Where to Eat Right Now

Where to Eat Right Now: 10 new restaurants for September — including summer's best newcomer

After a month-long binge of mostly eating at restaurants that participate in Houston Restaurants Weeks, the time has come for the city's diners to turn their attention back to new places. Despite August's reputation for being slow for non-HRW spots, it proved to be a fruitful one for new restaurants. Maybe they appreciated the opportunity to work out a few kinks before the crowds descend. The relative lull also allowed me to catch up on a couple of spots I missed when they first opened.

This month's guide offers a range of tempting options. It includes a new arrival that's bringing a Texas twist to the regional trend of ambitious Southern restaurants, a new beginning for celebrity chef Bradley Ogden's Houston efforts and a dual concept seafood restaurant that has the Heights buzzing. Mix in a Clear Lake coffee shop that makes chocolate bars to order, and September should have enough choices for just about everyone.

As always, the following restaurants are roughly ordered by how important it is I think you try them, but all of them have some worthy aspect that merits attention.

Southern Goods
After three visits, including one where five of us ate our way through 12 of the 15 dishes on Southern Goods's menu, I am ready to call it. Charles Bishop and Lyle Bento's new restaurant on 19th Street is the best restaurant to open in Houston this summer and will be considered one of the five best restaurants to open in 2015, period.

Bento, along with chef de cuisine JD Woodward and sous chef Patrick Feges, brings the same playful sense of experimentation that all three chefs honed during their respective stints at Underbelly to a menu that's more explicitly Southern (hey there, collard greens) while still being modern and diverse. In keeping with the spirit of the South, the restaurant makes good use of its fryer for dishes like pickled okra, pork cracklings and a shrimp and grits croquette, but the kitchen also serves up more delicate fare like triple cream brie wrapped in phyllo and served with peaches or a cucumber and tomato salad with with deviled egg (and bacon).

Best of all, the restaurant puts its smoker to good use. Beef belly burnt ends are smoky, fatty like well-rendered brisket but also delivered a satisfying crunch. Braised smoked beef leg is a more delicate dish but still utterly craveable. Only the pig wings, a glazed and smoked pork shank, suffered by being a little underdone.

For dessert, the bourbon balls live up to their name — lots of boozy kick with just the right amount of sweetness. House cocktails that are priced at a reasonable $10 and a well-chosen selection of craft beer add to the many reasons I'll be back for another visit soon.

Pour Society
This new gastropub may be chef Bradley Ogden's latest Houston venture (joining Bradley's Fine Diner and Funky Chicken), but it has a definite Texas accent thanks to the work of chefs Greg Lowry (ex-Triniti) and Matthew Lovelace (ex-Osteria Mazzantini, Paul's Kitchen). The menu's mix of Southern, Asian and Mexican flavors should appeal to Houstonians' palates, while the wide selection of craft beers and draft cocktails gives the restaurant a beverage selection that sets it apart from the other places in Gateway Memorial City. Overall, the concept works with the same ideas that have made Hay Merchant so successful (with the addition of cocktails); it should be a valuable addition to the area, especially when all 17 TVs are fired up and showing football.

Highlights include the Pour'k Burger made with a custom mix of meat from Black Hill Farms, bacon jam and pimento cheese, the Texas Banh Mi made with chicken and chicken liver mousse and creme brulee banana pudding.

Saltillo Mexican Kitchen
Fans of La Casa del Caballo, rejoice! Owner Carlos Abedrop has a new home in Bellaire next to Genesis Steakhouse. At only about 60 seats, the new Saltillo is significantly smaller than Casa del Caballo, but that just means it's more intimate and welcoming. The menu preserves favorites from the old location like the spicy shrimp cocktail, Saltillo enchiladas and signature whole ribeye cap — a four-plus pound, $190 slab of beef that can easily feed six — while also introducing new chicken, seafood and vegetable dishes.

Less than a week in, Saltillo seems to have picked up where Casa del Caballo left off; our steak arrived properly medium rare, and a new mushroom salad benefitted from being lightly dressed with a vinaigrette. Thankfully, enchiladas in mole are still among the best in Houston, and, at $11 for three, an excellent value.

The Rollin' Kitchen
Typically, new food trucks show up a little farther down the list, but The Rolling Kitchen isn't just another kitchen on wheels. It features a menu of Cajun classics created by chef Mike McElroy; his resume includes legendary New Orleans restaurant (and Brennan's of Houston sibling) Commander's Palace as well as well-received stints at D&T Drive Inn and Prohibition. McElroy brings a chef touch to the dishes, which means everything is seasoned properly and nothing comes from a Sysco bag (or the freezer section of an Asian grocery store). In what is probably a quixotic effort, the truck even serves a salad.

When I visited it recently at Wooster's Garden, shrimp etouffee had enough black pepper heat to make additional Tabasco unnecessary, and a side of charcuterie, made at sibling restaurant Paul's Kitchen, had a delicate balance of porky deliciousness. I will certainly be back to sample the lavender-smoked chicken muffaletta and a french fry po' boy.

Black & White
The former Stella Sola/Bedford space has a new tenant for the first time in three years thanks to this dual-concept restaurant. The casual white label half features shareable, Mexican style seafood dishes like fish tacos, ceviche and tostadas. Over on the black label side, Spanish chef Enrique Gaya brings his experience cooking in Michelin-starred restaurants to a more upscale affair that blends Italian, French and Spanish flavors. True to its symbol, the restaurant has a deft touch with both raw and cooked octopus dishes. Perhaps the most difficult problem will be limiting diners to either the black or white menu.

Witchcraft Tavern & Provision Co.
Ken Bridge's craft beer and burger concept has been given a new focus on small plates and cocktails. Fans of chef Jordan Asher's work at Dosi will recognize much of what he's accomplished here: dishes like the Vietnamese crab pancake, Gulf shrimp kimchi and Korean fried quail seem straight off the Dosi menu. Still, Asher is a chef of many talents, particularly when it comes to vegetables. Dishes like sweet pea toast, carrot spring rolls and sunchoke fries tossed in sorghum vinegar have enough flavor and texture to convince all but the most dedicated carnivore to eat her vegetables. On the cocktail side, The 7th Ward's mixture of bourbon and chartreuse gets just enough heat from its Scotch bonnet tincture to be compelling from the first sip to the last.

Barbazaar
This Clear Lake coffee shop features a clean, modern look that sets it apart from the national chains. Both the food and beverage options are a step up, too: coffee beans are roasted on site (under the direction of Greenway Coffee veteran Michelle Dinh), craft beer and wine are available and the food offerings include sweet and savory breakfast and lunch options. I would have preferred a little more Melange-style crunch to my banana nutella crepe, but the flat white I sampled would be well-received in any Montrose spot. Next time, I'll sample one of the savory sandwiches and take home a custom chocolate bars that's available with a diner's choice of toppings and are ready in 10 minutes thank to a blast chiller.

Tapester's Grill
No one thinks of Meyerland as a culinary destination (although Bellaire is clearly improving), but it has a solid new arrival in Tapester Grill. Located directly across from Congregation Beth Yeshurun, owner John Taper brings his experiences from the Tasting Room and Max's Wine Dive to this casual neighborhood spot. The menu keeps things classic with a family-friendly mix of burgers, salads and Texas favorites like chicken fried steak. The CFS is solid: crispy on the outside, topped with respectable gravy and served with a massive side of creamy mashed potatoes. Beer and wine options are pretty limited, but, like the food, everything is reasonable priced. Katz Coffee and giant cinnamon rolls in the morning make it the perfect place for moms to stop by for a splurge after dropping the kids off for school.

Blaze Pizza
The latest "Chipotle of pizza" contender to arrive in Houston is this California-based franchise that counts NBA superstar Lebron James as one of its investors. The recipe is simple: choose your crust (regular or gluten free), cheese, sauce and toppings then wait a few minutes while the pizza bakes in a gas-fired oven. No matter how many toppings a person chooses to pile on — remember, when it comes to pizza, less really is more — the price is the same (about $8). At 11-inches in diameter, the pies are big enough to be a filling meal for one despite their thin crust; those seeking to have leftovers should probably mix in one of the available salads. Overall, the experiences rates a little better than delivery thanks to the freshness of the toppings and a little char on the crust, but Pizaro's, Coltivare and other high-quality local options don't have anything to worry about.

PDQ
Speaking of national chains that are pushing into the Houston market, this fast casual restaurant that specializes in chicken tenders will soon add a Spring Branch location to the two suburban outposts its already opened since July. While most people might not share Eater editor Helen Rosner's contention that chicken tenders are a perfect food (read it now, thank me later), PDQ's take on the classic is a good one. On a semi-busy Saturday night, my tenders arrived quickly, hot and crispy from the fryer. Sure, they're pretty mildly seasoned, but that's what the sauces are for. Even if I'm not willing to give up my occasional Raising Cane's cravings for it, PDQ (allegedly "people delivering quality") didn't grow to 40-plus outlets across the South without knowing how to give people what they want.

Want more recommendations? Check out the picks from August, July, June and May.

Carrot salad at Pour Society.

Photo by Jack Thompson

Carrot salad at Pour Society.

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eat real food

Houston DJ-turned-TikTok star cooks up a cult following one recipe at a time

Courtesy of Uncle Dibbz

Uncle Dibbz, a.k.a. A.H. Bowden, has built a devoted following for his viral recipes.

For the past month, Uncle Dibbz has been, shall we say, going ham on social media with the myriad videos of alternative Thanksgiving dishes. He’s dropped how-to clips for such recipes as Cajun-roasted turkey, honey-baked ham/hens, oven-bag turkey, and six-piece fried turkey (to go). Basically, if you don’t want to cook a bland ol’ Butterball this Turkey Day, Dibbz has you covered.

Who is Dibbz, you say? Well, he’s a North Jersey-born, Georgia-bred, Houston-based chef who’s been building quite the foodie rep online. Several videos across his TikTok, Instagram and YouTube pages, from his Cajun-boiled fried chicken (2 million on IG) to his “Propose to Me Pasta” (12.3 million on TikTok), has amassed millions of views. But Dibbz (government name: A.H. Bowden) wasn’t always a culinary content creator. He used to spin music back in Atlanta as DJ DiBiase, named after retired wrestler Ted “The Million Dollar Man” DiBiase. “DiBiase is a mouthful to say, so people just always call me ‘D’ or ‘Dibbz’ for short,” says Bowden, 37, during a Zoom interview.

@uncledibbz PROPOSE To Me PASTA 💍 🍝 Trust your Uncle! This SEAFOOD Pasta will seal the deal 👌🏽 Get my recipe below ⬇️ or on uncledibbz.com [@uncledibbz Link in Bio] 🌐 **Ingredients:** - 8 ounces spaghetti - 1 lb mixed seafood (shrimp, scallops, crab meat, etc.) - 2 tablespoons olive oil - Fresh chopped basil - 2 cloves garlic, minced - 1/2 cup white wine - 1/4 cup heavy cream - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter - Salt and pepper to taste - Uncle Dibbz Delta Dust [link in bio] - Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish) - Grated Parmesan cheese (for garnish) **Instructions:** 1. Cook the spaghetti pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside. 2. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the minced garlic, chopped basil and sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant. 3. Add the mixed seafood to the skillet. Season with Uncle Dibbz Delta Dust to taste and cook for 2-3 minutes until cooked through. Remove the seafood from the skillet and set aside. 4. Pour in the white wine to the skillet and let it simmer for 2 minutes, allowing the alcohol to cook off. 5. Stir in the heavy cream, butter, Uncle Dibbz Delta Dust seasoning, salt, and pepper. Cook for another 2-3 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly. 6. Add the cooked spaghetti and cooked mixed seafood to the skillet. Toss everything together until well coated with the sauce. 7. Remove from heat and garnish with fresh parsley and grated Parmesan cheese. 8. Serve hot and enjoy the flavorful Seafood Spaghetti. That's good Shawty! #UncleDibbz #ThatsGoodShawty #Pasta #marryme #proposal #bride #wife #husband #relationshipgoals #datenight #easyrecipe #seafood #cajun #cooking #fyp #foryou #viral #houston ♬ original sound - Uncle Dibbz 🍴

He was making a nice living as a DJ, even serving as rapper Big K.R.I.T.’s touring DJ for a while. But when the pandemic hit, the gigs obviously dried up.

“I was living in Miami at the time,” he says. “And, you know, when you have a lot of time on your hands to think – but also need to figure out a way to, you know, sustain an income and everything like that – the ideas start coming,”

Like most DJs at that time, he was doing live mixes on Instagram. But his days throwing cookout parties in Atlanta inspired him to start doing his cooking videos, where he used his very own seasoning. Of course, he had a lemon pepper blend, which he used in a lemon pepper hot wings video that currently has over a half-million views on TikTok.

“I'm about to go live to DJ later that night, and my phone was just going off with orders,” he recalls. “So I'm like, where are these orders coming from? And it's not from my friends. I'm seeing the cities and the states. I don't know these people.”

Thanks to his videos, which usually end with him saying his signature line “That’s good shawty!” (that’s also the name of his cookbook he released last year), Dibbz went into the seasoning business full time. He eventually hired another person to help send out the piles of orders he was receiving.

He even got an order from former Dallas Cowboy Emmitt Smith, one of his favorite athletes. “I remember doing a book report on him when I was in fourth grade,” he boasts.

Although Dibbz has a flair for making meals that border on decadent, he’s an ardent practitioner of cooking with natural ingredients, especially in his seasoning. He has several low-sodium seasoning, including Bebe’s Salt Free – named after his mother, who had open-heart surgery a few weeks before the pandemic started.

“I don't think a lot of people understand the amount of toxins and chemicals that go into a lot of these seasonings,” he says. “You're starting to see it in the news now. A lot of the foods with certain dyes are being taken off the shelves and things like that.’

Soon, Dibbz moved himself and his new business to Houston, a favorite place to perform as well as a town whose hip-hop got him into music. He cites local chopped-and-screwed gods DJ Screw, Michael 5000 Watts, and OG Ron C as his holy trinity of influences. To give props to the music of his new home, he created a hot sauce – called HXT Sauce – whose uncharacteristically large bottle resembles Promethazine cough syrup (aka the key ingredient in lean, the preferred purple cocktail for the city’s rap community).

“It's not necessarily about promoting that usage,” he says. “But, at the same time, it’s just a homage to one of the factors and influences of screwed-and-chopped music.”

Dibbz still indulges in spinning records from time to time. The Waxaholics’ DJ Big Reeks has gotten him to break out the vinyl a few times during his Thursday-night sets at Alley Kat Bar & Lounge in Midtown. But creating new recipes, dropping delicious content and proving you can eat and live in a hearty, healthy fashion still remains his full-time mission.

“I’m not just talking about eating cauliflower rice all day and every day, but just eat real food,” he says. “We're eating fake food. That's the bottom line. We're eating fake food and my whole purpose is to inspire people to eat real food and that starts with real ingredients, real herbs, you know – real natural seasonings.”

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