Foodie Friday: Beyond Asiatown
Celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month 2024 with our calendar of live events, recommendations, and on-demand content!
Dive into Houston's bustling food scene and the many culinary traditions the Bayou City can boast! In our Foodie Fridays, Asia Society Texas' team shares favorite restaurants, traditions from diverse cultural backgrounds, and more — stay hungry!
Meet Saleena Jafry, Stevie Vu, and Chris Dunn
Saleena Jafry has been with Asia Society Texas for seven years and serves as Vice President, Development. She loves to read, travel, and volunteer. She also enjoys watching American, British, and Pakistani TV shows and Bollywood films in her downtime. She is fascinated by everything food-related, especially dishes that are spicy and not cooked by her.
Stevie Vu is the Director of Operations at AST. Spending time with his family and friends keeps him grounded. When he's not engaged with the community via the "Chow Down in Chinatown – Houston" Facebook group and shining a light on hidden-gem restaurants around town, he enjoys karaoke, theater, live music, dim sum, and historical biographies and war documentaries.
Chris Dunn is AST's Senior Marketing and Communications Manager. Formerly a newspaper photojournalist, Chris is a native Houstonian whose favorite food pastimes include over-ordering at locally owned restaurants and making spreadsheets of where to eat next. When she's not eating (or thinking about food), she is volunteering, reading nonfiction, and propagating house plants.
Why we're focusing on restaurants beyond Asiatown
In Houston, we're lucky to enjoy a wealth of Asian restaurants, many of which are located in centralized districts such as Bellaire Asiatown, Katy Asian Town, and the Mahatma Gandhi District (Hillcroft). Each of the three of us has lived in different parts of Houston and seen, over the years, how the city's communities and culinary offerings have evolved and grown. While there's so much to explore in each of the more defined districts, we're excited to highlight restaurants that are well worth a special trip.
Saleena: As someone who is of South Asian descent, I am always seeking the best South Asian meal — vegetarian or non-vegetarian — that appeals to my palate. Most of Houston's South Asian restaurants are spread out throughout the city, including in Sugar Land.
Stevie: The Houston restaurant scene is ever-evolving, so it's easy to pass by certain establishments that could just as easily become regular haunts. The newly developing West on West shopping center in Westchase is just down the street from Japanese grocery stores Daido Market Houston and Seiwa Market. If you're in the Spring Branch area, look for Houston's unofficial Koreatown concentrated near Long Point and Gessner. As an Inner Loop resident, I regularly find myself at a variety of places.
Chris: I grew up in Mission Bend but attended school inside the Loop — so I know how easy it can be to drive past and overlook areas you may not be familiar with! I also spent many weekends going to Bellaire Asiatown and later Sugar Land for haircuts, groceries, dim sum, and family dinners. While I'm always down for a foodie adventure in Asiatown, I'm rooting for the many gems that are beyond those centralized districts, yet are closer to home for many and also worth the drive for others (yes, even in rush hour).
What we are currently enjoying
Saleena: I concurrently enjoy several dfiferent dishes and restaurants. Some of the dishes include biryani (a rice dish made with chicken, beef, goat, or mutton), nihari (a spicy beef stew eaten with your hands and scooped with small pieces of naan), daal (lentil soup enjoyed with rice or roti), bihari boti (thin strips of beef marinated in masalas and grilled over charcoal), paneer karahi (a vegetarian dish made of cheese cubes and marinated in masalas with a tomato curry), and bhel puri (a savory crunchy snack made with wheat flour that is deep-fried, puffed rice, potatoes, and onions, and mixed with a sweet and tangy tamarind chutney).
Stevie: Made With Lau is a YouTube series of Chinese recipes shared by Randy Lau and his father Chung Sun Lau, a chef with Guangzhou origins and over 50 years of experience. After Chung Sun Lau retired, Randy made it his mission to share Chinese recipes and stories of his upbringing along the way. I've used select recipes when hosting "test kitchen" nights with friends and family, and for family nights, I'll pick dishes commonly shared by my father's and my brother-in-law's families to find commonalities between Vietnamese and Taiwanese culinary tastes.
Chris: The past few years have had me digging into comfort foods. Lately I've enjoyed watching short-form video recipes that look pretty close to the dishes my grandma used to cook (and whose names I never learned), from various rice cake stir-fries to Taiwanese sesame oil chicken soup. I'm also excited to have perfected Chinese steamed eggs for breakfast, thanks to these videos!
What we find ourselves returning to again and again
Saleena: I find myself frequenting a few restaurants as all of them serve as comfort food for me: I know whatever I order, I will leave sated and with a feeling that the money was well spent. They are also very close to where I live, and hence easily accessible:
- Aga's Restaurant near Stafford: No matter what you order here, you will not go wrong. My favorite item is the goat chops, which literally has a cult following. Mango lassi is another must-try!
- Lasbela Restaurant in Sugar Land: The food, ambience, and service are absolutely best in class, and this restaurant is unique as it punches above its weight to deliver on all three categories with pizzazz and quiet energy.
- DDK Kabab and Grill in Sugar Land: Papri chaat, junagadhi kabab, beef nihari, and beef biryani are must-try dishes at this family-owned restaurant.
- Bundu Khan Kabab House in Northwest: They serve mostly grilled items that are cooked on charcoal for the smoky barbecue flavor. Some of the items I enjoy are chicken boti, beef bihari, and beef seekh kabab. All of these should be eaten with a paratha or naan (I recommend paratha!).
Stevie: Eating dim sum is an experience for gatherings large and small. The vast menu means there's something for everyone without having to overorder family-size portions, and no matter how often you go out for dim sum, there's always a dish with different flavors and textures that someone at the table hasn't tried yet. It's my favorite way of gathering, and serves as a great medium for people to join together and share a variety of small portions.
- With smaller gatherings, I enjoy going to Jade Garden in Missouri City, Regal Seafood House & Lounge in Sugar Land, Taste of Mulan Dumpling House in Midtown, or the newly opened Loy Loy Dim Sum that's located in the POST Market Food Hall in downtown.
Chris: I love hot soups, even on hot days. There is nothing more comforting than a steaming bowl of nourishing soup that's just one degree short of burning your mouth, and I have years-long obsessions with these options:
- Coco's Cafe in Sugar Land is a family-owned cafe serving Taiwanese comfort food and boba. I've been going there since they opened in the early 2000s — and almost every time, I've ordered the N15 combo (noodle soup with popcorn chicken). Their popcorn chicken is the best I've had outside of Taipei, and you can't go wrong with any of their soups, fried rice, and other appetizers.
- Old Place Cafe is a few doors down from Coco's. If you're familiar with the former Xiong's Cafe that was in Bellaire Asiatown, you're in luck — Old Place and Xiong's were sister cafes, and Old Place serves almost the same menu of Chinese comfort foods. I love the beef noodle soup in all seasons: the brown broth when it's chillier, and the clear broth at all other times. If you want dry noodles, try their zha jiang mian (Beijing fried sauce), served with ground pork and fresh shredded cucumber. I also enjoy their scallion pancakes and boiled dumplings (try the pork and cilantro).
- With locations in both Asiatown and Sugar Land, Jang Guem Tofu and BBQ is my go-to when I'm craving soup but don't need the noodles. The tofu soup is always bubbling hot, and you can choose your own adventure with the spice level and flavor profiles (from mushroom to beef curry — I like clams).
What we're looking forward to
Saleena: In Sugar Land, Alings Chinese Bistro is a Chinese Indian restaurant owned by a second-generation Chinese Indian family whose earlier generations had settled in India in the 1940s. The chef uses Indian ingredients which are sauteed in woks in a special sauce. Their Manchurian chicken and Szechwan noodles are must-tries!
Stevie: Lao and Thai cuisine! Thai cuisine has always been a mainstream option, but now there are various levels to enjoy — from elevated dining to fast casual — and each offers dishes that aren't your usual pad Thai or curry. Lao cuisine used to be available typically at cultural festivals or special events at temples, but now there are more Lao-inspired dishes and Lao restaurants appearing around the Greater Houston area.
- Makiin and Kin Dee are destinations with an elevated menu and beautiful presentations of traditional Thai dishes.
- Lao'D District, Sao Lao Thai Café, and Banh Somtum offer traditional and modern takes on Lao cuisine.
- Street Food Thai Market is an established neighborhood favorite to enjoy in the Heights.
Chris: Growing up, we'd often get weeknight takeout from Uncle Lee's Cafe in Mission Bend (just south of Alief) to enjoy classic Americanized dishes like mushu pork, beef with broccoli, and cashew chicken. Recently, we saw that the owners revamped their menu to include Xi'an dishes like you po che mian (oil splash noodles), cumin lamb, and Chinese hamburgers, so we're definitely checking it out soon.
Dishes that excite us
Saleena: Every Wednesday, DDK Kabab and Grill serves a special Burmese dish, khadi khawsay. It's made with chicken or beef, noodles, and coconut curry with various condiments like onions, lemon, cucumber, red chili flakes, and boiled egg. An absolute favorite on any Wednesday evening!
Stevie: All things Japanese! My taste palate is minimalist, and I enjoy sashimi or small noodle dishes (hot or cold) at various Japanese restaurants to gather intel on quality and fresh ingredients. One way for me to gauge a restaurant's approach and quality is to order gindara (miso-marinated black cod). It's a common dish on Japanese menus, and I like to see how differently it may taste from place to place.
- Nippon in Montrose is an established default for me, after the years I've spent nourishing my appetite there.
- Izakaya Wa on Memorial is similar to Nippon, when it comes to quick bites and fried and grilled skewers.
- Oishii near Greenway/Upper Kirby is another nostalgic favorite when I'm looking for a quick fix of essential sushi and sashimi pieces at an affordable price.
Chris: If you were stranded on a desert island, what one food could you eat for the rest of your life? When my cousins and I recently shared our "desert island" food choices, most of us agreed on Korean barbecue thanks to the variety of textures, flavor profiles, and cooking methods available in one sitting. There's no shortage of KBBQ places in Houston — I have a spreadsheet for the dizzying array of grill types, AYCE versus a la carte, and more — but a favorite is Seoul Garden in Spring Branch. It's old-school, and whether I'm with just my husband or a group of friends, I've only had a great time there.
Our wildcard recommendations
Saleena: Mai Colachi Restaurant, located in Sugar Land. Their colachi special soup is hot and sour soup with chicken, but with a South Asian flavor.
Stevie: When it comes to Korean food, many may think first of Korean barbecue, but Korean noodles are a great comfort food — whether their flavor and spice are hugging you like a fuzzy sweater in cold weather, or on a hot summer day when you're in the mood for something light or icy chilly. The unique preparation styles offer just the right blends of savory, fiery spice, tantalizing sweetness, and zesty tangs.
- Itaewon Pocha in Spring Branch has a dark yet cozy atmosphere that adds to the experience of dining out there. I recommend their kimchi pasta, rosé tteokbokki, or truffle jjangmyun.
- Manna Noodle House is a no-frills Spring Branch spot, reasonably priced with generous portions and quick service. Try their jjajangmyeon (black bean noodles), jjolmyeon (spicy chewy noodles with vegetables), or jjamppong (spicy seafood noodle soup).
- Dak & Bop recently moved back into their original location in the Museum District, and I couldn't be happier to have a quick-fix option for all things Korean bar food. While they have a variety of hearty appetizers, sandwiches, and Korean fried chicken, their japchae (mixed vegetables and sweet potato noodles) or budaejigae (army stew) noodle menu items are great to try when you want something filling but not too heavy.
Chris: In the context of food, "fusion" is a loaded word, but Da Gama embodies the concept in a way I can enjoy with a clear conscience and a full tummy. Nestled in the M-K-T shopping district off North Shepherd, Da Gama is a Portuguese-Indian canteen by the couple who also own and operate Oporto Fooding House & Wine. I love Portuguese food and Indian food, and Da Gama's merging of the two is delightful whether you're up for brunch or dinner. While everything is delicious, one must-try is the queijo da gama (crusted baked goat cheese and neem tomato chutney on sourdough), which is available only at happy hour.
About APAH Month at Asia Society Texas
Beginning in 2021, Asia Society Texas has celebrated Asian Pacific American Heritage Month with the Houston community and beyond through a curated calendar of events for 31 ways to celebrate over the 31 days of May. Spotlighting the traditions, talents, and contributions of Asians and Asian Americans, the calendar highlights the month's key Asia Society programming, providing a platform to showcase local artists, performers, educators, and leaders who contribute to the vibrant, multicultural tapestry of Houston while also featuring staff recommendations for our favorite music, books, movies, and more by Asian and Asian American creatives.
At Asia Society Texas, APAH Month is an opportunity to celebrate and honor Asians and Asian Americans and to uplift their stories to a broader audience as part of our goal to inspire our larger community to better understand one another through culture, conversation, and connection. For information about sponsoring APAH Month and other projects like this one, please contact Saleena Jafry at [email protected] or 713.496.9939.
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Sponsors of APAH Month
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APAH Month 2024 Calendar
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Past APAH Month Calendars
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2021: Details
About Asia Society Texas
Asia Society Texas believes in the strength and beauty of diverse perspectives and people. As an educational institution, we advance cultural exchange by celebrating the vibrant diversity of Asia, inspiring empathy, and fostering a better understanding of our interconnected world. Spanning the fields of arts, business, culture, education, and policy, our programming is rooted in the educational and cultural development of our community — trusting in the power of art, dialogue, and ideas to combat bias and build a more inclusive society.
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