![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/tantan_noodles_at_Izakaya_Wa_nyzb9z.jpg\")
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A trip to Izakaya Wa yielded a warming plate of tantan noodles.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s part of the job: eating our way through Houston, one plate at a time. From smoky barbecue joints to underrated strip mall gems, the Houstonia team is on the hunt for what\u2019s delicious and worth your time. Each month, we round up the bites that stuck with us\u2014the perfectly crisped, the unexpectedly balanced, the unforgettable. These are the dishes we can\u2019t stop thinking about.<\/p>\n
Sambal honey butter scallion waffle at <\/strong>Agnes and Sherman<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Heights<\/p>\n Foolishly, I purposefully never ordered the waffle at this Asian American restaurant because I chafed at the fact that nearly\u00a0everyone there was eating it. I thought straying from the pack would give me more perspective, but finally, during a recent visit, I gave in. Crispy edges make the perfect grid for pools of melted butter, flavored with honey and sambal, a Southeast Asian chili sauce popular in Malaysian and Singaporean cuisine. For a Monday lunch, this waffle felt sneaky and indulgent, but also way, way too good to be passed up. Pair it with the cheeseburger fried rice and beef fajita chow fun, and you\u2019re golden. \u2014Erica Cheng, news and city life editor<\/p>\n Duck N Bao’s name gives a clear indication of one of its specialties.<\/p>\n Rice Village | Memorial<\/p>\n Everyone has their loyalties when it comes to Peking (or Beijing) duck in Houston. For inside-the-loop options, though, Duck N Bao in Rice Village obliterates all others. Its version is rich, robust, and comes with a delicious cabbage soup (or lettuce wraps, but the cabbage soup is superior) made with duck trimmings, too. Make sure to order a blooming tea on the side for a refreshingly floral palate cleanse in between fighting your tablemates over the pancakes. \u2014Meredith Nudo, senior culture editor<\/p>\n \u201cWa\u201d style tantan noodles at <\/strong>Izakaya Wa <\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Multiple locations<\/p>\n This Japanese restaurant is one of my favorite comfort food spots in the fall and winter, especially, and if the oden (and its hot mustard on the side) doesn\u2019t appear on its menu this year, then I will\u2026well\u2026do nothing, actually; I love them too much to complain. Once fall hits, it\u2019s tantan noodle time. It\u2019s peanutty, eggy, chickeny, flavored with sesame and chives, and an oh-so-perfect end to good days and a soothing balm to conclude the bad. \u2014MN \u00a0<\/p>\n Spring Branch East<\/p>\n Is there anything more Houston than ordering pho at an American diner? Nestled off highway 290 is Jackie\u2019s Kitchen, an all-American diner specializing in pancake stacks, griddled sandwiches, and eggs in every style. On Wednesdays, though, the diner pivots from its typical greasy spoon offerings, adding a weekday pho special full of beef slices and soft rice noodles. This past week, I got greedy: Along with a bowl of pho, I ordered a hefty plate of corned beef hash with buttermilk pancakes. There\u2019s something absolutely wild (and maybe a little unhinged) about pairing soup with Cholula-dressed eggs and syrup-drenched flapjacks. If that\u2019s wrong, I don\u2019t want to be right. \u2014EC<\/p>\n Elote corn bread, pumpkin mochi, and French onion danish at\u00a0<\/strong>Koffeteria<\/strong><\/a> <\/strong><\/p>\n East Downtown<\/p>\n Look, we do a lot of rhapsodizing about Koffeteria<\/a> around here. You really don\u2019t need me to tell you twice (thrice? fourice?) about how it\u2019s one of the best of the best bakeries in Houston. But you do need to make sure you grab a pumpkin mochi while it\u2019s still seasonally available. \u2014MN<\/p>\n It’s tea time.<\/p>\n Honeysuckle fig oolong, pimento cheese sandwich, and tomato basil soup at <\/strong>McHugh Tea Room<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Bellaire<\/p>\n On a recent day off, I took a long-overdue trip to McHugh to read a book, Hoover up some decadent lunch foods, and\u2014obviously\u2014drink a pot of tea. I ended up drinking two entire pots of the honeysuckle fig oolong, which is sweet enough to not require any sugar or honey, but also delicate enough to not be cloyingly floral or fruity. It\u2019s going to be difficult for me to try anything else on the generous menu now because my introduction to its teas was such a gorgeous one. Ditto to the creamy tomato basil soup, which begs to be savored over time, and the pimento cheese sandwich, best served toasted. It\u2019s a classic pairing with a touch of flavorful decadence. \u2014MN<\/p>\n The new lineup of seafood dishes at the Original Ninfa’s in Uptown does not disappoint.<\/p>\n Uptown<\/p>\n It\u2019s fall, which means restaurants everywhere are introducing limited menus to ring in the season, and this month, I was invited to try out Ninfa\u2019s new menu. As a fan of all things seafood, I immediately started my visit with the roasted Gulf oysters, topped with jumbo lump blue crab meat, a savory Mezcal crema, applewood-smoked bacon, and garlic butter. Some might shy away from eating oysters raw because of their slimy texture, but roasting them is a game changer. Adding blue crab and smoked bacon\u2014even better.<\/p>\n Also on the menu is the Heritage Pork Chuleta, a wood-fire roasted rib chop topped with chorizo butter, lentils, verdolagas, and a crispy squash ring tossed in beer batter\u2014similar to an onion ring. The pulpo asado, however, won me over. With a baste of recado negro, which gives it a savory, smoky, charred taste and appearance, this octopus is served alongside potatoes, tomato, and roasted corn, with a drizzle of cilantro lime vinaigrette reminiscent of chimichurri. Dessert came in the form of Ninfa\u2019s housemade churros and champurrado, a cinnamon-infused ideal for both dipping and sipping. \u2014Sofia Gonzalez, food and travel editor\u00a0<\/p>\n Downtown<\/p>\n Heights caf\u00e9 CasaEma already had my attention with its carrot taco, creamy yogurt-papaya salad, and elote corn bread. At its sister restaurant Papalo, it\u2019s all about the chicharr\u00f3n taco\u2014a recommendation I thankfully followed from the woman working the register. This taco is all about contrast: pork belly with a buttery depth, cut by sharp pickled onions and crunch from crispy shallots. If pork belly is a weakness, this is the one to order. \u2014Brittany Britto Garley, editor in chief<\/p>\n Rainbow Lodge’s name is inspired by rainbow trout. Get the trout.<\/p>\n Rainbow trout with lump blue crab and pecan brown butter at Rainbow Lodge<\/a><\/p>\n Shady Acres<\/p>\n Although I\u2019m a born and raised Houstonian, I must admit\u2014this past October was my first time trying Rainbow Lodge, and boy, am I sure glad I did. I started the evening off with a refreshingly bright hibiscus margarita from the restaurant\u2019s classic cocktail menu. The organic hibiscus liqueur, Cointreau, and lime gave the tequila drink a gorgeous pink hue, making it a perfect Instagrammable moment. Of course, I had to try a bit of everything, so my group decided on dining family-style. We ordered a Taste of the Wild, which included small bites of game \u2014 antelope, bison, and quail\u2014plus its iconic smoked duck gumbo, NOLA-styled BBQ shrimp, and roasted beets with thumbelina carrots. I\u2019d be remiss if I didn\u2019t mention the restaurant\u2019s namesake dish: The rainbow trout with lump blue crab and pecan brown butter, served alongside wilted spinach with garlic. The pecans in this fan-favorite complement the rainbow trout\u2019s already nutty flavor, leaving diners with a delicate, comforting bite. \u2014SG<\/p>\n Chopped brisket paratha from Truboy BBQ<\/a><\/p>\n Missouri City<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Peking_duck_at_Duck_N_Bao_mj5uhr.jpg\")
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