Houston is not exactly known as a bastion of great French dining, though there is actually some high quality French fare to be found in the city. Beyond food, it might come as a surprise to most locals, but there has actually been an unmistakable French influence on Houston for years mostly through the former patronage of the Menil family. They recruited the architect Philip Johnson to the city to work on their family home and the main quadrangle at the University of St. Thomas not long after the Second World War, and he become the favorite, and most significant, architect working locally, and whose firm alighted the skyline with the Williams Tower in the Galleria, and the Pennzoil Plaza and the (once-named) RepublicBank building downtown among others. The Menil Collection and Rothko Chapel are other significant family legacies. The Menil fortune came from the Schlumberger, which is joined by large operations from the French concerns, TotalEnergies, Techniq and AirLiquide most prominently. With these 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 in Houston.
 
One measure of quality: of the ninety-six Maitres Cuisiniers de France (Master Chefs of France) in North America and the Caribbean – a number that includes Daniel Boulud and Eric Ripert – five are in Houston: David Denis, Frederic Perrier, Jean-Luc Royère, Philippe Schmit, Philippe Verpiand. Denis is at Bistro 555 while Verpiand has Étoile and Brassiere du Parc and of Bistro 555, but the other three are not working in French-themed restaurants. Then there is also the talented Olivier Cieleski, once the executive chef at Tony’s among other noted stops, on the restaurant sidelines. French fare could be even better here, but that seems to be due more to demand than supply.
 
The Best
 
Le Jardinier – The fine-dining star of the latest grand addition to the Museuetm of Fine Arts complex, the Kinder Building, this also succeeds grandly serving fairly ambitious modern French restaurant fare that largely substitutes many non-Gallic influences for the tradition extending from Escoffier through Bocuse. The results are interesting, intelligently composed and artfully constructed while being delectable, most importantly, from the amuse-bouche through dessert. Maybe not cutting-edge – foams are frequent, not entirely au courant while working very well at a meal in the summer, for example – but this is still something different for Houston. The wine list is expansive, heavily French-laden and very food-friendly. From a restaurant group with very similar restaurants in Miami and New York, both of which carries a Michelin star, this place exudes professional competence and in an inviting way that makes a visit a real joy. Plus, the comfortably modern dining room looks out to the Isamu Noguchi-designed Cullen Sculpture Garden. Museum District
 
The Rest of the Best
 
Étoile – For over a decade now, set amidst the faux little village of upscale Uptown Park, this pleasing spot has done a stellar job serving mostly the traditional type of fare that you might expect in a nice French restaurant in much of this country – Moules Marinière, Tartare De Boeuf, Escargot de Bourgogne, Coq au Vin, and Magret De Canard Rôti, roasted duck breast – even drawing a local French clientele. The menu also reaches to Italy for risotto and pasta dishes as many French places do these days. Though the offerings might be described as refined cuisine bourgeoise, you can go Rossini with any bentrée, adding a slab of seared foie gras for $15. No truffles with that, though. To note, lunch can be a fine value with smaller and less pricey portions along with sandwiches and salads. Uptown Park
Bistro 555 – Though this space on Memorial Drive was for many years Bistro Provence and acclaimed chef David Denis and his sommelier brother Sylvain hale from that sun-socked region, the menu here is composed of “classic and contemporary French dishes” and there’s not much distinctly Provençal other than tuna and some stray Niçoise olives. But, the more recognizable preparations, which sound more savory in French – Soupe Gratinée à L'oignon, Bœuf à la Bourguignonneare, Truite Aux Amandes, and Steak Au Poivre – might be a bit lighter and brighter, also apt for our usually subtropical weather. The somewhat succinct all-French list complements the menu of wonderfully composed preparations, and the dozen or so choices by the glass nicely includes a Sauternes to finish. West Houston
Bistro Maison Pucha – This French outpost from Manuel Pucha, the former executive chef at the well-regarded La Table here, and his brothers, veterans of the New York restaurant trade, zoffers a menu of classic French restaurant preparations along with a few items – ceviches, principally – and flavors from their coastal Ecuadoran home.  Like all local French-themed establishments here, the dishes aren’t very recent – steak frites, bouillabaisse, duck a l’orange, coq au vin – but can shine in execution along with attractive presentations. Dishes like the impeccably plump, moist filet of Trout Almondine in brown butter, especially so, and even a straightforward assemblage of top-flight charcuterie and cheese. The wines are sufficient, if not yet terribly interesting, and the bartenders quite adept in their mixology. The setting is quite stylish, contemporary, and welcoming, not to mention busy since the doors opened in late 2017, and the staff noticeably earnest and hard-working. Heights
Artisans – Easily traversed, by car, from the office towers downtown, this features a dramatic and attractive open display kitchen surrounded by about two dozen seats in somewhat of a flattened horseshoe fashion and a fairly concise menu of familiar French fare suited for the locals spiked with seasonal and more personal offerings all usually executed exquisitely, beautifully, and always expensively. Foie gras, duck rillettes, or cavibar can start, then there’s bouillabaisse, steak au poivre plus possibly even pan-seared Gulf redfish served with squid in pasta or red snapper with risotto and sauteed spinach. The $42 three-course lunch special counts as a deal here. In a city of smartly put-together beverage choices, the wine list here is unfortunately just functional. Midtown
Brasserie du Parc – A lower-key, but still white tablecloth, offering from Philippe Verpiand of Étoile that offers an enticing range of largely well-known French dishes both day and night. There might be more of an emphasis on seafood, but there are several steaks; it’s Texas, after all, plus it needs to satisfy those (mostly male) business travelers that might be congregating at the George R. Brown just a short walk away. It’s an airy and approachable place, that sense might be enhanced by the charmingly cheap-looking reproductions of French poster artwork on the walls. Downtown

A suitably artistic dish at Le Jardinier

It seems that there are fewer restaurants than ever serving Greek food in Houston. Well, for many years, at least. The neat, casual Just GRK on the Katy Freeway closed in 2022. Earlier, and little less lamentably, Alexander the Great and Yia Yia Mary’s a couple of years before. I had recommended seven inexpensive Greek restaurants in the last edition of my guidebook Houston Dining on the Cheap way back in 2007. There are just not too many Greek eateries of note across at any price point today. The pandemic seemed to have taken a toll on the small family-run Greek restaurants, maybe more so than most other restaurants here, for some reason.
 
Below are the best Greek restaurants in Houston listed in order of preference.
 
The Best
 
Helen – Offering something different than what is found in the typical Greek restaurant almost anywhere around the country, this is contemporary Greek fare and in a vibrant, sliver of a space tucked in among its neighboring businesses on Rice Boulevard that screams cool bistro. Dips, grilled octopus, whole fish, rack of lamb and more that both look and taste better than at that stereotypical Greek spot. With the wine – it’s a serious program here – it’s all Greek to everyone here, and only Greek, but it will help you learn that Greek wine belongs on the world stage. Rice Village
 
The Rest of the Best
 
Niko Niko’s – Since 1977 Niko Niko’s has been a well-loved, hard-working fixture in the heart of Montrose for satisfying and unpretentious Greek and Gulf Coast favorites. Comfortable and somewhat nice, it is usually crowded, even well outside regular lunch and dinner hours, as it has been for years – outside of the depths of the pandemic. Accurately subtitled, a “Greek & American Café,” the large menu does consist mainly of Greek specialties plus a number of other homey, but well prepared dishes, one of which will certainly satiate about any craving. Montrose, Spring Branch, Downtown (in abbreviated form)
Anonymous Café – Lighter and brighter might be your first impression of this airy little café in the first floor of an older office building just off Kirby. Some familiar Greek and American items are served for breakfast and lunch like souvlaki, salads – The American Greek Salad, of course – sandwiches and a terrific take on spanakopita. There is a different daily Greek special each day, too, like moussaka or pastitsio, with avgolemono to start. The pastry display is a delight, and an indication that this kitchen has some evident skill. And, it is truly a café with both serious coffee and as a venue to spend time for a smattering of students, folks from the nearby neighborhoods, and ex-pat Greeks. Upper Kirby District
Simply Greek – Set in an older small strip center in Spring Branch, this very bare-bones, quite humble spot mostly serves the usual, inexpensive fast-food Greek fare that is better than expected. Tender, moist and flavorful lamb fills a pita that is much better than what comes off any gyro spinner. A fair number of other proteins, some even without tzatziki, can pack a pita in case more than simply Greek is in order. Spring Branch

The Grilled Octopus at Helen - Helen

As you probably know, Guy Fieri’s long-running show focuses on the more humble and affordable restaurants, and which are regarded as local standouts. Each of the Houston restaurants that have been featured in the show over the years were also recommended in the last edition of my Houston Dining on the Cheap guidebook if it had been opened back when it was published in 2007. With one exception. The show has done a really good job with Houston.
 
Here are the local restaurants highlighted in Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives listed alphabetically:
 
Be More Pacific – Filipino – Opened in 2019, I enjoyed my one visit to this readily fun Filipino outpost on Yale Street, not far north from I-10, that offers both some more diversity and quality to the Heights dining landscape that was rather forlorn when I wrote the last of my guidebooks. Heights
 
Café Lili – Middle Eastern – Though I recommended it in Houston Dining on the Cheap and I have quite enjoyed it in the past, it’s somewhat out of the way for me during lunchtime so I have not been in a while. Need to return sooner than later. Galleria Area
 
Café Pita+ - Bosnian – Also touted in Houston Dining on the Cheap, this and its second location have been closed for a few years now, unfortunately. West Houston
 
Cool Runnings – Jamaican – Opened a few years after the last edition of my guidebook, I have yet to visit; it is somewhat of a drive. Alief
 
Cuchara – Mexican – I quite like this place, which offers a different take and vibe on more authentically Mexican food, that of a Mexico City-style bistro. It’s one of the best Mexican restaurants in Houston, I believe. Montrose
 
Fresco Café (now Davanti) – Italian – The concept moved to a nicer setting and location on Weslayan plus a new name. I thought it was one of the top new restaurants to open this past year. It can be an easy and rewarding stop for a pasta or pizza (al taglio) fix. The chef draws raves from Italians I know. Greenway Plaza
 
Irma’s – Tex-Mex – I’ve long thought that this was overrated; a small menu of smaller-sized entrées that are expensive for what they are. It was not enough of a value to for me recommend it after the first edition of my guidebook, which was back in 2002. I wasn’t too impressed again when I visited last a few months ago. Downtown
 
Lankford Grocery – American – Friendly, decidedly old school place that I had recommended in Houston Dining on the Cheap. I had a very enjoyable burger there last week, too. Midtown
 
Kenny and Ziggy’s – Jewish Deli – Recommended in Houston Dining on the Cheap, this has been the hallmark for deli food in town for years, and the best place to get a sandwich of a size that could result in cardiac arrest plus a numerous array of other tasty items that might do the same. Galleria Area
 
Nikos Niko’s – Greek – This Montrose fixture, which has grown in locations, was recommended in Houston Dining on the Cheap. Montrose
 
The Original Marini’s Empanada House – Argentine Empanadas – The only reason I haven’t been in a while is that it is now geographically inconvenient. I raved about it in Houston Dining on the Cheap and brought their empanadas to great effect to at least one of my media appearances when I was publicizing the book. Westchase
 
The Pit Room – Barbecue – This is one of my favorite barbecue joints, and the one I probably visit the most frequently and have been quick to recommend in articles and elsewhere. Montrose
 
Q-Shi BBQ and Sushi – Barbecue / Sushi – Around from 2016 through last year, I never made the drive up to Cypress to check this out before it shuttered. Cypress
 
Red Lion Pub – British – Both recommended in Houston Dining on the Cheap and was a frequent stop to its bar for beers poured in 20-ounce Imperial pint glasses. River Oaks
 
Toasted Coconut – American – I enjoy drinking here.  A fun place. Montrose
 
Travelers Table – Eclectic – Had an enjoyable lunch at this very eclectic, maybe overly eclectic spot on lower Westheimer that seems to have struck a cord with a segment of diners. Montrose
 
Weights + Measures – One of the best restaurants in Midtown that works well for breakfast, lunch and dinner – pizzas are one of the stars – and even as a bakery take-away in concert with the estimable Slow Dough. Midtown

Briskets getting ready at The Pit Room.

Eating a lot of burgers recently, and, on a such beautiful day, I decided to travel to the East End and grab a burger at the outside-only Champ Burger.  It was quite enjoyable and fine value.  I liked it in the past and had recommended it in my Houston Dining on the Cheap guidebooks.  Below is what I wrote about it in 2007.  Not much has changed since then other than the prices and a somewhat expanded menu:

Champ Burger is a tidy oasis in the East End that has been serving more-than-satisfying hamburgers and other easy-to-eat foods since 1963.  Under a large awning, there are usually a number of patrons waiting to place or pickup an order, which are dispensed in brown bags.  Champ’s has a friendly egalitarian atmosphere.  Takeaway is popular with the mostly working class clientele who might not have much time for lunch.  This is aided by the fact that the only seating at Champ Burger is around the side from the counters, outside on concrete tables under large umbrellas.  Even during the hot and humid summer months, there will be folks eating here.  Though there is not much in the way of offerings at Champ Burger, it is still very busy during each lunchtime weekdays. 

With a name like Champ Burger, you can expect that the burgers are popular, and these are the biggest draw.  The menu advertises that they use one-third prime ground chuck for their hamburgers.  These are properly cooked with a crust around the juicy patties, and are available with cheese, bacon, and chili.  Of course, unadorned is quite good, too.  Also popular at Champ Burger is the Texas Size Steak Sandwich, which is basically a hamburger with a patty that is breaded and served like a chicken fried steak.  There are hamburgers, several hot sandwiches, hot dogs, baskets with fried chicken, breaded and deep-fried steak fingers and fish, and a couple salads for the afternoon, and breakfast tacos and breakfast sandwiches for the morning.  For sides, the pre-cut fries are served hot and crispy, but nothing special.  Much better for an additional fifty cents are the thick, deep golden-hued, and very tasty onion rings.  To finish or complement a meal there are also shakes and a hot apple turnover.

Champ Burger
304 Sampson (north of Harrisburg), 77003, (713), 227-7737
champburger.net

For the first time since the onset of the pandemic, continuing on old tradition, I met friends for lunch at Brennan’s during the Christmas break. The lure for us is largely the 25-cent lunchtime martinis, though the often excellent Creole fare filtered though a Houston lens and the upscale setting are certainly close behind that.  
 
Most folks express surprise when I mention this very longstanding Brennan’s tradition of an irresistibly boozy lunch – “The Best Kept Secret in Town!” rightly exclaims the menu – that’s thankfully been unaffected by inflation. From Tuesday through Friday during lunch, for just a quarter you can get a martini – gin or vodka, with olives or a lemon twist – a Cosmo, a melon martini, and more recently something called the Commander's Palace Martini, which sounded a lot like a daiquiri when described to us. You’ve got to purchase an entrée, which shouldn’t be a problem with the tempting menu, and there is a supposed limit three martinis per person. I seem to remember having more than that in past visits. Or did I remember.
 
The martinis are surprisingly good-sized, if not quite full-sized and were still easily tasty enough, even if they arrived at the table this time at room temperature, not cold. And we overlooked the pesky sluggishness of our server for more rapid replenishments.
 
Like at most restaurants these days, staffing issues were apparent. Our young servers and manager were friendly though mostly functional: slow, not very knowledgeable, helpful, nor particularly adept. Nothing outrageously bad, but it was a stark contrast to service at other similarly priced local spots I’ve visited recently: Navy Blue, Uchiko, Tony’s, March, Uchi.
 
But the martinis were just a quarter, after all, and none of us had to rush back to the office. Plus, the food was excellent. There doesn’t seem to be any staffing concerns in the kitchen. In fact, the lunch I had the other day might have been the best one I’ve ever had there and the best meal at Brennan’s since when Danny Trace was the executive chef; he departed for Potente in the spring of 2017.
 
From the enticing aromas of the complementary toasted bread on the table soon after we were seated that I ate too readily, to the lush, fino sherry-drizzled turtle soup that was as delicious as I remembered, that culminated in a fantastic, full entrée, the Gulf Fish Borgne. That day it was mahi mahi, cooked to a nicely crisp exterior with firm, clean-tatsing flesh beneath, all topped noticeable pieces of jumbo lump crab meat, perfectly cooked medium-sized shrimp and fried Gulf oysters, sitting on a bed of Parmigiano and mushroom-laden rice, all with a sauce highlighted with Creole butter. It was both delicate and rich like a restaurant like Brennan’s can do. The cheap martinis, ambiance, and company helped, too.
 
Brennan’s
3300 Smith (between Elgin and the Spur), 77006, (713) 522-9711
brennanshouston.com

These are really quite cute.

A few years ago at a family reunion in the Chicago area, a cousin surprised me saying that she and her husband would like to come down to Houston for a weekend in the future to enjoy the restaurants.  They’ve never been, but I believe that my frequent blathering about the dining scene here piqued their interest. They enjoy wine and good food and frequent and savvy restaurant-goers, longtime patrons of Rick Bayless’s restaurants, for example.
 
This piece stemmed from that. They still haven’t made it here, but I’ve got some helpful suggestions for them, possibly, and any visitors. My tact began with highlighting cuisines that aren’t found in the Chicago area, or not found in much quality, and are done well here. Barbecue, Creole and Cajun, Gulf seafood, Tex-Mex, Vietnamese come quickly to mind. No chicken fried steak, though. There are only so many calories that can be ingested in a weekend, even a long weekend, but below is a list to work from, with the cuisines or meal listed alphabetically. Geared toward nicer spots, for the most part. Barbecue and breakfast tacos, necessarily less so.

Barbecue – As extraordinary as Houston barbecue can be now, I had thought that this might not be an option given the inherent heaviness, but then I realized that if you show some restraint – something I can have a hard time doing, myself – like just having a sandwich or splitting a plate, a visit to a barbecue joint doesn’t have to be a one-meal day. Truth (Washington Corridor), The Pit Room (Montrose), Pinkerton’s (Heights), Blood Bros. (Bellaire), Killen’s (Cypress, Pearland)

Breakfast – If they want breakfast, there are some excellent, casual and fun choices that are geared toward our locale. The Breakfast Klub (Midtown), Goode Co. Taqueria (West University), Cucharita (Montrose), El Tiempo (East End and elsewhere)

Breakfast Tacos – For a quick and even more casual breakfast that can be picked up, and something that isn’t much of a thing at all in Chicago, breakfast tacos can be a piquant and tasty morning start when time is a consideration. Tacos A Go Go (various), Tio Trompo (Washington Corridor), Urbe (Uptown Park), Laredo Taqueria (Washington Corridor, Near North Side), The Taco Stand (Heights)

Brunch – If they desire a brunch day, three of the Hugo Ortega-Tracy Vaught restaurants do a great job with brunch and in different ways then there is the grand Creole brunch at Brennan’s, a high-calorie and necessarily alcohol-laden morning feast. Hugo’s (Montrose), Xochi (Downtown), Brennan’s (Midtown), Backstreet Café (River Oaks)

Cocktails – For folks into cocktails or maybe at least before dinner, several of Bobby Heugel’s and alum’s spots can do the trick terrifically well, led by the trend-setting Anvil that is still going strong in its second decade. Anvil (Montrose), Refuge (Montrose), Julep (Washington Corridor), Better Luck Tomorrow (Heights), Under the Volcano (Rice Village), BCN (for the Spanish gin and tonics, Montrose)

Creole / Cajun – Creole as practiced in New Orleans hasn’t really found roots beyond Louisiana other than here, if with some local concessions that work well. Brennan’s (Midtown), Eunice (Greenway Plaza), Ragin’ Cajun (Greenway Plaza), Lagniappe (Heights)

Gulf Seafood – This can be something a little unique for visitors, and a few spots are excellent with it. Goode Co. Seafood (West University, Memorial), Eugene’s (Montrose), Brennan’s (Midtown)

Italian – Italian doesn’t quickly come to mind with Houston, but I don’t believe that there are any better Italian chefs in Chicago, for example, than Maurizio Ferrarese at the Alba (Uptown Park) in the Hotel Granduca or Giancarlo Ferrara at Amalfi (Briargrove) here.

Italian-American (what most people know as Italian) – The always bustling, fun original Carrabba’s on Kirby and the one the family still runs on Woodway are well-run crowd-pleasers featuring robust flavors with a nod toward our locale and the Carrabba-family roots in Sicily. Upper Kirby, Briargrove

Kolaches – This Czechoslovak breakfast pastry has been a Texas staple, though most versions are rather lacking, to be honest. But Houston is home to the very best purveyor in the entire state, Kolache Shoppe (Greenway Plaza, Heights), which even has a drive-thru at its Heights location.

Mexican – Hugo Ortega is our answer to Rick Bayless, except he is from Mexico. He and Tracy Vaught’s trio of upscale Mexican restaurants are the best Mexican restaurants here and called the best in the state. And the new, more casual Urbe is a great asset to the dining landscape. Hugo’s (Montrose), Xochi (Downtown), Caracol (Galleria Area), Urbe (Uptown Park), Cuchara (Montrose)

Steak – The Great American Steakhouse template doesn’t vary too much across the country even as it has evolved over the years. There is something to be said for top-quality, well-marbled steak seared over a very high heat with fatty sides and a plush atmosphere. Georgia James does something different and is also fantastic while Pappas Bros. excels at the more familiar with a wine list that is a enophile’s dream, well, a well-heeled one. For a more affordable, excellent steak, in the tradition of the pampas, is the family-run Uruguayan Saldivia’s. Georgia James (Montrose), Pappas Bros. Steakhouse (Galleria Area, Downtown), Saldivia’s (Westchase)

Sushi – I think that Manabu Horiuchi at Kata Robata is not only a terrific sushi chef and for Japanese cuisine in general, but he is one of the very best chefs in Houston regardless of cuisine. The folks from Austin with Uchi and Uchiko do a terrific job with a slightly Americanized interpretation. Kata Robata (Upper Kirby), Uchi (Montrose), Uchiko (Galleria Area), Soto (Montrose), MF Sushi (Museum District), Nippon (Montrose)

Tex-Mex – There’s not quality Tex-Mex in most places as here and this is always well liked by relatives visiting. El Tiempo (various), Goode Co. Kitchen & Cantina (Memorial, Heights)

Viet-Cajun (during crawfish season) – A recently developed cuisine that has drawn considerable attention with its leading light an especially fun dining experience, and one that’s quite regional. Crawfish & Noodles (Chinatown, Heights)

Vietnamese – A Houston staple, certainly for me. Long one of my favorite places for Vietnamese food is Jasmine, followed by its sibling Saigon Pagaloc, both along Bellaire Boulevard. A more modern, accessible and fun, and geographically easy location is probably better, unless they want to experience Seven Courses of Beef. That can be fun. Xin Chao (Washington Corridor), Ka Bau (Montrose), Moon Rabbit (Heights), Dinette (Heights), Thien An (Midtown), The Blind Goat (Downtown)

Wine – Houston has some really good wine bars, both in terms of selection and comfort, one can be a fine way to began an evening or be the evening. 13 Celsius (Midtown), Camerata (Montrose), Montrose Cheese & Wine, Roots (Montrose), Vinology (Rice Village)

Other – A few other places to note mostly for their quality, as MAD and BCN are two of the best restaurants in Houston. MAD even has some of the most notable restaurant bathrooms in the country that makes for a fun, and often necessary detour. MAD (River Oaks District), BCN (Montrose), Navy Blue (Rice Village)

If you, they, need to do chicken fried steak, Wild Oats is the best call.

French fries are mostly just an accompaniment, a supporting player, but fries are everywhere, at least where I seem to dine. Often lame, though: limp, under-salted and bland, and quickly becoming barely palatable, just a sop for a bit of ketchup. But there are definitely some places when the fries are almost delicious and worth an order no matter what else might be in store.
 
The best fries are eaten soon after leaving the fryer, having been fried two times from the potatoes sliced at the restaurant resulting in a fry that is a bit firm and retains that outer crispness for a while. French fries are done the best in Belgium, where they were likely invented – the French descriptor because fries were encountered in the Francophone part of Belgium. Made with Bintje potatoes, a tasty Dutch variety well-suited for them, cut fairly thickly, these are fried twice in rendered beef fat rather than oil. Initially frying at a lower heat and then briefly at a higher one right before serving yields crisp exteriors and tender insides, and the beef fat certainly adds to the flavor. With some salt and freshly made mayonnaise, these are absolutely delicious. I learned from Belgian classmates years ago that a good mayonnaise really is the best accessory to fries. Really. Beer seems to be another useful one.
 
Though most fries in Houston are forgettable, there are some very good ones. Here are the best places for fries in Houston listed in order of preference.
 
The Best
 
Better Luck Tomorrow – This top spot for day drinking with half-priced drinks including cocktails – really well-made cocktails – from noon until 5:00 during the week, the fun food here is far from an afterthought. A healthy order of the nicely crisp, large fries are excellent by themselves and possibly even more enjoyable when “hard spiced” or with grated Pecorino and plenty of black pepper. Heights
 
Certainly worth an order
 
Café Brussels – As Belgium provides the gold standard in fries, the city’s one Belgian restaurant does them well. These are excellent; crisp, long-lastingly so. You will probably need to ask for a side of the house-made mayonnaise these days, though. You should. First Ward
Helen Greek – This contemporary Greek bistro serves crisp, excellent fries as a side with gyros and souvlaki – a far cry that you’ll usually find with these – and also the more substantial Smothered Greek Fries with turmeric, a whipped roasted red pepper dip, feta, and oregano. Rice Village
Navy Blue – Served attractively in paper extending past the edges of a fry cone, this upscale new seafooder does all the basics as well as you might hope in the setting, and is a perfect choice with a drink at the bar in the evening. Rice Village
Riel – The very nice, thin fries do duty alone for take-away and also in a version of poutine at the bar with rich brown gravy and melted white cheese. Montrose
 
A fine accompaniment
 
Cultivated – Thin shoestring fries are never the best fries, but can be tasty, as these are on the side for the sandwiches and burger at the small restaurant for the Lancaster Hotel across from the Alley Theatre. Downtown
Lucille’s – Different than most, the fries are a bit puffy here, enjoyably so. Available only during lunch serving also alongside the burger and sandwiches. Museum District
Mapojeong – Nice and thin fries that are noticeably better than most accompaniments to burgers and fries at this stylish Korean barbecue joint. Heights

The way they are supposed to be done - GQ

Everyone loves Italian-American food, to properly translate Neil Simon’s oft-repeated remark. All Americans, at least. Italians, those people from Italy, generally do not at all. And when you are going out for Italian food here, you are usually going out for Italian-American food. Though Italian-American is not Italian in the strictest sense, it might still be the most-loved type of food in America, many years after Simon’s observation. At these restaurants, you’ll get tomato sauce, Alfredo sauce, garlic, spaghetti and meatballs, linguine and clams, chicken parmesan, and, today, interpretations of the inexpensive-to-make pasta dishes from Rome that have swept the world – Carbonara, cacio e pepe, and all'Amatriciana – with Caesar salad and fried calamari among the starters. There will be a lot of sauce and a lot of cheese throughout.  
 
Veal is, or was, the signature preparations in Italian-American restaurants in the northeast and Midwest – and about my favorite thing as a kid – like Carbone’s Veal Parmesan that’s famous, infamous, for its $72 price tag. But veal has never really been a big thing in Houston. Sure, it’s been on menus, but it’s not been part of the local Italian-American experience here, unlike in other cities. And, these days diners seem to order it even less. Because of this, the veal often tastes grainy, like it’s been sitting in the restaurant’s freezer for an extended period. I’ve noticed this far too often at Italian-themed places in recent years, which is quite disappointing.
 
Here are the best Italian-American restaurants in Houston listed by order of preference.
 
The Best
 
Carrabba’s – These two locations, still owned and operated by co-founder, cookbook author and once PBS cooking show host Johnny Carrabba, are exceedingly popular after three decades years by serving big, flavorful dishes in a casually upscale and festive environment. The original Carrabba’s helped define the exuberant Sicilian-rooted Gulf Coast cooking that is one of the well-loved staples of the Houston dining scene. In vibe, it is the almost perfect Italian-American trattoria, if that is such a thing. There are lively salads, hefty pizzas and pastas and robust easy-to-like dishes like crab cakes with a sweet red pepper sauce, Chicken Bryan, a grilled breast of chicken with goat cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, basil and a lemon-butter sauce, and Stuffed Shrimp Mandola featuring a crab dressing. Not only is the original location on Kirby seemingly always packed with an always well-heeled crowd, the bar is still crowded and lively many nights of the week. Upper Kirby, Briargrove
 
Worth a Visit
 
Damian’s – ​This Midtown stalwart set in a stolid stand-alone building has been a well-worn stop for downtown diners since it opened in the early 1980s. The original slew of owners from those popular local Sicilian-American families – the extremely affable Frankie Mandola, Ciro Lampasses, Joe Butera and namesake Damian Mandola – have long exited but Damian’s carries on is satisfying fashion. It does not nearly excite as it did many years ago when Texas Monthly was lauding it as one of the top dining stops in the state, but it remains a fine-dining Houston favorite. The cooking here might be described as an upscale Gulf Coast version of the country’s beloved Southern Italian-American fare. Flavors and portions are generous. In dining rooms made cozy by low-ceilings and lights, you can enjoy specialties like filet mignon grilled and finished with the piquant herbaceous Sicilian ammoghiu sauce, plump veal chops, Shrimp Damian, and Fra Diavolo Linguine, a medley of seafood including lobster and lump crabmeat in a piquant marinara sauce. Midtown
Rosalie's – Houston has historically been tough on out-of-town restaurateurs and hotel dining, but things might have changed, as West Coast-based television chef Chris Cosentino has channeled his Italian-American roots into what has been a popular and adept smallish spot in a refurbished and now surprisingly hip hotel – the C. Baldwin was a setting for the “The Bachelor” airing in early 2022 – at the southwestern edge of downtown. Chef-created Italian-American might be the best description of the offerings here. The crab cannelloni features Sauce Americane, a French concoction featuring cream and lobster shells. Fairly rich and redolent of the sea, it’s quite tasty if not what any Italian-American family (or restaurant) makes. The menu is enticing with other pastas, spot-on sides such as roasted cherry tomatoes with garlic and breadcrumbs, and protein-centered preparations like a spicy Shrimp Fra Diavolo, a hanger steak Pizzaiolo also with peppers and capers, and a milanese with chicken – there’s no veal on the menu. There are pizzas, too. Though the crusts are not nearly flavorful nor soft enough to pull off a successful margherita, but the other toppings might work well. This cab be a fun stop, and it’s in a hotel! Downtown
Louie’s Italian American – This is a contemporary, fun interpretation of long one of the country’s most popular cuisines studded with insight from present-day Italy. There are plenty of familiar items, done a little differently. Fried calamari, meatballs in red sauce, shrimp cocktail, and an old school antipasto plate but with gruyere, too, are some of the starters. Then the pastas, which are nicely crafted here, thin and light, when either stuffed or not. The Piemontese spindly-stranded tajarin made yellowy similar as there with a surfeit of egg yolks in the dough. Heartier fare includes the ostensibly necessary Chicken Parm, redfish with the piccata treatment. and sausage and peppers. A limited, well-chosen selection of wines and an handful of cocktails that are slated to increase in number help add atmosphere to the quaint setting that manages to be both industrial and homey. And it shares a single-story mixed-use building with a few other complementary businesses including the still somewhat funky wine bar How to Survive on Land and Sea. East End
Lulu’s – Comfortable, especially for those who frequent long-standing Armando’s on the other side of the shopping center at the edge of River Oaks, this attractive spot that opened in mid-2021 serves creditable versions of contemporary takes on Italian-American fare spiked with popular dishes from Italy. Misspellings on the menu – guanchale, al’amatriciana, caccio – helps let you know that this is not serving anything like authentic Italian fare, but the approachable preparations are well-oriented to its target market, as are the portions, not so robust, befitting an older clientele. The wine list, unfortunately, is small and poorly chosen, odd for present-day Houston at its prices. Upper Kirby
Piatto – Tucked away just outside the Loop on West Alabama under the glare of the Williams Tower, this inviting family-run spot has been offering Italian-American favorites geared to the locale – plenty of Gulf shrimp preparations along with grilled meats – plus pizzas for about two decades now. Asparagus topped with lump crab meat and a lemony butter sauce is a popular way to start. Sauces for the pastas are mostly red and white, and a pink, tomato cream. You might want to avoid the gloppy, simple stuffed pastas with the Alfredo sauce, though. Chicken takes precedence over veal for the larger items, but you can still get veal scaloppini in a couple of ways. That the breads for the table are noticeably fresh and flavorful and the salads are robust and well done indicate a welcome level of care taken here. Galleria Area

The osso buco at the original Carrabba's

Among the considerable number of precious retailers, there are numerous dining options in the pedestrian-friendly Rice Village proper and more in the blocks nearby. Though now more crowded with out-of-town chain restaurant concepts – and the departure of its heart for decades, The Ginger Man, America’s first modern beer bar – there are still engaging spots for food and drink in and around Rice Village, if a smaller number than might be hoped.
 
Given the wealth that surrounds the Village, maybe it shouldn’t be surprising that there are some excellent wine lists here: Café Rabelais, El Meson and Helen Greek that focus on France, Spain, and Greece, respectively. Then there are Coppa and Gratify, which offer nice prices, too, in stark contrast to their food. Something else a little unexpected: several worthwhile Middle Eastern outlets here – Hamsa and Badolina Bakery, Istanbul Grill, and Pasha – offering tastes of Israel and Turkey. Maybe it’s the 106,000 people employed at the nearby Medical Center, and the few thousand folks at Rice University, that helps explain some of it.
 
To note, some old standbys don’t seem to serve the quality of fare than these once did, and not all of the glittery and pricey newcomers are worthy of a visit, so this list is shorter than it probably should be. 
 
Listed alphabetically.
 
The Best
 
Badolina Bakery – Café / Bakery – Just for breakfast and lunch, well, until 5:00, there are savory items like quiches, focaccias and a few Middle Eastern items like shakshuka in addition to European pastries, plus commendable breads and cakes to go.
Coppa – Italian – An interpretation of Italian food that is not authentic but contemporary and satisfying, nonetheless, well-suited for the neighborhood. Pricey for what it is, though, as all of the former Clark Cooper Concepts restaurants are, you can get a good plate of pasta and a decent pizza in an attractive and often lively setting here.
Hamsa – Middle Eastern – The most stylish place for the cooking of the Levant in Houston now, this builds on the success and popularity of the owners’ excellent Badolina Bakery next door. Serving what it describes as “modern Israeli cuisine,” the food will be largely familiar to most Houston diners, but in a more wide-ranging fashion and plated more attractively. A decent array of wines, too.
Helen Greek – Greek – Contemporary Greek fare in a vibrant, thin space tucked in among its neighboring businesses on Rice Boulevard that screams cool bistro. With the wine, it’s all Greek to everyone here, and only Greek, but it will help you learn that Greek wine belongs on the world stage.
Istanbul Grill – Turkish – Interesting, well-prepared Turkish food in a pleasant, informal setting, often lively atmosphere, and noticeably friendly and eager service. Many of their traditional Anatolian items are baked in a brick oven that is evident in the somewhat open kitchen, including the distinctive Turkish pizzas that can provide a filling meal for $12-$17. The kabob platters are a great value here, easily worth the $16.50 tariff for the beef and lamb doner kabob and $18 for the lash shish kabob. The portions are generous and served with a large amount of moist rice and grilled tomatoes and bell peppers. Fresh and warm house-made thin pide bread nicely complements every table. Beer and wine, too. 
Lees Den – American – Even with a limited menu and even more limited opening times, this restaurant-within-a-restaurant can be a quirky, tuned-in spot for dinner or just shareable small plates and wine. Thursday through Saturday from 4:00 to 10:00 and reservations are necessary.
Navy Blue – Seafood – The most impressive restaurant to open in 2022, both for food and design, and easily the best one in the neighborhood, the menu is actually quite approachable. Not much decipherable necessary. It ranges from oysters and clams (and caviar) to start with crab cakes, a mussel bisque en croute, fresh pasta preparations and fish. There is a swordfish steak served in a green peppercorn sauce, and an entire Dover sole is fileted tableside. With that and the lobster, you’ve got options; almondine, Oscar and Provençal for the former. A French accent is found in other items, too, a good thing, plus there are a couple of nods to our area with a blackened red snapper and a different-tasting take on seafood gumbo. This is a must-visit for seafood lovers, at least those with some means.
Pasha – Turkish – A homey, somewhat dowdy, option like Istanbul Grill, but homier, serving traditional Turkish food that might appeal to fans of Middle Eastern cooking as it does for Turkish ex-pats. On University across from the Rice campus.
 
Here a couple of restaurants that I can’t recommend for the food these days, but wine aficionados might want to visit:
 
El Meson – Cuban / Spanish / Tex-Mex – One of the best wine lists in the city is to found at this casual long-timer on University Boulevard in the Rice Village serving Cuban, Spanish and Tex-Mex fare. There is diversity on the wine menu, too, but the big heart is Spain with enticements from Vega Sicilia in some breadth and depth, La Alta Rioja and Lopez de Heredia and many others, all nicely priced. Excellent by-the-glass program that can be had by quarter-liter carafes, also, filled with neat stuff from Spain like Muga’s Rioja rosé, a Cabernet Sauvignon from Torres in Penedes, plus even a Finger Lakes Riesling.
Café Rabelais – French – This humble, quaint and a bit kitschy French spot is a paradise from lovers of the wines from France in much of its glory. Seemingly all Gaul is represented here, Jura, Savoie, Rhône, Alsace, and Corsica along with Burgundy, Bordeaux and Champagne, with those more interesting than elsewhere if not the grandest of labels. There are more big bottles here, too, not just magnums but also 3-liters and up. Nicely, there are a number of bottles under $30.  

A doner (gyro) sandwich at Istanbul Grill

Everyone loves fried chicken, it seems, at least a good one: a crisp or crunchy exterior, often the tastiest part, and moist and flavorful-enough meat, all that can be fun and invariably messy to eat. It’s not the easiest thing do, though, as even some lauded local restaurateurs and restaurants long proclaiming their prowess at Southern fried chicken dish up versions that are best ignored. Below are the best to be found locally, the ones frying more than just the wings and drumsticks.
 
The Best
 
Gus’s Famous Fried Chicken – This branch of the famed Memphis fried chicken spot on Washington Avenue consistently serves the best fried chicken in Houston, and for a comparative song. From Stax?  Using “never frozen, natural, hormone-free chicken,” which are smaller birds than is typical seems to make a big difference. The savory skin cooked to a beautiful brown stays affixed to the meat readily and with a touch of spice, each bite is delicious. Available in a variety of ways: two and three pieces, single, white or dark, individual pieces, too. All arrive to the table quickly, and with the comparatively low prices, this is a very useful chicken shack. Washington Corridor
 
The Best of Rest
 
Relish – This comfy and slick comfort food spot on Westheimer near Kirby seems to be overlooked many dining hounds, which is a shame. Among its charms is its rendition of fried chicken, delectable, and properly moist under the skin. For $24, you also get some complementary hot honey, a side bacon-spiked braised collard greens, and a fresh rosemary biscuit. River Oaks
Gatlin’s Fish & Feathers – Driving west on Crosstimbers, you pass a couple of other, lesser options for fried chicken in the space of a half-mile, before arriving to this homey, friendly space, a sibling to the acclaimed Gatlin’s barbecue joint not too far away. Fried to order and featuring a thicker batter than most, three pieces that might be two drumsticks and a large thigh, all with moist and a fairly tasty skin. Near North Side
La Lucha – Fried chicken makes sense at this eclectic, relaxed spot off busy Durham. The dark breading belies a moist, even juicy interior of perfectly cooked chicken and that tasty exterior makes for an enjoyable indulgence that is less greasy than most. Served with biscuits, pickles, a honey sambal and jam. You can order a half or whole bird, the latter setting you back $44 these days, which is about the market rate for most any other fried bird found outside of a bucket. Heights
Lucille’s – It’s Yardbird on the menu at this highly enjoyable Southern gem blocks from Hermann Park. For $22 you’ll get a brined and “Slow-Fried Chicken,” moist and flavorful with two pieces of your choice of either white or dark meat and served with sides of mashed potatoes setting below collard greens. With a honey spiced gravy atop – which is not so spicy, just flavorful – the chicken that’s been cooked in batches, at least during the lunch rush, is tender and tasty without being more greasy than necessary. Museum District
Harold’s in the Heights – It’s KG's Double Brined Fried Chicken on the menu. Buttermilk gets a turn here resulting in a golden brown exterior and generally well-cooked throughout the three pieces for an order: drumstick, thigh, and a too-large breast. Served with a very bland mac and cheese, served with piquant braised greens from the area Atkinson Farms, it makes for a hearty meal. Heights
 
Worth an Order
 
Frenchy’s – Though the original location next to Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church and very near the University of Houston campus, which had some scruffy charm, has shuttered, there are now more locations than ever to enjoy the Houston’s landmark for fried chicken. It’s spicy and cooked in batches, sometimes it’s not really fast food here. Some spots are more consistent than others.
Popeye’s – Though inconsistent and varying by location, I’ve got to be honest, Popeye’s serves some of the most enjoyable fried chicken in Houston, the smaller chickens are part of the key, with crunchy skin and meat part complementing each other in nearly every bite. It’s the best value, too.  Various
Al Aseel – A sprinkle of Middle Eastern spices sets this enjoyable, crispy version apart, along with a whole fried chicken is just $16.59, half only $10.99 and coming with sides of long-grain rice and a fatoush salad. Alief

An order at Gus's earlier this year.

A flurry of late-year openings help make this a wonderful one for new restaurants in Houston, capped off by the seafood-centric Navy Blue in the Rice Village from the team at Bludorn. The folks from Uchi added a couple of new options that started elsewhere and deemed ready for the state’s biggest city, Loro then the striking Uchiko. Gatlin’s, Cuchara and Hidden Omakase also extended their brands into new and crowd-pleasing concepts. But, the biggest restaurant news might have been a subtraction, that Chris Shepherd of Underbelly and more fame stepped away from the restaurant group he started. Hopefully, his restaurants won’t end up missing much of beat, though with the legacy of Underbelly gone upon the closure of UB Preserv at the end of 2021, it has gotten less interesting. Nick Wong who won acclaim at UB Preserv is no longer with the group, but Georgia James Tavern now has Tim Reading at the helm, once the executive chef of Hugo Ortega’s Caracol and the exemplary little Ixim a block away in Bravery Chef Hall. And Underbelly Hospitality launched a new restaurant, Wild Oats, with robust flavors and sound levels, along with a new address in a new-build for Georgia James. Another established operation, the glorious dim sum and Hong Kong-style seafood standard-bearer, Fung’s Kitchen, got renewed life, finally reopening in November after nearly two long years.
 
And this was a good year for new casual restaurants. In various levels of informality and in several types of fare, Betelguese Betelguese, Burger Bodega, Cucharita, Davanti, Gatlin’s Fins & Feathers, Lagniappe, Loro, Moon Rabbit, Solecita and Tim Ho Wan provided very worthwhile new options – not-so-ambitious but readily enjoyable – for easy, not expensive, and unpretentious dining. But among the many newcomers, there were a couple of pretty but dull Italians that opened in the Galleria and River Oaks areas that didn’t add much at all to the dining scene regardless of how much spent on opening and leases. The former providing much what you might expect from an Italian-themed concept originating in the Park Cities section of Dallas.
 
Below are the ten best restaurants to open in Houston in 2022, listed alphabetically. To note, the approximate average prices for each 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, if appropriate, tax and a 20% tip.
 
Cucharita – Mexican – $50 – The little sister to Cuchara, just a half-block away, is an extension on the motif of excellent, truly Mexican cooking that is lighter and more vibrant than most, this one only for breakfast and lunch. The menu is short but tempting: several egg dishes, chilaquiles changing weekly, enchiladas filled with shredded chicken breast and topped with a creamy, green poblano sauce, waffles, and breakfast tacos. Portions are quite sensibly sized, as at Cuchara. There is also a pastry counter filled with tempting baked-in-house goodies that change daily plus the requisite coffee drinks and even a list of breakfast cocktails beyond just mimosas, bloody Mary’s, and micheldas. It is a pretty place – the food is pretty, too – with pinks and aquas, much different, much better, than when it housed Cooking Girl (which begat Pepper Twins and the acceleration of Sichuan cooking in Houston). Cucharita seats just about thirty, some is communal seating, helping quickly to make this feel like comfortable and appropriate part of the neighborhood. Montrose
 
Davanti – Italian – $50 – Building on the success of the counter-service Fresco on the Southwest Freeway, and the considerable publicity from an appearance on Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives in 2021, Fresco was essentially replicated as Davanti this summer, in nicer digs. Higher prices, too, but this is still casual Italian done well from the kitchen of Chef Roberto Crescini who hails from outside of Lake Garda and cooked professionally for years in Italy before coming to Houston. The main attractions are freshly crafted pastas made with at least a substantial portion of hard wheat flour for a toothsome texture, and the ability to be shaped. And shapes there are. If one of the tasty listed options don’t interest, in user-friendly American fashion, you can choose a shape from among “Bucatini, Linguine, Fettuccine, Pappardelle, Spaghetti, Conchiglie Rigatoni, Tagliolini, Rigatoni-Large, Fussili, Tagliatelle, Penne Gluten Free,” then top it with one of eight sauces, and even add a choice from a few proteins to that. A ravioli preparation, pasta with the braised lamb sauce or with an all-beef ragù bolognese – this is Texas, after all – and the thick Roman-style pizza al taglio are the highlights from an enticing menu. Open daily for lunch and dinner. Greenway Plaza
 
Gatlin’s Fins & Feathers – Southern – $65 – As you might expect with the name, this a sibling to the acclaimed Gatlin’s barbecue joint, which is just a couple of miles away. Similarly, this is very friendly and even homey, and family run, providing Southern-rooted comfort fare that goes a little beyond. The “Fins & Feathers” following the surname is quite descriptive, too, though shellfish is another theme here with oysters served grilled, fried and raw to start and crab and shrimp found in things like New Orleans style barbecue shrimp and additionally straight from the fryer, of course. Getting a similar treatment, the fried chicken, cooked to order with a sturdy, straightforward batter, is delicious. Like that, featuring a “1/2 yard bird, the grilled jerk chicken is quick to sell out and has even drawn some statewide attention already. Most everything works her. The broth of the gumbo is really flavorful, which allows you to overlook that a couple of the proteins in it might be a bit overcooked. But there are no issues with another Louisiana staple, the red beans and rice, maybe the most satisfying of the half-dozen-plus sides that come with most of the orders. The menu ranges even further beyond our neighbors to the east to Mexico for a few dishes and then to southeast Asia for a whole fish preparation that’s grilled with sambal. It all makes sense for today’s Bayou City. This is a comfortable stop, including the interior, which is a welcome contrast – much nicer – to the Mexicatessan, which occupied the building for years and the decidedly old-school Barbecue Inn that’s been down the street for even longer. North Side
 
Hamsa – Middle Eastern – $100 – The most stylish place for the cooking of the Levant in Houston now, this builds on the success and popularity of the owners’ excellent Badolina Bakery next door and the Doris Metropolitan steakhouse nearby. Serving what it describes as “modern Israeli cuisine,” the food will be largely familiar to most Houston diners, but in a more wide-ranging fashion and plated more attractively. A decent array of wines, too. There is hummus a few ways and other dips with freshly baked, puffy pita bread – sharing is must here – falafel, beef tartare, grilled skewers of various sorts, and grander “big plates” of lamb spareribs, grilled Mediterranean sea bass, and a hanger steak with zaatar-scented butter and a chimichurri sauce. A few of the stars have been seared octopus served with a complementary spicy red pepper muhumara, and a couple of eggplant preparations: a very vibrant baba ganoush, and the beautifully presented Baladi Eggplant that featured tahini, pomegranate seeds, pine nuts and pieces of tomato. Unfortunately, the cooking seems to have slipped as the year has progressed, and been more inconsistent recently. The ground meat kabab was disconcertingly served seemingly raw in the center on a December visit, and the grilled chicken thighs decidedly dull during dinner the previous month, both during meals where other dishes drew raves. Staffing issues have been evident, with service more earnest than deft. Rice Village
 
Lagniappe – Creole – $35 – It’s better time than ever for discriminating diners living in the Heights. This very useful and adept casual south Louisiana-themed spot is more evidence and yet another tempting option right in the neighborhood. Layne Cruz, a Louisiana native, ran Revival Market, its previous tenant, before transforming the concept into something maybe more approachable, certainly more personal and more consistently satisfying. This is casual Creole fare like sandwiches – especially a po boy and one of the best muffulettas in town – red beans and rice, chicken and sausage gumbo, jambalaya that are done more artfully and playfully than typically found. The morning fare is a focus and includes grillades and grits and a coffee bread pudding French toast among the nearly ten options; a multi-part breakfast plate with especially good eggs and a quiche are also served through the afternoon for the late-risers. The admirable po boy features spicy blackened shrimp, medium-sized, with fried oysters tucked into toasted po boy loaf with green tomatoes, pickled onions and a flavorful remoulade sauce. One demerit is that the bread, shipped from Gambino’s in New Orleans, is sometimes not as fresh as hoped for, with sandwiches falling apart a little too readily. Another of sorts, there is just a wine and beer license, so it’s more sober here than the city that provides its inspiration. Opened daily for breakfast and lunch. Heights
 
Louie’s Italian American – Italian-American – $75 – Opening early in the year as an all-day café, the concept did not resonate as much as had been planned despite positive press. So, in December, building on dishes of pastas made on site and expanding the Italian-American theme, Café Louie became Louie’s Italian-American, with a contemporary, fun interpretation of long one of the country’s most popular cuisines studded with insight from present-day Italy. There are plenty of familiar items, done a little differently. Fried calamari, meatballs in red sauce, shrimp cocktail, and an old school antipasto plate but with gruyere, too, are some of the starters. Then the pastas, which are nicely crafted here, thin and light, when either stuffed or not. The Piemontese spindly-stranded tajarin made yellowy similar as there with a surfeit of egg yolks in the dough. Heartier fare includes the ostensibly necessary Chicken Parm, redfish with the piccata treatment. and sausage and peppers. Still very early on, not everything works like the Garlic Mozzarella Bread. Made with house-made mozzarella atop obviously excellent bread and slathered with an odd, roasted garlic and black garlic butter that is served in a skillet manages to be less than its parts and also awkward to eat. A limited, well-chosen selection of wines and an handful of cocktails that are slated to increase in number help add atmosphere to the quaint setting that manages to be both industrial and homey. And it shares a single-story mixed-use building with a few other complementary businesses including the still somewhat funky wine bar How to Survive on Land and Sea. East End
 
Navy Blue – Seafood – $150 – The most impressive entry onto the Houston dining scene is this beautiful blue 7,000-foot-plus seafood place, palace, from the folks at Bludorn that opened around Thanksgiving following plenty of anticipation. It immediately became the best restaurant in the eatery-laden Rice Village. The moneyed set quickly followed from Bludorn, and reservations have been very tough since doors opened. Executive Chef Jerrod Zifchak arrived from New York where he was the last one at the Michelin-starred Café Boulud on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, succeeding Aaron Bludorn in that role. Notably for the cuisine, Zifchak also had four years in the kitchen at Le Bernardin, widely regarded as the top seafood restaurant in the country. There are other impressive CV’s on staff here, which quickly shows upon entry and with the first drink, as service is noticeably professional – unusually so for just opening and for the city in general – solicitous, knowledgeable, accommodating and friendly. The menu is actually quite approachable, ranging from oysters and clams (and caviar) to start with crab cakes, a mussel bisque en croute, fresh pasta preparations and fish. There is a swordfish steak served in a green peppercorn sauce, and an entire Dover sole is fileted tableside. With that and the lobster, you’ve got options; almondine, Oscar and Provençal for the former. A French accent is found in other items, too, a good thing, plus there are a couple of nods to our area with a blackened red snapper and a different-tasting take on seafood gumbo. This is a must-visit for seafood lovers, at least those with some means. Dinner only now, but daily. Rice Village
 
Pacha Nikkei – Japanese-Peruvian – $100 – Ceviche is the word at this bright, airy spot in the Carillon just inside the Beltway that showcases the Nikkei cuisine of Lima that grew out of that Japanese community there, which has drawn worldwide attention in the past couple of decades. The eight or so ceviche compositions are the stars: interesting, intelligently and artfully composed, and delicious. The most popular has been the Clásico, featuring mahi mahi with a mélange of  leche de tigre, aji limo, cancha, choclo, red onion, cilantro, sweet potato puree. Another standout is the Ceviche Nikkei, with small cubes of tuna, a Nikkei leche de tigre, bits of cucumber, avocado puree, chorizo-infused oil, and dehydrated seaweed that’s even more than the sum of its numerous parts. Others include ones centered around octopus, salmon and lobster. To note, you’ll need more food than a single order of ceviche, which are not terribly large. And as exquisite as these can be, another one might quickly come to mind, anyway. Contrastingly, and a noticeable contrast with a top sushi spot, like Uchiko below, is that the maki, the familiar nori-wrapped sushi rolls, are somewhat crudely done, with seafood and rice unevenly or not expectedly (or properly) cooked; enjoyable enough, but considerably less impressive than the ceviche. A version of the popular Peruvian lomo saltado with beef tenderloin likely won’t disappoint, however. Grilled, skewered beef hearts, fried pork gyoza and rice colored black by squid ink and served with a medley of shellfish are some of the enticing menu options here. Cocktails and a lot of really nice choices among the wines. Westchase
 
Uchiko – Japanese – $165 – “Uchiko, child of Uchi,” is likewise a transplant from Austin, if not quite a replication of its namesake there, with its full bar and grander setting. Located along a glittery stretch of Post Oak Boulevard, it is like its parent, a “non‑traditional Japanese concept,” and has an emphasis on sushi, while also “bringing smoke and char” to some of the creations. That sushi is Uchi-level, superb, in a variety of forms. The Toyosu section showcases the ten to twenty items recently flown in from that market in Tokyo, the successor to Tskuiji, and the home of the most prized pieces at sushi counters worldwide. Regardless of the provenance, the preparations here are deeply flavorful, and often creative and fun. Boquerones, rolls with soft shell crab and nuon mam, and post oak-grilled pork belly were just a few of the temptations on a recent visit. The menu is updated daily and posted on its site, highlighting the attention paid to the ingredients here, and taken with the restaurant, overall. To note, you can certainly spend some money for a meal, even without considering the bluefin tuna and caviar selections. The décor is in line with the high bar of the kitchen. It’s clean-lined and beautifully brown that’s accentuated with abstract works from local artists. With the notably adept service, too, this is a terrific addition to the city’s dining scene. Galleria Area
 
Wild Oats – Texan – $125 – From the Underbelly Hospitality folks, this provides a fun and chef-driven take into Texan fare from our part of the Gulf Coast, with necessary nods to our deeply imbedded Tex-Mex food culture. It features dishes found or inspired from restaurants of yore of various – well, much lower – price points, but done with better ingredients more adroitly, more interestingly, and serving nicely crafted cocktails and smartly chosen wines. Among the highlights from the well-edited menu is the manageably sized chicken fried steak that’s made with American wagyu beef; it’s the best version of that traditional dish in the city. There’s also Gulf snapper – done with hibiscus, beets, orange – fajitas, quesadillas, a King Ranch casserole, game like antelope or quail, and an artfully presented queso starter. The chili service shtick is fun, and quite tasty; dispensed by the shot, cup or bowl. It can be tough not get at least a shot, if not a bowl, of red before your entrée. Though the food and drink are done well, set in new construction adjoined to the commercial farmers market on Airline, the décor, unfortunately, is staid, boring, really, and with plenty of hard surfaces, it’s cacophonous even when many of the seats are empty. Heights

One of the tempting sushi preparations at Uchiko

This opened early in the year as an all-day café, Café Louie, but the concept did not resonate as much as had been hoped despite positive press. So, in December, just a week ago, building on dishes of pastas made on site and expanding the Italian-American theme, Café Louie became Louie’s Italian-American, with a contemporary, fun interpretation of long one of the country’s popular cuisines studded with insight from present-day Italy.
 
There are plenty of familiar items here, done a little differently. Fried calamari, meatballs in red sauce, shrimp cocktail and an old school antipasto plate but with gruyere, too, are some of the starters. Then the pastas, which are well-done here, thin and light, when either stuffed or not. My spinach ravioli with the Bianco sauce described as “cultured butter, Reggiano” was enjoyable, with the pasta pockets almost delicate, noticeably more skillfully crafted than most local spots. In the tradition of Italian-American restaurants, you’ve got the choice of sauces, red or white, for a couple of the pasta preparations here. The Piemontese spindly-stranded tajarin – that region’s version of spaghetti, freshly made – is nicely yellow similar as there with a surfeit of egg yolks in the dough. Heartier fare includes the seemingly necessary Chicken Parm, redfish with the piccata treatment. and sausage and peppers. Desserts are just four, all $10: tiramisu, Pistachio Bundt Cake, Souffle Cheesecake, and a rotating gelato, all likely worth consideration. You’ll probably have room. Still very early on, not everything works like the Garlic Mozzarella Bread I ordered to sop of the sauce. Made with house-made mozzarella atop obviously excellent bread and slathered with an odd, roasted garlic and black garlic butter that is served in a skillet manages to be less than its parts and also awkward to eat.
 
A very limited, well-chosen selection of wines – including a food-friendly, drinkable Barbera del Monferrato for just $6 – and an handful of cocktails that are slated to increase in number help add atmosphere to the quaint setting that manages to be both industrial and homey. And it shares a mixed-use building in the East End with a few other complementary businesses including the funky wine bar How to Survive on Land and Sea.
 
Louie’s Italian American
3401 Harrisburg (at Sampson), 77003, (346) 446-5770
louieshtx.com

Just like a great many great pizzas, there’s not a lot to the ones at Roberta’s in the Post Market: a very thin layer of cooked dough made from wheat flour twelve inches in diameter providing a setting for a minimally dispensed array of toppings; available in just eight versions here. But an excellent crust, noticeably high quality ingredients composed in enticing and intelligent ways and expertly cooked in a proper pizza oven make each of the pizzas at Roberta’s more than the sum of its parts.
 
A new one for me the other day was the Bee Sting. It is a slather of tomato sauce, a few circles of mozzarella, large pieces of thin soppressata, big basil leaves blackened in the oven, bits of chile, and a drizzle of honey. Delicious. Soppressata, mozzarella and crust, and then the slight sweetness of the honey contrasting and complementing the restrained heat of the chile, and maybe the less so the additional heat from the chile oil you can grab at the counter, which I always use with abandon. The honey and chile oil made this an even messier meal than usual for me.
 
Roberta’s is nicely opened daily from 11:00 to at least 8:00 and until 10:00 at night from Thursday through Saturday, and its pizzas are easy to take away if you aren’t too far from downtown; the setting is rather atmosphere-free – it’s at the edge of a food court. That really doesn’t matter, though, with pizzas like this.
 
Roberta’s
Post Market
401 Franklin (at Bagby), 77002

By Wine is a near necessity for me at the evening meal, so I believe that restaurants’ wine lists are important. I just want to have interesting enough options that run to the food-friendly and are fairly affordable.
 
The quality of the wine lists, mostly in the breadth of offerings, has been one of the most noticeable and welcome improvements in the dining scene here in the past quarter century, similar to what has occurred in most major cities in the country. The wine lists at the best restaurants – just restaurants for this piece; wine bars are treated separately – are resolutely European in makeup; these wines generally pair well with food, much better than the vast majority of the New World wines. Though a great many area diners, and regular wine drinkers, favor the big Napa Cabernet Sauvignons and other fruit-forward New World bottlings, this has been shifting over the years, as many become familiar with a greater range of wines. And that range has been increasing.
 
There are a number of enticing wine lists at restaurants around Houston today, thankfully. Below are the best, with the number of full bottles at a couple different price levels to give an idea of what might be in store.
 
Bulbous Wine Bibles
 
Pappas Bros. (Westheimer) – Long regarded as one of the best wine lists in the entire country – 5,000 labels and 28,000 bottles in the cellar – there is seemingly everything you might want at a fine dining restaurant with depth in Champagne, Burgundy – both colors, with pages of Grand Cru and Premier Cru – Bordeaux, Napa, Super Tuscans, Barolo, Rhone, and much, much more. You can spend a small fortune on just drink here, but you don’t have to as cool gems abound: Beaujolais from Jean Foillard, Guy Breton and Lapierre, a couple from the idiosyncratic Dettori in Sardinia, a number of vintages of Fontodi Flaccianello, Lebanon’s Chateau Masur both recent and affordable and decades old and not so much. Wow. There is plenty of help if needed, too.
Approximate number of bottles under $50 – 70; $100 – 530
 
Pappas Bros. (Downtown) – The same as above if just slightly smaller; only 3,900 items and 18,500 bottles. You won’t notice the difference, as there are still over 20,000 bottles in its cellar.
Approximate number of bottles under $50 – 60; $100 – 500
 
Mastro’s (Post Oak) – The scene at the flagship of this Landry’s steakhouse chain might have a sports bar / strip club vibe and cooking not among the top tier locally, but the wine list is incredibly expansive and well-chosen beyond what might appeal to the regular customers, one of the very tops in the country according national publications. Domaine de la Romanée-Conti is here in most of its glory and nearly everything else you can dream of like Screaming Eagle and Mascarello Monprivato in many iterations. Wines might be expensive here – a local wine professional told me he was shocked by what he thought were 400% markups (over wholesale prices), but there are plenty under $50 and finds like a half-dozen Tannants from Uruguay that pair quite well with steak and a Fess Parker Chardonnay – it really is better than from most of its fancier Santa Barbara neighbors – that is just $30. It’s also got a highly respected staff that’s earned their chops at other top wine spots in town. There are 4,000 selections and a total of around 38,000 bottles that they can aptly help navigate.
Approximate number of bottles under $50 – 120; $100 – 620
 
Vic & Anthony’s – This upscale steakhouse catercorner from the ballpark has exalted Bordeaux labels galore and among its list of Burgundy there is the rare Domaine de la Romanée Conti Romanée Conti in a couple of vintages for $16,000 and more; and La Tâche, Richebourg, Romanée St. Vivant crus if you only want to pay four digits for a DRC. The emphasis is Old World here, but there are plenty of Napa Cabernets and a lot of great New World bottlings. It is a terrific, wide-ranging and fun list that should easily satiate any wine lover. That top local wine pros Gary Lapuyade and Justin Vann once worked here is still evident.
Approximate number of bottles under $50 – 25; $100 – 160
 
March – With around 12,000 bottles cellared and a list of over 100 pages, it is all here from the biggest names repeated often in Burgundy, Bordeaux, Napa and Barolo, and even many, many more. Among the pages, there are many more listed at over four digits, but there a hundred under $100, if barely. You can find something “affordable” here if you choose not to do a wine pairing, and the excellent wine staff can certainly assist.
Approximate number of bottles under $50 – 0; $100 – 105
 
Brennan’s – Around since 1967, plenty of time to build a collection, and sibling to Commander’s Palace, which boasts the best wine list in New Orleans, it is not surprising that its offerings skew heavily French, which is a good thing, I believe. It is very deep for Burgundy and excellent for Bordeaux, plus there is plenty of choices from Champagne and much more breadth for dessert wines than elsewhere here, befitting the celebratory mood that the Brennan family is deft at cultivating, and not just in the Crescent City.
Approximate number of bottles under $50 – 35; $100 – 175
 
Bubbles
 
a’Bouzy – Champagne – You don’t come to this River Oaks restaurant for its food, it’s the Champagne, around 200 labels at terrific prices; according to the Wine Spectator in 2022, it’s one of the best stops in the country for Champagne geeks. There is actually a lot more, over 1,000 selections, all with generous pricing, if you want a sparkler from elsewhere or even something less effervescent, red, white or pink.
Approximate number of bottles under $50 – 235; under $100 – 460
 
Buono
 
Giacomo’s – Italian – Possibly my favorite wine list in Houston: very interesting, very affordable, very food-friendly, very easy to navigate, very Italian. And there are number of enticing French selections, too. The dozen or so sections are divided among helpful broad styles like “Bianco: fragrant & vibrant” and “Rosso: structured & textured.” There is a lot from which to choose, and scattered throughout at higher price points, but fairly priced, are offerings from cult producers like ARPEPE, Gravner, Emidio Pepe, Paolo Bea, and Paolo Scavino, too.
Approximate number of bottles under $50 – 70; under $100 – 120
 
Bueno
 
El Meson – Spanish – One of the best wine lists in the city is to found at this casual long-timer on University Boulevard in the Rice Village serving Cuban, Spanish and Tex-Mex fare. There is diversity on the wine menu, too, but the big heart is Spain with enticements from Vega Sicilia in some breadth and depth, La Alta Rioja and Lopez de Heredia and many others, all nicely priced. Excellent by-the-glass program that can be had by quarter-liter carafes, also, filled with neat stuff from Spain like Muga’s Rioja rosé, a Cabernet Sauvignon from Torres in Penedes, plus even a Finger Lakes Riesling.
Approximate number of bottles under $50 – 85; $100 – 285
 
BCN – Spanish – This grand Spaniard sports one of the city’s most informative and helpful of wine lists featuring very useful descriptions for each wine. There really not too many choices on this all-Spanish wine list that makes no concessions even to Champagne, but what’s here is expertly selected.
Approximate number of bottles under $50 – 0; $100 – 20
 
Bien
 
Café Rabelais – French – This humble, quaint and a bit kitschy French spot is a paradise from lovers of the wines from France in much of its glory. Seemingly all Gaul is represented here, Jura, Savoie, Rhône, Alsace, and Corsica along with Burgundy, Bordeaux and Champagne, with those more intersting than elsewhere if not the grandest of labels. There are more big bottles here, too, not just magnums but also 3-liters and up. Nicely, there are a number of bottles under $30.
Approximate number of bottles under $50 – 75; $100 – 215
 
Le Jardinier – French – Not a show-stopper like the restaurant nor the museum in which its set, the wine list is better than it needs to be with plenty of Burgundies and Bordeaux listed by growth. You know there is a plenty of sense here as the only two Pinot Grigios are from the Collio and half the rosés are Bandols.
Approximate number of bottles under $50 – 0; $100 – 40
 
Bistro 555 – French – From the folks formerly of the lauded Le Mistral on the west side and natives of Bandol, who certainly believe that wine must be part of the meal, the somewhat succinct all-French list obliges to complement the menu of artfully composed familiar Gallic fare. The dozen or so choices by the glass nicely includes a Sauternes to finish.
Approximate number of bottles under $50 – 30; $100 – 70
 
Just Plain Good
 
Georgia James – One of the city’s top steakhouses, and the most interesting, its wine list has always been oriented well beyond the Napa Cabernets that have dominated most steakhouse lists around the country. You might be tempted with Sangiovese, as the Tuscans drink with their beef, a robustly tannic Sangrantino from Umbria, or one from the Syrah- or Grenache-dominated Rhone. A lot of neat selections here, as it’s been since inception a couple buildings ago.
Approximate number of bottles under $50 – 5; $100 – 85
 
Rosie Cannonball – Master Sommelier June Rodil has put together a list with “a strong Italian, Spanish and French focus” that is fun for the Old World wine lover and complementing the mostly Italian fare with options that won’t break the bank. The noted Abruzzo producer Tiberio comes in three colors, all $65 and less, Movia from Slovenia in two plus more than a few of importer Kermit Lynch’s wines.
Approximate number of bottles under $50 – 5; $100 – 90
 
State of Grace – A quick glance at the thirty or so by the glass options shows Jermann, Massolino, La Rioja Alta and Tolani, which should reassure you that this clubby River Oaks eatery knows and enjoys wine. The wordy wine list – in a very welcome way – is somewhat concise, but there a numerous tempting options for most diners and also those able and willing to splurge in a grand fashion.
Approximate number of bottles under $50 – 20; $100 – 70
 
Tony’s – Still the grandest dame in Houston dining carries on with a lengthy wine list that might be more approachable and affordable than you might expect. There is enough Bordeaux, Burgundy, Napa Cabs, all nearly three and four numbers after the dollar sign, along with a few bottles stretching back before the Dreyfus Affair, but also a section front and center exclaiming “Over 75 Wines at $75” and another listing “Natural Wines” for the kids. California Syrah and red blends from the Garden State both merit a fair amount of space. Relative values can be found like the lush oak-aged La Rocca bottling from the terrific Pieropan for $70 that I paid 25 euros for at the winery in Soave this summer, and the base Pinot Noir from the acclaimed Au Bon Climat in Santa Barbara that is only $55. 
Approximate number of bottles under $50 – 15; $100 – 120
 
Rainbow Lodge – Enticing selections for most wine drinkers with big-names and finds from California, France and elsewhere: Domaine De La Romanée-Conti, Kosta Browne, Biondi Santi, Vega Sicilia joins a couple score of well-chosen Napa Cabernets including a few cult labels. A robust wines by the glass among white, pink and bubbly also includes a number of rarer treats dispensed by the Coravin system that could be Tignanello, Opus One and an Argiano Brunello di Montalcino that was Gambero Rosso’s red wine of the year.
Approximate number of bottles under $50 – 10; $100 – 85
 
Backstreet Café – Sean Beck has long done an wonderful job with wines and all matters of beverage here and at the other stars of the H Town Restaurant Group (Hugo’s, Caracol, Xochi, Urbe) and the wine list is user- and food-friendly with more than enough options and featuring prices that beg for at least a bottle at the table for the “Seasonal American Bistro.” Many are even priced below a fair portion of the per glass list at Bludorn, which is not too far away.
Approximate number of bottles under $50 – 75; $100 – 105
 
Helen Greek – Greek – It’s all Greek to everyone here, and only Greek, but this charming Hellenic bistro will quickly inform you that Greek wine belongs on the world stage; it’s not just the vastly overpriced, barely mediocre and possibly headache-inducing stuff you are stuck with at the Greek festival.
Approximate number of bottles under $50 – 5; $100 – 35
 
Brasserie 19 – The buoyant atmosphere, healthily encouraged by friendly wine prices and a many fine choices by the glass, rather than the quality of the fare has always been the attraction here. This a great place to drink wine, with a number of alluring options well under $50, featuring a list with a strong French accent.
Approximate number of bottles under $50 – 35; $100 – 80
 
Nancy’s Hustle – You, at least I, can trust the team here, proprietor and manager Sean Jensen and award-winning sommelier Justin Vann, whose tastes might run more adventurous than most (mine included), but it skews very hard to food friendly and even exciting, often funky, which pares well with the dining buzz at this terrific contemporary bistro.
Approximate number of bottles under $50 – 15; $100 – 40
 
Squable – The cooking, the creativity, the atmosphere, the cocktails, along with the wine options, make this the best restaurant in the Heights. Just an example, the wines by the glass might even include a nearly decade-old Crianza from the terrific Rioja producer López de Heredia.
Approximate number of bottles under $50 – 0; $100 – 80
 
Bludorn – Wine prices skew high here, as with the menu, and there are plenty of nice Burgundies to increase the final bill to a really large number. Plenty of nice wines, period. Lengthy by the glass choices average well over $20.
Approximate number of bottles under $50 – 5; $100 – 105
 
The Very Best Prices
 
Porta’Vino – Vino is part of the name for a big reason as ridiculously inexpensive wine pricing is key to the popularity and expansion of this casual Italian-themed restaurant. There are about fifty wines, mostly fruit-forward and Californian, nothing much at all to excite enophiles, but it is so inexpensive.  Other restaurateurs scratch their heads on how cheaply wine is priced here.
Approximate number of bottles under $50 – 40; $100 – 50

By veceazy

Near the end of November, UNESCO, the heritage agency of the United Nations, added France’s daily staple and the symbol of the country to much of the world, the baguette, to its intangible cultural heritage list, a well-made, artisanal baguette, at least.  It deservedly joins the gloriously caloric and fat-laden French meal, the beer culture of Belgium, the harissa of North Africa, and Neapolitan pizza-making as food items on it.
 
I really enjoy a fresh, nicely crafted baguette, crusty and flavorful. It’s a regular part of my dinner at home accompanied with a little butter or more. Sometimes it’s even the centerpiece when I’m trying to eat less; with just olive oil for dipping, maybe some cheese, plus a fair amount of wine, of course. Here is where I recommend purchasing baguettes, in order of preference:

• Common Bond – Now with several locations. The baguettes seem to be a little better at the ones without a drive-thru, but that drive-thru is certainly convenient.
• Bread Man – Available at Whole Foods and the big H-E-Bs on Dunlavy and Buffalo Speedway, these are a larger size than elsewhere, stouter and a full two-feet long. You might have to wait until mid-morning until the breads at arrive at the stores, though.
• Slow Dough – Smaller than elsewhere and seemingly always pricier, but still worth it, this bakery is primarily a supplier to restaurants and then grocers for bagged bread, there is a retail outlet adjacent to Weights and Measures in Midtownand available at Houston Dairy Maids near the Heights.
• Kraftsmen Baking – A bustling café in the Heights with a big wholesale operation, this has been around longer the others, now over two decades.
• Badolina – A fine baguette is among the enticing take-away options at this slick bake shop and café in the Rice Village that sits next to its buzzy sister concept, Hamsa.
• Magnol – On Hempstead Highway and North Post Oak, not far west of the Loop, this spot is favored by several top restaurants in town and has baguettes both familiar and seeded.
• Mademoiselle Louise – Primarily a French café right on Main Street downtown featuring pastries, quiches and sweets, this does make some baguettes each day in a couple of styles. Unfortunately, these have been sold out each time I’ve visited, so I’ll have to give a qualified recommendation, which is based on what else I’ve had there and the pedigree of the chef-owner.

 
Long and thin, baguettes go stale quickly, or should, so plan to purchase just on the day you’ll be eating it, or most of it.

From Getty Images