Waterfalls Cafe in Tomball Celebrates Grand Opening

TOMBALL, TX -- At many events throughout the year, I see one of my colleagues in the food media game, Nick Rama, from Facebook’s ‘Nick’s Local Eats,’ who when it comes to food seems to be everywhere in north Harris and Montgomery counties. He invited me to the new location of Waterfalls Cafe, the small restaurant group’s third location, this one in Tomball, owned by his friend Benito ‘Benny’ Rodriguez Munguia. Waterfalls Cafe has a great reputation for generous portions, affordable prices; as well as breakfast, lunch and dinner options. I met up with Nick, his wife Claudia, and plenty of Nick’s followers, at Waterfalls this past Wednesday, to chat and have a long dinner filled with stories and great food.

If you love breakfast for dinner that doesn’t involve a box, Waterfalls Cafe is the place for you. I sat at the high-table with Nick, Claudia, and one of Nick’s colleagues, Hung. And if you ever meet Nick, you’ll see his extroverted personality, the complete opposite of his wife; embarrassed when he takes out his disco-ball sized light to take beautiful video or photos of tasty local eats he so loves. Heck, he even got me to dance (terribly mind you) in one of his videos during the recent Wine & Food Week, so I’d say he is pretty convincing in his requests.

Nick introduced me to Benny, a height challenged man such as myself, with ample proof he runs a great group of successful restaurants, and B is just as outgoing as Nick, comfortable in meeting his customers as Nick is taking pictures of them. Despite his Hispanic heritage, Benny’s place, like his restaurants, and menu, has more of an Americana feel mixed with numerous Texas-Mex favorites.

After all the pleasantries had subsided, we finally ordered. Nick asked for an appetizer of Fried Pickle Spears. Say what? We all know of fried pickles, those slices of pickled cucumber that have a representation of what a pickle tastes like, but they are just there when they can be so much more. But with Benny and his spears, be prepared to pucker up. They are nicely breaded and outside crisped and quartered pickles that are actually sour and juicy on the inside, and some would say, puckibly sour. Probably most. It’s a unique concept that I’m surprised hasn’t taken hold. A small ramekin of ranch dressing helps balance out the sour, but if you love tangy foods, then Benny’s spears are your pickle.

I had a Sunny Burger, which featured a sunny side-up egg, a perfect patty with just a little tinge of moo left, plus the usual culprits that make a great burger. Of course with the first bite, the influence of the egg yolk lightens the senses in appreciation of a great meal, and then there are the fries, with a starch infused and rough-housed texture, spiced to impress, and giving a sense of wanting more down to the last fry. I ate everything, which for me trying to keep a girlish figure, may be a bridge too far.

Hung had a Benny’s Benedict, a breakfast item reminiscent of Sunday Brunch, but can be ordered at any time of day. A Chicken Fried Chicken (like the steak, and ham-less), is placed on top of a biscuit, with your choice of hash browns, house potatoes, or grits. A little spinach acts as a bed for the poached egg, then is smothered with the Hollandaise sauce. The egg yolk again adds to the flavor stacked on flavor with the velvety emulsion that impresses with a luxurious pairing of yolk on yolk action that is sure to please. And Hung reported that ‘everything kinda balanced out.’

Nick went with a Tex-Mex breakfast item, Benny’s Migas, made with its traditional tortilla strips, scrambled eggs, chorizo, onions, peppers, and cheese. It also came with refried beans and house potatoes. It’s a hearty breakfast for a hard day, and like Nick said, ‘Me like the Migas.’ The chorizo adds that extra layer of flavor that makes Benny’s dishes stand out, and Nick made tacos tossing some house salsa on flour tortillas, or you can also ask for corn, whichever floats your boat.

One of Nick’s followers, Valerie, who has been following Nick’s exploits for a few years now, had the Chicken Fried Chicken, and double-starched her meal with macaroni and mashed potatoes. She tries to keep up with the big man, and sees him often being his barista. Val’s significant other, Zane, also had same thing,

Claudia had a Classic Club Sandwich, a tempting triple-decker sandwich with mayo, with lettuce, tomato, bacon (which met her crispy standards), ham, turkey and cheese. She loved the cascading flavors, and mirrored my interpretation of Waterfalls Cafe’s fries. Nick’s wife is a wonderful lady and has to play the adult in the marriage, and she has many humorous stories that will always keep you laughing.

Dessert was welcome to curb the appetites around the table. A Peach Cobbler was welcomed as a classic end to a meal, complete with its sweet and crunchy crust and warm peaches that counter the cool of the vanilla ice cream. Then a Fried Ice Cream showed up, with a base of a sweet and fried tortilla topped with a giant scoop of ice cream doused with frost flakes and quickly fried in hot oil.

Waterfalls Cafe is perfect for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Some of the more popular breakfast items include El Jefe and Garden Eggs Benedict, Chicken and Waffles, then you have the Cowboy and Riverside platters, as well as buttermilk pancakes and breakfast burritos. For lunch and dinner, Chicken Fried Steak resides in-house, along with my favorite ‘Reuben Sandwiches,’ and a variety of burgers like the Avocado Burger. Also, for sides, their popular fried green tomatoes and house made onion rings, and Texas cheese fries are customer favorites.

Besides the new location at 24211 Kuykendahl Rd, Ste 170, in Tomball, Benny also has two other locations in Spring and Magnolia.

Website: waterfallscafespring.com

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