Photo by Joanna O'Leary

Skeeter's Buffalo Burger with bleu cheese, pesto mayonnaise, grilled onions, lettuce, tomato

Last time I attempted to go to Skeeter's Mesquite Grill for a burger I was sidelined by a case of food poisoning. History did not repeat itself, thank goodness, and a few weeks later I was able to try their new Anniversary Burger.

What made me most recently return to Skeeter's was the opportunity to catch up with an old friend and, I have to admit, a craving for their $3 frozen margarita, which, btw, is most definitely not made with white wine. (Trust me, only real tequila could make me that happy.) I would have gladly gotten another Anniversary Burger, but in the spirit of trying other non-bovine meats, I ordered instead one of two new menu items, the buffalo burger ($9.95). To cover our bases, my friend sampled the other new item, the lean ground turkey burger ($8.95). And since sharing is caring, we split each in half so we could try both.

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For the perfect sweet, savory, salty and spicy combination, order the chicken and waffles.

Attention, Houstonians, chef Randy Evans of Haven has a new waffle iron and is serving up chicken and waffles on his new limited-time breakfast for dinner menu. I don't know about you, but I absolutely love breakfast and could eat it for every single meal, even if it is just cereal and eggs.

Every Tuesday through Thursday during the month of June, Haven will serve breakfast for dinner as part of its nightly menu offerings. Choose from two items in three courses, enticements, mains and desserts, to indulge in a sweet and savory breakfast for dinner.

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Photo from wikipedia commons.

One way to stop his chirping is to eat him.

When the United Nations issued a report advocating the consumption of insects as part of a healthful and eco-friendly diet, I didn't squirm as much as some people. In third grade, some kid brought in chocolate-covered ants for show-and-tell and the braver (all right, greedier) students (myself included) volunteered to try one. My little sample was salty-sweet, with a pleasant exoskeletal crunch. Perhaps further proof that anything chocolate-covered is palatable.

When I traveled to Hong Kong many years later, I again had the chance to nosh on some bugs, specifically fried scorpions on sale at an herbal medicine shop. This time, I did not partake only because I was fresh out of HK dollars and they only took cash.

The next, and most recent, opportunity I had to eat insects was right here in Houston. On a double date at Hugo's, my husband and I goaded the other couple into ordering a round of the chapulines (grasshoppers). Sautéed and served with sides of tortillas, salsa and guacamole, the chapulines seemed poised to star in some sort of orthoptera soft taco. Their taste -- crispy, slightly oily and with a hint of chile -- was good but nothing special. But certainly nothing disgusting, and worth ordering again if just for the novelty.

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Photo from collegehumor.com

It's a joke. Right?

When constructing his successful satire, A Modest Proposal, Jonathan Swift assumed most people would find the idea of eating (Irish) babies offensive and disgusting. And, in 1729, he was right.

I'm not so sure the same would be true today.

Ever heard a parent cradle his or her chubby baby and say something to the effect of "You're so cute, I could eat you"? I have, many, many times, and I don't think a disproportionate number of my acquaintances are cannibals. I even observed one mother jokingly(?) nibble on her 18-month-old's chubby thigh.

Photo from readingwithscissors

M&Ms melt in your mouth not in your hand. But M&M babies melt in your heart?

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Photo courtesy of The Counter

Mention the phrase, Burgers for Dad this Father's Day and your dad can enjoy a complimentary 1/3 lb burger from The Counter.

Unlike Mother's Day, Father's Day is not filled with champagne and mimosa brunches, or frou-frou breakfasts-in-bed. But, that doesn't mean you can't take your dad out for breakfast, lunch, dinner or even cupcakes this Father's Day.

Show Dad how much you love him by filling his stomach with delicious food from one of these many Houston restaurants offering Father's Day specials.

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In the end, only the cardboard plate remained...

Jalapeño and bacon pizza. Need I say more?

Fine, I will: smoked jalapeño and thick-cut, double-wide bacon on my pizza. Oh, and pillows of creamy ricotta, specks of woodsy rosemary, blankets of milky mozzarella, and a healthy slather of subtly sweet, slightly tart tomato sauce.

Imagine all of this on the crispest flatbread known to man and you have yourself the Mr. Monkey pizza at Boheme Cafe & Wine Bar.

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Photos by Christina Uticone

They get everything right, every time--even summer soups.

Even though the peak lunch hours at Bowl Café are usually hopping with customers, I still feel like it's one of my "secret spots" in the city. While I enjoy their menu of salads, soups, sandwiches, and pizzas year-round, summer is my favorite time to visit and my trips to Bowl increase in frequency come June.

My appetite dips in the summer months, a combination of heat, humidity, and the increased exposure of bare skin. I want cool, clean veggies and light sandwiches; the occasional bowl of soup with some toast or crackers; a bit of fruit, and lots and lots of water.

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Photo by Joanna O'Leary.

Zucchini Pancake.

After two meals at Bon Ga , I understand why Oxheart chef Justin Yu names it as one of his go-to restaurants.

Bon Ga is not about culinary posturing, fussy presentation and unorthodox flavors. Fresh ingredients and consistently impeccable preparation are Bon Ga's hallmark virtues and the reason this restaurant is exactly where I want to go on a casual weekend night with friends.

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Mai's bo luc lac is perfect every time.

It starts out innocently enough. With a long day spent squinting at a computer screen behind us and the glistening sun beckoning us to one of Houston's many patios, we find ourselves letting loose at a happy hour with friends. Fast-forward a few buckets of beer and a handful of increasingly sloppy games of bags later, and we realize we've gotten a little too loose and have completely "forgotten" dinner once again. Enter Mai's -- the land of post-party misfits in dire need of some grub.

And excellent grub at that. While some may have their woes with the midtown Vietnamese restaurant, I love it each and every time I visit (and yes, that includes non-intoxicated meals). Perhaps, though, that's because I know what I like -- and I get it every single time.

You probably should, too, because it's freaking fantastic.

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Panera Bread

You won't see this healthy egg white bowl with roasted turkey on the main menu board.

Secret menus at some of our favorite fast food, quick-service restaurants like Burger King, Sonic, Chipotle and McDonald's are not so secret anymore, and now you can add Panera Bread to that list. Like most secret menus go, the items off the menu are usually unhealthy, loaded with calories/carbs/fat and are deemed too good to be on the menu. However, Panera Bread's "hidden menu" isn't filled with giant sandwiches loaded with calorie- and carb-heavy ingredients, or an overly cheesy pasta dish; the Panera Bread secret menu is filled with power-food items with fewer calories than most items on the main menu.

Rather than indulging in a carb-heavy bagel with cream cheese for breakfast, customers can order a power-breakfast egg white bowl with roasted turkey, spinach, roasted peppers and basil pesto, all for just 190 calories; a blueberry bagel racks in at 340 calories. The other hidden breakfast menu item is another power-breakfast bowl with two eggs, top sirloin, avocado and tomatoes for 270 calories.

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