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EXPLORE | | | | | | | 5000 Westheimer Rd
Houston,
TX
77056
713-621-6888 | | | | | Description: GALLERIA. Whether you dine in Arcodoro's casual grill area or in its white-tablecloth dining room, you can be certain of spectacular Sardinian cuisine. An offshoot of Italian fare, it's the rustic, simple cooking of farmers and shepherds, but it's delicious enough for folks of all classes and inclinations. Homemade pastas enlivened with wild boar, roasted vegetables, and black truffles are wonderful, as are veal medallions, broiled lamb chops, roasted chicken, and a host of gourmet, wood-fired pizzas. Italian wines allow the restaurant's culinary heritage a chance to shine.
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| 12610 Briar Forest Dr
Houston,
TX
77077
281-679-5555 | | | | | Description: WEST HOUSTON. Adorned with Indian artwork, textiles, and architectural accents, Ashiana gives fine dining an Eastern edge. Mughalai cuisine is the specialty, and its judicious touch with spices ensures culinary exoticism without overwhelming flavors. The broad menu features tandoori specialties, plenty of vegetarian options, and classics like vindaloo, saag, korma, and tikka masala. Tasting menus provide multi-course pleasures, and the weekday lunch buffet is a delightful bargain. A fantastic wine list is also a boon.
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| 516 Westheimer
Houston,
TX
77006
713-524-2170 | | | | | Description: MONTROSE. Recipient of many rave reviews and much well-earned praise, Indika has taken Houston by storm. The airy, clean-lined restaurant, enlivened with sunny hues, attracts a wide range of folks entranced by a menu that combines Texas ingredients and Indian spices and preparations. Kudos go to salmon tikka, duck tandoori, roasted eggplant with paneer, and foie gras with fig chutney. The nan is also a revelation, and you absolutely can't miss the desserts. Chef-owner Anita Jaisinghani was formerly a pastry chef, and she still has a sure, innovative hand with sweets.
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| 1985 Welch St
Houston,
TX
77019
713-533-0200 | | | | | Description: RIVER OAKS. A charming dining room with stained glass accents and self-proclaimed "funky gothic" decor welcomes enthusiastic guests to this appealing bistro. Sophistication and comfort mix in the setting and in the food, which is rustic, flavorful, and impeccably prepared. Steak frites is a natural classic, as are roasted chicken with mushroom risotto, grilled ahi tuna, cider-glazed pork chop, and tagliatelle with slow-braised lamb. Desserts keep up the creative theme, and the international wine list is delightfully well priced. A wonderful neighborhood institution.
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| 3939 San Felipe St
Houston,
TX
77027
713-528-2264 | | | | | Description: RIVER OAKS. Boasting upscale country decor and a Gulf Coast-inspired menu, Elouise Adams Jones's establishment promises comforts galore and has turned the heads of local and national critics alike. The skilled chef regularly wows patrons with fried crab cakes or seasoned quail with cheesy polenta and port glaze and those are just appetizers. Entrees include crab-stuffed Atlantic salmon, three-cheese macaroni and cheese, fried oysters with blue cheese slaw, and chicken-fried steak. An international wine list provides apt accompaniments, and the dessert menu features decadent bourbon-pecan pie.
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| 5941 Bellaire Blvd
Houston,
TX
77081
713-662-8383 | | | | | Description: WEST HOUSTON. Within its unassuming environs, Pico's delights patrons with authentic regional Mexican cuisine, which it dubs "Mex-Mex" (in contrast to the less inventive "Tex-Mex"). You can, of course, order customary enchiladas and tacos, but why would you want to when fresh ceviches, achiote-marinated chicken, and red snapper Veracruz are available? Broiled steaks, chicken with Oaxacan black mole, and roasted, pork-stuffed poblano peppers with walnut sauce are also fantastic. Outdoor dining and terrific tequilas serve as added perks.
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| 1300 Lamar St
Houston,
TX
77010
713-276-4700 | | | | | Description: DOWNTOWN. Stylish and elegant with a contemporary edge, Quattro couples spectacular Italian cuisine with unpretentious surroundings and service. Famous for its antipasti bar, fantastic wines, and sumptuous seafood tower, Quattro lays out quite a feast. Savory pastas and risottos get a punch from truffles and parmesan cheese while grilled meats and vegetables boast a smoky, earthy flavor. Other menu considerations: free-range duckling, veal chop, red snapper with preserved lemons and capers, and a wonderful cioppino Genovese. Quattro also features a busy bar.
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| 250 W 19th St
Houston,
TX
77008
713-863-7500 | | | | | Description: THE HEIGHTS. A casually hip neighborhood restaurant, Shade is romantic but unpretentious thanks to muted colors, clean lines, and broad windows. A menu that revels in flavor and texture pulls guests back again and again, eager to sample dishes like pan-seared red snapper with a wasabi kick, squid salad, rustic baked pastas, creative salads, and pork enlivened with citrus and herbs. Outdoor dining is available, along with a bar, a pleasantly affordable wine list, and service that's attentive without being intrusive.
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| Truluck's Seafood, Steak, Crab House5350 Westheimer Rd
Houston,
TX
77056
713-783-7270 | | | | | Description: GALLERIA. A favorite with trendy Houstonites, Truluck's enjoys an upscale aesthetic. Professional servers make each diner feel special, and a superb international wine list helps set a refined tone. Contemporary interpretations of American seafood dominate the menu, and stone crabs are the specialty. However, you can also find seared sesame-crusted tuna with parmesan mashed potatoes, fiery Pacific Rim red fish with stir-fried vegetables, and grilled mahi mahi with Truluck's signature Ponchartrain seafood sauce. Save room for dessert, because you don't want to miss out on pecan praline cheesecake, carrot cake, or mocha almond fudge pie.
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| 1117 Prairie St
Houston,
TX
77002
832-200-8888 | | | | | Description: DOWNTOWN. This chic hotel restaurant is a study of muted tones, sleek lines, and intermittent flashes of glitter and shine. Its menu is a similar amalgam, a successful juxtaposition of creativity and quality ingredients. Wonderful, assertive dishes include a navel orange and beet salad, Texas Hill Country venison chop, wild mushroom risotto, and braised short ribs. A five-course tasting menu is also a worthy alternative. Fruit-inspired desserts offer a refreshing cap to any offering. Great wine list, too.
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