Kosher Food and Drink

As a new Houstonian (almost) who has basically none of his stuff with him, I’ve been eating out more than I usually would. That means I have the opportunity to finally review a restaurant that I’ve been meaning to go to for quite a while: Dave’s Crunch House. Dave’s Crunch House (5711 Bissonnet St, Bellaire, TX 77401; phone (281) 310-0968; davescrunch.com; under Houston Kashruth Association (HKA) supervision; meat) has two things going for it right out the gate:

1. My name is literally in their name (note: I have no ownership stake).
2. They specialize in my favorite food, fried chicken.

I am unsure what caused this confluence of things coming together, but it’s relatively clear to me that Hashem wants me to eat at this place, possibly often.

Dave’s Crunch House (DCH) is located out in the Bellaire neighborhood right next to Casa, which will you recall that I gave exceptionally high marks to. Not only are they owned by the same people, but they share a kitchen (and bathrooms). This is a rather clever and unusual model, but there’s a lot to recommend to it. While I earn a comfortable living, Casa is a once in a while date night treat due to the high price. DHC, on the other hand, is a lot cheaper, and I can afford to eat at more regularly. By using a single kitchen, they can up the utilization and otherwise make both restaurants more profitable. Admittedly, this is a very situational trick that takes planning to pull off, but it makes a lot of sense.

Anyways, much like Casa, there’s plenty of parking. Going inside, the aesthetic is “fast food joint”. There’s a fair bit of seating (you could easily fit 8+ people in), and a bit of decoration, but it’s clear no one is trying too hard on the decor. That seems odd, but it makes sense once you realize their model isn’t really all sit-down service – more on that in a moment. It’s clean enough, there’s some Jewish music going, and someone’s at the counter to deal with your order.

You order at a kiosk, which is straightforward. The menu is focused, but fairly deep – there’s a number of chicken sandwich variations, some smash burgers, some hot dogs, and even a few salads. For sides, you’ve got fries and a fried onion. It’s basically a slightly pared down version of the Smash House concept, and given how popular that seems to be, it seems like DHC is on the right track here. This isn’t a fusion place; it’s the fried (and grilled) American food that’s beloved by this great nation.

We ordered the Loaded Hot Dog, the Pulled Beef sandwich, and the Southern Fried Chicken sandwich, along with a Blooming Onion and some drinks. Total was ~$73, which isn’t cheap, but is more or less the new normal these days.

If you want fancy neat food, I’d head next door to Casa. What we got was tasty, messy fried food, and it was delicious.

The kids both loved their food (the hot dog and the pulled beef sandwich), and basically devoured it. I also really enjoyed my chicken sandwich. The breading was absolutely delicious, and chicken was also really tasty (albeit slightly drier than I think would be ideal – tough balance to pull off for fried chicken made fast). The fried onion was also really amazing, and a surprise hit at the table. It’s not haute cuisine, but I would have killed for food like this back in the DC area.

The other really important thing to know about DHC is that they deliver for $3 (plus driver tip), and they’re not very picky about where they deliver to for that charge. I’m not exactly sure what the business proposition is with that (I’m used to places starting at $8 fees), but it’s super refreshing to be able to just order in dinner and get it in a reasonable time frame at a really reasonable cost. It is clear that this is a big part of the draw, and I think rightfully so. I could literally get this delivered to my door for less than the non-alcoholic drinks would cost if I were in the store. This is why I seemed so blase about the ambience earlier; there’s almost no reason to actually dine there in the first place (albeit it’s a pleasant enough spot for what it is).

All in all, Dave’s Crunch House is absolutely awesome. It’s not healthy and it’s not pretty, but it executes the American style of kosher fast food perfectly. They’re yet another example of Houston’s kosher restaurant scene punching far, far above what you’d expect, and I really can’t wait to see what the owners do next.