Notable Edibles
Words by David Leftwich
CHICAGO PIZZA COMES TO MONTROSE
Mozzarella sticks. You would never think of judging a restaurant based on those fried gooey hunks of nostalgia you devoured as a kid — except at Nonno’s, the retro-modern pizzeria from Sara and Martin Stayer, the duo behind Nobie’s and The Toasted Coconut. If you were to reach into your childhood memories for the platonically ideal mozzarella sticks, you’d find Nonno’s perfectly melted mozzarella wrapped in crunchy breading paired with a springy, harmonious marinara. All those adjectives point to the level of detail the team at Nonno’s puts into everything they serve, from cocktails to salads such as a buoyant Caesar laced with marinated anchovies that seamlessly balances the salty and acidic elements. Then there is the creamy, tangy, cloud-like vanilla goat cheese cheesecake.
Any and all of those delicious options would be reason enough to visit but we haven’t even gotten to the crackling pizzas and sizzling vibes. The pizzas are Chicago tavern-style featuring cracker-thin crusts made with dough that had been fermented for three days. Toppings can be customized, or you can choose one of their specialty pies such as the Meat Head with capicola, pepperoni and sausage; the Wise Guy with sausage and giardiniera; or the vegetarian Lean Green N Mean with pesto, arugula, kale and sunflower seeds. It’s all served in a space that fuses an ‘80s Pizza Hut, complete with pseudo- Tiffany-style, stained-glass light fixtures, with a space-aged arcade sporting rounded corners, Blade Runner mood lighting, pinball machines, video games and a reel-to-reel playing classic Houston hip hop. The only thing missing is an animatronic bear singing Beyonc. and ZZ Top. Despite that, this Montrose joint is one of funniest and tastiest restaurants to open in the last year. Visit at 1613 Richmond Ave. houstonsbestpizza.com
STREET TACOS ON AIRLINE DRIVE One of Houston’s premier restaurant groups, Underbelly Hospitality (Georgia James, Wild Oats, Pastore), has teamed up with one of Mexico’s premier pastry chefs, Luis Robledo Richards, to open a taqueria, Comalito, in the recently renovated historic Houston Farmers Market. The lynchpin of this Mexico City-inspired eatery are the excellent corn tortillas, which are made in-house with heirloom corn from Mexico.
Those tortillas serve as the cornerstone for a host of dishes from sopa de tortilla to a succulent tacos al pastor. Though the tacos, which include suadero, costras and more, are the star of the show at this casual eatery, don’t overlook the appetizers such as the cebollitas preparadas that transform the humble onion into a rich dish by marinating, grilling and then caramelizing green onions. Onions are also key to the excellent frijoles puercos, which pairs black beans, chorizo, bacon and chicharron with umami-rich grilled onion broth.
No matter what you order, save room for dessert, specifically the heavenly churros. These fluffy swirls of fried dough sprinkled with cinnamon-sugar are light and crunchy on the outside and soft and luscious on the inside, akin to an aria sung by Maria Callas. There’s a reason Richards is considered one of the top pastry chefs in the Americas. His restaurant is a welcome addition to Houston’s ever-growing options for excellent Mexican food. Visit at 2520 Airline Dr. | comalitohtx.com
BLUE HERON FARM OPENS BEER GARDEN Beer, baby goats and a cranky tortoise. What’s not to love? Two of our favorite farmers, Lisa and Christian Seger of Blue Heron Farm, recently opened a beer garden on their 10.5- acre spread near Waller where they raise goats, ducks, a couple of pigs and some farm cats; foster dogs; and make their well-crafted goat cheeses. Seeing a need for a local watering hole and to diversify their sources of income, the duo decided to evolve their popular farm tours and dinners into something more permanent. So, the couple converted a half acre of their farm into a rural oasis using many repurposed materials: the bar is a transformed shipping container and the bathroom is a remodeled Airstream. There, they serve a rotating selection of local beers, such as Lone Pint Yellow Rose Smash IPA, hard seltzers and wine. They also offer a few snacks such as their goat cheeses, of course. You can even pet the goats for a small fee (goats need to eat too). And, if you're lucky, you may even have an encounter with Jeremy, a large African spurred tortoise known for his daring, if slow-moving, escapes. Visit at 29625 Bunting Rd., Waller blueherontexas.com.
