If you want to do something really nice for me...

...go have dinner at either the Russian Bear or else at Afghan Cuisine, and tell Ayát (if you're at the Bear) or Achméd (if you're at A.C.) that you appreciate what they've done for my girls.

Even if you don't want to do anything nice for me, these are a couple of delightful restaurants. I don't think there are nearly as many of my friends who like Russian food as there are who like Afghan food...what's that you say? You have no idea whether or not you like Afghan food? Well, let me ask you this: do you like Indian food? Because the food at Afghan Cuisine is...let's put it this way, it's what Indian food would like to be once Indians really master the art of cooking.

I'm serious, it's awesome enough that the girls all three got jobs at the same restaurant working together, but when that restaurant also serves entrees that cost less than ten dollars but are almost more family- than individually-sized, and that are spectacularly delicious...man, let me tell you something, Papa done landed on his feet, people. Meanwhile Duane and Desiree got about five minutes into their lamb and rice and nann and looked at each other and said, "Why have we been going to [name of their previously favorite Indian] restaurant?" Answer: they hadn't realized Afghan Cuisine was there. They do now, though, and future dinner plans have been altered accordingly.

And you can tell that the food at the Bear is no slouch simply from this: the Troika had me take them straight from this Afghan restaurant that the Liongs had just declared their new favorite "Indian" restaurant, over to the Bear...because they prefer the Bear's Russian food.

So try 'em both. And -- seriously -- tell them that Anya's and Natasha's and Kristina's papa sent you, and said thanks.

...

The Russian Bear is at, roughly, 1869 S. Dairy Ashford, in a strip center (see picture) on the east side of the street between Westella and Whittington.



Afghan Cuisine is a bit tricky to find, because the strip mall it's in has two rows of buildings, and Afghan Cuisine is in the back row where it's almost impossible to see from the highway. If you're on Highway 6 just north of the Sugar Land airport (that is, about a mile north of U.S. 90 in Sugar Land), you'll see a traffic light at the intersection of Highway 6 and Voss Road (this is not the Voss Road that crosses I-10 up near the Galleria). If you were standing in the middle of the Voss and Highway 6 intersection (not that I recommend this) facing south, the strip mall would be on your right-hand side, on the southwest side of the corner. Just get into the parking lot and poke around in the back row of buildings and you'll find it. There are three very pretty girls who take your orders on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Tip 'em well...their Papa needs the money. ;-)