< Previous30 COASTMONTHLY.COM / December 2015Table SurfingStory by Alicia Cahill | Photos by Jennifer ReynoldsJinya Ramen BarWhere an internationally beloved comfort food is taken to new levels and service is lightning fastThe seemingly inauspicious strip center along a busy corridor is an unlikely spot for one of the most delicious noodle joints in the Houston metro area. However, thanks to Jinya Ramen Bar’s magical tonkotsu — the rich, full-flavored umami broth derived from boiling pork bones for hours upon end — geography hasn’t kept customers away.Opening the door at Jinya Ramen Bar’s NASA-area restaurant immediately reveals patrons seated at the communal table, chop-sticks in hand, heads bent over steaming bowls of traditional wheat noodles. Yes, this is still Texas. The atmosphere is modern and sleek, but undeniably cozy and inviting. A casual place where customers can relax and satisfy their craving for this internationally recognized comfort food.Neat stacks of ramen bowls are piled high along the wall in the open kitchen where cooks can grab them quickly. And good thing, Jinya’s service is lightning fast.No sooner had diners relayed their de-sires to the waitstaff, then they were back with trays brimming with steaming dishes. Tonkotsu Assari’s thick noodles float below a blanket of Japanese mushrooms, green onions, a seasoned egg and a spellbinding pork chashu, marinated braised pork belly.Tonkotsu Black, conveniently labeled Jinya No. 1, also features pork chashu, but in combination with nori, garlic chips, mush-rooms and thin noodles. Chicken and vege-table ramen also can be ordered. In addition to the menu of a dozen or so pre-fab bowls, (Above) A popular choice at Jinya Ramen Bar in Webster is the spicy chicken ramen, with chicken broth, chicken chashu, spinach, spicy bean sprouts, Tokyo nevi and green onion with thin noodles. (Right) Brussels sprouts tempura with truffle oil. COASTMONTHLY.COM / December 2015 31Jinya Tonkotsu Black is a signature dish at Jinya Ramen Bar. It features thin noodles in pork broth with pork chashu, kikurage, green onion, nori dried seaweed, a seasoned egg, garlic chips, garlic oil and fried onion.The Jinya Bun, with thick braised pork and vegetables.diners can select from a list of more than 20 ingredients to customize their own meal. Not quite DIY ramen, the addition of cabbage, bok choy, poached egg, tofu and even extra noodles are available so customers can enjoy the dish just how they like it.Diners shouldn’t neglect Jinya’s appetizer and dessert offerings. Skip the pork bun in favor of the Brussels Sprouts Tempura drizzled with truffle oil. Each piece is light, crunchy and utterly irresistible. The Annin Tofu, a sweet almond pudding, topped with diced fruit, whipped cream and sauce, is cool and creamy. It’s perfect antidote to the rich, decadent umami broth savored mere moments ago. Other options such as green tea mochi ice cream are equally palate-pleasing.Los Angeles-based Jinya Ramen Bar is a chain with 20 restaurants throughout North America. Houston is home to two sites — NASA and Midtown. But don’t let that deter you from trying Jinya. Reasonable prices, speedy service and soul-satisfying bowls of steamy ramen are worth the visit. JINYA RAMEN BAR18299 egret bay blvd., Webster281.549.6609www.jinya-ramenbar.com/locations/ jinya-houston-nasa/32 COASTMONTHLY.COM / December 2015Down the HatchStory by Mark G Hanna | Photos by Jennifer ReynoldsSpike your holiday spiritThe drink of presidents and the cause of riots, eggnog is all it’s cracked up to beBryan Davis, the general manager at Ocean Grille & Beach Bar in Galveston, makes The Henn’s Egg, an eggnog cocktail topped with Hennessy V.S. cognac and spiced rum.What came first, the tipsy or the egg?In the grand history of imbibing, the egg has played a constant supporting actor role, be it in the character of frothy whipped whites to give a drink a cloud-like lightness, or in that of a spiced-up egg yolk to ease a morning hangover.For the Christmas holidays, however, especially in the Ameri-cas, the egg moves over to center stage and gives a performance well worthy of an annual encore. Hark, the herald eggnog sings.Does any one drink really capture the holidays like eggnog? One thinks not.Eggnog traditionally makes its appearance just before Thanks-giving in the United States and then parties hearty until just after New Year’s Day. It plays well with bourbon, rum, brandy and myriad other liquors. It even likes to spice things up with dash-es of nutmeg, cinnamon or even chili powder.What is eggnog? It’s actually a pretty simple concoction made with raw eggs, cream or milk and a little sweetener, such as Nails & Spa Of TexasWe have Specials forUTMB and Students 10%OFF• Solar White Tip $25• Shellac $25• UV Gel Nails $25• Pedicure $20• Refill $18• Waxing $8• Facials $35• Threading $12• Eyelashes $25• Reflexology Massage $45 per hourFREE MimosasFREE White WineFREE Red WineFREE SodasFREE Bottle WaterBusiness Hours:Monday-Sunday: 8:00am–9:00pmAppointments and Walk-Ins Welcome6228 Broadway StreetSuite L, Galveston(Next to Home Depot)We have 15 people to serve you everyday • Come see us, no waiting!409-744-NAIL (6245)VanYvonneTonyaPedicure PamWendyRoseMayTinaCindyNinaKimThchiKarenLonnieCandyArt34 COASTMONTHLY.COM / December 2015sugar, honey or syrup. This is whipped until quite aerated, then finished off with an alcohol of choice. There are nonalcoholic versions as well, but let’s not get silly.For what has become such an American tradition, the origins of eggnog do point to Great Britain, where people had long sipped on a posset drink, mainly made with hot milk. For those who could afford eggs and cream, the two were mixed together and then rapidly mixed by pouring the liquid back and forth between two cups — drink-ing cups were called noggins — and sipped while still warm. It was spiced with brandy, Madeira or sherry. Rather than eggnog, how-ever, this drink was more commonly known as an egg flip.In the first decades of the 19th century, popular author Pierce Egan released a book called “Life in London: Or, the Day and Night Scenes of Jerry Hawthorne, Esq., and his Elegant Friend Corinthian Tom.” Included in his ribald tale was a well-described eggnog cocktail well fortified with brandy. This the author named after his main characters, Tom and Jerry.Another theory suggests the name eggnog was born in North America, where more people had access to both eggs and cream. The egg mixture was combined with grog, the rum drink found in every tavern, and called simply eggs and grog. It was later shortened or possibly slurred and became eggnog. On this side of the Atlantic, the drink was served cold.Whatever the truth of origin, there is no question that the cocktail of the aristocracy in England became the swill of the masses in the colonies. Throughout the late 1700s and the entire 1800s, eggnog was a very popular holiday drink. For both Christmas and New Year’s, large punch bowls were filled with it and offered to guests when they came calling. Smart guests went calling at a lot of places so inebriation was always possible.Among the biggest fans of eggnog cock-tails was one first President George Washing-ton. He had a personal recipe that combined eggnog, rye whiskey, rum and sherry. Who needed a boat to cross the Delaware?In the first cocktail book published in the United States, Jerry Thomas’ “How to Mix Drinks,” there are half a dozen eggnog drinks indicating the 19th century holiday revelers were no shirkers. Among Thomas’ inclusions Down the Hatchwere Egg Nogg, this drink fortified with cognac and rum; Baltimore Egg Nogg using rum and Madeira; and General Harrison’s Egg Nogg made with alcoholic cider.Recipes for eggnog cocktails can still be found in abundance, especially as more flavored and infused alcohols come on the market. One of the most wonderful things about this holiday-spirited mixer is that it blends well with almost everything.Locally, no one pays homage to this magical mixture more than Ocean Grille & Beach Bar, 1228 Seawall Blvd. in Galveston. Ocean Grille is one of the few places that not only makes its own eggnog, but has it on hand year-round.“Truthfully, it was kind of an accident that we have it all the time,” said Bryan Davis, the restaurant’s general manager. “We have a good customer who made up a pretty potent batch one Christmas. The next morning, everyone was pretty hungover, and someone wanted French toast. Well, all the eggs had been used making the eggnog, so someone decided to use the leftover drink to dip the toast in.”Waste not, want not.“It was incredible,” Davis said. “We knew it had to go on the menu, so now for Sunday brunch, we have Vicky’s Bourbon Eggnog French Toast.”Ocean Grille & Beach Bar makes its own eggnog, which the restaurant has on hand year-round. COASTMONTHLY.COM / December 2015 35For a reservation, visit our website porchcafe.comGalveston office5934 Broadway, Galveston, Tx. 77551(409) 740-7744conroe office606 Everett Rd.Conroe, Tx. 77301(936) 760-3050richmond office1500 Jackson St.Richmond, Tx. 77469 (281) 238-4454homestead office9324 HomesteadHouston, Tx. 77016 (281) 501-1196Dental implants are great at replacingmissing teeth necessary for proper function and digestion. Treatment can be done in one visit for most patients. And now Affordable Dental can place implant body only for $995. This offer is available for a limited time so call the Affordable Dental location closest to you for a no charge consultation usually worth $399.Take years off your smile with dental implants.36 COASTMONTHLY.COM / December 2015Down the HatchNotable on the printed menu is that any-one ordering the toast must be age 21 years or older. It would be interesting to know how many people have ever been carded for ordering French toast.During the holidays, Ocean Grille has cre-ated its own eggnog cocktail, to prove that eggnog is not just for breakfast anymore. The restaurant’s version includes generous additions of both rum and Hennessy V.S. co-gnac, thus crowning it with the imaginative moniker “The Henn’s Egg.”Of course, eggnog history is not without its blemishes. Beginning on Dec. 23, 1826, cadets at the U.S. Military Academy began quietly stockpiling large quantities of whis-key with which they fortified the eggnog on hand. On Christmas Eve, rather than visions of dancing sugar plums, the residents of one barrack envisioned some kind of slight, rioted and soon had the entire academy in an uproar, which lasted well into Christ-mas Day. The event, called The Eggnog Riot, resulted in implicating 70 cadets and court-martialing 20 others along with one enlisted man. One of those implicated was future Confederate States of America Presi-dent Jefferson Davis.The original recipe for eggnog also has changed through the years, particularly in this century when an unwanted visitor be-came a major concern. That visitor is salmo-nella, often associated with raw eggs. Health officials urge everyone to prepare eggnog by heating it to a safe temperature, as even the addition of alcohol to the drink for imme-diate consumption is usually not enough to exterminate the salmonella.Another method to “clean” the eggnog, one that is preferred by eggnog purists, is to age it. This involves making eggnog the cold way, then fortifying it with at least 20 per-cent strong alcohol, such as rum or bourbon. The mixture should then be refrigerated in a sealed container for at least a month or up to one year. Studies have shown that eggnog deliberately infected with salmonella still had levels of it after one week but was tested and declared safe after three weeks.One other alternative is to simply pur-chase eggnog in the grocery or liquor store and eliminate most of the worry. THE HENN’S EGGCourtesy of Ocean Grille & Beach BarMakes 1 servingINGREDIENTS5 ounces homemade eggnog1 ounce Hennessy V.S.1 ounce cruzan Spiced rumDash vanillaNutmegDIRECTIONScombine all ingredients in shaker with ice. Shake vigorously then strain into cocktail glass. Top with grated nutmeg.EGGNOGINGREDIENTS6 whole eggs, divided¾ cup sugar, dividedBryan Davis dusts Vicky’s Bourbon Eggnog French Toast with powdered sugar at Ocean Grille & Beach Bar.1 quart of half and half½ teaspoon ground nutmegDIRECTIONSDivide the whites and yolks into separate bowls.Using a whisk or the electric mixer’s whisk attachment, beat the egg yolks with ½ cup of the sugar until light and pale yellow in color. Stir in half and half.clean and dry the whisk or whisk at-tachments, then beat the egg whites and remaining ¼ cup sugar until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the whites into the yolk-cream mixture, then refrigerate and chill for at least one hour.Note: To make aged eggnog, add at least one cup of alcohol, such as rum, brandy, bourbon or a mixture of them, when adding the half and half. refrigerate in a tightly sealed container for at least three weeks.Luxury High-RiseIndependent Living Residences38 COASTMONTHLY.COM / December 2015Hang TenStory and photo by Irene AmietKevin DaughertyEach month, Coast Monthly poses 10 questions to an intriguing resident of the Texas Coast.Kevin Daugherty is a barista at Starbucks on Harborside Drive in Galveston and an accom-plished actor by night.Daugherty was one of five people who founded the island’s East-End Theatre Company and is the resident set builder. He’s a transplant from Ohio and moved to Galveston in 1980.Daugherty can be seen performing in “The Break of Noon” at the Queensbury Theatre in Houston through Dec. 6. In that perfor-mance, Daugherty portrays the sole survivor of a mass office shooting.Who is your hero? My mom. For the perseverance she showed in raising three children from nothing.What are you most proud of? My ability to make people smile. I believe humor is vital to our lives.If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? I’d like to be more patient. I get very antsy way too often and, as an actor, that isn’t good.Where would you like to grow old? In the mountains, probably Colorado, although Paris has always been a place I’d like to visit.What’s your guilty pleasure? Häagen-Dazs chocolate ice cream. OMG.What skills would you like to possess? To be more tech savvy. My 4-year-old neph-ew can work my phone better than I can, and that’s not a joke.Something no one knows about you? I’m pretty much an open book. I don’t like secrets as they get in the way of reality. However, few people know that I was a ballet dancer once.What song is your personal anthem? ‘Cabaret’ from the musical ‘Cabaret.’ Life is what you make it.Last meal you made: I’ve been on the Nutrisystem plan for 16 months, so my last dish was Tuscan pasta and broccoli.Describe a favorite memory in 10 words: Every smile of my two nephews, Evan and Grayson. Santa Fe | $259,0003/2, Updated Ranch style home. 13105 33rd St. | 409-789-0049Tiki Island | $672,5004/3, Tiki living at it’s best! 431 Hana Dr. | 409-392-1124Texas City | $79,9003/1, Great starter home! 3711 19th St. N. | 409-419-0784Tiki Island | $285,0002/2, Unique location in cul-de-sac. 1438 Mango | 409-739-9928Tiki Island | $729,0004/5/3, “The Best view on Tiki Island!”106 Tamana Dr. | 713-516-0663Santa Fe | $147,0003/2, Cute home in quiet subdivision. 12514 E Bar Dr. | 281-787-5965©2015 Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC. Better Homes and Gardens® is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporation licensed to Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC. Equal Opportunity Company. Equal Housing Opportunity. Each Franchise is Independently Owned and Operated. 409.938.1121101 Tiki Drive, Suite 100Tiki Island, Texas 77554Available HomesTiki Island | $815,0004/5/3.5, Beautiful custom built home! 1510 Windsong Way | 713-206-2030Tiki Island | $549,0004/3, Welcome to your new home! 1311 Outrigger | 713-254-4076Find more available homes at GaryGreene.com409.938.1121Happy Holidays From Our Home To Yours!Next >