Pappa Geno's

5 out of 5 Stars

 

1801 Ella Blvd
Ste C
Houston, TX 77008
(713) 863-1222

YES!

YES!

YES!

Pappa Geno's is the ultimate celebration of the Philly cheese steak...arguably my favorite hot sandwich of all time (with the reuben trailing right behind).

The shop is small and simple proudly displaying Sam's Club size tubs of Cheese Whiz, Geno's most prized condiment, at the counter.

They offer an assortment of hot sandwiches and a few sides ( fries, fried mushrooms, etc), but I knew exactly what I came for: glorious thinly shaved slices of beef, grilled onions, shrooms (add 50 cents - but you gotta), and of course, cheese whiz.

Don't get it twisted, I've never been to Philly, and have never experienced the real deal sandwich of brotherly love, but I do know they rock that cheese whiz and I wanted in.

Having been a Texadelphia fan since high school, it was hard to resist the swiss, but I wanted authenticity.....and it was awesome.

I took that piping hot beauty of a sandwich to go (after a breezy 5 minute wait) and could not wait to get into it.

Verdict:

Thank goodness I don't have thin walls, or my neighbors would be convinced something else was going down in my apartment....

....every bite evoked a "hmmmmmmmmmm" and an "ooooooh".....

....I'm utterly smitten.

Geno's philly is what heaven must be like. The smooth mushrooms blended beautifully with the sweet and slippery grilled onions. Meanwhile the steak was cooked to perfection with cheese whiz dancing throughout the sandwich all held together with bread that may as well have been created by G-d himself.

YES! YES! YES!

I think you get the point.

Know before you go: This is definitely more of a takeout place, but they do have a few tables if you can't manage making the drive home.

Lastly, come with an empty stomach....this guy is HUGE (no side required).

Petrol Station

4 out of 5 Stars

985 Wakefield Dr
Houston, TX 77018
(713) 957-2875

Part 1:

I selfishly debated writing this review, as I want to keep this place all to myself.

However, they say when you love something, you have to set them free...so let's do this.

First and foremost, Petrol Station Coffeehouse (PSC) is HANDS DOWN the BEST SMELLING BAR in town! Sipping on flavorful Agave Wheat beer while taking in the aromas of fresh coffee is a beautiful thing.

PSC feels as though it was the result of some guy who stumbled upon an abandoned gas station and fell into a little bit of money all in the same week. He took these two isolated incidents as a sign to make major moves.

He proceeded to quit his painful office job, purchased the gas station, gutted it, painted it, threw in a bar, tables, and some taps and then said "From this day forward, my sole purpose in life will be to provide fantastic beer and ridiculous burgers for Houstonians who just want to chill.".

And Houston Yelpers said "This is good."

Thus, Petrol Station Coffeehouse was born and the rest his history.

But seriously, I came here on Friday night for the first time. My friends and I just ordered beer, but drooled over the menu.

The joint is small, so it's best to keep your posse to a minimum. I didn't get to check out the outdoor area, but now that it's warming up - COUNT ME IN.

Bottom Line: PSC has a great vibe, great beers, and I can't wait to return.

**********************************************************************************

Part 2:

Well, folks....as promised, I finally returned to PSC and had a chance to try the menu I once drooled over.

I thankfully SPLIT the Rancor Burger....OMG....delish!

This burger is HUGE and wisely topped with a fried egg and bacon. The meat was cooked to perfection and the bun....buttery and fluffy goodness!

The thick and hearty fries that came out with my burger may strike your fancy, but if you read my reviews - you know I like mine thin and crispy.

We also ordered the spinach dip which was completely passable.

The one thing I would like to retract regarding my initial review is that this is no longer the best smelling bar in the world....it now just smells like bar - which is fine by me.

As far as I'm concerned, PSC still boasts a great vibe with great beer and NOW, DAMN GOOD BURGERS!