Dragon Bowl Asian Bistro

1221 W 11th St
713.426.2650

I really REALLY wanted to say good, nay, even great things about Dragon Bowl Bistro. I thought it might be a Noodle-ism (Austin noodle house) for Houston. All the markings of a weeknight regular rotation hangout are there: Clean lines, strip-center-convenient location and parking, and a fresh ingredients concept. When we walked in we were greeted by the very friendly, very engaging staff, all dressed in black

Unfortunately, smoke from the cooking also greeted us. You order at the counter and, like a fast food joint, they call your number when your food is ready. I had the reasonably priced Singapore Noodles with beef. The beef gives away the fatal flaw of this restaurant--it had no spices to flavor it. Everything we had tasted fresh, but the food just didn't come together to form a complete dish. Yes, the meat tasted fresh. The vegetables were nicely cooked. The noodles had nice resistance. But the bowl had no coherent flavor. I was reminded of my college days when I would just put anything I could find on the stove and call it a meal. Rekha had a similarly disappointing meal.

I really wanted to say something good too. The chef/owner, Ken, is a nice guy. The concept rocks and the staff makes me smile. Ken, please put those great ingredients together in a more coherent manner. Maybe using a bit more oil isn't a bad thing?

We’ll be back soon to see how things have come along and keep you posted)

NOTES: Somehow, this blog is getting over a thousand hits a day. I know I've only told half a dozen people about it, so how did it wind up on Google? Is there someone who is linking to me?