Elro and its Hoagie and Meatball Sub are gone as the last year closed, but there are still a fair share of worthwhile detours for sandwiches, hot and cold. Below is a current list of my favorite sandwiches. Sandwiches, not shawarmas, wraps, or the sandwich-adjacent hamburgers or hot dogs, though I like all those – with the expected exception of wraps. Unintentionally, among the sandwiches I’ve got on the list: a Houston original; Texas barbecue; a regional Italian; Italian-American via New Orleans; a New Orleans-style po boy; deli, including pastrami a couple or three times – always loved pastrami – banh mi; Philadelphian; and a torta. Properly Houston. Here are the ten favorites, listed alphabetically:
 
Angelo’z – Regular Po Boy – $7.15 – With the distinctive, airy 9-inch rolls, a tad dry and slightly crunchy, recently baked at Royal Bakery in Montrose, Angelo’z is the truest and best successor to the once-loved, family-operated Antone’s that plied Houston with inexpensive sandwiches for several decades. My favorite these days, this basic, classic cold combination features ham, salami, provolone cheese, the signature chow chow, mayonnaise and pickles that somehow tastes much better than it seems it should.
 
Blood Bros. BBQ – Tritip Pastrami Sandwich – $15 – This is a terrific take on the familiar starring a 44 Farms-brand ground brisket patty bearing a lightly smokey taste, melted Swiss cheese, onions, and its Duke’s of Hazzard spread in between slices of grilled marbled light rye. Delicious there and even travels well.
 
Casetta Cucina – Mortadella Schiacciata – $15.50 with the robiola – If you enjoy the sandwiches in Italy, from the Autogrill or lesser autostrade stops or just like Italianate versions anywhere, you'll really like the ones here featuring top-notch ingredients used intelligently and judiciously. Schiacciata is a slightly dense focaccia-like bread from Tuscany, where chef and proprietor Francesco Casetta hails, which provides a sturdy base for these sandwiches that are a little different. Baked in house, the bread makes a difference in the quality, too. In between slices of the schiacciata, with some big chunks of sea salt atop providing a little additional texture, goes the soft mortadella with pistachio, melted, mild robiola cheese, contrastingly bitter arugula, and a little peppery Tuscan olive oil (I’ve assumed). This is a perfectly Italian or Tuscan construction.
 
Feges BBQ – Chopped Brisket Sandwich – $15, large – There are a lot of really good brisket sandwiches in town these days, but I opt for the one at Feges in Spring Branch here, a comfortable stop. Sliced is a better test for barbecue joints, which Feges passes with flying colors, and I often go for the fairly manageably-sized and lazier-to-eat chopped. The roughly chopped beef is fitted with a quality soft bun and is best with a few squirts its mustard-y barbecue sauce to add a little complementary zestiness.
 
Kenny & Ziggy's – The One And Only Reuben, with pastrami – $26.95 – Quite overstuffed, with melted Swiss, hot sauerkraut, and Russian dressing, excellent seeded rye baked on site, and a copious amount of the triple-smoked, house-made pastrami – making a cardiologist’s nightmare – is even more delicious than it is messy to eat. Many extra napkins are necessary. The Pastrami Sandwich, $23.95, served hot, is worthwhile substitution that’s also a favorite.
 
Pappa Geno’s – Philly Steak and Cheese Sandwich – $13.99 – These invariably also messy sandwiches are large, featuring fresh, soft rolls, thinly sliced seasoned beef that is tender and flavorful and well complemented by the plentiful melted provolone and nearly caramelized onions that come with it in this, its base cheesesteak. The ingredients might not have the provenance of those on many upscale restaurants, but they are more than good enough and work wonderfully together. This and the other versions were definitely better than from the local location of Tony Luke’s – highly regarded in the City of Brotherly Love – that I tried a couple of times but had the misfortune of being located near of Pappa Geno’s during its brief tenure.
 
Ragin Cajun – Special Muffalotta – $14, half – It does a terrific job with the muffaletta, even better than at the reported originator, Central Grocery in New Orleans, in the last several times I’ve picked up ones from there in recent years. Slightly unusually toasted and served a bit warm, the fine-quality ingredients seem better than in most versions of the sandwich, and the meats, slightly melted cheeses and the bracing olive salad meld together extremely well, maybe helped by some of the cooking heat. The bread is properly robust, tasty and fresh, making for a great start and base for the sandwich. It goes on from there, from the slight crunch of the warmed loaf, then the vinegary touch of the vegetable mix and soft, hearty slices of meaty proteins, making for a delicious bite. Bites. 
 
Roostar – Grilled Pork Sandwich – $8.19 – Now with a trio of locations in various parts of town, this Banh Mi 2.0 operation is both slicker and more efficient, and better, overall, than its predecessors. Jalapeños cut horizontally – if less plentiful than I like – shredded pickled carrots, cucumbers, cilantro with stems, soy sauce and garlicky aioli fill the sliced rolls from the excellent Slow Dough Bakery that are maybe more traditionally French than is found at other banh mi spots. Not just the bread, but the proteins, including grilled pork, are generally better quality than elsewhere, too. It’s my favorite of the bánh mì thịt nướng options these days, a sandwich I’ve consumed into the hundreds by now.
 
Tio Trompo – Torta al Pastor – $9 – This is a fairly bare-bones counter service taqueria with a limited menu that specializes in cuts of pork from the spinner, the trompo, the vertical spit used to cook pork al pastor. That slowly roasted pork from it – which retains its moistness even in crisp pieces, unlike for al pastor at far too many taquerias in Houston – fills several types of tacos and the torta. Telara bread from local favorite El Bolillo, almost always quite fresh and crusty, provides a tasty complement to the pork, which is joined by a thin slather of refried beans, tomato slices, shredded lettuce, and wedges of avocado. Excellent salsas complete the experience.
 
Winnie’s – Shrimp Po-Boy – $17 – This New Orleans-style po boy is just one of the reasons to fight the parking hassles to get here. Featuring medium-sized, cornmeal-dusted Gulf shrimp deep-fried and properly overflowing from the classic Leidenheimer po-boy roll that’s shipped in fresh twice a week, it is dressed a little differently – tomato, Savoy cabbage, pickles, mayonnaise a Creole mustard vinaigrette – that all works really well.

The Shrimp Po-Boy at Winnie's

The biggest dining news of 2024 was the Michelin Guide’s restaurant recommendations for the first time for the state, the company drawn by subsidies from local and state tourist boards. Its inspector(s) was, were, reportedly based in Austin, which is why the state’s capital in laughably ludicrous fashion had both more stars and many more recommended restaurants overall – 44 to 26 – than did the fourth largest and one of the very best dining cities in the country. There were quite a number of glaring omissions for Houston. And the French seemingly had their first taste of our excellent Texas brisket and were utterly thrown off kilter for the guide, producing wildly uneven results. Just about a quarter of all its recommended restaurants in the state were barbecue joints and also a quarter of its stars. But it is a start and a positive that Michelin is here.
 
Maybe not as exciting as last year with highlights that don’t quite reach Katami or Little’s Oyster Bar, this year saw a number of enticing new eateries. I had good luck with most of the anticipated newcomers, if with a handful of significant exceptions. Nicely, long punching under its weight, Houston’s pizza landscape improved some more with the openings of Pizzana, Karbach Brewing’s Pizza & Pints, and Magdalena’s, that last which dished pizzas like the old Dolce Vita, if somewhat inconsistently. That scene is taking a hit with the closure of Elro – excellent for pizza and a good deal more – at the end of the year. Hopefully, chef Terrence Gallivan’s hiatus will on local dining scene with be brief.
 
If there was any theme this year among several of the top new places it might be comfort. Steaks had prominent places in several of the top newcomers, and there were more new upscale steakhouses to be found, of course. And Berg Hospitality again opened some additional concepts, all with expensive, attractive build-outs. One just too late for this year is Barbacana, featuring the former chef de cuisine at March and a well-pedigreed team. It limited service just before Christmas, fully so early next year for what might be an exciting new stop downtown.
 
Here are the ten best restaurants in Houston this year, listed alphabetically.
 
Bar Bludorn – New American – Entrées: $19 to $75, $49 average – Bringing its signature level of service and attention to detail to west Houston, this is the third restaurant from the group that incudes the Bludorn and the terrific Navy Blue. Along with the name, the mid-century modern-inspired décor helps give a more casual feel, and the welcoming and proficient bar upon entrance reinforces that. There are Atlantic oysters to start that can be baked and fried, too, for the more squeamish. Fries also work at the bar, but could be crispier and accompanying aioli more assertive. The dining room menu highlight steaks along with a roasted duck and a fried chicken with a peanut butter gravy, both of which have drawn critical praise. The handful of pastas can be primo-sized or a full portion, and there should be plenty more from which to choose for nearly any diner, with familiar items done somewhat creatively. Fun desserts like the Foie Gras Candy Bar provide some very tempting calories before you are out the door. The wine list has a French accent and is nicely chosen, as expected, with Burgundies, more red than white. These can satiate both the well-heeled Memorial Villages burghers and those planning to spend a under $100. There are more than enough enticing options on the list that won’t break the bank.  Memorial
 
Baso – New American – Plates: $16 to $200, $80 average order – Easy to miss, though directly across 19th Street from the outstanding Squable, this another destination spot in the Heights. Inspired by the live-fire cooking at the lauded restaurants of the Basque region, a hearth greets diners at the start of the lengthy open kitchen of this earnest establishment with a from-the-bootstraps design that includes a neat kitchen bar that should attract curious diners. The menu is even much more inscrutable than most, but the attentive staff will ably describe the night’s offerings and help offer a course through the visit. Dishes are mostly small, composed and imaginative, and all meant for sharing. Subtle spiciness is common aspect in many, welcome for Houston. Among the handful of larger preparations is a grilled pork chop topped with “jowl condiment” that results in a juicy, delicious slab, certainly one of the best porcine creations in town. But watching one of the beefsteaks near the glowing embers might be an even more tempting treat. You’ll need a few plates, and prices quickly add up. With wine, plan on at least $200 per person. More if you are an enthusiastic diner. Prices skew high on the short list with some temptations: there is not much desirable in two-digits among the reds, for example. But the wines by the glass are well-chosen and mostly under a dollars under $20, not a given at many nicer spots these days. The seemingly oddly constructed cocktails can be a very good place to start, too.  Heights
 
Late August – New American – Entrées: $17 to $60, $35 average –  Set on the first floor of the multi-use ION at the edge of Midtown, not too far from Chris Williams’s Lucille’s, here Williams teams with chef Sergio Hidalgo to offer a menu that ranges widely and should resonate with most local diners. About half of the creatively turned and nicely plated dishes feature Mexican ingredients and preparations while also going to neighboring Louisiana, Jamaica, Africa, east, west and south, and the Middle East for ideas, with all the fruits and vegetables coming from their farm near Sugar Land that also supplies Lucille’s. There are shrimp meatballs, pea hummus with chorizo and chapulines, green macaroni and cheese with pureed greens and coconut cream, Louisiana barbecue seafood – more than just the shrimp – and Navajo fry bread to sop up the sauce. One highlight is the Crispy Octopus with an well-integrated, typically wide mix of components: yucca, romesco sauce, corn, avocado cream, and something called shrimp chorizo. The contemporary space is handsomely done and inviting. With wines by the glass and cocktails to a lesser extent a little more lightly priced than most nice restaurants, the bar can be even more so.  Midtown
 
Leo’s River Oaks – American – Entrées: $40 to $150, $76 average – The menu is far from exciting, the expensively wrought interior might seem to many dark and gloomy rather than romantic, bar service a bit clunky with uninspiring creations, and the California-heavy wine list is much better suited for the suburbs than the heart of the city. But the main reason to visit is that Tim Reading is heading the kitchen and you can be assured that the mostly familiar fare will be executed very well. Reading was last at Georgia James Tavern, as Underbelly Hospitality was in the early days of its implosion after it parted ways with Chris Shepherd, and before that executive chef at Caracol and then his really nicely done counter-service Mexican spot in Bravery Chef Hall, Ixim. One of the several steaks here will drive up the bill if not as much as the necessary caviar service. The menu veers Italian at times, with risotto, carpaccio, burrata with beets, a side of broccolini, agnolotti and veal Milanese done properly with a bone-in veal chop. The gnocchi are French, though, but lightly done and quite tasteful, even if the portions are truly side size. There is plenty of which to choose for most diners and it can be an easy visit before a movie, with the newly renovated River Oaks Theatre adjacent. If not, it services the theater, too.  Heights
 
Marigold Club – American – Entrées: $21 to $92, $58 average – Though this upscale spot references London’s Mayfair on the menu and a name that might evoke a gentry-rich men’s club there, this is might be best described as American with some French touches, or mid-century wealthy American updated for present-day Houston; intelligently and even slyly updated, as you might expect from the folks at Goodnight Hospitality (March, Rosie Cannonball). Steak tartare, a seafood tower, pâté with a cherry chutney, Dover sole with the tomato-y vierge sauce, and the Duck Wellington with green peppercorns, highlight an approachable and playful-at-times menu. There are black truffles that can be shaved on, and caviar service, of course, if not the beluga of the Russian oligarchs who once widely owned in Mayfair. Though possibly stuffy on first glance, it can be fun, when noticing the wall treatments of jubilant well-to-do diners of possibly Houston today and then the sundae cart on the menu that prowls the dining room. As expected from the group, the wine list is excellent, and bar service is exemplary.  Montrose
 
Maximo – Mexican – Entrées: $16 to $30, $22 average – Tucked well into West University Place, occupying a long-standing restaurant space in retail strip, this almost-too-cute-to-be-this-good spot was the best Mexican restaurant to open here in this year. From the Local Foods Group, which had another new winner with Milton’s, this dishes up a focused menu of casual, sometimes heathy, always interesting Mexican preparations that not dumbed down in any way for the address. The smaller sized portions are usually executed quite well with presentations more artful than usual. There are tacos anchored by flavorful house-made tortillas in a half-dozen ways – no trompo so pass on the invariably slightly dry pastor – soups and salads, smaller plates and some bigger items from the plancha like a butterflied whole red snapper, fajitas and bowls and burritos with a choice of meats.  West U
 
MF Lobster & Seafood – Seafood – Entrées: $18 to $60, $36 average – Set in a striking, stand-alone circular structure, if reminiscent the Monitor’s turret fitted with a brimmed hat, and joining Auden and other restaurant concepts in the usually idyllic and sometimes bustling Autry Court, sushi star Chris Kinjo and his lieutenant Miguel Alvarez have created a enticing menu that includes New England seafood items along with Mexican, Japanese and Italian-American preparations. In lesser hands, it might seem unfocused, but here, knowing the level of sourcing and execution, it can be tougher to decide what to order than at most places. There is silky and substantial clam chowder, delicate crudos and ceviches, shrimp tacos, lobster rolls, seafood pastas, and cioppino. The interior is attractive, with floor-to-ceiling windows providing nice vistas and there is a bar made for lingering. The wine is a weak link here, though there are bottles displayed for sale throughout the dining room, somewhat distractedly.  River Oaks
 
Milton’s – Italian-American – Entrées: $23 to $68, $33 average – One tipoff that the restaurant is worthy is at the start, the bread service. It is terrific and tough to resist: excellent, unique breadsticks, soft mouth-watering rolls, and a white country bread that is the best of the three. The quite obscure tigelle on the menu – a bread type from Emilia-Romagna – is also quite tasty. In the space that the really creditable Eau Tour occupied last comes an easier sell than French here, Italian-American. Described as an “American trattoria,” a phrase that doesn’t make a lot of sense, this serves chef-y touches to Italian-American fare with some contemporary Italian-from-Italy items in an approachable neighborhood setting fitting for the pricey zip codes nearby. If jazzed up, there are the expected-today octopus, arancini, burrata, branzino and n’duja but also sweetbreads, honest-to-goodness veal Parmesan, and Shrimp de Jonghe, Chicago’s gift to seafood cookery. For nearly ten different hearty preparations, the pastas are made in house guided by Seth Siegel-Gardner, the culinary director at the parent Local Foods Group, formerly the one half of the Pass & Provisions duo. The chicken liver survives from its predecessor, while and the Italian-heavy wine selections are a big improvement from the very odd ones offered before.  Rice Village
 
Okto – Mediterranean – Entrées: $30 to $62, $48 average – In the multi-used Monrose Collective, this is an engagingly created space, from the patio to lively dining room and immediately upon entering, the quite expansive, impressive horseshoe-shaped bar. This is an inviting stop for a drink and small plate from a short menu that is well-suited to noshing and sharing. The sharing might be the best option here. With dishes inspired mostly by the Levant, Greece, North Africa, the usually meaningless Mediterranean description actually fits here, and these choices are mostly easy to eat with others. Seafood carpaccio and tartare, olives, feta, plenty of vegetables, a grill, lamb, of course, and a couple of steaks including an old school Tournedos Rossini, and with foie gras. Monte Carlo is on the Med, after all. It can be thought of as a more attractively set version of its sibling Hamsa – but with the similarly tough parking situation. Valet. Decent short wine list, though there are hardly any red wines for under $100 a bottle, rather annoyingly. And if the dullest gin and tonic imaginable is an indication, don’t bother with the house cocktails. The bar is still an attraction, though.  Montrose
 
Pizzana – Pizza – Entrées: $16 to $27, $22 average – Los Angeles-bred, celebrity-backed, this is the real deal for Neapolitan-inspired pizzas, immediately becoming one of the best pizzerias in town when it opened early in the year. You can’t have a good pizza without a good crust and these “neo-Neapolitan” creations sit on a sturdy, crispy, airy and very tasty platforms created with a dough kneaded by hand and fermented for a couple of days. Rather than the traditional soft Neapolitan pizza dough, it is actually modeled on the bread dough from the bakery of chef Daniele Uditi’s aunt in Caserta near Naples. It works extremely well. Available in a variety of combinations with a number of high quality toppings used judiciously. There are classic Neapolitan, American, along with some occasionally fanciful like its signature Cacio e Peppe, and a seasonal Carnitas with sliced Mexican-spiced porchetta, two salsas, parsley-cilantro and roasted tomato chipotle, imported cow’s milk mozzarella, fresh cilantro, and sliced raw serranos that nicely played to the Houston palate. Antipasti, pastas, and salads, too, but the pizza pies are the reason, and not the atmosphere, you should visit this perfunctorily designed spot.  River Oaks
 
A couple of honorable mentions for nicely utilitarian, affordable counter-service options that work well for lunch (and breakfast): Casetta’s Cucina for its Tuscan-inspired sandwiches on house-made bread in Spring Branch, and The Little Taco Shop for tacos, quesadillas and more that dishes similar items better than can be expected from this small storefront in the Upper Kirby District.

One of the enticements at Late August

Italian restaurants, which I consider too often…. Though Italian restaurants, or a fair number, generally became more truly Italian over the years, several widespread aspects of the Italian restaurants in America were not found in Italy. These included a small bowl or cruet of olive oil set on the table along with a basket of bread for dipping into the oil. This seems to have begun in the 1980s. It might have been one of the innovations of ground-breaking New York restaurateur Pino Luongo, whose Tuscan-inspired restaurants included Coco Pazzo that once had a location in Houston. Though the concept of dipping raw vegetables into oil, pinzimonio, is found in parts of Italy, the similar use of bread is not, at least the way it is done in this country. Olive oil for the bread on the table was a crowd-pleaser and quickly spread, becoming expected by most diners, even if it was an additional freebie for the owner and a way for customers to waste a lot of decent olive oil. It became emblematic of Italian restaurants here – as much as soft, overcooked pasta served with a lot of sauce – and was resisted only by those able to adhere more closely to the Italian model.
 
If presented in a bowl or plate, the olive oil was often studded with herbs, garlic and sometimes industrial balsamic vinegar. The use of the sweet vinegar became another hallmark of American Italian dining. Balsamic vinegar in its truest, most artisanal form, was nearly unknown outside of its home in and around the north-central city of Modena in Emilia-Romagna until it began to be imported into the U.S. by Williams Sonoma in the late 1970s and then used at the most discerning restaurants a few years later. As it took years to make small amounts, it was expensive, but its concentrated flavor went a long way as a condiment. As the original aged versions gained traction with Americans and the American press, commercial vinegars bearing the name “balsamic vinegar,” tasting vaguely similar and far less pricey, began to be produced. It was with these that most American diners grew to enjoy, both with bread and more so mixed with salads.
 
Predating both the table presentation of olive oil and the familiarity with this uniquely Italian-esque vinegar was the Italian steakhouse, at least in America. There are no steakhouses in Italy. Outside of the Florentines and later other Tuscans, there has been no steak tradition in Italy. In fact, the bistecca in the famous bistecca alla fiorentina comes from the English “beefsteak” because there was no suitable Italian name for the dish. “Being American is to eat a lot of beef steak,” as Kurt Vonnegut rightly observed, and Italian-Americans found it both profitable and enjoyable to serve steak. The first might have been The Palm in Manhattan that opened in the 1920s – very unfortunately, subsequently Landry-ized in recent years – even if it did not consciously start out as primarily a steakhouse. It was later joined, especially after 1990, by numerous others primarily in the northeast and Midwest. These served similar preparations and steaks as the typical grand American steakhouses. What made them “Italian” was that the menu was filled out with a number of rote Italian-American dishes, and usually the restaurant’s full name included the phrase, “Italian Steakhouse.” They could sell to customers wanting two different popular cuisines.

Frank Sinatra was a reportedly a big fan of one of the longtime Italian steakhouses, Gene & Georgetti’s in Chicago, which is still around and quite adept, with old school charm and a hearty menu updated with the times. Sinatra was reportedly a big fan of countless Italian-themed eateries. In fact, “Frank Sinatra ate here” might only be rivaled by “George Washington slept here” in the northeast. According to the dedicated road food warriors, Jane and Michael Stern, who would know better than anyone, “there are countless places between Philly and Boston (not to mention some in Vegas and Palm Springs) where, if you judged by the pictures on the wall, you'd have to say that Frank was the management's best friend.”   A tree of decades-old Italian-American eateries in the Los Angeles area can trace their heritage back to Sinatra beginning with Hollywood’s Villa Capri. Though Sinatra was, by all regards, a terrific customer known for his extremely generous tipping, he also brought a tremendous amount of star power and glamour. He was, after all, one of the most famous Americans since the time he burst on the scene in the early 1940s until his death in the late 1990s. The advertisement of a restaurant’s connection to Sinatra was and continues to be a recognizable feature of the Italian restaurant here, just as it once was with previous Italian-American heroes, Joe DiMaggio and Enrico Caruso.
 
Sinatra’s fixture is more permanent, because Sinatra’s music – and in some sense his persona – has become intertwined with Italian-American food and joyous carousing. Sinatra might be as much a part of the American Italian restaurant as red sauce. His songs and those of the other popular Italian-American singers interpreting the Great American Songbook after the Second World War have become a requisite part of the soundtrack of Italian-themed restaurants. Sinatra was just the best and has been the most played, but he is often joined by Dean Martin, Tony Bennett, Louis Prima, Bobby Darin, Jerry Vale, Jimmy Rosselli, Mario Lanza, Perry Como, Frankie Laine, and Vic Damone as part of the ambiance when out at an Italian restaurant.
 
Though American-bred singers seemed natural complements to the restaurants serving the food, what might be surprising is the disdain that the vast majority of Italians have to Italian food with any American concessions. Most Italians absolutely cannot stand Italian-American food, or at least they say so. This seems to stem largely from the fact that Italians have possibly the narrowest palates in the world, or at least they did in decades past. That and their intense local pride fostered by history and geography. They might complain bitterly about the preparations of dish a town over in Italy if it is slightly different than their own. Of course, they are typically quick to criticize restaurants here.
 
No matter. Italian restaurants in America need to be in business not necessarily to be that Italian.  

From an Italian steakhouse chain in the Midwest; a steak with some seemingly Italian-American touches

As there are so many delicious foods to be found in hopelessly unattractive strip centers throughout the Houston area, it should be no surprise that excellent sandwiches can be had at one in a small place that opened this summer in Spring Branch, on Campbell just north of I-10. The surprise is that sandwiches are somewhat of an afterthought there. Primarily a fresh pasta shop also selling accompanying sauces, Casetta Cucina, has just three sandwiches. These are rather unique, Italian sandwiches made with the unusual Tuscan schiacciata bread, a fairly dense focaccia-like bread made in-house that gives the assemblages a sturdy, delicious base. The unusual name with its assault of consonants might give pause when customers go into the shop for pasta and see the little placard on the counter for sandwiches bearing this name. It is pronounced skiah-CHA-tah. Not too hard.
 
If you enjoy the sandwiches in Italy, from the Autogrill or lesser autostrade stops or in cafés there in the afternoon, or just enjoy Italianate versions anywhere, you'll really like the ones here featuring top-notch ingredients used intelligently and judiciously. I’ve liked them even more than the ones I’ve had over the years in Italy. And these are very similar, if just a little different because of the bread. There is the Caprese with rich buffalo milk mozzarella and tomato slices bolstered with a little bit of pesto, another featuring prosciutto, with the mozzarella and bitter arugula, and the third with pistachio-studded mortadella, arugula and for an additional couple of dollars, melted creamy, buttery robiola from the Italian cheesemakers at Lira Rossa a couple of hours west of Houston. Along with noticeable olive oil, each is topped large grains of sea salt that add a very welcome flavor to the mix. Each of the three is very good, though the mortadella one has been my favorite. Just those three now, I’ve been told a Sicilian hamburger is on the way. Whatever that might be, I’m sure it will be worth a try, at the very least.
 
Casetta Cucina is mostly a spot to pick up pasta fresca, pasta made by hand. The pasta-making station greets you as you enter, situated prominently behind the counter separated by glass with either owner, Francesco Casetta, or another worker plying away, with stacked, big bags of Caputo flour from Italy visible on the floor. You might have seen Casetta at one of the weekend farmers markets selling pasta. Once the executive chef at Tony's, he certainly has the skills to craft a quality sandwich. More so, since he making the bread.

There is not much to the place in terms of dining in, just a couple small tables or so out front and another in hallway, but the sandwiches travel very well back to the office or home.

Casetta Cucina
1024 Campbell Road (just north of I-10), 77055, (346) 546-8438
casettacucina.com
Monday-Friday, 9AM to 6PM

Michelin is most focused on false positives, avoiding undeserving inclusions – though there always some and a handful locals in this initial guide for Houston – and it’s obvious from the recommendations for other cities that the list scratches the surface, at best.  That is even much more so in the very first guide for a place when the inspector(s) for the city can only visit so many restaurants.
 
But Michelin starts slowly.  I heard from the ceremony on Monday that Michelin only starts an area with single stars at most.  Actually, I don’t believe that there are any two-star spots here, but good to know.  And likely confirmation that it is going slowly in all things.
 
Bao Ong had an interesting interview in the Houston Chronicle yesterday with “anonymous Chief Inspector of the Michelin Guide North America.”  There was a laughably odd response that, “The Michelin Guide is unique because it evaluates only the cuisine itself. But it can also mention service quality and decor, and describe the experience you can get at a certain restaurant.”  Maybe this is more true now with a few noodle shops, taco stands and now barbecue joints being recommended, but certainly décor and service matter, much more so when stars are awarded.  My friend in Mexico City thought that taco stand star was definitely a joke, even in terms of the food compared to many similar spots.
 
Anyway, I am very happy Michelin is here.  It’s a start, and there will be many more recommended places in the future, as in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Washington, DC.
 
Star-worthy omissions:

• Katami
• Little Oyster’s Bar
• Navy Blue
• Uchi

 
Recommended, and most of these are Bib Gourmand according to its criteria, examples from other cities, and the ones that were cited for Houston as such:

• Amalfi
• Auden
• Backstreet Café
• Bari
• Brennan’s
• Caracol
• Da Marco
• Elro
• Eunice
• Goode Co. Seafood
• Goode Co. Kitchen & Cantina – C’mon Candente over this?
• Hugo’s
• Lucille’s
• Kata Robata
• Kiran’s
• Ostia
• Pacha Nikkei
• Pondicheri
• Riel
• Soto
• Squable
• Tiny Champions
• Tony’s
• Xochi

 
Inclusions I would not have made:

• Rosemeyer BBQ – I was with a couple of other wine and food writers during the live-stream of the event and none of us had even heard of the place.  Maybe it is great, but there are a number of other barbecue places that are full-service spots that are certainly deserving that were not included.
• Candente – I have dined here almost ten times and usually quite enjoy it, but I don't believe it is nearly as deserving as Goode Co. Kitchen & Cantina and El Tiempo, each probably hurt in consideration for having multiple locations.
• Killen’s – Having dined heard several times and not too far from me, it has not been on my list to visit for a while now.  Maybe it has gotten better recently.  I have loved Killen’s BBQ and enjoyed Killen’s STQ.

 
Also, I don’t doubt that Corkscrew should have been included on the list, but certainly not with a star, especially with a number of other area barbecue joints are just as good, or better, and in nicer digs.

At Pacha Nikkei last year

Along with empty Chianti fiaschi covered in wax from candles, red-and-white-checkered gingham tablecloths might quickly come to mind for many, maybe those a little older, when thinking of Italian restaurants. There was a strong association between the two for years in this country given the sheer number of Italian restaurants employing them. New York restaurateur Pino Luongo wrote “in 1983, there were only two types of Italian restaurants here. There were the places with the red-checkered tablecloths that served spaghetti and meatballs and veal piccata” and a far smaller number of fancy spots. Even today, it’s easy to find red and white coverings for sale with names like “Italian Restaurant Checkered Tablecloth,” “Italian Styled Red and White Checkered Print Tablecloth,” “Italian Checked Tablecloth” and “Checkered tablecloths – Not just for Italian restaurants.” The use of these types of tablecloths was not limited to Italian restaurants, and were also once very popular with a wide range of restaurants, especially in the nation’s biggest city. Joe Allen’s Paris restaurant that drew a lot of ink was described after opening in 1972 as having an ambiance that “is still definitely New York” prominently with “red‐checked tablecloths,” and even the landmark “21” restaurant famously had those in its bar area for decades until shuttered by the pandemic.
 
That Italian restaurants became linked to those tablecloths might have began in New York before Prohibition, where there were many more Italian restaurants than elsewhere. The Italian restaurateurs could have looked to the city’s popular, casual French bistros, or German, or affordable restaurants of any or nearly every stripe – except for Chinese, it seems – in the city for an example to borrow to suitably cover their tables. The starched white tablecloths at the nicer establishments signified something classier and more expensive. And cleaning and ironing those white tablecloths were more expensive, too. The affordability of these red-and-white-checkered options were certainly a significant factor, too. And, conveniently and maybe importantly, that busy red-and-white pattern help obscure stains from red sauce and red wine, which were brought to about every table.
 
As Italian-themed restaurants became more ambitious and pricier, and maybe more Italian, these lost the red-checkered patterns. These were seen by many diners as old fashioned. And that is reason is why you will still see them at some intentionally homier Italian-American places. Italian-American not Italian.

As most savvy restaurant-goers know, the Mucky Duck – McGonigel's Mucky Duck, officially – though primarily a music showcase, has probably the best pub grub in the Houston area. Among the necessary and popular options is the hamburger, which are tastier, of course, when made into a cheeseburger. With cheeseburgers, I occasionally like a bleu cheese version. You can get one at the Mucky Duck that is different. The English Stilton is the bleu cheese.
 
Not just the classic pairing with an after-dinner port, the mild, savory and buttery-flavored Stilton gently melted on the thick patty provides a distinct and welcome complement, and not as strong as the typical bleu cheeses used. The high-quality cheese matches rest of the burger that features grass-fed, Akaushi beef from HeartBrand in Flatonia and a buttered and toasted billowing onion challah bun from Slow Dough, with strands of red onion and leafy lettuce in between. Paired with crisp, tasty fries. A nice German lager, also, in my case the other evening.
 
McGonigel's Mucky Duck
2425 Norfolk (just east of Kirby), 77098, (713) 528-5999
mcgonigels.com

Watching from a café, aperitivo at hand, across a small street from the popular trattoria Scannabue, we saw other tourists gathering at its entrance for the chance of a table that evening, seemingly all without luck. This helped reinforce the thought that this was a good choice for the first meal during my first visit to the charming city of Turin. But I was already feeling fairly confident as this restaurant in the bohemian- and immigrant-accented San Salvario neighborhood near the grand central train station was recommended in the Michelin guide – my go-to for dining in Europe – and had a Bib Gourmand designation to boot, had been cited in a recent New York Times travel piece, “36 Hours in Turin,” and even had a positive blurb from England’s top wine publication, Decanter.
 
Part of the initial seating, we were among the first to arrive in a low-ceiling setting that was homey, comfortable, but quickly filled with the liveliness of a popular, buzzy restaurant. The few diners there at the start, were, like us, seemingly eagerly looking toward the meal and enjoying the evening. Those expectations were to be met, exceeded even. The dinner, with bread, quickly brought to the table, including grissini, of course, then the dishes, was excellent and service was attentive, friendly, and nicely mostly in English. We went with the five-course traditional menu for a comparative song at just 35 euros, for a sample some of the highlights of the rich, often meaty and widely appealing cuisine of this land-locked region. That was, in succession: veal tonnato, playfully topped with a big caperberry; tender agnolotti del plin filled with three roasted ground meats; braised beef in red wine, this with veal cheek and mashed potatoes; whipped baccalà in more mashed potatoes; and bonet, a chocolate panna cotta, of sorts.
 
These were each updated versions of classic local and regional dishes, dishes I’d had in previous trips. These were just done better: more flavorful, richer, featuring evidently high quality ingredients, with considerable experience and skill in the kitchen, and generally presented more attractively. The veal tonnato featured very soft slices of roast veal, nicely tart, as good as any very I remembered having in the area. The pasta pockets that were the egg yolk-heavy agnolotti were tender and the meats, rustic-tasting, savory and hearty. The braise was unctuous, delicious. Even the baccalà, far from a typical order for me, was enjoyable. And bonet, was terrific, even after seemingly more than enough calories by that stage. The portions were hearty, as in a generous village trattoria, but the execution more refined, befitting a what is a top restaurant city like Turin.
 
Scannabue is a trattoria with evident surety in its cooking and also with a sense of more contemporary ideas. We saw the playful and acclaimed vasocottura, rabbit cooked in a jar with a tuna sauce, carried to a few tables. I look forward to a future return for something new, or maybe just what I had. It was that good.
 
As you might expect given its proximity to the famed wine regions nearby, the vinous offerings are numerous and well-chosen, even more so than most local trattorias. I had my eyes on an eminently food-friendly Barbera from nearby that I might not find at home, but the waitress directed us to a Barbera d’Asti from Sette that proved too thin and troppo naturale for my tastes. She was certainly very knowledgeable, but like many younger sommeliers, but had more a penchant for the new, less tried and funky than I do. The list, about 800 labels, was fun to peruse with a number of neat things from more than nearby: Emidio Pepe for just 65 euros and a couple bottlings of the other cult Montepulciano d’Abruzzo producer, Valentini. And couple from Cantina Giardino, a natural wine producer in Campania that actually knows its craft, that I have quite liked in the past.
 
This is a restaurant to visit when visiting Turin, wine lover or not. It’s some more fun if you are though.
 
Scannabue
Largo Saluzzo, 25/h, 10125
Turin, Italy
scannabue.it

The Guancia Brasata al Barbera su Purea di Patate at Scannabue

When discussing heading to the Green Mill in Chicago to hear live music and maybe a few drinks in the late 1980s, my friends were quick to point out that it had been owned by Machine Gun McGurn, a legendary and legendary cruel mobster, several decades earlier. That reputation hung over place, part of its brand, and part of the draw. The mob connection has been an enticement for decades for customers, or a segment of customers, possibly lured by a sense of perceived danger, however small, the notoriety, the assumed raffishness of the spot, or even the attraction to the power of organized crime figures.
 
In an article in the Washington Post with the cheeky title, “A Real Shot in the Arm for N.Y. Eateries” in 1989 quotes a regular patron to The Bankers and Brokers Ristorante not far from his work: “The fact there's a mob shooting connected with the place does sort of add excitement…You feel like you're in the middle of it all,” referring to an organized crime shooting stemming from an incident at the restaurant, which was allegedly connected to a member of the Gambino family. That appeal was widespread and the benefit for the business was noted by Tim Zagat, “It's sad but true that shootings are good for the restaurant business….It's more publicity than a restaurant would ever get through reviews; it's worth millions.” There can be a practical side for this, as restaurants have provided more convenient settings for shootings, as it might the only public spots to find these often reclusive and armed targets. Even these Italian-Americans have had a penchant for Italian-American fare, so the place with the attendant publicity is usually Italian-themed, one of the hazards of doing business for some.
 
The best mob association for an establishment might be to have hosted a sensational murder or publicized shooting, but the appeal is also for those reputed to be mob hangouts or owned by a mobster, even once owned. There’s been quite a few of these mob-connected spots over the years, mostly in New York, where there’s been much more Italian organized crime but also Chicago and Philadelphia, and elsewhere. There is, or was, even another aspect to the appeal of mobsters at restaurants. Star critic Gael Greene, in the early years of her restaurant review column in New York magazine, wanted to check out in 1969 the thought in New York that the “Mafia is widely advanced as ‘the Michelin Guide for Italian restaurants.” Aided in her quest by a “gourmet crew of Mafia Boswells and plumpish law enforcement officers” who had “shared their personal dining guides to Mafia-starred restaurants,” she visited eight restaurants, four of which were in Little Italy, and another just blocks away, each serving familiar local takes on Southern Italian-American fare. Greene was not too impressed with these. That did not have to diminish the draw, though.

Below are a dozen of the most infamous over the years, one with a very memorable name even hosted a couple different murders decades apart.

Photo: Umberto's Clam House - Jerry Mosey/AP/Shutterstock

I’ve been an active participant in Houston Restaurant Weeks again this year. It benefits a worthwhile local charity, The Houston Food Bank, that I support and it also helps restaurants in what was once the slowest time of the year. And that’s even if it’s been my experience over the years that you will not get any restaurant’s best effort. Corners are almost always cut: offerings are limited, preparations are simpler, portions might be smaller, desserts seem have sat in the refrigerator much longer than usual, and there are often add-ons for something that most customers want, etc. I understand the need to do so and have accepted it for a while. If a restaurant impresses with a Restaurant Weeks menu, I am impressed. There are some that do.
In order of the quality of the meals, taste first then value.

Musaafer – B+ – Musaafer wins Restaurant Weeks for me once again and further confirmation that this is the best Indian restaurant in the city. A ceviche of sorts featuring lychees was as artfully presented as it was delicious, which was followed by probably the best version of butter chicken I’ve ever had that exhibited a depth of flavor I hadn’t experienced in this popular dish. It made me overlook the $4 surcharge each for accompanying naan and basmati rice, rather necessary.

Pappas Bros. Steakhouse (downtown) – B+ – My favorite of Houston’s traditional expense account steakhouses, this did not disappoint for Restaurant Weeks, as it never does, offering an impressive amount of tasty, cholesterol-laden calories led by a dry-aged Prime Strip that was actually a decent value. As a bonus, is the indulgence in its expansive wine list and enthusiastic sommeliers who guided us to a nice, very steak-complementary St. Joseph far below that average wine tariff.

Aiko – B+ – Vibrant, flavorful, well-crafted seaweed salad was followed by a crudo and handrolls that were each delicious. The attractive space was also a nice break during the workday, even if the lunch was not so filling.

Winnie’s – B+ – Playful food – jalapeño poppers and meatloaf – done better than most places, not surprising as this fun spot with a serious kitchen has always been worth visiting even when a cocktail is not in mind.

Navy Blue – B+/B – A well turned-out red oak salad with Manchego and a light pistachio vinaigrette prefaced a beautifully presented salmon filet that was a touch overcooked but in a preparation that was still quite enjoyable. It started nicely, with exceptional, crumbly, cheddar and scallion biscuits; excellent baked goods are always a hallmark of top restaurants for me, and Navy Blue is one of Houston’s tops.

Fiori – B/B+ –  At least a couple of Italians said I should give Fiori another try and be sure to have one of its Roman dishes. I finally did, and the vibrant sauce in the spaghetti All’Amatriciana did not disappoint. It more than made up for the dull fried ricotta to start.

Upper Kirby District – B – Four courses and the most food of any Restaurants Week menu started off with a terrific chicken, sausage and okra gumbo followed with a forgettable, simple roll then some juicy, crispy fried chicken wings straight from the fryer coupled with cold Belgian waffles but finished with a neat peach cobbler. Uneven but the highs made it quite enjoyable.

Late August – B – This engaging newish spot in the Ion at the edge of Midtown, a sibling of Lucille’s, that highlights products from their farm near Sugar Land, offered a creative take on the Caesar and fun, crispy octopus preparation that showed a preview some of the appealing things that the kitchen can do.

Ostia – B – A better deal than most, with a good-sized Caesar – a common order for me for this – and one of their full-sized pizzas. Though their on the margherita wasn’t has tasty as the couple others I’ve had there, it was still pretty good.

Carrabba’s (Kirby) – B – The fried calamari with a tangy, lemony and piquant dipping sauce and the richly dressed house salad along with recently baked, crusty bread was good enough for me for the simple, soft pasta with an Alfredo-like sauce with strips of discordant roasted chicken to affect my opinion. Being served quickly and capably, as always there, helped, also.

Da Gama – B/B- – The patty was overcooked a little to my taste in my Lamb Kofta Burger, and the attractive if single-fried fries were well served with an accented mayonnaise to dip in, and I enjoyed the nut-heavy gulab jamen after. This stylish Indian spot is a favorite and even having to ask the waitstaff three times for an HRW menu could diminish a visit much.

PS21 – B- – The croutons were not crunchy, but their take on the Caesar salad with a mustard accent was decent enough. The day’s quiche featured a soft crust that was not what it had been in the past for me there, but the crispy fries were tasty, even if the side of oddly ineptly made mayonnaise that was not quite fully emulsified did not satisfy as much as usual.

Picos – C+ – A duo of noticeably tasty salsas with the chips start a meal here, but both dishes were a little too gloppy. The Nachos Jorge, that are topped with the cochinita pibil, were seemingly not stewed enough and certainly not flavorful enough, just like during a visit last month. And the spinach enchiladas were in a hearty cream sauce that was a little too hearty, though it was all an impressive amount of calories on the plates for a lunchtime.

La Fisheria – C – Dull-tasting ceviche featuring very softly-textured cubes of fishes started the meal. This  followed by decent Tex-Mex-style quesadillas oddly served in a little oval skillet with some thick ridges, and finished with very dull cake that likely had been occupying refrigerator space for a while. And all with ingredients that were far from the best. Unfortunately, this visit reminded me why I hadn’t been here for a while.

At Navy Blue the other day; more attractive than the last salmon dish I made at home.

I’m very happy that the tourist boards in Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Austin and Fort Worth ponied up the money to pay for Michelin to recommend restaurants and hotels in these big cities; at least $90,000 annually from Houston First here. I’ve used Michelin for restaurants, mostly, with great success over the past quarter-century, largely in Europe. It’s a staple of my travel planning. Though it is unlikely to change my dining habits here, it can be a great boon for restaurants recommended in the guide. And I believe it will help increase the quality of the dining scene here.
 
Though obtuse in practice, Michelin’s stated guidelines for which restaurants deserve inclusion in its guides are “based on five universal criteria, to ensure each destination’s selection equity: 1) quality products 2) the harmony of flavors 3) the mastery of cooking techniques 4) the voice and personality of the chef as reflected in the cuisine 5) consistency between each visit and throughout the menu (each restaurant is inspected several times a year).” In practice, the level of service, décor along with an appropriate beverage list are also key. That last usually means a decent array of wines.
 
There are currently 152 restaurants cited in Michelin guide for Chicago, so I think that Houston should get at least half that total, as Chicago is bigger metro area, with more much more ambitious set-course establishments, and practiced in satisfying the Michelin inspectors. Also, the quality of service is generally higher than there, a weak spot for the area dining scene, a point re-emphasized with a recent visit to The Blind Goat, which had a few issues, and where the waitstaff was quite earnest but painfully amateurish: slow to clear finished plates, slow to clean a spill, drinks brought to the wrong table, and more. Not unusual.
 
Having fun speculating, I’ve come up with a list of area restaurants that might make the initial Michelin guide based on experience at Michelin-recommended spots including last month in Italy and France, perusing through entries in New York, Chicago, DC, and California, and a few that are hopeful on my part based on my terrific luck at them. There is a soft spot for studied cute and quirky, at least for the Chicago guide, so I have a few. And Tex-Mex might not come to mind for a Michelin guide, but New York even has a Tex-Mex spot, regarded for its “wild boar with grits,” so I think Houston can garner at least one Tex-Mex spot.
 
My lists below are deficient in Chinese and some other Asian eateries, as the Michelin will likely also be.
 
Stars – Listed in order of the likelihood of garnering one, at least one.

• Le Jardinier – Its siblings in New York and Miami have stars and another in Geneva has two. The Robuchon-legacy cuisine still resonates and service is as good as it gets in Houston. The setting at the MFAH is not too shabby, either.
• Katami – Chef Manubu Horiuchi, arguably the top chef in Houston, has a beautiful setting in which to shine for sushi and much more. Shine it certainly does.
• March –The best of breed of the quartet of pricey set-menu-only restaurants that came on the scene in 2021. One of the most ambitious in the area, this is staffed by a very capable and broadly experienced team led by executive chef Felipe Riccio that can pull off Michelin-starred-quality creations inspired by top restaurants around the Mediterranean.
• BCN – Provides locals with a very well-executed glimpse into Spanish fine dining that is both contemporary and deeply rooted in the traditions of Barcelona. The kitchen is headed by Chef Luis Roger, who had years of experience in kitchens in his native Catalonia including a stint at El Bulli, which will get the reviewers attention.
• Navy Blue – Executive Chef Jerrod Zifchak arrived from New York where he was the last one at the Michelin-starred Café Boulud on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, succeeding Aaron Bludorn in that role. Notably for the cuisine, Zifchak also had four years in the kitchen at Le Bernardin, widely regarded as the top seafood restaurant in the country. There are other impressive CVs on staff here, which quickly shows upon entry and with the first drink, as service is noticeably professional.
• Little’s Oyster Bar – Pappas Restaurants did something it’s never done before with this spring newcomer, hire a top chef to head one of its kitchens, when it enticed Jason Ryczek who had been the executive chef for several years at Farallon, one of San Francisco’s leading seafood restaurants, to move here. Bringing a fresh and seasoned perspective to the space that housed popular Little Pappas Seafood House for over three decades, it now boasts one of the very best seafood restaurants in the entire Gulf Coast.
• Uchi – Terrific in several locations, this Austin-bred sushi spot excels across the board, highlighted by an approachability and comforting service that might belie the culinary excellence.
• Neo – Another omakase concept from alumni of Uchi, this is more than sushi and fish. The setting is also different, quite interestingly, in a menswear showroom. It can be tough to get a ticket, and very pricey one at that.
• Ishtia – The successor to eculent in Kemah that garnered national attention – Tom Sietsema, longtime restaurant critic at The Washington Post had an uneven meal in 2019, but thought it was “tastier overall than the experimental Alinea in Chicago,” which carries three Michelin starts. It’s also the type of multi-course type of spot that Michelin likes.
• Alba – This is a stretch, and I am not sure what is going on since the Borlenghi’s sold the Hotel Granduca where the restaurant resides. But Maurizio Ferrarese, hopefully still at the helm, is one of the very best chefs in the city, in my opinion. He’s been a beacon for excellent truly Italian food since he came to Quattro downtown a dozen or so years ago from Il Palagio, a Michelin-starred restaurant in Florence where he was the chef de cuisine. A couple of summers ago, I attended a dinner at Alba for sixty to seventy people, nearly all Italians. The five courses were terrific, even more impressive given the size of the dinner. It was better than any of the meals I have had in nearly a month spent in Italy over the past couple of years, dining very well. That dinner even impressed the Italians.

 
Inclusion – Listed in alphabetical order. The ones for Bib Gourmand are listed separately, below.

• Amalfi – One of Houston’s very best Italian restaurants
• Amrina – Indian in The Woodlands that got a somewhat recent rave from longtime Los Angeles food radio host Evan Kleinman in the Wall Street Journal, which might help garner proper notice.
• Andiron – Steaks done differently, from the grill not the broiler, in one of the most handsome dining rooms around coupled with an expansive, lust-able wine list, if geared toward those paying with an Amex Black Card.
• Auden – One of 2023’s top newcomers is a neat spot that is intriguing and adroit in a lot of ways.
• Backstreet Café – A bistro for Houston that has been around for decades
• Bari – Excellent, truly Italian food from a seasoned hand, Renato Di Pirro
• Benny Chows – Cheeky and expensive for what it is, this is bolstered by a seasoned named chef who churns out terrific food. Now, Jett Hurapan, of Songkran and Gigi Huang’s. And Michelin seems to have a penchant for rewarding Chinese restaurants not frequented by Chinese.
• Bludorn – Could get a star because the team worked in the Michelin-starred Café Boulud in New York. I don’t think it is star-worthy based on my two visits, though.
• Bori – Houston’s fanciest Korean spot, dishing steak, something, locals and travelers, like
• Brennan’s – The Houston-accented Creole grande dame seems it is a good as it’s been in any time since Danny Trace was lured away to Jim Crane’s ventures in 2017.
• Carrabba’s (Kirby and Voss) – The two original spots of this national chain turn out vibrant, crowd-pleasing Italian-American fare, the best in Houston, with welcoming, very efficient service that have been drawing throngs of folks, many of whom can dine anywhere they want, since the 1980s for a reason. But Michelin doesn’t seem to reward spots like this, as far as I can tell.
• Caracol
• Da Gama
• Da Marco
• Davis Street
• El Tiempo – Possibly. Once dishing the city’s best Tex-Mex, it has suffered some as it has expanded to a number of location, many too many, a fate that befell Ninfa’s before. But those fajitas.
• Etoile
• Eunice
• Flora – New York’s Michelin guide recommends a Tex-Mex spot in New York. This is certainly better – speculating, of course – and also attractively set dishing attractively presented local favorites.
• Hamsa
• Hidden Omakase
• Hugo’s
• Jun
• Kau Ba – Funky and proficient with a good story that has garnered some national attention
• Kata Robata – Maybe even a star given the quality what comes out from Hori’s kitchen and sushi counter
• Killen’s STQ
• Kiran’s
• Lucille’s
• MAD
• Maison Pucha Bistro
  
• MF Sushi
• Musaafer
• Nancy’s Hustle – Should be, will be star-worthy in the future once the Michelin reviewers understand the city and restaurant better.
• Nobie’s
• Ostia – This American-Italian does things quite well and from a restaurateur with tenure in two Michelin bastions, New York and San Francisco, who knows what might need to be done for it.
  
• Pacha Nikkei
  
• Pappas Bros. Steakhouse – The city’s best traditional steakhouse(s) can even load a filet with flavor and has one of the country’s best an most expansive wine lists.
  
• Potente – An expense-account diner across from the ballpark has one of the city’s top chefs, Danny Trace.
  
• Riel
  
• Roost – A slightly quirky spot that largely flies under the radar for most local diners highlighting the personal cuisine of chef-owner Kevin Naderi, something that Michelin might like.
  
• Rosie Cannonball
  
• Soto
  
• Squable
  
• State of Grace
  
• Street to Kitchen – Though I haven’t been impressed as many others in my nearly ten meals here, I think it’s received enough buzz to gain inclusion.
  
• Tatemo
  
• The Lymbar
  
• The Marigold Club – From the team that brought us March and Rosie Cannonball with a former top toque at Tony’s with a focus on demanding, well-heeled diners. Might be too new for inclusion, though.
  
• Theodore Rex
  
• Tony’s
  
• Tris – A bastion of quality in The Woodlands
  
• Uchiko
  
• Vic & Anthony’s – Possibly a reach and, yes, it is a Landry’s restaurant, but it is one of the city’s best steakhouses; here, you don’t have to apologize for visiting a Landry’s property.
  
• Xochi
  

 
Bib Gourmand – “Good value. Good value cooking”; separate from the above lists. Based on other cities, maybe two-thirds of recognized Houston restaurants could be Bib Gourmand places. Listed alphabetically.

• Blood Bros. BBQ
• Crawfish and Noodles
• Cuchara
• Elro – This place is excellent, with a very well-rendered, unique menu from an experienced chef with New York-tuned chops along with fun cocktails and a very well-chosen small list of wines.
• Ema – Cute, quaint and earnest
• Feges BBQ
• Fung’s Kitchen – Maybe it might not be as good as before the fire a few years ago that shuttered it for a while, it is still a go-to for dim sum and Hong Kong-style seafood.
• Goode Co. Kitchen and Catina – The area’s top Tex-Mex spot from an estimable restaurant family, these certainly deserve inclusion.
• Goode Co. Seafood – Quite a bit better than good and the best rendition of locally attuned seafood rooted in the past of the region.
• Himalaya – This approachable, fun stop for Indo-Pakistani food has long been a favorite for locals and national film crews for a while for good reason.
• Josephine’s
• Killen’s BBQ – The area barbecue joint that began the barbecue renaissance still smokes top-notch beef.
• Mala Sichuan – The Chinese restaurant that has received the most press from the non-Chinese language media plus the food is quite good in its several locations and a quality beverage list at the Bellaire Boulevard original.
• Pinkerton’s BBQ
• Pizzana – Has one in Los Angeles and this place is quite proficient.
• Pondicheri
• Poscol – Marco Wiles’s spot has been a welcome stop for something a little different, small plate-style that’s much more Italian than typically found here.
• Saldivia’s – A wish for me. This humble, family-run Uruguayan steakhouse has been turning out the best value steaks in the city for nearly three decades in its various iterations. Their entraña, a skirt steak, ever before adding some more of their terrific chimichurri, has been easily much better than steaks I’ve had at pricey steakhouses like Brenner’s, Andiron, and Georgia James in the past year.
• The Breakfast Klub
• The Pit Room
• Truth BBQ – The brisket here is confirmation that it is world-class fare.
• Tiny Champions – This place is great, and more than just the city’s best pizzeria; excellent cocktails, pasta and more.
• Winnie’s – In the Chicago guide, there is Ina Mae’s, a New Orleans-inspired po boy-centric spot, so Winnie’s could make it. There’s some skill at this seemingly humble place.

A spread at Nancy's Hustle

The hamburger I picked up the other day from Underbelly Burger in Spring Branch was quite disappointing, most notable for the overcooked patties and listless buns that made for a lame sandwich and even putting it in fast-food level to me, albeit at more than twice the price and much less of the  convenience. During its first year or so in operation in the farmers market on Airline, Underbelly Burger was one of my very favorite burger joints. I overlooked that their odd, twisty, thick-cut fries were always undersalted and unsatisfying, but the burgers were outstanding in both of the beef choices.
 
The shake was quite tasty again on the recent visit, and the staff remembered straws, thankfully, but again in the bag for takeout, no napkins. That, with the charging for small packets of ketchup, mustard and mayonnaise, it gave the impression of a restaurant cutting corners, or just not that adept at service. That was certainly my impression with the short-lived Mexico City taqueria concept, Comalito, with its slow, often inept service, very cheap utensils, small, thin napkins not up to the job and food that was uneven in execution and in fairly restrained portions. It seemed expensive for the total product, for a place I really wanted to like. I wasn’t that surprised to learn that it had closed quickly.
 
Now down to Underbelly Burger, Wild Oats and Georgia James, Underbelly Hospitality is a shadow of its former self. Chris Shepherd left two years ago, in July 2022, and the restaurants that remain are far less interesting and a diner is far less assured of an excellent meal, something once taken for granted. My last meal at Georgia James featured a surprising amount of gristle in the steak and a martini bizarrely served in a tulip-shaped glass. Once my favorite local steakhouse, it is now beyond consideration. The modern, overly masculine décor of its current location appalled my oft-charming dining companion, and not that she’s ever been accused of being too dainty. The soulless plaza where the restaurant sits off W. Dallas and Dunlavy probably contributes to the mood. It did not help another briefly lasting effort, Pastore, which served an American-Italian cuisine. That restaurant suffered greatly in comparison to Ostia just down Dunlavy serving similar fare, but exhibiting a much greater understanding of  and interpretation of the cuisine while executing far better.
 
It is good to remember what Underbelly was and became. Juxtaposing many of the city’s ethnic cooking traditions with an emphasis on those from Asia onto a menu and often on a single plate and usually succeeding in dramatic fashion brought chef Chris Shepherd deserved national acclaim. And that spotlight has helped shine more light on other local restaurants and chefs. Underbelly, boisterous and confident, interesting and extremely competent, also helped show that a meal built around small plates can work well. It led to other restaurants, most notably the ones in the One Fifth series, somehow excellent in each of several concepts and cuisines ranging from a steakhouse, a mash-up of French, Spanish and Italian dishes, Levantine and Persian, Gulf Coast seafood, and finally a chef-y Italian-American. Underbelly lead to a broadly similar, still outstanding UB Preserv and Georgia James from a One Fifth start, becoming a top local steakhouse stalwart.
 
Chris Shepherd was not the only top chef to leave. Others in recent years include, notably, Nick Wong at UB Preserv and Tim Reading at Georgia James Tavern, who had also been the executive chef at Caracol. Both of whom thankfully have remained in Houston and will be opening new places soon. Others like Ryan Lachaine at Riel and Patrick Feges at Feges BBQ left years ago. The kitchen talent at the restaurants in Underbelly Hospitality seems much less than it once was. This helps explain some of drop off in quality and probably some of the turn to much safer directions.
 
Underbelly, etc., gone but not forgotten.

One of the wonderful compositions at Underbelly back in the day

I am a big fan of Elro and it’s unique, smart and very approachable take on upscale casual dining, believing it was one of the top new restaurants to open in the city last year. Texas Monthly recently opined the same thing. Having dined there about ten times already – it’s nearby and easy for me for lunch which helps – and being sucker for a good sandwich, especially an Italian-accented sandwich, I was looking forward to its second sandwich offering, the Meatball Sub that debuted after my last visit.
 
And that is a favorite for many. The meatball sub finished number thirteen on a YouGov survey of the country’s most popular sandwiches a few years ago. I do like it when done well or even fairly well, though it’s number three for me among hot Italian-American sandwiches. With family roots in Chicago, Italian beef has been tops for me probably followed by Veal Parm – though I haven’t had a good one of those in a quarter century. Elro’s version of the meatball sub might change my sandwich pecking order.
 
Its meatball sub was likely the best of that genre I’ve ever had. Arriving solo on a plate with its two halves enclosed in aluminum foil, it doesn’t make a striking appearance. Unwrapping a half of very hot sandwich gingerly reveals a crusty sesame seed-topped hoagie roll filled with beef and pork meatballs, melted provolone and mozzarella, with a judicious amount of a tomato sauce and, somewhat unusually, big leaves of basil. The meatballs, half pork and half beef, were soft and flavorful, and were complemented perfectly with the melted white cheeses, a lighter tomato sauce, the fragrant green herbs, and the wonderful, crusty bread, the same that’s used for The Hoagie. I made a small mess devouring it. Though a hearty sandwich, this is the freshest, lightest version of a meatball sub I’ve ever had: better bread, higher quality, tastier meatballs, the bit of basil, and fresh-tasting rather than a long-cooked tomato sauce.
 
Not so not inexpensive at $18, but a fair price for the quality and what will be a filling meal for most. It might be a favorite, too.
 
Elro
2405 Genesee (at Fairview), 77006
elrohtx.com

Italian restaurants have been popular in this country, some parts of the country, at least, since the big wave of immigrants from Italy in the late nineteenth century, becoming even more widespread than the significant numbers of Italians would indicate. But, it seemingly took until the end of 1926 for a full-time Italian restaurant to open in Houston.
 
There was Italian food publicly served on a special occasion, or occasions, before then. On July 20, 1924 both the Houston Post and Chronicle reported a society vignette that a certain Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Godwin gave a small dinner party “at the new Italian restaurant in Hermann park.” This was at the café that was opened to patrons of the golf course at the park by John Pappa and Vincent Vallone – Tony Vallone’s grandfather – the month before. This café seemed to also be used for private events, but was not really an Italian restaurant.
 
The honor of the first Italian restaurant in Houston appears to go to Mme. Cerracchio’s that opened in December 1926 in a “stately colonial mansion” at 2414 Main Street at half-block north of McGowen, in today’s Midtown. This also housed the studio of Mrs. Cerracchio’s husband, the sculptor Enrico Cerracchio, who created one of the city’s most iconic civic artworks, the bronze equestrian statue of Sam Houston in Hermann Park. The restaurant advertised table d’hote service from 6:00 to 9:00 PM and a la carte afterwards in “an atmosphere of refinement and culture.” She is quoted as saying a few months after opening that “I have always had the urge to show the Americans how the people in Naples, Enrico’s native city, serve their foods – and at last I’ve found the chance.” It offers “raviolis, meat balls, and fine Italian spaghetti.” Mme. Cerracchio’s was a more appealing-sounding for an Italian (and French) restaurant than that of her maiden surname.

She was born Marion Kowalski in Shamokin, a coal mining town in eastern Pennsylvania that, incidentally, was the also the birthplace of fellow Polish-Americans, Stan Coveleski, a Baseball Hall of Famer, and his brother Harry, who, too, pitched successfully in the major leagues, with a lifetime record of 81-55 and was a three-time twenty-game winner.
 
Coincident with her husband’s work as a sculptor, the restaurant becomes a “rendezvous for the artistic, bohemian element” as many Italian restaurants were famously known to be in New York, Chicago and San Francisco and elsewhere. Mme. Cerracchio’s adapts a slogan of “Where Houston’s ‘Who’s Who’ meets and entertains the Nation’s ‘Who’s Who’”. Nonetheless, it becomes Nino’s in August 1927, just eight months or so after opening, with a new proprietor. This is the first of three Italian-themed restaurants named Nino’s in Houston over the decades, none of them related.

If interested in reading more about the sometimes amusing and surprising history of local Italian restaurants like this, you might want to scroll through some of “A passeggiata through Houston’s Italian restaurant history.”

An advertisement from the Houston Post, March 2, 1927. The address is incorrect.

I hadn’t been to Tacos del Julio in almost a decade and it had been in mind recently after visiting Feges BBQ and Stuffed Belly as one of its locations shares the revitalized now restaurant-heavy strip center on Long Point west of Wirt. I had liked its casual Monterrey-rooted food in the past; it was recommended it in my guidebook Houston Dining on the Cheap some years ago.
 
So, after long last, I drove out there for lunch today. An item at the top of one part of the menu caught my eye: tacos de trompo with beef. I don’t remember having that before – and knowing it existed – and really enjoying well-crafted tacos al pastor and tacos de trompo made with the traditional pork, I ordered it after the waiter confirmed it really was beef sliced from a trompo.
 
Arriving at five to order set flatly on a plate, the marinated slices of beef, which had been slightly crisped on the plancha were set atop a pair of fairly substantial, deep yellow corn tortillas with a bit of melted asadero cheese in between then topped with sauteed onions and slices of avocados. After liberating them from the three separate small plastic bags, accompanied with squeezes from lime wedges, chopped cilantro and chopped fresh onions. With some squirts from the bottle of spicy, flavorful orange salsa, made with chiles de arbol, I assume, the tacos were terrific. The beef was tender, more tender, mildly beefy but much tastier than the beef in a typical taco. With all the complements, even much better.
 
For just $12.49, which came with a cup of nicely satisfying charro beans, it was quite a nice deal. Their slogan is spot on, certainly with this order: ¡No comas ansias, come tacos! When here, don’t worry, eat tacos.
 
Tacos del Julio
8203 Long Point (east of Wirt), (832) 358-1500
tacosdeljuliousa.com
 
Locations also on I-10 in Katy and at 7515 Westheimer. There are two other operators of the restaurant have locations on Airline Drive, in Pasadena, and then one on Highway 6.