The Blind Goat
Where? The Blind Goat (Spring Valley Village, Houston, Texas, United States of America) Map Menu
When? Saturday April 6, 2024
Who? Alfie, David, Carmen and Nancy
Food Style? Vietnamese
Today's restaurant is particularly special. I've been an avid viewer of the US version of MasterChef, and in Season Three (which originally aired in 2012), a blind Vietnamese woman named Christine Ha won the grand prize. Her journey through the show was phenomenal and inspiring, as we saw her overcome obstacle after obstacle, in spite of her disability. She had spoken about her heritage, about losing her mother to cancer when she was only 14 years old, and those resonated strongly with me. After MasterChef, she continued to make TV appearances and published a cookbook, and in 2018, she opened The Blind Goat in Houston, a reference to her disability and her zodiac sign. So now that I'm here, I have to try her restaurant and her food. As we're perusing the menu, I notice someone sitting by the bar working on the laptop and though I can't clearly see her face, I'm about 90% sure it's Chef Christine. I desperately want to say hi, but I'm not sure how to approach the situation; however, our server comes to my aid and brings Chef Christine over to have a few words with us and take some photos. I'm over the moon with the chance to meet her, and not just because the Great American Solar Eclipse is happening in a few days.
Appetiser
Sticky Wings: Six wings with fish sauce glaze, garlic, lime, Thai chili, Vietnamese herbs
The wings are true to their name and have that gooey, sweet and sticky feel to them like a great Texan barbeque. The fried shallots give some great crunch on top of the batter and the sauce has some hints of fish sauce with some classic Vietnamese flavours. It's a great fusion dish, with elements from both cuisines clearly tastable.
Mains
Dodge the Beef: Sliced hanger steak tossed in a sweet and savoury sauce, caramelised onions, cherry tomatoes, a pat of pork pâté, baguette bread and a fried egg all served on a cast-iron sizzler plate
A Vietnamese take on brunch, this looks so appetising. That steak is juicy and I love pâté and bread, it’s so rich and delicious. The onions are sweet and balance the richness of the pâté really well. It’s hearty and filling, and kinda of reminds me of a deconstructed banh mi on a hot plate. I feel like pâté is an ingredient so crucial to an authentic banh mi, but is often omitted in favour of butter and mayo.
Dessert
Rubbish Apple a la Mode: Christine's famous pie praised by Gordon Ramsay, but with a Vietnamese twist - star anise, ginger and lemongrass
The story behind this one is that during one of the MasterChef challenges, the contestants were tasked with baking an apple pie in an hour. Christine was so flustered during the bake that by the time she finished, she was in tears at her poor effort, and called her creation “rubbish”. Chef Gordon Ramsay took a knife and scratched the pastry crust, showing how well baked it was. As he cut in, the knife could be heard cutting through a fully cooked pastry. She had produced something delicious and perfect, and now this Rubbish Apple Pie is here for us to enjoy. It doesn't really look like the one she made on the show though. It looks more like a crumble and the apples are very caramelised, but well balanced. Hints of cinnamon come through, and that vanilla ice cream helps to cool the warm pie.
Really good, soulful food with that Vietnamese flair evident in the cooking. It was a joy to talk to Chef Christine and try her food, and she deserves every success coming her way.
Posted by Jeremy at 9:54pm on Wednesday October 22, 2025 :: 0 comments :: 