Milton's

Milton's knows exactly what it is: a pasta restaurant that treats everything else as support staff. The 100 Layer Lasagna makes the case in one bite, oxtail ragu pressed between ricotta so tender the layers barely hold their shape. The cresta di gallo does something stranger and just as effective, puffed noodles sitting under a cloud of parmesan froth that turns a classic shape into something closer to a snack food fantasy.

The appetizers hold their own without stealing the show. Tuna N'duja brings real heat to a menu that could easily coast on comfort, and the tartare gives the round booths something to linger over before the pasta arrives. Bolognese gets passed around tables like a house specialty, because it is one.

This is a room built around its mainstays, and the mainstays are strong enough to justify the crowd fighting for seats at the bar. A James Beard semifinalist nod for Best Chef in Texas confirms what the kitchen is already proving on the plate: the pasta is the point, and it delivers every time.