Cowboys & Indians Restaurant: Tex-Indian Fusion Confusion in Houston

Cowboys & Indians, Houston TX

I took my friend Jeff to Cowboys & Indians in Houston, Texas for his birthday recently. We both like Indian food, and of course we're big fans of Mexican and TexMex. 

There is an abundance of Indian, Mexican, and TexMex restaurants in Houston, so we were eager to experience a place that describes itself as "Indian-Tex Fusion & Cocktails" on their Facebook page and as "Indian & Texan Fusion" on their website. The atmosphere is laid back, eclectic and fun, including an attractive outdoor patio. Overall, it was a great experience, but I have a few minor criticisms.

The fare of Cowboys & Indians, while excellent, is not "fusion." It's more like a pairing of Texan and Indian cuisines. Although delicious, the Indian  entrées we ordered had no hint of anything Texan or TexMex.

I had the Butter Chicken Tikka Masala ($18.00). My friend had the Lamb Vindaloo ($22.00). We shared a Hummus Plate ($12.00). 

Cowboys & Indians does have a couple of fusion items on their "Shareables" (appetizers) menu. The "Naan-Chos" ($15.00) meets the definition of fusion, as do the "Naan Quesadillas" ($14.00). But that's about it. 

Any fusion on the "Dinner" menu? One item, kind of, maybe. They offer, the "Himalayan heat burger," with "tomato-onion jam, jalapeno, romaine lettuce, mozzarella cheese, cilantro raita, brioche buns" and is served with "seasoned fries." 

Okay, but what's Indian or "Himalayan" about any of that? Sure, the raita is an Indian yogurt sauce. But come on. If they added mayonnaise instead of that, would it be French fusion? After all, mayo was invented in France. For that matter, there's nothing uniquely Texan about hamburgers. 

For the high prices, the portions could be a bit more generous. The unimaginative "Accompaniments" (sides) has very little fusion; nearly all items there are straightforward Indian or TexMex/American Southern. Many Indian restaurants will give you complimentary naan with an entrée; those that charge for naan will be more generous.

BUT WHAT IS FUSION CUISINE? 

"Essentially, this catch-all term means bringing together ingredients from different cultures and merging recipes," according to the  Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts. "This technique of joining culinary forces offers truly novel flavor combinations and unique menu offerings that customers can’t find elsewhere." I found none of this at Cowboys & Indians.

Cowboys & Indians is NOT a fusion restaurant. Except for a handful of items, Cowboys & Indians doesn't merge recipes to create "truly novel flavor combinations and unique menu offerings that customers can’t find elsewhere." Too few, anyway, to say it's a fusion restaurant. To use a classic Texas phrase, "it just ain't."

Even food writer John-Henry Perera of the Houston Chronicle has fusion confusion. His Nov. 11, 2022 column was titled "Texas-Indian fusion restaurant Cowboys & Indians launches new brunch." In that piece, Perera wrote an especially puzzling passage: 

"Despite the new digs, food remains the same: A fusion of Southern-fried comfort and Indian cuisine. While the line between the two is especially pronounced, a few offerings have crossed continents, including the naan-chos and masala fries."  

What? How does he think there can be fusion of X and Y with an "especially pronounced" line "between the two?" Answer: There can't be. It defies the laws of physics. Perera contradicts himself. And why does he think the South (or Texas) has a special claim on pommes frites (french fries)? According to the Chronicle, Perera "has been with the paper for close to 10 years and is responsible for trending and buzzy food coverage, including guides and other fun things." It's too bad he doesn't know what fusion cuisine is. 

Alas, neither do the folks at KHOU's Great Day Houston, and if you search Google for "cowboys & indians restaurant fusion," you'll find a lot of other people who don't, either.

The dishes at Cowboys & Indians are great, but they aren't unique. In my quest for a Texas-meets-India fusion experience, I found nothing new, mainly the type of Indian fare served up for an American audience. Virtually nothing on the Cowboys & Indians menu meets the fusion definition offered by the Escoffier School. 

If I go to an Indian restaurant that offers "Chicken Karahi" and also "Big Texas Chicken Fried Chicken," that's not fusion. It's accompaniment, it's pairing. But it's not a joining. Nothing is fused together. On the other hand, if that restaurant offered a "Big Texas Chicken Karahi Fried Chicken," that would be fusion. It would be a blending of cuisines, mutually taking inspiration from each other, and Cowboys & Indians falls short doing that.

Some good examples of culinary cross pollination (fusion) can be found at "Dishes with an Indian Twist."  My favorite there is the "Indian Style Loaded Nachos." That would be a nice addition to the menu at Cowboys & Indians, a true fusion of Texan and Indian flavors and textures.

Food Fusion Is Growing in Popularity

"The popularity of food fusion owes a lot to the mash-up," notes website Nisbets. "It is also growing in popularity because it allows chefs to create something distinctive from their competitors, a dish they can truly call their own." Cowboys & Indians fails at this. None of their entrées are "distinctive from their competitors." 

You can visit Houston's Gandhi District and get the same dishes and many more at a dozen different restaurants, often for less money. You can get chicken fried chicken or a hamburger all over Texas.

Cowboys & Indians co-founder Imran Khan is a very cool guy, and we enjoyed our after-dinner conversation with him. (We both lived in the Chicago area and love Devon Avenue in Chicago, with its long stretch of Indian and Pakistani shops and eateries.) I would return to Cowboys & Indians, but only for a special occasion like a birthday or anniversary. I'd like to see this restaurant be a bit more courageous in their foray into fusion....and actually do it. 

Parking is limited and very tight. Handicap accessible. Family friendly. Full bar.

Cowboys & Indians

519 Shepherd Drive, Houston TX Google Map

Related:

• 10 mind-blowing desi-foreign fusion dishes that will leave you wanting for more - Times of India 
• The Evolution Of Indian Fusion Cuisine: How Traditional Indian Flavors Are Mixing With Global Cuisine - Banjara
• Fusion Cuisine and The Ascension of Cultural Cuisine - The Great Gastro