Written by: Kayla Fleming and Isis Hollis
A LEAP trip wouldn’t be complete without exploring various different cuisines. This past weekend we tried everything from Mediterranean bowls to French pastries!
To prepare for a fulfilling day at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, LEAP Students had the opportunity to eat at Craft Pita, which serves farm to table Mediterranean cuisine. To start, we split the Mezze (a set of small, shareable dishes) Sampler. The hummus, babaganoush, and the turnips were crowd favorites. For some of us, it was our first time having a full mediterranean meal, and it did not disappoint.
Craft Pita is known for its inclusion of Tex Mex influence in otherwise traditional mediterranean food. One example of this was the Lebanese Tacos. Made with falafel, a meat alternative of spiced, mashed chickpeas, the dish surprised us with its complementary flavors. Aside from this exciting dish, we also enjoyed salads, wraps, and hummus bowls!
To finish off the meal, we ordered three deserts for the table: the Turkish Coffee Brownie, Lemon Mint Ice Cream, and Pistachio Ice Cream. The brownie was rich and delicate, while the ice cream was light and refreshing. The lemon mint was a surprising favorite, and we could not stop going back for more. Overall, Craft Pita only added to our wonderful weekend in Houston and prepared us for the exciting day ahead.
Our last stop in the diverse city of Houston was Common Bond Cafe on Sunday. The cafe had a pleasant atmosphere and delicious food! Nearly all of us went with the grilled cheese but we mixed it up with the sides. Robin and I had the tomato soup while Allie and Olivia had the fries. The fries had a unique thin, crispy texture that was very enjoyable.
Not only was the food great, but so were the pastries. I had the strawberry cheesecake muffin that was both photogenic and sweet. Of course their most famous pastry, the Kouign-amann, was a must on our list of things to try. It was buttery and flaky, similar to a croissant but had a crunchy layer of caramelized sugar on the bottom.
Both spots, though different in many ways, added even more fun to our trip by expanding our palates and knowledge of different food cultures around the world!
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