Huynh Restaurant

In the midst of a midnight fridge raid, a leftover takeout box of Huynh’s combination rice, chien thap cam, is a beautiful sight: glorious bits of peas, carrots, egg, and a trifecta of meats (chicken, beef, and Vienna sausage slices). Thankfully, the EaDo stalwart, which has fed Houstonians for over a decade, serves portions so big they can tide over even the hungriest dad for days. If you play your cards right, you might even have leftovers of the restaurant’s beloved beef and vermicelli soup, bun bo hue, with its sharp lemongrass edge.

Brothers Taco House 

713-223-0091

Here’s a reminder, fair diner, that Brothers Taco House remains the gold standard for breakfast tacos in this or any other part of Texas. A favorite is chorizo with egg and cheese, served warm and juicy inside a homemade flour tortilla. Should you have the chance to order a barbacoa taco, please do. For our money, it’s the single best taco in the city.

Nancy’s Hustle 

Everything at Nancy’s personifies heightened comfort, whether it’s the fried chicken sandwich with Indian pickle chili slaw, the ricotta gnocchi with sweet corn and hot pepper giardiniera, or the deceptively simple burger with garlic aioli and American cheese. Our must-order is the impossibly buttery and airy blini-like Nancy Cake, which you should slice in half, glob with cultured butter and trout roe, and eat like a dainty sandwich. Those are available about once a week, so keep a watch on Nancy’s Instagram.