Bao Ong

Two chicken skewers and two scallops shells on a grill top.

Bille's Mexican-inspired cooking draws from so many different cultures. It's just one of the many reasons to love Houston's food scene.

Four paper food boats holding brisket tacos, chicken skewers and scallops.

One of my favorite Belly of the Beast pop-ups was at Tenfold on a misty, overcast day in April 2023. Brought my good friend @deannating.bsky.social so we could order one of everything.

Some of Houston’s most exciting Mexican-inspired cooking returns with Belly of the Beast Chef Thomas Bille’s revival of Belly of the Beast brings back his brilliant cooking...

The @houstonchronicle.com was the first to write about Belly of the Beast (re)opening in Spring back in fall 2023. I had been following Bille at pop-ups across town and loved his cooking. It's great to see him win Best Chef Texas. Here's that opening story: www.houstonchronicle.com/food-culture...

Spring restaurant chef wins Houston’s only James Beard Award this year Thomas Bille closed his opened and closed his restaurant during the pandemic. It's back better than ever with the awards to prove it.

www.houstonchronicle.com/food-culture...

Belly of the Beast chef Thomas Bille has been cooking for two decades. Opened his first restaurant 5 weeks before the pandemic and closed in July 2021. No PR. His wife quit her job to help him reopen in a strip mall. Now he's a Beard Awards winner. 🧵

Review: Mexican restaurant Casaema nails savory dishes, pastries and coffee Conchas, tacos and other Mexican classics find new touches at a Heights restaurant that’s one of Houston’s best.

The berlinesa, carrot taco and cafe de olla alone make Casaema one of my favorite restaurants in Houston right now. But there's so much more to love about this special spot. Here's my review: www.houstonchronicle.com/food-culture...

Review: At Houston’s Trump Burger, politics are bold but burgers are bland Trump Burger opens new Houston location with burgers, fries and grilled chicken sandwiches with marketing endorsing President Donald Trump.

Lots of us in food media are told to "just stick to food." It's rarely so simple, though. Here's my take on Trump Burger in Houston for this week's restaurant review: www.houstonchronicle.com/food-culture...

Texas Monthly’s prestigious Top 50 barbecue list includes 7 Houston-area spots Truth Barbeque and six other Houston-area BBQ joints place in Texas Monthly’s Top 50 barbecue list picked by editor Daniel Vaughn.

7 Houston-area spots land on Texas Monthly’s prestigious Top 50 barbecue list, via @baohaus1.bsky.social www.houstonchronicle.com/food-culture...

Review: This Houston suburban gas station is home to top-tier, hearty soul food Chef Delores Hutching serves family recipes for soul food dishes like oxtails at Spring restaurant Granny Dee’s Kitchen located inside a gas station.

One of my goals before taking on the @houstonchronicle.com critic job was to expand the types of restaurants we review: the types of cuisines, price points, geography and the people cooking the food. Granny Dee's Kitchen was all that: www.houstonchronicle.com/food-culture...

Houston store becomes first to sell fancy butter loved by chefs and social media Truffle Lady Diane Roederer’s DR Delicacy is the first shop in Houston to sell the popular French butter Beurre Bordier loved by chefs and social media.

Next best thing to actually buying Le Beurre Bordier in France is that a shop in Houston is now selling it. C'est super! www.houstonchronicle.com/food-culture...

Thank you! I haven't eaten at Vietnamese restaurants in Bryan-College Station, but I did try the food from Nam Cafe, a College Station restaurant, at the Viet Cultural Fest here in Houston last fall. The quail eggs with tamarind sauce were fire!

How Houston’s restaurants helped connect a critic to his Vietnamese roots Houston Chronicle restaurant critic Bao Ong on how he connected with his Vietnamese heritage on the 50th anniversary of the fall of Saigon.

On the 50th anniversary of the fall of Saigon, I wrote an essay in the @houstonchronicle.com about how the city's Vietnamese restaurants have helped me connect with my heritage. Thank you to all the restaurant staffers for sharing their stories.
www.houstonchronicle.com/food-culture...

A national war on seed oils spills over into Houston restaurants A national debate over the use of seed oils spurred on by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. poses challenges for restaurants across the country including in Houston.

Lots going on with seed oils and restaurants. Chefs weigh in. RFK Jr. has thoughts about it. Talked to dietitians, too. Here's my report: www.houstonchronicle.com/food-culture...

The 10 best dishes our restaurant critic Bao Ong ate in March The best dishes Houston Chronicle critic Bao Ong ate in March were from restaurants including the Pit Room barbecue joint and Ishtia in Kemah.

About a month into the new job, here are my 10 best dishes in March: www.houstonchronicle.com/food-culture...

Food Reporter The Houston Chronicle is seeking a Food Reporter to cover the city’s vibrant and diverse culinary scene in fresh, innovative ways. This reporter will focus on breaking news about Houston’s restaurant ...

Come work with me at the @houstonchronicle.com to cover
the best food city in the U.S. Apply here: eevd.fa.us6.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/Candid...

Bao Ong review: Rare Uyghur fare is destination worthy at Asiatown restaurant Turan Uyghur Kitchen in Asiatown serves big plate chicken, kebabs and hand-pulled noodle dishes from China and Central Asia rarely found in Houston.

Order the "big plate chicken." Dumplings. Goshnaan. I wanted to review Turan Uyghur Kitchen the moment it opened last fall. Here it is: www.houstonchronicle.com/food-culture...

Bao Ong review: Ranking Houston’s buzziest ramen restaurants How new Houston ramen restaurants including Michelin-recommended Mensho, Afuri and Kazzan rank for Japanese noodle soups.

I love all noodle soups, but some are definitely better than others. A review of three new-ish ramen restaurants in Houston: Afuri, Kazzan and Mensho.
www.houstonchronicle.com/food-culture...

Bao Ong review: Sayad Mediterranean Kitchen shines with Middle Eastern cooking Palestinian chef-owner Mohammad Ismail’s Sayad Mediterranean Kitchen serves food from the Middle East in West Oaks neighborhood of Houston.

My first @houstonchronicle.com restaurant review is live. Sayad Mediterranean Kitchen got my attention with a mint lemonade (it looks like a green juice meets shave ice dessert) and won me over with its seafood dishes. The full review: www.houstonchronicle.com/food-culture...

It's my first day as the @houstonchronicle.com's new restaurant critic. There's a lot of ground to cover in the country's fourth largest city. As always, appreciative of any and all restaurant tips! TIA!