Jenni’s Noodle House All Good in the...
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heightS • downtown • river oakS • MontroSe • MuSeuM area • MediCal Center • bellaire • village highland village • weSt univerSity • galleria • Meyerland • garden oakS • oak ForeSt • and More! Since 1986 -- Now Also Available Online at: www.houstontribune.com (713)862-9603 “Promoting the Houston Community through the Power of POSITIVE Press!” September 2010 What a delightful addition to the Heights! Opened only 3 months ago, Jenni’s Noodle House has converted the neighborhood to a noodlehood. Although Jenni and hubby, Scott, had successfully opened 2 other neighborhood noodle houses, they had always wanted a Heights location. When visiting her masseuse on East 20th, Jenni and Scott crossed the street and peeked in the vacant Day-Old Mrs. Baird’s building at the corner of 20th @ Oxford. It was instantaneous. Jenni’s eyes didn’t see an old, sad concrete block structure. In her imagination it was transformed into a lively neighborhood restaurant. My first experience with Jenni’s Noodle House was a Monday evening (usually the worst week night for most restaurants). It was rainy and humid – generally dismal. My husband, a friend & I had just done the “where do you want to eat …no no … where do you want to eat” routine when I remembered that our daughter, Carli, had recommended that we try Jenni’s. Truthfully, I didn’t know how much could be done with a cinderblock building until that night. It feels comfortable and welcome when you walk in the door. Jenni’s trademark, bright red and yellow walls, feature huge Black & White photos of her trips to Vietnam and the front and rear walls of the building are completely glassed for viewing the street and the backyard. The atmosphere invites you to visit and stay a while, which we did. Even on a dreary Monday night, the place was busy and lively. There’s an upbeat, positive vibe from Jenni’s. There’s a sense of fun and nonsense as seen in the menu items – like Stir Me Crazy, Sexy Salad, Art Car Curry and “Money Back Guaranteed Desserts”. Before we met, I visited the website, www. noodlesrule.com, to learn a little about the owners Jenni and hubby, Scott. Again, there’s a sense of joy when you visit their page. You find out immediately that Jenni is an unabashed Madonna fan; she is passing down family recipes; and that she loves fun and word games – look for the noodleisms and play along. Of course, as always, I was very curious about how Jenni’s Noodle House found its way to our neighborhood. The Tran family, Dad, Mom and 8 children, were U.S. allies when South Vietnam surrendered. For their safety, they were airlifted to Guam to start a new life. Jenni’s Dad had already decided that he wanted the children to be raised in Houston. After relocating the family, Mr. Tran unexpectedly passed away leaving Mama Tran (also known to many as Lady Van) to support and raise 8 kids. Mama Tran was a talented cook with a gift for preparing great, authentic meals for large groups. She started cooking and serving from her house. In fact, Mama Tran has always been very well regarded in the Asian community for her culinary skills. Although a tough business, Mama was able to support her children in her restaurant businesses. Jenni, the 6th of 8 children, was there every step of the way, watching and learning but vowing never to go into the restaurant business. After a trying real estate, a brief time as a flight attendant, and finally as a Manager at Barnaby’s, Jenni thought that a coffee house with international coffees would be perfect. Consulting with her Mom every step of the way, Jenni found a suitable first location on the East side of Downtown, near Kim Son. Well, Mama set up a kitchen in the space, which dictated that Jenni’s not only serve the rich coffees of the world but maybe a few noodle dishes. With Mama Tran at her side, demanding that she never take prepared short cuts, Jenni cooked, served, bussed and ran her first restaurant 24/7 for the first six years. Somewhere in that early time frame, Scott entered the picture. He was editor of Houston City Life and experienced in marketing. As Jenni’s Noodle House gained in popularity, it became apparent that they needed a “neighborhood” type of location; Scott jumped into the role as full-time restaurateur and never looked back. While Mama Tran was teaching Jenni things like – good soup starts with the bone not some soup base, Scott and Jenni were scouting a location for a big move. The first move was to Montrose and the second was to Uptown. The weird part of this story is that Jenni originally envisioned a portable “Noodle Truck”. Actually, she envisioned a fleet of them. While checking into this possibility and running 2 restaurant locations, Scott and Jenni were renovating a home and temporarily rented a bungalow on Oxford in the Heights. Jenni said that she quickly adjusted to Heights life but found that she didn’t want to drive more than a mile or two. Imagine that? Anyway, the opportunity to open in the Heights was literally right down the street. The concept is refreshingly simple. Grab a menu, walk up to the counter and order and then self serve your beverage. It is totally cool that a picture of what you order is displayed on the cashier’s monitor and there are other unexpected touches. Instead of the traditional McDonalds-type play ground, Scott and Jenni bought a 12,000 lb concrete pipe for the kids to play in and even provide the chalk for kids to leave their artwork. Didn’t I say that my first visit was rainy? No worries. Umbrellas are by the front door to keep you dry if you’re caught out in the rain. Although Mama Tran passed away a few short years ago, her authentic recipes, without short cuts or preservatives, are proudly passed on to all of us through Jenni. In fact, a recommendation that I personally love is the “Mama Tran Spicy Shrimp Soup,” which you probably won’t find this anywhere else. Jenni will be the first to tell you that these recipes are because Mama Tran was a master at the art of cooking, never compromising. The entertaining menu highlights noodles of all kinds: dumplings, vermicelli, spring rolls and rice noodles. For more American tastes, there are some very nice soups, salad, and rice dishes. As for the food, it’s all good. My favorite is the Mama Tran Spicy Shrimp Soup. Jenni says to try the Lemongrass Beef. My daughter recommends the Stir Me Crazy,and the curry dishes are excellent. I won’t go through the whole menu because half the fun is roaming around the menu with your friends and family. By the way, they weren’t kidding about the “Money Back Guaranteed Desserts”. The Dessert cooler is next to the drinks – so, save some room and take a look. As for beverages, try the Green Tea sifted from brown rice. Do you like rich coffee? Then order Vietnamese coffee with condensed milk. Jenni’s does not sell alcohol at any of the 3 locations but you are free to bring your own with a BYOB charge of $4. Jenni’s Noodle House – Heights can seat 92 folks comfortably, has ample parking and is available to host parties. It’s a perfect match for the neighborhood. I ran across an old Vietnamese Proverb that might describe Jenni’s big adventure: “Venture all; see what fate brings.” Jenni’s Noodle House, 602 East 20th @ Oxford, Houston, TX 77008. Phone: 713-862-3344. Website: www.noodlesrule.com. Also on Facebook and Twitter. Hours: Mon-Sat 11 a.m. – 10 p.m./ Sunday 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Wi-Fi. Very affordable. Casual and family friendly. BYOB with $4 cork charge. Party dates are available. 2 other family owned Jenni’s: (Montrose) 3111 S. Shepherd @ Alabama and (Uptown) 2027 Post Oak @ Westheimer. Jenni’s Noodle House All Good in the Neighborhood by Diane Mosier, longtime Heights resident & food lover
Transcript of Jenni’s Noodle House All Good in the...
Radio Music Theatre, located at 2623 Colquitt, will open You’ll Never Forget the End of the World! Sep-tember 2 through November 20, 2010. The show will play every Thursday and Friday at 8:30, and Sat-urday at 8:00 and 10:30 p.m. You’ll Never Forget the End of the World! is an original comedy by Steve Farrell. Jiffy Dillard, the most popular televangelist in the world, has determined, with the help of the Mayan calendar, Nostradamus, Hollywood, and his own hunches, the exact moment the world is going to come to an end, and how much he should charge people to get into the event. Admission is $24.00. Reservations are strongly suggested, call 713-522-7722 or visit www.radiomusictheatre.com.
The Texas Renaissance Festival will open its gates for its 36th sea-son on October 9th and 10th as it kicks-off this year with an Okto-berfest themed weekend. For info, visit www.texrenfest.com.
Bayou City Art Festival DowntownThe Bayou City Art Festival announces Jeannie Maddox as the Featured Artist for the 39th Annual Bayou City Art Festival Downtown, which takes place on Saturday, October 9 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday, October 10 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Maddox’s painting “Colleen” was created specifically for this festival and is a part of Maddox’s Swimmers Series. From the flat, white surface of Maddox’s canvas, a swimmer’s head erupts, breaking past two dimen-sional bounds, eyes closed, face sheathed in water, seeming more real than the object from which it springs. The waters of the pool and the ab-stracted shapes of the body beneath it are just striking in their clarity. As the featured artwork, “Colleen” will create a consistent theme across the Festive billboards, posters, programs and t-shirts. “Jeannie’s work is stunning and surprising,” Art Colony Association Board President Michael Piana said. “We are thrilled with the featured artwork she created and look forward to viewing the pieces she will showcase at the upcoming Bayou City Art Festival Downtown.”’ Known for her works of photorealism, especially her Swimmer Series, Maddox’s work has spanned three decades of remarkable success. Her larger-than-life oil paintings have been acquired by national and interna-tional collectors, and can be found in The Wiregrass Museum in Dothan, AL and in the Museum of Arts and Sciences in Daytona Beach, FL, ascontinued on p. 8
Jenni’sNoodle House
All Good in the Neighborhood
by Diane Mosier, longtime Heights resident & food loverWhat a delightful addition to the Heights! Opened only 3 months ago, Jenni’s Noodle House has converted the neighborhood to a noodlehood. Although Jenni and hubby, Scott, had successfully opened 2 other neighborhood noodle houses, they had always wanted a Heights loca-tion. When visiting her masseuse on East 20th, Jenni and Scott crossed the street and peeked in the vacant Day-Old Mrs. Baird’s building at the corner of 20th @ Oxford. It was instantaneous. Jenni’s eyes didn’t see an old, sad concrete block structure. In her imagination it was transformed intocontinued on p. 13
Texas Renaissance Festival -- Thy Merriment Awaits!!
Thy merriment awaits! The Texas Renaissance Festival will open its gates for its 36th season on October 9th and 10th as it kicks-off this yearwith an Oktoberfest themed weekend. Fill your tankards and join the Na-tion’s largest and most acclaimed Renaissance theme park for a boister-ous Bavarian celebration. Guests can test their lungs in the Alpine Yodel-ing Contest or compete in a Polka Dancing Contest. Those with a cravingfor Kielbasa can compete in a Bratwurst Eating Contest sponsored by Boars Head. Revel in the sights, sounds and smells of this authentically recreated 16th Century British village as it embraces the Oktoberfest ad-venture.
The Texas Renaissance Festival welcomes more than 400,000 guests annually who enjoy hundreds of costumed performers showcased in over 200 daily performances. Visitors meander along shaded cobblestone walkways lined with more than 340 shoppes overflowing with unique arts and crafts or offering delicious foods and beverages. All ages are amused by the games of skill and thrilled by the human-powered rides. A perfect day ends with the Royal Fireworks display held at dusk.
The Festival is held Saturdays, Sundays and Thanksgiving Friday Oc-tober 9th through November 28th, 2010 with a total of eight magically themed weekends: Oktoberfest - Oct. 9 & 10: The Festival will open its doors for a Bavarian adventure you won’t want to miss, sponsored by MillerCoors. 1001 Dreams – Oct. 16 & 17: Take pleasure in all things mystical inspired by Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. continued on p. 6
heightS • downtown • river oakS • MontroSe • MuSeuM area • MediCal Center • bellaire • villagehighland village • weSt univerSity • galleria • Meyerland • garden oakS • oak ForeSt • and More!
Since 1986 -- Now Also Available Online at: www.houstontribune.com(713)862-9603 “Promoting the Houston Community through the Power of POSITIVE Press!” September 2010
What a delightful addition to the Heights! Opened only 3 months ago, Jenni’s Noodle House has converted the neighborhood to a noodlehood. Although Jenni and hubby, Scott, had successfully opened 2 other neighborhood noodle houses, they had always wanted a Heights location. When visiting her masseuse on East 20th, Jenni and Scott crossed the street and peeked in the vacant Day-Old Mrs. Baird’s building at the corner of 20th @ Oxford. It was instantaneous. Jenni’s eyes didn’t see an old, sad concrete block structure. In her imagination it was transformed into a lively neighborhood restaurant. My first experience with Jenni’s Noodle House was a Monday evening (usually the worst week night for most restaurants). It was rainy and humid – generally dismal. My husband, a friend & I had just done the “where do you want to eat …no no … where do you want to eat” routine when I remembered that our daughter, Carli, had recommended that we try Jenni’s. Truthfully, I didn’t know how much could be done with a cinderblock building until that night. It feels comfortable and welcome when you walk in the door. Jenni’s trademark, bright red and yellow walls, feature huge Black & White photos of her trips to Vietnam and the front and rear walls of the building are completely glassed for viewing the street and the backyard. The atmosphere invites you to visit and stay a while, which we did. Even on a dreary Monday night, the place was busy and lively. There’s an upbeat, positive vibe from Jenni’s. There’s a sense of fun and nonsense as seen in the menu items – like Stir Me Crazy, Sexy Salad, Art Car Curry and “Money Back Guaranteed Desserts”. Before we met, I visited the website, www.noodlesrule.com, to learn a little about the owners Jenni and hubby, Scott. Again, there’s a sense of joy when you visit their page. You find out immediately that Jenni is an unabashed Madonna fan; she is passing down family recipes; and that she loves fun and word games – look for the noodleisms and play along. Of course, as always, I was very curious about how Jenni’s Noodle House found its way to our neighborhood. The Tran family, Dad, Mom and 8 children, were U.S. allies when South Vietnam surrendered. For their safety, they were airlifted to Guam to start a new life. Jenni’s Dad had already decided that he wanted the children to be raised in Houston. After relocating the family, Mr. Tran unexpectedly passed away leaving Mama Tran (also known to many
as Lady Van) to support and raise 8 kids. Mama Tran was a talented cook with a gift for preparing great, authentic meals for large groups. She started cooking and serving from her house. In fact, Mama Tran has always been very well regarded in the Asian community for her culinary skills. Although a tough business, Mama was able to support her children in her restaurant businesses. Jenni, the 6th of 8 children, was there every step of the way, watching and learning but vowing never to go into the restaurant business. After a trying real estate, a brief time as a flight attendant, and finally as a Manager at Barnaby’s, Jenni thought that a coffee house with international coffees would be perfect. Consulting with her Mom every step of the way, Jenni found a suitable first location on the East side of Downtown, near Kim Son. Well, Mama set up a kitchen in the space, which dictated that Jenni’s not only serve the rich coffees of the world but maybe a few noodle dishes. With Mama Tran at her side, demanding that she never take prepared short cuts, Jenni cooked, served, bussed and ran her first restaurant 24/7 for the first six years. Somewhere in that early time frame, Scott entered the picture. He was editor of Houston City Life and experienced in marketing. As Jenni’s Noodle House gained in popularity, it became apparent that they needed a “neighborhood” type of location; Scott jumped into the role as full-time restaurateur and never looked back. While Mama Tran was teaching Jenni things like – good soup starts with the bone not some soup base, Scott and Jenni were scouting a location for a big move. The first move was to Montrose and the second was to Uptown. The weird part of this story is that Jenni originally envisioned a portable “Noodle Truck”. Actually, she envisioned a fleet of them. While checking into this possibility and running 2 restaurant locations, Scott and Jenni were renovating a home and temporarily rented a bungalow on Oxford in the Heights. Jenni said that she quickly adjusted to Heights life but found that she didn’t want to drive more than a mile or two. Imagine that? Anyway, the opportunity to open in the Heights was literally right down the street. The concept is refreshingly simple. Grab a menu, walk up to the counter and order and then self serve your beverage. It is totally cool that a picture of what you order is displayed on the cashier’s monitor and there are other unexpected touches. Instead of
the traditional McDonalds-type play ground, Scott and Jenni bought a 12,000 lb concrete pipe for the kids to play in and even provide the chalk for kids to leave their artwork. Didn’t I say that my first visit was rainy? No worries. Umbrellas are by the front door to keep you dry if you’re caught out in the rain. Although Mama Tran passed away a few short years ago, her authentic recipes, without short cuts or preservatives, are proudly passed on to all of us through Jenni. In fact, a recommendation that I personally love is the “Mama Tran Spicy Shrimp Soup,” which you probably won’t find this anywhere else. Jenni will be the first to tell you that these recipes are because Mama Tran was a master at the art of cooking, never compromising. The entertaining menu highlights noodles of all kinds: dumplings, vermicelli, spring rolls and rice noodles. For more American tastes, there are some very nice soups, salad, and rice dishes. As for the food, it’s all good. My favorite is the Mama Tran Spicy Shrimp Soup. Jenni says to try the Lemongrass Beef. My daughter recommends the Stir Me Crazy,and the curry dishes are excellent. I won’t go through the whole menu because half the fun is roaming around the menu with your friends and family. By the way, they weren’t kidding about the “Money Back Guaranteed Desserts”. The Dessert cooler is next to the drinks – so, save some room and take a look. As for beverages, try the Green Tea sifted from brown rice. Do you like rich coffee? Then order Vietnamese coffee with condensed milk. Jenni’s does not sell alcohol at any of the 3 locations but you are free to bring your own with a BYOB charge of $4. Jenni’s Noodle House – Heights can seat 92 folks comfortably, has ample parking and is available to host parties. It’s a perfect match for the neighborhood. I ran across an old Vietnamese Proverb that might describe Jenni’s big adventure: “Venture all; see what fate brings.” Jenni’s Noodle House, 602 East 20th @ Oxford, Houston, TX 77008. Phone: 713-862-3344. Website: www.noodlesrule.com. Also on Facebook and Twitter. Hours: Mon-Sat 11 a.m. – 10 p.m./ Sunday 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Wi-Fi. Very affordable. Casual and family friendly. BYOB with $4 cork charge. Party dates are available. 2 other family owned Jenni’s: (Montrose) 3111 S. Shepherd @ Alabama and (Uptown) 2027 Post Oak @ Westheimer.
Jenni’s Noodle House All Good in the Neighborhoodby Diane Mosier, longtime Heights resident & food lover
