"A star in Houston’s French dining scene, Etoile is an essential restaurant to add to your list. Helmed by a husband-and-wife duo (chef France Philippe Verpiand and Monica Bui), the restaurant offers classic and modern dishes like wild boar ragout bolognese, an impeccable coq au vin, buttery escargots de Bourgogne, creamy lobster bisque, and fresh catches served with beurre blanc and sauteed vegetables. Dessert here is also an affair, with a standout cheese plate, a decadent apple tarte a la mode, and a warm chocolate pastilla with mango gel and coconut sorbet." - Brittany Britto Garley