In our My Top 5 series, we spotlight Houstonians—actively adding to the city’s flavor, character, and culture—and ask them to share their own very favorite things that make Houston home. This week, we’re delighted to feature Kimico “Mico” Frydenlund, who founded Mico’s Hot Chicken in The Heights in order to bring delicious Nashville hot chicken to her hometown.
My Top 5 Things to Do in Houston
by Kimico “Mico” Frydenlund
- Biking at Hermann Park – My favorite place to visit as a family is Hermann Park. We bike there with our three children multiple times a week. We’d started out just biking around our neighborhood, and then all three of the kids fell in love with riding on the trails at Hermann Park. It’s so free and open. People are walking, running, and biking, and our kids love that everyone will wave and say hi to each other. We always stop and get a fresh coconut water from Fast Squeeze, a little trailer selling healthy juices that’s usually parked not far from where we enter the park. There is a cluster of light brown rocks nearby—folks are always taking pictures on them, and our kids love to climb all over the rocks and look for lizards.
- H-E-B is the Best – I absolutely love H-E-B. In the past, it was always a pleasure to shop and eat there, but now I take advantage of H-E-B delivering groceries to my home so that I don’t have to expose myself and children to large crowds to shop. There are some H-E-B exclusives that have become weekly must-haves for our family: Their banana nut muffins and their fresh hot salsa are both so good, and the kids and adults in our home love the kale or spinach green juice that they make in the store daily.
- Pink’s Pizza – Pink’s Pizza has been my go-to for comfort eating during this pandemic. It’s delicious! I get a pizza that’s half pineapple, half Pink’s signature Bada Bing Pizza—that’s mozzarella, prosciutto, bacon, pepperoni, Roma tomatoes, spinach, and mushrooms. Everybody always leaves the entire pineapple side to me. I don’t know why!
- Local Support – I buy really cute and custom masks for myself, family, and our employees from a local entrepreneur named Erica Marie who has kept her family afloat during this pandemic by creating custom masks, t-shirts, and more. The masks come in a variety of colors and are so well made—comfortable, too. To place an order, please email [email protected].
- Drive-In Movies – I am a movie junkie so it makes me happy to see drive-in movie theaters popping up in Houston. We park the car, relax, and make sure we have plenty of peanut M&Ms and Nerds. They usually have awesome local food trucks there, too. We loved Space City Shows in the East End, and we’re excited to try the new Drive-In off Navigation at the same location.
About Kimico “Mico” Frydenlund
When Kimico “Mico” Frydenlund couldn’t find the authentic Nashville hot chicken she craved in Houston, she didn’t panic. She just made her own. Launched by Mico and her husband Chris in June 2019, Mico’s Hot Chicken started serving its own take on the spicy fried-chicken magic from a small, white food trailer. As lines snaked around the parking lot day after day, Mico—a registered nurse, Houston native, and mom of three—realized they had something special. Just six months after opening Mico’s Hot Chicken, she signed a lease on her first brick-and-mortar location, nestled in The Heights. City tastemakers, foodies, and Nashville hot chicken fanatics rejoiced—and the outpost was named one of Houstonia Magazine’s Best New Restaurants of 2020. Mico is grateful—and even more determined to get real Nashville hot chicken in as many mouths as possible.
