(From June 2008) Wall-to-wall TVs ensure you won’t miss a single sporting event, and patio seating is available for those who like to people-watch. Yes, they have wings (bone in or bone out), as well as “frings” (fried onion strings) and hand-cut fries. For the heartier appetite, there’s a vegetable panini with roasted onions, squash, peppers, and mushrooms and a massive half-pound burger complete with bacon and blue cheese crumbles. Bar.

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(From January 2008) This Brazilian-inspired sandwich shop with spare wooden tables, bright-yellow walls, and blond-stained particleboard paneling offers a nice lunchtime respite. Though the broccoli-cheese soup was bland and thick, the grilled misto tudo sandwich with sliced ham, hearts of palm, green olives, and gooey mozzarella was fabulous. Be sure to order a side of pecan-wood smoked salsa for your chips. This sensational condiment is more than worth the extra 85 cents you’ll be charged for it.

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(From April 2008) Friday evening visitors to this institution know to expect not only world-class art but also live music and a light dinner buffet at the usually lunch-only restaurant. We started with a hearty mushroom chowder, which paired nicely with the roasted garlic quiche, then shared a warm vegetable torte and quesadillas with caramelized onion and red bell pepper. Beer & wine.

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(From June 2008) Menu surprise: Extremely hot hot links. Seriously.
There’s always a line at this clapboard take-out shack. Plump, pink pork ribs, cooked over post oak in a steel pit for two and a half hours, were irresistible. Smoky brisket was fall-apart tender. Commercially made beef-and-pork links tasted decidedly uncommercial. The sauce was tangy, good for dipping ribs and links. The sole sides were mustardy potato salad and saucy beans, both made with care.

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(From August 2007) This East Texas staple is a three-in-one, boasting not just a restaurant but also a meat market and, surprisingly, a pretty good bakery. The portions are ginormous, and no matter what you order (steak, chicken-fried steak, chicken), you’ll get the flavorful beans gratis. The hamburgers are a local legend, and desserts, especially the petits fours, are irresistible.

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(From November 2008) The eclectic 24/7 diner now has a branch on Lemmon, and thankfully, nearly everything has carried over. (Well, there are a few upgrades, including larger tables and a patio.) Late-night noshers will be pleased to find an array of salads, sandwiches, and vegetarian options, many of a decidedly Tex-Mex bent. And, of course, the ubiquitous laptop crowd will be partaking in free Wi-Fi and bottomless mugs from Buzzbrews’ signature coffee bar.

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(From April 2008) The flavors of the Yucatán sizzle at this bright cantina. Generous portions of chiles rellenos, spicy fajitas, and fork-tender carnitas are served up fresh and hot. The shrimp nachos are stellar: crispy chips piled high with grilled shrimp, bell peppers, and a light queso. The fried banana is a must; wrapped in a flour tortilla, it’s deep-fried, glazed with cinnamon sugar, topped with whipped cream, and drizzled with chocolate and strawberry sauces. Bar.

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(From November 2007) Throw caution to the wind and order the sampler plate at this airy strip-mall spot, where the menu is inspired by the isle of Trinidad. You’ll find a mélange of treats including stewed oxtail, curried goat and beef, and jerk chicken. Be sure to try the sorrel iced tea, a lovely blend including steeped hibiscus leaves and ginger. Likewise a piece of cassava pone, grated yucca root mixed with coconut—an island brownie.

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(From June 2008) Complaint: Our stomachs weren’t bigger.
There’s no sign (Hurricane Rita blew it down), but smoke and smell help you find this small (three tables), immaculate, wood-frame building just off U.S. 69. The name is no joke. A three-meat plate held half a pound of lean, melt-in-your-mouth brisket, smoked thirteen hours over red oak in the iron pit; four intensely flavored pork ribs with a crunchy glaze; and four coarse, medium-spicy beef links made by pitmaster Arthur Yarbough (they hang for twenty hours in a closetlike smokehouse within the pit room).

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(From July 2008) True, it’s not your all-American hot dog, but we think the hot pastrami sandwich at Carshon’s is an equally patriotic way to celebrate the Fourth. Followed by a slice of chocolate meringue pie, it’s a perfect all-season lunch. Beer & wine.

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