Originally Posted by
Steph3n
Any city that has a Nobu has enough other selection.
I really prefer smaller cities, 120,000 or so people. That is where the chains are king, however with some work you can find local ethnic flair at some eateries, some of them have to have their items and then local favorites like fried chicken and catfish to survive. However they go to great lengths to do well on their own cuisine. I have recently found a Lebanese (and some Greek foods) restaurant in ACT that is quite good, it is not a fancy place the serve on Styrofoam, but the food is what counts. There is also a Korean 'hamburger' joint that serves Korean food on the menu that is a good place too. So I am certain that even in cities where the chains are the 'best dining' to some locals they have not experienced good food in their own backyards.
Hey, don't tell folks all our secrets. We stop there occasionally, since it's only a couple of blocks from Kitok, your pleasant Korean American burger+a few Korean standards joint. One of my secret favorites is in Katy, West of Houston, a little Middle Eastern eatery in a strip center on Frye Road just down from Targe'. The skewered marinated lamb is to kill for. "Siete Mares" in South Waco and "Mexicana Grill #9" on N. Valley Mills Dr. are worth visiting if forced to RON in ACT. There's always a sammitch or "Gut Buster" at Vitek's or chicken-fried and a "Big O" at George's when all else fails.
One caveat. One should not visit ACT with much in the way of culinary expectations. Starving Chinese conscript soldiers would mutiny if forced to dine at any of the local "Buffets" of vaguely Asian lineage.