4 Houston Restaurants to Try This Weekend: April 18

The sexy waffle that you need in your life, a standout soufflé, and étouffée served in a way that, honestly, just makes sense

Eater Houston is trying something new. Each week, we’ll provide a trusty list of recommendations to answer the most pressing of questions: “Where should I eat?“ Here are four places to check out this weekend in Houston. And if you need ideas on where to drink, here’s our list of the hottest places to get cocktails in town.

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For the waffle of your dreams: Agnes and Sherman

250 West 19th Street, Heights

Chef Nick Wong’s Asian American diner just opened in the Heights, and Eater Houston already has some thoughts. I’ve tried some of the dishes firsthand, including the Crawfish Egg Foo Young, which brought me back to my childhood when my dad would often order a more traditional Chinese American version of this gravy-covered dish. I also enjoyed the al pastor fried rice and a wedge salad decorated with Chinese sausage and youtiao, Taiwanese doughnuts. And Wong’s scallion waffle.But, whoa. This golden, savory waffle with slices of scallions artfully seared into its crust is topped with a creamy sambal honey butter that adds a hint of irresistible sweetness.

What’s even more: It’s easy to fall in love with this waffle at first sight. Seeing Lisa Lee, Agnes and Sherman’s co-owner, and Wong’s college friend, break it apart and eat it with her hands only further solidified this. When I brought photos back to the Eater team, it was deemed a “sexy waffle,” and at least one colleague declared, “I need this waffle.” Speaking from firsthand experience: yes, you need this waffle.

For more on the food at Agnes and Sherman, read Eater Houston’s latest Inside the Dishes piece.

For a standout brunch that just happens to be vegan: Ginger Mule

449 West 19th Street, Suite C-200, Heights

I admit, I am incredibly late to this party. Ginger Mule opened in 2015, so this is not at all a discovery, but rather a reminder. When I stopped into this all-day vegan restaurant in the Heights on a Sunday morning, I was flabbergasted. The Juniper Medley is a great deal. For $23, it comes with two pancakes or two slices of French toast, an omelet of your choice (made with a base of Just Egg substitute), two soy sausage patties, and a bowl of fruit, plus salsa and guacamole on the side (and thankfully, the guac is not extra). The powdered sugar-topped Levain French toast had a great texture that held up well to the maple syrup, and the omelet, loaded with “mozzarella,” onions, spinach, and mushrooms, was filling and foolproof. I would have thought it was real eggs. I ordered a side of green juice, the Verde Poderoso, for $9, which was refreshing and well worth it. The vibe here was also excellent. I sat at the bar, where the friendly bartender also recommended the three breakfast tacos ($14), but the dining room and outdoor area, which features a patio and green space shared with other local businesses, was also bustling with people. It’s a fun brunch spot for the spring.

For étouffée like you’ve likely never had it before: Eunice

3737 Buffalo Speedway, Suite 100, Upper Kirby

This Cajun-Creole restaurant consistently impresses me with its cast-iron cornbread, which comes served with an ample amount of butter. While I should be discussing some of its more spring, seasonal dishes, like its refreshing tuna tartare, which is laced in a dreamy combination of miso, avocado, strawberries, and cilantro, the crawfish étouffée stopped me in my tracks. Chef Drake Leonards says this new riff on crawfish étouffée is a fun, but still familiar way to refresh a Louisiana classic in a way that doesn’t feel too far-fetched, and he’s right. Plating the creamy étouffée over homemade pasta instead of rice still made sense to my taste buds, and the fried shrimp à la Harry added great texture. Étouffée over rigatoni with fried shrimp? This might be my kryptonite.

The burger during this visit, made with meat ground in-house, also took me by surprise and immediately landed on Eater Houston’s best burgers list. More than that, though, the service is welcoming, and the patio, a separate, enclosed structure located just outside, is also gorgeous, and a fun way to take in this beautiful, breezy (but very temporary) Houston weather.

For the most stellar souffles: Leo’s River Oaks

2009 West Gray Street, # A, River Oaks

This newer River Oaks restaurant, which just earned Culturemap Houston’s Best New Restaurant title, has a lot going for it. The raw bar is stellar, with some of the freshest King crab. The steaks are excellent — go for the New York strip. The truffle anglotti is the dish, and the Old Fashioned selection (four of them!) is a fun way to switch things up, with at least one inspired by Elvis Presley. But let’s talk about the souffles. Diners with a sweet tooth, like me, might be in a conundrum when the server mentions that there’s a mille-feuille with caramelized apples, and not one, but two soufflés, coming in chocolate and orange-ginger. Order the orange-ginger soufflé. This dreamy, puffed-up dessert will come to your table, with a side of cream that’s poured tableside. Dig in with your spoon for an airy, heavenly bite of this pastry and cream, featuring a zing of ginger and a delightful citrus flavor. The size might be intimidating, but I’m here to tell you, you could finish this dessert solo, in one sitting. It’s that good.

Bonus: Think ahead and make it dinner and a movie by purchasing a ticket to a film at the next-door River Oaks Theater, which also offers a full menu that can be enjoyed in the theater (The soufflés, however, are not on that menu).