Dining in Houston A Recent Round-Up

Shrimp and Sunset

Among the simple and wonderfully fresh dishes are seafood tacos ($8.95) -- two soft flour tortillas filled with crisp, lightly grilled shrimp. They come with just-chopped pico de gallo and a big dollop of sour cream. Easy eating, beautiful view. Sundance Grill (222 Jennings Island in Seabrook, 281-474-2248).

Kind of like Heidi Goes to Turkey

Ephesus Grill
Details: Meze tabagi: $7.99
Iskender kabob: $10.99
Patlican kabob: $10.99
Mixed kabob: $16.99
Kunefe: $4.49
Turkish coffee: $1.99
Where: 6106 Westheimer, 713-526-2800. Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays; noon to 10 p.m. Sundays

Hmmm, Tamales

Ordinarily, I would complain that this is a lot of money for one tamale (or tamal, to be more accurate). The average Texas tamale peddler charges five or six bucks a dozen. But the tamales at Doña Tere aren't your average Tex-Mex tamales. These are Mexico City-style tamales, and each one is three to four times bigger than the local variety.

Doña Tere Tamales
Details: Tamales (each): $1
Mole sauce: $3
Green sauce: $1.50
Atole: $1.50
Where: 13238 Bellaire Boulevard, 832-328-0761. Hours: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily; closed Tuesdays.

Drive out to Doña Tere's some weekend morning. Buy a couple of fresh tamales for breakfast. (Bet you can't eat four.) Then sit down and enjoy them, making sure you don't forget the dipping sauces. On your way out, pick up a dozen or so to reheat later for your family and friends. And pick up another dozen to freeze for the holidays. Actually, you better make that two dozen. At this time of year, you can never have too many tamales.