Xin Chao

A casual but sleek Sixth Ward spot, Xin Chao offers a more contemporary take on Vietnamese cuisine, with inspiration coming from Texas and Gulf Coast ingredients and flavors. On the menu you’ll find five different takes on oysters—you should get the spicy Viet-Cajun oysters dressed with a garlicky and buttery H-Town Bang sauce. You also want to order the bright and tangy house-smoked duck salad that’s nicely offset with jackfruit and a ginger fish sauce vinaigrette. There are a whole bunch of large format dishes to share, including the stir-fried flat rice noodles, a classic Vietnamese dish, but made way more Texas with a comically large post oak-smoked barbecue beef rib, bone and all. There’s also an ample patio and pretty generous Happy Hour.

photo credit: Xin Chao