Notable Edibles
Kathmandu Curry & Bar
Nestled in an L-shaped plaza at the corner of Hillcroft and Harwin — the heart of the Mahatma Gandhi District — Kathmandu Curry & Bar is one of a handful of Houston eateries serving Nepali food. Though Nepali cuisine shares some commonalities with Indian and Pakistani food, it’s a unique complex of culinary influences that have adapted to the country’s various geographical and cultural regions — which is just fancy shorthand for saying it’s a cuisine I still have a lot to learn about. Part of that education process is, of course, trying the food. So, on a recent visit with a friend, we ordered several dishes.
Most countries have at least one example of dough parcels stuffed with a savory filling. Nepal has momos. Kathmandu offers nine variations of these dumplings: three fillings — vegetable, goat or chicken — served three different ways: steamed, tossed in a tomatobased chili sauce or cooked and served in a spicy broth. The vegetable chili momos we tried combined a flavorful filling, tender wheat wrappers, and a catalytic chili sauce into pillowy gems. One of Nepal’s regional cuisines is Newari, which has developed over the last 2,000 years in the urbanized yet fertile Kathmandu Valley. This casual curry house offers a Newari platter that includes bara (a spiced lentil patty), umami-rich grilled meats, poignant mustard greens, a delicately spiced soybean salad, baji (beaten rice) and more. Since curry is in the restaurant’s name, we, of course, also had to try one: a luscious lamb version that would easily make a hearty meal all on its own. It would be difficult to come here and order just one dish, so come with a group and order as much of the menu as you can.
Visit at 5711 Hillcroft Ave. | kcurryandbar.com
Tío Trompo
As soon as you walk into Tío Trompo’s red-and white storefront, in the low slung building it shares with a convenience store on Shepherd, you’ll spot the top-shaped hunk of layered pork slowly rotating on a vertical roasting spit — the trompo in the restaurant’s name. This method of cooking meat was introduced to Mexico by Lebanese immigrants in the early 20th century. There, they adapted the shawarma they grilled on vertical spits to local ingredients and tastes, creating dishes such as tacos árabes and tacos al pastor.
Not only does the trompo take center stage (well, just left of center) behind the white-tiled counter at this family-owned eatery, it’s the focus of the menu, too. They offer three styles of trompo: tacos al pastor — succulent yet slightly crispy pork seasoned with an adobo made with achiote, citrus, cinnamon and other spices and herbs; tacos oriental, a milder yet still tasty pork; and tacos árabes — that same pork in a pita instead of a tortilla. The trompo cooked pork also comes on tortas, quesadillas, tostadas and even a salad. There are a handful of other taco options including breakfast tacos, which are served all day. For a satisfying meal, mix and match on the taco platter, which comes with rice and creamy refried beans.
Visit at 316 Shepherd Dr. | tiotrompo.com
We're-Dough
On Westheimer, west of The Galleria, you’ll find a pair of stylish strip centers that house a United Nations of establishments and that represent many of the cultures that call Houston home: a Middle Eastern-focused coffee, candy, spice and nut store; a Cuban café; a Cajun seafood joint; a shawarma house; a Guatemalan bakery; a Vietnamese eatery; a Middle Eastern restaurant; an upscale Nigerian grill; a Japanese sushi bar; and between a beauty school and a pet store, a Lebanese bakery and restaurant called We’re-Dough.
Open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., you can stop by in the morning for fakhar, a rich, satisfying Lebanese dish of eggs cooked in a clay pot. You can order them plain or with various additions such as soujok, a spicy beef sausage. But the highlight is the array of Lebanese flat breads that are baked in house: manoush, a puffy, texture-rich bread, which is available with a variety of toppings such as one that is half Akkawi cheese (a soft, unripened brined cheese), half za’atar; the thin, crepe-like sajj that is wrapped around a choice of fillings such as a felicitous blend of labneh, cucumbers, tomatoes and mint; or kaak, a sesame-seed coated bread that is stuffed with cheese.
Visit at 6437 Westheimer Rd. | we-re-dough.com
Gold Tooth Tony's Detroit Pizza
Anthony Calleo, executive chef and co-owner of legendary Montrose bar Rudyard’s, rose to prominence in the Houston food scene with his equally legendary food truck Pi Pizza, which was known for its creative toppings and extensively R&D’ed and well-executed crust. After stepping away from the well regarded brick-and-mortar location, which is now closed, Calleo eventually turned his attention to updating the food offerings at Rudyard’s, which opened in 1978, while also guiding it through the pandemic. Now, he’s returned to his roots with his newest venture, Gold Tooth Tony’s Detroit Pizza, which is on 19th Street between Shepherd and Durham in the Heights.
Detroit-style pizza is a deep-dish rectangular pie (legend says, it was originally cooked in steel pans used to store auto parts) with a crispy bottom and a chewy, focaccia-like interior. Unlike other styles that spread the sauce on first, the Motor City variant applies a thick helping of Wisconsin brick cheese directly on the dough, so it and the top layer of the crust meld into a single luscious, buttery stratum as it bakes. Calleo and his team have mastered the fine art of creating those toothsome footings, which serve as the perfect platform for their unique combos that round out the culinary architecture. You can’t go wrong with any of the preset options from the straight-forward pepperoni to the outrageously fun Sebastian’s Big Idea with togarashi roasted pineapple and SPAM. My current favorite is The Piggy, which combines the salty umami of pancetta with the sweetness of fresh figs, the creaminess of Pure Luck TX chèvre, the spicy kick of chili-infused honey and an herbaceous kick of oregano. Gold Tooth Tony’s is, unsurprisingly, busy so I recommend ordering early. And remember, it’s primarily geared toward takeout and delivery, so has a limited amount of indoor and outdoor seating.
Visit at 1901 N. Shepherd Dr. | goldtoothtonys.com
Diego's Famous Carnitas
Veterans Memorial Drive is one of Houston’s great food roads on par with Westheimer, Bellaire and Long Point — one that is often overlooked by area food writers including myself. Bisecting north Houston, it runs 23 miles from the Luby’s at I-45 to the SEAHOLIC Houston Seafood & Oyster Bar at FM 1960. It’s home to a Vietnamese Thai restaurant that the owner of an Asian food distributor said has the best Thai food in Houston and to well-established taco trucks with covered enclosures for picnic tables. Diego’s Famous Carnitas is one of the latter.
Owned and operated by Diego Farias, who immigrated from Quiroga, Mexico, and his family, this bright red taco trailer is open Friday through Sunday. Preparations begin early in the morning, when the family butchers the pigs and then simmers the parts in cazos (copper pots) filled with lard. The results are a decadent blend of tender, juicy pork, crispy skin and other tasty bits. You can savor these delicious carnitas in tacos, tortas, burritos or quesadillas, or you can buy it by the pound. No matter what part of town you’re in, it’s worth the drive to enjoy the results of the Farias’s hard work while sitting at a picnic table — and in true Houston fashion, you may spot some cattle or a goat in the neighboring field.
Visit at 9715 Veterans Memorial Dr. | @diegosfamouscarnitas
Gatlin's BBQ
In the demanding world of restaurants, it’s quite a feat to be consistently good year after year. But to be at the top of your game after 13 years of smoking meat for almost 24 hours a day, six days a week, well, that’s reaching Simone Biles levels of achievement. In a city that is now brimming with good barbecue, James Beard-semifinalist Greg Gatlin and his team might be producing the best brisket in town. Moist and crackling with flavor, their version has, on my last two visits, out shown any I have eaten in the last couple of years. And it’s not just the brisket. They excel at coaxing perfectly cooked ribs and sausages from their pits in Oak Forest. Their smoked chicken is so tender and juicy, you just might skip the Texas barbecue trinity on your next visit. Oh, and they have excellent sandwiches.
However, in the competitive, yet friendly, world of Texas barbecue, you need more than just well-executed smoked meats. You also need good sides. Gatlin’s sides, which are overseen by Greg’s mother (the business is a family affair) are mighty fine. Don’t miss the Louisiana-style dirty rice, which combines caramelized bits of sautéed onions, bell pepper, celery and sausage into a matrix of flavors and textures that could be a meal by itself. There are also tender collard greens infused with smoke and heat, refreshing coleslaw, creamy potato salad, smoked corn, candied yams and more. It’s all served in a warm, spacious environment that will have you wanting to share the experience and the food with friends and family.
Visit at 3510 Ella Blvd. | gatlinsbbq.com
