Food!

Good stuff to eat and where to eat it

Atlanta, Barbecue and...

Abdullah the Butcher's House of Ribs and Chinese Food, 2387 Fairburn Road SW, Atlanta, GA.  404-629-2332

A dozen years or so ago, I was in Atlanta on business, heading back to the airport, reading the Wednesday newspaper food section, where the Atlanta Journal-Constitution has a restaurant review column.  The name of this place caught my eye; even if the food hadn't gotten a good review, I would have wanted to go just to say I'd been there!

Several years later, I was in Atlanta again, and got a group of co-workers to go with me.  We had just about everything on the bbq side of the menu, and enjoyed the heck out of it, and it was inexpensive to boot -- I think that six of us ate dinner for a total of $50.  I've been back since, and it was just as good.  I'd describe it as a smokey, Kansas City style bbq sauce (and had a KC person agree with that).

Oh -- the name?  Seems that "Abdullah the Butcher" was the stage name of a popular professional Wrestler, and he opened this restaurant when he quit the circuit.  His wife is of Chinese ancestry, and that explains the second half of this unlikely pairing.  I've always been too tempted by the bbq to order the chinese!

Houston, Barbecue

Sam's Country Bar-B-Q, 12202 Veteran's Memorial Drive, Houston. 
281 537 9190
I know I'm opening myself up for a hailstorm of disagreement here... but in my mind, there isn't any better barbecue in Houston than what you'll find at Sam'sbetween FM1960 and Beltway 8.  Pale yellow freestanding building in a shopping center about 2mi N of the Beltway.

How good is it?  Sandy and I  had them cater our wedding.  I especially like the ribs (pork), chicken, and brisket, although I'll confess that I have the ribs almost every time I'm there. 

Houston, Steak, etc.

Steamboat House, 8045 North Sam Houston Parkway West.  (832) 912-1845

One of those grand steakhouses.  This one happens to be filled with a huge museum-like collection of Texas memorabilia, flags, and whatnot, plus two of the largest portraits (Sam Houston, and George Washington, done around 1935 iirc, and each about 20' high.  The whole place is impressive, with a small version of Huntsville's Sam Houston statue out front, and architecture roughly based on Houston's Steamboat House (open for tours in Huntsville).

It may not be the best steak in Houston (although the food and service were pretty good on the one time I have been there), but it's certainly one of the best atmospheres you'll find.

Sindelfingen, Germany, Italian

Zum Rad
I know what you're thinking... why would I go to Germany to eat Italian food?  Simply because this place is delightful, with attentive service, and very reasonable prices.  I was in Germany for two weeks, and found myself going to Zum Rad at least four times... maybe more.  Most things I had were superb... some were just darned good. 

They've got a shrimp and salmon in saffron sauce; if I were to get that again, I'd see if I could just get shrimp, as I thought that the salmon and sauce each had flavors that wanted to stand on their own... but on the prawns, it was sublime.  Their house salad dressing made me smile every time I tasted it; it's a vinaigrette with a taste of corn -- I know, I know... sounds weird.  But it just *works*, at least for me!