Restaurants in Sugar Land

Mobi Siddiqui and Asim Malik have imported both the classic and contemporary tastes of India and Pakistan and infused them into Moghul's Restaurant & Lounge’s menu of tandoori and charcoal-grilled specialties. In the fragrant kitchen, chicken is prepared more than a dozen different ways, as the chefs pair it with flavors of pickle sauce, ginger, black-pepper sauce, and spicy curry. Chunks of boneless lamb marinated in various spices crown plates, and the leg of lamb–a Moghul’s delicacy–can be shared among a group of friends or used to gain an edge in a three-legged race. Basmati rice soaks up the spiced onion and tomato juices in biryani dishes, and meat-free fare arrives in the form of fried vegetable balls, lentils, and the spinach, cottage cheese, and traditional spices of classic palak paneer.

Those who say things aren't the way they were back in the good old days certainly haven't had a burger and fries from The Burger Shack. The welcoming spot echoes the low-key, homey feel of those iconic burger joints past. The walkup counter and pennant-strewn dining room act as a backdrop for a deliciously nostalgic menu of juicy Angus burgers and Blue Bell shakes. The cooks lovingly shape each third-pound grilled-to-order burger using beef that’s never seen a freezer or even received Valentines from a snowflake. Toppings for the juicy sizzlers can include Wisconsin cheddar, Hass avocados, or crispy bacon. The shack's staff members also hand make addictive sides such as curly fries and hand-dipped shakes.

An outline of the state of Texas brands each page of Cattleguard Restaurant & Bar’s menu, paying homage to the eatery’s more than 20 years of business in the hospitable state. Chefs fire the hand-cut steaks that are Cattleguard’s specialty, but can adeptly handle a game bag's worth of meats, including buffalo, ostrich, quail, chicken, and seafood. The friendly wait staff escorts plates from the kitchen to a dining room that's decorated to resemble a saloon—although, to keep with the restaurant’s welcoming environment, the swinging doors will never hit you on the way out.

A blend of Indian dishes and American favorites keeps the chefs busy at Bismillah Cafe, where barbecue wings and samosas ink some space on the menu. Tamarind and mint sauces puddle over the edges of the ground-beef egg-and-lentil patty as a waiter brings the Bun kebab to a table. On another plate, the Ten chicken sandwich’s two burger buns grasp a deep-fried chicken fillet doused in special Ten spicy sauce. Fries are crafted 11 ways, including with cheese, garlic mayo, or Mr. Potato Head’s accessories. A colorful fish tank, modern chrome furniture, flowers, and wood accents inform Bismillah Cafe’s interior aesthetic, as do elegant pieces of woven art that fleck the wall.

Though he hails from West India, Chef Emeliano Rebello showcases dishes that simmer in kitchens across his native country. He roasts chicken in a tandoor clay oven and marinates seafood in piquant curries. He also plates classic vegetarian dishes such as baigan bharta, a thick eggplant stew, which dining companions can soak up with nine varieties of fresh-baked flatbreads. And although requesting an entree that matches your birth weight is not recommended, Chef Rebello is happy to customize dishes to suit each diner’s preferences and spiciness thresholds.

For more than 30 years, Quiznos has toasted its submarine sandwiches to bring out the hidden flavors found in butcher-quality meats, cheese, and artisan breads. Its classic and signature subs take on a variety of shapes, sizes, and styles ranging from the prime rib mushroom and swiss to the classic italian donning black olives, mozzarella, red-wine vinaigrette, and plentiful sliced meats. Those closely monitoring their waistlines can take unabashed bites of sandwiches that have fewer than 500 calories, such as the pork-cuban, Baja-chicken, and veggie-caprese subs. Quiznos' Toasty Bullets and Torpedoes offer slimmer versions of sub fare and flaunt supreme aerodynamics when shot out of T-shirt cannons and into mouths. A selection of Flatbread Sammies, soups, and salads round out Quiznos' varied menu.