The Goode family restaurant has been fashioning gustatory masterpieces with eggs, potatoes, mesquite-grilled meats, butter, nicely discernible manteca de cerdo, a bit of salt and pepper, and the ancillary grease, cholesterol and fat for years during, once only on weekends and every morning in recent years. The place has long been busy on weekends, but those patrons must come solely from the nearby neighborhoods because, from unscientific polling on my part, seemingly too many people beyond the 77005 are still unaware of the amazing breakfasts here.
The breakfasts are Texan and Tex-Mex in nature. Strongly influenced by Mexico and south Texas ranch cooking, these are consistently exceptional and hearty. But, it is all done in a distinctively Goode Co. manner and better than elsewhere. It begins with top-notch ingredients, which are well-executed no matter how busy the place gets, and an understanding how to improve upon the familiar. Dishes seem both more robust and refined than typical. It is doubtful that any breakfast cooked at a run is nearly as tasty as these that Goode Co. turns out each morning.
There is the basic American Breakfast that consists of two jumbo-sized eggs, a choice between house-made sausage and thick, smoked bacon, diced potatoes listed as hash browns, and either the soft, house-baked bread or an English muffin. Though similar dishes are served at virtually all other breakfast places, Goode Co. stands head-and-shoulders above the rest with its exemplary, often robust flavors. The fresh, house-made bread with a little bit of butter is especially good. Another breakfast combination offers venison sausage instead of the more mundane meat choices. Some of the other combinations with eggs are one with pork chops, quail, another with steak, another with beef fajitas, and then one with catfish. Though fried catfish and eggs may not sound appetizing to that many people, if it is offered here, it’s probably as good as it gets. You can expect the meats – grilled over mesquite – to be tender, juicy and flavorful.
Other breakfast dishes are different Tex-Mex combinations featuring eggs scrambled with a choice of items: tocino (bacon) and egg; chorizo and egg; nopalito (nopalito cactus leaves). All are excellent. The fresh tortillas, either flour or corn, provide a nice complement. There are also the other Tex-Mex breakfast dishes: migas, huevos rancheros; huevos a la mexicana; and a Mexican omelet. The condiments bar with its pico de gallo, additional dark salsa, chopped onions and pickled jalapeños provide additional flavor to these dishes. In case you are minding your cholesterol, thick, pecan-topped waffles are also very popular and sinfully delicious.
Breakfasts run between $10.50 and $17.25. There are also plenty of sides including the meats, freshly squeezed juiced and a Screwdriver or Bloody Mary if the morning allows.
Breakfast – Monday through Friday, 6:30 to 11AM; Saturday and Sunday, 7:30AM to noon
Goode Co. Taqueria
4902 Kirby (at Westpark), 77098, (713) 520-9153
goodecompany.co