Photos by K2 Images
There is only one Taste of Texas. Celebrating the flavor, history, and ambience of Texas, the Taste of Texas Restaurant is known throughout the world. The now-famous steakhouse, however, had humble beginnings. Edd and Nina Hendee founded the Taste of Texas on a shoestring in 1977 to avoid being transferred to Kansas City with Steak and Ale. The early years were rocky, and Edd and Nina both had to moonlight at other jobs to keep their restaurant open. “Sixteen years after we opened, we broke even,” Nina says.
Along the way, Edd and Nina changed their concept. Instead of offering a varied menu, they began to specialize. “We narrowed our menu to two pages of excellence,” Nina says. The Taste of Texas insists on using ingredients of the highest quality and serves only Certified Angus Beef. Breads and desserts are made from scratch daily.
A Tribute to Texas History
One Mother’s Day many years ago, Nina opened an envelope from her family and, almost speechless, asked Edd, “Is this—?” He nodded. The envelope contained an authentic signature of David (“Davy”) Crockett. “All I could do was cry,” Nina says. “Our daughter was about 10. She turned around and told my husband, ‘I told you she wanted perfume.’” Nina still laughs in remembrance. “My husband is so tolerant of my obsession.”
Nina has her collection of Republic of Texas currency displayed near the front of the restaurant. (Bills, she reports, were called “redbacks,” because red ink was used on the backs to discourage counterfeiters.) In another room is Nina’s extensive collection of unusual, antique corkscrews. Another display includes rare, first-edition books about Texas, such as the first cookbook published in the state. (It was published in Houston in 1856.) One of Nina’s favorites is a biography of Gail Borden, who developed the process of canning condensed milk in response to the sickness and eventual death of children who drank spoiled milk on sea voyages. Nina reports that he was also a surveyor, who, with considerable foresight, plotted downtown Houston streets 80 feet wide because he believed Houston would one day become a magnificent city. “He is my favorite character in all of Texas history,” Nina says.
Nina has displayed several replicas of Texas artifacts in the restaurant, including the famous “Come and Take It” cannon, which sparked the battle of Gonzales in 1835. Also on display is an exact replica of the “Come and Take It” flag. The original, Nina says, was made from the wedding dress of Mrs. Green Dewitt.
Most items, however, are authentic, such as the many documents that bear the signatures of Texas heroes. Nina’s collection includes documents signed by Sam Houston and Antonio Lopez de Santa Ana, whom she calls “the most brutal dictator who probably ever lived.” She has signatures of two Texas heroes—David G. Burnet, the first president of the Republic of Texas, and William Barret Travis, the commander of Texian forces at the Alamo—on one document. Other figures from the Republic of Texas whose signatures are displayed on the walls of Taste of Texas include Stephen F. Austin, Branch T. Archer, and William H. Wharton. Nina is particularly happy to have found a signature of Moses Austin, the father of Stephen F. Austin. Because he was never an elected official, she says, he didn’t sign his name on many documents. It took Nina 10 years to find his signature.
Nina admires the Texas Rangers (the legendary law enforcement organization, not the baseball team), so she has dedicated a wall in the restaurant to Texas Ranger memorabilia. Among the items are a bone-handled pistol carried by a Texas Ranger and a book signed by every Texas Ranger who was alive at the time of publication.
Although proud Texans enjoy Nina’s tribute to Texas history, they are not alone. The Taste of Texas has become a destination for those who appreciate the mystique of Texas, and menus have been translated into 13 languages to accommodate patrons from around the world. (The menu translated into Mandarin Chinese is requested most frequently.) “Our foreign guests love Texas,” Nina says. “During the Offshore Technology Conference in late April, we have lots of guests who come from all over the world,” she says. “They always tell us that they only come to the conference to eat at the Taste of Texas.” Edd and Nina bring longhorn cattle from a ranch in Hempstead during this time so their guests can have their photos taken with them.
Giving Back
Edd and Nina also have a heart for the college students who work at the Taste of Texas. Each year, the Hendees award fifty $1,000 scholarships, as well as six fully-paid scholarships that cover tuition and books. These scholarships are funded through special events at the restaurant, including adult Texas history presentations, wine dinners, and steak schools. Edd and Nina also reward good students with $25 per credit hour for every A or B earned. “We do not pay for Cs,” Nina says with a smile.
10505 Katy Fwy
Houston, TX 77024
(713) 932-6901
tasteoftexas.com