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“If we were going to get anything right, we knew it had to be the gumbo,” says Daniel Blue, chef de cuisine of Eunice, the buzzy new Cajun-Creole brasserie in Upper Kirby. The restaurant is named for a small Cajun town in Louisiana, the hometown of head chef Drake Leonards. If you’ve ever been to Eunice, La., the swanky Gin Braverman-designed interiors of Drake’s venture might feel mismatched to its muse, but when you taste the Tabasco-honey-soaked fried quail; fried boudin balls (cooked Billy’s style, referencing a famed boudin and cracklins shop off I-10 in Scott, La.); or the must-have shrimp and green chile grits with green onion sausage gravy, you’ll know it’s the real deal. Drake’s sophisticated twists on tried-and-true Southern dishes, plus a boozy cocktail list with plenty of Louisiana classics (sidecar, anyone?), keep tables booked days in advance—Kate Upton and Jason Verlander are among fans. Also, spoiler alert: The gumbo’s just right with flavorful chunks of chicken, andouille and tasso—especially after dumping in a scoop of horseradishy potato salad, per the chef’s suggestion—“It’s how they do it in Eunice.” 3737 Buffalo Speedway, 832.491.1717