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A hot taco spot is opening a new Houston restaurant on Westheimer row

UPDATE 10/18: La Fendee remains open and owners have told long-time customers they have no plans to close the longtime Montrose restaurant that serves Middle Eastern food and is known for its large patio and friendly service. Numerous attempts to reach the owners have not been successful thus far.

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Another hot restaurant is set to move into lower Westheimer restaurant row, while an old standby bites the dust. La Fendee is going to close and make way for a third Tacos a Go-Go, sources tell CultureMap.

While I am personally a fan of smoking hookahs on La Fendee’s patio while chowing down on hummus and hot, greasy falafel patties served with shoestring fries, the restaurant's business has been waning and Tacos a Go-Go is jumping at the prime spot. No official date has been set for La Fendee to close, but CultureMap's source expects it to be gone by the end of the month.

It will be one of the few spots in Montrose to serve proper breakfast tacos.

With its original location in Midtown and a second location in the Heights, Tacos a Go-Go’s third restaurant seems like a natural expansion. Fans of the bars around the intersection of Westheimer and Montrose, such as Poison Girl, Anvil and Boondocks will soon be able to soothe their semi-inebriated cravings with delicious street-style tacos until 2 a.m. on the weekends. Tacos a Go-Go joins other late night eats in the neighborhood like Katz’s Deli, Theo’s Restaurant, BB’s Cafe — as well as food trucks like Koagie Hots, Pi Pizza Truck and The Rice Box.

The move puts Tacos a Go-Go up against recently opened tequila and tacos joint Pistolero's as options to satisfy a late night taco craving, but Tacos a Go-Go has one important distinguishing feature. It will be one of the few spots in Montrose to serve proper breakfast tacos. If it can grab some morning business from neighbor stalwarts like La Mexicana, Tacos Tierra Caliente and La Guadalupana, it could find a nice niche.

Besides, the ability to eat a couple tacos while drinking a margarita or two on one of the neighbor's best patios sounds like a great way to spend an afternoon.

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two days of bbq

2 Michelin-rated barbecue joints holding can't-miss pop ups in Houston

Courtesy of KG BBQ

KG BBQ is bringing its Egyptian-influenced barbecue to Houston.

Two of the Texas barbecue joints to earn Bib Gourmand recognition in the Michelin Guide will be holding pop ups in Houston this week. One is visiting from Austin, while another is a Spring favorite with a one-day-only menu.

On Saturday, December 14, Austin’s celebrated KG BBQ will be serving at Axelrad in Midtown. Part of Texas Monthly’s 2023 list of the Top 25 New and Improved BBQ Joints in Texas, KG BBQ has earned wide acclaim for pitmaster Kareem El-Ghayesh’s Egyptian-influenced take on Texas barbecue.

The menu will include many of KG’s most popular dishes, including brisket rice bowls with smoked Mediterranean rice; smoked lamb chops; sumac-and-cinnamon-rubbed lamb shoulder, and sides such as pink buttermilk potato salad and Baladi salad.

Service begins at 10:30 am. Preorders are available online with a minimum order of $60.

In a statement, Axelrad co-owners Adam Brackman and Monte Large say that KG will make more visits to Houston in 2025. El-Ghayesh adds that he’s a fan of the Houston bar that’s known for its spacious backyard with hammocks, a stage, and a wide-ranging menu of beer and cocktails.

“Since the moment I stepped foot in Axelrad, I loved their culture, their vibrant colors and artistic flare, their attention to detail and hospitality and love for entertainment makes this place perfect for bringing back my nostalgic memories of hosting pop-ups like how I started in Austin,” he said. “I’m proud to bring what I have created to Houston. From how diverse the city is, its beautiful variety of ethnic foods, and large Egyptian community, it has so much to offer. We are excited to serve up some Egyptian BBQ to the Houston community through our pop ups over the next year at Axelrad.”

On Sunday, Spring’s Rosemeyer Bar-B-Q will trade its usual offerings for a special menu of dishes made with smoked whole hog. The menu will include whole hog plates, whole hog sandwiches, whole hog-and-parmesan polenta cakes, and whole hog served over cheese grits with a New Orleans-style barbecue sauce as well as sides and desserts. Service will run from 11 am until everything sells out, likely sometime between 2 and 3 pm.

“The whole menu is filled with specials and cool items we don’t do everyday at the stand,” co-owner Jordan Rosemeyer writes in an email. The motive, beyond exercising some creative muscles, is to raise money for Hogs for the Cause, an annual event that raises money for pediatric brain cancer research and the families who are fighting it.

Like KG, Rosemeyer is also a member of Texas Monthly’s 2023 new and improved list. Located at 2111 Riley Fuzzel Rd., the humble trailer has earned acclaim for its weekly specials, housemade ice cream, and well executed barbecue staples.

news-you-can-eat barbecue pop ups kg bbq rosemeyer bar-b-q