Although this neighborhood’s not far from a couple of great, mostly take-out Middle Eastern joints, Alborz is the rare somewhat-elegant dinner option. It makes the usual strip-mall stabs at upscale: white tablecloths, windows swathed in wine-colored drapery, lots of (fake) plants, twinkling lights, Persian music, and belly dancing on Friday and Saturday nights. But Iranian travel posters and a few knick-knacks bring it solidly back into the realm of the neighborhood ethnic restaurant.

The à-la-carte menu is best left to… [More]

Austin’s Vietnamese scene may have nothin’ on Houston, but bland, too-brightly lit strip-mall spots like this one make us feel like cultural millionaires. Numerous attempts to get the friendly, much-loved owner to reveal the source for her superior baguettes—only Baguette House farther up Lamar comes close to these—have gone unsuccessful. Enjoy the mystery as you bite into a flaky, crisp crust that yields soft innards smeared with a little lard, pâté, pickled vegetables, gently nipping jalapeño, and cilantro. You can… [More]