Musaafer
Modern Indian restaurant · Galleria ·
Michelin-starred Indian eatery with regional dishes & opulent decor
Michelin-starred Indian eatery with regional dishes & opulent decor
"At Musaafer, which has locations in Houston and New York, the “butter chicken experience” is less about tableside theatrics and more about presentation: it simply serves butter chicken two ways, with a classic tomato-based sauce and another that uses tomatillos." - Bettina Makalintal
"Retained its Michelin star from 2024; in the Guide, one star signifies 'High-quality cooking, worth a stop.'" - H. Drew Blackburn
"Opened in 2020 inside a Texas-sized shopping mall, this original fine-dining Indian restaurant from Mithu and Shammi Malik set the template for the brand’s “traveler” concept—executive chef Mayank Istwal spent over two years crisscrossing India, learning from families and sourcing single-origin ingredients—and earned one star in Michelin’s inaugural Texas guide in 2024; its design link to the New York outpost is the Sheesh Mahal, a room covered in hand-cut mirrors." - Nadia Chaudhury
"An Indian destination in Houston that was included among the city’s Michelin-starred restaurants in 2024." - H. Drew Blackburn
"At the Michelin-rated Houston restaurant Musaafer, chef Mayank Istwal describes lychee’s flavor as a blend of grape, pear, and rose water with natural, balanced sweetness and a subtle citrusy tang, and he uses it widely — in sorbets, puréed fresh for panna cotta, simmered into compote, and topping custard-filled tarts often paired with raspberries or passionfruit; Musaafer also offers a lychee ceviche featuring cured lychee, homemade tooti frooti, yuzu coconut sauce, and crispy corn, and Istwal recommends seasoning lychee with citrus, warming spices (paprika, ginger, chile), fresh herbs, and adding umami (soy sauce or sesame oil) for stir-fries to balance its sweetness." - Katrina Yentch