Inside My Table #87 | Restaurant listings
The Great Southwest
Higher-end restaurants have found a sweet spot in Sugar Land and its surrounding enclaves. The population here booms with upper-middle-class families willing to spend a dime or two on dinner — or lunch, for that matter. Due in part to its affordable big houses and good public schools, the city of Sugar Land grew 158 percent in the last decade to about 82,000, according to the U.S. Census. The city’s median income is nearly $95,000 compared to roughly $37,000 in Houston. Restaurateurs are taking notice. Take Grimaldi’s Pizzeria, long deemed the “best pizza” in New York by the Zagat Survey. Its next pie hole is expected to open any moment. In Sugar Land.
AMICI, 16089 City Walk near US 59 and Hwy. 6, Sugar Land, 281-242-2800. Local palates mourning the loss of all but one Tony Vallone restaurant find comfort in the traditionally large and rich Italian entrees from owner Jeff Vallone, Tony’s son, and Bruce McMillian, Tony’s longtime executive chef. The pasta is consistently cooked al dente, and the bread is divine. More than 20 wines by the glass smartly accompany the entrees. Lively setting. $$$
AURA, 3340 FM 1092 Road bet. Cartwright & Hwy. 6, Missouri City, 281-403-2872. Food is the focus at this gem where French chef Frédéric Perrier infuses American cuisine with flavors from his native country. A set menu offers creations such as beef tenderloin with Cognac peppercorn sauce and pan-seared foie gras with apples and port wine caramel. Avoid culinary ennui with the chef’s delightful daily specials, but don’t miss a standard: truffled mac and cheese. $$$
BROOKSTREET BBQ, 1418 Hwy. 6 south of First Colony Blvd., Sugar Land, 281-313-4000 and 7232 Hwy. 6, Missouri City, 281-403-3050. No effort is wasted on frills here. It’s all about the barbecue. Meat platters include Carolina pork, sausage and ribs, and of course, you can put it all on a sandwich if you prefer. Either way, dive into those side dishes. Where else do you find crisp fried okra, yams and baked-potato casserole on one glorious menu? Bring an appetite. $
THE BURNING PEAR, 16090 City Walk near US 59 & Hwy. 6 in the Marriott Hotel, Sugar Land, 281-275-8400. Burning Pear offers a creative twist on locally grown and harvested fare that gives a splash of gourmet to down-home grub. Chicken-fried steak with smoked-tomato mash, green beans and gravy or the smoked porterhouse pork chops with poblano cheese grits please the hotel and hometown crowd. $$$
CUPCAKE CAFE, 16525 Lexington Blvd. near Austin Pkwy., Sugar Land, 281-242-2744. Big, moist, more-than-a-mouthful cupcakes are the obvious fare, but this bakery also serves a light lunch menu with homemade soups, salads, wraps and sandwiches. Still, it’s impossible to pass up that glass case of cupcakes. Try the “turtle”: chocolate cake stuffed with turtle cookie dough before baking, then finished with chocolate butter cream, chocolate sauce and pecans. $
FERNANDO’S LATIN CUISINE, 14135 Southwest Frwy. near Commerce Green Blvd., Sugar Land, 281-494-9087. Don’t be surprised if the owner greets you at the door, gets your wine and takes your order, too. The Ecuador-born Fernando Echeverria’s attention to detail is evident in this pan-Latin eatery that gets snaps for food, service and ambiance. Catch live music Thursday through Saturday, 7 to 10 pm. $$
JABOUR’S, 14019 Southwest Frwy. at Dairy Ashford/Sugar Creek, Sugar Land, 281-980-2130. Jody Jabour has worked in the restaurant business long enough to know what works: good food and solid service. Both are in play at his year-old namesake establishment, where chef Jason Jones puts original touches on classics like crabcakes, lobster bisque and steak. Fairly interesting wine list. $$$
JAPANEIRO’S SUSHI BISTRO AND LATIN GRILL, 2168 Texas Drive near US 59 & Hwy. 6, Sugar Land, 218-242-1121. It’s a curious marriage of Japanese and Latin flavors, but the flock of regular diners proves that it works. Tame rolls invite sushi neophytes, while wild combinations keep the adept coming back. Steamed dumplings tango with Peruvian ceviche, and fried red snapper dances with raw tuna on a menu so creative it will quench the most eclectic hunger. $$
JAZZ IT UP CAFE, 2899 Dulles bet. Cartwright & Hwy. 6, Missouri City, 866-812-5880. It’s like Grandma cooked for days and hired a band, too. Comfort food is king and smooth jazz rules in this new cafe (it opened in February) lined with plasma TVs. Diners choose from hot entrees like meatloaf and fried chicken. Then pile on the sides: green beans, gumbo, sweet-potato cornbread or candied yams, to name a few. Finish with pecan pie or good ol’ chocolate cake topped with live jazz on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. $
LA FONDA DONA MARIA, 13134 Dairy Ashford north of Highway 90-A, Sugar Land, 281-277-0338. It’s a shame this casual, family-owned Mexican cafe is often overshadowed by the nearby Pappasito’s. Once diners stumble upon this modest restaurant, they keep coming back for the steamy homemade tortillas, green enchiladas and refried beans that fans say are unmatched in these parts. Don’t allow the buffet to put you off. The dishes are fresh and authentic, and that includes breakfast. $
LIVE OAK GRILL, 12935 Dairy Ashford north of Highway 90-A, Sugar Land, 281-491-5253. If the line to order is long — as it often is — grab a cold beer from the trough in the middle of this self-service, back-country diner known for its juicy burgers (the mushroom version is a must), onion rings, picnic-table seating and century-old live oaks outside. Play a handful of country favorites at the nickel-per-song jukebox. $
OLIVES MARTINI BAR & GRILLE, 2268 Texas Dr. near US 59 and Hwy. 6, Sugar Land, 281-980-2823. The richly decorated dining room and bar fills up quickly, and the crowd often pours out onto sidewalk tables in front of this recently opened hot spot with more than 50 types of martinis and a small but interesting menu. Unwind after work with a drink and bacon-wrapped scallops, or end an evening with a nightcap and rich chocolate cake. $$
RIZZI’S PIZZERIA, 2865 Dulles bet. Cartwright & Hwy. 6, Missouri City, 281-208-1800. Everything is homemade here, from the pasta to the sauce to the dough, even the breading on the fried chicken. The Ohio family behind Rizzi’s has a 40-year history of cooking up Italian, and fans think it shows in the gooey lasagna with meatballs and made-to-order grinders on home-baked bread. $
VINEYARD ON THE SQUARE, 16135 City Walk near US 59 and Hwy. 6, Sugar Land, 281-277-1851. A unique concept combines a wine shop stocked with 250-plus bottles and a wine bar offering 48 vinos by the glass. Take advantage of tastes from many open wines that remain fresh with an Eno-Matic System. The menu offers small bites for a quiet lunch, light dinner or appetizers, and the atmosphere is ideal for heart-to-heart chats or casual conversation. $$
