Brazil

Sunday mornings are one of my favorite times of the week, and I generally like to celebrate them by taking myself out to brunch.  It can be a chore to decide where to go, especially when there is a group involved.  This Sunday, we ventured over to Brazil, mostly because it was on the way to somewhere else.  

The brunch menu at Brazil is pretty weird and crunchy, like the restaurant itself.  There were items like flaxseed waffles, which I am deeply distrustful of.  I don't like it when places take a healthy word (flaxseed) and pair it with an unhealthy word (waffles) and then try to trick you into feeling good about making dubious choices.  I mean, really, if you drizzled omega 3 fatty acids on waffles, does that really make them healthy? I don't know.  So I went with a basic breakfast plate, and frankly, it was just ok.  The eggs came in their own oval-shaped bowl, scrambled with feta and a pretty garnish.  The bacon was greasy, but I don't really like bacon by itself anyways so I gave it to David.  The side of tomatoes came out lightly breaded and pan-fried, I would say a bust.  Probably should have picked potatoes.  

The really annoying thing about Brazil is that it's counterservice, and the coffee is BEHIND the counter.  So you have to go fight the line when you want a refill.  And the cups aren't that big to start.  That's really why I won't go back here very often.  Also, because I have really great cholesterol numbers as it is, so flaxseed can go fuck itself.

Beaver's

This lesbian-owned bar and restaurant has a stuffed beaver on the wall behind the bar, and it's a little creepy.

The restaurant, on the other hand, is very cozy and inviting, with a big wooden porch and friendly service.  So far, this is the best place I have been in Houston for cocktails.  I'd expect to pay and arm and a leg for options like habanero-infused vodka and gin cocktails with fresh rosemary, but they are all pretty reasonably priced around $7-$8.  There's also a drink called trash can punch, which was sweet and delicious, but definitely made me feel like a yuppie - who pays for trash can punch?

The food menu is kinda a gut-buster - lots of bbq, lots of fried meat, lots of heavy sides.  But you probably deserve a good meal from time to time, so there's no reason not to indulge in some mac & cheese and fried okra.  

Thumbs up, will go back!

Guadalajara

Guadalajara is the latest establishment to open up in the Pavilion mall downtown, and they were doing a trial run at lunch today.  So we got to try anything we wanted on the menu for free.

Like the rich little piglets that we are, the five of us pretty much ordered everything on the menu.  For appetizers, we tried the ceviche, the guacamole, quesadillas, chimichangas, and other weird fried tex-mex foods that I can't remember.  It was all pretty average, except the quesadillas, which were really good, but seeing as how it was free, it was exhilarating.   I had this creamy poblano soup with a fish taco for my entree.  The soup was really good and spicy and the fish taco was average (although, I think I hold fish tacos to the standard of Berry Hill, so I'm generally pretty tough to please on this dish).  

The decor in the restaurant is bright and colorful, but the hues are kinda 70s, which makes me think it will look really dated in about five years.  I will likely go back to this place due to its proximity to my office, but I certainly wouldn't go out of my way to go downtown for dinner to hit it up.