7. Mala Sichuan

Mala Sichuan represents a new direction for Chinatown, which is itself relatively new to Houston. "Old Chinatown" (now known, for better or worse, as EaDo) died out in the 1980s as rents rose in the buildings and strip malls east of downtown. New Chinatown -- which could more appropriately be called Asia Town -- cropped up around the same time in the much cheaper area around Beltway 8 and Bellaire Boulevard, and has been accumulating excellent restaurants, bakeries, coffee houses and more over the years. Mala Sichuan is one of the new "second generation" restaurants that focused on serving authentic food (Sichuanese cuisine in this case) but with more Western elements like snappy service and an easy-to-decipher menu. Owner Cori Xiong's all-Sichuan team of chefs also ensures that nearly every dish to come out of the kitchen is a winner, from the ginger sauce-braised, softball-size pork meatballs to more exotic foods like the red chile oil-laced Couple's Lung Dish.

6. The Queen Vic Pub & Kitchen

A pattern among most of the restaurants on this list is that the food they're creating -- be it Indian, Mexican, French or Italian -- is markedly Texan. More specifically, it's influenced by the Third Coast/Gulf Coast trend that's starting to emerge in Houston, whereby more of our native foods and flavors are showcased across many different cuisines. In the case of The Queen Vic, Chef Shiva Patel shows off her Indian roots through English pub food with a Texan flair. Her creamed spinach and paneer-topped grilled Gulf oysters remain one of the dining highlights of my year. The Queen Vic is also notable for its strong cocktail and craft beer program, both of which are full of intelligent choices that complement the modern pub vibe.