Hot Plate

B'stilla my heart: It throbs with love for the sultry Moroccan ancestor of chicken pot pie called b'stilla ($6.95), served up at Mi Luna Tapas Restaurant & Bar [2441 University Boulevard, (713)520-5025]. Layers upon layers of crisp phyllo pastry form a delicate golden dome sheltering three distinct strata of filling: a dark, rich paste of ground almonds, sweet cinnamony spices and sugar strewn with tender shredded chicken and topped by a fluffy frill of scrambled egg whites. The whole is liberally dusted with powdered sugar and more cinnamon, an exotic comfort food for at least a thousand and one nights.