From the checkerboard linoleum floor and the wall of cowboy hats to the menu of self-described “Texas cuisine,” the theme is impossible to miss at Wild Oats. (Previously located at the Houston Farmers Market, the restaurant moved to Witte Road in Spring Branch in early December 2023.) But don’t be fooled by the cowboy kitsch. The deft kitchen now under the direction of chef de cuisine Omar Munoz gives a subtly elevated spin to favorites like a fried catfish po’boy, puffy tacos, red snapper Veracruz, and fajitas. He’s kept favorites but added new dishes and lowered some prices. Perched at the bar, we started with steak tartare pumped up with shallots and serrano vinaigrette and topped with grated redneck cheddar cheese and chives. Our friend went for a fat sandwich—a po’boy bun stuffed with smoky jalapeño cheddar–beef sausage, caramelized onions, and sauerkraut. (Ranch-seasoned tater tots, perfectly crunchy and delicately light, made a fine side.) We were almost full by now, but the wood-grilled chicken—skin glazed to mahogany, sitting atop lovely soft-set cornbread and  classic Texas Caviar—was too good to miss. With details like mismatched dinnerware, the place has no shortage  of homey charm, and the natives are friendly (the bartender comped our shot glass of meaty chili, no beans, made with brisket and chuck and topped with grated cheese and Fritos). A “love letter to Texas” indeed.