No. 8: Pho tai at Pho Binh 10928 Beamer, 281-484-3963

The family at the Pho Binh trailer makes the anise-scented broth from scratch, boiling down beef bones and seasoning it with rich cinnamon and caramelized onions. The pho is a blend of that tawny broth, slippery noodles, crunchy bean sprouts and thinly sliced ribbons of rare beef — with a silky sheen of beef fat floating on top.

No. 7: Ceviche at La Fisheria 4705 Inker, 713-802-1712

There's a range of different ceviches at La Fisheria, most made with Gulf red snapper, from a simple lime dressing on the El Cayuco to a ceviche verde marinated in Seville orange juice and served with mild, pleasant amaranth leaves in place of the more strongly flavored cilantro.

No. 6: Ma po tofu at Mala Sichuan 9348 Bellaire, 713-995-1889

Both ma (numbing) and la (spicy) are found in great quantities in the dark-red, steaming bowl of thick, jiggly tofu cubes and sweet pork that is brought to the table. After only a couple of bites, you'll notice that signature white-hot, palate-cleansing heat from the mala sauce.

No. 5: Machi cure at Uchi 904 Westheimer, 713-522-4808

In chef Tyson Cole's signature recipe, baby yellowtail is smoked with applewood chips and combined with fried yucca chips, Marcona almonds, sultanas and Asian pears in a white soy dressing infused with orange oil. It's a playful combination of smoke, salt and sweet with an irresistible crunch supplied by those yucca chips.

No. 4: Tuna and bottarga at Tony's 3755 Richmond, 713-622-6778

A take on the classic spaghetti with bottarga (cured fish roe, called "the poor man's caviar"), this beautifully straightforward dish takes freshly made tagliatelle and pairs it with rosy niblets of barely cooked bluefin tuna, velvety butter, delicately briny tuna bottarga and a light zesting of lemon.

No. 3: Roast summer squash at Oxheart 1302 Nance, 832-830-8592

Roasted summer squash with vadouvan — a French-Indian spice blend that's bracing and strong with notes of sweet fenugreek, turmeric, cloves and nutmeg against smoky cumin and musky curry leaves — and a squash blossom soubise shows how cleverly chef Justin Yu can transform even the most basic vegetable dish.

No. 2: Amberjack sashimi and foie gras at Kata Robata 3600 Kirby, 713-526-8858

Glimmering slices of amberjack have a thick, meaty flavor to them that belies their delicate appearance and therefore isn't overwhelmed by the livery fat from the foie gras. A scatter of crushed hazelnuts adds a welcome crunch to each bite, and olive oil adds a final slick ­sweetness.

No. 1: Korean braised goat and dumplings at Underbelly 1100 Westheimer, 713-528-9800

Even if you don't care about the backgrounds and influences that went into creating the braised goat and dumplings, you'll care about the tingle that sparks across your lips and tongue as you take your first few bites of the shredded goat in deep red gojuchang sauce. Then you'll start noticing the rich, dusky flavor of the goat and the sweet, nutty pops of sesame seeds scattered across the top of the dish. And when you get to the "dumplings," prepare for something that's more like thick, tube-shaped gnocchi — chewy inside but slightly crisp at its edges.