The best of Texas: Welcome escapes from all the noise
Top-notch restaurants in Texas are getting very, very loud, said Patricia Sharpe in Texas Monthly. While the Lone Star dining scene is “as delicious as it’s ever been,” diners seeking a great meal now must contend with the spread of self-styled “clubstaurants” —where music on the sound system is cranked to rowdy-saloon levels—and “vibe dining,” where dancing and live bands often join the mix. Happily, both trends, which stem from restaurateurs’ bid to survive by selling highmargin cocktails, can be sidestepped. My picks for Texas’ top new restaurants keep the focus on the food. Katami Houston Texas’ most exciting newcomer is the polished latest venture of Manabu “Hori” Horiuchi, a four-time James Beard Award nominee. “Predictably, the seafood is spectacularly fresh,” while Kagoshima wagyu and even choicer cuts address locals’ hunger for red meat. In some of Chef Hori’s most thrilling dishes, such as the foie gras PB&J on Japanese milk bread, “imagination is a key ingredient.” 2701 W. Dallas St. Le Margot Fort Worth “French is spoken with a Texas accent” at this fun fine-dining destination from restaurateur Felipe Armenta and former Top Chef judge Graham Elliot. Pink-crystal chandeliers and a floral-patterned cowhide wall covering set the mood for the menu’s playful mix of classic French (slow-cooked salmon with a buttery cabernet reduction) and cheeky Texas excess (a half-pound burger smothered in béchamel, brie, and Parmesan). 3150 S. Hulen St. Quarter Acre Dallas Toby Archibald’s cooking is hard to pin down. But at relaxed, beautiful Quarter Acre, the New Zealand–born chef proves he knows what he’s doing with unexpected dishes such as seaweed salad with smoked salmon and chicken-fried quail accompanied by a swipe of house-made blueberry jam. 2023 Greenville Ave.