The New York Times released its 2023 Restaurants List on Tuesday, and the 50 picks, which comprise the “places in the United States that we’re most excited about right now,” include four Texas businesses that showcase the diversity of the Lone Star State’s gastronomy.
Among them are two Mexican restaurants, a Malaysian food stall, and a southern eatery.
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Two of the Texas restaurants recognized, El Hidalguense and Gatlin’s Fins & Feathers, are beloved Houston locales.
New York Times food staff writer Priya Krishna described El Hidalguense this way: “If the giant vats of bubbling caldo de res don’t impress you, the indoor spit just might. Every day, whole goats are roasted, chopped and, if you want, slicked with a fiery chile paste, then served with charro beans and blanket-soft tortillas. This is the rustic cooking of Hidalgo, a state in central Mexico whose famously colorful houses are depicted on the restaurant’s sign and splashed onto the table decorations. Grab a big group, order several platters of meat and enjoy the kind of Mexican cooking that you can’t easily get elsewhere — and that’s saying something in Houston.”
Of Gatlin’s Fins & Feathers Krishna wrote: “The Gatlin family, which runs Gatlin’s BBQ, is well known in Houston for barbecued meats. But it’s also about to be known for biscuits — accordion-esque in their layers, redolent of butter. And plump and garlicky barbecue shrimp. And miraculously crispy fried catfish. The Gatlins have brought their Southern food chops and warm-hug hospitality to their newest restaurant, Gatlin’s Fins & Feathers, which specializes in chicken and seafood. From the cozy booths to the televisions mounted on the walls, it’s a place where you’ll want to stay a while. Just don’t leave without having the cobbler.”
The other Texas restaurants mentioned on NYT’s 2023 Restaurants List lay several hours northwest in Austin.
Krishna praised the Mexican restaurant Este for its inventive seafood dishes.
“The menu isn’t filled with faithful recreations of the aguachiles and tostadas found in cities like Ensenada or Veracruz,” Krishan wrote. “Instead, the chef Fermín Núñez isn’t afraid to go off-road in the name of uncovering something delicious. Grilled turbot with salsa verde shines even brighter with a rich slick of hummus on the bottom. Hazelnuts and brown butter enliven the salsa macha in the grilled squid.”
Wee’s Cozy Kitchen, located in a gas station nearby, was also commended by Krishna.
“In Texas, it’s not unusual to find exceptional food in a gas station,” Krishan wrote. “At Wee’s Cozy Kitchen in Austin, past the cases of Coors Light and off-brand iPhone headphones, you’ll see satisfied locals and University of Texas students alike digging into bowls of curry laksa that are heady with lemongrass and chiles. Wee Fong Ehlers started her business with Chinese food and burgers; slowly, she began adding Malaysian dishes, and those proved the biggest hits. From her tiny kitchen, Ms. Ehlers cooks every dish to order, even freshly chopping the lemongrass. Wee’s provides all the warmth of home cooking, just in a gas station.”
View the New York Times 2023 Restaurant List in its entirety here.
Have you dined at any of these eateries? What did you think of the food? What would you recommend? Share you experiences and suggestions in the comment section below.