After the decadence of "Fat Tuesday" the 40 days of Lent begin — this year, Fat Tuesday falls on Tuesday, March 5, with Lent leading up to Easter Sunday, April 21. While Lenten season is a time of prayer, atonement, and sacrifice (traditionally in the form of meat-free Fridays), your meals don’t need to skimp on flavor. From daily Catch of the Day specials to Friday lobster specials, these local restaurants are offering delectable seafood/veggie dishes to get you through the season.
ARA Restaurant at Royal Sonesta Houston, 2222 West Loop South
Led by Executive Chef Robert Graham, ARA restaurant at Royal Sonesta Houston will feature a Catch of the Day special every evening throughout Lent, served with seasonal sides for $29.
Bernie's Burger Bus, 5407 Bellaire, 2643 Commercial Center, 2200 Yale
Get the Shrimp Burger ($9.75), a house shrimp patty with shredded lettuce, roma tomatoes, crispy Tobasco onions and house Texas Juke Sauce, available every Friday during Lent, beginning Friday, March 8.
D’Amico’s Italian Market Café, 5510 Morningside
Each week from Monday, March 4 before lent begins through the Monday before Easter, April 15 (Easter is April 21), D’Amico’s will be offering a different off-the-menu fish dinner with side dishes, from Cioppino to Salmon Almondine.
Dish Society, 5740 San Felipe, 23501 Cinco Ranch, 12525 Memorial, 1050 Yale, 712 Main
Dish’s Lent-friendly options include Citrus Glazed Salmon, Shrimp & Grits, Gulf Shrimp Tacos, Veggie Tacos, Texas Pecan Pesto Pasta, and the Brussels Spout Super Salad, among other treats.
Goode Company Seafood, 2621 Westpark, 10211 Katy Freeway
A variety of seafood offerings await on the main kitchen menu over at both locations of this seafood hotspot. Some of the crowd favorites include the refreshing
campechana extra (shrimp and crab), mesquite-grilled salmon filet ($24), whole flounder served with fried onion strings and a light Creole cream sauce ($29), boiled Gulf shrimp (1/2 lb for $14, 1 pound for $23), and Gulf Coast po-boy.
Luby’s, lubys.com
Luby’s will be showcasing a quartet of seafood favorites for Lent, offered from Wednesday, March 6 through Sunday, April 21. Guests can enjoy the stuffed catfish combo ($11.99), stuffed crab combo ($8.99), seafood pot pie ($5.99-$8.49) and shrimp, corn and jalapeño corn cake ($9.49).
Killen's Barbecue, 3613 East Broadway
Stacked with battered and fried catfish and fried butterfly shrimp, with coleslaw, fries, hushpuppies and house tartar and cocktail sauces, the Fried Fish Platter will be available daily at dinner and during lunch on Fridays for Lent.
click to enlarge 
Baja-style fish tacos will make your meat-free Friday a breeze.
Photo by Kimberly Park
Molina’s Cantina, 3801 Bellaire, 7901 Westheimer
Seafood and vegetarian options hardly taste like a sacrifice at Molina's, with options from cheese enchiladas and Raulito's jumbo shrimp special to redfish a la parrilla and Baja-style fish tacos.
Morton’s The Steakhouse, 1001 McKinney
Every Friday during Lent, Morton’s The Steakhouse is offering Twin Lobster Tails for $39. Reservations are required. The special is available from 5 p.m. to close through Friday, April 12.
On the Kirb, 5004 Kirby
Hit the organic eatery and sports bar to find seafood items fit for the Lent holiday, from Greek salmon salad and fish tacos to wild-caught salmon with fig-balsamic glaze.
Poiti?n, 2313 Edwards
Enjoy seafood dishes such as char-grilled whole fish for two or more (MKT) and cornmeal breaded Gulf catfish with fingerling potatoes, slaw and hot sauce ($28).
Quattro, 1300 Lamar
Throughout the course of Lent, Quattro will offer meatless dinner specials daily. Favorites include seafood
cioppino with Gulf snapper, calamari, shrimp, soffritto sauce and grilled crostini; black bass with roasted eggplant puree, toasted pine nuts and tomato artichoke relish; wild-caught octopus with grilled potatoes, olives,
piquillo peppers and
salmoriglio; and seafood risotto with lemon saffron, shrimp, diver scallops and squid ink coral.
Revolve Kitchen + Bar at Hotel Derek, 2525 West Loop South
Throughout Lent, Revolve Kitchen + Bar has will offer its Southwest Grain Bowl with Salmon for $26. The dish features ancient grain pilaf sautéed with baby kale, black beans, asparagus, and grilled corn. topped with pico de gallo, sliced avocado, cotija cheese, cilantro and salmon.
Treebeards, treebeards.com
With five locations across downtown Houston, this local institution continues to serve a revolving menu of Gulf Coast fare with a Louisiana twist. Seafood options include shrimp salad, shrimp étouffée, baked catfish and fried catfish, all of which are available for both dine-in and takeout.
