Nancy's Hustle in Houston is the EaDo bistro on Polk Street since 2017, with Nancy Cakes cornbread, a much-copied burger and a serious natural-wine list.
Signature dishes: Nancy Cakes (cornbread with bottarga butter), Burger
Must order: Nancy Cakes and the burger. Pasta of the day. Order from the by-the-glass list.
Tip: Bar seats are first-come, dining room takes reservations. The patio in mild weather is the play.
Address: 2704 Polk St, Houston, TX 77003
Mala Sichuan Bistro in Houston is the Bellaire Boulevard Sichuan room since 2011, a Michelin-recommended kitchen with serious mapo tofu, dan dan noodles and chilli-oil dumplings.
Signature: Mapo tofu, Dan dan noodles
Order: Mapo tofu, dan dan noodles, dry-fried green beans, chilli-oil dumplings.
Tip: Cold appetiser cabinet near the door has marinated beef and tendon that are the menu's quiet stars.
Phat Eatery in Katy (west of Houston) is the Malaysian street food kitchen in Katy Asian Town from the late Alex Au-Yeung, with beef rendang, roti canai and char kway teow.
Signature: Beef rendang, Roti canai
Order: Beef rendang, roti canai with curry chicken dip, char kway teow.
Tip: Katy is 30 miles west of Houston. Combine with H Mart and Asian Town. The Woodlands second location is the other option.
Pondicheri in Houston is Anita Jaisinghani's modern Indian room at WestAve on Kirby Drive since 2011, with masala omelette breakfasts, thali plates and a Bake Lab counter upstairs.
Signature: Masala omelette and roti, Thali plates
Order: Masala omelette and roti at breakfast. The thali plate at dinner. The Bake Lab's chai bun for the road.
Tip: Breakfast (7am to 11am) is the lesser-known peak. The thali changes daily; ask first.
The Original Ninfa's on Navigation in Houston is Ninfa Laurenzo's 1973 Tex-Mex room, the birthplace of the restaurant fajita, still serving skirt steak tacos al carbon and Ninfaritas.
Signature: Fajitas (tacos al carbon), Ninfaritas
Order: Fajitas (tacos al carbon) for two, a Ninfarita on the rocks, queso and chips.
Tip: Back patio under the strings of lights beats the front room. The bar opens 90 minutes before the dining room.
Himalaya in Houston is Kaiser Lashkari's Pakistani-and-Indian room on the Southwest Freeway since 2004, a James Beard semifinalist kitchen with lamb biryani and hunter's beef.
Signature: Lamb biryani, Hunter's beef
Order: Lamb biryani, hunter's beef, chai-glazed lamb chops, garlic naan.
Tip: Weekday lunch buffet is the value entry. BYOB, with a corner liquor store across Hillcroft.
London Sizzler in Houston is the British-Indian-Pakistani room in the Olympic Center on the Southwest Freeway, with mixed-grill sizzlers, tandoori lamb chops and the Hillcroft late dinner crowd.
Signature: Mixed grill sizzler, Tandoori lamb chops
Order: Mixed-grill sizzler for two. Tandoori lamb chops. A sweet lassi.
Tip: Kitchen runs late on weekends, to 11pm. Closed Mondays.
