Canyon Cafe, Houston

In composing the menu, the folks behind Canyon Cafe drew much of the inspiration from the American Southwest—and then kept venturing south. The menu includes a section called Mex-Mex, where you'll find find carnitas, enchiladas, and chimichangas. Elsewhere, Southwest spices enhance supper-club standards in dishes such as bison meatloaf and chile-rubbed sirloin. The margaritas, too, are shaken with an extra dose of flavor that comes from fresh juices and top-shelf tequila and liqueurs. Some of these concoctions are so potent that the cafe limits diners to two per person, so they don't forget gravity exists and begin floating away.