Where to Eat in August: Riel, Lucille’s, D’Amico’s, and More

Chef Ryan Lachaine has admitted to having a “longstanding obsession” with sandwiches, and it shows in his sandwich-centric happy hour and to-go menus. Diners can enjoy items that give a hat-tip to fast-food oldies but goodies, such as the Filet-R-Fish dressed with dill tartar sauce nestled inside a potato bun; the Korean Crunchwrap featuring skirt steak, crispy rice, gochujang, egg yolk, and pickles; and the Riel Mac made with beef patties, melty American cheese, and the usual trimmings, plus a special secret sauce. We’re lovin’ it, as they say.

This Museum District favorite is known for its innovative take on Southern cuisine, and that’s truly the case with its oyster BLT. The lunch-menu-only pick is assembled with lightly breaded and fried Gulf oysters, baby arugula, tomato confit, and applewood bacon, and served on a pretzel hoagie with a slather of spicy aioli.

Houston may not have originated the hot chicken sandwich, but it’s certainly home to some of the best, including the “sammich” served up at Mico’s Hot Chicken. Impeccably seasoned chicken breast is lightly breaded and fried before getting doused in sauce with heat levels ranging from zero spice to extra hot, then topped with coleslaw, pickles and Mico’s sauce. An a la mode option with ice cream is also available for those who need extra help cooling down. Those who live on the northwest side of town can also head to Mico’s permanent truck located at 6617 Cypress Creek Parkway.

Arguably one of the best dishes on a thoughtfully curated and compact menu, the marinated mussels on grilled bread doesn’t exactly fit the traditional definition of a sandwich. But since the plump pieces of mussels — marinated in white wine and herbs before getting tossed with calico beans in bonito aioli — are served open-faced over a slice of beautifully grilled sourdough bread, we’ll make an exception.

People travel from all over the city to visit this acclaimed barbecue spot in Tomball. The smoky brisket, fall-off-the-bone pork ribs, and chile relleno sausage alone are certainly worth the drive. But if you’re fortunate enough to visit on a Thursday, when the peppery pastrami Reuben served with sauerkraut and Russian dressing on marble rye is on the menu, get it — and thank us later.

Rice Village mainstay D’Amico’s has been feeding Houstonians traditional Southern Italian fare for more than 25 years, and that includes lunchtime classics like their Italian sub — stuffed with capicola, mortadella, soppressata, and provolone with a pickle, onion, and tomato relish — and the grilled chicken avocado panini, done up with sauteed onions, mushrooms, pancetta, and mozzarella. As the restaurant’s name suggests, it’s also a market, so be sure to load up on some of your favorite deli meats on the way out.

Houston is brimming with top-notch shops for banh mi, and Yelo just happens to be one of the more recent standouts. This little shop’s beef rendang banh mi — inspired by sister restaurant Phat Eatery’s award-winning dish — has proven to be a delicious addition to the Vietnamese sandwich scene with its savory morsels of meat complemented by pickled carrot-papaya slaw, house pate, garlic aioli, and beef curry sauce for dipping.

The aptly named Not Your Daddy’s Country Club on KP’s Kitchen lunch menu — which is stacked high with double layers of smoked ham and turkey, basil aioli, bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, cheddar, and Monterey jack cheese on a brioche loaf — lives up to its cheeky title and is scrumptious to boot. If brunch is more your speed, try the hot chicken and biscuits, which features the restaurant’s popular hot chicken sandwiched between two flaky golden biscuits with a jammy fried egg and a side of smoked bacon.

This newly opened Independence Heights spot from chef-owners Greg Gatlin and Michelle Wallace — a sibling restaurant to Gatlin’s BBQ — aims to showcase the food of the “New South” in all its deliciously diverse glory. A perfect example of this philosophy is the H-Town Hot Sandwich, which features crispy chicken or fish tossed in a Viet-Cajun hot sauce and topped with basil coleslaw, and pickles. For something more traditional, try the po’ boy with your choice of friend catfish, shrimp, or oysters with Creole mayo, shredded lettuce, tomato, and pickles.

Is there anything more comforting than a perfectly gooey grilled cheese sandwich? That’s exactly what you’ll get at Tiny Boxwoods, where the classic melt comes upgraded with year-aged white cheddar, herby basil pesto, and tomato sauce on sourdough. Don’t forget to grab some of their famous — and equally warm and gooey — chocolate chip cookies before heading out.