811 Buffalo Park Drive, Suite 130 in Houston
Named after the ancient Aztec goddess who watched over the maguey (agave) plant and its production of liquor, this fine dining, modern restaurant in Montrose’s Autry Park features heirloom corn sourced from Mexico that is ground daily to make masa. Keeping the ingredients seasonal and local is a priority, and so is featuring foundational flavors of Mexican food such as vanilla, cacao, and coffee. Look for dishes including beef carnitas croquette with salsa taquera and cilantro-lime aioli, tacos mar y tierra with Gulf shrimp in adobo and beef cheek confit, and cochinita served with black bean purée and tortillas. There is also a chef’s tasting menu that highlights the best of what the restaurant is serving on any given night. Inside, gold rules the decor, echoing the sacred use of the metal in ancient Mexican societies.
2002 West Gray Street in Houston
Mezcal is the star at this new bar from Goode Co. in River Oaks. On the menu are drinks like the Oaxacan Old Fashioned (reposado tequila, mezcal, piloncillo, and
mole bitters) and Tequila y Tonic (blanco tequila, agua de jamaica, lime, cucumber, aloe, and tonic) along with bar bites such as Gulf crab tostadas with smashed avocado and chili arbol aioli, plus pato tinga memela (braised duck leg, refried beans, and pickled onions) and a taco stuffed with rib-eye and salsa morita. The dimly lit bar has a rustic Mexican aesthetic, with leather, brass, and a tin ceiling.
2416 Brazos Street, Suite A in Houston
Want to drink like a rock star? Maybe don’t drink exactly like Koe Wetzel, who is known to be a Texas-style party animal, but visit the second location of his bar chain (the first is in Fort Worth), which is now open in Midtown. It’s got all the beer and liquor you can imagine, and for bar bites there are Chicken Wannnngggs (please, ask for them exactly like that) with Buffalo hot sauce, lemon pepper, or barbecue sauce; a couple of salads if that’s how you roll; a couple of burger options a chicken tender platter; and fried pickles; and a chicken sandwich called the Cluck Norris.
7623 FM 3180 Road in Baytown
Ready for a barbecue truck to take you to outer space? This one from pitmaster Logan Glenn (Big Woodrow’s, Chi’Lantro BBQ), features a menu of brisket ($16/half pound), spare ribs ($13/half pound or $40 for a full rack), turkey ($13/half pound), pulled pork ($12/half pound), sausage and boudin ($7 per link), and pork belly burnt ends ($14/half pound) that won’t break the bank. The sides are inventive, with options including burnt end pinto beans and corn bread casserole, while fun dishes like barbecue nachos and the Space Jam burger are sure to tempt diners.