One of things Houston is known for is its Asian cuisine. However, I noticed many students are only familiar with pho or dumplings in Bellaire. Not many people take the city's incredible diversity to advantage and explore multicultural food. Seeing this, I came up with a short list of "Must Try Asian Food in Houston" to act as a stepping stone for anyone wanting to experience different options.
Cocohodo
<1645 Winding Hollow Dr Ste 201, Katy, TX 77450>
Being from Dallas, I consider everything to be "in Houston," but this place is actually not one in the city; it is in Katy about 35-40 minutes away. If you know me, I love desserts and would drive an hour for that particular craving to be satisfied. I have been to a countless number of cafes both in Houston and Dallas. However, Cocohodo remains as my favorite choice because of its amazing desserts. I am like the second Joe Biden when it comes to ice cream. Here, you can never go wrong with affogato, it's literally the perfect combination: ice cream with a shot of espresso. Cocohodo makes nitrogen ice cream, making the texture that much more rich and creamy. Naturally, every ice cream flavor is amazing. I've tried green tea (also one of my favorites), strawberry, and chocolate and the taste are all unmatched by any other shops.
Cocohodo also sells hodu-gwaja, which is commonly translated as walnut pastry or walnut cookie. Originated from Cheonan, South Korea, it is a walnut-shaped baked good with red bean paste filling covered by wheat flour and pounded walnuts. These pastries balance well with coffee and taste best when hot, but also make great snacks when refrigerated and served
Hoodadak
<1645 Winding Hollow Dr #205, Katy, TX 77450>
This casual Asian-fusion restaurant is mainly known for its Korean fried chicken. I always get the same menu when I go: medium order of wings, half soy garlic and half sweet and spicy (special traditional Korean flavor), and the kimchi-bulgogi fries. The kimchi-bulgogi fries rival any of the "best" food trucks and the sauce flavors bring nostalgia to Korean-Americans. All the food are hot and crispy when served and if you want to maintain the "crispness," make sure to order your chicken "with the sauce on the side." That said, if you have never had my version of K.F.C (Korean fried Chicken), you are definitely missing out. Hoodadak is also right next to Cocohodo which will be the perfect chance to try both places at once.
FuFu's
<9889 Bellaire Blvd #105, Houston, TX 77036>
If you think you know Chinese food, challenge yourself and go to FuFu's. Located in the middle of Chinatown, this restaurant serves authentic Chinese cuisine in a traditional setting. After trying their orange chicken and General Tso's chicken, I have never been back to Panda Express. FuFu's has a variety of dishes that will redefine Chinese cuisine you thought you knew.
Shan Hu
<7656 Bellfort St, Houston, TX 77061>
Shan Hu is a traditional restaurant serving Asian fusion cuisine. I only come here for three things: the jajangmyeon, tangsuyuk, and jjampong. These three are the top Chiniese-Korean meals that everyone should try. Jajangmyeon, a noodle dish topped with black bean sauce, is a sweet and savory dish. Tansuyuk is fried pork or beef with sweet and sour sauce. Jjampong is a Korean-Chinese noodle soup with spicy seafood broth and hits just the right spot as a hangover cure. The three food hit different taste buds and will provide a completely different experience than eating just Chinese food.
H Mart Food Court
<1302 Blalock Rd, Houston, TX 77055>
I'm very picky with where I eat Korean food in this city, but the food court in H Mart is underrated. Sure, Houston can't beat Dallas when it comes to Korean food, but it still provides pretty good comfort food. Because of the lack of authentic Korean restaurants in Houston, meals tend to be overpriced. But, the best thing about H Mart? It's cheap. There are several shops within the food court to choose from and will offer a variety of goods.