One Dragon Restaurant

Conventional wisdom says this is the best place for soup dumplings in Houston. Conventional wisdom is right.

Saigon Pagolac

You need only three words of Vietnamese here: bo bay mon, or seven courses of beef. Each is a delight, from make-your-own spring rolls to alphabet soup.

Thien Thanh

The tightly packed rice-noodle rolls known as banh cuon  are exceptional here, but the dill-and-turmeric-flavored catfish may be even better.

Uyghur Bistro

The cuisine of the Uyghur people of China's Xinjiang province encompasses flavors from across the Silk Road. Its diversity makes it appealing to practically every palate, but because it's cooked by a small ethnic minority, there are only a handful of Uyghur restaurants in North America. From its heavily spiced, ropy noodle dishes to a lip-smacking lamb shank over rice, Houston's entry in the category would be well worth a trek through the Taklamakan Desert.