Frenchie's Italian Restaurant

At last: For all the tiramisu I've tried over the years — all the questions I've asked about each version's ingredients, and whether it's homemade — I've almost always been sorely disappointed by it. So I was astonished to discover the tiramisu ($5.95) at Frenchie's Italian Restaurant (1041 NASA Pkwy., 281-486-7144), a tiny gem of a place close to NASA. Frankly, the dessert was a mess, spooned haphazardly onto the plate, but that indicated it was homemade. After the first bite, I realized this was it — the real thing, at last. The ladyfingers had perfectly absorbed the coffee they'd been soaked in, rendering them nice and soft. The mascarpone was well-whipped, making it light and airy. And the cocoa sprinkled on top gave it a slight bitterness that counteracted the sweetness of the dish. One bite led to another and then to another until the plate was clean.