WESLACO — Keno Cafe, located in downtown Weslaco, was established almost a century ago and while trying a couple of their signature plates, I could tell why throughout the decades the restaurant has survived by being a local favorite.
DONNA — Biscuits & Gravy Neighborhood Kitchen has a simple but delicious menu that is perfect when you’re in the mood for some homestyle breakfast and brunch.
MISSION — Han’s Katsuya, a small Japanese restaurant hidden on busy Shary Road, offers great traditional food with a welcoming experience perfect for newcomers or foodies that need a new go to spot.
EDINBURG — My girlfriend and I really wanted to eat some barbecue at Ace’s BBQ in McAllen, but my editor said that I couldn’t review a restaurant in McAllen since the other guy had just done that. So we drove to Edinburg and decided to review the Ace’s BBQ there.
McALLEN — Zen Asian Bistro & Sushi offers people a unique way to eat to their hearts desires and the chance to try new things as the restaurant has an extensive menu full of flavor.
PHARR — Crowded places are usually a good omen when picking a restaurant, but for years we ignored this place because it’s too pharr. Well, just far from sight.
BROWNSVILLE — The mid-afternoon sun sends its gray light from the clouds into the lower lands of the rippling resacas and cocktails and drowsy conversations.
For this week’s South Texas Flavor, I had the chance to explore the versatile world of potatoes by visiting Papas & Papas— and you guessed it. It’s about to get cheesy, buttery, creamy and whatever else you like in your Papa Asadas.
McALLEN — It is no secret that the Rio Grande Valley has produced some of the most talented and creative culinary minds not only in Texas, but throughout the country.
HARLINGEN — The slow Saturday afternoon eases my mind as I park on a quiet street and step into a place of memory and flavor, of neon lights and “Drag City” playing and the smells of brisket and salami.
McALLEN — Recently-opened Noodles & Dumplings provides a great flavorful variety of Chinese food, perfect for almost every occasion for newcomers or foodies.
McALLEN — There was a subtle manic energy you feel walking into Diego’s Farm to Table restaurant along Pecan Avenue in Central McAllen that you may be tempted to yell “yes, chef” when the host asks you to take a seat. Think more “The Bear” Season 2 than the implosive Season 1.
EDINBURG — Looking to beat the heat and try something new this summer? Check out Mochi Ring Donuts in Edinburg which offers a variety of mochi donuts, Korean rice hot dogs, bingsoo and plenty of refreshing drinks.
WESLACO — Wanting to try something new and different, I came to Lê Phở House — a Vietnamese kitchen in Weslaco — with an open mind and I left with a stomach full of delicious noodles, broth, beef and a curiosity into a new cuisine.
McALLEN — Mikhuna, a Japanese-Peruvian restaurant in McAllen brings a one-of-a-kind taste to the Valley with a mix of traditional South American dishes and Nikkei, a fusion of Peruvian ingredients shaped by Japanese techniques.
McALLEN — I am usually not open to suggestions when it comes to these food reviews (just ask my editors), unless my girlfriend suggests that I take suggestions, in which case I will.
Rock & Roll Sushi in Hidalgo is a small restaurant that offers good sushi at great prices. It’s an exciting spot for those observing Lent, or wanting to try something new in the Rio Grande Valley with a beautiful area surrounding it.
McALLEN — I don’t think that you can put a price on friendly service, and the folks at Azúcar Y Sal seem to have a monopoly when it comes to treating customers like family.
McALLEN — Walking into the Universal Market & Indian Restaurant you are instantly surrounded with traditional Indian aromas coming from the restaurant buffet and awestruck with the selection of food in the market.
BROWNSVILLE — The blue-green lights breaking through the cold and the wet of a January night beckon me into the welcoming warmth of a place thick with aromas and music of a faraway place.
McALLEN — Nak Won Jung not only offers some of the best Korean cuisine in the area but also gives customers a Korean authenticity upon entering the restaurant.
EDINBURG — I was asked to do a sort of New Years Eve-themed review of a local restaurant. I was also told that I need to stop reviewing Mexican and barbecue restaurants.
BROWNSVILLE — The papel picado hanging from the line across the dining area seems out of place in a quiet dining area where only one table entertains diners.
WESLACO — There is a scene in the movie “Tombstone” — arguably the greatest cinematic masterpiece of all time, starring Kurt Russell as famed lawman Wyatt Earp and Val Kilmer as infamous gunfighter and subpar dentist Doc Holiday — that really resonates with me.
HARLINGEN — There’s a rumbling, a stirring and an excitement in conversation over a noon meal that brings freshness and lift after a rather dismal morning.
BROWNSVILLE — There's a hot stretch of road along a less traveled part of the city where a small restaurant grabs my attention with its bright yellow facade and colorful signs.
MISSION — Good dining experiences can create unforgettable experiences in the same way a bad experience can ruin a day — it’s in the way that the quality of the food and the service wields a transformative effect on our minds and moods.
McALLEN — Taquerias Tlaquepaque Hnos is an unassuming restaurant sandwiched in between a slew of other businesses at a small plaza on North 10th Street in McAllen.
SAN BENITO — Pappasito’s Smokehouse And Then Some sits on the corner of East Stenger Street and East Milam Street in a building that for many years housed the Diamond G Food Store, a staple for many San Benitians throughout the 70s, 80s and 90s.
HARLINGEN — The city streets have entered the dead zone of the hot mid afternoon, and I find refuge in the colorful dining room of Taqueria El Buen Pastor.
BROWNSVILLE – There’s a small seafood restaurant along the farther reaches of town, where cars along a busy thoroughfare have already broken away to their separate destinations.
HARLINGEN — It’s a Tuesday night at La Playa Mexican Café, and the warm lights spread from the ceiling and fall onto wooden tables and tiled floors while country music fill the dinner air.
