While most of us will never have a chance to circumnavigate the globe, there ARE ways to experience the many cultures that exist in this beautiful world! One way that Eric and I prefer is to visit ethnic groceries and restaurants that specialize in regional cuisines. On a recent trip to Houston, we did just that. We made a list, routed it out on Google Maps, and visited all of these locations in one weekend.
Self-described as “South African inspired comfort food,” this is the fast-food version of their fine dining Peli Peli restaurants which began in Houston and are expanding throughout Texas. The owners made headlines in 2016 by appearing on the CNBC reality show Restaurant Startup and more recently have reappeared due to sexual harassment allegations against executive chef Paul Friedman. We were completely unaware of all this as we stepped into their Spring location. We were met with SUPER friendly staff, colorful murals, and a simple but inventive menu. Eric ordered the Peri Peri Chicken and I ordered the Curry Chicken. The food was fresh, full of flavor, and the counter-serve model allowed us to add as much veggies as we wanted. Finally, a place to get my cilantro fix! Our only complaint was the price — $24 for two quick-serve lunch portions (water only and no sides) is a bit steep.
There are MANY options in Houston for Asian groceries, but this is certainly one of the best if you’re looking for a large variety in a clean environment. It’s smaller than the giant Hong Kong Market in Houston’s Chinatown, but it’s SOOOO much cleaner and it focuses equally on other Asian cuisines. Vietnamese, Cambodian, Korean, Japanese, Chinese — it’s all here! The bakery seemed to be the most popular area, but we were most impressed with the meat selection and never-ending aisles of noodles. I saw my first Pork Uterus and Silky Chicken (which looked like a baby dragon).
This is a small boutique grocery, focusing only on Japanese cuisine. It is the perfect place to go when you need high quality seafood to make your own sushi or when you want a quick fix of Japanese snacks (such as Matcha flavored candy) and Hello Kitty toys. This was my first time seeing Onigiri, rice balls, and they had a really nice selection of “to go” lunch boxes.
This storefront is at the very western tip of Westheimer but it’s worth driving to the ends of the earth just for the meat market here. When we walked in with our white selves, the cashier’s jaw dropped but she quickly recovered and gave us a huge welcoming smile and greeting. It’s an unpretentious store, focusing on African ingredients that you won’t find at other ethnic groceries. Pretty much everything in that store was entirely new to me: plaintain fufu, cassava flours & frozen cassava leaves, burnt goat meat, ground crayfish and shrimp, chin chin (snack mix). The real eye-opener, however, was the meat market with giant turkey legs and whole goat heads. There were lines of people waiting to get meat here, and no wonder when we saw the low prices.
Ok, I’ll admit I actually had to look Bulgaria up on Google Maps. This is definitely a region AND cuisine that Eric and I have zero experience with. So imagine how delighted we were to find this tiny store in the northwest corner of Houston in a multi-cultural mecca just east of Willowbrook. Their products are Bulgarian, Serbian, Romanian, Macedonian, with some Turkish and Greek crossover. The woman running the store (who might have been the owner) made our shopping experience extra special, taking the time to explain products, let us sample one of the specialty cheeses, and share her passion for Bulgaria. She noted my interest in some rose lotions and lip products and explained that this particular rose is a major export of Bulgaria. We had so much fun visiting, I forgot to take pictures, so these images were borrowed from their Facebook page.
For a good intro on Bulgaria as a tourist destination, especially it’s Rose Valley, click HERE.
We’ve been shopping at the Phoenicia stores for years. There are two locations and each has its own unique perks. The downtown market is much smaller but is a great place to socialize and do some quick shopping while you’re in that area. The Westheimer location is huge, and is where you want to go if you need a larger selection. I mention Lebanon and Armenia because the owners originated from those countries, but it’s actually an International grocery with products from all over the world. They have the largest selection of baklava and Mediterranean pastries I’ve ever seen, their fresh Feta selections are to die for, and they have amazing prices on hard-to-find olive oils and bulk spices! Eric enjoys watching the fresh pita bread moving down a conveyor belt at the Westheimer location, and I love perusing the snacks from all over the world.
Xochi is our fave, FAVE, FAVORITE restaurant in Houston! We’ve been twice and both visits were exceptional. Houstonian foodies are already aware of this place, but the rest of the world hasn’t taken enough notice (in my humble opinion). If you want to experience Oaxacan cuisine in the hands of a master, get yourself to Xochi! The atmosphere is lively, the wait staff are passionate about teaching all things Oaxacan, and everything on a plate is presented with impeccable detail, masterful flavor combinations, and creativity. But don’t take my word for it, take a look at these photos and you’ll see what I mean!
If you live near Houston or another large city, please take advantage of the cultural wealth that these melting pots have to offer. Look beyond the tourist traps and seek the neighborhoods where immigrants live — you will gain new experiences, expand your culinary palette, and be reminded of why this country is such an amazing place to live!
This post is either going to land me on the hate list of all of my peers, or it will totally resonate with them. Either way, I must unburden my feelings. I have kept my silence far too long.
WHAT IF BOOKS ARE BAD FOR US?
There. I said it. Now let me explain myself…
I have loved reading since the moment I realized those symbols on the page actually meant something. Actually, no — my love of reading probably began while I was still in my mother’s womb, hearing her read to me. Growing up, the most effective behavior modification used by my mother was to take my books away (taking the Barbie dolls away was a close second). In high school, I would fake sick just so I could stay home to finish a book. Because let’s be honest, I wasn’t going to learn anything that day if all my thoughts were absorbed by whether or not Darcy and Elizabeth would get together!
Any of this sounding familiar?
So why on earth would this “I can’t survive without books” librarian pose such a question? Let me compare it to my second weakness — FOOD.
We all know what we eat can affect our health. There’s much debate about the details, but we DO know that it’s important to eat a variety of foods and it’s important to choose foods with nutritional value. Filling our bodies with only junk isn’t a good thing. We also know over-eating is a bad thing. This is where my book correlation comes in…
I AM ADDICTED TO BOOKS! AND NOT JUST ANY BOOKS — JUNK BOOKS!
I LOVE reading romance novels. Stories of debonair dukes, plundering pirates, sexy shapeshifters, femme fatales…I can’t get enough! I can easily read a book per day and realize I didn’t eat anything or even acknowledge my husband’s presence. I’ll admit to even being guilty of ignoring phone calls from my mother when caught in the thrall of a good book.
I know. I am SO going to Hell. I need an intervention.
Luckily, I have a very supportive family who understand that sometimes I just need to escape into the world of books. As long as I remember to come up for air often enough & keep the household intact, then we’re ok. I’m also lucky to have people in my life who challenge my mind, which prompts me to read things that stimulate my brain & broaden my perspective. When I find myself in a conversation & I can’t think of anything interesting to say, that’s usually my cue that literary stagnation has begun to set in. That’s when I look up “Best Nonfiction Books of the Year” or “What Would Bill Gates Read” & download the audiobook or podcast.
So I guess my answer is: Yes, books CAN be bad. But they can also be good. It’s all about balance.
Balance in WHAT we read: titles that make us THINK, that TEACH us something new, that give us a different PERSPECTIVE
Balance in the TIME we spend reading vs living: I’d rather EXPERIENCE life rather than read about it
Balance in our EXPECTATIONS: acknowledge that what we love in fiction isn’t always what we want in reality (a pirate would make a terrible husband, after all).
Reading is one of those joys that we never out live. Books can provide excitement, comfort, empathy, enlightenment, escape — whatever we may need. While I may have a few setbacks every now & then, I believe I’ve found that balance & I hope you do to.
What’s that, babe? You need me to do laundry because you’re out of clean underwear? Hold on, just a few more chapters…
