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Best Vietnamese Restaurant

Saigon Pagolac Restaurant

Vietnamese food is so much more than pho and banh mi. Located in the heart of Chinatown in the back side of Dynasty Mall, Saigon Pagolac specializes in beef cooked seven different ways. There is a beef salad, beef fondue (thin slices of beef cooked in a vinegar broth), grilled beef (thinly sliced beef marinated with lemongrass and cooked over a griddle), beef wrapped in betel leaves, skewered beef meatballs, steamed ground beef pâté with shrimp chips, and beef alphabet soup. Any of these can be wrapped in rice paper along with fresh and pickled vegetables, then dipped in a delicious fermented anchovy and pineapple sauce. (This sauce is extremely pungent, but once the taste is acquired, becomes addictive.) Get all seven beef courses, or order a single dish à la carte. Not in the mood for beef? Saigon Pagolac serves whole grilled catfish — crispy skin and all — also to be wrapped and dipped.

Best Banh Mi

Nguyen Ngo French Cafe

Ask most Vietnamese in town where to go for the best banh mi, and more likely than not, they will point you to Nguyen Ngo French Cafe. It's a favorite destination for out-of-towners, who come here for sandwiches made with the famous family-recipe shredded chicken that the owners brought over from Vietnam. Sweet and slightly addictive, their shredded chicken comes by itself or in combo with French imported pâté and ham and house-made mayo. The baby-size banh mi are a great hit with kids, and for a different sandwich, substitute the banh mi bread with a croissant, and order the house specialty dac biet to taste one of the best sandwiches in Houston for less than $3.50. Cash only.

Best Pho

Pho Danh

When it comes to pho, the secret is in the broth. Pho Danh ladles it daily to discriminating diners from the location in the back of Hong Kong Market. The light yet deep beef flavor in your bowl tells you that some big bones have been simmering for days in large stock pots. Bold souls order the large, with tripe, tendon and fatty beef. Rookies should stick with meatballs and brisket. Doctor your dish with fish sauce, lime and Sriracha as you see fit. Cool your taste buds with a Vietnamese iced coffee.

Best South American Restaurant

Américas River Oaks

The new Américas River Oaks is stylish not only in decor but also in its food presentation and menu. Much like the grandiose booths and larger-than-life lighting fixtures, everything is presented with a flourish: Lobster mini corndogs with corn poblano dipping sauce are playfully served lollipop-style on a wooden block; mixed ceviche is presented in a four-compartment glass plate; an impressive three-tiered plate rack is used when more than one appetizer is ordered. Service is always excellent, and the signature Cordúa Churrasco steak is so flavorful and tender, it's been named one of Esquire magazine's top 20 steaks.

Best Bloody Mary

Flora & Muse

The Bloody Mary at Flora & Muse isn't the kind of heavily garnished, Clamato-heavy cocktail that you gulp down as a hangover cure. European-style bistro Flora & Muse offers an elegant twist on the standard cocktail. Served in a long-stemmed glass chalice — the same curving sides to it as a Stella Artois glass, sans the gold rim — this Bloody Mary is subtly spiced and wholly invigorating on a Saturday morning, whether you're hungover or not.

Best Mexican Restaurant

Tia Maria's Mexican Restaurant

Batli Joselevitz
Located just outside the Loop, this local spot is always filled with loyal, regular customers who have been coming here for more than 30 years and know it simply as Tia's. You'll find enchiladas, tacos and fajitas on the menu, but the real standouts are the more traditional Mexican fare, such as the carne guisada, the grilled quail served on a sizzling comal and, of course, the homemade tortillas. The food is cheap, the margaritas are strong, the salsa is hot and the roving mariachis are a good time.

Best Breakfast Restaurant

Tel-Wink Grill

Dawn McGee
Tel-wink cranks out breakfast so fast there are stacks of warm toast 18 inches tall at the expediter counter during peak times. Demand like that, and a line of waiting patrons that snakes through the interior, can mean only one thing. The breakfast special rocks: grits, sausage, eggs and toast from the stack. You could go for a biscuit, but don't eat more than two or you'll sleep through lunch.

Best Dim Sum

Dim Sum King

While some may lament its nontraditional choice to serve dim sum all day long, that's exactly the aspect of Dim Sum King we love most. Six days a week (it's closed on Tuesdays), you can get dim sum for brunch, lunch or dinner — and all of it good. There are no carts here, either; just a very cozy room with an à la carte menu. It's good for dim sum neophytes, too, as helpful photos of all the dishes and their English translations are listed throughout the menu. Turnip cakes and beef balls are favorites, but save room for fried bread at dessert.

Best Baked Potato

Demeris Bar-B-Q

The fact that it's named after one of our favorite Astros ballplayers is even more reason to love Demeris Bar-B-Q's Big Puma baked potato. The Big Puma comes loaded with Demeris's signature smoked turkey, juicy and sweet, atop a baked potato that's been split open and stuffed with everything else you'd want on a potato: butter, sour cream, cheese and chives. If that's not enough toppings, you can always load up at Demeris's toppings bar/salad station. But we don't think Lance Berkman would want it that way.

Best Chicken Soup

Tacos del Julio

Unlike a standard caldo de pollo or caldo xochitl, the caldo Tlalpeño at Tacos del Julio calls for the addition of a very important ingredient: chipotle chiles in adobo sauce. The dark red chiles come in a little plastic cup full of adobo, allowing you to flavor the broth as you see fit as stocky white squares of queso panela bob throughout the soup. The vegetables are similarly thick: ripe hunks of carrot, avocado and potato are barely covered by the broth in the bowl. Dosed with generous squirts of fresh lime, the caldo Tlalpeño is the kind of stuff that will fully reinvigorate you — and for less than $4.

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