Treks Through Texas

Antonio's serves up amazing pizza by the slice at great prices (most slices are under $3, and they are huge). There are at least 20 varieties of pizza to try, including: white pizza; tomato; various chicken pizzas; tomato basil and fresh mozzarella; Sicilian; and much more. Old classics and funky new flavor combinations fill the menu, and everything I've tried has been delicious. The atmosphere is very casual (you order at the counter, then grab a table), and the place attracts a lot of college students due to its low prices and fun atmosphere. The employees are always smiling and ready to help you out in any way possible.

Freebirds serves up amazing freshly made Mexican food that is hard to resist. Burritos, tacos, quesadillas, and salads are among the many tasty, affordable, and highly customizable entrees available. Feel free to write on the wall as you wait to place your order, Freebirds welcomes this and it's a great way to leave your mark in College Station. Place your order at the counter and customize your burrito in any way you want (guacamole, lettuce, tomatoes, many kinds of onions, sauces, etc.). Within minutes you will have a huge, delicious, and fresh meal that is sure to delight.

A few notes:
1. The hot sauce is very hot! (Pair the hot sauce with a chipotle tortilla, for a super spicy treat).
2. The burritos are huge! I can barely finish a half-bird (the smallest one), and I can't imagine how big a Monster Burrito is.
3. There is an extra charge for sour cream and guacamole, but if you don't get beans or rice on your burrito you can sub in one of them (i.e. no beans=free guacamole).

Freebirds is popular with the college set (especially the Northgate location), so it can be a little noisy. The food is well priced and amazingly tasty, so be sure to check it out.

I want to preface my review by stating that I have spent a full summer in Japan and I am used to the high quality sushi available in California. I love good sushi and have a discerning taste for Japanese food. This being said, I am much more critical of this sort of cuisine than the average person, so please read my review with this in mind.

The restaurant is incredibly casual with a slight hint of its Japanese roots. Posters of sushi line the walls, Japanese curtains separate booths, and the sushi making bar is visible throughout the restaurant. Unfourtunately, the restaurant is a little too casual for a sushi restaurant in my opinion; I like my sushi restaurants to be spotless, and the blue floor at Kyoto shows everything (crumbs are normal at any restaurant, but I hate to be reminded of them).

The menu is fairly extensive offering Udon, Tempura, Teriyaki bowls, Ramen, soup, salad, and traditional Japanese appetizers (edamame, gyoza, etc.) The sushi menu is diverse and offers all the standards (California, rainbow, Philadelphia, spider, etc.) with a few specials exclusive to the restaurant. The Japanese food was good overall, but the sushi left something to be desired. The avocado wasn't very fresh, and the California roll was subpar, in my opinion (but I've been called a "sushi snob" by friends). The sushi is fairly standard sushi prices: $4 to $5 for basic rolls (cali, tuna, etc.) and $10 to $15 for special rolls. Normally I wouldn't mind paying these prices, but given the quality, I feel that these prices are high, especially considering most other restaurants in College Station are very affordable.

Kyoto and Haiku (same owners) are the only Japanese restaurants in town, I prefer Haiku (607 University Dr.) because it is much cleaner and has a nicer atmosphere, even though the food (in general) is the same. Haiku also has a hibachi grill (like Benihana), which is very good.

If you are looking for a decent Japanese meal, by all means give Haiku or Kyoto a shot; but, if you are looking for high quality sushi you may be disappointed.