Of course Killen's famous smoked beef rib made it to his latest restaurant's menu.
Photo by Kimberly Park
2231 South Voss, 713-586-0223
There’s a reason chef Ronnie Killen is one of Houston’s favorite chefs, and that reason is that the man knows his meat. After achieving well-deserved fanfare from his first three concepts, Killen’s Steakhouse, Killen’s Barbecue and Killen’s Burgers, Killen opened this live-fire steakhouse and barbecue hybrid (his first concept within the city limits) in November. Since then, the house has been packed with locals looking to dig into Killen’s pork belly burnt ends, dry-aged pork long bone chop, short rib tamales and smoked brisket bolognese. Oh, and his bacon tres leches bread pudding; locals crave that too. There are limited reservations left, but if all else fails, you can check out Killen’s other winners in Pearland.
Pondicheri
2800 Kirby, 713-522-2022
Remember that caveat we had about not being able to find anything like the restaurant, anywhere but in Houston? We have but one exception, and that’s Pondicheri, an Indian street food concept that made its way from Houston to New York City last year. Houstonians are pretty well acquainted with restaurant imports coming into town, but when a restaurant pulls off the reverse commute, it solidifies its status as a full-on powerhouse. Not-so-surprisingly to any local from H-town, the Big Apple was impressed with Pondicheri right off the bat. With an upstairs bake lab adding to the excitement of the downstairs cafe, the West Ave stunner is an all-day affair. At breakfast, get the Morning Thali; the traditional Indian variety plate offers a tapestry of flavors, from a spiced potato curry and rich lamb keema to bright saffron cucumber raita, plus a yolky egg and carrot paratha that you can use to dip and top as you please. The thalis carry on into dinner, with varieties including an earthy butter chicken and smoked eggplant thali and vegetarian yogi platter. There are curries, dosas and plenty of cardamom-spiced, sugar-coated and whipped-cream-dolloped sweets to dig into too.
Last year's addition of a wood-burning oven brought dishes like this Huachinango Borracho (roasted red snapper).
Photo courtesy of Legacy Restaurants
2704 Navigation, 713-228-1175
“Mama” Ninfa Laurenzo’s tacos al carbon — later known as fajitas — have been captivating locals since 1973 (rumor has it Mama may have been responsible for launching the national fajita craze). Today, old-school consistency remains the key to Ninfa's success. Every sizzling comal comes with perfectly tender, Hereford outside skirt steak, seasoned simply and served with all the proper Tex-Mex accoutrements (including housemade tortillas that would make any abuela proud). The restaurant has kept its old-school charm, but in the last year, it underwent renovations to add a top-of-the-line Mugnaini wood-burning oven and retained Julep’s Alba Huerta to consult on an impressive new cocktail menu. That means diners can now choose between those addicting wood-fired fajitas, plus inspired dishes like chef Alex Padilla’s whole roasted red snapper, beef short ribs, Mexican flatbreads and Dungeness crab made according to Padilla’s family recipe. Your best bet? Bring some friends so you can try it all.
Coltivare
3320 White Oak, 713-637-4095
Sure, you can get Italian anywhere these days, but the thoughtfully composed menu at this neighborhood favorite feels different. Perhaps that’s because its focus is on garden-to-table pies, pastas, entrées and sides, with fresh herbs and produce picked straight from the restaurant's 3,000-square-foot garden. The menu is a combination of staples — like the perfectly al dente spaghetti with black pepper, heaven-sent ricotta gnocchi with balsamic greens, and whole wood-roasted fish — with mix-and-match plates inspired by the season. Right now, guests can (and should) dive into casserici pasta, rich with oxtail sugo and pearl onions; Swiss chard ravioli with rabbit ragù; and cotechino sausage with lentils and local autumn squash. Be warned: The restaurant tends to get packed and it does not accept reservations, but that just gives you more time to enjoy an expertly crafted cocktail or two in the charming garden before dinner.
Bernadine’s focuses on Gulf Coast seafood, achieving some pretty stunning successes.
Photo by Chuck Cook Photography
Bernadine’s: 1801-B North Shepherd, 713-864-2565
Hunky-Dory: 1801-A North Shepherd, 713-864-2450
Though these are two separate concepts, the restaurants are right next door to each other and are run by the same restaurant group (Treadsack), so consider this a two-for-one. Seafood fans should head straight for Bernadine’s, with a menu that’s a self-proclaimed “love letter to the Gulf coast” from the talented chef Graham LaBorde. The chef's refined Creole cooking shines through in dishes like barbecue shrimp toast, grilled Gulf fish and grits and (for landlubbers) cochon de lait au presse, a pressed suckling pig that is worth a trip to shore. At Hunky Dory, former Feast chef Richard Knight champions nose-to-tail techniques through thoughtful British tavern plates — think crispy black pudding, "cake stand" pork chops, local fish pie and a double-patty cheeseburger made with chuck, brisket and tongue (when in Houston!). Both restaurants offer lunch, dinner and weekend brunch.
