Original Timmy Chan's

Here's another one that UH folks will miss...Itza Pizza in the basement of the Towers.

I always thought it was a bad sign that they had to tell you "it's a pizza"

Yeah, I think maybe that was a Bonanza there on Fuqua, which later became a PoFolks.

I just remembered another place: the Steak & Egg Kitchen at Telephone Rd and I-45. I ate there a number of times when I went to UH. We went there for the cheap prices, and because the place seemed to be in a time warp.

There also used to be a 24-hr Taco Bell on Wayside in the early 90's. It was one of the few 24-hr places we knew of near UH at the time. It was a good place when you had the munchies; even I could usually afford the 39-cent bean burrito (although I did have to bum change a few times to get one).

I know it was already listed above, but Pipe Organ Pizza was one of my all-time faves as a kid. I only got to go there once or twice, but it was a treat to see (and hear) the seemingly 100-ft long organ in there.

Piccadilly's Cafeteria used to be a favorite of my grandfather's.

How 'bout this one...Texas Tumbleweeds. I don't think anyone's mentioned it yet. I believe I ate there once or twice when I was a kid. I believe that was my first steakhouse.

Here's another: Sizzler. I believe that was the name of the place on Fuqua at Sabo. It later turned into a Po Folks. I think its latest incarnation was a fajita place.

My grandpa (lover of cafeterias, remember) also used to take me to a place in Pasadena called "Smorgasbord" a few times. It was an all-you-can-eat cafeteria where the food moved around on a conveyor belt.

Of course, one of our favorite subjects here, Monterrey House.

I don't know if it's still there, but we used to eat at the City Cafeteria on occasion, on College(?) near Old Galveston Rd in South Houston.

Farrell's Ice Cream Parlor in Almeda Mall

Sambo's. I think there used to be one there at Airport and the Gulf Freeway.

Do we still have Mary Lee Donuts? I've always been a faithful Shipleys man, so I never ate there, but it always looked appetizing as a kid.

Does anyone remember this one: a BBQ place on Old Galveston Rd near the South Loop, just a little shack between the road and the railroad tracks. I believe it was the Whistle Stop(?) or something similar to that, anyways. When I used to go to work with my dad on the weekends as a kid, that BBQ sandwich was the one thing that would brighten an otherwise boring day.

How about Three Gables Hamburgers in South Houston/Pasadena? Ate there a few times as a kid too.

And last but not least, the short order grill at Mimosa Lanes off the Gulf Freeway near Airport. I used to eat a lot of grilled cheese sandwiches there when I was a kid. I believe the old Mimosa Lanes site is now a hotel.

it must be a LOT of frogs then.  cause i swear i hear them from every direction.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Look outside after a rain...you may see a hundred toads in your yard. I don't know where they go during the day, but my dog finds them all over the place at night. He has a blast chasing 'em around.

There are plenty of toads and frogs and birds making noise at night.

Have you tried using a shotgun? Maybe a few blasts in random directions would hit the intended target...Just a suggestion (not necessarily a good one).

Sorry I don't have any news on the Breakfast Klub...I can't imagine it closing, though, as busy as they always are. If they close, it ain't cause they don't draw a crowd!

For kjb, Breakfast Klub is right behind Julia's, on Travis and Alabama...next to t'afia (where the Midtown Farmer's Market is held).

I've been to the bar you're talking about (I thought it was Drink Bar), but I much prefer the Big Top Lounge next door...the one with the pinball machines outside and the carnival decor inside. It's a good place for a $2 Lone Star. Great bartenders, too.

There is quite a bit of land to the SE of the Gulfgate Center that would be large enough to house a 12 to 16 screen cinema complex. Not saying it will be a Magic Theaters but that it could house one of that's where they decide to go.

And why isn't there a theater in the Gulfgate area? Closest one, I think, is near Almeda Mall.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You may already know this, but there used to be a theater at Gulfgate, or more precisely, across 610 from the old Gulfgate Mall. The location of the old theater is now the storage place. It was connected to Gulfgate by the pedestrian bridge (is it still standing, by the way?)

My aunt used to take us there when we were kids...Walking over 610 was the coolest thing in the world back then.

The Gulfgate theater was a 4-screener (!) and closed back in 1998. Speaking of Almeda, there used to be 2 movie theaters there when I was a kid...the 2-screen one in the parking lot by Best, and a 5 (?) screen one on the Gulf Freeway side.

Del Oro development.  View is intersection of 288 and the South Loop.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You can *almost* see my house in that picture...I'm just across 288 from Del Oro.

That particular location became townhomes/condos instead of office buildings...but very close by, the Med Center looks a lot like the rendering. Lots of offices/research buildings going up.

I grew up on the southeast side, so the only place I remember is the Lone Star Amphitheater, where I saw some good shows during college and the years after...Butthole Surfers, Rev. Horton Heat, Porno for Pyros are the ones I remember off the top of my head.

On the southeast side we had Pipe Organ Pizza (one of my all-time favorite birthday parties took place there), SuperTrack (which FINALLY closed recently, unfortunately), Sea Arama in Galveston was always popular, whatever the waterpark was next to Sea Arama, and of course I spent a lot of time at the Wilson Park and Beverly Hills Park pools.

Man, Taconmadre Barbacoa taquitos are to die for.  So is the "trompo" and "al pastor".  Not too crazy about thier fajita tacos, but some people I know swear by them.  For fajitas, I go to Harrisburg.  Taconmadre is closed for several days, they say, to update some things.

Burger Mart is still there...and the guy who owns/runs it hasnt bothered to update anything since the 1950's.  Also, have you ever been there?  The "guy" seems like he is always angry:  try ordering something and you will instantly get a dismissive stare, followed by the bark:  "...WHAT.  WHA-DOO-YOU-NEED?..." I once asked for some hot sauce, and recieved "NO HOT SAUCE"  Five minutes later as I am starting on my "burger", I hear a "clank" on the pickup counter, see a hand snapping its fingers, and I proceed to walk to the counter to pick up my damn hot sauce.

I call him, "The Burger Nazi".

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I haven't eaten at Burger Mart in probably 20 years...I liked it when I was a kid cause they had the playground outside next to the ditch (well before I remember seeing any McDonald's Playlands).

Actually for any hamburger outside of Whataburger, I stick to C&D on Fuqua...but it's a long drive for me now. There's an old hamburger place on Scott Street near Yellowstone that I need to try. My wife says they used to be great, but hasn't eaten there in decades either.

I'll definitely have to try the Taconmadre. I love barbacoa and tacos al pastor. What is "trompo"?

I agree with Ricco about Ninfa's on Navigation:  Simply Awesome.  (How's THAT for damage control and ass-suck).

This is more southeast Houston rather than east.  But let me tell you about my own neck of the woods: Edgebrook.  within the 1/4 mile stretch from Gulf Freeway to Theta Street, are:

1. Taqueria Taconmadre - the taco truck, right side 24-hrs

2. Taqueria Taconmadre - the sit-down restaurant version, left side, 24hrs.

3. Taqueria Aguascalienes

4. Caserez Mexican Restaurant

5. Taqueria La Jalisiense

6. The Taco truck on the left side, next to the church, Thur. - Sat.

7. The Taco truck on the right side, next to the transmission shop

8. Taqueria Arandas, northbound feeder at Edgebrook

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

How is Taconmadre? I drive past it all the time on the way to my grandma's (she's lived in the same neighborhood since the house was built) I've driven past Taconmadre for a while and it's visually appealing, just wondering if the food is as colorful as the building?

You know, there's only two restaurants on Edgebrook there that have been there since I was a kid: the Baskin-Robbins and the Burger Mart (which my mom and dad used to eat at when they were kids).

Villa Arcos Tacos makes the best breakfast tacos in town. It's on Navigation, a few blocks from the Original Ninfa's.

My wife's favorite is Osaka (515 Westheimer). It's good stuff, but I don't eat enough sushi to compare it to others.

Cool...I'm RIverside (747-xxxx)