I posted a few years ago that one of the most satisfying changes in the Houston restaurant scene for me was that there has been better and more dining options, including some very fine dining, featuring the cuisines from the subcontinent, Indian and Pakistani. These restaurants have expanded well beyond the buffets, though some are still found.
Listed alphabetically.
Aga’s – Pakistani – The lengthy menu at this longstanding southwest Houston favorite has numerous enticements, including vegetarian, but the grilled and goat preparations might be the biggest attractions. Curries are plentiful, featuring beef, seafood, chicken and vegetarian items, some from Peshawar that are made and presented in a wok-like karahi. For the chicken dishes, those with meat on the bone are noticeably more flavorful. Rice and naan and other tandoori-baked breads must be ordered additionally, but that’s small quibble here. Aga’s is an excellent value. The very functional space, bifurcated into two rooms, is in accordance with the value theme. Alief
Da Gama – West Indian – “Drawing inspiration from the former Portuguese-Indian territory of Goa, Gujarat and Portugal all through our Houston lens” is how the experienced local restaurateurs (Oporto and The Queen Vic) describe the fare here, which will be mostly recognizably Indian to local diners but something a little different, and readily appealing. Appealing also applies to the quite comfortable, contemporary space scattered with tables, banquettes that feels roomy along with an attractive long bar punctuating one end and pleasant patio seating off the side. Set in the somewhat sprawling M-K-T complex at the edge of the Heights, the restaurant resides alongside a breezeway and a park that adds to the charm. Also do the presentations of dishes, belying its reasonable prices, including water served in fetching traditional metal cups that are very appropriate for our heat- and humidity-racked climate. Well-crafted mains run from $15 to $36, meat, seafood and vegetarian. And there plenty of tempting appetizers like East Coast oysters, plus house-made breads, curries, salads, and desserts, too. Cocktails in line with the cuisine, several fun wines on tap, and an intriguing, natural-heavy wine list. It all can encourage many returns. Heights
Himalaya – Pakistani / West Indian – Deservedly garnering plenty of national attention in the past decade, it’s been modestly set in a restaurant-laden strip center off the Southwest Freeway since 2004 and been a smart stop for a tasty, spicy, robust and a great value meal. The oft-present owner, Kaiser, now well-known on the local restaurant scene, is welcoming and quick to explain the cuisine and offer suggestions. The various meats, chicken, lamb, goat and beef, are cooked to a very flavorful and properly moist conclusion. The restaurant does an especially good job with beef in a variety of ways. Perfect for Texas. Resha Gosht (a stew of shredded beef), beef vindaloo, Sandy’s Steak Tikka Bourdain (pieces marinated in a very flavorful mixture of garlic, ginger, chiles, papaya and yogurt than grilled) – recommended in my Houston Dining on the Cheap in 2007 that got its name a decade later. Another on-point food-show-lauded item or items is the Hunter’s Beef Plate Zimmern that either cured lean pastrami is served in thick slices with sliced tomatoes and a house mustard sauce or hot, chopped then sauteéd in butter and spices. The kitchen doesn’t seem to makes any missteps across the broad array of dishes. The fried chicken is even drawn plaudits far and wide. The vegetable offerings are limited but excellent, especially the popular saag paneer. Himalaya has also been well known locally for its biryanis. Among the desserts, the kheer is exceptional, thicker and tastier than other local versions, and one of a half-dozen sweet ways to finish a meal, provided you have some room, which is unlikely for most patrons. Southwest Houston
Kahn BBQ & Grill – Pakistani – Amazingly flavorful and surprisingly complex chana masala, dal, and goat curry, complemented with fresh naan and perfectly cooked rice, are a few of the highlights this very humble Pakistani stop on the west side. Humble is an understatement. The interior is unattractive – like the exterior – and fitted with uncomfortable booths and lacking any décor. This might be the least atmospheric restaurant in Houston. Take away seems very popular. The food can be so good, though. Spring Branch
Kiran’s – North Indian – A fine-dining stalwart for years and even longer as namesake Kiran Verma was highly regarded for her work at Ashiana back in the 1990s. “Inspired by the Awadhi style of cooking – the art of cooking over a slow fire,” the preparations here can be traditional or creative, most attractively presented. The large menu begins with different starters like a salad with tandoor-roasted beets and goat cheese, foie gras with fig chutney, and roasted and lamb belly with candied jalapeños. Street Foods section provide more traditional first courses. For the larger dishes, there are items from the tandoor including duck and several fish filets that can provide a unique taste of the Gulf, biryanis, familiar curries, thalis with either a Panjabi or vegetarian theme, and more breads that about anywhere else. There are many options for any lover of Indian food. Unfortunately, staffing issues that have affected most restaurants have been much more noticeable at times here with the service, inept and even sloppy, that you don’t expect for this level of cooking, space, and prices. Upper Kirby District
Musafeer – Pan Indian – The most recent local example of fine-dining Indian fare; this is the most impressive and the priciest, and the best. With the capacity of well over 500 diners in a series of ornately decorated rooms featuring artwork shipped from India, this upscale restaurant inside the Galleria mall offers preparations inspired by many traditions across India, sometimes creative and even featuring modernist or playful touches, especially for desserts, and always plated very attractively. The wide-ranging a la carte menu, unusually, also includes several beef dishes – a node to regions like Kerala with millenniums-old Christian populations. For an indulgent and fuller experience, choose a tasting menu. To complement the visit, there’s a smart list of wine and an array of creative cocktails including a slew of serious gin-and-tonics for $20. Galleria Area
Pondicheri – Pan Indian – An attractive, inviting space set in a smart upscale urban retail setting, this showcases the skills of Anita Jaisinghani, chef and co-owner, who has been delighting Houston diners with contemporary and vibrant renditions of Indian cooking since she opened Indika on the west side in 2001 and here from 2011. It’s full service at dinner with a bistro-like atmosphere and counter-service before then. Preparations scattered under headers like curries, thalis, small bites and tempting, fun desserts each provide a slew of evening options, many without animal proteins. If you are hungry early enough, the Indian-influenced breakfasts will likely entice about any Houstonian who enjoys well-done breakfast. There are about a dozen hot items all arriving quickly from the proficient kitchen plus several of the tempting breakfast pastries. It’s not your diner breakfast, with a coconut pancake that’s also made with almond and rice flour, a fermented dosa waffle, the French toast is brioche with cardamon, chocolate and bananas, and the Morning Thali. Among the knowing, international patrons you’ll probably hear an expensive English accent or two and have a sense that you’ve made a keen choice. Another indication of its quality is that a second branch which opened in Manhattan was named one of the ten best new restaurants several years ago by the New York Times. Upper Kirby District
Shri Balaji Bhavan – South Indian – In the heart of the Mahatma Ghandi District on Hillcroft, this bare-bones counter-service place serves a fully and lengthy vegetarian menu. Though it might be best to avoid the most familiar items like samosas to start and gulab jamen to finish, as these aren’t done as well as at other places, there are plenty of other dishes. Stick with the less seen items like Chole Bhatura, a piquant, flavorful chickpea curry served with a couple of initially puffy fried breads or one of the many dosas. An added bonus is that you might be able to feed yourself for less than $10 here, quite unusual these days. Southwest Houston
Surya – North Indian – A small, minimalist spot located in a small space on Durham a couple of blocks south of Washington. With a concise menu of mostly familiar northern Indian dishes presented attractively and prepared even more enticingly all for a fair price, it is easy to like. One item is indicative of the caliber of the cooking, and accompanies every entrée, the side of rice. The high-quality, long-grained and inherently fragrant and a bit nutty basmati rice at Surya is cooked fairly quickly to an al dente texture with cinnamon and bay leaves and then some saffron, the last giving it streaks of yellow. The resulting rice, grains properly distinct and topped with a few peas, is a perfect pairing to the curries, delightful in its own right, and quite possibly the best Indian-style around. Chicken Vindaloo has been superb. This Goan-originated dish was properly spicy, actually extremely spicy, but more significant was the deep flavor of the reddish-orange-colored sauce with an enjoyable brightness, richness and complexity that makes it tough to pause from – even with the considerable heat – ladling it on the terrific long-grain rice side or scooping it up with the soft, occasionally blistered fresh naan. Washington Corridor
Verandah Progressive Indian – Pan-Indian – Set appropriately among the recently sprung luxury high rises on Kirby, this is a beautiful contemporary sliver of a space serving fairly expensive, artfully presented preparations that range largely along the now-more-familiar Indian restaurant offerings. Samosas are among the starters, many items cooked in the tandoor, curries, biryanis, breads and a “Gourmand Section” with dishes featuring rabbit, duck breast, venison chops, and lobster tails. Dinner only. Upper Kirby District
A beautifully presented dish at Kiran's
Listed alphabetically.
Aga’s – Pakistani – The lengthy menu at this longstanding southwest Houston favorite has numerous enticements, including vegetarian, but the grilled and goat preparations might be the biggest attractions. Curries are plentiful, featuring beef, seafood, chicken and vegetarian items, some from Peshawar that are made and presented in a wok-like karahi. For the chicken dishes, those with meat on the bone are noticeably more flavorful. Rice and naan and other tandoori-baked breads must be ordered additionally, but that’s small quibble here. Aga’s is an excellent value. The very functional space, bifurcated into two rooms, is in accordance with the value theme. Alief
Da Gama – West Indian – “Drawing inspiration from the former Portuguese-Indian territory of Goa, Gujarat and Portugal all through our Houston lens” is how the experienced local restaurateurs (Oporto and The Queen Vic) describe the fare here, which will be mostly recognizably Indian to local diners but something a little different, and readily appealing. Appealing also applies to the quite comfortable, contemporary space scattered with tables, banquettes that feels roomy along with an attractive long bar punctuating one end and pleasant patio seating off the side. Set in the somewhat sprawling M-K-T complex at the edge of the Heights, the restaurant resides alongside a breezeway and a park that adds to the charm. Also do the presentations of dishes, belying its reasonable prices, including water served in fetching traditional metal cups that are very appropriate for our heat- and humidity-racked climate. Well-crafted mains run from $15 to $36, meat, seafood and vegetarian. And there plenty of tempting appetizers like East Coast oysters, plus house-made breads, curries, salads, and desserts, too. Cocktails in line with the cuisine, several fun wines on tap, and an intriguing, natural-heavy wine list. It all can encourage many returns. Heights
Himalaya – Pakistani / West Indian – Deservedly garnering plenty of national attention in the past decade, it’s been modestly set in a restaurant-laden strip center off the Southwest Freeway since 2004 and been a smart stop for a tasty, spicy, robust and a great value meal. The oft-present owner, Kaiser, now well-known on the local restaurant scene, is welcoming and quick to explain the cuisine and offer suggestions. The various meats, chicken, lamb, goat and beef, are cooked to a very flavorful and properly moist conclusion. The restaurant does an especially good job with beef in a variety of ways. Perfect for Texas. Resha Gosht (a stew of shredded beef), beef vindaloo, Sandy’s Steak Tikka Bourdain (pieces marinated in a very flavorful mixture of garlic, ginger, chiles, papaya and yogurt than grilled) – recommended in my Houston Dining on the Cheap in 2007 that got its name a decade later. Another on-point food-show-lauded item or items is the Hunter’s Beef Plate Zimmern that either cured lean pastrami is served in thick slices with sliced tomatoes and a house mustard sauce or hot, chopped then sauteéd in butter and spices. The kitchen doesn’t seem to makes any missteps across the broad array of dishes. The fried chicken is even drawn plaudits far and wide. The vegetable offerings are limited but excellent, especially the popular saag paneer. Himalaya has also been well known locally for its biryanis. Among the desserts, the kheer is exceptional, thicker and tastier than other local versions, and one of a half-dozen sweet ways to finish a meal, provided you have some room, which is unlikely for most patrons. Southwest Houston
Kahn BBQ & Grill – Pakistani – Amazingly flavorful and surprisingly complex chana masala, dal, and goat curry, complemented with fresh naan and perfectly cooked rice, are a few of the highlights this very humble Pakistani stop on the west side. Humble is an understatement. The interior is unattractive – like the exterior – and fitted with uncomfortable booths and lacking any décor. This might be the least atmospheric restaurant in Houston. Take away seems very popular. The food can be so good, though. Spring Branch
Kiran’s – North Indian – A fine-dining stalwart for years and even longer as namesake Kiran Verma was highly regarded for her work at Ashiana back in the 1990s. “Inspired by the Awadhi style of cooking – the art of cooking over a slow fire,” the preparations here can be traditional or creative, most attractively presented. The large menu begins with different starters like a salad with tandoor-roasted beets and goat cheese, foie gras with fig chutney, and roasted and lamb belly with candied jalapeños. Street Foods section provide more traditional first courses. For the larger dishes, there are items from the tandoor including duck and several fish filets that can provide a unique taste of the Gulf, biryanis, familiar curries, thalis with either a Panjabi or vegetarian theme, and more breads that about anywhere else. There are many options for any lover of Indian food. Unfortunately, staffing issues that have affected most restaurants have been much more noticeable at times here with the service, inept and even sloppy, that you don’t expect for this level of cooking, space, and prices. Upper Kirby District
Musafeer – Pan Indian – The most recent local example of fine-dining Indian fare; this is the most impressive and the priciest, and the best. With the capacity of well over 500 diners in a series of ornately decorated rooms featuring artwork shipped from India, this upscale restaurant inside the Galleria mall offers preparations inspired by many traditions across India, sometimes creative and even featuring modernist or playful touches, especially for desserts, and always plated very attractively. The wide-ranging a la carte menu, unusually, also includes several beef dishes – a node to regions like Kerala with millenniums-old Christian populations. For an indulgent and fuller experience, choose a tasting menu. To complement the visit, there’s a smart list of wine and an array of creative cocktails including a slew of serious gin-and-tonics for $20. Galleria Area
Pondicheri – Pan Indian – An attractive, inviting space set in a smart upscale urban retail setting, this showcases the skills of Anita Jaisinghani, chef and co-owner, who has been delighting Houston diners with contemporary and vibrant renditions of Indian cooking since she opened Indika on the west side in 2001 and here from 2011. It’s full service at dinner with a bistro-like atmosphere and counter-service before then. Preparations scattered under headers like curries, thalis, small bites and tempting, fun desserts each provide a slew of evening options, many without animal proteins. If you are hungry early enough, the Indian-influenced breakfasts will likely entice about any Houstonian who enjoys well-done breakfast. There are about a dozen hot items all arriving quickly from the proficient kitchen plus several of the tempting breakfast pastries. It’s not your diner breakfast, with a coconut pancake that’s also made with almond and rice flour, a fermented dosa waffle, the French toast is brioche with cardamon, chocolate and bananas, and the Morning Thali. Among the knowing, international patrons you’ll probably hear an expensive English accent or two and have a sense that you’ve made a keen choice. Another indication of its quality is that a second branch which opened in Manhattan was named one of the ten best new restaurants several years ago by the New York Times. Upper Kirby District
Shri Balaji Bhavan – South Indian – In the heart of the Mahatma Ghandi District on Hillcroft, this bare-bones counter-service place serves a fully and lengthy vegetarian menu. Though it might be best to avoid the most familiar items like samosas to start and gulab jamen to finish, as these aren’t done as well as at other places, there are plenty of other dishes. Stick with the less seen items like Chole Bhatura, a piquant, flavorful chickpea curry served with a couple of initially puffy fried breads or one of the many dosas. An added bonus is that you might be able to feed yourself for less than $10 here, quite unusual these days. Southwest Houston
Surya – North Indian – A small, minimalist spot located in a small space on Durham a couple of blocks south of Washington. With a concise menu of mostly familiar northern Indian dishes presented attractively and prepared even more enticingly all for a fair price, it is easy to like. One item is indicative of the caliber of the cooking, and accompanies every entrée, the side of rice. The high-quality, long-grained and inherently fragrant and a bit nutty basmati rice at Surya is cooked fairly quickly to an al dente texture with cinnamon and bay leaves and then some saffron, the last giving it streaks of yellow. The resulting rice, grains properly distinct and topped with a few peas, is a perfect pairing to the curries, delightful in its own right, and quite possibly the best Indian-style around. Chicken Vindaloo has been superb. This Goan-originated dish was properly spicy, actually extremely spicy, but more significant was the deep flavor of the reddish-orange-colored sauce with an enjoyable brightness, richness and complexity that makes it tough to pause from – even with the considerable heat – ladling it on the terrific long-grain rice side or scooping it up with the soft, occasionally blistered fresh naan. Washington Corridor
Verandah Progressive Indian – Pan-Indian – Set appropriately among the recently sprung luxury high rises on Kirby, this is a beautiful contemporary sliver of a space serving fairly expensive, artfully presented preparations that range largely along the now-more-familiar Indian restaurant offerings. Samosas are among the starters, many items cooked in the tandoor, curries, biryanis, breads and a “Gourmand Section” with dishes featuring rabbit, duck breast, venison chops, and lobster tails. Dinner only. Upper Kirby District
A beautifully presented dish at Kiran's
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