The January Hit List: Katami, Le Jardinier, Nancy’s Hustle, and More

It’s been a long time coming — 13 years to be exact — and it was worth the wait. Katami, which opened its doors in November, marks the latest project for four-time Beard award-nominated chef Manabu Horiuchi (“Chef Hori”) and partner Yun Cheng, the team behind perennial favorite Kata Robata. Here, Chef Hori has the space to stretch his creativity further, presenting diners with his take on the “future of Japanese cuisine.” Expect a sushi-driven menu that features fish flown in almost daily from Japan, as well as a focus on premium A5 wagyu and an impressive sake program.

Pro tip: Stay for dessert. The super-fluffy kakigori, or Japanese-style flavored shaved ice, is made from blocks of ice imported from Kanazawa, Japan, and not to be missed.

Esquire crowned Nonno’s America’s “Pizza Joint of the Year” for 2023, and it’s easy to see why. In addition to its stellar, crispy-thin Chicago tavern-style pies, the walk-in only restaurant (from husband-and-wife team Martin and Sara Stayer of Nobie’s and The Toasted Coconut) hits all the important notes. Namely, its retro pizza-parlor vibes and vintage arcade games bring the nostalgia, while the menu’s supporting players — including classic Italian dishes like spaghetti and meatballs and cacio e pepe — and a tightly curated drink list round out the experience.

Whether you’re looking for a place to dine after an afternoon exploring the exhibits at the Museum of Fine Arts, or searching for a beautiful date-night restaurant, you can’t go wrong with Le Jardinier, located in the museum’s Kinder Building. Led by Michelin-starred chef and culinary director Alain Verzeroli and chef de cuisine Felipe Botero, the menu here puts a contemporary French spin on farm-fresh produce and well-sourced proteins. For an indulgent experience, go for the seasonal expression tasting menu. Each colorful, flawlessly plated dish could be considered a work of art unto itself.

French cuisine has experienced a resurgence in the city, and yes, veteran chefs Lionel Debon and David Denise (who worked together for years at the now-closed Le Mistral) are both French. But Cocody — which opened to acclaim in December in the River Oaks Shopping Center, and has been dazzling since — doesn’t serve typical French fare. Rather, the chefs use French cooking techniques but draw on global influences and seasonal, locally sourced ingredients to execute their vision of what modern fine dining is today. Case in point: The Texan blackened red snapper is served with a Madras curry, while the Patagonia salmon is paired with miso yuzu sauce.

Call 832-203-8899 for more info.

Since opening in the Heights in early 2020, this hand roll hotspot from Uchi alumni Patrick Pham and Daniel Lee has remained consistently exquisite, even as they expanded their sushi empire to Aiko and a second Handies location in Montrose. (The duo’s first non-pop-up Japanese concept, Kokoro in Bravery Chef Hall, is also still going strong.) Carefully wrapped in nori that’s always impossibly crisp — how do they do that? — the hand rolls here are teeming with fresh ingredients and bursting with bold flavors. It’s no wonder we keep going back, and telling everyone we know to check it out, too.

The city is awash in first-class barbecue options, but Truth is truly a cut above. This revered restaurant originally hails from Brenham, Texas, where pitmaster Leonard Botello IV’s small roadside shack won raves soon after launching in 2015. He chose the Heights for a highly anticipated second location, opening the doors in 2019. The crowds descended and haven’t stopped. Botello’s incredibly tender, peppery-barked brisket is, of course, the main attraction. But don’t sleep on the sides, either: The buttery tater-tot casserole and sweet corn pudding deserve accolades of their own.

The Pappas family has been feeding Houstonians for decades, and they’re doing it once again with their chef-driven concept, Little’s Oyster Bar in Montrose. Led by seasoned California chef Jason Ryczek, the seafood-focused restaurant opened in the old Little Pappas Seafood House space in May. It’s been garnering buzz ever since for Ryczek’s slick culinary creations using fresh catches from the Texas Gulf Coast. The chef also harvests Little’s white sturgeon caviar himself — we’d recommend treating yourself.

Underbelly’s latest concept opened in November, replacing the hospitality group’s Texas comfort food-themed Wild Oats (which moseyed on over to Spring Branch) at the Houston Farmers Market. In a city with no shortage of tacos, the Mexico City-inspired Comalito — helmed by Mexican chefs Luis Robledo Richards and Atzin Santos — has already won over fans with their signature pastor variety.

The meats are expertly marinated before they’re grilled on the piping-hot plancha or spit-roasted on the trompo. But it’s the tortilla that makes the difference. Comalito imports organic heirloom corn from central Mexico, nixtamalizes it, and then grinds it into a fine masa to create soft, fresh tortillas. Don’t fill up entirely on tacos, though — a tough request, we know — because the oh-so-airy churros also deserve your attention. Trust us.

Houstonians are serious about their crawfish, and with the season running from January to July, there’s ample opportunity to enjoy the mudbugs, not to mention a host of places at which to get them. Houston institution Crawfish & Noodles, from chef-owner Trong Nguyen, is one such place and is well-known for its finger-licking Viet-Cajun fare. At both the original location in Asiatown as well as the second outpost at the Houston Farmers Market on Airline Drive, the crawfish are boiled first in seasonings before getting drenched in a flavorful concoction of Cajun spices and loads of garlic and butter. Pro tip: No one will judge you if you suck the heads.

Owned by Sean Jensen and executive chef Jason Vaughan, this charmingly unpretentious East Downtown bistro has been serving high-end, award-winning fare since late 2017 and has become well-known for its unbridled love of butter and innovative dishes — made with the finest produce, naturally. From the shareable savory plates (get the toasty Nancy cakes with cultured butter and smoked trout roe, and thank us later) to the inventive desserts (they change with the seasons and the whimsy of the pastry chef) and the impeccable service, Nancy’s continues to impress.