It was almost exactly twenty years ago today, in July of 1999, that I started work on the first edition of Houston Dining on the Cheap and began to become a professional food writer.  The local restaurant scene was much different then than it is today.  In a forlorn bookshelf at home I spotted a copy of Zagat’s 1999 guide to Houston, which can help provide some perspective.  Zagat’s top restaurant was Deville, a French concept in the Four Seasons, followed by Rotisserie for Beef & Bird, Chez Nous, Café Annie, La Reserve that was in the Omni, Mark’s and Brennan’s.  Four of the top seven were French-themed; I am not sure if Houston was ever a great city for French food.  Another top-rated one was unapologetically Continental, a description that no longer applies to any local restaurant.  The best Mexican and Tex-Mex options were deemed to be Otilia’s and Pico’s and, quite oddly, Little Pappasito’s.  The top Chinese restaurants included Empress up in Champions Village, Hunan and Shanghai River, though laudably, Fung’s Kitchen, too.  Chinatown was much smaller and terra incognito for nearly all Houston diners back then.  And hardly any of the Italian restaurants listed actually served Italian food.
 
In those two decades, the dining landscape of Houston has changed quite a bit, nearly all for the better.  In short, the Houston restaurant scene has improved in every regard than how it was twenty years ago: the food is better and usually more interesting at restaurants, there are many more enticing dining establishments, with a good deal more worthwhile choices in a greater range of cuisines and concepts, and with much wider and better beverage options.  I can’t think of any type of restaurant that’s not as good as it was a couple of decades ago.  Many of these trends are national; a fair number of them are designed to increase the size of the check.  Caviar service, anyone?  With all the changes, a few things have stayed pretty much the same: a level of casualness continues, more so than other top restaurant cities, most likely because the frequent heat and humidity; the level of service remains functional at best at the vast majority of restaurants; and Houstonians still love, love, love steak.
 
Below are the most notable changes to me since I’ve been writing about Houston restaurants.
 
On the plates

• Diversity – Houston chefs have much more fully embraced the diversity of the local dining scene, incorporating a range of influences, cuisines and ingredients found in the Houston area.  This trend is seemingly found at nearly every restaurant that does not have a defined cuisine.  Looking at a recent menu from Riel, a restaurant I like, you’ll find chimichurri sauce, Chinese sausage, kimchi, soba noodles, béarnaise sauce, and mascarpone among the components shown.
• Small plates – The advent of small-plate and sharable dining in recent years, for better or worse.  Though not unusual across the country, it stood out in contrast with New Orleans, where I went for a couple eating trips in the past year or so.
• Local foods – There has been a much greater emphasis on local and regional food sourcing, usually resulting in tastier items on the plates.  The names of nearby farms and ranches are often displayed on menus proudly asserting provenance.
• Humanely raised meats – Along with the more locally sourced products, the meats are often from animals raised without hormones and without constrained quarters.
• Better burgers – The past decade has witnessed the appearance of often-excellent burgers at nice restaurants.  This time has also seen the advent of quality counter-service national chains.  Both welcome occurrences, if not for my cholesterol level and waistline.

 
On the menus

• More and better wine – Wine lists have gotten much longer and much more interesting, with best wine lists having a mostly European in focus.
• Craft cocktails – Cocktails have become a lot more serious, and a lot better. 
• Better beer, too – Well, at least more beer options, mostly from local small breweries.
• More booze – Hand-in-hand with growth in cocktails, the range of spirits have gotten much broader, with much more expensive choices.
• More steak options –There is now a larger – and much pricier – range of steak options including American Wagyu, the famed Japanese breed and steaks from true Kobe beef, and even the most-prized and expensive grade, A5.  To give just one example from an upscale steakhouse, B+B Butchers sells a cut of steak from Hyogo Prefecture in Japan from “100% Tajima cattle, the rarest and most exclusive beef in the world” it proclaims.  Four ounces will set you back $220.
• More crawfish – Crawfish is far more widely found than it once was.  I was part of a group that held the very first crawfish boil at the West Alabama Ice House in the mid-1990s, which was deemed as rather exotic.  Now, there seems to be one there every weekend during crawfish season along with about every low-key bar with a substantial patio.  Then there is even Vietnamese crawfish that has drawn national attention.
• And, more money needed to order from the menu – Dining is generally more expensive, even factoring in the effects of inflation.  Two give a couple of examples, a burger and fries at a non-fast-food restaurant twenty years ago cost me $6.60 on average and a plate of brisket at a barbecue joint was just $7.60.  If the prices had followed the annual rate of inflation since then, I should have expected to pay $10 and $11.50, respectively.  Those same meals in the past year have cost me an average of $14.30 for the burger and fries and $17.50 for the barbecue.  Beef has gotten much pricier since then, especially brisket, but also it’s gotten considerably more expensive to operate a restaurant inside the Loop.

 
On the town

• It’s just better eating – As I mentioned above, the restaurant scene has gotten better in nearly every regard than it was twenty years ago.  There are better restaurants in every category now than compared with twenty years ago and what is on the plate is typically tastier because of the ingredients that are better and the greater skill and imagination of the kitchen staffs involved.
• Gotten noticed – Houston has received deserved national attention for its dining.  One indicator of that is now each year at least one Houston restaurant will be listed among the best new restaurants in the country.  And Chris Shepherd was recently proclaimed the best chef in the world by one publication.
• Chefs as the reason to visit – Who is the kitchen has been why many people decide to visit a particular restaurant.  A Chris Shepherd, Manabu Horiuchi or Bryan Caswell or that a new executive chef who worked for them now heading a kitchen is a how many people choose where to dine.  In that Zagat guide from last year of the last century, the phrase ‘celebrity chef’ hadn’t been coined.  There was probably only a few who would have earned that accolade back then, and Robert Del Grande and Mark Cox were about the only two who drew diners.  They still do today, sort of.
• Captivating ‘cue – Barbecue has gotten a lot better since the opening of Killen’s Barbecue in Pearland in early 2014.  Now the list of terrific barbecue includes Pinkerton’s, The Pit Room, Truth, Blood Bros., and Roegels to name just the best ones.
• Close-in Chinese – Authentic Chinese food has become available inside the Loop, most notably with Pepper Twins and Mala Sichuan, but also Wanna Bao and Spicy Girl.  Though I’m most concerned about inside the Loop, where I live and work, high-quality and truly Chinese food can be found in many parts of the city now, including Sugar Land and in Humble, near the airport, where my boss from China has raved about the a place there that serves the best Peking duck in the area, a recommendation the Chronicle recently seconded.
• Upscale Mexican – Mexican food has found nicer, more authentic and proficient outposts, led by Hugo Ortega and his team’s trio of Hugo’s, Caracol and Xochi.  Pico’s – which is better than it ever was in the years it was on Bellaire Boulevard – Saltillo and Cuchara are three more, plus several nicely affordable counter-service spots, 100% Taquito, Mexico’s Deli and Polanquito, to name a few.
• Truly Italian today – Italian, more truly Italian, has become much more widespread, if not widespread.
• Superior fare from the sub-continent – Better and more upscale Indian options like Kiran’s and Surya and the more casual but immensely enjoyable Pondicheri; and then there’s the even the much more casual Himalaya.
• Heights on the rise – The rise of interesting dining options in the Heights has been very welcome.  Squable, Better Luck Tomorrow, Calle Onze, Fields and Tides, and Eight Row Flint are places that are worth the drive.  I’m still bummed about the failure of Hunky Dory, Bernadine’s and Foreign Correspondents, though.
• Chinatown expanded – Chinatown has expanded and with a good deal more options than there were in the past, and now includes various regional Chinese cuisines, Taiwanese, Vietnamese, Malaysian, Korean, Japanese and savory, sweet, full-service, counter-service to name an incomplete list of them.
• Valets – Valet-parking at nice restaurants has become the norm, not the exception, as the city’s center has become much more populated.

 
On the minds (and at the fingertips) of the diners

• Smarter patrons – Diners have become more knowledgeable about food, wine and dining in general.  This has made them more demanding and the Houston restaurant scene even better.
• Smart phones and social media – Social media and smart phones have helped to popularize restaurants and dishes that can beautifully photographed here, there and everywhere.
• Weaponized diners – Diners have a weapon against restaurants that don’t live up to their expectations with Yelp and other platforms.
• More tipping – The expected amount of tipping has increased from 15% to 20%, all while restaurants typically pay there wait staff just $2.13 an hour, a wage that has not changed in years.

 
I’m sure that I’ve forgotten more than one significant item, like delivery services and ride-sharing services, but this article is already long enough.

One of the artful presentations at Shun, on Shepherd.

​The gin-and-tonic is so very well-suited to Houston’s often hot and humid weather, which lasts for nearly half the year here.  It’s cool with plentiful ice and refreshing with the crisp-tasting and effervescent tonic water – engendering a relaxed feeling because of the complementary, smooth- and usually dry-tasting London-bred booze – and nicely bolstered by a bit of fresh citrus, is easy to drink when even not-so-well-made.
 
The cocktail has the added benefit that the recipe is pretty much in its name if sans lime.  Along with the rum-and-Coke and Jack-and-Coke, it’s the about simplest drink to concoct at home.
 
And gin-and-tonics have gotten better in recent years, part of the advent of the craft cocktail movement that began here a decade ago.  The biggest reason has gotten much tastier is because of the availability of high-quality commercial tonic water, most notably the Fever Tree brand, which is found in most even somewhat serious bars serving cocktails these days.  As Justin Vann, a proprietor of the excellent Public Services downtown mentioned to me after I complemented him on the tastiness of their gin-and-tonic that it’s mostly in the quality of the tonic water, as the drink is mostly tonic water, after all.
 
But, the best gin-and-tonics I’ve ever had have been at BCN, the upscale Spanish restaurant in Montrose.  The offer about twenty different versions these days, half seasonal, using various gins and tonic waters, all of which I’ve had or sampled have been terrific, including a few recently.  The Spanish have done wonders in advancing the range and palatability of the gin-and-tonic.  This seems to have begun around fifteen years ago or so, possibly in reaction to the influx of British tourists to Spain.  I don’t really know, but I certainly enjoy the result.  Aromatics in the form of herbs and citrus play a big role in BCN’s creations like prominent sprigs of rosemary and strips or pieces of lemon or another citrus.  On my last visit I had a summer offering made with blood oranges that had a red hue and drank quickly coming in from the hot sun, another with Fever Tree Elderflower tonic water, lavender grapes, lemon and thyme, and the Mediterranean featuring Gin Mare, Fever Tree Mediterranean tonic water, rosemary, olives, and sea salt.  BCN pours only part of the small bottle of the tonic water into the glass to start and you can add more along the way.  This actually makes the drink more enjoyable as you consume more of it, even as the percent of alcohol in each sip diminishes. 
 
Though the gin-and-tonics taste very good no matter where you sit at BCN, if you can grab one of the nine seats at the bar, you can interact with an excellent bartender, which can add to the visit.  They do an exceptional job.
 
If you need any further reason to consume also drink gin-and-tonics, think about your health.  You surely don’t want to get malaria; the quinine in the tonic water has prophylactic properties against malaria, which is why the British created the cocktail in the first place.  And the cheap gin tasted much better mixed with the tonic water and chilled in the very tropical climate of southern India.  We can believe that the cocktail tastes far better today with much better gin and, more so, much better tonic water.  Add to that inspired creations like you find at BCN, it’s a reason for celebration.
 
BCN
4210 Roseland (near the intersection of Montrose and Richmond), 77006, (832) 834-3411
bcnhouston.com

​By the end of my first trip to Italy many years ago and what proved true in a few subsequent trips, especially in the inexpensive trattorie and osterie that I was visiting, is that with the complimentary bread on the table that’s the custom there, the better the bread, the better the restaurant.  This also proved very true here in Houston during the past week. 
 
In the last several days, for some reason, I’ve had a few meals in Italian-themed restaurants.  First, the new, self-proclaimed Italian-American B.B. Italia in the former longtime home of Carmelo’s on the west side, then the original Carrabba’s on Kirby, which I hadn’t visited in at least a couple of years, and yesterday, Nundini Chef’s Table that is set gloomily in the midst of a windowless retail space.  The bread at B.B. Italia, a small, noticeably fresh, somewhat spherical boule, was fairly mediocre, not nearly as good as the breads later at the original Carrabba’s and Nundini.  And, the food, too, at B.B. Italia was not nearly as tasty, which is an understatement.
 
It’s not surprising that the bread at Carrabba’s was better than at B.B. Italia.  Proprietor Johnny Carrabba bought Common Bond, the city’s best commercial baker, back in 2016.  At lunch at Carrabba’s, the basket of very crusty white bread – that tasted like it was probably even leftover from the previous night’s service – and a brown roll both did excellent work sopping up the olive oil and dipping sauce and then leftover tomato sauce from my pasta dish. The soft squares of the pre-pranzo focaccia at Nundini, if not tasting of coming from Common Bond, was also enjoyable, and better.
 
Though the bread at B.B. Italia might have been disappointing, I didn’t realize right away that it would be a harbinger for the rest of the meal.  That was quick to prove true with the simple Caesar salad that was basically just cut up romaine lettuce, heavily white and pale green, in a straightforward dressing dotted with lame, unevenly and often barely cooked croutons – not helped by the bread, of course.  It wasn’t bad, but measured up poorly to about any version of the salad I’ve had in memory.  The pasta dish I ordered was necessarily better, but also below-par of what you would expect at a restaurant, at least what I would expect.
 
It was the Grandma’s Ravioli, ravioli filled oddly with short rib stuffing, and served with what is described as mushroom Marsala ragù.  Though the pasta shell was actually pretty decent, the filling of minced beef and, more so, the sauce, a thin bit of Marsala wine with mushrooms about, not a ragù at all, tasted discordant to me and made the dish much less than the sum of its parts.  Plentiful grated Parmesan (or maybe it was Parmigiano) could not help too much.  The sauce tasted to be, basically, just quickly cooked cheap Marsala.  My dining companion also had a pasta dish, ravioli topped with a pesto.  That pesto was an overly liquid-y version that tasted almost solely of basil; the pine nuts and taste of cheese was entirely missing.  We agreed that their pesto tasted nothing like that made in its home of Liguria or in the neighboring regions where it is also found; also, a far cry than what I make at home with a mortar and pestle.  It was also not nearly well-done as the version I just had with similarly properly prepared potato gnocchi Nundini, which was appropriately more viscous and richer, more flavorful with evident pine nuts and cheese in the mix.
 
B.B. Italia seems to be playing at Italian-American food.  Both the dishes and the concept seemed to be artifice to me.  What I experienced there was the antithesis of soulful food.  None of this would have mattered too much at B.B. Italia if the food was very good, or good, but it was not.  It was a far cry that the food that I had at Carrabba’s on Kirby the other day.  Maybe it’s not surprising, given that Carrabba’s on Kirby and Voss – not the chain outposts, of course – have long been judicious and often eminently enjoyable destinations for well-made, sometimes upscale Italian-American cooking with a local bent.  I had ravioli at Carrabba’s, too.  It was far better.
 
I have to state that I found the name of Grandma’s Ravioli for what I ordered at B.B. Italia as rather ridiculous, even pandering, as it alludes to the fact that it might have been something a typical Italian-American matriarch might have regularly cooked for the Sunday lunch.  Not so.  The ravioli dishes cooked by the Italian-Americans here were ricotta-stuffed and served in a tomato sauce.  No one cooked ravioli that with minced beef short ribs.  This is just made up.  Then came the ravioli filled with ground meat that were long a staple at Italian-American restaurants.  A well-made version of this, featuring distinctively large rectangle of pasta, is what I had at Carrabba’s.
 
And there were other disconcerting signs at B.B. Italia, in addition to the not-so-great food.  Service, though friendly, was not terribly professional.  The service specifically at the bar, we had wine sold to us as 9-ounces that looked and drank very suspiciously like 6-ounce pours in every other establishment in the city – I usually order a few glasses of wine out each week.  Thinking wine, the restaurant sports a very limited and largely uninteresting wine list for wine list, but which of the three of the wines we ordered were out that night.  I can’t recall that I’ve ever been to a restaurant where a trio of the wines were not available; a very high percentage for B.B. Italia.
 
As disappointing as the visit to B.B. Italia was, I feel the need to give it at least another try.  It had only been open for a month or so, and drawing a final judgement so quickly is not fair and possibly not accurate.  And, with as the owners also have a steakhouse, I have hope that the meat preparations are much better than the couple of dishes that I had.
 
Carrabba’s, The Original
3115 Kirby (between W. Alabama and Richmond), 77098, (713) 522-3131
1399 S. Voss (at Woodway), 77057, (713) 468-0868
carrabbasoriginal.com
 
Nundini Chef’s Table
500 N. Shepherd (north of I-10), 77007, (713) 861-6331
chefstable.nundini.com

A tasty version of ravioli, at Carrabba's on Kirby, showered with plentiful Parmigiano.

I was reminded to revisit this after having a desultory version of the margherita pizza the other day at Laurenzo’s, a place I generally like.  It just confirmed that the most important thing that I learned after eating close to one hundred margherita pizzas mostly in Houston for my more fatuous than fun Margherita Pizza Project over the past three years is that if you see “margherita pizza” on a menu, don’t order it.  The Project was illuminating, if ultimately quite disappointing. 
 
Most margherita pizzas to found in the Houston area, the vast majority in fact, are lousy: tasteless at best, and exposing cardboard-tasting crusts and cheap, worthless slices of tomatoes at worst, with far too many featuring cheap, industrial-quality mozzarella that adds very little to the enjoyment of the pizza.
 
The margherita pizza is very simple – it’s just tomato sauce that’s usually uncooked, mozzarella cheese and fresh basil leaves atop a pizza crust that has been quickly baked – but that simplicity is a big obstacle for most restaurants to overcome in making a good margherita pizza.  A margherita puts a premium on the quality of the few ingredients, which have no place to hide, and the crust, which should be fairly soft and tasty, playing a bigger role than in most pizzas as there are fewer components.  And most local versions are lacking a taste of freshness, a vibrancy, that a good margherita pizza should have.
 
Some other things I’ve learned:

• Definitely do not order one if it is spelled “margarita” on the menu, a sure sign that the restaurant does not know what it is doing with this pizza.  You'd be surprised how often margarita finds its way from the drinks section.
• Be very way if you see tomatoes as one of the ingredients.  A proper margherita uses tomato sauce, which will seep into the crust and complement the cheese.  Tomato slices don’t have enough moisture to do that, and most tomatoes used in inexpensive and moderately priced Houston restaurants are terrible.  There are exceptions like the ones at Amalfi, which leads to another important takeaway:
• Restaurants serving Italian-themed food, especially those with roots in or inclinations to the Naples area, the birthplace of pizza and the margherita, are about the only places you should order a margherita pizza.

 
If you are thinking about ordering a margherita pizza in the future, you’ve now been warned.

Dolce Vita actually has a margherita pizza that you should order.

​Fried chicken and champagne make for a wonderful combination, especially when the “champagne” is actually champagne.  I recently had Camille Saves Carte Blanche with a few pieces of Original Recipe picked up from the Colonel that helped make for an enjoyable meal.  Beginning this Sunday, June 23, for just $50 Punk’s Simple Southern Food in the Rice Village will be serving all-you-can-eat fried chicken and all-you-can-drink – within reason, I imagine – Veuve Cliquot Brut.  That’s the famous yellow labeled champagne that is medium-bodied with a welcome fresh taste featuring brioche and fruit notes, and which is always crowd-pleaser. 
 
For me, Punk’s serves the most satisfying food of the several Clark Cooper Concepts restaurants.  Their fried chicken is well-regarded, even if it might not be the best fried chicken in America or the best fried chicken in the world that I heard an overly aggressive (and intrusive) waiter exclaim in quick succession there the other day.  It’s quite good, though.  And will likely be even better with a glass or several more of a fine champagne.  Along with the fried chicken and bubbles, these meals include mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, collard greens and banana pudding to finish.
 
Reservations are required for these dinners, which will be every Sunday from 4:00 to 9:00.  Also, it will end up being more than $50 before tax and gratuity as the champagne refills will be charged a cent per refill, likely due to one of the strange TABC rules.  It’s still quite a deal as Veuve Clicquot is not only a very good champagne but typically retails between $45 and $55 per bottle.  The only real downside to this meal is that your champagne glass will necessarily a bit sticky when accompanying fried chicken.  A minor drawback, I believe.
 
Punk’s Simple Southern Food
5212 Morningside (between Dunstan and Rice), 77005, (713) 524-7865
punkssimplesouthernfood.com

​Though dining in Houston is more expensive than ever, especially inside the Loop where rents and property taxes have increased along with the increased population and business density in recent years, there are still some very good dining values to be found.  The best values don’t mean the cheapest joints, but are those that provide the best food for a fair price, while often times cheap is just cheap. 
 
Aladdin – Picking up a tray and gazing across the partition into an expanse of enticing, mostly vegetarian preparations – roughly 30 items most lunchtimes well beyond the two types of creamy and delectable hummus and baba ganoush – is just a preface to an enjoyable and very affordable meal, as the dishes often taste even better than they look.  A well-cooked meat like chicken shawarma, lamb gyro or one of the day’s stews, comes with three sides on filling platter for just $12.99 and usually a dollar cheaper during lunch.  Not only the best value Middle Eastern restaurant, Aladdin is also one of the best Middle Eastern restaurants in Houston (at least those without One Fifth in the name).  912 Westheimer (at Montrose), 77006, (713) 942-2321
 
Café TH – Set in a humble, tiny strip center in EaDo, the neighborhood has changed into a destination in the dozen years since Café TH has been around.  The restaurant has grown, too, but continues to serve well-made and flavorful, familiar Vietnamese fare and a little more with some personality and noticeable friendliness.  And along with prices that are more than reasonable for the quality of the fare.  The inexpensive banh mi – a large is $4 for lunch and $5 at dinnertime – can be considered among the best in town.  There is no alcohol served, but BYOB is welcome and the corkage fee is just $5, helping make for an even more enjoyable dinner, or even lunch.  2108 Pease (between St. Emmanuel and Hutchins) 77003, (713) 225-4766

Giacomo’s – This comfortable and eminently enjoyable River Oaks spot is a casual Italian restaurant done right, or an appealing neighborhood restaurant of any stripe done right.  The well-executed fare is vibrant, light on its feet, and properly evoking Italy, often with dishes inspired from proprietor Lynette Hawkins’s days growing up in Rome and Tuscany.  There are not too many items over $20 and there are plenty of preparations that are meant to share.  And, its list of nearly all-Italian wines – interesting, well-selected and very affordable – is the best value wine list in the city, and one of the best places in which to indulge.  It’s tough to leave here without a smile on your face.  3215 Westheimer (at Bammel Lane), 77098, (713) 522-1934

Istanbul Grill – Essentially next door to The Ginger Man, this is yet another reason to brave the traffic and parking travails in the Village with its interesting, well-prepared Turkish food in a pleasant, informal setting, often lively atmosphere, and noticeably friendly and eager service.  Many of their traditional Turkish items are baked in a traditional brick oven that is evident in the somewhat open kitchen, including the distinctive Turkish pizzas that can provide a filling meal for $10-$13.  The kabob platters are a great value here, easily worth the $12.90 tariff for the beef and lamb doner kabob and $14.90 for the lash shish kabob.  The portions are generous and served with a large amount of moist rice and grilled tomatoes and bell peppers.  Warm, house-made pide bread nicely complements every table that didn’t order a sandwich.  And these sandwiches are fine values, running from $7.50 to $8.50 in eight different decent-sized versions, with meat or falafel between two pieces of the pide.  5613 Morningside (just north of University), 77005, (713) 526-2800

La Guadalupana – Though not much to look at, and really not much at all in terms of size, La Guadalupana Bakery & Café on Dunlavy is nonetheless an excellent neighborhood place for a pleasing Mexican meal, or to grab some attractive and scrumptious pastries that are well beyond the typical local panaderia and some coffee to go with them. The dumpy and nearly always messy little dining room has become more crowded in the past few years as the the increasing number of nearby residents have discovered the considerable charms of the inexpensive breakfast and lunch spot.  These include lighter-than-typical enchiladas verdes or poblano enchiladas – with a proprietor from Puebla, the mole poblano are worth ordering – or the terrific stewed pork slathered in a verdant spicy salsa, asado de puerco.  For the mornings or weekends, their breakfast tacos are among the best in the area.  2100 Dunlavy (between Fairview and West Gray) 77019, (713) 522-2301

Laredo Taqueria – The lines running out the door of this air conditioned taco stand on Washington Avenue from about 11AM to 1PM and often beyond, are a testament to its popularity which derives in large part because of healthy-sized tacos on fresh flour tortillas that are just $2.50 after another price increase.  Three is enough for most, and four for a gluttonous meal.  Never mind the occasional piece of cartilage or gristle, as these are never enough to ruin a taco.  The locations on the near north side are more consistent, especially the one on Patton, but this location is far more convenient for most.  915 Snover (on Washington east of Shepherd), 77007, (713) 861-7279; 311 Patton (at Fulton), 77009, (713) 695-0504; 115 Cavalcade (just east of I-45), 77009, (713) 213-9087
 
Pappa Geno’s – Easily the best of the local cheesesteak options, including an outpost of Tony Luke’s, regarded by some as the best purveyor in the City of Brotherly Love.  The sandwiches at Pappa Geno’s, a small local chain, are large and feature fresh, soft rolls; good bread a necessity for a good sandwich, after all.  The thinly sliced seasoned beef is tender and flavorful and well complemented by the plentiful melted provolone and nearly caramelized onions that come with it in their basic Pappa Geno’s Steak & Cheese sandwich.  The ingredients might not have the provenance of those on many upscale restaurants here, but they are more than good enough and work wonderfully together.  A cheesesteak sandwich here is a nearly glorious, very messy and caloric indulgence that is far from artful in appearance or construction but tastes better than most of the much fancier sandwiches around, not just its cheesesteak competitors.  In all, Pappa Geno’s has seven versions of the Philly cheesesteak sandwich plus five others with the less flavorful chicken. 515 Westheimer (between Taft and Montrose), 77006, (281) 501-3664; 1801 Ella (at TC Jester), 77008, (713) 863-1222
 
Pepper Twins – Now a mini-chain with a half-dozen locations serving authentic Sichuan cooking, which is seemingly China’s favorite regional cuisine, and a favorite of Houston diners in recent years.  The W. Gray and Kirby spots are the best locations and feature better ingredients than the typical local Chinese eatery, including many organic; the chicken is antibiotic-free and humanely raised from Springer Mountain Farms, the pork is from heritage Berkshire stock.  This makes a discernible difference in the dishes.  There are even lamb preparations among the nearly fifty items, many feature chiles or Sichuan peppercorns, the latter of which are used judiciously.  Service here is Chinese style: the dishes come to the table with no fuss and nearly everything is meant to be shared.  Popular since its opening, the dining rooms are often filled with Chinese nationals and those who just enjoy top-notch Sichuan fare for reasonable prices. 1915 W Gray (just west of Dunlavy), 77019, (346) 204-5644; 3915 Kirby (just off the Southwest Freeway feeder), 77098, (346) 444-6493; 315 Fairview (just west of Taft), 77006, (832) 649-7175

Thien An – The familiar local Vietnamese menu including spring and fried egg rolls, banh mi, rice plates, vermicelli bowls, and pho is provided here.  It’s just done noticeably better than most other places, and not just budget options.  The banh mi are one highlight, especially for the local favorite, the char-grilled pork (all the way to $3.75 now), since the restaurant is more generous than most with the pork, which is nicely cooked, tender and richly flavorful, nestled along with the expected fresh, texture-providing accompaniments in a local-standard short Vietnamese baguette that is properly crusty and airy.  The no-nonsense setting is usually deservedly packed during the lunchtime hours and provides an appropriate place for a tasty and cheap meal.  2611 San Jacinto (just south of McGowen), 77004, (713) 522-7007

Uberrito – The former Mission Burritos is down to just one location inside the loop, but their build-it-yourself burritos on giant 13” tortillas featuring a choice among now eight proteins or vegetables as a centerpiece are also much tastier than the similar competitors as are the “Ten Tasty Tacos,” which really are quite tasty, too.  A bit of the creamy Serrano Ranch salsa seems to help with most burritos and tacos.  The burritos are still large here, though maybe not as protein-packed as the in past, which is probably a good thing for most.  These are still cheap, too, starting at under $8, and even cheaper on Mondays when the chicken burritos are just $5.  They also serve burrito bowls and salads, too, so your more calorically conscious co-workers can also dine here without too much fret.  1609 Durham (just south of I-10), 77007, (713) 426-6634 
​
The Döner or Gyro Sandwich at Istanbul Grill today

​Reef has just reopened after the damage it suffered from Hurricane Harvey, if not quite completely.  There is service in the bar area for dinner and, beginning today, lunch.  The main dining room still needs to be furnished and I was told that that should be ready in a couple of weeks for patrons.  I’m very happy that the Gulf seafood-centric Reef is finally open again, as it had been one of my favorite local restaurants.  Given the recent and sudden closings of Pass & Provisions and Canopy and the announcement that Indika will be shuttering at the end of June, it’s nice to have former top eatery – with one of the city’s top chefs working in the kitchen, Bryan Caswell – getting back into the game.
 
I visited the other night and necessarily having to sit in the bar on a Friday night, it seemed appropriate to have a Martini to start.  Among the several cocktails on the relatively short beverage list, each for the short price of just $8, was the Gin Martini, which I ordered.  No questions were asked about type of gin or garnish and a few minutes later a familiar, long-stemmed Martini glass was placed in front of me, dripping with condensation that was filled just with a clear liquid punctuated by some small pieces of ice floating top but unmarred by any garnish.
 
Though missing a cocktail olive or two (or three) skewered by a toothpick, this was the Martini you would have received at any decent establishment in Houston over the years until the advent of the craft cocktail movement and discovery of the qualities of quality and unspoiled vermouth in less than the past decade.  This was gin, pure and simple, served straight-up in a Martini glass.  At Reef it was very readily consumable Bombay Sapphire Gin that was shaken until very cold and poured alone into a frozen Martini glass.  No vermouth.  Certainly not a single dash of bitters.  I like vermouth to be a part of my Martinis, but this drink was very enjoyable, and refreshing coming in on a warm and muggy evening.  It was tough not to consume it too quickly, and I still had to look at the food menu.  The palatability of the Bombay Sapphire was the biggest reason why this Martini went down so easily, but being served into a glass pulled from a freezer was another significant reason.  Very cold gin tastes better than just cold gin, after all.
 
Reef
2600 Travis (at McGowen), 77006, (713) 526-8282
reefhouston.com

Sandwiches, often with chips, are frequently the default lunchtime food.  They’re quick, cheap, easily portable and usually satisfying.  Not to mention, sandwich chains are a popular franchise opportunity, as you can tell from looking at nearly every busy street corner; new ones are popping up all the time.  With usually less-than-robust sizes for both the sandwiches and the accompanying chips, there is noticeable profit here.  Though the best sandwiches are from local places, and often those that are far removed from the simple sandwich shop, when in a pinch for something quick, easy and inexpensive, below are the favorites among the chains, even if I think none of the national efforts are really that great, or worse, including the one I had for lunch today (that didn't make this list).
 
Antone's Famous Po’ Boys – 3 area locations – You are better served going to the two shops sharing the Antone’s legacy, Angelo’z or Paulie’s Poboys, but these can be fine for a decent, quick lunch.  Their fresh buns – when ordered from one of the shops not picked up in a grocery store refrigerator – are distinctively a tad dry and slightly crunchy, and the pre-prepared versions are available in a handful of variations including the classic Italian-oriented Original, roast beef, tuna salad, and the unique Piggy.  Each is served, in minimalist fashion, only with thin pickle slices, and hot chow chow, a piquant mixture of pickled cabbage, onions, sweet peppers and paprika.  In addition to these legacy Houston favorites, there are also other options including hot sandwiches.
 
Brown Bag Deli – 4 area locations – This suitably casual, but bright and efficient concept for well prepared cold sandwiches is another winner from the folks who own Barnaby’s and Luna Pizzeria.  Featuring entirely a design-it-yourself concept with choices for bread, meats, cheeses, and condiments shown on brown bags cutely affixed to clipboards.  The breads are slightly sweet and always fresh, and a good starting point.  The “meats”, or rather sandwich fillings, are slightly eclectic, and top-notch, and there should be one for nearly every local palate.
 
Jason’s Deli – 7 area locations – Soups, salads, pastas and even gluten-free and vegan options these days, but the heart of the menu are the several types of warmed sandwiches including their take on the muffaletta, that New Orleans classic that pairs well with the Sicilian heritage of the founder and the tastes of many of us in southeast Texas, and the reason for a trip here.
 
Jersey Mike's – 18 area locations – Laudably using New Jersey Italian-American sub shops as their model, their classic, tidy cold sandwiches feature rolls that are advertised as being baked in house, quality cold cuts and cheeses finished with onions, tomatoes, lettuce, vinegar and olive oil.  There are also hot subs, wraps, salads, and giant-sized sandwiches available at this basic sandwich stops.
 
Lee's Sandwiches – 1 area location – This Vietnamese sandwich chain from California might not craft banh mi as tasty as the homegrown options, but this slick operation have their charms, especially the airy 10,000 square foot space in the heart of Chinatown.  Their Vietnamese sandwiches are certainly recognizable to locals, slightly different, but still enjoyable and cheap.  In addition to these, there are also sandwiches made with freshly baked, large, light and buttery croissants with a wide-array of fillings.
 
Lenny's Sub Shop – 9 area locations – Using a fairly familiar, if slightly more limited menu (just two dozen items) rooted in the East Coast sub shop model serving cold and hot sandwiches and salads.  With thick, quality rolls, an excellent hot relish, and a more generous amount of meat, these are some of the very best sandwiches of the national chains.  The roast beef is especially enjoyable.
 
Murphy’s Deli – 32 area locations – It’s not Irish heritage, but the first location on Murphy Road that lends its name to this chain best known for ubiquity and convenience.  The tastiest thing here is their signature Houston-style muffaletta.  A much softer ready-to-eat loaf, a bit of mayo, and smoked ham makes these different than those created at New Orleans’s Central Grocery.  There is also a turkey version and a large menu with gyros, wraps, hot and cold subs, and a number of salads that might have a regional or Mediterranean bent.
 
Panera Bread – 28 area locations – Baking over a dozen types of breads in-house helps to ensure some sandwich options are far from run-of-the-mill.  Served both hot and cold, most feature turkey or chicken, but there should be something for everyone.  With breakfast served early, soups and a half-dozen salads, individually sized pizzas available later in the day, plus a more welcoming environ than the typical sandwich shop helps make these appealing for more than just short lunchtime visit.
 
Potbelly Sandwich Shop – 24 area locations – One of the most appealing of the national chains, these assembly line operations with spacious interiors are set up for the lunchtime rush when a savory, modestly sized hot sandwich will hit the spot without providing much of a dent in the wallet, or in the waistline.  Made and customized to order from a dozen basic choices on top of quality, crusty bread, there are also some dessert items and shakes, malts and smoothies if more is desired.
 
Quiznos – 9 area locations – With locations in seemingly every strip center, Quizno’s subs on toasted bread have numerous fans, and were the second stage in the evolution of the sandwich chain.  Featuring several choices featuring beef, chicken, turkey and on flatbreads, there are also classic sandwiches such as the basic Italian sub, club, tuna melt and a French dip.  Settings are functional, and meant for scarfing rather than lingering.
 
Schlotzsky's – 45 area locations – This funny-named Austin ex-pat was the first hot sandwich chain that many Texans experienced.  Featuring distinctive spongy bread that grew from a limited number of Italian-oriented fillings to a wide range of combinations, small pizzas, wraps, salads and baked potatoes.  These functional stops are fine for quick lunch, but don’t satisfy as fully as in the early days, both in terms of quality and quantity.
 
Which Wich – 14 area locations – Featuring a neat mix-and-match concept with ten different meats or combinations that yield over fifty choices, these vibrant and slick, if no-frills operations are adept at turning out a tasty, small sandwich that should satisfy most tastes.  The fresh and sturdy 6” roll in white or wheat provides a proper platform that the well-trained staff can assemble nearly whatever you desire.  
 
Zoe’s Kitchen – 10 area location – Unique among sandwich chains for its Greek and Southern orientation, this Birmingham, Alabama-based fast-casual concept has the most pleasant atmosphere of any of the sandwich chains, and the food seems fresher and healthier.  Pimento cheese, egg salad, grilled chicken breast with caramelized onions, and grilled feta are among the fifteen options.  It also serves hot plates and several meals and sides to be taken home after work.
 
This is an update of something I did for My Table over a decade ago, though I thought that the Philly cheesesteak spots were something different: those sandwiches don’t travel too well back to the office. 

The Original Italian cold sub from Jersey Mike's

​A passeggiata is the traditional evening promenade in Italian towns and villages. Though Italian food and restaurants in our area might have a rather undistinguished history in national terms, a meandering, somewhat selective, chronological stroll – or passeggiata – of 100-plus of its significant or interesting particulars can be entertaining, and even informative, especially since Houston is now a top restaurant city. This is due, in part, to substantial contributions from Italians and Italian-Americans. I penned an earlier version of this for My Table magazine back in 2011.
 
1884 – The Houston Directory published for 1884-1885 lists grocers with names like Fenno, Manno, Maretti and Roco. Alexander Bergamini – the owner of the Casino saloon at 72 Congress – is, appropriately, a New Orleans native. There is also a restaurant named Delmonico; it’s not Italian, but rather named after the famous New York establishment.
 
1890s – Veal, popular with Italians and also central Europeans, is a fairly common item in Houston’s many German-owned meat markets in the late 19th century, but eventually became scarce. Years later, restaurateurs Johnny Carrabba and Frankie Mandola don’t recall ever having it at home while growing up here.
 
1905 – Carrabba’s Chicken “Bryan Texas” is the most popular dish across the entire chain, and named after Bryan, 100 miles north of Houston. An Italian emigration official, Adolfo Rossi, reported that 2,500 Sicilian immigrants are working the land there in 1905. Along with two in New Jersey, it is “perhaps the largest Italian agricultural community in the United States” according to a later government report. Initially, Sicilians from different villages settled on either sides of the Brazos River, an example of campanilismo – the extreme provincialism – of most Italians at the time.
 
1906 – A restaurant called IWW French and Italian Restaurant opens downtown at 702 Preston.
 
1911 – Galveston’s oldest restaurant, Gaido’s, opens in 1911. It is named after the founding Sicilian family that still owns and operates it. It is not an Italian restaurant, though.
 
1913 – Houston has two pasta factories: Houston Macaroni Manufacturing Co. and Magnolia Macaroni Manufacturing & Co.
 
1915 – An immigrant from Sicily, Joe Grasso, pioneers the Galveston shrimping industry. Through the 1920s he sold most of it as bait as virtually no locals ate shrimp then.
 
1920 – Houston is home to Chinese and Japanese restaurants, but seemingly no Italian restaurant.
 
1930 – Houston’s first spaghetti house – and seemingly the first full-service, fully Italian restaurant – opens, Del Monico’s.
 
1944 – Like Gaido’s in Galveston, Massa’s in downtown Houston – whose run lasts over seventy years – is also a seafood restaurant rather than an Italian one.
 
1948 – On Park Place an inexpensive Italian restaurant called Big Humphrey’s opens. It is named after owner Joe Vitale’s professional wrestling persona. It later moves to Pearland and is open today.
 
1948 – Along with her husband Mama Ninfa – later the instigator of the nationwide fajita craze – opens a tortilla and pizza dough factory on Navigation east of downtown. The Italian dough part might not have been a surprise since her husband was an Italian-American from the northeast. Much later her offspring open Laurenzo's Italian Bar and Grille that lasts just three months and Bambolino's, a drive-through slice place, one of which still remains on Westheimer.
 
1950 – Frank Sinatra’s scandalous (i.e. adulterous) affair with Ava Gardner is confirmed for the nation in late January at Italian restaurant in Houston, Vincent’s Sorrento. Sinatra is in town for a several week gig at the Shamrock Hotel. A guest of Mayor Oscar Holcombe at the restaurant – whose proprietor is a Vallone – Sinatra accosts a photographer from the Houston Post who is about to capture the couple on film.
 
1953 – Matranga’s opens on Irvington north of downtown. It is an intimate spot with a garrulous, oft-crooning owner, Joe Matranga, who “was a character,” remembered Johnny Carrabba. It quickly becomes the favorite Italian for most Houstonians, and carries on for over 30 years, known for dishes with plenty of “simmering tomato sauce and garlic – lots of garlic” that resonated with customers. Matranga once admitted to a reporter that his sauce contained “onion and garlic and olive oil and salt, pepper and basil” along with tomato paste and was simmered for eight hours.
 
1953 – In November of that year, the Sacred Heart Society of West Little York, Roman Catholic men’s group founded by Sicilian immigrants from in and around Palermo, begins its tradition of a Thursday spaghetti lunch that is inexpensive and open to the public at its home in Whitney Hall on Airline just north of Crosstimbers. With the lunches remaining popular today, the meat balls and tomato sauce still follow the same recipes as when the lunches began. The fresh Italian sausage is made by Society members.
 
1955 – Pizza finally comes to Houston with opening of Valian’s in July. The reason it took so long is that Houston lacked a critical mass of Neapolitan immigrants that were found in New York, New Haven, Boston, Philadelphia and Chicago, each of which had pizza for decades. There are a couple of other contenders for the first pizza place in Houston, but it was certainly Valian’s that made it popular and is remembered as the local pizza pioneer. Near the Shamrock Hotel, the owner of Valian’s – like most new owners capitalizing on the exploding taste for pizza across the country – is not Italian. Armenian-American. The restaurant also serves barbecue and fried chicken.
 
1950s – The most popular place for imported Italian specialties – and about the only one – is Trapolino Import Co. Started by Frank Trapolino, a native of Bisaquino near Corleone in western Sicily. He had previously worked at the Houston Macaroni Co.
 
1960 – Pino’s opens at 3000 Cullen near the University of Houston. It is owned by Pino Farinola from coastal Brindisi in southwestern Italy and his wife. The restaurant is an old house and seats about 50.
 
1965 – Tony Vallone’s Tony’s opens as a casual Italian restaurant, known at the time as a spaghetti house, on Sage Road near where the Galleria would be constructed in a few years. It is later described as, “a place that was fun to visit, with good food and drink, dancing….”  Within a few years it would attract the well-to-do and 
 
1969 – Near the eastern edge of Westheimer in January, Michelangelo opens. Maybe somewhat exotic at first, it continued in business for over four decades later, known for its comfortable Italian-American fare and vaguely romantic setting.
 
1969 – The April 19 issue of Billboard reports, “Tony Bennett Spaghetti House…the first of the restaurants is scheduled to open in Houston in early August. Five additional units will open in the same city before the end of the year, with dozens more planned in other cities for early 1970.” At least one did open, briefly, in Town & Country where, “the food was…was very bland,” recalled a rare patron. Lasting longer is, “Benedetto’s, Texas State Hotel, 720 Fannin…a supper club that features an Italian feast, cheek-to-cheek dance music and name Vegas acts,”  run by the singer’s older brother, John.
 
The songs of the popular Italian-American singers interpreting the Great American Songbook after the Second World War are a requisite part of the ambiance of Italian-themed restaurants in this country. From that group, oddly, more than Tony Bennett had ties to the city. Vic Damone lived here for years after marrying an oil heiress, and two of three of Frank Sinatra’s kids were married to Houstonians (at least briefly). Nancy Sinatra married singer Tommy Sands – who attended Lanier Junior High and then Lamar – in 1960. Frank Sinatra, Jr. married a Houston-area lawyer in 1998. Plus, one of Dean Martin’s very best songs is his 1965 recording of “Houston.”
 
1970 – As the city moves westward, Pino’s follows. It moves to Hilcroft and Westheimer. Its success allows it to eventually grow to four times the capacity of the original.
 
1971 – Antonio’s Flying Pizza opens in 1971 by Sicilian immigrants serving pizza and assertive Italian-American red sauce classics, and proving that this formula with competent hands in the kitchen still works well after 40-plus years.
 
1974 – In their November issue, Texas Monthly reports that "Tony's [is]our nomination for the city's best restaurant… [with] trout Veronique… Chauteaubriand…. Souffle" as it advertises itself as serving the "Poetry of French Food."  Vallone's heart seems to remain with the vibrant culinary verse of Naples and environs, though.

1975 – Cajoled by Houston socialite Maxine Van Dusen, Sergio Ballatori, whose family had run a restaurant in Rome between the main train station and the Trevi Fountain for four decades, moves to the Bayou City to open Ballatori’s at 4215 Leeland in November in a recently occupied bank building east of downtown. Aptly aided by his wife, five children and parents, Ballatori features Roman and Italian dishes like saltimbocca alla Romana, the fresh pasta tonnarelli alla carbonara, and risotto alla Milanese along with sought-after tables set inside a spacious steel bank vault.
 
1976 – In January Star Pizza fires up its pizza oven for the first time. Its thick-crust pizzas – not really the Chicago-style deep dish as advertised – are arguably the best in the city at the time, and quickly become a favorite with the college-age customers.
 
1976 – Jason’s Deli – founded in Beaumont, Texas in 1976 by a Sicilian-American, Joe Tortorice – eventually includes over fifteen Houston area locations. A noticeable part of its success is due to its version of the muffaletta, the sandwich invented in the French Quarter in New Orleans in 1906. The mufffaletta takes its name from a somewhat unusual, dense type of loaf that originated in Piano degli Albanesi, a town about a dozen miles from Palermo and home to a large ethnic Albanian community.
 
1977 – Nash D’Amico – who had recently run an Italian restaurant in Huntsville, and helped significantly by his cousin Damian Mandola – opens “something new and exciting for Houston,” D’Amico’s at 2407 Westheimer east of Kirby. It is known for dishes like frutti di mare salad, fried calamari, and tortellini in a cream sauce. Several years later, still “one of the busiest restaurants in Houston,” Texas Monthly describes it as “the first sumptuous Italian restaurant in Texas.”
 
1977 – In a small house on W. Dallas – a few blocks west of an area once rife with Italian grocers – Vincent Mandola opens Nino’s, which will grow into a two-block compound over the years. Greatly inspired by the cooking of their mother, Grace, the three Mandola brothers, Vincent, Tony and Damian, will go on to open many of Houston’s most popular restaurants: Nino’s (Vincent), Tony Mandola’s Gulf Coast Kitchen (Tony), Damian’s (Damian), Carrabba’s (Damian), Vincent’s (Vincent), Pesce (Damian) and Pronto (Vincent).
 
1978 – Destined to become a favorite of astronauts and other NASA personnel, Frenchie’s in a dumpy strip center in Clear Lake opens by the Camera brothers from the island of Capri. Though misleading, the owners decide to keep the name of the previous establishment. Its counter service at lunch – and usually packed – while full service in the evening.
 
1978 – The faccia di vecchia dish served at Mandola’s Deli that opens near the University of Houston takes its name from its likeness to the gnarled face of an old woman. It is a version of the sfincione, a focaccia-esque dish from the Palermo area, the progenitor of the square Sicilian pizza.
 
1981 – Carmelo’s opens on Memorial near Dairy Ashford in west Houston. Carmelo Mauro, a native of the beautiful resort town of Taormina in Sicily, brings Continental-inflected and well-executed Italian-American dishes that quickly become a hit.
 
1982 – In the March issue of Texas Monthly is an article about Italian dining in Texas. It lists D’Amico’s and Villani at 2907 West Alabama as two of the three best Italian restaurants in the state. The reviewer thought important to add that “it seems that Dallas doesn’t need any more Italian restaurants, it just needs a few good Italian cooks.”
 
1982 – Sonny Bono – an Italian-American singer like Tony Bennett, if without the talent – opens an Italian restaurant called Bono’s on Woodway between Post Oak and Sage. A branch of his West Hollywood original, it lasts for several years.
 
1982 – In the fall of this year Carlo Molinaro, a native of Verona, starts a restaurant called La Trattoria on Westheimer just east of Voss. Serving broadly northern Italian trattoria classics along with a few American-friendly items, the restaurant is maddeningly inconsistent until its close at the end of 2010. Delighting regular patrons – including many ex-pats from Italy – it is too often indifferent in terms of both cooking and service.
 
1982 – Achille Epifani, originally from Taranto in the heel of Italy’s boot, opens Achille’s on Memorial between Wilcrest and Kirkwood. Having once cooked at the famed Giambelli’s on 50th in Manhattan – the first to have broken the $10 mark for a pasta dish in the country – he brings a customer-pleasing sense to his usually full-flavored preparations. It remains a neighborhood favorite for over fifteen years before Epifani decides to down-scale to a fast-casual operation and move west (to Eldgridge).
 
1983 – In the fall, John Flowers, originally from the Chicago area, opens Kenneally’s Irish Pub on Shepherd north of Westheimer. It, surprisingly, serves pizza, excellent pizza – thin-crust and vaguely Neapolitan. This was the original type of pizza served in Chicago, well before the advent of the deep-dish. Its pizza-maker trained at Nick & Vito’s in southwestern Chicago, one of the remaining bastions of this style.
 
1984 – Tony Mandola opens the self-named Gulf Coast Kitchen, his second restaurant at 1602 Shepherd. In early 1988 it moves to the River Oaks Shopping Center on West Gray. Best described as a regional seafood restaurant, it does serve some unique and popular items that combine Italian-American cooking with regional ingredients and flavors.
 
1985 – In their April issue, Texas Monthly notes that, “Joe Matranga, Owner of Texas’ Best Spaghetti Joint, gives out free postcards of himself as a valiant Greek warrior impaled on a bloody spear,” in awarding it the Best Restaurant Postcard.
 
1985 – On Smith Street in what would be called Midtown, Damian, Frankie and Vincent Mandola along with Ciro Lampasas and Johnny Carrabba, Sr. open Damian’s in the fall. It is soon to become one of Houston’s best-loved restaurants.
 
1986 – Ciro Lampasas opens his eponymous restaurant, Ciro’s, on the north side of I-10 at Campbell that becomes a Spring Branch favorite.
 
1986 – Aldo Cantania opens La Strada on a dicey stretch of Westheimer in Montrose. The California-style Italian food never draws raves, but its wild Sunday brunch becomes an institution. A second location opens in 1996 in the Galleria area. A fire shutters the original in 2002. It reopens in 2004, but never regained its former popularity. Both are closed by spring 2009.
 
1986 – With proprietors Damian Mandola and his nephew Johnny Carrabba, Carrabba’s opens in the site of a former adult bookstore on Kirby north of Richmond in December. The most expensive item on the menu is $9.
 
1987 – Backstreet Café’s Tracy Vaught invests in Prego, a failing restaurant in the Rice Village. It was one of the scores of restaurants nationwide that had used Wolfgang Puck’s Spago as its inspiration. The next year it becomes Italian-themed, more competent, and a favorite of the nearby soon-to-be-booming West University and Southampton neighborhoods.
 
1988 – In January, due to the phenomenal success of its Kirby original in the past year, Carrabba’s opens a second location near Briargrove on Voss near San Felipe.
 
1988 – Augie Vasquez, a native of Argentina who had worked with Nash D’Amico, opens Augie’s at 5901 Westheimer at Fountain View. Drawing on his Italian heritage and restaurant experience, he serves dishes found infrequently in Houston, including some of the over thirty pastas and an excellent version of mozzarella in carozza dished from an open kitchen. Though the Chronicle’s review noted that “this is one of those rare Italian restaurants where the meat and fish dishes rival the pastas,” the restaurant does not last but a couple of years.
 
1988 – The November issue of Texas Monthly raves about Damian’s grilled quail on polenta and its “fettuccine in Alfredo sauce adorned with dandelions… [with] moist grilled boned chicken breast.”  It garners two stars (out of three) making it one of the top seven restaurants in the state according to the magazine.
 
1989 – Tony Vallone opens Neapolitan-spiced Grotto in January. The food is excellent; not really authentic, but the execution and ingredients are top-notch. The flavors are properly distinct and vibrant, Italian rather than typically Italian-American. The scene rivals the food. Grotto is named one of the top new restaurants in the country by Esquire magazine in 1990.
 
1991 – On Lovett just off Montrose, Lynette Hawkins opens La Mora, occupying the spot of another Italian restaurant, Villa Borghese. Hawkins had lived in Florence and La Mora is the first of the area’s first Tuscan-themed restaurants that proves to strike a welcome cord among Houston diners.
 
1991 – Pino Luongo, the New York restaurateur that helped introduce and popularize Tuscan food in this country beginning in the 1980s, opens a restaurant in the Galleria area in August. Texas Monthly wrote a few months later that, “the most sophisticated Houston Tuscan restaurant is the largely undiscovered Piccola Cucina.”  Unfortunately, it remained that way and shuttered after a not-too-long tenure.
 
1991 – Tony Vallone opens La Griglia on West Gray just east of River Oaks in the fall. Esquire names it a best new restaurant in the country soon after opening. Less Neapolitan and maybe less Italian than his Grotto, it is similarly boisterous and stylishly casual, and quickly becomes a place for socialites and politicians. The restaurant remarkably remains so, two decades, and a change of ownership later.
 
1992 – In January an unpretentious spot dedicated to well-prepared Neapolitan style pasta dishes and somewhat odd, but popular, baked casserole creations opens a corner of the Pennzoil Building downtown. Called Buca di Bacco until the chain Buca di Beppe paid owner Vittorio Preteroti, a native of Capri and related to the family that runs Frenchie’s, to change. So, it has been known as Perbacco for years.
 
1992 – The first area Romano’s Macaroni Grill from Brinker International opens at 5802 Westheimer and is a hit. The very quaffable jug wines sold on the honor is a big reason. That original location is still open today. The chain began in Leon Springs, outside of San Antonio, in 1988.
 
1992 – In December two chefs from the famed Cipriani Hotel in Venice open Torcello at 2300 Westheimer, east of Kirby. Taking the name of the island where the hotel is located, its Venetian-inspired cuisine – including Harry’s Bar classics – is some of the very best Italian food that has ever been served in Houston, and its interior wins a local design award. The restaurant lasts for about a year-and-a-half, closing in 1994. It could be the address as Armando's, Dish, Two Chefs Bistro, and Beso – to name most of the ones which followed, each having abbreviated tenures.
 
1993 – In April Outback Steakhouse purchased a 50% stake in the cash flows of the two Carrabba's restaurants and entered into a 50-50 joint venture with the founders, Johnny Carrabba and Damian Mandola, to develop new locations. Houston’s version of Italian-American food and hospitality is poised to spread nationally. From soon after this, as most Houston restaurant-goers know, but it bears mentioning, the first two Carrabba’s locations – now just owned by Johnny Carrabba and family – are much better than the nationwide Carrabba’s Grill outposts.
 
1993 – Del Vecchio Foods is founded in Houston and produces a line of fresh Italian sausages that can be found at Spec’s and not enough other local outlets.
 
1994 – Anthony’s reopens at 4007 Westheimer in Highland Village (where Smith & Wollensky now stands), though it is not as Italian as it once was. The oft-decadent Italian-scented veal dishes remain excellent, though.
 
1994 – Using a far cheaper and less competent designer than Anthony’s – the odd Il Dio di Vin’ opens on the 7600 block of the Katy Freeway. The stuccoed interior is meant to resemble a grotto setting, but harkens more to the caves described in Christ Stopped at Eboli. The menu is entirely in some southern Italian dialect – Neapolitan, I believe – and the food is a mix of Italian-American and Neapolitan dishes done a little differently. The wine is inexpensive; the food is moderately priced, robustly flavored and usually terrific, especially the pasta dishes.
 
1994 – Nearby, also on the Katy Freeway, Tony Mandola's Family Table. It served giant Italian-American dishes meant for several, and meant to be like “going to grandma's house for Sunday dinner,” provided she was first- or second-generation southern Italian or Sicilian. The concept did not work for Houston, and it changed into another Blue Oyster Bar, which remained until the freeway expansion chased it north.
 
1994 – If not quite new, at least renewed, Anthony’s is named a top new restaurant in the country by Esquire magazine in October.
 
1995 – In January Johnny Carrabba and Damian Mandola purchased Outback’s shares in the original two Carrabba’s and modified the terms of the expansion agreement. The numerous Carrabba-named outlets grow to over 230 during the next fifteen years while the two initial locations remain amazingly popular.
 
1996 – Thai-born Somchai Rapesak who had cooked for La Strada for nearly a decade opens Crostini in a small house on Shepherd north of Westheimer early in the year. It grows to incorporate the then-trendy Southwestern ingredients and Thai flavors into American Italian cooking that works quite well. The restaurant has a successful dozen year run.
 
1996 – In March, two local Italian restaurant stars, Damian Mandola (Damian’s, Carrabba’s) and Lynette Hawkins (La Mora, Giacomo’s), marry, though the union doesn’t last.
 
1996 – Deep in the heat and humidity of August Arcodoro opens. It quickly becomes regarded as one of the best Sardinian-focused restaurant in the country (not that there are too many). Its Seadas Al Miele dessert – puff pastry filled with sweetened cheese, fried and drizzled with bitter honey – is “perhaps the oldest dessert in the world” according to an Italian food authority.
 
1996 – Villa Capri in Clear Lake – run by the family that owns nearby Frenchie’s – hosts the Italian head of state, President Oscar Luigi Scalfaro.
 
1997 – In an April 11 review in the Houston Chronicle, Alex Truex writes, “Houston is blessed, but also cursed, by its plethora of upscale Italian restaurants,” proving definitively that he is no Robb Walsh or Alison Cook.
 
1997 – The restaurant with a bank vault run by a family from Rome, Ballatori’s, closes after a two decade run.
 
1998 – In April the Jay Leno on “The Tonight Show” pokes fun at the name of the Houston restaurant Crapitto’s. It is the last name of the owner, by the way.
 
1998 – In the summer of 1998 Aldo El Sharif of the extravagant Aldo's – along with Marco Wiles – opens a wine bar called Osteria D'Aldo at 301 Main downtown.
 
1998 – With talented Alberto Baffoni a native of the Marche in central Italy manning the kitchen, Simposio opens on Richmond and Chimney Rock. It is named as one of the top new restaurants in the country by Esquire that fall, being praised by bringing to Houston “authentic Italian cooking.”
 
1999 – In July of 1999 the Houston Chronicle lauds La Griglia in a review, as “Marco Wiles brings glory back to the kitchen.” It is planned as a short time gig.
 
1999 – Arcodoro is awarded three stars out of four by famed Italian journalist Luigi Veronelli and his team in the The Best Italian Restaurants in America. Barely more than twenty other Italian restaurants in the country were rated as high.
 
1999 – Also that year, another Italian publication, the magazine La Cucina Italiana has a feature article about Tony Vallone citing him as one of the Southwest's best-known Italian-food gurus.
 
2000 –In January divino on West Alabama near Dunlavy opens. Though as much a wine bar at first – and a place with intelligently chosen and well-priced wines – it can probably lay claim to being Houston’s first trattoria. It serves basic, proficient cooking that aims for true Italian sensibilities, inspired from Emilia-Romagna.
 
2000 – In March Marco Wiles – who had worked locally for Tony Vallone, Antonio Mingalone and Aldo El Sharif – opens Da Marco, which sports an unusual all-Italian wine list, and is to become the most lauded Italian restaurant in Houston’s dining history.
 
2000 – Both Tony Vallone for Tony’s, and Alberto Baffoni of Simposio have recipes featured in John Mariani’s The Italian-American Cookbook published in 2000 that highlighted Italian-American standards and broadly Italian dishes from chefs like Eric Ripert, Daniel Boulud and Ming Tsai. Vallone’s recipe is Capellini with Calamari and Shrimp (page 146); Baffoni’s is Potato Gnocchi with Wild Mushroom Ragù (page 196), “one of his masterful dishes” according to the author. Future Houston restaurateur Piero Selvaggio also has a recipe, Risotto with Corn (page 217).
 
2001 – In January the restaurant in the Four Seasons hotel downtown with talented Tim Keating heading the kitchen is rechristened Quattro, a contemporary Italian restaurant. Keating’s recent turn at the Four Seasons property in Milan makes this one of the most authentic Italian kitchens in the city.
 
2001 – Damian Mandola and Johnny Carrabba were asked to host the fourth season of the nationally syndicated PBS series “Cucina Amore.”   It spawns the cookbook, Ciao Y’All, possibly the closest tome that describes the Italian-themed cooking here. The hosts’ ebullient and irreverent style are such a hit they film two additional series featuring the cooking of Sicily and Tuscany – and companion cookbooks – in 2003 and 2004.
 
2001 – Just a year after it opens, talented sommelier Antonio Gianola joins Da Marco. He expands and greatly improves the all-Italian wine list to include a diverse, complementary and intriguing array of finds that help make the restaurant even more commendable. Gianola later goes on to Catalan as one of the opening partners helping to turn that into one of the city’s most exciting restaurants.
 
2001 – Nino’s (and Vincent’s, Grappino di Nino and later Pronto) Vincent Mandola is featured preparing his Veal Vincent on “Food Finds” on the Food Network.
 
2002 – Arcodoro’s Ravioli Arcodoro wins an international ravioli competition. Remaining on the menu throughout the restaurant’s tenure, these are good-sized ravioli filled with minced shrimps and scallops and wine must and finished with a flavorful seafood reduction.
 
2003 – Formerly just a wholesaler and a gelato maker to area restaurants, Nundini’s on N. Shepherd become known also as a retail import shop, sandwich purveyor and Houston’s first notable outlet for gelato and sorbetto.
 
2003 – In November Tilman Fertitta’s Landry Group purchases La Griglia and the two Grotto restaurants from Tony Vallone. That deal seems to stipulate that Vallone divest himself all but one restaurant. The Landry organization subsequently preserves these once interesting spots into amber, but these remain popular, if with a likely less discriminating group of patrons.
 
2004 – Distribution Amici Olive Oil – produced in Tuscany and owned by a Houstonian – begins from here. It is found at outlets like Spec’s and Leibman’s plus on-line.
 
2004 – Damian’s caters the All Star game held in Houston providing Italian food for Joe Torre and others while serving Caribbean-style food to the numerous Latin ballplayers on the American League roster.
 
2005 – Appropriately relocated to the former site of Maxim’s (once “the secure haven of the River Oaks plutocracy”) and featuring contemporary artwork from likes of the acclaimed Texas-bred artists Robert Rauschenberg and Jesus Moroles, Tony’s is named among the top new restaurants in the country by Esquire magazine. The French executive chef with the tough-to-pronounce Polish last name, Olivier Ciesielski, directs a kitchen staff that is capable of creating excellent Italian food.
 
2006 – In January Marco Wiles’ Dolce Vita opens on lower Westheimer. Seemingly using Mario Batali’s Otto in Manhattan as a template, Wiles goes far beyond that with his Italian-style pizzas fired in a wood-burning oven using a range of toppings inspired throughout the peninsula. It is easily the best pizzeria in Houston and encounters no serious contenders for years, if ever.
 
2006 – In Damian Mandola founds Mandola Family Winery south of Austin focusing on Italian varietals like Vermentino, Dolcetto and Montepulciano. TABC issues arising because of his ownership in dining or retail establishments – or a fallout with his partners according to another source – cause him to sell out to his partners. He still owns the attractive Trattoria Lisina next door.
 
2006 – Gourmet Sardina, an outlet for high quality Sardinian food products, is launched by Arcodoro’s owners Efisio and Lori Farris. The online shop offers artisanal products from Farris’ homeland that are quite different than those found in the typical Italian-American pantry. Bottarga, bitter honey and saba are a few of the high-end items that also include wine and olive oils.
 
2006 – The October edition of Gourmet listed Da Marco at number 29 among their list of top 50 restaurants in the country. Only three other Italians are placed higher – Babbo in New York, Vetri in Philadelphia, and Bartolotta di Mare in Las Vegas – not bad company, at all.
 
2007 – Sweet Myrtle & Bitter Honey: The Mediterranean Flavors of Sardinia from Efisio Farris of Arcodoro is published. It is likely the first Sardinian cookbook published in English. The New York Times listed it among “25 noteworthy cookbooks published in 2007.’’
 
2007 – Late in the year Ristorante Cavour opens in developer Giorgio Borlenghi’s posh Hotel Granduca. The executive chef is a Frenchman, David Denis. He infuses the flavors similar to his native Provence and Liguria to create a broadly northern Italian array of very well-crafted dishes. He proves that the French culinary tradition of stock-making marries well with Milanese-style risotto. For those that don’t know much about Italian history, the restaurant takes its moniker from Baron Cavour, one of the principal architects of Italian unification in 1861; the conquest of the Kingdom of Two Sicilies and its incorporation into the Turin-based Kingdom of Sardinia.
 
2008 – In an article entitled “The Best U.S. Italian Restaurants” in the April issue of Forbes Traveler, John Mariani names Tony’s among the top dozen or so Italian eateries in the country. He writes, “in its new location, Tony's plays to a younger crowd that comes for rigorously authentic Italian regional cuisine and great wines.”
 
2008 – Also in April, Andrea Pintus, the longtime chef at lower Heights-area Patrenalla’s, and a native of Sardinia, opens his own restaurant with business partner, Luigi Campioni, on Westheimer and Dairy Ashford. Called Andrea’s is serves approachable Italian and Italian-American dishes that are a very good value.
 
2008 – In the heat of the summer, Russo’s Coal-Fired Pizzeria from the folks at the local New York Pizzeria chain opens in northwest Houston. Houstonians can get a taste of more pizzas cooked in the more traditional early New York and New Haven fashion.
 
2009 – Sicilian Village located in Friendswood begins distributing packaged olives from Sicily. These are available at Spec’s, Amazon.com and SicilianVillage.com.
 
2009 – Marco Wiles opens his third truly Italian restaurant along a short stretch of Westheimer, Poscol, in March. It takes its name from the term in dialect used for a main thoroughfare (Via Poscolle) in the northeastern Italian city of Udine, the hometown of Wiles’ family. Featuring small plates and inspiration largely from Veneto and Friuli, it sports another well-chosen all-Italian wine list. Texas Monthly names it and Valentino on its list of best restaurants to open in the state that year.
 
2009 – In September Houston hosts its first Italian Expo produced to highlight products from Italy. It is a boon to wine lovers, maybe too much so. Chicago is the only other city to host a similar event.
 
2009 – Lynette Hawkins gets back into the game in September with her Tuscan- and  Venetian-inspired small plate spot Giacomo’s on Westheimer west of Kirby. From the start, it features a very well-chosen and well-priced all-Italian wine list that seems to cover every corner of that country. It evolves to become one of the city's most reliable and best-value dining destinations, regardless of cuisine.
 
2009 – Legendary Piero Selvaggio – whose Santa Monica eatery Valentino was long regarded as the best Italian restaurant in the country – opens his third branch in Houston’s modern Hotel Derek near the Galleria. The restaurant is a new concept for Houston, an Italian ambition and credibility previously found elsewhere in this country just in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Las Vegas and one spot in Philadelphia. A veteran of Valentino’s Las Vegas operation, the talented Cunninghame West heads the kitchen here, doing an excellent job with an approachable version of Selvaggio’s inspired takes on alta cucina. James Beard Award-winning chef Luciano Pellegrini occasionally comes to town from Sin City to aid with special dinners for some added culinary power.
 
2009 – Stella Sola by one of the city’s top toques, Bryan Caswell, along with partner Bill Floyd opens in the Heights in November 2009. Influenced by the meaty robustness of some northern Italian cooking, its name translates to “Lone Star” (or “Lonely Star”) in English. One of Caswell’s early cooking stints was at Damian’s. He later cooked with the talented Rocco DiSpirito well before DiSpirito’s televised Italian-American restaurant nightmare, “The Restaurant” in 2003.
 
2010 – In April, Tuscan Renato De Pirro, an alumnus of Pierro Selvaggio’s Las Vegas restaurants and previously the Executive Chef at Osteria del Circo, the Maccioni’s family refined and well-regarded trattoria in the Bellagio Hotel and Casino, takes over the kitchen at Ristorante Cavour, bringing a more properly Italian taste to the menu at this upscale establishment.
 
2010 – Ciao Bello, another Vallone enterprise that had opened a year earlier in a space once occupied by La Strada, is named among “11 More Restaurants You Don't Want to Miss” by Esquire in 2010. It will become known for its zesty flavors among Roman-style thin-crust pizzas, pastas, Gulf-oriented seafood and meaty Italian-American-inflected preparations in an attractively casual and comfortable but very stylish setting that has long been a Vallone signature. Also in 2010, Vallone’s Caffe Bello takes over the original address of La Strada in Montrose, but struggles for traction in an evolving neighborhood.
 
2010 – In December Amici in Sugar Land closes. It seems competition from a recently opened Olive Garden nearby might have played a factor. This does not reflect well on Fort Bend residents.

2011 – Pizaro's opens in a strip center on Memorial in west Houston serving Neapolitan style pizza, the most truly Neapolitan that Houston has thus seen. Proprietor Bill Hutchinson puts his “Verace Pizza Napoletana” certification as a  Pizzaiolo to good use, and the bare-bones spots draws customers from around the area including a number of Italian ex-pats.  
 
2011 – In an area deficient in quality fresh Italian sausage, you can purchase it at the two Carrabba's owned by the family, though you will likely have to call ahead. The piquant, flavorful sausage is made by Johnny Carrabba, Sr., and unusual for Italian sausage elsewhere, but consistent with Texas, it contains a fair portion of beef.
 
2012 – Valentino, the best Italian restaurant that ever was in Houston, cannot overcome the very difficult location in the Hotel Derek and shutters. A shame, as proprietor Piero Selvaggio never got to do all he wanted to with the restaurant including becoming more adventurous with the offerings and expanding its wine list to at least a substantial of his Santa Monica original that has one of top handful of wine lists in the country
 
2014 – Inspired by the Italian heritage of executive chef Ryan Pera, Coltivare opens in January on White Oak in the Heights offering seasonal American-Italian fare including distinctively bready pizzas along with pastas and larger preparations in a casual, no reservations setting that seduces most local food critics.
 
2014 – Giancarlo Ferrara, the executive chef at Arcodoro for over a decade, opens Amalfi on Westheimer west of the Galleria in the same strip center as The Palm. Highlighting the dishes and flavors of his native Salerno, down the coast from Naples, that should be familiar to most American diners along with some items and techniques from his stops in the Veneto and at a French restaurant bearing two Michelin stars, the restaurant quickly becomes one of the top Italians in the city.
 
2015 – Now sporting the descriptive phrase, “Naples Influenced. Milan Inspired. Houston Cherished,” Tony’s celebrates its fiftieth year in business.
 
2015 – Pizaro's opens a second location on Montrose and West Gray. It later expands its menu to include New York style and Detroit style pizzas. The latter, a version of the Sicilian pan pizza created in Detroit soon after the Second World War, has been trendy addition to pizza joint menus across the country.

2017 – Across the street from the ballpark, Astros owner opens Potente, an upscale, expensive Italian-themed restaurant that eventually gets the skilled Danny Trace who was the executive chef at Brennan’s, and at the estimable Commander's Palace in New Orleans before that, as its top toque.
 
2017 – Chef Mark Cox of Mark's fame begins consulting at Fratelli's, an Italian-American restaurant in Spring Branch that began as a franchised offshoot of the original Fratelli's on 290. His work improves the food and the restaurant's profile, which becomes a favorite of an older set of west Houston customers.

2017 – After 36 years in business, Carmelo’s closes after Christmas brunch. Owner Carmelo Mauro, a steadfast member of the Houston restaurant community was both the former president of both the Texas Restaurant Association and the Greater Houston Restaurant Association.
 
2018 – Arcodoro, the upscale Sardinian restaurant in the Galleria that drew loyal patronage from ex-pat Italians and other Europeans closes in February after nearly two decades in business.
 
2018 – In April, the Italian wine and food publication Gambero Rosso names Amalfi as the best fine dining Italian restaurant in Houston, Sud Italia, with Maurizio Ferrarese in the kitchen, as tops for traditional cuisine, the Dallas-based chain Cane Rosso for pizza (quite surprisingly, and maybe a bit grudgingly according to the person I spoke with from Gambero Rosso), and Poscol for having the best wine program among local Italian restaurants.
 
2018 – In July, J.J. Watt asked his 5 million-plus followers on Twitter for the best Italian restaurant in Houston. The clear favorite of the 2,000 or so respondents was, very oddly and depressingly, Olive Garden, of which there are over twenty locations in the Houston area, which is also depressing to learn.
 
2018 – Tanglewood’s neighborhood Italian restaurant from Tony Vallone, Ciao Bello, closes rather suddenly in August, a couple of weeks after sibling steakhouse Vallone’s does so in Spring Branch.
 
2018 – In November, chef Maurizio Ferrarese, who won deserved plaudits at Quattro and Sud Italia, is hired to take over the kitchen at Ristorante Cavour.


I’ve got to write that through a coincidence of fate, I was born in the Italian North Beach neighborhood of San Francisco and afterwards belonged to the same parish in Bergen County, New Jersey as the mother of Frank Sinatra, whom I was told reliably purchased kegs for church functions. I was the local editor for the Zagat Survey for several years until Google did away with those positions and, possibly more pertinently, is the author of the ebook From the Antipasto to the Zabaglione: The Story of Italian Restaurants in America that is available on Amazon.

An artistic creation from Ristorante Cavour

​I finally made it Segari’s the other day.  Segari’s, in its current on Shepherd between I-10 and Washington and in previous incarnations, has been serving its brand of regional Gulf Coast seafood and more since 1971.  The esteemed Robb Walsh rang high praises about Segari’s shrimp and gumbo for years, giving some credence to the restaurant’s tagline of “World Famous Gumbo and Fried Shrimp.”
 
I’m sorry I waited so long.  The Grilled Bacon Wrapped Shrimp preparation I had featured absolutely terrific shrimp, impeccably high quality, large and perfectly cooked.  These were moist, and with an excellent texture that was tender enough – properly not soft and definitely no hint of toughness that might indicate too much time on the heat – and nicely assembled with the thin pieces of the affixed bacon, that stayed affixed, nicely complementing rather overwhelming the flavor of the shrimp. These were best grilled shrimp I’ve had in memory and it was one of the top shrimp dishes I’ve had in quite a while, up there with the barbecue shrimp at Mr. B’s in New Orleans earlier this year.
 
Unfortunately, there were only five shrimp to my order.  I could have eaten several more, as delicious as they were.  Also unfortunately, the shrimp came with an order of the worst onion rings I might have ever had and the worst garlic bread I’ve ever had.  The onion rings had an odd and odd-tasting breading.  A friend thought it looked like breading that was old.  It didn’t seem like that to me.  Rather, it was just dull-looking, not flavorful and bland, at best.  An odd complement of horseradish-spiked cocktail sauce was necessary with them.  Next time, I’ll go for the fries or Rosemary New Potatoes as my choice of a side.  The very dry garlic bread that prefaced my order seemed like two length-wise halves of what appeared to be supermarket-purchased bolillo bread without much in the way of discernible butter or olive oil, nor garlic, and that was left in the oven to affect the consistency of two misshapen croutons. 
 
And annoyingly, there are no prices on the menu.  Your bill’s total seems to be dependent on the price of the seafood and the whim of the restaurant.  My order which didn’t feature a ton of food was $27.95, quite expensive for me for lunch.  There’s not a lunch menu.  But I’ll be back to this quirky, homey little bungalow-set spot – just nine tables and about the same number of seats at the bar – for some of its succulent shrimp, at the very least.
 
Segari’s
1503 Shepherd (between I-10 and the railroad tracks), 77007, (713) 880-2470
segarisrestaurant.com

​I had made the trek out to Maine-ly Sandwiches on I-10 that’s in the same shopping center as the Edwards Marq’E 23 movie theater for a late lunch with a lobster roll in mind.  As $28 for the Whole Lobster Roll seemed excessive for a midday meal during the work week, I ordered a ½ lobster roll and felt that I would likely need some more sustenance.  A half Italian Sandwich, available in a variety of choices, is just $4.50, so I ordered one after asking the cashier which one she thought was the best.  Chicken Salad, maybe seeming unusual under the banner of “Italian Sandwiches,” but that proved to be a very enjoyable recommendation.
 
Though I ate chicken salad sandwiches often during my second year of business school – cheap, convenient and something that the cafeteria didn’t screw up – that was a number of years ago.  I’ve rarely eaten them since, so this order would be a nice change of pace, at least.  Served on a buttered and toasted split-top roll, a soft, industrially produced hot dog roll, I got the sandwich with everything: the chicken salad, slivers of apples, bits of walnuts, chopped onions, iceberg lettuce, slices of tomato, pieces of bell pepper, pickles, black olives, pickled and jalapeños along with salt and pepper.  It was a rather odd and unsightly concoction, but it was quite tasty, mayonnaise-heavy, with a lot more going on than the typical chicken salad sandwich.  The laundry list of sandwich toppings all played well together for me, even the black olives, and there was welcome textural diversity with the walnuts and pickles.  I’m glad that I took the cashier’s suggestion.  I’ll likely do so again in the future.
 
Also, the lobster roll, properly buttery and fairly rich, was quite good, too.  The drive was worth it.
 
Maine-ly Sandwiches
7620 Katy Freeway (just east of Silber, near the Edwards Marq’E 23), 77024, (713) 677-0771
mainelysandwiches.com

Through September I was disappointed in the collection of new restaurants that had opened in the city this year compared to the fantastic year that 2017 was for newcomers, likely the best ever in Houston.  But things picked up in the last quarter, and it proved tough to limit the list to just ten restaurants.  Houston remains a wonderfully dynamic dining city and its restaurant scene grew, if with fewer ambitious restaurants this year than last.  Chef Chris Shepherd, especially, had a terrific year.  He and his team were remarkably busy, with three restaurant openings and Southern Smoke, the city’s best food event, all within the space of a few months.  All succeeded in more than fine fashion.  It was a busy year not only for them but other restaurateurs.  The folks from Agricole Hospitality (Coltivare, Eight Row Flint) opened four places, including Indianola with the skilled Paul Lewis (Osteria Mazzatini, most notably) at the helm.  Ford Fry of State of Grace opened a couple of fun spots in the spaces of the dearly departed duo of Hunky Dory and Bernadine’s.  On the counter-service side, our recent-years impressive barbecue landscape got even more impressive and more interesting.  It was a good year for new restaurants, and before the end of year, a hectic one, too. 
 
To note, the average prices reflect a typical dinner, which might be an appetizer, side or dessert in addition to the entrée – or a suitable number of small plates – a couple of drinks, tax and a 20% tip.  Below are the top ten new restaurants to open in Houston in 2018, listed alphabetically, and described in a sometime long-winded fashion.
 
Blood Bros. BBQ – $22 – This acclaimed barbecue pop-up opened their first restaurant in Bellaire just before the end of the year, much to the joy of local smoked meats aficionados and has been busy since the get-go.  They are still learning the business, as one of principals quickly admitted to me during a visit – the line moved at a glacial pace – but the food, especially the meats, was first-rate.  The requisite beef brisket is tender with wonderful, salty bark.  The fatty ends were absolutely terrific, though the leaner interior tasted just a touch dry in spots, nothing that the welcome slices pickled red onions, fresh jalapeño or the table-top slightly vinegary hot sauce couldn’t amend. The straightforward cheese-studded pork sausage was almost too easy to eat.  The pork ribs were moving as quickly as the brisket during my first time there, a good sign.  The sides here are better than most that include creamed corn, a mustard-free potato salad with skin-on new potatoes, rich soupy beans, and macaroni and cheese.  There are just four proteins to start – turkey, too – but I was told that meats will be added as the restaurant gets some more time under its belt.  As good as it is now, this Bellaire smoker will likely be even a good deal better in a few months.  5425 Bellaire (at Chimney Rock), 77401, (832) 582-5992
 
Calle Onze – $50 – Tex-Mex might be considered passé in some quarters, but Calle Onze – and to a lesser extent Superica – shows that our long-loved regional cuisine can still entice with dishes that might not be new, but done in a more considered and an even refined way that can satisfy even more.  An expansive cocktail program can add to that, too.  Around the corner from the popular Eight Row Flint and taking its name from its location, 11th Street, Calle Onze, valet-only and all, and maybe in part because of the fine-dining-like valet-only, has been packed since opening in depths of the summer; a perfect match for those newer Heights residents who can afford those high six- and seven-digits digs.  Fittingly slicker and nicer than just about any local Tex-Mex stop, the cooking is generally better, too, certainly more attractively plated.  Grilled chicken in an enchilada typically means bland pieces of protein that rarely aid the dish.  Not here, as the nicely marinated and attentively grilled chicken provides a nice complement to the cheese and quality tortillas.  In addition to the familiar local Tex-Mex dishes like that, there are also one like smoked pork belly with pineapple and watermelon, duck carnitas, scallops with masa dumplings and crispy chicharron, and lobster and cheese ravioli.  Ambitious might not be the proper adjective to describe the menu at Calle Onze, but it’s appealing at the very least. 222 W. 11th Street (just west of Yale), 77008, (832) 767-1417
 
Eunice – $90 – Serving Creole or maybe more accurately Creole-inspired fare, the restaurant that became Eunice had garnered very considerable buzz beginning in 2016 when it was going to be star New Orleans chef and restaurateur John Besh’s first foray into Houston.  With Besh no longer actively involved in the restaurant group due to allegations of extensive sexual harassment, Eunice, named after the southern Louisiana hometown of its executive chef, Drake Leonards, fell a bit under the radar until almost its opening in October.  And the gorgeous restaurant in Greenway Plaza – clean-lined and modern, yet quite inviting, comfortable and light – can also be easy to miss as its set off the intersection.  A foray into the menu during its first month with a group of friends included the roasted oysters with bits of shrimp, blue crab, and then brown butter breadcrumbs, which were excellent, with the toppings working well with the moist, milky oysters.  Maybe even more pleasurable were the chicken liver mousse served with a fig jam and thin slices of quality toasted bread.  Mild yet flavorful, its similar in quality to the different, also exemplary adaptions of the dish at nearby Giacomo’s and Georgia James.  The crispy Boudin Balls and Dan Dan Shrimp – named after a friend and former co-worker of the chef, not the Szechuan noodles – were both worth ordering.  The first-rate entrées included hanger steak from the lunch menu, slices of duck breast with some dirty rice not that clearly described as “Duck Duck Rice / sweet potato, celery root, dirty rice,” and a sautéed Gulf black drum with some crab and brown butter.  The only misstep was overcooked nearly mushy pasta substituting for the traditional rice in the shrimp etouffee.  Ask for the rice.  The friendly, attentive and knowledgeable service extended to the bar service, with an excellent martini for just $6 – a very welcome surprise since I paid for $14 for a simple and small gin-and-tonic earlier in the year at one of their sibling establishments in New Orleans. Eunice proved better and a better value, and a welcome addition to Houston.  3737 Buffalo Speedway (at Richmond), 77098, (832) 491-1717
 
Feges BBQ – $20 – A barbecue joint in a subterranean office food court?  Yes, and it’s worth the hassle for non-Greenway Plaza workers to visit during the weekday when its open.  And, yes, they are smoking meats onsite courtesy of a seemingly lengthy venting system.  From the husband and wife team of Erin Smith and Patrick Feges, both of whom have impressive culinary CVs – and that includes Killen’s Barbecue for Feges – and it shows at this fairly humble counter-service spot where not only is the requisite beef brisket top-notch but its brethren are better than is typically found at a barbecue joint.  Pork belly, turkey and pulled pork are a few of the other admirable smoked meats plus an interesting array of often piquant sides like sweet + spicy sprouts, braised collard greens, Moroccan spiced carrots, spiced cracklins, sweet potato + banana mashers and the yogurt + cilantro slaw.  With the lengthy list of quality sides and a couple sides, you can even do well going vegetarian for lunch here, a welcome oddity among barbecue restaurants.  But, if feeling less like healthy eating, there are also a trio of sweets including the PB&J Chocolate Cake that has drawn raves.  3, Greenway Plaza, basement food court (south of Richmond between Buffalo Speedway and Edloe), 77046, (832) 409-6118
 
Georgia James – $150 – Houston can actually use another steakhouse, especially if it is from Chris Shepherd and company. The reprise of the popular One Fifth Steak set in the former home of Underbelly offered a different take on the expected chop house that has managed to please both those customers attracted to the city’s more interesting fine-dining spots and those who consider a nice meal out a visit to a steakhouse.  Likely with the latter group in mind, the menu is little less adventurous than its One Fifth predecessor, but it’s still the most unique steakhouse in the city.  It starts uniquely with wonderfully crusty small loaf of bread from Bread Man Baking Co. that’s served with a jar of clarified butter infused with smoked brisket from nearby Feges Barbecue (Patrick Feges is an Underbelly alum).  Though the expected strip (loin), ribeye and porterhouse are served, there is no filet.  And no Caesar Salad to start, either.  Customers should be more than satisfied with one of the other beefy options, including the succulent sirloin, the tender Wagyu Zubaton – cut from the upper portion of the chuck – or the 100-day-wet-aged hanger steak, a true onglet cut that is tasty but not really funky and a relative deal at $35.  Somewhat differently, the restaurant sources from the regional 44 Farms and Marble Ranch and cooks most of the steaks in a cast iron skillet.  The soft and juicy cast iron-cooked ribeye was delicious, if maybe with just a little more exterior fat than ideal.  But it, and the Zabuton were both absolutely terrific on a subsequent visit, sporting wonderfully crusty, salty exteriors without as much fat for the ribeye and juicy, tender and flavorful meat.  There are also bone-in versions for the bigger spenders including the long bone ribeye dry aged for 100 days for $150 and a daily butcher’s cut.  The starters and sides are largely fun, intelligent riffs on the standards including domestic caviar and a raw bar with pricey seafood towers.  The wine list is terrific, eclectic for a steakhouse, and with nice prices for the quality, which is what you can expect from Matthew Pridgen who also does the wines at UB Preserv and One Fifth.  1100 Westheimer (at Waugh), 77006, (832) 241-5088
 
La Lucha – $60 – Though this is supposed to take inspiration from the old San Jacinto Inn, a restaurant I loved as a kid, it doesn’t remind me at all of it.  No matter.  This place has often excellent, casual food that can also be a lot of fun in an attractive and vibrant setting that is a far cry from the San Jacinto Inn.  It’s not surprising that this new place specializing in fried chicken and Gulf seafood joint occupying the space of the dearly departed Hunky Dory has a fine selection of oysters from the Gulf and a great happy hour special on those on the half-shell, as it’s siblings with State of Grace, which might have the best oyster program in the city.  Though those bivalves are a definite attraction, the star of the menu might be the fried chicken, served in half or whole bird portions.  The fried shrimp are also quite good, done a little differently than found elsewhere in town.  Except for the full fried chicken and roasted oysters orders, the Texas Gulf classic redfish on the half shell, and the Louisiana caviar (bowfin) served with an onion dip and uber-processed Pringles, the dishes are under $20, well-suited for sampling and sharing.  OK, the Pharmacy Burger might be to, tougher to share, but it’s terrific (and far better than any of the ones I ever had at the nearby Yale Street Grill).  There are handful of house cocktails, though the list of wines is limited.  Nicely, there are over twenty types of sparkling wines that include nice prices on good Champagne, which might be the perfect pairing for fried chicken, after all.  1801 N Shepherd (at 18th Street), 77008, (713) 955-4765
 
One Fifth Mediterranean – $110 – The third concept to occupy One Fifth, Chris Shepherd’s eleven-month restaurant in the former home of Mark’s, serves food largely inspired from the Levant and points west, Turkey and north Africa.  The cuisines that have not been represented in fine-dining establishments here, and rarely in this country, but taking some cues from the lauded Zahav in Philadelphia, this is another successful turn of One Fifth with laudable, upscale interpretations of preparations of various cuisines of the eastern and southern Mediterranean.  The light, fresh-tasting hummus was easily the best I’ve ever eaten as was their airy, house-made pita bread.  When I visited, the Daily Hummus was topped with an as least as delicious braised lamb short ribs off the bone.  There are several types of hummus preparations and other dips and spreads that can be a no-brainer to start a meal.  With a number of these easily shareable dishes, including family-style large preparations like an entire fish and braised lamb, a visit with a few at the table can make for an especially pleasurable communal meal.  The wood-burning oven used for the pita and other breads gets a lot of use, with fish, meat and vegetables appealingly cooked al ha'esh (on the fire).  I was told that this current incarnation of One Fifth has resonated with local Persians, among others.  For many not nearly as familiar with the items, one of the two tasting menus, at $60 and $75, might be the way to go.  1658 Westheimer (nearly at Dunlavy) 77006, (713) 955-1024
 
Shun – $110 – From the son of the owners of longtime favorite of Japanese transplants and visitors, Nippon in Montrose, Shun is something nicer, hipper and more ambitious than his parents’ comfortable stop.  A little less traditionally Japanese, too, with locally attuned flavors and ingredients make their appearance in some of the dishes. With a mix of sushi and sashimi, grilled robatayaki items, and a grab-bag of Japanese small plates, the menu might be tough to navigate for some, but the servers are helpful guides.  One of the highlights we were directed to on a recent visit was the Lengua Gyoza, a trio of big, soft and delicious dumplings filled with tender tongue meat from wagyu cattle – a far cry from what’s in cheap lengua tacos – and served with salsa verde in a ponzu mignonette.  The pricey, but large pieces of nigiri sushi and sashimi are excellent, as you might expect with the experience at Nippon, with some sourced from more exotic waters.  Fun and delectable rolls like the Sun Blast filled with salmon, apple, tobiko, micro cilantro, lime, spicy aioli and topped with a piece of crispy salmon skin might have more wide-ranging appeal.  Shun can seemingly appeal to a range of customers with familiar items like tempura, miso soup, pork katsu, and sushi rolls, those interested in a meal of mostly sushi and sashimi, and there’s a separate sushi counter, or those wanting something more unique.  The customers appeared to reflect that, with families with young children, middle-aged Inner Loopers along with plenty of Japanese folks.  They all looked as happy we were, the highballs and well-compiled sake list helped see to that.  2802 South Shepherd (between Westheimer and West Alabama), 77006, (832) 409-5888
 
UB Preserv – $80 – Underbelly has moved down the street to a smaller, livelier and louder, space that was more deemed more appropriate – if maybe a little too small given that it’s seemingly always crowded – and is showcasing Asian influences even more and from a seemingly broader footprint.  Not that the ever-evolving Underbelly got old or stale, but the move and new chef de cuisine, Nick Wong, an alumnus of David Chang’s Momofuku kitchens, has made its successor more interesting and a visit more exciting, and more fun.  The many dishes among the two dozen or so that easily and smartly mix some of the different cuisines that get traction among Houston diners.  Executive Chef Chris Shepherd showed over the tenure of Underbelly, and at the several-cuisines-at-once One Fifth Romance Languages, how he and the team can combine items from seemingly disparate cooking traditions into something sensibly delicious, which continues here.  The menu skips merrily around the world for inspirations: China, Vietnam, Italy, Mexico, Mitteleuropa, Texas, Thailand, etc. The pork schnitzel was a favorite across the street.  Here, the tender piece of bread pork is flavored with the spicy and sweet Korean gochujang sauce for a fun twist.  If you have trouble deciding among the offbeat, tempting options, the four-course tasting menu is well-priced at $55.  For their Sunday brunch, The Crispy Rice Salad is a star, featuring puffed and crispy grains of rice providing a welcome textural contrast to the array of fresh herbs and the bright ripe cherry tomatoes.  As much attention and acclaim that Shepherd and the restaurants have received, they’ve never quite received their due for their excellence with vegetables.  One example was The Tomato & Avocado Salad, an early brunch dish, that also came with a medley of well-chosen fresh herbs, wedges of ripe green avocado and even more tomatoes in hues of deep purple and robust red, all nicely ripe and tasting terrifically.  It’s what you would expect from one of the city’s best.  1609 Westheimer (between Mandell and Dunlavy), 77006, (346) 406-5923
 
Wanna Bao – $40 – Yes, you should.  Proclaiming itself on its signage as “Hearty Chinese Bistro / Dumpling House.”  It is.  And a good one at that, and in a hip, industrial-sparse bistro-like setting at the edge of Midtown is well beyond what would be typical of a similar place along Bellaire Boulevard, serving both dishes from Shanghai and the madly popular Szechuan region, Wanna Bao seemingly succeeds with both – as with both ends of its signage, the dumplings for certain.  I really enjoyed their take on that Shanghai specialty, soup dumplings (xiao long bao), along with the piquant, even messier for me red oil dumplings.  Those Shanghai dishes are done correctly and tastily from what I have heard from some Shanghai natives.  And, for what it’s worth, Chinese and Chinese-Americans make up most of the patrons at this oft busy spot.  But, even for casual fans of Chinese fare, there will be more than a few familiar items like Kung Pao Chicken, various types of fried rice, along with those steamed dumplings. 2708 Bagby (just before Tuam), 77006, (832) 623-7265
​


A Brussels sprouts dish at Eunice

​Somewhat updated again on December 22, 2018

If you are visiting Houston for work (or even fun) and want to experience its terrific restaurant scene like a local while not traveling very far from your hotel – which is likely downtown or in the Galleria area – this article recommends a number establishments that can suit a variety of tastes and moods. Places in the recently burgeoning Heights and other points too far from the hotel clusters, with a few exceptions, are omitted. But, most of Houston’s best restaurants are located between downtown and the Galleria, so most visitors are in luck, just needing a quick cab or Lyft or Uber ride, or maybe even, in the very un-Houston-like fashion, a short walk. The types of diversions are listed alphabetically.

Barbecue – Since the opening of Killen's in suburban Pearland in early 2014, barbecue in the Houston area became a little more interesting and has drawn more regional and national attention. Killen's is worth the drive, but prepared for long lines, which are a feature daily. Brisket, pork ribs and, increasingly, beef ribs are the stars of the show in Houston barbecue. Sausage should be good, too. Across the street from MinuteMaid Park downtown, Jackson St. BBQ combines the talents of top local chef Bryan Caswell of Reef fame and, for the pork ribs, Greg Gatlin of his well-regarded eponymous family barbecue spot on the near north side, Gatlin’s. This is worth the trip, but prepared that service can be very slow even on slow days.  Also northeast of downtown, though closer to downtown, is Pinkerton’s, that opened to rave reviews in 2017, and even serves cocktails in addition to lauded Texas barbecue (open from Wednesday through Sunday). The Pit Room is a slick mid-2016 newcomer to Montrose, not too far from downtown, has quickly matured into one of the best barbecue spots in the city with its properly moist and flavorful brisket, peppery rubs and diligent smoking, plus there are even top-notch barbecue-centric tacos.  Opened early in 2018, Feges BBQ is oddly set in a basement food court in an office complex, but run by two accomplished chefs, husband and wife, and having ventilation to smoke on site, it turns out excellent Texas-style barbecue and better and more interesting sides than most. West of the Galleria on Voss, Roegel'shas drawn raves since it rebranded and upgraded the Dallas-based chain they had been operating, offering not just well-regarded brisket but more chicken than you'll find elsewhere and daily specials like pastrami beef ribs and pork belly. Still known for its pork ribs, Pizzitola’s just south of I-10 west of downtown has had a barbecue pit in operation since in the 1930s. Though long popular, especially during lunchtime since it is easily accessible from downtown, it has somewhat recently been drawing attention from newly fashioned local barbecue enthusiasts again. Longstanding Goode Co. Barbecue doesn’t get much attention from critics and self-styled barbecue snobs, but it remains popular and often very good, with a ranged of smoked meats beyond brisket and pork ribs and the very best sides including house-made cheddar-jalapeño bread and the easily the most efficient counter-service around. A hike north to Old Town Spring, but highly acclaimed is Corkscrew that features some twists on the menu like tacos and a triple pork sandwich plus top-notch brisket.

Beer – Houston boasts the very first modern beer bar in the country, The Ginger Man, in the Rice Village, which opened in 1986 that is still a popular stop offering a great, relaxed atmosphere in which to imbibe. The most serious and polished of the local beer bars is The Hay Merchant offers over 75 drafts including five casks – nearly all from the more interesting craft breweries, Belgium and Germany and served through beer lines better attended than elsewhere; it shares a building on lower Westheimer with the estimable restaurant Underbelly. Not too far from the downtown hotels, Mongoose versus Cobra in Midtown, is a casually slick spot serving an unbalanced array of mostly very hoppy or alcoholic domestic brews aimed at the younger hop-heads but also a well-chosen array of spirits, all to be consumed on attractive communal tables or at the bar. For something different, there is the historic West Alabama Ice House that dates from 1928, a remnant of the days in Houston when beer was mostly consumed from bottles while sitting outside (and smoking). There is also an outpost of The Flying Saucer, conveniently located on Main Street downtown, which offers scores of draft domestic craft beers, and Saint Arnold Brewing Company, just north of downtown, has an expansive new beer garden that opened in the summer of 2018, and should be even better after a few months of operation and cooler temps.  A little further out, just past the 610 Loop is the city's best brewery and its best brewer, Karbach, which sold out in late 2016 to the beer behemoth ImBev, much to the chagrin of most Houstonians.  It has a popular beer-centric restaurant, events and tours.  En route to downtown, King’s Bierhaus is German / Austrian restaurant and bar with its Bavarian beers the real attraction.  Most of the best Munich-area beers are available – also still no Augustiner here – on tap including five dopplebocks and even a couple of the fame monastery beers from Andechs.  Closer in is The Heights Bier Garten on N. Shepherd that was built to order to very attractive effect and serving over 90 beer taps, an expansive and gorgeous arrangement of liquors in a structure separate from its beer dispensary, an attractive crowd and horrific parking. Just down a flight of stairs near a busy Main Street intersection, The Conservatory is an underground beer, wine and food hall with around fifty local beer options, mostly hoppy or fairly alcoholic. Also downtown, a few blocks away is the Craft Beer Cellar, a cool retail-cum-draft beer bar featuring mostly local craft beers plus an emphasis and heavy-hopping and sours.

Breakfast – If you are up for breakfast on a weekend morning, a couple standouts provide an excellent taste of Houston in the morning. Goode Co. Taqueria on Kirby just south of Highway 59 serves breakfasts that are strongly influenced by Mexico and south Texas ranch cooking, and are consistently exceptional and hearty. The recipient of some national attention, The Breakfast Klub in Midtown is friendly, eclectic and properly caloric, sporting local and Southern-rooted flavor and nice vibe whose only downside is that you’ll likely have to wait in line for a while. Who knew that catfish and eggs can make for an excellent morning meal? The Dunlavy, set attractively above Buffalo Bayou off Allen Parkway west of downtown, offers attractive and even healthy breakfast options that can be accompanied with a mimosa or wine, if you must. Picos does an excellent job with Mexican breakfasts, done more nicely and refined than most, seven mornings a week.

Breakfast Pastries – Bringing donuts or pastries when visiting another office or making a sales call can help win some friends or bring smiles, at the very least.  The sweet dough Kolaches are a regional specialty, both sweet and savory, and the best in Houston are found at the Kolache Shoppe in the Greenway Plaza area.  Their kolaches might even be the best in the entire state, a recent trip to West, Texas strengthens that notion for me.  Common Bond looks well beyond Texas to France for their baked goods and does a fantastic job with croissants and pretty much everything.  Almost as good are those goods found at the stand-apart Bake Shop at Weights and Measures in Midtown.

Brunch – As distinct from breakfast, brunch is little nicer, longer and much more alcoholic. There are a number of options including Brennan’s in Midtown, the sister restaurant of Commander’s Palace in New Orleans, which serves a classic Crescent City-style brunch that is refined, rich and with rarely a table that hews to single drink per person. A Houston classic brunch is Backstreet Café, which has a similarly appealing courtyard and kitchen. Its stablemate, Hugo’s, does the morning fare of Mexico and more on the weekend, including a mariachi-drenched buffet, a very nice buffet, as does another one, Caracol, in the Galleria on the weekend, though more seafood-oriented, and its most recent sibling, Xochi in the Marriott across from Discovery Green downtown that is similarly enticing. Not incidentally, these are the three best Mexican restaurants in the city.  For something more casual, but with the expected quality of fare and well-made cocktails, there is Weights and Measures in a quiet part of Midtown.  For something different and a drive, but excellent, is the city’s best and most copious dim sum at Fung’s Kitchen, about 10 miles southwest of downtown on I-69, though be sure to get there before 11:30 as the 500-or-so-seat dining room will already be packed.

Chinese – Until a couple of years ago, there was no Chinese food inside the Loop in Houston. Well, there was Chinese-American food – and likely truly Chinese dishes cooked for Chinese patrons – but recently there have been a trio of quality, truly Chinese to open in the greater Montrose area west of downtown. All are Sichuan, the spicy, chile- and Sichuan pepper-laden cuisine that might be the most popular in China. Nicely set Mala Sichuan, the quaint and bare-bones and the rapidly multiplying Pepper Twins are worthy of a visit, and all quite popular with Chinese nationals, a good sign, but still inviting to those not knowing any Mandarin. The location on West Gray might be the nicest with a slightly different menu and seemingly better ingredients, and alcohol, too.  The Kirby one is also quite pleasant, both much more so than the original on Fairview, which did get a shout out, though, for having the appetizer of the year in 2017 according to a writer at GQ, the innocuously named Mr. & Mrs. Smith.  The most attractive Chinese restaurant in the city, and one of the most expensive, is Yautcha in the Galleria.  It's  a lively, upscale place specializing in dim sum dishes that's similar to its Michelin-starred sibling in London's Soho neighborhood.  If you want to make the drive, Chinatown, which is centered around Bellaire Boulevard west of I-69 in southwest Houston is largest Chinatown in the country area-wise – really – and jam-packed with often wondrous and inexpensive Chinese, Taiwanese, Vietnamese and even Korean and Malaysian restaurants, tea shops and supermarkets and a lot more.

Cocktails – Opened in 2009 as Houston’s first serious craft cocktail bar, Anvil in Montrose has deservedly earned a fair amount of national press, and continued local attention from appreciative, savvy imbibers. Their cocktails are impressive and it has also spawned several other very worthy sprits-centric establishments that are also worth a visit. This evangelist of mezcal amid the cluster of Main Street bars downtown, The Pastry War, can provide a great setting for an introduction to this beguiling spirit that has deservedly gained acclaim in the past half-dozen years while being a fun bar that also has an array of bottled Mexican beers and one of the very best house frozen margaritas around. Tongue Cut Sparrow, the quaint bar-within-a-bar upstairs at The Pastry War, provides a very cool setting with attentive service and fabulous cocktails.  Nearby, OKRA is a casual stop in the early evening just off Main Street for a quality cocktail, a well-chosen and nicely priced wine or an interesting-enough beer, and like most of its neighbors, a bit more hectic later. Another member of the group, Julep on Washington Avenue not too far west of downtown, riffs on a Southern theme and serving updated classic cocktails plus an envious list of brown spirits led by the pride of Bourbon County. Opened by an alumnus of the Anvil is the Bad News Bar perched above the bustle of Main Street that has mellowed somewhat into a top-flight cocktail bar. Though known for its wine and whisky,  Public Services does a wonderful service with cocktails that are finely updated versions of the classics, always spot on.  Something outside the expected fold and a little different, is El Big Bad that specializes in casual infused-tequila concoctions that can be quite tasty while offering a great deck overlooking a stretch busy downtown and a kitchen with long hours.
 
Coffeehouses – Starbucks are ubiquitous as in everywhere as in every industrialized country in the world, but there are also homegrown spots with a little more personality and likely even better coffee, as the Port of Houston is a big hub for coffee imports. Catalina Coffee in a storefront on Washington Avenue just a mile west of downtown was one of the first of the more serious coffeehouses in Houston, featuring roasts from its sister company, the local Amaya Roasting Co. Blacksmith, nearly across the street from Underbelly on Westheimer in Montrose and part of its restaurant group, features coffee, well-chosen teas and friendly service from acclaimed local roaster Greenway Coffee and a casual, eclectic menu that also draws in the crowds for breakfast and lunch. A block away on Westheimer, Southside Espresso is a quaint spot that offers a different range of also locally roasted coffees from their sister company, Fusion Beans Coffee Roastery and an European feel, plus teas, food, wine and odd or very hoppy beers.  Not far away, also in Montrose, as most of the most interesting coffee spots reside, Campesino on Waugh north of Westheimer provides “a Latin perspective on Montrose coffee culture” featuring a strong coffee from a couple of local roasters including Katz’s, a Houston favorite found at a number of places, along with food like empanadas and tamales.   Siphon further south in Montrose has the unique Siphon method utilizing halogen burners for much of its coffees and then espresso machines for the rest, all from a couple local roasters and some well-regarded national ones. Fairly spacious, it also offers a decent-sized menu at breakfast and lunch, with foodstuffs from top local and regional purveyors. Less serious, if more arty, Inversion provides an easily accessible stop for a quality cup just off busy Montrose Boulevard and an interesting food truck always in its parking lot to provide sustenance.  Mercantile is another roomy one in Montrose, with a second location in the Rice Village, offering not just coffees from a local roaster, but wine and a small number of specialty groceries.  A few blocks away from their Rice Village spot, Italian-owned Fellini Caffe does an excellent job with the requisite Italian-style coffees that attracts a steady European clientele.  A few blocks from the ballpark in EaDo near I-69, Tout Suite, is a casual, industrially chic bakery and coffeehouse that should be able to satisfy the morning needs. In downtown proper, The Honeymoon Café, attractively set on a glass-lined corner on a stretch of busy Main Street, has become a popular place for weekend coffees, which are roasted in house, and hearty morning eats, with some of the menu drawing inspiration from New Orleans.

Crawfish – Crawfish season runs from about late January through May, and is a big deal to a lot of Houstonians, who eagerly await the taste of the invariably messy, often spicy boiled crawfish consumed by the pound. One of the best is The Boot located just west of the Heights proper that features regular shipments of crawfish from southern Louisiana and properly relaxed atmosphere for enjoying it.  Even more casual, T-Bones is a very dumpy sports bar in near northwest Houston that happens to do a very good job with crawfish.  Ragin Cajun is more expensive and much more popular than these two, but a go-to for many for crawfish during the season, and it also has a good-sized menu for those not wanting the mudbugs. For something a little different and a drive to Chinatown in southwest Houston, Crawfish and Noodles is among the best purveyors of Vietnamese style boiled crawfish, something that has become popular in the past decade.

Downtown – Though not quite a dining nexus, yet, downtown became a lot more interesting during the Super Bowl year of 2017.  Clustered around Discovery Green are Xochi a Oaxacan-themed sibling to Hugo’s and Caracol, the city’s best two, now three, Mexican restaurants, and Brasserie du Parc from one of the city’s top French chefs, both a creperie during the day and offering a enticing range of familiar French dishes both day and night.  Located conveniently across the street from the Hilton Americas and the George R. Brown Convention Center on Discovery Green like the previous two, The Grove offers an attractive contemporary space and approachable and tempting locally attuned menu under the aegis of one of the city’s venerable chefs, Robert Del Grande. And, for steakhouses, there are Vic & Anthony’s and a location of Pappas Bros. Steakhouse and Quattro in for Italian, which lost its star chef in late 2017, but should be worthwhile, at the very least, as all Four Seasons restaurants are. Main Kitchen in the JW Marriott on Main Street provides a well-executed array of appealing options with global and regional influences and often some spice in a lively open space that bleeds into the attractive bar with big windows looking out on a street scene enlivened by light rail passing by.  Another hotel eatery, this one near The House of Blues, in the Hotel Alessandra is 64-seat Lucienne  that serves only four- and six-course tasting menus at night featuring largely French-inspired preparations, but more casual a la carte dishes during the day including a range of salads, sandwiches and tartares for lunch. Opened right across from MinuteMaid, whose proprietor is fittingly Astros owner, Jim Crane, is Potente, a pricey Italian-inspired New American – “Downtown Caviar Service” is among the starters – that has well-regarded Brennan’s former executive chef and Commanders Palace alum, Danny Trace, leading the kitchen. Around the corner is its casual sibling Osso & Kristalla, opened for three meals a day offering a well-run pizza oven and fair amount more of Italian food with a very strong American accent. Not bad. A very scruffy, dumpy, lunch-only burger joint, the Hubcap Grill, has deservedly won legions of fans for its well-rendered take on the great American burger. Christian's Tailgate serves another very good burger, a basic one done well, in sports bar environment on Congress.  For something still relaxed, but when a burger is not in mind, there is MKT Bar serving Middle Eastern fare and more, along with well-chosen wines and beers, that is set in the base of Phoenicia Specialty Foods near Discovery Green. And, then there is the bare-bones Bombay Pizza Co. on Main Street with its Indian-flavored pizza-like creations that can work very well.  Just a block or so away is the Finn Hall, a food hall that opened in December 2018 with eight diverse dining options from Sichuan, Vietnamese, seafood, pizza and burgers and included edited versions of local favorites like Goode Co. Taueria.  Booze, too, but long hours from 7:00 to late night.  Near Main Street and down a flight of stairs is The Conservatory is an underground beer, wine and food hall with several options, and quite cool.  The fourth branch of one of Houston’s most laudable sandwich shops, upscale and interesting at that, Local Foods is the heart of downtown on Main Street. On the other side of the freeway from the convention center, Vinny's, a late 2018 addition, dishes up commendable rectangular slices that works well hen sober and not, and something different from the broadly similar-looking Sicilian and grandma pies of the New York area.

French – Though it might come as a surprise to most locals, there has actually been an unmistakable French influence on Houston mostly through the patronage of the Menil family who recruited the architect Philip Johnson to the city to work on their family home and the main quadrangle at the University of St. Thomas after the war, and Johnson become the favorite, and most significant, architect working locally and alighting the skyline with the Williams Tower in the Galleria, the Pennzoil and the BankAmerica buildings downtown. The Menil Collection and Rothko Chapel are other significant legacies.  Their fortune came from the Schlumberger, which is joined by large operations by Total, Techniq and AirLiquide among the most prominent ones. There are a fair amount of French nationals to enjoy their home cuisine that is done very aptly and attractively here, if not terribly adventurously. The two most lauded are Le Mistral on the far west side and Etoile in Uptown Park. The latter has a similar sibling that opened downtown just a month ago, Brasserie du Parc, which is expected to shine. Not far from downtown is Artisans that features a dramatic open kitchen surrounded by about two dozen seats and a menu of familiar French fare usually done exquisitely and always expensively.  In the Galleria area, the attractive La Table has pleased with its approachable, comfortable and noticeably very well-executed French fare since it opened a little over a year ago.  The former chef at La Table opened Maison Pucha Bistro in late 2017, a stylish and hard-working bistro serving quality renditions of familiar fare that’s been popular since its start.

Galleria – These will be within walking distance of the big hotels, if you care to be a pedestrian. Café Annie works for a drink, a somewhat casual meal and a more ambitious and usually excellent one from the kitchen of long-lauded Robert Del Grande, and a chance to catch a something sleek crafted in Maranello or Modena pull up to the valet stand. Run by the star of the recent “Deli Man” documentary, the gregarious Ziggy Gruber, Kenny & Ziggy’s produces comically caloric creations that you would expect in a quality traditional Jewish deli with roots in New York. Their open-faced pastrami Reuben is glorious, absolutely delicious, ungainly monstrosity, possibly the best in an array of tempting, heart-stopping sandwich choices. For top-notch Mexican and seafood in an attractive space and setting, there is Caracol.  Striking, quite competent in the kitchen and mostly French, La Table is nicely, if expensively, located a few steps from Café Annie.  In or at the Galleria are outposts of a few national or international restaurant groups that attract visitors and locals: Yautcha, a lively, upscale dim sum restaurant that's similar to its Michelin-starred sibling in London's Soho neighborhood; a branch of the globally popular Peruvian-spiked Japanese Nobu that opened in mid-2018 to throngs of well-shod and -heeled patrons; and the soaring, masculine Del Frisco's, long one of the city's most popular steakhouses.

Houston notables; notably Houston – A few restaurants don’t fit neatly in any of these other categories, but would be remiss not to mention to restaurant-savvy visitor. At the top the list is the nationally acclaimed UB Preserv in the heart of Montrose is the successor to the famed Underbelly that won the James Beard Award for chef Chris Shepherd.  Burnishing the phrase, “The Story of Houston Food,” the kitchen incorporates not just products but flavors from the disparate cultures that are part of the Houston mosaic, and succeeding in nearly every dish.  Café Annie from Houston’s most famous chef and a pioneer of Southwestern cuisine in the 1980s, Robert Del Grande, provides top-notch fine dining, much more casual noshing and attractive lounge activity in seamless, gorgeous contemporary space in the midst of the Galleria area’s hotels. In late 2017, the restaurant added the Prime Room, separate room with a separate, small menu featuring old school classics led by the Slow Roasted Prime Rib.  Backstreet Café is a wonderful expression of a locally attuned American bistro that has matured in its three decades as a favorite along with the city’s dining habits. A tough reservation since opening in late 2015, and quickly a clubhouse for the well-heeled from the surrounding neighborhood, State of Grace has a seemingly scattershot menu – Gulf Coast-inspired fare, Tex-Mex, Italian, expense-account-worthy steaks, and some Asian flavors plus a postcard-pretty tiled oyster bar – that nonetheless makes sense here and is well done. Though it focuses primarily on Creole fare and is the sister restaurant of Commander’s Palace in New Orleans , owned by the Brennan family, the fare at Brennan’s has longed been attuned to local tastes while providing much of the best of nearby New Orleans, with flavors from Latin America finding space on the plate in recent years. Unfortunately, it might have slipped since the departure of its chef in mid-2017.  Maybe not Houston-centric, but Nancy's Hustle is quite well-suited for the still-gentrifying EaDo – a hyphenated East Downtown – with its quickly boisterous and nicely casual set-up in a new strip center coupled with a serious kitchen churning out delectable dishes with flavors ranging from the Mediterranean on either side of the Bosphorus to stateside, most designed for sharing, and an expertly chosen array of wine, cocktails and even beers to complement the evening. 
 
Indian – Just reopened, possibly the best, and also the most expensive, Kiran’s is many ways a very good, hushed fine dining restaurant that happens to serve Indian food. But, the trueness of the cuisine to its roots and its quality is why you will find many Indians in the hushed dining room. Indika is also a nice restaurant out of the typical mode, even more so, with its fusion cooking that combines that flavors of what is now Pakistan with more Western ones, always done intelligently and to good effect, even since the founding owner and chef sold the restaurant to concentrate on the more casual and multi-concept Pondicheri.  A second branch in Manhattan and was one of New York’s top ten new restaurants in 2016 for the New York Times.  Quaint, contemporary Surya tucked in a tiny strip center along the Washington Corridor a few miles west of downtown, has grown into one of the city's best Indian restaurants, offering familiar northern Indian dishes and more, often with the chef's sure, personal touch. Himalaya south from the Galleria area down I-69 serves terrific, vibrant Pakistani fare and more in a humble setting that has drawn deserved raves from food writers since not long after opening.

Italian – There is actually some good Italian in the city. A few miles west of  Westheimer, Amalfi specializes in the vibrant and familiar cooking of the Amalfi coast, the home area of chef-owner Giancarlo Ferrara, who also does a proper Venetian-style risotto and an excellent table-fileted Dover sole courtesy of stints working in northern Italy and a French restaurant bearing two Michelin stars. Da Marco on Westheimer in Montrose has been on the short list of best Houston restaurants for fifteen years and turns out refined upscale trattoria fare with dishes from across Italy in a quaint and quite setting. At the much more casual and popular Giacomo's east on Westheimer, affordably priced and well-rendered small plates of trattoria-style Italian dishes that often highlight Rome and Tuscany, but also including items like mozzarella in carrozza and fine quality freshly made pastas, are paired with a nicely assembled, interesting, and very nicely priced 75-bottle or so mostly Italian wine list that has many tempting choices between $25 and $40, and a setting that is comfortable and coolly retro. Maurizio Ferrarese, one of the best Italian chefs in the state, became executive chef at RIstorante Cavour at the Hotel Granduca in Uptown Park in late 2018, making this fine-dining spot another top destination for Italian fare.

Italian (-American) – Serving what most people think of Italian food featuring a plates with a palette heavy in reds, whites and greens signaling vibrant and hearty flavors, this is still one of the country’s favorite cuisines. And, several long-popular Houston restaurants – whose owners are all part of the Mandola clan – can more than aptly oblige a craving for it. Not far from downtown, Damian’s has been a favorite for upscale takes on familiar fare since the early 1980s. Then there is Carrabba’s, on Kirby begat the national chain, but in this original site is something different and much better, and a preternaturally popular for restaurant-going locals who appreciate the friendly, professional service and lively atmosphere. Nino’s, an option among a cluster of establishments, has a menu filled with robust Italian-American choices with evident Sicilian roots; among their best dishes is the superb Veal Vincent, a tender veal scallop that is coated with Parmesan, pan-fried and topped with artichoke hearts and lemon-scented butter.  Not Italian-American, but not really Italian, either is Potente, a pricey Americanized Italian that has highly regarded executive chef Danny Trace leading the way. 

Live music – The quaint McGonigel’s Mucky Duck in the Upper Kirby District has been a popular stop for regional and national Americana acts – or just “Texas music” here – since 1990, and also offers a nice selection of wines and beers – including the city’s best pint of Guinness – and even kitchen dishing far-better-than-can-expected pub-inspired fare. Just down Kirby is the larger, and a little twangier and more raucous Goode Co. Armadillo Palace, a newly renovated “one-of-a-kind tribute to all things Texas.” The Continental Club on a rail stop in Midtown has great, club-like setting and an array of local, regional and national acts. The Heights Theater featuring regional Texas troubadours and more brings a cool new venue in an old one, a long abandoned movie theater in the Heights, which is now burgeoning with things to do after dark.  Also newish and even cooler, a few miles east of this on the other side of I-45 just north of downtown is White Oak Music Hall with both indoor and outdoor stages featuring younger and edgier acts along with some  great views of the downtown skyline, especially from The Raven Tower, a bachelor-pad-the-sky during the swinging 70s.  A hip addition to the gentrifying Montrose neighborhood is Goodnight Charlie's that features up-and-coming Texas- and rockabilly-themed music plus an inviting and attractive setting for a drink early in the evening.  It's got some local food and wine cred, being helmed in part by a top area wine pro, Master Sommelier David Keck, who is a former opera singer, to boot.

Mexican – Be sure you see “Tex-Mex” below, too. Though the borders between the two cuisines can be fuzzy in Houston, there still is a difference, and the truly Mexican restaurants can be ambitious, and expensive. Hugo’s from James Beard Award-winning chef Hugo Ortega and company is a prime example that Mexican fare can be upscale and the centerpiece of a fine dining experience. Sporting often creative dishes rooted in tradition that are done very well and attractively, an excellent beverage program that extends far beyond its terrific Hugo Rita and a boisterous setting, the only downside is that it can be cacophonous. Its sibling, Caracol, a gorgeous, multi-purpose seafood-centric spot a few blocks from the Galleria is Hugo’s only real challenger to the best Mexican restaurant in city other than Xochi. Situated downtown in the Marriott Marquis across from Discovery Green, this Oaxacan-inspired sibling to Hugo’s and Caracol, and joins them among the very best Mexican restaurants in the city. Its array of small plates – though often quite small portions – makes sampling this likely unique cuisine easy and enjoyable. If you wonder about their authenticity, they just added a restaurant in Oaxaca to their small group of eateries. Not quite the level of these two, Picos on Kirby, has been favorite of Mexican food fans for decades and can make for a very enjoyable visit with its well-executed Mexican staples like conchinita pibil and fantastic margaritas bolstered by an excellent array of tequilas. Amazingly loud. You might also try Cuchara, a Mexico City-influenced bistro in a minimalist space serving the contemporary fare of our southern neighbor’s sprawling capital that is cool, casual and something just a little lighter and little different. South of the Galleria area is a quaint, comfortable space, Saltillo, specializing in locally adapted, upscale versions of the often beef-laden dishes from the northern Mexican town of the same name, which quickly became popular with weekend travelers to the Galleria from Mexico.  

Pizza – The city might not be a great pizza town, or even a very good one, but there are some pizzerias worth a visit. The best by a mile is Dolce Vita from Marco Wiles, who also run Da Marco, one of Houston’s top Italian restaurants down the street. Dolce Vita consistently excellent, thin-crust pizzas that are Italian in execution and a Neapolitan in inspiration. The pies are bolstered by an array of tempting, well-executed small plates and a terrific, nearly-all Italian wine list. Bare-bones Bombay Pizza Co. on Main Street downtown does tasty takes on oddly endearing Indian-flavored pizzas on a crusty Indian bread crust. Pi Pizza, not too far west of a drive from downtown, serves a creative, if somewhat hipster-like take on pizzas small and larger that is fun rather than off-putting; booze, too. Though inconsistent, Pizaro’s usually does enjoyable versions of Neapolitan-style pizzas in an appropriately casual setting. Convenient for convention goers, as it is a short work to the other side of the freewy, Vinny's, dishes up commendable slices that work well for an inexpensive meal, just don't look at the per pie prices, as the huge sizes result in huge prices.


Seafood – Houston has one of the biggest ports in the country, so the bounty of the Gulf is not too far away. One of the best places to savor it is at Reef in Midtown from acclaimed home-town product Bryan Caswell who offers terrific seafood showcasing the sensibilities of a top-notch chef with an international pedigree and longtime Gulf fisherman.  Unfortunately, it will not reopen until November 2018.  Danton’s and its influential predecessor Goode Co. Seafood offer more strictly local Gulf Coast-style seafood – which means, here, plenty of fishes and flavors from neighboring south Louisiana and Mexico. Goode Co.’s campechana, a piquant seafood cocktail appetizer, is a local favorite. 

Splurge – The Pass is the fine dining concept of the two-and-one Pass & Provisions that aims higher, maybe too high for some, than nearly any other restaurant in the city, and only offers set multi-course meals with optional drink pairings. It gets extra credit for its cool secret door entry. You don’t have to splurge at star chef Chris Shepherd’s One Fifth Mediterranean, but you easily can.  This third installment features the food of the Levant, North Africa, and also Turkey and Greece, giving the cuisines an upscale setting and attention that has not happened to often in this area. The eclectic and personal cuisine at Theodore Rex, successor to Oxheart that closed in the spring of 2017 that won Chef Justin Yu a recent James Beard Award, is more protein-oriented and user-friendly – a small list of a la carte offerings rather than a strict tasting menu – and is still a pilgrimage for many dedicated local diners to its location in a neglected part of downtown. If you are a visiting celebrity of a certain vintage, or enjoy spending time with the town’s society set, especially during lunch, decades-old Tony’s remains one of the city’s top restaurants, and most polished. It serves well-rendered versions current Italian fare and luxe items accompanied with an extensive wine list that's filled with trophy bottles, and is set in a posh, contemporary space featuring large works from modern art masters from the region like Robert Rauschenberg and Jesus Moroles. Opened at the start of 2017, Riel was one of the most anticipated new restaurants last year, featuring the talents of a chef who won plaudits working at Reef and Underbelly under two of the city’s culinary stars, and early on it lives up to the hype with an array of extremely well-executed and flavorful creations featuring Gulf fish, extraordinary vegetables and even superb steaks done in small plate fashion, meant for sharing. Downtown there is the new 64-seat Lucienne in the Hotel Alessandra that serves four- and six-course tasting menus featuring largely French-inspired preparations, sometimes indulgent, that are $95 and$125, respectively, when wine pairings are included.

Steak – Opened in October 2018, the most interesting steakhouse in the city is Georgia James from star chef Chris Shepherd and team, which is reprising the very popular and terrific One Fifth Steak from 2017.  Big cuts of beef, superior sides and starters, a different and excellent wine list, and a whole lot to entice, even for less-than-committed carnivores. For many, the best steakhouse in the city is Pappas Bros. Steakhouse just west of the Galleria, which has a second location downtown. From the family that owns the wide-ranging chain of Pappas restaurants, their steakhouse concept is properly upscale and extravagant, very masculine in feel, and offers the requisite offerings of the genre, just done better than nearly everywhere else. These also boast the most expansive and best wine lists in the state. They also offer the Pappas trademark of an extremely high decibel level most nights. Vic & Anthony’s is from another local restaurant chain, Landry’s, and is a take on the upscale Italian-American steakhouse concept (e.g. The Palm). Even locals who swear never to eat at any of the numerous Landry’s properties seem to love Vic & Anthony’s. Located in a nearly windowless fortress-like building, it sports a proper bit of refined raffishness that comes with the Italian-American steakhouse turf. That feel not forced, as Landry’s capo Tilman Fertitta is a nephew of the Maceos, the Sicilian-American businessmen who ran the gambling and entertainment operations in Galveston some decades ago. If not quite the reputation of the other two, B&B Butchers does a good job with the expected steaks and more, including some very pricey 55-day dry aged steak and even pricier ones with A5 beef from Japan. Plus, it has a couple of things that the other two don’t, plenty of parking, and more so, a fantastic view of the downtown skyline. Killen’s STQ from Ronnie Killen of Killen's Barbecue fame brings his smoking and grilling skills along with his steakhouse experience to the big city from suburban Pearland and offers a slightly different taste on steak and the steakhouse experience in a fairly quaint setting a few miles west of the Galleria.  The original location of Brenner’s near the Energy Corridor on the west side, has been serving customers since 1936 and is probably at its best and priciest ever, some years after the Landry’s empire upgraded it.  All of the best upscale national steakhouse chains are here, of course, sometimes with multiple locations.  West Coast-bred Mastro’s in the Galleria area, owned by Landry’s that also has Vic & Anthony’s, Morton’s and Brenner’s among their pricey steakhouse brands, which is the most luxe and over-the-top steakhouse in town boasting 12,000-square feet of interior, sixteen cuts of USDA Prime beef plus others, a dedicated sushi program, and a 20,000-bottle collection of wines, not to mention an adjacent Rolls Royce showroom. The scene is the real draw for many visitors. On the opposite end of the price range, Saldivia's in west Houston, a family run Uruguayan steakhouse, offers what is easily the best value steaks in the city along with a fine selection of beef-friendly Tannats and other wines from the home country. 

Sushi – Oft-bustling Kata Rabata in the Upper Kirby District with Manabu Horiuchi leading the kitchen, does a terrific job with not just the sushi house staples but also those raw preparations touching Peru and elsewhere. One of the toughest tables in recent years has been Uchi, a transplant from Austin whose guiding light grew up in The Woodlands north of the city. Its very well-received take on contemporary, consumer-friendly Japanese cuisine has an emphasis on the raw and the cured, which are the primary draws. MF Sushi in the Museum District is set in a beautiful, modern space, an excellent setting for Chef Chris Kenji’s set-course omakase offerings that has won raves since he arrived from Atlanta a few years ago.  A little humbler than these, in a quieter stretch of Montrose Boulevard is Nippon, Japanese-owned and -operated for three decades and a popular with Japanese ex-pats. The son of its owners opened  Shun in late 2018 serving sushi and sashimi along with number of other Japanese and Japanese-themed preparations from a well-regarded kitchen staff. There are also outposts of Roka Akor and Nobu that do a more than commendable job with sushi and a good deal more.

Tex-Mex – Though it might not get much press attention as it once did, Tex-Mex remains very popular here; margaritas and longnecks, invariably loud settings, chips and freshly made salsas, and piquant, hearty if eminently enjoyable fare will likely be popular for quite a while. The small local chain El Tiempo is the best option for it in the area. Run by the family of Tex-Mex pioneer Ninfa Laurenzo, it does a terrific job with fajitas and other beef-laden items along with the basic frozen margarita that is just much tastier and more potent than the norm. The famed and always bustling and fun (if increasingly pricey) Ninfa’s sits across from one of the locations of her family's El Tiempo. Unfortunately, the fajitas and similar tacos al carbon at Ninfa's are shadow of what they used to be in terms of flavor and tenderness, and something else should be ordered there, though you’ll have fun, regardless. The attractive Goode Co. Kitchen and Cantina off I-10 in west Houston does the familiar Tex-Mex much better than most and with a distinctive locally attune style that has made all the Goode Co. restaurants justifiably popular. The scruffier El Patio on busy Westheimer is probably known to most Houstonians for its Club No Minors with its boisterous young atmosphere bolstered by copious amounts of strong and sickeningly sweet margaritas, but the food has actually been worth a trip itself for quit a while.  A newcomer in the summer of 2018 that has been packed since opening for good reason, is the Heights's Calle Onze, an attractive and hip spot with an excellent kitchen. Sylvia’s Enchilada House has three locations, and though you should probably get one of the many enchilada preparations, but just about everything is enjoyable here. The Westheimer near Kirby location of the Austin import Chuy’shas seemingly been packed most days and evenings since it opened over a couple of decades ago and remains a very enjoyable stop for the fun, caloric fare, often with frozen margaritas, that makes a strong case for being the best outpost of the entire concept.

Thai – When you are traveling for a meal at Vieng Thai in Spring Branch about a mile-and-a-half west of the West 610 Loop, you are traveling there for the food, as there is not much else: décor, service, or alcohol.  But the noticeably vibrant, always well-executed Thai fare that is seemingly more authentic than most and always worth the trip. Just remember to bring your wine or beer, as it is BYOB-only.  Longer-standing and long-loved, Kanomwan a few miles south of downtown has a similar, if even starker vibe, that is likewise an excellent value.  Much nicer than these two, is Songkran in Uptown Park that has all the accouterments of the typical nice restaurant while serving Bangkok-style Thai food that is often excellent.  Southeast of the Galleria, Thai Gourmet has served a devoted clientele with its properly piquant and flavorful cooking for a comparative song for over a couple of decades.
 
Whisky / Whiskey – In what was a Citgo gas station affecting the look of cool, upscale ice house in heart of the mostly residential Heights is the coolest whiskey bar in the city, Eight Row Flint, which specializes in bourbon and rye whiskies and attendant cocktails while also serving tasty tacos on house-made corn tortillas; the one with beef cheeks is among of the tastiest tacos in town. Believe it. Even better is the greasy, messy beef taco that might be the single best food served by this multi-restaurant outfit.  Public Services downtown has possibly the most intelligently curated selections of whiskies in the city in an attractive late 19th century building and setting. If without the charm or as knowledgeable staff as the previous two, Reserve 101 has the largest selection of whiskies in the city and it is closer to many of the downtown hotels. Izakaya at the cusp of Midtown serves a variety of Japanese and sensibly interpreted fusion cooking that riffs on the small-plate izakaya theme, and includes a big array of whiskies, from Japan, and the English-speaking country. Ninja Ramen on bar-centric Washington Avenue west of downtown is a restaurant focused on ramen while having what has been called the biggest collection of Japanese whiskies in the region, and it is open until at least 2 AM.  Not far from there is Federal Grill, a restaurant with an impressive array of whiskies, just one of which goes into their flaming Old Fashioned.

Wine – The list at nearly all of the city’s best establishments have sported decidedly Old World-heavy lists in recent years, and that has been echoed at the top wine bars. 13 Celsius in Midtown, but blocks removed from Midtown’s animated last-night scene, this a terrific, laid-back place to explore the ever-changing world of wine, done without pretension and help from the staff. On par with it, is Camerata, which might be a little more serious, as it is a popular stop for local sommeliers, and it has a shorter, but similarly excellent curated list of wines, though far fewer by the glass. Doing double duty with spirits, Public Services has a more limited selection – it is a whiskey bar, too – but has a number of well-chose Old World producers among the 75 or so wines, and it’s the best place to drink sherry in town. A little different, located near the Galleria in Uptown Park, The Tasting Room is large space, inside and out, with as much an emphasis on the bar as the wine, and has a busy singles scene that fills up its expansive patio. Vinology, easily accessible south of I-69, is something different for the city, a very inviting combination retail space with a small wine bar that features and ever-changing array of engaging flights, usually from distinctive producers. The roughly 350 retail selections are very well chosen with an emphasis on the Old World and those from the New that emphasis balance over fruit.  A summer 2017 newcomer is the champagne-centric a’Bouzy where, though a restaurant, the food is best ignored, to focus on the amazing list of sparklers, mostly from Champagne, which is usually priced below retail and the people watching featuring a largely attractive, if louche, cast of characters.

Vietnamese – Home to a large Vietnamese population since the 1970s, Vietnamese food is a staple for most regular local diners, enjoyed, in part, for the typical freshness, lightness and the ability to provide a surprisingly amount of flavor for ridiculously small amount of money. Huynh just the other side of the freeway from the downtown convention center is somewhat bare-bones, but friendly and charming, and quite a value for the quality of its fare, and it is also BYOB with a low corkage fee.  Long-standing Kim Son a veritable palace a half-mile down the street from Huynh or one of its siblings, has served as an introduction to the cuisine for many Houstonians and sports a lengthy menu with more than a few options that should satisfy. Just a block away, Café TH is a much smaller place, with a much smaller menu than its neighbor, but has plenty of choices and plenty of personality, though open for dinner only on Thursday and Friday night. Les Noo'dle on Montrose is updated, cool version of the popular pho restaurant (vegan pho, too) in a quaint, hip setting, with unfortunately very little parking. Bare-bones, but a favorite of the local Vietnamese community and savvy downtown diners, Thien An churns out tasty preparations of banh mi, pho, vermicelli dishes and steamed rice rolls for a comparative song from 8:00 to 6:00 from Sunday through Friday.  Quirky Cali Sandwiches not far away in Midown does nearly as good a job.

One of the excellent dishes found at Nancy's Hustle in Eado

Unencumbered much by geography or topography, Houston, the nation’s fourth-largest city, has been sprawling in nearly every direction for decades and has long been without a true city center until somewhat recently. So, it might be a little odd that one of the country’s very best nexuses of interesting and high-quality restaurants occurs along a stretch of road that’s a shade over a mile-long not too far from downtown in Houston; especially odd since Houston is the only major city in the country without zoning and one dominated by the automobile. But, as the growth has occurred along the edges of the metro area, a growing concentration of restaurants and bars has also taken place in the last dozen years or so in the area between downtown west to the 610 Loop, the innermost of city’s three, increasingly distant concentric roadways.
 
Westheimer is one of Houston’s main thoroughfares, and one that runs twenty miles to the west. Soon after its humble beginnings, when Elgin turns, and turns into Westheimer via a name change less than a mile southwest of downtown, is where many of the city’s best and most exciting restaurants, ambitious cocktail bars and worthwhile coffee joints call home.  Awards and nominations from the James Beard Foundation abound on this part of the thoroughfare. The Houston area is known as the most ethnically diverse area in the U.S., and some of that is also on display in the eclectic collection of often ambitious, high quality establishments along this part of Westheimer.
 
Driving west from its start along the nearly-too-narrow four lanes, the old two-story house on the left-side at 219 Westheimer, now the home of a catering business, is where lower Westheimer began as a culinary destination twenty years ago, when the area was fairly dicey.  The address was the home of Chez Georges that served well-reviewed traditional French fare and was one of the city’s best. In the spring of 2008, Feast moved in.  A modern British restaurant known for its superb snout-to-tail cooking with one of the city’s best chefs Richard Knight in the kitchen about which Frank Bruni, the former restaurant critic of the New York Times, wrote had “no real peer in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and other major cities.” Even with a surfeit of critical attention, the superlative Feast shuttered in 2012, but this part of the city continued to grow as a dining hub.
 
Nearly across the street from the former Feast is a restaurant of note that is actually open, Bistecca, a beautiful, upscale steak joint with central and northern Italian dishes scattered on its menu that is headed by one of the region’s finest Italian chefs, Alberto Baffoni. He might not get the national attention he did years ago when he was at Simposio near the Galleria, but still directs a kitchen that turns out usually excellent fare. Nearly next door is the sleek, brand new Avondale, a unique wine shop-cum-restaurant from the well-regarded Olivier Ciesielski, once Tony’s top toque, which recently scrapped its eponymously-named French concept that might have gone a little stale. A stone’s throw away is two-story outpost of El Tiempo, the city’s top Tex-Mex that excels both with AM and PM fare in numerous guises. Their potent margaritas might flow more freely here than at their other spots.
 
A block further west is Dolce Vita from Marco Wiles, who has other places of note along the way.  It’s easily the best pizzeria in Houston, as it’s been since opening in 2006, whose thin Italianate pizzas, menu of interesting small plates and a well-chosen all-Italian wine list earned it the number three spot among Italian restaurants in the very last of the Zagat surveys. Next door is Indika, an upscale, contemporary Indian restaurant with a flair for fusion that was once named one of the best Indian restaurants in the country by Travel + Leisure magazine among its many accolades. It doesn’t get the press that it once did after Chef Anita Jaisinghani sold it to concentrate on her Pondicheri restaurants in 2017 but the new Nepalese owners have kept things the same, including high quality. The low-slung stand-alone structure next to Indika houses Aqui from Austin’s James Beard Award-winning chef Paul Qui. It does an outstanding job with an array of pan-Asian-inspired refined small plates including sushi in a differently designed, comfortable space with a useful patio that faces Westheimer.
 
A different kind of enjoyment, much lower-key than Aqui but one that’s far easier on the wallet, is found across the street in a strip center typical of Houston, if not of this part of Westheimer. The counter-service Pappa Geno’s is a local mini-chain that serves the city’s best cheesesteaks and some of the best, hot, messy casual sandwiches of any ilk. It’s delicious artery-clogging decadence. After that Westheimer begins to twist slightly right as you continue west, and about a block away is where another small plate place of interest from Marco Wiles, Poscol.  Named after the main thoroughfare in his hometown of Udine in northeastern Italy, this serves dishes, salumi and cheeses, mostly from the provinces well north of Rome. Not incidentally, it was named the best cantina, or Italian wine program, in Houston by the Italian publication Gambero Rosso earlier this year.
 
Not too many steps from Poscol is the busy Katz’s, a present-day rendition of New York deli that never closes. A block away sits a third restaurant whose roots, improbably, also lie in Austin. Serving a creative take on modern Japanese food and known for its sushi and sashimi preparations, Uchi is a version of the most acclaimed restaurant in Austin that won Chef Tyson Cole a James Beard Award several years ago. It quickly became part of the restaurant firmament in Houston soon after opening in early 2012, and remains a top destination for sushi and seafood. Around the corner, at the busy intersection of Westheimer and Montrose, is Aladdin, an inviting and welcoming oasis of very well-prepared and appropriately clean-tasting Lebanese food served cafeteria-style amidst the car and foot traffic, which offers of the best dining values to be found in the Houston area.
 
A block west of Montrose is a trio of establishments that are part of the Underbelly Hospitality restaurant group, a local collective of innovative bars and restaurants led by star chef Chris Shepherd. The first is Blacksmith that occupies a squat brick building and appears in numerous lists of top coffee shops in the nation. In addition to its roasting and brewing capabilities, its savory fare, like Vietnamese steak and eggs, help make it popular brunch stop, too. Travel + Leisure, again, included it as one of its fifteen “Best Breakfast Restaurants in the U.S” a few years. Shepherd won a James Beard Award for Best Chef Southwest in 2014 and he is a big reason for the quality of the food at Blacksmith. 
 
Across from Blacksmith is another one-story building, though bigger, that is shared by the new Georgia James and Hay Merchant.  This is the structure where Shepherd rose to national prominence with his creative cooking at Underbelly that opened in late 2010. Underbelly essentially decamped earlier this year a few blocks away in a smaller space to what is now called UB Preserv while Georgia James took over the original Underbelly with a steak concept opening in October of this year. Houstonians love steak. It got a few-month trial run as the terrific One Fifth Steak a couple years ago. Georgia James is certainly the most interesting steakhouse in Houston and among the very best. It can the most fun, too. On the eastern side of Georgia James is Hay Merchant, a beer bar with an interesting kitchen of its own, and one of the most serious and capable craft beer bars anywhere.
 
Another lauded chef has a place across the street in old Tower Theater at El Real. Bryan Caswell got some national airtime a few years ago as Next Iron Chef competitor and was also one of Food & Wine’s best new chefs before that. El Real is a temple to traditional Tex-Mex largely courtesy to involvement of the city’s best food writers and critics, Robb Walsh. It can be very good, but has been maddeningly inconsistent since opening. Mala Sichuan, a far more attractive version of its original location on Bellaire Boulevard, is about door down. With its traditionally and authentically spicy and vibrant fare from Chengdu and environs, the Mala Sichuan outlets have been regarded as the top Chinese restaurants among non-Chinese, but also a big favorite for folks from China, including my co-workers.
 
Easy for a pre- or post-meal stop from one of these recently aforementioned restaurants is Anvil, a few blocks west at 1424 Westheimer. Almost popular as it is proficient, it was Houston’s first bar dedicated to artisanal cocktails and was a James Beard Award finalist for the Outstanding Bar Program earlier this year. It might be impossible here to order a cocktail that is not terrific – my experience in a number of visits – and there always over one hundred on its ever-changing list. Just around the corner, as Westheimer bends to the right, sits Da Marco and the luxury vehicles that crowd its small parking lot, Marco Wiles’ temple to Italian gastronomy. Very adept at replicating top trattoria and ristorante preparations mostly from the northern regions of Italy like the classic Venetian take on calf’s liver and onions, Da Marco had the top food score from the last Zagat Surveys. Casual counter-service Ramen Tatsu-Ya is across the small street north of Da Marco, about 20 yards and visible from Westheimer, a sister restaurant in Austin was nominated for a James Beard Award this year, it’s possibly the top ramen restaurant in Houston.
 
About a block west is the city’s most accolated Mexican restaurant and on most lists of the best Mexican restaurants in the country, upscale Hugo’s serves modern preparations on a tempting menu that takes inspiration from throughout Mexico. What’s one the plate is serious, but Hugo’s can be fun and loud, especially during the weekend brunches. Led by James Beard Award-winning chef Hugo Ortega, it’s only serious competition for best Mexican restaurant in Houston is its two siblings, Xochi and Caracol.
 
Nearby is UB Preserv, the successor to Underbelly.  Set in the space that once housed Poscol it opened in the first half of 2018 and burnishes the phrase, “The Story of Houston Food” – now also “Without Limits.” Its kitchen incorporates not just products but flavors from the disparate cultures that are part of the Houston mosaic that are combined in non-traditional ways, and it nearly all succeeds grandly. The vast land of Chinese is a bigger component of the mix, as is seemingly the vast dining landscape of New York City. David Wong, an alumnus of David Chang’s kitchens and Grammercy Tavern in Manhattan (and also Cal Berkeley), is the chef de cuisine at this inviting and comfortable, if serious restaurant. With UB Preserv Shepherd had the stated pre-opening goal of creating the best Chinese-style dumplings in the country. They weren’t quite there during an early visit, but the puffy rice salad served during brunch has got to be at the head of the list in some “best of” category.
 
A half-block north of Westheimer from UB Preserv, Goodnight Charlie’s is a contemporary honky-tonk featuring mostly Texas musicians with a clean-lined, contemporary setting that has a partner in David Keck who is one of the city’s top wine professionals, a Master Sommelier, and who is also a former opera singer. Even with that wine expertise, it only has three wines, a red and white on tap, and a rose in a bottle; a great selection of bourbons, though. The food is mostly tacos during the non-brunch times, with the corn tortillas made in house starting with corn – not masa – from a chef who staged for a year-and-a-half at Osteria Francescana in Modena, Italy named again as the best restaurant in the world, before coming to Goodnight Charlie’s.
 
Heading further west just before Dunlavy is One Fifth Mediterranean, the current and third of five 11-month iterations of the space from Chris Shepherd and team. This one is Shepherd’s “interpretation of the flavors of the Eastern Mediterranean and Northern Africa” that features numerous small plates including some of the most incredible hummus and airy pita bread that you will likely ever encounter, larger plates of lamb, fish and chicken, all with light pure flavors in greater complexity than found elsewhere here. The restaurant has struck a cord with patrons who have roots in Levant and Persia, seemingly a testament to its quality and faithfulness in the ethos of the various dishes.
 
Last among the notables is across Dunlavy, is Common Bond, a serious bakery, both boulangerie and pâtisserie in the French tradition, which publicly aired aspirations to be the best bakery in the country and it very well might be. No doubt. With amazing croissants, terrific baguettes and delicious breads and French sweets in a variety of renditions, it’s the best bakery in the city, at the very least, and a nice, popular little restaurant and coffee shop, too. 
 
The best Tex-Mex, pizza, cheesesteak sandwiches, sushi, coffee, beer bar, steakhouse, Chinese, cocktail bar, Italian, ramen shop, Mexican, Middle Eastern and bakery might be found along this dynamic 1.1-mile stretch of asphalt. Though two dozen establishments are highlighted, there are others worthy of a visit here, and there are more on the way. It and Houston, keep getting better and better, and more interesting. And, with a concentration of spots, people can actually be something that is still rare here and visit more than one place on an evening without a car: a pedestrian.

The highlights of lower Westheimer:

1. Bistecca – 224 Westheimer
2. Avondale – 240 Westheimer
3. El Tiempo – 333 Westheimer
4. Dolce Vita – 500 Westheimer
5. Pappa Geno’s – 515 Westheimer
6. Indika – 516 Westheimer
7. Aqui – 520 Westheimer
8. Poscol – 608 Westheimer
9. Katz’s – 615 Westheimer
10. Uchi – 904 Westheim
11. Aladdin – 912 Westheimer
12. Blacksmith – 1018 Westheimer
13. Haymerchant – 1100 Westheimer
14. Georgia James – 1100 Westheimer
15. El Real – 1201 Westheimer
16. Mala Sichuan – 1201 Westheimer
17. Anvil – 1424 Westheimer
18. Da Marco – 1520 Westheimer
19. Ramen Tatsu-Ya – 1722 California (twenty yards north of Westheimer)
20. Hugo’s – 1600 Westheimer
21. UB Preserv – 1609 Westheimer
22. Goodnight Charlie’s – 2511 Kuester (a half-block north of Westheimer)
23. One Fifth Romance Languages – 1658 Westheimer
24. Common Bond – 1706 Westheimer

 

A dish early in Aqui's tenure

​It’s not surprising that the new fried chicken and Gulf seafood joint La Lucha on N. Shepherd that occupies spot of the dearly departed Hunky Dory has a great special on oysters on the half-shell.  It’s siblings with State of Grace, which has terrific weekday special on freshly shucked oysters and even a beautiful, separate room dedicated to those.
 
The oyster program at La Lucha is not quite as robust, there are none of the more flavorful East Coast oysters here, but it does offer $1 freshly and expertly shucked Gulf oysters Monday through Friday from 5:00 when it opens to 6:00 and from noon to 5:00 on Saturday and Sunday.  It’s a great deal, as the restaurant group procures top-notch oysters from around the Gulf that are normally priced at $3.25 per bivalve.  I sampled a trio of each of the half-dozen oysters that were recently offered: Champagne Bay (Barataria Bay, Louisiana); Shellbank Select (Gasque, Alabama); Navy Cove (Bon Secour Bay, Alabama); Mississippi Sound (Dauphine Island, Alabama); and Murder Point (Portersville Bay, Alabama).  All were good, soft but firm, and similar in flavor: mild, even delicate, low salinity and very clean-tasting that were well-complemented by a bit of lemon juice and more so, the racy mignonette sauce. Cocktail sauce and hot, grated horseradish are also provided, but the mignonette worked the best for me with these oysters.  I didn’t feel guilty quickly finishing the eighteen oysters, and maybe even invigorated by the time I finished the last oyster’s liquid.
 
The oysters are just one of the charms at this addition to the Houston dining scene, and one that is worthy of a visit itself, especially during the happy, happy hours.
 
La Lucha
1801 N. Shepherd (at 18th Street), 77008, (713) 955-4765
laluchatx.com


One of the small Murder Point oysters