Local May_Final.qxp_002houston 4/23/15 12:19 PM Page 18
Photography by Jodie Eisenhardt
OPEN
BUFFBURGER
CHEF: Paul Buff | CUISINE: American
1014 Wirt Rd. | 713.447.4779 | www.buffburger.com
Sun – Thurs: 11am–9pm; Fri – Sat: 11am–10pm
Native Houstonian Sara Burden and her husband met after college in Vail
as ski instructors. With his background in the restaurant industry combined
with her agribusiness degree, the couple had an idea for an all-natural
burger (au naturel – in the buff, get it?!). The concept features superior
ingredients like 44 Farms Beef, chicken from Red Bird Farms, cheese from
Houston Dairy Maids, buns by Slow Dough, housemade dressings and
local brews.
The strip center space on the feeder of I-10 at Wirt is sleek and modern,
with reclaimed barn wood along one wall as a nod to Texas farms.
Counter service keeps things simple. 6-oz. burgers are cooked to order
(bonus!) and super juicy. Myriad topping choices abound. You can go
classic or you can go gourmet with options like the goat cheese burger with
roasted tomato, arugula and garlic aioli or the avocado burger with guac,
roasted tomato, Piquillo peppers and spicy mayo. There’s a corn fritter
sandwich for vegetarians (mighty good) and a stellar crispy chicken sandwich. Excellent salads include a wedge made with Point Reyes blue cheese
BUFFBURGER, CHICKEN SANDWICH + FRIES
and Duroc bacon. Oh, and the fries – do not forget the fries, which are
hand-cut, thin and crispy thanks to a quick double-fry.
The Burdens are betting that as people become more interested in what
they’re actually eating and where it comes from, more locations will fill the
need. Hormone- and antibiotic-free meats/high-quality ingredients do taste
better, and my guess is that the tipping point has occurred. Happy me!
Photography by Julie Soefer
AÑEJO
CHEF: Michael Pellegrino | CUISINE: Elevated Tex-Mex
1180 – 1 Uptown Park | 713.963.9032 | www.AnejoTexMex.com
Hours: Mon – Wed: 11am–10pm; Thurs–Sat: 11am–11pm; Sun: 10am–10pm (brunch until 3pm)
For Pellegrino, creating his menu was a way to pay homage and tribute to a beloved cuisine. (He was born in San Antonio, his mom is from Laredo, and he has memories of his
uncles arguing over traditional cooking techniques.) He’s quick to point out that his process
is via a modern path, crafted from the tiniest details and especially via quality ingredients
and a high level of service that make Añejo special.
“I’m making food the way I want to eat it,” says the chef, who gave such thought into every
aspect of each dish, he came up with little burners for keeping shrimp brochette hot and
yummy at the table – because he’s often the last in his family to get one. He also took time
to get the thickness of the chips just right (the salsa and the customizable queso are perfection) and he wouldn’t dream of rolling an enchilada until a tortilla was grilled fresh from the
dough with each order. For the fajitas, only prime beef would do – they’re thicker and beefier than your typical fajita. Also worth mentioning are other prime steak options, quail, fish
and lamb from the wood-burning grill. You get the idea – and you can taste the love.
Within the sexy walls that used to house Arturo’s Uptown, there are more than 100 highend tequilas and mescals (all 100% agave). By the way, they use local Texas honey-water
vs. agave in the margari \