Inside My Table #79 | Restaurant listings
Dining on the West Side
The dining options on the traditional West Side of Houston—defined for purposes of this article as being bounded by Beltway 8 on the east and Highway 6 on the west, Westheimer on the south and Interstate 10/Katy Freeway on the north—have improved greatly in recent years, as the area has become both more diverse and more prosperous. It’s no surprise that the lofty price of oil fueling the pockets of many Energy Corridor corporations and their employees has fostered an increase in the dining options. A few top-tier restaurants have been area favorites for years. More recently, these have been joined by many terrific ethnic spots. Below is our list of the best restaurants on the west side.
AKA JAPANESE CUISINE, 1460 Eldridge Parkway bet. Westheimer & Memorial, 281-558-8900. Aka—the name means “red” in Japanese—serves innovative sushi and other well-made Japanese fare in an attractive setting near a pretty stretch of Eldridge Parkway. In fact, with its carved doors, waterfall entrance and spare interior, Aka is one of the best-looking stops for sushi in Houston. As with so many sushi bars these days, the chef’s special rolls can get a little bizarre. We suggest you stick with the classics. $$-$$
ASHIANA, 12610 Briar Forest at Dairy Ashford, 281-679-5555. Ashiana is still an excellent stop for Indian food even after its well-regarded former owner sold the place and opened her own eponymous restaurant inside The Loop. With well-crafted Southern Indian, Northern Indian and more innovative fare (such as lamb chop masala), it seems to appeal to both serious and casual Indian food fans. Ashiana also sports a very good wine list, a legacy—again—of its former owner. $$
BISTRO LE CEP, 11112 Westheimer near Wilcrest, 713-783-3985. Joe Mannke, who ran the well-loved and now-closed Rotisserie for Beef & Bird for many years, downsized when he created this smaller restaurant a block away. Here he serves well-honed rustic French fare, such as pate de canard, poisson meuniere, coq au vin, pot-roasted rabbit, steak au poivre and tarte tatin, all executed in fine fashion. Nice wine list, too. $$-$$$
BISTRO PROVENCE, 13616 Memorial bet. Wilcrest & Kirkwood, 713-827-8008. Robust Provencale classics (e.g. bouillabaisse, confit de lapin, pizza), complementary chewy rustic bread that’s tough to resist, French owners and an unpretentious, cozy atmosphere welcome diners at this small restaurant that is a charming southern Gallic outpost. Jean Philippe Guy, son of Georges Guy (the legendary Chez Georges) is the owner/operator. $$
BRENNER’S STEAK HOUSE, 10911 Katy Freeway bet. Beltway 8 & Wilcrest, 713-465-2901. Originally opened near the Old Katy Road in 1936, Brenner’s has been updated over the years, if not as much as the roaring freeway outside the front door. Concerns over the Landry group’s purchase of this venerable restaurant have long since abated, and the place is probably better than ever; it’s certainly more attractive. The biggest draws are the wet-aged USDA Prime steaks and that traditional Brenner’s accompaniment, fried German potatoes. $$$
CAFE BENEDICTE, 15455 Memorial bet. Eldridge Parkway & Highway 6, 281-558-6607. With a menu that would be typical in Marseille, Cafe Benedicte features broadly Mediterranean fare bolstered by some American beef-hearty dishes to further appeal to the burghers and globe-trotting energy-industry workers of West Memorial. In an airy and comfortable setting, there are pastas, grilled items such as tuna and swordfish, plus Greek, Spanish and North African recipes. Good to note, it’s owned by the same family that runs Lynn’s. $$-$$$
CAFE CASPIAN, 12126 Westheimer bet. Kirkwood & Dairy Ashford, 281-493-4000. Cafe Caspian serves hearty grilled-meat-centric Persian food that will have a pleasing familiarity to most diners. Occupying a surprisingly attractive space in an otherwise undistinguished strip center in West Houston, the handsome interior is highlighted by the ceilings, which are painted light blue and white to mimic clouds in the sky. This is a pleasant restaurant with well-made food and proficient service. $$
CARMELO’S, 14795 Memorial Drive west of Dairy Ashford, 281-531-0696. The Sicilian-infused Continental and Italian-American dishes can be quite satisfying here. Much of the menu and presentation follow a time-worn model, but the kitchen is very adept and can shine with its more soulful Southern Italian creations. At its best it can seem like a fine ristorante in owner Carmelo Mauro’s native Sicily, with well-executed preparations of grilled veal tenderloin and seafood risotto. $$$
JIMMY WILSON’S SEAFOOD & CHOP HOUSE, 12109 Westheimer bet. Kirkwood & Dairy Ashford, 281-497-1110. In 2006 owner Denis Wilson bought back this original location of his namesake seafood restaurant (but not its name), which has delighted Houston’s west side since 1988. The fare is South Louisiana-style cooking, much more Cajun than Creole. Etouffee, shrimp Creole, crab meat saute and the fried seafood platters are done well here, but the best way to go is to get the fish filet of the day, sauteed, broiled or blackened. $$-$$$
LE MISTRAL, 1420 Eldridge Parkway bet. Westheimer & Memorial, 832-379-8322. Brothers Sylvain and David Denis have built a remarkably successful French outpost here. In fact, they are in the process of erecting a fairly grand, new stand-alone restaurant near this original location. With well-prepared dishes like escargot, seared foie gras, sauteed skate filet, steak au poivre made with a ribeye and red snapper cooked in parchment paper, Le Mistral has become a destination restaurant for more than just the locals. $$-$$$
LYNN’S STEAKHOUSE, 955 Dairy Ashford slightly south of I-10, 281-870-0807. It’s located in an uninspired suburban business center and the decor is faded, but homegrown Lynn’s is one of the best steakhouses in the area. They serve dry-aged USDA Prime steaks, high quality salads and sides. The French homeland of the owners is most evident with starters such as escargot, foie gras and French onion soup. The food is complemented by one of the best wine lists in the city—it boasts more than 900 selections. $$$
PIATTO RISTORANTE, 11693 Westheimer at Royal Oaks, 281-759-7500. John Marion Carrabba’s second outpost near the Royal Oaks subdivision is always humming during lunch to a crowd appreciative of his familiar and well prepared Southern Italian-American cooking. The lightly breaded and fried asparagus served with crab meat and plenty of lemon butter is the must-order starter. Also recommended: grilled chicken breast topped with goat cheese, the hefty veal chop and good pizzas. $$
RIOJA, 11920 Westheimer at Kirkwood, 713-249-1727. Occupying the former space of favorite Chez Georges (which moved intown), Rioja has been a very welcome replacement. Serving an array of tapas, including grilled sardines and Serrano ham, excellent paella and a fine selection of the continually improving and diverse array of Spanish wines, Rioja is the city’s best Spanish restaurant. There’s live music and dancing on the weekends and occasional flamenco nights. $$-$$$
SYLVIA’S ENCHILADA KITCHEN, 12637 Westheimer at Dairy Ashford, 281-679-8300. Since moving to larger, nicer and louder digs several years ago, Sylvia’s Enchilada Kitchen has continued to serve its Rio Grande Valley-style Tex-Mex in an affable and family-friendly atmosphere. It’s tough not to like this hard-working place. Enchiladas are a specialty, of course, and owner Sylvia Casares-Copeland does many versions quite well here. $-$$
