Alison Cook's Top 100 Restaurants 2014

Alison Cook is the Food Critic for the Houston Chronicle.  She just recently released the Top 100 Restaurants of 2014.  I am excited to say that Pearland is listed twice in the top 22.

Ranked #3 is Killen's Barbecue.  Here is what she had to say about Killen's Barbecue:

"The constant lines outside this exciting Pearland destination attest to the grandeur of chef Ronnie Killen's meticulously smoked meats.  With the support of Patrick Feges, Killen has established his welcoming, shipshape new restaurant as one of the premier barbecue spots not just in Texas, but the nation.  It's an exalted niche that needed filling in Houston, where a recent barbecue renaissance has paved the way for Killen's obsessive degree of attention to differentiated woods and smoking methods, to say nothing of his picky sourcing.  Beef -- always a civic obsession here -- finds its highest expression in Killen's brisket (remarkably, both the lean and the fatty cuts are equally fine) and his mammoth beef ribs, which the chef calls "foie gras on a stick" in honor of their lush, perfectly rendered fat.  Jolly little house-made sausage links are another big attraction, whether laced with jalapenos or spiked German-style, with mustard seeds and coriander, they burst with juice under their snappy casings.  All this, and remarkable side dishes, too: letter-perfect potato salad; briskly Asian-style slaw; unrepentantly sticky mac 'n' cheese; and the sweet, milky creamed corn made famous at Killen's highly regarded steakhouse right down the road.  Even the desserts deliver, from a lifting buttermilk pie touched with lemon zest to a blissfully caramelized peach cobbler.  Despite the crowds, service ticks right along, and free samples and beer under the mighty oak tree out front make it all feel cheerfully tribal."

Cuisine:  Barbecue

Entree Price:  $-$$$

Where:  3613 E. Broadway, Pearland, TX

Website:  killensbarbecue.com

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Ranked #22 is Killen's Steakhouse.  Here is what she had to say about Killen's Steakhouse:

"Chef Ronnie Killen may be applying scholarly attention to his new barbecue spot of late, but his splendid Texas steakhouse -- still under his watchful eye -- clicks right along in the capable hands of DeeDee Killen and chef de cuisine Teddy Lopez.  The new ideas keep coming, in the form of amusing broccoli-and-cheese "risotto" or fried calamari in a sweet, garlicky chili sauce.  Not every one works (ixnay on the sour/hot Wagyu meatballs), but the classic sides and fried shrimp are as wonderful as ever, the smart retro cocktails rule, and the beef is the stuff of a steak lover's dreams.  USDA Prime cuts from such top-level suppliers as Allen Bros. and Strube Ranch are butchered and dry-or wet-aged in-house, cooked over mesquite, then crusted under a broiler to achieve a great balance of smoke and char.  The low-slung room, with its white linen and attentive waiters, breathes vintage Gulf Coast charm.  Pro tip: Ask for the peerless steak fries."

Cuisine:  Steakhouse

Entree Price:  $$$-$$$$

Where:  2804 S. Main, Pearland, TX

Website:  killenssteakhouse.com

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We have never been to Killen's Barbecue and that is because the lines are out the door, down the sidewalk long.  Our Executive VP at work has gone and raves about the food.  He said the lines move really fast.  Looks like we are going to be going to Killen's Barbecue to taste some of this goodness!

We have been to Killen's Steakhouse several times.  The food was amazing and the service was excellent.  

Chef Ronnie Killen trained at Le Cordon Bleu and honed his culinary skills throughout the U.S.  Lucky for Pearland, he returned to his home town.

Thank you, Ms. Cook, for listing two of Pearland's top restaurants in your Top 100 Restaurants of 2014.

So if you are ever in the Houston area and are looking for a place to eat, be sure and stop by Killen's Barbecue or Killen's Steakhouse.

Take care,

Debbie