6 Iconic Dishes You Should Try When Visiting Houston

[word smith davis]

LeeMNichols

Home to 10,000 eateries from humble to haute, the Lone Star State's biggest city has in recent years been evolving into a foodie powerhouse, fueled by the addition of multicultural cuisines from 70 countries to its traditional base of good old Southern cooking (with lots of things drenched in gravy and cheese) and mucho Tex-Mex. So when in Houston, here are the top seven most iconic dishes to look for in 2020:

Barbecued Brisket

Arguably, when it comes to chowing down, brisket is king in Houston. Many local chefs have their own take on it, but all are based on a good-quality cut of untrimmed brisket with a good sheath of fat (necessary for keeping the meat moist after cooking). Then they apply a salt-and-pepper rub, fry it in a pan, and finish it off in a smoker or charcoal grill The result is a beef dish with a meltingly tender finish and glistering rendered fat that for BBQ aficionados is nothing short of heaven.

Chicken-fried Steak

As old-school Southern as it gets, this dish (top) starts with good-quality, tenderized cube steak, coated with seasoned breadcrumbs, pan fried, then served doused with milk gravy and cracked black pepper; sometimes the gravy comes in variants, like chipotle cream - which brings us to the Tex-Mex side of things...

Breakfast Tacos

Texas was of course originally part of Mexico, and Mexican-Americans are a significant portion of the city's population, so Tex-Mex cuisine is all over the place. So quite a few Houstonians of all ethnic groups start out their day with soft flour tacos (ideally handmade) plentifully stuffed with eggs, savory chorizo sausage, beans, and spicy salsas. Come join them!

Chile con Queso

Texas Monthly says that this Tex-Mex jalapeño cheese fondue (often called simply "queso") "might as well be its own food group in this state." Many of the local quesos are made with Velveeta processed yellow cheese, but there are also lots of variants, incorporating cheddar and other cheeses; brisket, chorizo, and other meats; olives; salsa; even guacamole. All of course served with fresh, crunchy tortilla chips. Ándale!

Tamales

The third major Tex-Mex staple is a reflection of the tamales from across the Mexican border in Nuevo León state - handrolled wedges of steamed, seasoned cornmeal stuffed with shredded pork and wrapped in corn husks (you can find variants, of course, as well, such as vegetarian or with beed. Eaten dipped in spicy red or even spicier green sauce, they're a hearty and filling treat, indeed.

Pho

Yep, that pho - Vietnam's national dish of beef or chicken noodle soup, available these days on menus in all over town. Here's where the multicultural kicks in, as Vietnamese and their restaurants have become a significant Houston presence starting after the Vietnam War ended in 1975. Some add silky, soft bone marrow to the already rich broth for an extra luxuriant touch. Slurp away!

And by the way, for a great, at-your-fingertips guide to the city's many sights and sites, check out The Traveling Asian's list of 37 things to do in Houston.