. Best known

By Jim Ayers I found a fun online discussion recently: “Which words and expressions from the past do you still like to use today?” I have some favorites and I’m sprinkling a few of them in this column for fun. But The Classic is anything but archaic. On the contrary, the former Benjy’s location on

By Jim Ayres Props to Postino I’m thrilled that Postino is making its second Houston home at the site of the former Montrose Mining Company (805 Pacific). For months the rumblings have been about a wine bar moving into the space. In July I raved about Postino’s Yale Street location in Heights Mercantile. Its light

By Jim Ayres Bread service in American restaurants is different than elsewhere in the world. Here, the bread basket entices famished diners to butter up and chow down before ordering anything else. But in Paris, your server will cut a few slices from a baguette and bring them, unadorned, with your meal. The premise is

By Jim Ayres I’ve been avoiding Poke, Houston’s biggest food trend this year. I’d been turned off by memories of a ghastly “Sushi Salad” at the late Bowl on lower Richmond. The fish was a little past fresh, the salad elements didn’t quite gel and the miso dressing might as well have been syrup of

By Jim Ayres Is there really that much to say about The Burger Joint? It serves burgers, it’s very popular and parking is next to impossible. Yet here I am, days after my last visit (oh, there have been several), fondly remembering a magnificent off-menu Bacon Truffle Burger. This special of the day combined 100

By Jim Ayres Heights denizens are thrilled that authentic, New York style bagels are now being served on White Oak. I am, too, as Golden Bagels & Coffee is right across the street from my cat Daisy’s vet.  But the story I want to tell now is my history with bagels, the ultimate carb.  During

By Jim Ayres  So many people have told me how much they love Postino, a new wine café in the Heights Mercantile development on Yale, just north of 6th Street. They appreciate the light menu of antipasto, panini and bruschetta. They applaud the convenient location (my well cultured friend Brian found it perfect for “a

By Jim Ayres | Happy Pride everyone, and if you’re visiting Houston, welcome! Let’s jump right in to see what’s new in Houston’s dining world. After all, while we’re celebrating, we must eat! It seems like something new is opening downtown — site of the Houston Pride Festival® — every day. And the crop of

By Mikey Rox Here’s the good news, new grads: You’re not as financially inept as the media por-trays you. Stash Invest asked grads like you what they plan to do with their graduation mon-ey, and the results are comforting. The largest percentage – 23.8 percent of those polled – plan to put the haul directly