You're cool in Houston! We have a big Arab population here, and the food from the Levant doesn't get better in the U.S. than it does in this town. Great fast-food shawarma, and good halal variations on other cuisine. I always recommend halal Chinese food to people, and at first they don't get the concept, but that's always proven to be a big hit. Houston is a great foodie town, not just for the Texas traditional stuff in this article, but for all kinds of food.