Dining
BY ROO MOODY
Chef Michael Brown brings Cajun, Creole cuisine to Pearland
Chef Michael Brown has brought his 40 years of experience down to Pearland with a new takeout-only, fast-casual restaurant serving build-your-own burritos, bowls and tacos—but with a Southwestern flair. The backstory Before opening Jamburritos with his wife Adrienne, Brown started a ine dining establish- ment serving Cajun and Creole cuisines called Michael’s Backstreet Café in Irvington, New Jersey. However, to make the cuisines more affordable and accessible, he came up with the “jamburrito,” a combination of jambalaya in a burrito. Brown said he was drawn to Creole and Cajun cuisines early on in his career because there were endless opportunities. “There was just no limitation,” he said. “In other cuisines, I think you’re kind of limited in where you can go in terms of using different culinary techniques, whereas Cajun and Creole just kind of have it all.” On the menu When walking into Jamburrito, customers are faced with a setting that is similar to fast-casual restaurant Chipotle. First, they choose between a jamburrito, bowl or taco and a base of brown rice or jambalaya. Next, they move on to protein options, which include chicken creole, bayou cream shrimp and craw ish etouffee. Customers can inish their bowl with toppings that come at no extra cost, such as collard greens, red beans and Creole cabbage. Something to note At Jamburritos, customers can sample every item on the menu, except the cat ish, because Brown said it’s a whole piece of ish. It’s part of what Brown calls “Xtreme Hospitality,” which also happens to be the name of his podcast. The concept revolves around take-out not just being a transactional encounter with a customer and more of a human-to-human interaction. “[Customers] deserve to have eye contact, they deserve to understand what they’re hav- ing,” Brown said.
Customers can choose between jamburritos, tacos or bowls.
COURTESY JAMBURRITOS
The menu at Jamburritos features minimal dairy, low- sodium and gluten-free options.
In August, the bowl of the month was Blackened Cat sh topped with Craw sh Etou ee.
COURTESY JAMBURRITOS
COURTESY JORDAN COLEMAN
BROADWAY ST.
288
N
11710 Broadway St., Ste. 110, Pearland www.jamburritos.com
Brown graduated from Middlesex County College with a degree in Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Management.
COURTESY JAMBURRITOS
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PEARLAND FRIENDSWOOD MANVEL EDITION
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