Over the course of the next few months, I'm counting down 100 of my favorite Houston dishes. I chose some because they are such quintessential Houston creations, others for their cultural or historical significance, and others because they are just so damn tasty. Share your own nominations in the comments.
#92: Lasagna at Doyle's on 34th St.
Doyle's serves the kind of Italian-American food we used to love before we knew better. Opened in 1954, Doyle's was one of the first restaurants in the city to offer pizza. Generations of Houstonians have flocked to this Italian-Cajun/Creole-American restaurant with an Irish name. They are as likely to order gumbo as Italian-American standards like baked lasagna or spaghetti and meatballs.
The spaghetti is heaped on the plate naked, then the red sauce is ladled over top. Spaghetti with meat sauce and two meatballs is $6.95; spaghetti with meatballs in plain tomato sauce is $5.95. The old-fashioned oven-baked lasagna is $8.95. And all orders come with a basket of garlic bread.
The list to date: #100: Green Chile Chicken Kebabs at Chatkhara Grill #99: The All-Day Burrito at Cherry Top Bakery #98: "You Buy We Fry" Trout Basket at Hank's Fish Market #97: Chicharron de Barriga at La Michoacana Meat Market # 10 #96: Pakistani Breakfast at Kings Chicken #95: Fried Mojarra at Taqueria Jesus Maria #94: Chocolate-Peanut Butter Cake Ball at Coffee Groundz #93:Cheeseburger at Leonard's Famous Burgers
