Pizza Tonight

This is an independent pizza shop, strictly takeout--delivery or pickup only. No ambiance at all, nor is it intended. We got an order of cheese bread, a Big Ol' Boy (sausage, pepperoni and other meats) and a Where's The Beef (veggie). Added a cheesecake for dessert.

The pizza crust is hand-tossed, pretty close to a New York style. It was a great crust for the pizzas. In my opinion it does not work as well for the cheese bread--I like the puffy pan crust bread better. The pizzas were great. The ingredients were very tasty (especially the sausage), and it was easy to eat. Overall flavor was wonderful.

I can't give 5 stars due to cheese bread and a few other things. The shop was backing up and they were in a hurry when I ordered--would suggest ordering early on a potentially busy day. Give them plenty of time if you're ordering for delivery (they employ their own drivers). Our pizzas were creased, not really cut, so separating the pieces was difficult. The cheesecake was OK, don't think they made it. I would try their cookie next time, it looked homemade. Salads are prefab in small containers, wouldn't bother with them either. But they will make you an 8" pizza starting at $8.99 which isn't bad. They are pricier than the big chains but better, I think. Not sure if it would displace Crust as my local favorite but it's close. This is an old school business--they use landlines, so I actually got a busy signal the first time I called! Haven't heard one of those in years. According to the server they have been around for nearly 24 years. If you want to support an independent this is a good choice.

My Yelp Review

Tacos Ally (MFU)

This low-key taco truck recently moved to the Texas Mega Storage lot on 2920. They had a very limited menu the day I tried them--just beef fajita and al pastor tacos. They did not have agua fresca at the time but did have a pineapple soda which still set the mood.

The tacos were quite good. The al pastor had good flavor and was not too acidic. The fajita taco was good as well. They cut an avocado fresh to trim them. The tacos were lovingly assembled and the people are very sweet. They had a special going so I got two tacos and the soda for $6--can't beat that price for lunch. I would say if you're getting a haircut at the barber truck on the same lot it's worth a stop for a snack. But bring cash--they do not take cards.

My Yelp Review

Tony's Street Tacos at Stop-N-Bye

Tony has moved his Gosling location to the Stop-N-Bye in the Grand Parkway Marketplace on Kuykendahl. I stopped in to try his food there the other day. It is as amazing as ever.

Tony (the owner) was there and was preparing brisket when I came in so I got two brisket tacos and a chicken mole empanada. The brisket is cooked for 7 hours and has a beautiful crust on it. In my opinion his brisket is right there with Corkscrew BBQ (Michelin 1 star), and you can get it on a taco for $3.75. I got the red and green salsas with the tacos. It's a little work to open the bags the salsa comes in, but it's worth it--the salsas are of course made by Tony and have great depth of flavor. The red one has a bit more kick.

Tony's empanadas are not your usual ones--they are opened and dressed with cheese and a special sauce. Mole is a very ambitious sauce for a gas station taco place. This one was delicious, just a little sweet and very rich.

The convenience store is still the same--somewhat iffy fountain drinks, just two small tables to eat at. Hopefully they will improve to the potential of the food service. But now I have a reason to go inside. This is convenience store cuisine at its finest. Come hungry. 

My Yelp Review

Panicafe

This Argentinian chain has opened a U.S. location here in Spring. I stopped in the other day to check it out. Got the Angus sandwich, a matcha latte, and a vanilla flat white and chocolate chip cookie to take with me.

The Angus is not a steak sandwich. It is pastrami on focaccia bread with a white cheese, red onions and greens. It was accompanied with an apple-strawberry-greens salad with a nice raspberry balsamic dressing. I'm not a huge fan of pastrami but this one might change my mind--it was quite delicious, and the salad complemented it perfectly.

The matcha latte was a good one. Not a strong matcha flavor, which may be a concession to American diners--many find matcha very bitter. This one was smooth and just the right sweetness. The flat white was also a good representation.

They have a very attractive selection of baked goods, and I was told the cookies were fresh. This was a really good chocolate chip cookie. Crisp on the bottom and soft in the middle, so you get all the good cookie textures. The nuts and chocolate were very tasty. Worth a try.

The interior is very clean, just one piece of abstract art and the big logo on the wall. The chairs really stood out for me. They are super comfortable. There are lots of outlets along the wall as well. This would be a great place to meet a client for a light lunch or snack, or hang out and work for awhile.

Service is friendly and enthusiastic, it looked like management was there that day. There are two identical restrooms (no gender based waiting!), clean and ready. I will miss Island Fire Poke, which was most recently in this location, but Panicafe can serve the same purpose as a meeting place.

My Yelp Review