Tokyo Steak & Sushi – A Pleasant Surprise

Back in April, I shared about my experience with H.B. Japanese Steak & Sushi. Today I’m excited to let everyone know that I have great things to say about Tokyo Steak & Sushi, a smaller (or cozier?) hibachi and sushi restaurant located at 22762 Westheimer Parkway, Suite 420 in the Villagio at Cinco Ranch.

I’m a fairly frequent visitor to the Villagio Read more

Bright Star: Subtle and Witty Romance

As a Romeo and Juliet love story by default, Bright Star is a film about 18th-century forbidden young love. Shot in traditional opaque London, this film recounts the story of a poet, John Keats and his object of affection, Fanny Brawne.

Brawne, a young fashion-obsessed seamstress, finds one of Keats’ most famous poem, Endymion, which widens her curiosity towards literature. Read more

American Docu-Thriller Hopes to Save Japanese Dolphins

In a time when healthcare and resuscitating the economy take precedence in our national news, there is an upheaval brewing off the coasts of Osaka, Japan. A group of activists that include a billionaire, a dolphin trainer, marine techs and the noted photographer, Louie Psihoyos, set to capture the realities of what really happens in “The Cove.”

The docu-thriller sheds light on the inhumane mass killings of dolphins in a tranquil cove next to a dolphin themed tourist attraction. Because dolphins are not protected under the commercial whaling ban, the ocean’s mammals are killed for Japanese consumption. Read more

Vida Loca Mexican Bar & Grill

Know the building at Kingsland and Mason that has been home to restaurant after restaurant over its lifetime? Is it the location that can’t keep the tenants open? What made Las Rosas close their doors? Well, whatever has kept them all out before sure doesn’t scare Vida Loca Mexican Bar & Grill. You can visit this fairly young restaurant at 21810 Kingsland Blvd. Sunday – Wednesday 11 am – 11 pm or Thursday – Saturday 11 am – 2 am. Read more

Great Pet Grooming with Connie’s Groom N Board

The precious puppy pictured here is Sugar, my one-eyed Maltese-Poodle, or “Malti-Poo”. She has two sisters: a Lhasa Apso named Madeleine and a beautiful white Husky named GiGi. You might guess that I love my canine daughters, and that like many dog lovers, I care very much about the treatment they receive. While medical treatment is of utmost importance, grooming is a constant battle as well. My white dogs get so dirty so fast and so badly (especially Sugar), that it takes patience and skill for a groomer to impress me. Read more

The Hidden Gym of Katy: Mary Jo Peckham Park Fitness Center

They say the best things in life are free… and that is certainly true when you consider all of the great things at Mary Jo Peckham Park Fitness Center, located right at the Avenue D and Franz Road juncture in Old Katy.  The park itself is a mecca for Katy residents who live active lifestyles and enjoy the outdoors, featuring a stocked fishing pond surrounded by a jogging trail, a very large playground area, numerous picnic areas and a covered pavilion, a putt-putt golf course, and a fully-staffed gym and indoor pool facility.  Oh, and did I mention it is completely free?

If you have yet to join a local health club, or are considering doing so, Mary Jo Peckham might be worth a visit.  The gym facility has all of the essential workout equipment you would expect: Read more

H.B. Japanese Steak & Sushi

While a big night out at a hibachi grill is usually a planned ordeal, mine was not that sort of case when I visited H.B. Japanese Steak and Sushi for the very first time. Traveling down South Mason with my husband and pondering where we would eat for the millionth time is how we happened upon the brand new, enormous oriental-style building at 1235 South Mason Rd. Read more

Pat’s Katy Area Restaurant Reviews: Antonia’s and Bistro 829

One of my many interests is gourmet cooking and dining in restaurants that provide excellent food and service in appealing surroundings. I have above average culinary tastes and skills for a lay-person and a cookbook collection that would make the people at Harris County Library drool. Read more

∑antorini and Spalato Gelateria: A Night at the Villagio

The Villagio, right on Westheimer Parkway in Cinco Ranch, rivals the likes of La Centerra and other outdoor shopping centers, with the twist of locally owned occupants – always a plus in my book. This particular night, I visited ∑antorini (Santorini), a Greek restaurant at 22760 Westheimer Parkway, #350, and Spalato Gelateria, a crêperie and gelato ice cream parlor located at 22758 Westheimer Parkway, #200. Read more

Antonia’s Restaurant Cucina Italiana

Now, I know we use the term “gem” around OnlyKaty quite a bit, but I’m going to go ahead and hit this one running and say that Antonia’s Restaurant Cucina Italiana is a spectacular surprise. This Italian restaurant, bar, and lounge spites its less-than-flattering surroundings in the Katy Mills strip center, right next to our classy Walmart. Even with a misleadingly near-drab exterior, as soon as you walk in, you are pushed out of Katy and swiftly pulled into Northern Italy when you take your first bite! Read more

Katy Hardware: A Quaint Adventure

By: Mystery Teacher

I have unclogged many toilets without fanfare and moved on.  Boy was I worried when my new state of the art plunger didn’t do the job.  Who hasn’t heard the scary stories about plumbers costing more than lawyers? I was tipped off about an instrument called a snake, and further tipped to go down to Katy Hardware to get one.  It so happens that Katy Hardware was closer to me than Walmart.  Read more

Phở What? A Guide to Vietnamese Restaurants in Katy

Most have noticed the number of Vietnamese “Pho” restaurants popping up around Katy over the past few years.  Some, like myself, have ventured out and tried a few, while others are afraid of what they do not know.

From Pho Mai to Pho Saigon and everything in between, you may be wondering if there’s a difference, or more simply, what the heck pho is.  Pho can be a refreshing alternative to the “heavier” restaurants around Katy and if it hasn’t already, may easily become a new favorite of yours! Read more

Cool Café in Katy?!

Yeah… NO.  I hate to bring down my hometown, but unless there’s some hidden Mecca of caffeinated goodness I just haven’t happened upon yet, Katy gets a big fat ‘F‘ in coffee shops.  Maybe this rant will reach someone out there who can take my woes away, but at this moment, the pickin’s are slim.

While Starbucks and Dunn’s Bros. have their place and can even maybe serve some great coffee (I won’t get into that debate), they just don’t give off the vibe and comfort I’m looking for. Read more

Palma de Cera South American Restaurant on Mason Road

The Palma de Cera is not only the Columbian National Tree; it’s also an oh-so impressive Latin American Restaurant in Katy, Texas!

In order to quench my craving for South American food, my husband and I recently visited Palma de Cera Latin Cuisine.  Even though I was sitting at 2004 South Mason Road in the Royal Montreal Plaza on a chilly night in Katy, my taste buds had been transported to a much warmer place. Read more

Review: Austin 300 Restaurant on 5th Street

For those of you who need brushing up on your Texas history, shame on you, but here you go: The Austin 300 were the original 300 families that Stephen F. Austin helped settle in Texas.  While I could go on, I suggest visiting the Austin 300 Restaurant at 5415 5th Street in the heart of Katy and reading the insert in their menu to learn more.

Austin 300 pays homage to the original Texas colonists with historic décor including the “Come and Take It” flag and maps of our state as well as with absolutely outstanding food through their restaurant and catering. Read more

The Pink Magnolia and the Price You Pay

The Pink Magnolia in Old Town Katy has been an object of question for many passers-by for a few years now. The business wears many hats, offering an art gallery, small gift/art shop, a quaint tea bar, and a beautiful garden including a cabana that hosts weddings, receptions, and more. Located on Avenue A and being owned by a local, The Pink Magnolia seemed like it was the place for me right off the bat. Unfortunately, things took a turn. Read more

Review: El Jarrito Mexican Restaurant

By Mystery Teacher.
The headlines in the newspaper were pretty grim last Saturday. The banks have all failed and the apocalypse is eminent, but Katy residents were letting the good times roll at El Jarrito Mexican Restaurant near the Mason and Highland Knolls intersection. I was there with a friend because somebody said the food there was quite delicious. I usually go to Las Rosas or Los Cucos.

El Jarrito is a family owned business. Gildardo Leon, the owner, was once a waiter in Houston. He opened up his first restaurant in 1998. The current location, which opened in 2005, is in its own lovely building with a dome that looks like it belongs in Mexico. Inside, all of the furniture is handmade by Read more

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