West Side Dining

Neither of these cafes is in Katy exactly, but both are worth a try if you’re hungry on Houston’s western front. Flora & Muse is a flower shop, bakery and bistro in Houston’s new City Center at Town and Country at Beltway 8 and I-10. The whole area is fun—cute and classic shops, events, fountains, live music, lots of restaurants. It’s especially fun the few weeks of the year it’s actually pleasant enough to sit outside, like it was the day my mom and I tried it out with Auntie Sonja. 

They split a panini and salad; I helped myself to an entire pizza topped with Gorgonzola cheese, roasted pears and toasted hazelnuts. Yum! Afterwards we each had a cream puff before strolling through the shops. The main plaza’s fountains say, “Living Water” and etched into the stone, “To God be the glory.” This is also where we met Chris’ family a few weeks ago for a beautiful evening of Mexican food on the patio at Escalante’s. 

Further west in Brookshire (just west of Katy), is the charming Brookwood Community Cafe. Brookwood is a vocational community for adults with special needs. It’s expanded over the years from a residence, small gift shop and nursery to a large gift shop, cafe and wedding facility. Adults who can’t live on their own paint ornaments and pottery, bus tables with a partner and help in the garden. Each handmade piece is initialed on the bottom, and proceeds go to the community. Oh, and the cafe is delicious—try the Mesibov Salad, with blue cheese, sugary roasted pecans, apple slices and crispy chicken strips tossed with Brookwood’s Mesibov salad dressing. My mom likes the fish tacos.  

After lunch we toured the chapel. My mom found this lizard. It’s already in the low 90s here in Texas. Texas is hot!