The Best Dishes Eater Houston Ate in September
September in Houston brought beefy ribs, the most decadent empanadas, and a can’t-miss Nigerian staple
There are more than 12,000 restaurants in Houston. With at least 145 languages spoken across town and communities bringing compelling fare from regions like south Louisiana, the West Coast, and countries like Mexico, Syria, and the Philippines, there’s no shortage of outstanding food in Space City. Check back monthly to see the best things Eater Houston’s editor ate this month.
Crab bisque from Dominick Lee
Ahead of the anticipated opening of his restaurant Augustine’s, which is slated to open sometime early next year, chef Dominick Lee has been collaborating with restaurants around town to give a small preview of what’s to come. The New Orleans native recently teamed up with Aaron Bludorn’s Navy Blue for a creative dinner that revealed dishes packed with flavors, including pork muffuletta punctuated with crispy bits of cracklin’ and a take on Lee’s grandmother’s okra stew with a crispy crown of fried oktra that seemed to have a nearby diner hypnotized. The crab bisque, however, was Eater Houston’s personal favorite — a lovely balance of spice and warmth with black garlic sambal, heirloom tomatoes and peppers, hand-rolled fregola, and a dash of dill. It’s a soup you’d want to eat throughout the fall (or anytime, really). The take-home bags of beignets, which still tasted fresh the next day, were also a fun treat.
The curry beef rib from Blood Bros. BBQ
On Tuesday, September 24, dozens of diners and chefs gathered at Phat Eatery in Katy to celebrate the life of beloved chef Alex Au-Yeung on his birthday. Au-Yeung passed away in March after a brief battle with cancer. The multi-course meal, spearheaded by close friends and chefs within the industry, included some of Au-Yeung’s favorite snacks and newer interpretations, including Blood Bros BBQ’s massive, fall-of-the-bone beef rib, which was drenched in Phat’s special slightly sweet Malaysian coconut curry infused with Chinese five spice, clove, and cinnamon made specifically for the event. It was a touching, very smoky, very Houston tribute.
Brittany Britto Garley
The dry-aged duck at Bludorn
A re-exploration of Bludorn — on prime rib night, no less — yielded a reminder of why this is one of Houston’s most beloved restaurants. The prime rib was tender and incredibly smoky, but the dry-aged duck, topped with benne seeds and foie gras jus and served with rice pilaf and liver mousse sorghum, truly stole the show.
Brittany Britto Garley
Empanadas de papas at Belly of the Beast
It’s understandable why this contemporary and creative Mexican restaurant’s empanadas have a cult following. Chef Thomas Bille’s hand pies come out piping hot, filled with a silky, gooey potato and rich comte cheese filling that tastes incredibly decadent. A side of creme fraiche, Kaluga caviar, and chives offers a refreshing, creamy sauce for dunking. It’s unreal.
Labneh with charred tomato and the sea bass at Rumi’s Kitchen
At Rumi’s, the server led Eater Houston with suggestions of must-try dishes on the menu. While tomatoes and strained yogurt don’t typically seem like a mind-blowing combination, this simple concoction of labneh topped with charred tomatoes, salt, lemon, chili urfa, and a basil puree, was one of the most flavorful and memorable dishes of the night. Rumi’s buttery, grilled seabass, a close second, was another dish we were still discussing once dinner was over.
Brittany Britto Garley
Polo Club Suya at ChòpnBlọk
A preview of this West African restaurant’s first standalone restaurant, which opens in Montrose on Tuesday, October 1, stunned from beginning to end with red beef stew and flavorful curry bowls served with rice and plantains. The suya was almost breathtaking. Served as an appetizer, these beefy skewers delivered a slight sweetness with a perfect char and a bonus of pickled red onions and traditional yaji peanut pepper spice that added even more flavor and texture to this bite.
Brittany Britto Garley
