What's Eric Eating Episode 54

Houston restaurateur recounts Bourdain experience for first time, plus the dish on the latest openings

On this week's episode of "What's Eric Eating," Himalaya owner Kaiser Lashkari joins CultureMap food editor Eric Sandler to discuss his critically acclaimed Indo-Pak restaurant. The chef explains how he got into cooking as well as the career path that led him to open Himalaya in 2004.

Himalaya is one of only two local restaurants featured in the Houston episode of the CNN series Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown. For the first time, Lashkari explains how the show chose to film at his restaurant. (The podcast was taped just days before news on June 8 that Bourdain passed away of an apparent suicide.)

"I will tell you the the secret today, since you asked me," Lashkari says. "I asked the gentleman who was the first point of contact with the show. I said, 'why did you pick us?' He said that he picked this restaurant in particular, because this restaurant had the best reviews and the worst reviews. It was, like, there is a group that hates the ground he walks on, and there is a group that almost worships him. They love him or they hate him. That piqued his curiosity about Himalaya and made him try it."

Lashkari addresses a variety of other topics, including why he's not as worried about competing with other restaurants as he used to be, whether people should take his periodic threats to retire seriously, and what it's like to work alongside his wife Azra every day. Of course, the interview ends with the lightning round.

Prior to Lashkari joining the show, Sandler and Urban Swank blogger Felice Sloan discuss the news of the week. Their topics include the passing of legendary restaurateur Ella Brennan, the exciting lineup for this year's edition of Southern Smoke, and chef Richard Knight's recent departure from Harold's in the Heights. In the restaurants of week segement, they share their experiences at Kulture, the new concept from The Breakfast Klub owner Marcus Davis, and East Hampton Sandwich Co., the recently-opened Dallas-based sandwich shop.

---

Subscribe to "What's Eric Eating" on iTunes or Google Play. Listen to it every Saturday at 11 am on SportsMap 94.1.

Himalaya's Kaiser Lashkari is this week's guest on What's Eric Eating.

Photo by Eric Sandler

Himalaya's Kaiser Lashkari is this week's guest on What's Eric Eating.

podcasts news-you-can-eat chefs

howling for you

Rent dispute prompts closure of downtown Houston tequila and taco bar

Photo by © Julie Soefer Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau

undefined

An essential downtown destination for tacos and tequila has quietly closed its doors — for now.

El Big Bad was locked out of its space at 419 Travis St. in mid-January. A notice posted to the door of the restaurant cites nonpayment of rent as the reason why the landlord has taken possession of the space.

Owner Steve Sharma tells CultureMap that he had already provided notice of his intent to leave the space when the lockout occurred. According to Sharma, the heirs of his former landlord refused to make necessary repairs to the 150-year old building and sought back rents from 2020 that the landlord had forgiven.

Hopefully, this isn’t the end of the road for El Big Bad. Sharma says he’s actively looking for a new home for the concept.

Open since 2013, El Big Bad evolved out of El Gran Malo, a casual bar in Lazybrook/Timbergrove. Moving downtown offered a number of advantages, including a big increase in space. That meant lots more room for the restaurant’s signature cocktails, many of which were made with house-infused tequilas. El Big Bad paired its drinks with a menu of Mexican and Tex-Mex favorites that included tacos, queso, fajitas and wings.

The restaurant's whimsical, fairy tale-inspired decor gave it a light hearted atmosphere. Its second story patio was frequently packed on sunny days.

While El Big Bad may return, the beginning of 2025 has seen a number of restaurants close permanently. They include sushi restaurant Roka Akor, neighborhood restaurant White Elm Brasserie, and Tris, a steakhouse in The Woodlands.

news-you-can-eat closings