Tilapia with Mango and Beet Salad

Here's the story. Young girl gets home from work, turns music on and starts jamming out. She realizes, she kind of wants to make food, so she proceeds to check the fridge for food. In the midst of her search, while still dancing to her favorite tunes, she comes up with an idea. An idea so broad, she isn't even sure what it is. She looks around the fridge and pantry for ingredients that would satisfy her creation. As she becomes stuck with a missing ingredient, she improvises. And BAM! a new recipe arrives. Enough of my storytelling, let's get to the recipe.

Ingredients:
Tilapia
1/2 Onion
1 or 2 Mangos
Vinaigrette(home made or from the store)

Directions:
1. Bake the Tilapia as desired. I usually put a little lemon, pepper and salt and top it with white onion
2. Chop up the beets and Mangos into small square pieces
3. Set aside
4. Make a vinaigrette with onion or use one from the store
5. Mix Vinaigrette with Mango and Beets
6. Store in the fridge
7. Once everything is ready, you can serve

Houston Press Menu of Menus Extravaganza | Giveaway

UPDATE: Congratulations Annabella Bruzual, the winner of the Menu of Menu tickets. Thank you everyone for entering!

Houston Press will host their 13th Annual Menu of Menus extravaganza on Tuesday March 31, 2015. Aaannnd...Guess what? Brunch & Conversation has partnered with Houston Press to give you an opportunity to purchase tickets before they are opened to the public(scroll down for promo code). There's more, one lucky person will receive 2 general admission tickets to this event. May the odds be ever in your favor. Good Luck!

The Menu of Menus® Extravaganza, presented by Stella Artois, is one of Houston's largest food & wine events featuring over 40 area restaurants alongside wine, beer and spirit sampling.

The event will also feature the 4th Annual Iron Fork Chef Competition presented by Whole Foods Market. The Iron Fork competition will showcase two of Houston's most popular up and coming chefs as they face off in a head-to-head cooking competition that will be judged by local area celebrities. The winning chef will receive the "Iron Fork" award and bragging rights for the next year! During the exciting cooking competition, guests will enjoy cocktails, live music and food sampling from a number of the city's best restaurants. Ticket price includes food and drinks for the evening.

Starts: February 3 @ 10aam

Ends: February 7 @ 10a
Promo Code: BRUNCH

BUY TICKETS

Public On sale: 2/7 @ NOON

General Admission: Ticket includes entry into the event at 7pm. Included in the price is food, wine and liquor/beer sampling, plus entertainment

VIP Admission: Ticket includes entry into the event 1 hour earlier than general admission (entry at 6pm). Included in the price is food, wine, liquor/beer sampling, entertainment, PLUS complimentary valet (until 6:30pm only).

Check out last year's Menu of Menus® Extravaganza video

Houston Press Menu of Menus® Extravaganza 2015 is brought to You By: Stella Artois, Whole Foods Market, The Law Offices of Tad Nelson & Associates

All Guests must be 21+, with a Valid I.D.

More information at menuofmenus.com

Website: www.menuofmenus.com

Ticket Site: http://www.ticketfly.com/event/770471

Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/359413957598842/

Event Hashtag: #Menuofmenus

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Tastemade Houston App Launch - Triniti Restaurant

This weekend, I had the opportunity of being part of a group of foodies invited to a special Happy Hour event at Triniti Restaurant. Tastemade, a company that seeks to connect the world through food, held a major casting call for foodies in the Houston area. Foodies, also known as tastemakers from around the city of Houston, were invited to submit 1 minute restaurant reviews via appisodes on the Tastemade app.

Oceanaire Seafood Room - Houston, TX

Restaurant:

Oceanaire SeafoodRoom

Location:

5061 Westheimer Rd,

Houston, TX 77056

Hours:

Lunch Monday-Friday: 11:30am - 5pm

Dinner Monday-Thursday: 5-10pm

Friday-Saturday: 5-11pm

Sunday: 5-9pm

Ambiance:

Oceanaire is a seafood restaurant situated right on Westheimer Road at the Galleria Mall. It was voted one of the best seafood restaurants in the country, so I was excited to finally try it. It has a clean, sophisticated, open environment. The facility has large windows facing Westheimer Road, and they’re able to draw in lots of natural light into the restaurant. Their tables are a mix between round and rectangular, all draped with a white cloths. The natural light coming into the restaurant just makes everything look exceptional.

Masraff's - Houston, TX

Restaurant:

Masraff's 

Location:

1753 Post Oak Blvd.
Houston, TX 77056
Fri: 11 am - 11 pm
Sat: 6 pm - 11 pm
Sun: Closed

Hours:

Mon-Thurs:11 am-10 pm

Ambiance:

I had the pleasure of going to Masraff's for a lunch meeting with two of our vendors this week. The restaurant is located on Post Oak in the Galleria area. The restaurant is very classic, the first thing you notice is their wine cellar near the entrance. We were welcomed by a friendly greeter who lead us to our table. Our host was knowledgeable as we asked him questions about the menu. The atmosphere is professional and classy. We came during lunch, so we were surrounded by men in their button ups, suits and ties.

What I ate:

I ordered the Hawaiian Shutome, also known as a swordfish, and a chopped salad with a balsamic & vinaigrette mixture. It was my first time having a swordfish and it was a wonderful experience, God bless this creature. The fish was blackened and served in a butternut squash, baby carrots, charred green cauliflower, yellow beet and tobiko vinaigrette/soup. Very filling!

My friends also enjoyed their meals accompanied by wine. This restaurant has a great wine selection.

Tap Tap Restaurant - Miami Beach, FL

Restaurant: 
Tap Tap

Location: 
819 5th St.
Miami Beach, Fl 33139

Hours: 
M-Sun 11a-9p

 Ambiance:
Tap Tap is a Haitian Restaurant located on 5th Street in South Beach, within walking distance from Ocean Drive if you are staying there. The environment is very lively, all the walls of this establishment are painted with Haitian art. The ambiance is supposed to make you feel like you are out in Haiti. I've never been to Haiti, but I truly love this place because it reminds me of restaurants that I used to eat at when I lived in Africa. This restaurant is a definite MUST VISIT when in Miami. More on the restaurant and art, here.

 What I Ate:
I ordered the Poul Boukanen, with a side of rice and beans, and a Ju de Mangue( AKA Grilled Chicken and Mango Juice). Let me tell you, I definitely got my money's worth. Sometimes you eat somewhere and the food portions are totally unsatisfying compared to their price tag. They gave me a full half chicken- Crazy! I was so busy enjoying the chicken and dipping sauce that I forgot about my rice and beans. And, the rice and beans portions were quite large too, but tasty!
The only negative was that my slaw salad was served on a dusty lettuce leaf. Other than that, everything was amazing!

Adair Kitchen Inspired Super Foods Bowl

     Every now and then I get inspired to make something new. I get tired of eating the same kinds of dishes over and over, so I look for inspiration elsewhere. If you asked me what my favorite restaurant was, at this moment I would say Adair Kitchen(see restaurant review here).

They have this dish, called "The Super Foods Bowl", which I was recommended to by my boss. It's a bowl with brown rice, topped with a kale salad mixture and your choice of meat- SUPER TASTY!



Well here is my quick and simple recipe.

Ingredients:
Lettuce
Rice of choice
2 Avocados
2 Tomatoes
1 Cucumber
1 can of Beets or 1-2 fresh beets
1 small Red Onion sliced
1 Carrot
Homemade vinaigrette(everyone makes it differently)


Directions:
1. Cut all vegetables in desired type of cut (leave avocados for last)
2. Create a vinaigrette
3. Add all veggies except lettuce and mix well
4. Let sit in fridge
5. Prepare your rice
6. Let it cool
7. Serve rice in a bowl and top with lettuce, veggie salad mixture and avocados
8. Enjoy!


xo,
D.

Adair Kitchen- Houston, TX

Restaurant:

Adair Kitchen

Location:5161 San Felipe, Suite 390

Houston, TX 77056

Hours: 
M-F: 7am-10pm

Sat: 8am-10pm
Sun: 8am-9pm

Ambiance: 
I met up a friend from college for some food and conversation during my lunch break. I wanted to go somewhere close to work, and after searching for near-by restaurants, I decided to try something new. Adair Kitchen is located on San Felipe, between S. Post Oak Ln. and Sage Rd.in the Sage Plaza Shopping Center. If you're driving, you might want to turn in and park, because the restaurant isn't very noticeable from the side of the street. It gets extremely busy during lunch, so be prepared to stand in line. If you don't like lines, I promise it will be worth the wait. After ordering you can enjoy the gorgeously decorated venue or find a place to sit and wait for your food to arrive.

What I Ate:
When I visit a new place; I usually, for the sake of time, like to go with the first thing that catches my eye. Any-who, the first thing that popped up was the Grilled Chicken Pesto Pita, which I decided to have with a side of curly fries instead of fruits. I didn't anticipate how hard it would be to eat the pita(considering it's open-face), but I managed with fork and knife in hand. The food was light, which was nice- I didn't feel unbearably full or tired after eating.

Kona Grill- Houston, TX

Restaurant:
Kona Grill

Location:
5061 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77056

Hours: 
Sun-Thur 11am-10pm
Fr-Sat 11a-11p

Ambiance: 
This was my go-to restaurant when I couldn't make up my mind on where to eat. Located next to Forever21 right on Westheirmer at the Galleria, it's really not hard to miss. Great atmosphere and great food. The lighting is dim, soft and calming to the eyes. You may sit , by the sushi bar, regular dining area, or at the bar(Hang there during Happy-Hour for deals). The restaurant tends to get packed by the bar during Happy-Hour, but I've never had to wait to be seated anywhere else.

What I Ate:
I've been several times, so I can tell you what is great to order. The Chicken Caprese sandwich with a side of fries, California Roll, Pork Sliders, and my sister's favorite- the Butter cake. And to drink; The Hibiscus Margarita and your regular other margarita flavors. Amazing!

Tiff's Treats- TX

Restaurant:

Tiff's Treats

Location:
3800 Southwest Fwy #128 Houston, TX 77027
1333 Old Spanish Trail Houston, TX 77054
2507 Bagby St Houston, TX 77006

Hours: 
Mon-Fr 9am-9pm
Sat-Sun 10am-9pm
Click her for delivery areas/hours

Ambiance: 
They are delivered warm, need I say more? Since they deliver, I've never had the need to go to any of their stores. If you've been, let me know your experience.

What I Ate:

We order from here so much that I ended up getting a free box from Tiffany herself ( we are practically best friends, I'm totally kidding about the BFF part). Their cookies are fresh and warm, homemade style. They are delivered in a neat white box with a blue ribbon to match the logo. My favorite cookies are the White Chocolate Chip and Almond, can't put them down. They also have;

• Chocolate Chip
• Snickerdoodle
• Peanut Butter
• Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip
• White Chocolate Chip & Almond
• Butterscotch Chip
• M&M
• Sugar
• Oatmeal Raisin
• Oatmeal Chocolate Chip

Torchy's Tacos- Houston,TX

Restaurant:

Torchy's Tacos

Location:
2411 S Shepherd Dr, Houston, TX 77019

Hours: 
Mon-Sat 11am-9pm
Sun 11am-6pm

Ambiance:
Located in the Rice Village area of Houston, Torchy's Tacos is a MUST try. The crowdedness of this place shows exactly how popular they are, I promise your wait will be worth it(it's actually not that long ;P). The place is small, but you have a choice of sitting outside with your order number and having your food delivered to you.

What I Ate:
I ordered the Trailor Park & Dirty Sanchez tacos, YUMMY! But I've got to say, the best one of the two was the Trailor Park. Something about the combination of the fried chicken, green chillies, lettuce, Pico de gallo and cheese was perfect. The Dirty Sanchez on the other hand, though good, I got tired of the fried Poblano really fast. But hey, if you love Poblanos, Holla at this bad boy ;)

Tiny Boxwoods- Houston, TX

Restaurant:

Tiny Boxwoods

Location:
3614 W Alabama St,
Houston, TX 77027

Hours: 
Mon-Sat 11am-9pm
Sun 11am-6pm

Ambiance: 
Tiny Boxwoods is located on West Alabama St., between Edloe St. and Timmons Ln. It is owned and managed by Thompson and Hanson. The restaurant is really tiny and intimate, its entrance makes way to the Thompson and Hanson shop and nursery. If you are looking for a venue for your wedding, THIS IS IT! I can't say good things about their service though. Our waiter was inattentive, he basically came to our table twice- to take our order and bring the check. Needless to say, we did not get dessert. 

What I Ate:
I ordered a Brussels Sprouts pizza, it was decent- But I don't recommend it. My friend ordered the Beet Burger with a mountain of chip fries.She wasn't very pleased with her order either.The food was aaalright, not all that I had hoped it could have been. Maybe it's better for brunch. If you've been, share your experience in the comments section.

(sorry I didn't get a good picture, bad lighting)

Related Articles

• Down the Rabbit Hole 
• A Disastrous Brunch at Tiny Boxwood's

Hungry's Cafe & Bistro- Houston, TX

Restaurant:
Hungry's Cafe & Bistro

Location:


Hours:
M-Th 11-10
Fri 11-11 Sa 9-11
Sun 9-10

Ambiance:
The Rice Village location is situated on Rice Boulevard near the Rice University Stadium. The restaurant is in a very tight and busy location, so finding parking is usually quite a hustle. You'll enjoy a casual environment with a large food serving. I recommend coming with friends on a beautiful sunny day and enjoying some brunch and conversation...get it, get it? But anyway, the service staff is pretty nice, although they can get a little inattentive--okay a lotta.

What I Ate:
I ordered the Croissant Egg Sandwich and an Orange Mimosa. The sandwich was delicious minus the addition of avocado in the croissant. Hot avocado? No hunnie, you can leave that to the side. The herb roasted potatoes and fruit were a great completion of the meal though. Overall great place to hang out and eat!

Please note: They are in the process of expanding(finally!) Adding on an Upstairs bar area for Happy Hour

Croissant Egg Sandwich

Coppa Osteria- Houston, TX

Restaurant:
Coppa Osteria

Location:
5555 Washingston Houston, TX 77007
5210 Morningside Dr. Houston, TX 77055

Hours:
Mon-Th: 11-10
Sat: 5-11
Fri: 11-11
Sun: 5-9

Ambiance: 
The Rice Village location also known as the casual version of Coppa Ristorante Italiano is located right on Morningside Dr. & Dustan Rd, on the first floor of the Hanover Rice Village Apartments. The neighborhood is very clean and professional, it is located just steps from Rice Village's many boutiques. The restaurant staff was casual and professional, we were surrounded by good people, with great food and drinks- what more could you ask for?

What I Ate:
We ordered the Bruschetta e Giare to start, and I went with a Margharita Pizza with The Coppa cocktail. My sister went with the Chicken "under a brick" with Parmesan Polenta pudding and a beer. The menu is small, but the food is delicious!

I'll definitely be coming back to this restaurant in the future, so look out for more postings. Cough, cough...Off course I came back. This time I had the Roasted Vegetable Panini and a side of Marinated Tomato Salad. The sandwich was good, but maybe "too veggie" for me lol. The salad was Phenomenal, fresh, colorful and just tasty!

Related articles

• Coppa Osteria to open next week in Rice Village (chron.com)
• Sneak peek: Coppa Osteria to open in Rice Village (bizjournals.com)

Bistro N @ Nordstrom - Houston, TX

Restaurant:

Bistro N

Location:
192 Hidalgo Street Houston, Texas 77056

Hours: 
Mon-Sat 11am-9pm
Sun 11am-6pm

Ambiance: 
Small restaurant located inside Nordstrom Galleria. You have to make your way through all the fancy shoes, clothes and beauty items to reach this restaurant, but if you can hold on to the money in your wallet; I guarantee you won't regret spending it at this restaurant. The staff was professional and attentive, the environment casual chic and off course the food was great!

What I Ate:I ordered the Crab Macaroni and Cheese, with a side salad, fries(off course) and the Amelia cocktail . The Mac and Cheese was decent, but boy were the fries and salad delicious. The salad was simple; arugula, red onion, Parmesan crisps mixed with olive oil. YUMMO!