Paper City Article

Restaurant Buzz

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 03:00:14 GMT

What%26rsquo;s charming our palates this month? Nosh spots that have opened south of Lemmon Avenue, a big-name chef update, plus excitement over a brand-new brew %26hellip; As appearances go, eateries don%26rsquo;t get much chicer than Oak, the newest restaurant to open on lower Oak Lawn, across the street from The Meddlesome Moth. The contemporary interior is dotted with sturdy oak tables %26mdash; some flanked by tufted leather sofas, others by high-back chairs %26mdash; industrial light fixtures and a video installation of a fluttering live oak by artist Robert Myers. Order the following from executive chef Jason Maddy: celery-root fries, butternut-squash soup and potato dumplings in Parmesan broth. Ring 214.712.9700 for reservations and make tracks to 1628 Oak Lawn Avenue %26hellip; Downtown, an 11-section menu of serious sips has caught our attention at The Chesterfield %26mdash; a historic building turned barroom from restaurateur Ed Bailey (Bailey%26rsquo;s Prime Plus) at 1404 Main Street. Here, dozens of sours, fizzes, smashes and juleps are crafted by
mixologist Eddie %26ldquo;Lucky%26rdquo; Campbell, and updated bar bites %26mdash; think coffee-poblano-braised short ribs and a full dinner menu boasting pastas, flatbreads, salads and
more %26mdash; are concocted by exec chef Michael Ehlert. Buzz 214.741.2811 or click thechesterfielddallas.com %26hellip; Of all the New Year%26rsquo;s Eve parties that ensued, Deep Ellum Brewing Co.%26rsquo;s had the most fizz. The first-ever microbrewery in Dallas tapped its vats for a grand opening on the last day of 2011 and has been making headlines since. Sample DEBC%26rsquo;s signature Deep Ellum IPA (a bitter beer with fruity undertones) at ale houses such as The Common Table, Katy Trail Ice House, Libertine Bar and more. Sip for yourself at deepellumbrewing.com. We%26rsquo;ll say cheers to that.

Image: Design-district dining at Oak

Restaurant Buzz

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:21:22 GMT

News just hit that Austin chef Tyson Cole%26rsquo;s Houston outpost of Uchi opens February 2 in the former Felix Mexican spot on Westheimer near Montrose. The James Beard Award winner%26rsquo;s Japanese concept melds the taste sensibilities found in his famed Austin eateries, Uchi and Uchiko, in a menu of hot and cool tastings, makimono, yakimono, tempura, sushi and sashimi. Kaz Edwards serves as chef and Monica Glenn as pastry chef %26hellip; Rosemary%26rsquo;s Catering, the famed event company headquartered in San Antonio, has just branched out to the Houston market, where it%26rsquo;s already catering everything from debutante parties to weddings, bar/bat mitzvahs and corporate events. Exec chef Andres Rumis customizes each event menu %26hellip; Healthy take-away-food spot Snap Kitchen was a success the moment it opened. Now there%26rsquo;s a new locale, designed by Michael Hsu, in the Memorial Park area. Dine in or out, with snacks to entrees priced $3 to $13 each %26hellip; If you%26rsquo;ve driven down Kirby near the 59 intersection, you may have noticed a former Asian dive is being revamped into Elevation Burger. A franchise founded in 2002 in Virginia by Hans Hess, Elevation%26rsquo;s claim to fame is organic, sustainable, local (when practical) 100 percent grass-fed beef burgers, ground fresh on premises.

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Restaurant Buzz

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 10:35:10 GMT

The kind of resolutions we like best? Eating, drinking, being merry. (Not necessarily in that order.) Herewith, nosh news for an indulgent 2012. Celeb chef Lisa Garza is making waves again %26mdash; and this time, it has nothing to do with television stints and everything to do with her new restaurant, Sissy%26rsquo;s, opening late this month in the former Hector%26rsquo;s on Henderson space at 2929 Henderson Avenue. The menu, says Garza, will be %26ldquo;deep-southern, regional cuisine from Dixieland %26mdash; served on Spode Delamere china.%26rdquo; We can%26rsquo;t wait, from the corn fritters to the blackened red fish with crawfish and corn maque choux, those delish braised veggies %26hellip; Talk about brilliant marketing. Restaurateurs Chris Zielke and Jessica and Christopher Jeffers (Bolsa, Smoke), along with Plan B design gurus Royce Ring and Alex Urrunaga (Candle Room, Velvet Taco), have just debuted Bolsa Mercado, a 4,000-square-foot, %26uuml;ber-gourmet market at 634 West Davis Street, just down Davis from its restaurant namesake. Here, it%26rsquo;s all about shopping and dining: made-in-house breakfast bites including donuts and kolaches; a well-curated stash of small-production beer and wine; fresh-squeezed juices; locally sourced chocolates, olive oils and produce; plus dishes by chef Jeff Harris %26mdash; pizza, pasta and more, for taking out or enjoying in Mercado%26rsquo;s casual caf%26eacute;. Hungry? Ring 214.942.0451 %26hellip; Just as we were off to press, we received a rather enticing December 31 invitation: to be among the first to dine at The Mason Bar, a new State-Thomas gastro-pub from local entrepreneur Brandt Wood. What%26rsquo;s cooking? Easygoing American fare from partner and famous underground chef David Anthony Temple. On January 1, The Mason Bar opens to all, at 2701 Guillot Street %26mdash; just in time to clink glasses to this bright, culinary new year.

Restaurant Buzz

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 03:00:02 GMT

Pastry chef Vanessa O%26rsquo;Donnell has brought her Ooh La La Dessert Boutique to Memorial. The Town %26amp; Country Village location is the young baker%26rsquo;s third delicious bake shop %26hellip; Is tequila your tipple of choice? Try Don Julio 70 A%26ntilde;ejo Claro, the latest offering from the luxury brand. Complex like a traditional darker a%26ntilde;ejo, but filtered and distilled twice before it%26rsquo;s aged for 18 months in oak, it%26rsquo;s bright with tastes of wild honey and citrus %26mdash; splendid for sipping or mixing into a craft cocktail %26hellip; Next time you take flight at George Bush Intercontinental Airport check out celebrity chef Cat Cora%26rsquo;s Cat Cora%26rsquo;s Kitchen in Terminal E. The cocktail and tapas lounge promises passengers a sophisticated respite %26hellip; Here are more Tex-Mex options to quell our cravings. First, Austin import Torchy%26rsquo;s %26ldquo;Damn Good%26rdquo; Tacos has opened at 2411 South Shepherd. Chef/owner Mike Rypka apparently ditched the tall toque awhile back to invent spicy tacos named the Dirty Sanchez and the Brush Fire that have fans raving, %26ldquo;Damn, these tacos are good.%26rdquo; Meanwhile, Dallas-based Mi Cocina has opened again here, this time in the Woodlands. at 1201 Lake Woodlands Drive %26hellip; On our hit list to try: Happy Fatz (3510 White Oak Drive), a frankfurter joint in the Heights that had PC staffer Mary Hoang waxing on about their premium hot dogs and decadent desserts %26hellip; Mark your calendar for Galveston Restaurant Week, Sunday through Saturday, January 15 through 21. To check out the more than 25 restaurants participating, go to galvestonrestaurantweek.com. Laurann Claridge

Restaurant Buzz

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 06:38:40 GMT

Looks like Central Market is in on the food-truck craze. Parked in front of the store Wednesdays thru Fridays, as well as on weekends, is Roadie (The Roadside Foodie) selling upscale goodies such as a maxed-out Thai curry-braised pork sandwich ($6), chick n%26rsquo; waffles ($6) and, for dessert, a gooey roadie bar ($2). You can even hire the Roadies truck to pull up to your next party %26hellip; Black Finn American Grille has debuted in Midtown. Started in midtown Manhattan, the concept with three locations boasts four dining concepts in one 11,000-square-foot space %26mdash; The Saloon, The Dining Room, The Patio and The Grille Room %26mdash; to draw drinkers, diners and the sport set alike. Styled by Washington design mind Richard McCooey, the decor incorporates historic relics that reference Houston%26rsquo;s oil-boom days %26hellip; It%26rsquo;s out with Little Bigs in Hermann Park and in with a picnic-friendly spot called Pinewood Caf%26eacute;. Created by Olivia and Sean Blair (owners of The Maple Leaf pub), the child-friendly space with views of the park and duck pond serves up build your own grilled-cheese sandwiches, salads, wraps and smoothies at lunch and early dinner, as well as food, wine, and beer to go for the next performance at Miller Outdoor Theatre %26hellip; The conversion of the Settegast Kopf Funeral home at 3320 Kirby into a multi-venue libation location by Jeff Barati and Andy Aweida is almost complete. Last July saw the opening of Roak, the hip night club offering bottle service; Rush, the poolside hot spot with chic cabanas; and Hendrick%26rsquo;s Pub %26amp; Eatery, a sports bar offering hundreds of brews on tap, plus some pretty stellar bar food. The spot next door, OTC, isn%26rsquo;t actually part of the former funeral space; it%26rsquo;s a former drive-through bank converted into a breezy outdoor bar serving a variety of signature margaritas. The latest addition to the mix, set to open very soon, is Twist Caf%26eacute;/Bar, serving up smoothies, sandwiches and such %26mdash; perfect for the morning after%26nbsp; %26hellip; Talking tomes: Teresa Byrne-Dodge, editor and publisher of My Table magazine, has updated her excellent Houston food guidebook, The Ultimate Food Lover%26rsquo;s Guide (Lazywood Press, $19.95). Beyond restaurants, it celebrates bakeries, wine bars, farmers%26rsquo; markets, fishmongers, cooking schools; in short, any and everything edible found locally %26hellip; Searching for a beautiful cookbook to give (or use) this holiday season? Pick up a copy of Green Beans and Guacamole by Belinda Hillhouse, produced to benefit the nonprofit ARC, which creates opportunities for children and adults with intellectual and physical disabilities. It%26rsquo;s filled with scrumptious recipes from our favorite restaurants all over the city. Find it for $49.95 at Central Market and M. Penner.

Restaurant Buzz

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 06:36:44 GMT

Pejman Jamea has opened Felix 55 in Rice Village. Named in part for the address (5510 Morningside), its architect/owner designed the interiors while chef Michael Kramer, formerly of downtown%26rsquo;s Hotel Icon, fashioned the American comfort fare %26hellip; The Capitol at St. Germain is a new concept that just opened at street level in Zula%26rsquo;s former location in the St. Germain lofts downtown. The circa-1913 building has been reconfigured and restored, and will be the backdrop for live music, special events, drinking and dining (lunch and dinner). The executive chef is Kevin James Bryant, formerly of Tony%26rsquo;s %26hellip; Reporting from Charleston: Last month, talented Caf%26eacute; Annie alums Marianna and Ben Berryhill opened their second restaurant, Next Door, on the island of Mount Pleasant, in South Carolina, just two doors down from their first hit, a gastropub called The Red Drum (an immediate success when it opened six years ago). We can report the food and service at both are nothing short of astonishing %26hellip; Pinkberry, the tart-frozen-yogurt concept that has people lining up in L.A., has arrived in Houston. Clear Lake has the first one, with more to follow all around the city %26hellip; Then try the latest in desserts: bundt cakes. Yes, those old-fashioned coffee cakes are back %26mdash; be they diminutive %26ldquo;Bundtinis%26rdquo; or larger %26ldquo;Bundlets.%26rdquo; Carol, Bill and Josh Green have brought the concept Nothing Bundt Cakes to uptown Houston (5000 Westheimer). Here, splurge on moist lemon, white chocolate raspberry, carrot or myriad other flavors, frosted with thick %26ldquo;petals%26rdquo; of butter and cream-cheese icing, as well as lighter drizzles for all occasions %26hellip; The Donne di Domani (aka the sauce ladies who whip up some pretty amazing marinara sauce and sell out every year at the Nutcracker Market) are not only bringing their sauce to the show (November 9 through 13 in Reliant Center) but debuting their cookbook, La Cucina Delle Donne, to inspire you with family recipes incorporating the red sauce. Don%26rsquo;t blink or you%26rsquo;ll miss them %26mdash; this is their only retail appearance until next year %26hellip; D%26rsquo;Amico%26rsquo;s Italian Market Caf%26eacute; has opened its second location, this one in the Heights %26hellip; Food %26amp; Wine magazine has teamed up with the Web site foodspotting.com to launch the Food Obsession city guides, a mobile app that lists 25 must-visit restaurants, with menu recommendations for each, in five cities (soon to expand) %26hellip; Alain and Marie LeN%26ocirc;tre, founders of the Houston cooking school Culinary Institute LeN%26ocirc;tre, have just opened Kris Bistro %26amp; Wine Lounge, with exec chef Kris Jakob on campus. Open Tuesday through Friday (lunch and dinner), the moderately priced chef/student-run restaurant features French bistro fare with a modern twist, with interiors created by Jane Page Crump.

Restaurant Buzz

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 02:34:06 GMT

December is arguably the most edible month of the year. At West Village, a treasured Oak Cliff restaurateur family %26mdash; Matt Spillers, his brother Shane Spillers and their mother Donna Spillers, of Oddfellow%26rsquo;s and Eno%26rsquo;s Pizza Tavern %26mdash; is jumping the Trinity River to open its latest project: Union Bear, in the former Social House location, adjacent to Taco Diner in West Village. Look for farm-to-table fare as crafted by Matt and chef Brady Williams, plus an innovative 10-gallon nano-brewing system that will allow tipplers the chance to have their own beer recipes brewed and served on tap %26hellip; Also adding another eatery to the repertoire is Company Caf%26eacute; owner Stephen White. This time, White has expanded his Greenville Avenue restaurant to a second location, on the Katy Trail, just next to the Katy Trail Ice House. What to expect? The same local, organic and largely gluten-free bites that made the first Company Caf%26eacute; locale a runaway success, plus a patio, new menu items such as pulled pork that%26rsquo;s wood-smoked in-house, furnishings by Homestead Heritage artisans and a fully stocked bar. Make tracks this month to 3136 Routh Street or click companycafe.net for more scrumptious scoop %26hellip; One step inside the Design District%26rsquo;s new restaurant, Royal Sixty, and it%26rsquo;s clear: Its owner, chef and caterer extraordinaire Wendy Krispin, is having quite the blue period %26mdash; but in the best way. The walls of Royal Sixty are covered in vivid, cobalt blue paint and the place is furnished with elegant, high-backed chairs and a dangling crystal chandelier %26mdash; decor that is, yes, fit for royalty. There%26rsquo;s even a baby grand staged in the corner where pianist Rik DeRose tickles the ivories daily from noon to 2 pm. What to order? Go for the comfort-y shepherd%26rsquo;s pie or one of Krispin%26rsquo;s sandwiches. A rather regal lunch date awaits at 150 Turtle Creek Boulevard, in the former Margaux%26rsquo;s space inside the International on Turtle Creek design center %26hellip; Change-of-address alert: The Place at Perry%26rsquo;s has shuttered its original Routh Street location and is putting the finishing touches on its spacious new digs a mere block away, in the Villa Rosa mixed-use development at 2680 Cedar Springs Road. Reserve a spot at Perry%26rsquo;s when it reopens late this month. Click theplaceatperrys.com for deets %26hellip; Our inner Penny Lane is anxiously awaiting the opening of Sundown at Granada, a new restaurant and beer garden from Granada Theater owner Mike Schoder. The two-story space should attract A-list music mavens like Penny and her kind, who will come before and after concerts at the historic Granada. Sundown is just next door, at 3520 Greenville Avenue, and is slated to open before 2011%26rsquo;s end, offering classic American cuisine (including abundant vegetarian nosh), handcrafted juices and teas and a two-tier patio/deck that will be perfect for cocktail-sipping (and musician-spying). Music to our ears.

Image: The science of sips: Union Bear%26rsquo;s nano-brewery.

Restaurant Buzz

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 01:58:00 GMT

This month, it%26rsquo;s course after course of delicious chef-driven news %26mdash; and you%26rsquo;ll eat it all up. It%26rsquo;s official: A gastronomic (and rather handsome) Chicagoan %26mdash; chef Chad Starling %26mdash; has flown in from his former post at Aria at the Fairmont Hotel Chicago to change up the menu and man the kitchen at Saint Ann Restaurant %26amp; Bar. Exec chef Starling%26rsquo;s fare is worth a taste, with bites including a chile a%26iuml;oli and blue-cheese fondue and a savory, house-made ricotta gnocchi. Make tracks to 2501 North Harwood Street or click saintanndallas.com %26hellip; Chef David Anthony Temple (or %26ldquo;Chef DAT%26rdquo; to those familiar with his pop-up dinners in Deep Ellum) is opening a more permanent spot at a yet-to-be-revealed address in the same neighborhood. Dubbed Twenty Seven, the eatery will focus on regionally grown produce and local artisanal meats and cheeses, all incorporated into a menu that changes daily. Note to persnickety dinner planners: You can preview and select your courses online prior to dining. For more scrumptious scoop: 504.383.5435 or chefdat.com %26hellip; Forty Five Ten has just announced that chef George Brown will helm all things food at The T Room %26mdash; everything from expanding the lunch menu to spearheading seasonal specials, catering and private events. For reservations, ring 214.559.4510 or drop a line to troom@fortyfiveten.com %26hellip; This just in: A recent dash up McKinney Avenue to the Knox-Henderson neighborhood revealed a curious spotting: Signage has gone up at the former Burger Girl space reading %26ldquo;Mexican + American = Mico 12 Opening whenever. Shooting for Nov. 1. We%26rsquo;ll let you know.%26rdquo; There%26rsquo;s much speculation about the new spot from restaurateur Mico Rodriguez, one of the original founders of the Mi Cocina and Taco Diner empires. We%26rsquo;ll keep snooping until more formative details are revealed.

Image: Kitchen star: Saint Ann%26rsquo;s new executive chef, Chad Starling. Photo by Christopher Whitten.

Restaurant Buzz

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 12:46:14 GMT

Looks like someone read our minds: Trader Joe%26rsquo;s is finally considering a Houston location %26mdash; and it%26rsquo;s the very space where we%26rsquo;ve been visualizing them. Barring any roadblocks, it will take up residence in the historic Alabama Theater space (which was most recently home to the shuttered Book Stop) on South Shepherd at Alabama %26hellip; Next month, chef Ryan Hildebrand (late of Textile) will open Triniti, a progressive American eatery, in the former location of Pravada on South Shepherd. Named for the trinity of sweet, savory and spirits, the space is designed by Chung Nguyen of MC2 in Houston. The 5,400-square-foot restaurant will serve its own brand of California French cuisine, bringing a little taste of Napa inside the loop, overseen by GM Fred Zennati. Interiors features lighting and furniture-as-art from British designer Tom Dixon and an organic chef%26rsquo;s garden %26hellip; Benjy Levit, owner of his eponymous Houston eateries, has dreamed up another concept. His latest, Local Foods, debuts later this month in Rice Village, next to his original Benjy%26rsquo;s in the former Antone%26rsquo;s location. Look to this market-like grocer for locally sourced fruits, vegetables and fare from 15 to 20 vendors, plus sandwiches and salads, and even Benjy%26rsquo;s house-made faves, from granola to beer nuts %26hellip; When Susan Molzan and Lee Ellis told us when their soft frozen custard machine would be installed at Petite Sweet, I couldn%26rsquo;t help but wax on about a concoction of Italian fruity ice layered with soft custard ice cream that I adore. At first they thought it odd %26mdash; until they tried it. I%26rsquo;ve made converts of them. You should try it, too: Their version, made with two daily changing ice flavors, is dubbed the gelati %26hellip; RA Sushi (in Highland Village and CityCentre) goes pink this month, donating 100 percent of its profits from the ONEHOPE Wine and Pink (sushi) Roll combination ($15) to the National Breast Cancer Foundations %26hellip; Congrats to Ristorante Cavour at Hotel Granduca. Cavour has earned the Ospitalita Italiana Seal, granted to restaurants upholding authentic Italian standards. In Texas, they are in the company of only five others: Arcodoro in Houston and Dallas; Carmelo%26rsquo;s and Quattro in Houston; Nicola in Plano and Dallas; and Andiamo in Austin %26hellip; It%26rsquo;s the 33rd Festa Italiana, October 14 through 16, on the grounds of the University of St. Thomas. Details houstonitalianfestival.com %26hellip; In the near future, we%26rsquo;ll be able to say, %26ldquo;Meet me at the Menil Caf%26eacute;.%26rdquo; The Menil Collection is entering into a collaboration with Rice University%26rsquo;s Rice Building Workshop to design a cafe near the museum%26rsquo;s main entrance on Sul Ross. The 1,500-square-foot green-built, glass-front cafe with 80 seats (40 in and 40 out) is being designed by architecture professors Danny Samuels and Nonya Grenader. The food operators, chef and cuisine will be decided by committee later this fall; construction begins next spring, with a 2013 opening planned %26hellip; The Original Greek Festival will take place October 6 through 9 on the grounds of the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral Complex in the Montrose. Info greekfestival.org.

Restaurant Buzz

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 02:51:23 GMT

Our fair city has hurdled headfirst into the foodie-est craze: all things culinary on wheels. Herewith, we present three nomadic rigs: The first: Ruthie%26rsquo;s Rolling Cafe, a gourmet grilled-cheese truck that%26rsquo;s wheeling about town dishing out melt-y creations such as the swiss-and-cheddar on Texas toast, with turkey, bacon and secret sauce. Where to find Ruthie%26rsquo;s? So far, the Arts District, the Hunt Oil Headquarters downtown and the corner of Cedar Springs Road and Oak Lawn Avenue, but for scheduled stops, follow @ruthiesrolling on Twitter or click to its Facebook page. The second: Trailercakes takes on the cupcake scene via a vamped-up silver Airstream (which goes by the name of Bubbles) that has been polished and painted with a smattering of summer-of-love-style florals. The goods? Regular and bite-sized confections in to-die-for flavors %26mdash; think a Fruity Pebbles%26ndash;topped white cupcake or a zippy peanut-butter number with a grape-jelly center. Key in trailercakes.com for location info. And our third: Fill up on portobello burgers, meatball sliders, pepperoni egg rolls and hand-cut Cajun fries at Jack%26rsquo;s ChowHound. This down-home truck %26mdash; you can%26rsquo;t miss a longhorn skull strapped to its front %26mdash; traverses the city, serving up comfort-food eats and drinks for lunch and dinner. Find out where Jack%26rsquo;s will pop up next at jackschowhound.com %26hellip; Where to book your next lunch date: Pencil in an afternoon (11:30 am to 2:00 pm) at chef Abraham Salum%26rsquo;s Komali for the new Comida Corrida, a three-course, prix-fixe authentic Mexican lunch for $14 per person. (We say try the tenderloin tips and the chicken Milanesa, then for the finish, go for the Mexican bread pudding or the crepas con cajeta.) Get all the delectable deets at komalirestaurant.com %26hellip; Two bits of news from The Shops at Park Lane, near NorthPark Center: Bailey%26rsquo;s Prime Plus has a fresh new face: Grant Morgan, formerly with Dragonfly at Hotel ZaZa, has signed on as executive chef and is expected to craft new bar, lunch and dinner menus just in time for fall. Meanwhile, Park Grill is slated to open on The Shops%26rsquo; plaza level by the end of 2011. The American restaurant will offer a slew of small plates, sandwiches, salads and entrees. Shopsatparklane.com will have the full 4-1-1 %26hellip; A delicious final note: A little sibling to steakhouse institution Del Frisco%26rsquo;s is imminent. Likely called Del Frisco%26rsquo;s Grille, it should be open in November in the revamped One McKinney Plaza at McKinney Avenue and Hall Street. How%26rsquo;s this for rare: The only other DF Grille just opened %26mdash; in Rockefeller Center, no less.

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Image: Cheese wheels: Gourmet grilled-cheese sandwiches on the go at Ruthie's Rolling Cafe.

Restaurant Buzz

Thu, 11 Aug 2011 06:29:12 GMT

We last dished about illustrious restaurateur Alberto Lombardi%26rsquo;s latest dining concept way back in October. (Think French Riviera influences, Venetian plaster walls, marble-topped patio tables.) Now, new deets emerge. The name? Bistro 31. The menu? A carte with French, Italian and Spanish fare. The chef? Eric Brandt, formerly at the Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek. But our favorite detail is this: An early September opening is imminent. Plan your visit to 87 Highland Park Village, between Trina Turk and Q Custom Clothier %26hellip; Pizza aficionados, prepare to be dough%26rsquo;d over: Dough Pizzeria Napoletana opens its doors this month at Preston Road and Forest Lane. The San Antonio%26ndash;based pizzeria boasts authentic Italian pies made with fresh burrata, stracciato and rollatini cheeses and was recognized by Food Network%26rsquo;s Diners, Drive-ins and Dives for its wood-burning oven masterpieces. Click to doughpizzeria.com for more info %26hellip; We have a host of changes to report at One Arts Plaza%26rsquo;s home-style haunt Screen Door, from a rejuvenated menu (delicacies such as homestead grits with grilled radicchio, a duck chorizo and Jidori egg scramble, and a Gloucester cod with blue-crab succotash) to new wines and cocktails to a refreshed interior (hello, dark walls and chalkboards). For a little revised southern comfort, tap to 214.720.9111 or screendoordallas.com %26hellip; A new spot of note downtown: Wild Salsa Cantina Y Comida, a restaurant focusing on the flavors of Mexico City, has landed at the corner of St. Paul and Main streets on the first level of The Mercantile Place building. Work up your appetite for tasty tamales, salsa borracha and the chori queso with house-made chorizo and Oaxaca cheese, all from executive chef (and Tei Tei Robata Bar alum) Kelly Hightower and AJ Joglekar, the corporate chef for Dallas-based DRG Concepts (214.741.9453; wildsalsarestaurant.com) %26hellip; A sneak peek at September: Be ready to raise a glass at Primebar, the new contemporary ale house at 2520 Cedar Springs Road, with organic American dishes, plus specialty-menu temptations such as a yellow-fin tuna sashimi with a yuzu-ponzu sauce and a Kurobuta pork chop, Cajun-seasoned in a white-wine garlic sauce %26hellip; The owners of Capitol Pub have purchased Knox-Henderson hot spot Park and have plans to turn it into Swig. We hear the new digs will boast a changing menu, complete with some very fine flatbreads. Stay tuned. (The adjacent Bar C%26eacute;line, by the way, has already reopened as The Gin Mill. Our kind of name change.) %26hellip; %26hellip; Head to Henderson Avenue where this month Mark Brezinski and the masterminds at Front Burner Restaurants have opened Velvet Taco, a taco stop with a menu offering specialties such as a rotisserie chicken taco with sweet onion chutney or the crispy calamari taco. For all taco-related inquiries, dial 214.738.2540 %26hellip; The restaurant formerly known as Fuse at the Browder Building has been transformed to Fuse Japan. Inside, the revived eatery features a dimly lit lounge and a variety of nosh-worthy bites, including sushi, quesadillas and shrimp tacos. For info, call 214.742.3873 %26hellip;

Image: A rendering of Alberto Lombardi%26rsquo;s new Highland Park Village restaurant, Bistro 31.

Restaurant Buzz

Thu, 11 Aug 2011 04:03:52 GMT

Oscar Aguilar, co-owner of the Decco Caf%26eacute; in the Decorative Center of Houston, opens a tapas-style restaurant called Convivio just off Washington Avenue with Madrid native Marta Vina later this summer. The 4,200-square-foot space will be tweaked by designer Jay Clues of Studio Forma, who worked on the revamp of Grille 5115 at Saks %26hellip; For those who look forward to the healthful fare as much as the pampering at Lake Austin Spa Resort in Austin, we have big news. After more than two decades with the spa, chef Terry Conlan has retired. He%26rsquo;s passed his knives on to French-born chef St%26eacute;phane Beaucamp, who will pay mind to luminaries such as Michel Gu%26eacute;rard, founding father of cuisine minceur. Spa cuisine sans butter and cream shouldn%26rsquo;t be too much of a challenge, given all the grass-fed meats, fish, organic fruits and vegetables Beaucamp has to play with %26hellip; Check out Jeni Britton Bauer%26rsquo;s new cookbook, Jeni%26rsquo;s Splendid Ice Creams at Home (Artisan Books, 2011, $23.95). The owner of 10 small-batch scoop shops, she%26rsquo;ll teach an ice cream class at Houston%26rsquo;s Central Market Tuesday, August 9 %26hellip;Think narrowing down your choices on a menu is challenging? Try picking just one burger from more than 312,000 options at The Counter Custom Built Burgers! This better-built-burger concept %26mdash; already a hit on Washington Avenue %26mdash; opens in the Woodlands (9595 Six Pines Drive) this month. Build your own, or select a hormone- and antibiotic-free, freshly ground Angus, turkey, veggie or grilled chicken option, with the requisite go-withs, from fries to hand-scooped shakes %26hellip; Football fans, take note: Soon you%26rsquo;ll have your own Texans-themed sports bar. The G.R.E.A.T Grill Group (G3) is constructing an 11,000-square-foot grill in CityCentre; the as-yet-unnamed eatery will likely open in November on the second floor (with 4,000 square feet of outdoor dining space, too) next to Eddie V%26rsquo;s %26hellip; According to Joey Galluzzi%26rsquo;s Facebook page, the man who gained fame on NBC%26rsquo;s America%26rsquo;s Next Great Restaurant last spring has moved to Houston to open his casual Italian meatball concept Saucy Balls. It was innocently named by his young daughter, but Galluzzi caught a lot of flack for that moniker, so he%26rsquo;s changed it to Brooklyn Meatball Company, with plans to debut in Midtown this October %26hellip; Mariquita Combes, owner of La Villette Catering at 1716 Bissonnet, is transforming her commercial catering kitchen and office into a gourmet storefront with designer Ferenc Dreef. Her new concept, La Villette Shop, will debut at the end of September, serving take-out fare, preserves and other home-baked goods, and cakes for special occasion cakes, to order.

Restaurant Buzz

Thu, 07 Jul 2011 03:33:04 GMT

It%26rsquo;s hot. You%26rsquo;re famished. What to do? Make stops at each of these fresh spots for noshing. First up, Jonathon%26rsquo;s in Oak Cliff, where chef-owner Jonathon Erdeljac serves breakfast all day in the former Beckley%26rsquo;s Brewhouse digs. Early birds and late-risers will go crazy for his clever breakfast twists %26mdash; think pancake-battered sausage links dubbed %26ldquo;Danger Dogs%26rdquo; %26mdash; with eclectic Americana eats such as the fowl burger with pickled onions and provolone and a craveable, cheese-burger-French-fry soup, served strictly on Wednesdays. Jump the Trinity River to 1111 N. Beckley or click to jonathonsoakcliff.com %26hellip; Our next two tips call Lower Greenville home: For Pan-Asian cuisine with a Korean emphasis, make tracks to Rohst Fresh Marinade Grill, opening this month at 2817 Greenville Avenue. Here, the draw is Rohst%26rsquo;s fresh ingredients, enhanced by handcrafted sauces and grilled to healthy perfection. What to have? The seared-tuna salad and the tropical-mango chicken. Look before you go at rohstdallas.com. Also on the Lower Greenville gourmet scene: Company Caf%26eacute;, the just-opened eatery where organic, grass-fed and gluten-free are the culinary buzzwords. We%26rsquo;re all for CC%26rsquo;s wholesome offerings, including the cage-free omelet served with farm-fresh cheese and a gluten-free bagel and the %26ldquo;Deep Bowl,%26rdquo; packed with grass-fed beef and sweet-potato hash, topped with avocado and eggs any style. For all the fare, get thee to 2217 Greenville Avenue or companycafe.net %26hellip; We%26rsquo;ll admit, we%26rsquo;ve ordered our fair share of Pho %26mdash; the savory Vietnamese soup known for curing the most splitting, champagne-caused headaches. Now, there%26rsquo;s a new downtown locale at which to order that famous %26ldquo;Hangover Soup,%26rdquo; as Pho Colonial (can you guess the specialty, here?) opens its second location, this month, at 1623 Main Street in the Wilson Building at Stanley Market Square. In addition to authentic, East Asian dishes %26mdash; don%26rsquo;t leave without trying B%26uacute;n, an entr%26eacute;e of vermicelli noodles with a choice of grilled meats %26mdash;%26nbsp;there%26rsquo;s plenty to sip on, too, from Vietnamese coffees to bubble teas and sake. Will we see you there on our foggy mornings after? %26hellip; Fromage fans are raving over the Texas entr%26eacute;e of Murray%26rsquo;s Cheese, with the recent opening of its in-store cheese shops at local Kroger markets. (The closest Kroger pop-up to us being at 5665 East Mockingbird Lane.) Why Murray%26rsquo;s rings a bell? The fromagerie first opened its doors in Greenwich Village in 1940 and has since won rave reviews from foodie experts from Emeril Lagasse to Martha Stewart Living. With 175 types of cheese and more than 300 specialty foods to shop, it%26rsquo;s very scrumptious news for those pursuing a caramelly Gouda or a buttery Bucheron. For more, click murrayscheese.com/kroger.asp.

Restaurant Buzz

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 04:42:56 GMT

Have we got a spicy tidbit for you: There%26rsquo;s a weekly, invitation-only dinner making waves among the social set that%26rsquo;s so top secret, we can%26rsquo;t even tell you where it is. Chef David Anthony Temple (also known as ChefDAT) hosts Underground Dinners, constantly changing, five- to 12-course meals served at a long table with room for about 18 diners. Lucky foodies have feasted on crawfish gumbo, Virginia pork belly and seared lamb %26mdash; what he serves when you go is up to him. How do you score an invite to this furtive f%26ecirc;te? Drop an e-mail to Temple, a Louisiana native whose r%26eacute;sum%26eacute; includes working with Tom Spicer and Avner Samuel, at dat@chefdat.com to get on his list %26hellip; This month, chef Jeff Harris, formerly with Craft Dallas, and York Street alum chef Matt Balke combine forces to open RedFork Tavern on Fitzhugh Avenue. Prepare your appetite for New American eats, including veal sweetbreads, grilled hanger steak and wood-fired pizzas. Get all the delicious details at redforkdallas.com %26hellip; Chef Sharon Hage%26rsquo;s adored York Street Restaurant may be no more, but local chef and restaurateur Ren%26eacute; Peeters, of the various and wonderful incarnations of Watel%26rsquo;s, has revived the cozy space as Bistro Watel%26rsquo;s, a French-inspired dining spot brimming with different dishes each day. What might you find on Watel%26rsquo;s carte? A scrumptious shredded potato cake with smoked salmon (called the Salmon Roesti) or a grilled quail with Indian-mango-pickle glaze. Make it a date at 6047 Lewis Street or ring 214.720.0323 %26hellip; Sweet news: Online cookie retailer Great One Cookie Company has set up its first walk-in shop, in Highland Park. Pop to 3111 Monticello Avenue for owner Pam Denesuk%26rsquo;s to-die-for cookie treats (white chocolate with cranberries and macadamia nuts, peanut butter with chocolate and pretzels, and classics chocolate chip and oatmeal raisin) or dial her at 214.207.0389 for delivery %26hellip; Dee Lincoln%26rsquo;s Tasting Room %26amp; Bubble Bar opens this month in Rosewood Court on Cedar Springs Road. Expect nothing short of extravagance for Ms. Lincoln%26rsquo;s second location (her first is inside Cowboys Stadium): a champagne dispenser divvying out bubbly by the ounce, traditional caviar service and a private dining room with a wine cellar housing some of Lincoln%26rsquo;s exclusive collection. Drink it in at deelincolnstastingroom.com %26hellip; The Shops at Park Lane is upping the culinary ante with two enticing additions opening this fall %26mdash; Rare, a two-level, modern sushi lounge located south of Nordstrom Rack and Grimaldi%26rsquo;s Pizzeria, the coal-fired brick-oven pie maker set to open in the retail space below The Heights at Park Lane residences. Stay tuned for additional deets or click to shopsatparklane.com for info %26hellip; Name-change report: Starting this month, you%26rsquo;ll notice Fin Sushi Lounge on Cedar Springs Road has dropped %26ldquo;Fin%26rdquo; from its title and added %26ldquo;Axiom.%26rdquo; The newly monikered Axiom Sushi Lounge now better aligns itself with sister spots Sushi Axiom in Dallas and Fort Worth %26hellip; Cooking not your strong suit? (Ours either.) Enter My Private Chef, a pick-it-up or have-it-delivered service from chef Holly Muller that%26rsquo;s dishing out slimming meals %26mdash;%26nbsp;thrice daily, five days a week %26mdash;%26nbsp;for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It%26rsquo;s all very low-sodium, low-sugar, high-fiber and high-protein %26mdash; just the thing for fitting into that Lanvin frock. Place your weekly order at 2901 Elm Street in Deep Ellum, by ringing 214.679.0999 or at my-privatechef.com ... It all sounds divine.

Image: The cranberry and macadamia-nut marvel from Great One Cookie Company. Photo by Dick Patrick.

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Restaurant Buzz

Thu, 26 May 2011 04:17:55 GMT

Stock up on plenty of organic totes: Grocery stores top our news this month. Firstly, we can%26rsquo;t begin to explain the magnitude of our joy over this proclamation: Trader Joe%26rsquo;s is coming to Dallas. Yes, %26rsquo;tis true, the cult grocer and purveyor of healthy and organic goodies that won%26rsquo;t put a dent in your Prada pocketbook (two-buck Chuck, anyone?)%26nbsp;has said it is %26ldquo;actively looking for sites%26rdquo; but has yet to confirm anything specific. Rumors are flying, and it%26rsquo;s anyone%26rsquo;s guess %26mdash; but since we%26rsquo;re speculating, there%26rsquo;s a recently vacated, two-story spot in West Village (think books and music) that we think would be a prime choice. In the meantime, get to know TJs at traderjoes.com. Secondly, the much-adored foodie destination Central Market is slated to open its fifth location in our fair city, this time on the southeast corner of Royal Lane and Preston Road in the former Borders space in Preston Oaks Shopping Center. We%26rsquo;re told a grand opening should happen in time for turkeys and cornucopias, but stay tuned: We%26rsquo;re tracking down the deets %26hellip; This July, Mike Karns, restaurateur and CEO of El Fenix Mexican Restaurants, is amping up the regional Mexican cuisine scene with Meso Maya, a new dining spot set to open in the former Chic From Barcelona location at Preston Road and Forest Lane. More particulars to come %26hellip; McKinney Avenue is about to get a lot healthier. Southpaw%26rsquo;s Organic Cafe, the good-for-you smoothie, salad and sandwich shop in Preston Center, will open a second location, this one next to Frankie%26rsquo;s Sports Bar and Grill. Scheduled to hit in late summer, the cafe will boast a full grill; organic beers, wines and sangr%26iacute;a; extended hours; and a patio. Ring 214.987.0351 for the Preston shop, or go to southpawscafe.com %26hellip; Margarita popsicles? Mahi tacos? Yes, please. Digg%26rsquo;s Taco Shop, planted on Hillcrest Avenue near Culwell %26amp; Son, is all about two things: tunes (there are speakers built into the booths and a mural created from cassette tapes) and tacos. Go for the torta sandwich, a concoction with caramelized Mexican bread, purple cabbage, onion and cilantro served with plantain chips, or keep it comfort-y with a chipotle-cheese hamburguesa. Rock on at 6309 Hillcrest Avenue %26hellip; If you haven%26rsquo;t yet visited The Mansion Restaurant at Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek to sample one of the decadent and artful desserts from new pastry chef Nicolas Blouin, you must get there now. Blouin%26rsquo;s resume includes spinning up confections at Las Vegas%26rsquo; Bellagio Resort %26amp; Casino under chef Jean Philippe Maury and working as the pastry chef at Aria Resort %26amp; Casino. Blouin%26rsquo;s specialties on the manse%26rsquo;s menu? A sweet, peanut-y treat made with caramelized banana, peanut streusel, caramel custard and peanut-butter ice cream and an almost-too-pretty-to-eat raspberry and vanilla cheesecake sphere with a margarita sorbet. Share a scoop or two at 2821 Turtle Creek Boulevard. Clearly, we%26rsquo;re throwing calories to the wind this month.

Image: A highly unconventional cheesecake from Nicolas Blouin, the new pastry chef at Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek.

Restaurant Buzz

Thu, 26 May 2011 01:10:04 GMT

Goode Co. Taqueria, the Tex-Mex concept of Levi Goode and family, now serves breakfast. Look for the morning meal seven days a week, inspired by Goode%26rsquo;s grandmother, Nanny. Offerings include homemade breads, pecan waffles, and breakfast tacos and egg dishes with a Tex-Mex taste %26hellip; The Sweet Boutique Bakery will debut in Sugar Land%26rsquo;s Town Square early this summer. Owned by Christine and Martin Nguyen, it specializes in baked goods, custom cakes, cake pops, cupcakes and cookies galore %26hellip; Claire Smith, who opened the bustling bistro Canopy in the Montrose in late 2009, has dressed up her pretty patio. Initially, she took the outdoors in. (If you recall, the restaurant was named for the canopy of oak trees that shade the back of her house, images of which are displayed in photos adhered to sliding walls inside the eatery.) Now she%26rsquo;s done the reverse: creating stylish outdoor environs. Dine alfresco under a shaded canopy of slated wood with the breeze of fans overhead morning, noon and night. Smith has even commissioned artist Dixie Friend Gay to do an installation here, too ... Fans of Catalon might have noticed that it%26rsquo;s briefly closed. Owners Charles Clark and Grant Cooper are reinventing the space as Ristorante Coppe Italiano, opening in July %26hellip; How do you celebrate 10 years in business in Houston? If you%26rsquo;re Central Market, you host a foodie fund-raiser on Thursday, June 2, from 6:30 to 8:30 pm, to benefit Foodways Texas, a new organization founded by scholars, chefs, restaurateurs and journalists dedicated to preserving and celebrating the food lore of Texas. Tickets are $100, through centralmarket.com ... Houston%26rsquo;s oldest family-owned and -operated Tex-Mex eatery, Molina%26rsquo;s, is opening a third locale, this one in West University on Bellaire Boulevard at Weslayan. (You%26rsquo;ll recall they closed their location at Buffalo Speedway and Bissonnet in 2008 to make room for H-E-B.) Look for a fall opening %26hellip; Auctioneers David Lewis and Ernest Maese are trying their hand at the restaurant business. The duo has opened The Brownstone Caf%26eacute; in the former spot of both the Brownstone Restaurant and their own antiques and furniture store. Chef Olivier Ciesielski, formerly with Tony%26rsquo;s, is a partner and chef at the French cafe and cr%26ecirc;perie %26hellip; Mike Riccetti, a Houston writer who pens his own guide to our city%26rsquo;s dining scene, has released a digital version of Houston Dining 2011: A Guide for Visitors (and Most Locals, Too) through Amazon%26rsquo;s Kindle Store.

Image: Canopy.

Restaurant Buzz

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 04:58:50 GMT

Chef Arturo Boada has left his eponymous restaurant in Uptown Park (which he formerly owned with Bill Sadler) and opened Arturo Boada Cuisine in the Tanglewood area. Look for a compilation of the concepts he%26rsquo;s created over the years, from Latin to Italian to seafood, at lunch and dinner %26hellip; Mai Nguyen, owner of Mai%26rsquo;s, Houston%26rsquo;s first Vietnamese restaurant opened in 1978, has reopened her namesake eatery downtown after a wok fire burned it to the ground 14 months ago. Her new space, in the same location at 3403 Milam Street, was designed by Studio Red and features a streamlined menu that stays true to traditional Vietnamese cuisine and a full bar for those who famously crowd the place late night %26hellip; Chris Cusack, owner of Austin%26rsquo;s Thunderbird Coffee, is opening Down House with partner Joey Treadway at 1801 Yale Street in the Heights, just as we go to press. Inspired by the grand cafes of Europe, Down Home has interiors styled by Joel Mozersky with fabrications created for the space by Installations co-owner Yur Van Der Oord. Look for well-crafted coffee (made with direct-trade beans) and cocktails, as well as chef-driven fare from the kitchen of chef Chandler Rothbard. Hours are 7 am to 2 am. Watch for updates at downhousehouston.com %26hellip; Central Market is stamping your passport to Spain this month to show you a cuisine far beyond the requisite tapas and paella. From May 11 through 24, enjoy tastings, classes, demos and new products from Espa%26ntilde;a %26hellip; Benjy Levit of Benjy%26rsquo;s Upper Washington %26mdash; one of the first to bring well-crafted cocktails to the fore %26mdash; has introduced barrel aging not just to the spirit but to the entire blended cocktail. Starting with his New Tejas Treaty, he%26rsquo;s blended an array of Texas-made products to create a six-week oak-barrel-aged cocktail with a depth of flavor and spice so unlike its un-aged counterpart. (Order half portions of both to perform your own taste-test.) Coming this month to Benjy%26rsquo;s: aged sangr%26icirc;a, with white wine, cilantro, apricot brandy and fresh fruit %26hellip; Yearning for a little something sweet? Preorder Crave Cupcakes%26rsquo; diminutive new minis in several tempting flavors, $44 for two dozen %26hellip; Live la dolce vita Friday through Sunday, June 3 through 5, when the Italian Expo hits the George R. Brown Convention Center. Italian food, wine, fashion and design converge at this celebration of all things Italian featuring more than 150 exhibitors. Info italianexpo.us.

Restaurant Buzz

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 06:18:11 GMT

John Mariani, author of How Italian Food Conquered the World, wings into town Wednesday, April 13, and will be f%26ecirc;ted by Tony Vallone at Tony%26rsquo;s with a multi-course feast and book signing. Seats are $90; reserve yours by buzzing 713.622.6778 %26hellip; Natalie May Bolger and her brother, chef Michael May, gained fame when they started the delicious Candelari%26rsquo;s Sausage Company, then showcased it at Candelari Pizzeria. Now Bolger has written an adorable book, The Grand Festive Picnic. The first of a series, this pretty picture book, which explores the meaning of friendship, stars two alligator chefs (among others) who prepare a feast filled with tamales, shrimp brochette, key lime pie and more. Head to kidslove life.com for details %26hellip; Mark Cox of Mark%26rsquo;s American Cuisine and Jeff Everts and Catherine Rodriguez of Olivette will band together with other tall toques to prepare a five-course dinner at the Houstonian Hotel to benefit Houston Food Bank%26rsquo;s Annual Chefs%26rsquo; Dinner Wednesday, April 20. Fight hunger in our own community by sitting down for this lavish meal. Tickets at houstonfoodbank.org %26hellip; The James Beard Foundation nominations (which only seem to grow in number and categories each year) are out, and some of our city%26rsquo;s best are highlighted. For best new restaurant, Bootsie%26rsquo;s Heritage Cafe in Tomball got a nod (and, incidentally, in GQ recently as well), Robert Del Grande was tapped as an Outstanding Chef, and Michael Cord%26uacute;a was nominated for Outstanding Restaurateur for Cord%26uacute;a Restaurants. Newbie Bobby Heugel at Anvil Bar %26amp; Refuge got a nod under Outstanding Wine and Spirits Professionals, and Bryan Caswell was nominated for Best Chef: Southwest. Find out who actually wins on Monday, May 9, when the winners are announced at Lincoln Center %26hellip; Brock and Stacey Silverstein, who relocated from Denver to Houston to expand The Buffalo Grille, have moved outside the loop to Briar Forest to launch Pecan Creek Grille. Open daily for breakfast and lunch, this counter-service spot serves comfort fare such as meatloaf, chicken-fried steak and burgers %26hellip; Chef Steven Vanderpool, who%26rsquo;s behind the range at Brenner%26rsquo;s at the Bayou, will whip up some inspired creations to pair with wines from the Napa and Sonoma counties during the Second Annual WineFest. It all happens Saturday, April 9, from 3 to 6 pm. For tickets, go to brennerssteakhouse.com %26hellip; The Hotel Sorella in CityCentre is bending to demand from brides and businesspeople alike. Look for a new 8,500-square-foot event space adjacent to Anthropologie on the ground floor this June. Also just opened in CityCentre: Sweet, a dessert atelier with handcrafted confections including cupcakes and macaroons. And do you remember when frozen yogurt used to have that marvelous tangy taste? Now the best trend in fro yo, Red Mango is the newest addition to the mix with tangy, all-natural, yogurt and toppings that are terrific. Meanwhile, Olive %26amp; Vine, a self-styled olive oil and balsamic vinegar tasting bar and boutique, has also launched at CityCentre. Swing in for a taste of more than 36 premium extra virgin olive oils and vinegars. Peruse the selection of culinary accoutrements, too. %26hellip; In Memorial, look for Gugliani%26rsquo;s, a family-style Italian eatery from Gregg and Alan Guggenheim to open later this month. The space, across from Memorial City Medical Center, will be designed by Carlo Di Nunzio.

Restaurant Buzz

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 05:40:31 GMT

April%26rsquo;s nosh news begins with pure bliss. Gina and Scott Gottlich, the husband-wife owners behind Inwood Village dining destination Bijoux, are waltzing into wedding coordination and catering. On Bijoux%26rsquo;s big-day menu? Sophisticated decor arrangements and perfect wine parings via Gina (she%26rsquo;s Bijoux%26rsquo;s in-house sommelier and is responsible for the restaurant%26rsquo;s sleek interior), plus crafted cuisine by way of chef Scott%26rsquo;s culinary expertise. The moment you set your date, ring 214.350.6100 or click bijouxrestaurant.com %26hellip; Chef John Tesar is combining two of our favorite foodie things %26mdash; gourmet hamburgers and wine %26mdash; for his newest concept, The Commissary, to open this month in the former Dali Wine Bar space at One Arts Plaza. Here, it%26rsquo;s all about organic, grass-fed beef burgers; wine on tap from top California vineyards; and clever, farm-to-table chef specials. Dig in at 1722 Routh Street %26hellip; Add this spot to your must-tries: Asador at the Renaissance Dallas Hotel, from national chef/restaurateur Dean Max. Among the many Texas and Latin American%26ndash;inspired dishes (many cooked over an open flame of mesquite wood) are standouts including the Niman Ranch pork chop with white-corn grits and red-pepper chutney and a smoked brisket sandwich with black-pepper Caciotta cheese. What%26rsquo;s more? Asador packs more than 100 varieties at its tequila bar. Reservations 214.267.4815 %26hellip; Local restaurateur Francesco Farris is pulling out all the stops on his newest project, a casual Italian concept with a Sardinian twist called Zio Cecio in the former Patry%26rsquo;s locale at 4601 West Lovers Lane. Look for the opening (and the pasta, risotto and more) next month %26hellip; Jay Jerrier has found a permanent parking spot for his top-notch mobile pizzeria. Behold Il Cane Rosso, evolved from Jerrier%26rsquo;s beloved pizza trailer, now a brick-and-mortar spot in Deep Ellum at 2612 Commerce Street, across from Twisted Root Burger Company. Much like with Jerrier%26rsquo;s in-demand pizzeria on wheels (no worries; it will still make its catering rounds), people can%26rsquo;t stop raving about the fare, most notably the Neopolitan pizza, prepared in accordance to the picky guidelines of the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana, a group of Italian gourmand pizza makers who take their pies very seriously. Translation? Think dough made from Italian flour and tomato sauce made of hand-crushed San Marzano tomatoes. Now that calls for buffing up the Bugatti %26mdash; Commerce Street, and step on it. %26hellip; We%26rsquo;re on a sugar high over a duo of sweet treats. First, at Central Market, there%26rsquo;s a muffin moment with the debut of 14 new flavors including one packed with acai, goji, blackberries and pomegranate, and another filled with balsamic-soaked strawberries and ch%26egrave;vre. Next, it%26rsquo;s pint-sized pastries %26mdash; or Pie Bites as they call them %26mdash; at Rosebud%26rsquo;s Restaurant Giftique and Bakery. The petite cakes come by the dozen in flavors such as cherry crumb, banana meringue and chocolate icebox. To order, ring 214.904.0902 or stop by at 5600 West Lovers Lane %26hellip; Two fresh faces are making their mark on Craft Dallas at the W Dallas Victory in Victory Park. Make a point to meet these newbies: the restaurant%26rsquo;s new general manager, James Cobb, formerly of Steel and Hotel ZaZa%26rsquo;s Dragonfly; and its new chef de cuisine, Tim Bevins, most recently the executive sous chef of Craft Atlanta.

Image: Asador. Photo by Kevin Marple.

Restaurant Buzz

Fri, 25 Feb 2011 05:25:00 GMT

Several years ago, I attended the annual Star Chefs conference in New York. I left feeling inspired, educated and on top of the trends; ever since, I%26rsquo;ve encouraged every food pro I know to go. Now Houston has been chosen by starchefs.com as one of four profile and destination cities in the USA this year. On Thursday, March 17, from 7 to 10 pm, the Rising Stars Revue Gala will recognize Houston food pros that Star Chefs deems up-and-comers in the field during a walk-around chef tasting at the Four Seasons Hotel. Information starchefs.com/tickets %26hellip; Yearning for a weekend away that only feels far away? Book one of the swank, newly completed penthouse suites at Hotel Sorella in CityCentre. The 11 one-, two- and three-bedroom options %26mdash; each averaging 1,500 square feet %26mdash; offer kitchens with Viking appliances and tricked-out bathrooms. Rent by the day or month %26hellip; Nicole Mora, aka the gal who drives around in her Frosted Betty Mobile Bakeshop proffering cupcakes and sweets, will open a retail outpost in the Heights. Look for her Studewood locale, dubbed Frosted Betty Bakeshop, to carry homemade ice cream, mini pastries, old-fashioned lollipops, chocolate and cupcakes. (Food Network fans might have caught Mora competing on Cupcake Wars recently, too.) %26hellip; The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo hosts the Rodeo Uncorked! Champion Wine Auction and Dinner Saturday, March 5, at 5:30 pm. Tickets through the Reliant Center ticket office %26hellip; Ouisie%26rsquo;s restaurant starts serving breakfast this month, at 7 am Monday to Friday, 8 am Saturday and Sunday %26hellip; Farmer%26rsquo;s market news: City Hall Farmers Market is up and running again, every Wednesday from 11 am to 2 pm around the reflecting pool. Highland Village Farmers Market is now open Sundays instead of Saturdays, 9 am to 1 pm. Outside the loop, CityCentre inaugurates its Saturdays-only Eco-Farmers Market in the central plaza on Saturday, March 5, from 9 am to 1 pm %26hellip; Food writer John Mariani has penned an engaging new book, How Italian Food Conquered The World (Palgrave Macmillan, 2011, $25). For anyone who enjoys a little history with their pasta pomodoro, this is a fascinating read.

Restaurant Buzz

Fri, 25 Feb 2011 05:51:42 GMT

Eat sweet and be sweet this month as one of our fave gals-about-town, Kim Whitman, debuts her signature Red Cross Red Velvet treat at Sprinkles Cupcakes March 27 through April 1. The icing on the cake? One hundred percent of the proceeds from each sugary confection benefits American Red Cross %26ndash; Dallas Chapter. Look for the line out the door at Sprinkles in The Plaza at Preston Center %26hellip; In other tasty news, Dragonfly at Hotel ZaZa has landed a new executive chef by the name of Dan Landsberg (the former exec chef, director of operations and partner at Tillman%26rsquo;s Roadhouse). With the %26rsquo;Fly%26rsquo;s new chef comes another headline-maker, as we hear designer Kimberly Miller of Design Duncan Miller Ullmann has been busy revamping the restaurant%26rsquo;s interior %26hellip; There%26rsquo;s yet another foodie reason to make tracks to Oak Cliff. This time, it%26rsquo;s a smart enchiladeria called BEE: Best Enchiladas Ever. Imagine a taqueria but, instead, it%26rsquo;s build-your-own enchiladas. Our%26nbsp; choice combo? A blue-corn tortilla filled with pork carnitas, queso fresco and topped with creamy avocado verde sauce. See what the buzz is about at 202 West Davis Street or click to bestenchiladasever.com %26hellip; Make a date with EatZi%26rsquo;s Market %26amp; Bakery Saturday, March 26, as the inimitable institution celebrates its 15th anniversary with a $1,500 gift-card giveaway and 15 percent off everything. Happy birthday! Sun-dried tomato pasta salad, salmon croquettes and chocolate chip cookies for everyone.

Image: Kim Whitman, with her Red Cross Red Velvet Sprinkles cupcake. Photo by Steven Visneau.

Restaurant Buzz

Mon, 31 Jan 2011 04:55:32 GMT

Benjy%26rsquo;s in The Village has a fresh new look. Joel Mozersky has given the 15-year-old Rice Village eatery a glamorous lift with cozy upholstery and wallpapers, splashed with teal, silver, gray and white. In addition, Joseph Stayshich is the new exec chef there, whipping up marvels such as miso-tinged Caesar salad with marcona almonds and ruby-red grapefruit and grilled Scottish salmon topped with mustard caviar (a sweet-and-sour wonder), grilled apples and spatzle %26hellip; Lisa Pounds has launched Green Plate Kids, a Houston-based prepared-meal provider that whips up organic, locally sourced meals for the kid set. Details greenplatekids.com %26hellip; Call it fate or extremely good fortune: Tony Mandola was poised to close/relocate his namesake Gulf Coast eatery in River Oaks Shopping Center on January 8 then three days later slip into the new building on Waugh Drive he%26rsquo;s been readying for months. But construction delays sent his crew into a tailspin when three days turned into three months. Enter the real estate developer who holds the lease on the space formerly known as Fins Seafood, Sushi %26amp; Grill (Rickshaw before that) on Westheimer. Bob Schultz anted up his prime space, which will now serves as the temporary home for Mandola and his crew. And you thought you%26rsquo;d have to wait it out on Waugh for your po%26rsquo; boy %26hellip; Meanwhile, we reported last spring that chef Charles Clark and Grant Cooper had signed a deal to do a concept in Mandola%26rsquo;s former River Oaks space. Dubbed Brasserie 19 (as in 77019), its interiors are being designed by Julie McGarr, and construction is underway now. Cooper tells us that the footprint of the eatery will stay the same %26mdash; long bar taking center stage %26mdash; but its interior will be remodeled in dreamy, creamy whites and grays. The brasserie menu will include French favorites such as mussels, pommes frites, steak tartar, a raw bar, homemade terrines and fare that feels French but with a decidedly American stamp. Look for an April opening %26hellip; Retail and restaurant concepteur Lee Ellis has been busy signing leases. The co-owner of BRC Restaurant is partnering with Susan Molzan of Ruggles Bakery to do a dessert concept (at the moment unnamed) in the former Blueberry Hill yogurt shop on West Alabama. In addition, Ellis (who is also part of the 310 Rosemont retail venture) is moving his contemporary clothing store for men and women to West Ave this March. The 2,300-square-foot space is next to the soon-to-open Schiller Del Grande Pizzeria Alto. On top of that, the powers that be at West Ave convinced Ellis to do a funky coffee bar on the second floor there, too. Look for an opening this spring %26hellip; Addie D%26rsquo;Agostino, a young French Culinary Institute grad, is opening Relish on San Felipe near Ouisie%26rsquo;s. A fine-foods shop specializing in chef-prepared foods to go, local farm produce and artisan fare, her 2,300-square-foot shop is scheduled to open later this spring %26hellip; This just in: Rumor has it that the Hollywood sushi hot spot Katsuya, designed by Philippe Starck, is opening in Houston. Reports cite Highland Village as a likely spot. We%26rsquo;ll let you know when it%26rsquo;s official.

Restaurant Buzz

Fri, 28 Jan 2011 05:52:54 GMT

It%26rsquo;s official: Dallas is the culinary city that never sleeps. By February%26rsquo;s end, Morton%26rsquo;s The Steakhouse will stake its claim in Uptown. Measuring in at 8,500 square feet and just across McKinney Avenue from the Rosewood Crescent Hotel and The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas, Morton%26rsquo;s mod chophouse interior will be a fitting complement to its sophisticated cuisine. (We%26rsquo;re dying to try the crab-cake BLT and the mini prime cheeseburgers.) Come armed with a steak knife to 2222 McKinney Avenue, or preview the menu at mortons.com %26hellip; When event-planning wizard Andy Austin let us in on his newest project, our inner foodie was immediately star-struck. This summer, Austin and his managing partner, Patrick Halbert, will make their grand foray into restaurant ownership with the opening of Private Social (this duo definitely speaks our language) in the glassy, modernist, mixed-use building at 3232 McKinney Avenue. Top Chef star Tiffany Derry will command the kitchen and the divine menu of New American cuisine %26hellip; Also making an Uptown entr%26eacute;e is Howard Wang%26rsquo;s China Grill, which opens its second location (the first is a Northwest Highway fave) in early March, at the corner of Cole and Lemmon avenues, just next door to Gloria%26rsquo;s Restaurant. Expect a delectable dim-sum bar plus a high-voltage happy hour packed with sinful cocktails %26hellip; Whether its Snider Plaza or Lovers Lane, the in crowd seems to always be lunching at Zo%26euml;%26rsquo;s Kitchen. The contemporary Mediterranean eatery just opened its third Dallas location, on the northeast corner of Preston Road and Royal Lane. Here%26rsquo;s your insider tip: This one boasts Zo%26euml;%26rsquo;s latest menu concept. Our fave new item? The veggie pita pizza. Peruse it all at zoeskitchen.com %26hellip; Restaurateur/bon vivant Nick Badovinus of the illustrious Neighborhood Services trio is at it again. This time, it%26rsquo;s a breakfast-and-lunch stop called Off-Site Kitchen, at the intersection of Irving Boulevard and Wycliff Avenue, said to open by early March. Based on the culinary craze over Chef B%26rsquo;s other eateries, Off-Site is sure to be an on-target success %26hellip; Taco junkies, take note: Good 2 Go Taco %26mdash; the East Dallas taqueria of grassroots fame, with a gourmet menu that changes every day %26mdash; has moved out of Green Spot Market %26amp; Fuels and into a stand-alone spot at 1146 Peavy Road. For its latest taco tidbits %26mdash; and its many fans, including some rather social-savvy names %26mdash;%26nbsp;see facebook.com/good2gotaco %26hellip; There%26rsquo;s buzz coming from inside the kitchen at Park %26mdash;%26nbsp;and it can be traced to its new executive chef, Garreth Dickey, formerly the exec chef at Hibiscus. Dickey is concocting a tasty new array of offerings, from roasted chicken on saffron rice to a divine-sounding Rocky Mountain trout served with whipped butternut squash. The best part? Chef Dickey will switch up the menu frequently, based on the availability of fresh, locally sourced produce and proteins. Visit 1921 Henderson Avenue or parkhenderson.com for the savory scoop. We%26rsquo;re grabbing our car keys and heading over.

Restaurant Buzz

Thu, 23 Dec 2010 01:22:47 GMT

Though we are mere days into this bright, new decade, a swirl of nosh news is already popping up. At NorthPark Center, Uptown Popcorn opens the most mod snack shop we%26rsquo;ve ever seen. The interior comes by way of the ever-cool Droese.Raney Architecture (Forty Five Ten, Billy Reid, The Art of Shaving) and is filled with hundreds of tins boasting more than 70 popcorn flavors. Our top pops? Texas honey pecan and white chocolate. Wait. Maybe it%26rsquo;s the loaded baked potato and the jalape%26ntilde;o ranch. You decide. More scoop at uptownpopcorn.com or 214.919.4309 %26hellip; Another indulgence has made its grand entr%26eacute;e to Dallas: Victoria beer %26mdash; made in Mexico since 1865 and counting %26mdash;%26nbsp;arrived in town just last month and is being served at some of our most beloved local eateries, including Urban Taco, Hacienda on Henderson and Javier%26rsquo;s. This calls for a cerveza fiesta, si? %26hellip; What do you get when you combine the urban decor of Jones Baker Interiors and Architects, a menu crafted by chef Jay Jerrier (of mobile-pizzeria Cane Rosso fame) and a slice of prime real estate? Brackets, the new restaurant at the Hotel Palomar, in the former Trader Vic%26rsquo;s space. To eat: upscale pub fare%26nbsp;such as wood-fired pizzas and frittatas, Ahi tuna nachos and lobster BLT sliders. To play: dozens of games, including shuffleboard, table tennis and Wii. To see: all sporting events imaginable, to be viewed on Brackets%26rsquo; nine plasma-screen TVs mounted in sleek stainless-steel cases. And to wash it all down: one of the sinful signature sips. We%26rsquo;ll take a Bacon Whisky Manhattan at 5330 East Mockingbird Lane %26hellip; Callie Salls, former PaperCity intern and founder of the blog linguineanddirtymartinis.blogspot.com, has her gastronomic hand in yet another culinary endeavor. The culinary-school grad has just launched her services as a private chef %26mdash; aptly named Linguine and Dirty Martinis: Food for the Fabulous Life %26mdash; wherein her tasty offerings are gourmet cooking classes, plated multi-course meals, even party catering. For food for thought, whisk over to linguineanddirtymartinis.com. Bon app%26eacute;tit, indeed.

Restaurant Buzz

Thu, 23 Dec 2010 12:51:55 GMT

The news is that New York eatery Il Mulino %26mdash; one of the Big Apple%26rsquo;s hot spots since it opened in 1981 %26mdash; will debut a new concept in Houston at The Westin Houston Memorial City. This version, Trattoria Il Mulino, debuts this spring with classic Abruzzi fare, from pizzas and pastas to lighter dishes composed with seasonal ingredients %26hellip; At CityCentre, Alex Brennan-Martin debuts Bistro Bar, a new 1,900-square-foot space adjoining his popular Bistro Alex. Bistro Bar serves as a culinary laboratory of sorts, where chef Juan Carlos Gonzalez tries small-plate seasonal dishes before they hit the menu next door %26hellip; Speaking of bar menus, Arturo Boada, owner of Arturo%26rsquo;s Uptown and developer of popular downtown tapas bar Solero, is bringing the tapas option back. Swing by the bar of his Italian trattoria to munch on Spanish and Italian-inspired tapas such as beef empanadas, veal ravioli with truffle butter or sliced chorizo with Arturo%26rsquo;s marinara sauce %26hellip; Bellaire mom Lucy Corona, a margarita fan who felt guilty drinking the 500-calorie cocktails, has developed SlimRitas, a fresh-tasting bottled mix that slices the caloric intake down to 100. A bright balance of tart and sweet flavors, SlimRitas are mixed up at the Houstonian Hotel and Taco Milagro; the bottled mix is sold at Richard%26rsquo;s Fine Wines and Liquors.

Image: Trattoria Il Mulino.

Restaurant Buzz

Mon, 29 Nov 2010 01:26:35 GMT

Steve Zimmerman and sons Dan and Mark have retooled their boutique hotel in Montrose, La Colombe d%26rsquo;Or. A renovation by Visions Design from Dallas spiffed up the five suites on the second floor, and they%26rsquo;ve even renamed the restaurant downstairs as Cinq (for the five guest rooms above). And to ring in the 30th anniversary, the Zimmermans have revitalized the menu with the help of talented young chef Jeramie Robison, formerly of Tesar%26rsquo;s, who has taken the stuffiness out of the place but none of its charm %26hellip; Opening any day now at West Ave is Pondicheri, chef Anita Jaisinghani%26rsquo;s answer to a traditional family-style, casual India eatery. It%26rsquo;s brought to you by the woman behind Indika %26hellip; Brothers Adam and Alexander Kliebert have transformed the former home of their mother%26rsquo;s Southampton Montessori School on Robinhood and opened Hudson Lounge. This mid-century modern building will serve as a cocktail lounge and event space run by general manager Keith Thompson, with small plates by chef Christopher Latterman %26hellip; Looks like Kroger Food Stores is upping the ante in the artisan-cheese-procuring brand. Now the West Gray, Buffalo Speedway and soon the Shepherd (Heights area) Krogers are opening Murray%26rsquo;s Cheese shops within. Look for the oldest (and many argue the very best) cheese monger from NYC to bring more than 175 types of cheese %26mdash; and double that in go-withs to the aisles %26hellip;%26nbsp; Piola, the import from Treviso, Italy, that specializes in thin-crust, wood-fired pizzas, as well as Italian pastas, salads, and desserts, has opened in Midtown. Houston owner Bruno Cencini%26rsquo;s hot spot is open lunch and dinner %26hellip; And there%26rsquo;s a new chef behind the range at Monarch at Hotel ZaZa. Adam West was promoted from ZaZa%26rsquo;s Dallas Dragonfly restaurant %26hellip; What we%26rsquo;re craving now: The Frito pie migas at Yelapa%26rsquo;s new Sunday brunch %26hellip; Still more to crave: vanilla cupcake lattes at Crave Cupcakes and the sour cherry snoball with sweetened condensed milk at Mam%26rsquo;s House of Ice stand at the corner of 20th and Rutland in the Heights.

Restaurant Buzz

Mon, 29 Nov 2010 01:05:53 GMT

Expert chef Abraham Salum is trying his inspired hand at something new: contemporary Mexican cuisine. His second venture, Komali, is set to open next month on Cole Avenue just next door to his beloved Salum. Julio Qui%26ntilde;ones, the interior designer behind Salum, will be whirling his wand to create a sleek space for indulging in chef Salum%26rsquo;s menu of Mexico City fare %26mdash; the details of which we%26rsquo;ll reveal the second we know them %26hellip; One Arts Plaza eatery Screen Door has debuted a mobile endeavor: Meet Squeals on Wheels, a food cart brimming with pulled-pork and brisket sandwiches and other Screen Door goodies, all for under $10, parked just outside said restaurant. (Although we hear Squeals will be hitting the road soon, bringing its tasty treats to various Arts District locations. Stay tuned.) %26hellip; How%26rsquo;s this for a family business: Tracy Rathbun and Lynae Fearing %26mdash; the wives of chefs Kent Rathbun and Dean Fearing, and the duo behind Shinsei %26mdash; are opening, well, DUO, a new event venue for culinary affairs. These ladies didn%26rsquo;t miss a beat: The space is fitted with Viking appliances, luxe table linens, chef-worthy kitchen tools and, of course, gourmet food. Throw your next f%26ecirc;te at 7721 Inwood Road or click to duoallthingsculinary.com %26hellip; The brain behind Medina Oven %26amp; Bar, Victory Park%26rsquo;s colorful Moroccan-Mediterranean eatery, is opening a new spot at West Village. According to owner Joe Khalaf, Baboush will be every bit Moroccan %26mdash; right down to the pedigreed Mediterranean fare and the interior, which will boast glowing lanterns, painted wood tables and patterned upholstery. For the delicious deets, see baboushdallas.com %26hellip; At last, a Smashburger within reach of the Uptown/Downtown/Park Cities pack. The McKinney Avenue locale opens late this month and is Smashburger%26rsquo;s sixth in the Metroplex. What we%26rsquo;ll be ordering: The Lonestar Smashburger topped with cheddar, chili, tomatoes and jalape%26ntilde;os. Devour one at 2222 McKinney Avenue %26hellip; A chocolate fix, fast? Click to TheDarkChocolateBakery.com, the Dallas-based digital bakery from owner Jill Frank-Edwards, where you can order a box of six decadent mini-cakes, all delivered by courier %26hellip; In more sweet tweets: Our award for most creative cupcake flavors goes to Gigi%26rsquo;s Cupcakes at Inwood Village, the soon-to-open cupcakery from SMU alum Katie Ruppe and her parents (and head bakers) Mary and Ronnie Hawkins. You must try the candied sweet potato or the tiger tails, delicious yellow cake with a raspberry filling. It%26rsquo;s official: We declare this The Season to Eat.

Image: A rendering of Komali. Photo by Julio Qui%26ntilde;ones.

Restaurant Buzz

Wed, 27 Oct 2010 12:23:53 GMT

There%26#8217;s a tasty trio worth talking about in the Bishop Arts District: (1) Oddfellows, from exec chef and co-owner Aliza Shier, is set to open this month at 316 West 7th Street. The menu follows a %26#8220;food for all%26#8221; mantra, with locally sourced breakfast and lunch fare, plus a dinner menu to be added this winter. (2) Beloved Salvadoran/Tex-Mex staple Gloria%26#8217;s prepares for a move from its original West Davis Street spot to a new flagship location in the historic Fire Station No. 15 building at 600 North Bishop Avenue. Stay tuned for the grand opening early next year. (3) Husband-wife owners Jennifer and David Uygur (she a former wine and beer manager at Central Market, he the former exec chef at Lola) are putting the final touches on Lucia %26#8212; a cozy Italian concept featuring chef-crafted salumi and fresh pasta in a 1920s building at 408 West Eighth Street. Check luciadallas.com for more %26#8230; The east meets West Village late this month with a new eatery taking shape in the former Tom Tom Noodle House digs. Malai %26#8211; Thai Vietnamese Kitchen, from husband-wife owners Yasmin and Braden Wages (former GMs of Park and R+D Kitchen, respectively), will serve up all things fresh, from summer rolls to Kobe beef tartare %26#8230; Adding even more zing to West Village is The Spice %26amp; Tea Exchange, where more than 150 spices and herbs share shelf space with a noteworthy offering of loose teas. Click to spiceandtea.com %26#8230; Famous for her stint on The Next Food Network Star and for her signature look %26#8212; cocktail dress, apron, pearls, Louise Brooks bob %26#8212; chef Lisa Garza is adding Taste Studio to her repertoire. The new event space at South Side on Lamar serves as Garza%26#8217;s home base for luxury catering and can be reserved for cocktail parties, high tea, brunch and more. The best part? Garza and her team will handle all the party deets including bites, sips, servers and florals. It%26#8217;s party time at 1409 South Lamar. Ring 214.282.0165 or see lisagarzataste.com.%26nbsp;

Image:%26nbsp; Kitchen chic:%26nbsp;Lisa Garza%26#8217;s %26nbsp;Taste Studio. Photo by Quoc Cong QC. %26nbsp;%26nbsp;

Restaurant Buzz

Wed, 27 Oct 2010 12:01:38 GMT

It%26#8217;s official: Ed Wulfe, president of Wulfe %26amp; Co., has inked a lease with Whole Foods Market to anchor his 20-acre BLVD Place development on Post Oak at San Felipe. Construction on the 48,500-square-foot, landmark-style Whole Foods will begin next summer with a completion date expected in late 2012 or early 2013 %26#8230;Kudos to Chris and Harris Pappas, whose lauded Pappas Bros. Steakhouse received the Grand Award from Wine Spectator magazine %26#8212;%26nbsp;an honor that%26#8217;s been given to only 78 eateries in the world %26#8230; The Counter Custom Built Burgers had opened its first location in Texas at 4601 Washington Avenue. The build-your-own-hamburger joint offers hundreds of thousands of possible combinations, starting with a one-third, two-third or one-pound patty of all-natural, humanely raised Angus beef %26#8230; Also new to the Washington Avenue corridor are Fox Hollow and, opening this month, Tqla (pronounced %26#8220;tequila%26#8221;). Fox Hollow is billed as a gastro lounge with vintage flair. Founder Augustine Bui says to expect locally sourced, affordable organic food and cocktails, spirits and undiscovered wines in vintage stemware %26#8212; served by barmen in kilts. Meanwhile, Tqla will feature a fusion of Mexican, Southwestern and Southern fare from chef Thomas Birdwell, as well as a whopping 167 tequilas (at last count) selected by certified tequilier (kind of like a master sommelier) Scott Lindsey. Lisa Pope Westerman with Gensler has been tapped to do the interior %26#8230; Arpi Tcholakian%26#8217;s 30-year-old Phoenicia Deli has relocated to 12151 Westheimer, in front of Phoenicia Specialty Foods (renowned for its international fare from more than 50 countries). The Mediterranean deli, now renamed Arpi%26#8217;s Phoenicia Deli, is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner with meze dishes and all your faves. Also new on site: Phoenicia Coffee House with gourmet brews, breakfast wraps and gelato %26#8230; Sarabeth%26#8217;s Bakery serves the best breakfast in New York%26#8217;s Upper East Side, so don%26#8217;t miss owner Sarabeth Levine%26#8217;s new cookbook Sarabeth%26#8217;s Bakery: From My Hands to Yours (Rizzoli, $39.95, October 2010).

Restaurant Buzz

Tue, 28 Sep 2010 05:35:58 GMT

Chef Greg Lowry is now firmly ensconced at the helm of Hotel Icon%26#8217;s Voice Restaurant. He%26#8217;s revamped the menu with such playful additions as Coca Cola%26#8211;braised Kobe beef cheek and house-made charcuterie, as well as the %26#8220;Voice Box,%26#8221; which allows you to select four small bites or two large bites for $24 %26#8230; For her new book Houston Classic Desserts (Pelican Publishing, October 2010, $16.95), writer Erin Hicks Miller persuaded pastry chefs from local hot spots (Mark%26#8217;s, Pappas Bros. Steakhouse, Feast, Mockingbird Bistro and more) to share their favorite sweet recipes %26#8230; Ciao, baby: The 32nd Festa Italiana takes place Friday through Sunday, October 15 through 17, at the University of St. Thomas. Information houstonitalianfestival.com %26#8230; Meanwhile, our city%26#8217;s top chefs compete in the Eighth Annual International Risotto Festival at the Houston Design Center on Sunday, October, 17, from 2 to 6 pm. Details risottofestival.com %26#8230; Landmark Houston Hospitality Group %26#8212; whose mission is to reclaim and redevelop significant architectural spaces in Houston %26#8212; is creating Scouts Square, a multi-use project in Midtown in the 1950s-era Boy Scouts of America building. Phase one, which just broke ground, will be 50,000 square feet of retail and office space, as well as the new Moor%26#8217;s Restaurant (Moroccan themed, of course) and Black Finn Saloon %26#8230; Samba Grille has opened downtown in Bayou Place. The South American restaurant serves lunch and various meats and savory selections churrascaria style for dinner %26#8230; This month, we%26#8217;re obsessing over Baked by Melissa (bakedbymelissa.com), the NYC bakery that impeccably ships Lilliputian cupcakes such as Peanut Butter Cup, S%26#8217;Mores, Cookie Dough and Tie-Dye (vanilla/vanilla-tinted Grateful Dead%26#8211;like hues). Somehow these moist mouthfuls arrive without a sprinkle or chocolate chip out of place %26#8230; Crave Cupcakes has opened at 5600 Kirby. This second Houston location is debuting three new cupcake flavors, including our fave, dulce de leche %26#8230; Adison Lee has taken the exec chef post at Sushi Raku. The Japanese-American chef has worked in Japan, Nobu in New York City and London before heading to New Orleans, then Houston, where he worked at Kaneyama and was executive chef at Sushi King %26#8230; Ryan Pera, chef at the downtown restaurant The Grove, is departing to open Revival Market. This market and deli will be Pera and Morgan Weber%26#8217;s (owner of Revival Meats) take on a traditional grocer%26#8217;s market with locally grown fare and artisanal products. Look for an opening later this year %26#8230; Benjy Levit is freshening up his original namesake restaurant Benjy%26#8217;s in the Village %26#8212; spiffing up the kitchen, baths, floors and even the wood-burning grill, among a punch list of all sorts of stylish updates. The restaurant will temporarily close October 20 through 23 as designer Joel Mozersky oversees the revamp %26#8212; its first in 15 years %26#8230; They%26#8217;re always sweet on you, so be sweet to the pups Sunday, October 17, at Beyond Sweet, Lucky Dog Rescue%26#8217;s seven-course dessert fund-raiser with Le Cordon Bleu grad Rebecca Masson and friends.%26nbsp;Reserve a spot with a $75 donation at luckydogrescue.org%26nbsp; %26#8230; Brad Bailey has closed his three-year-old Seabrook restaurant Bailey%26#8217;s American Grille and is opening Bailey%26#8217;s on the Bay on the Kemah waterfront on Bay Avenue. The five-story former house will be the site of Bailey%26#8217;s bar and restaurant as well as overnight inn accommodations. %26#8230; Brenner%26#8217;s on the Bayou is hosting its first beer festival Saturday, October 16, from 2 to 6 pm. Admission is $45 to $55. Reservations brennerssteakhouse.com.

Restaurant Buzz

Tue, 28 Sep 2010 05:00:16 GMT

Capricious chef Avner Samuel has reinvented his ladle yet again with the opening of Nosh Euro Bistro. Inhabiting Aurora%26#8217;s former space, Samuel is serving up European bistro%26#8211;style bites such as escargot fritters, croque monsieur and crispy duck confit. Allez-vous to 4216 Oak Lawn Avenue or ring 214.528.9400 %26#8230; Foodie news abounds at Highland Park Village as restaurateur Alberto Lombardi announces a new concept slated for March 2011. We hear the Lombardi eatery will be stationed near the central courtyard, serve up Mediterranean fare and have patio seating %26#8230; When we discovered nothinglikeit.com%26#8217;s lightly iced banana bread, we had to share slices with our co-workers and the Web site with you. The online bakery from mother/daughter owners Lynn Berman and Sara Berman Popek offers incredibly good breads, cookies and cakes, all delivered in sweet boxes tied with bows %26#8230; Congrats to Ellerbe Fine Foods: The Fort Worth restaurant was named one of Bon App%26#233;tit magazine%26#8217;s 10 Best New Restaurants in America in the September issue. See what all the press is about at 1501 W. Magnolia Avenue in Fort Worth %26#8230; One Arts Plaza just got a little sweeter thanks to Dimples Cupcakes%26#8217; newest shop at 1722 Routh Street %26#8230; And speaking of treats, Patty Cakes by the Baker Man has introduced new mouthwatering fall flavors such as salty chocolate caramel and s%26#8217;more, all available on Lovers Lane at Drip Coffee and Holy Ravioli, or online at pattycakesbythebakerman.com %26#8230; Squeezing into The Shops at Legacy is a fresh and healthy concept by the name of Seasons 52. Boasting a sommelier-crafted wine list and figure-friendly fare %26#8212; no item is more than 475 calories %26#8212; it makes the drive to 7300 Lone Star Drive in Plano worthwhile.

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Image: Sweet treats from%26nbsp;nothinglikeit.com

Restaurant Buzz

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 05:00:57 GMT

We love good restaurant dish: Foodies can%26#8217;t stop talking about a new Bishop Arts District nosh spot from Matt Spillers, owner of the wildly popular Eno%26#8217;s Pizza Tavern. Though the name wasn%26#8217;t released as we went to press, the locale is said to open on 7th Street this fall, with a menu of classic American cuisine, but with an eco-conscious twist %26#8212; locally grown ingredients, responsibly raised meats, et cetera %26#8212; and even a plethora of vegetarian options. If Spillers%26#8217; runaway success at his casual-cool Eno%26#8217;s is any indication, this is definitely a delicious rumor worth spreading %26#8230; The brains behind Uptown%26#8217;s beloved State %26amp; Allen Lounge are putting the finishing touches on a new watering hole at 2900 Thomas Avenue. Sure to be a hot spot, The Nodding Donkey (by far, our favorite name of the season) is set to open late this month and will play up all things Texas, from oil-well pipes propped on its wrap-around patio to its Tex-Mex and steak-focused menu (214.239.1990; thenoddingdonkey.com) %26#8230; University Park dining staple City Caf%26#233; is celebrating its silver anniversary with more than just new paint. The bistro just revealed a fresh look after a structural revamp by architecture firm Good Fulton %26amp; Farrell. But don%26#8217;t be misled by the dazzling new decor: The menu remains untouched %26#8212; especially those legendary, made-to-order crab cakes.

Restaurant Buzz

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 04:11:37 GMT

Who doesn%26#8217;t love carnival food? Bringing out the kid in all of us, this month Patrick Waites has gathered together a few select chef friends to create fun but haute circus fare for the fund-raiser he started two years ago. On Friday, September 17, his nonprofit Love Street Light Circus presents Come Together: A Gala Tribute to the Beatles, which will see Fab Four cover bands jamming in a musical concert to benefit Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Family Alliance. Culinary participants include chefs from The Strip House, Gravitas, RDG + Bar Annie, Yelapas, Beaver%26#8217;s, Saltgrass Steakhouse, Oceanaire, The Grove and more. Tickets cometogetherhouston.com %26#8230; Here%26#8217;s a new place to dish with your decorator: Decco Caf%26#233; opens this month at Decorative Center Houston, with chef Humberto Molina-Segura (most recently from Americas and La Griglia restaurants) behind the range.%26nbsp; Decco serves up breakfast and lunch %26#8212; freshly baked breads and croissants, crafted sandwiches and salads, and seasonal entrees %26#8212; Monday through Friday, and is open to the public %26#8230; Proving you can eat well while doing good for your community, Stefanie and Gur Tsabar launched Gourmet Prep Meals last month. The idea is that you can fix beautiful chef-prepared meals in your own kitchen from clever ready-to-cook meal kits where all the chopping, measuring and pre-meal prep has been done for you. The Tsabars even enlisted Shane Battier%26#8217;s personal chef Justin Turner to devise the menus. One hundred percent of the proceeds from every meal kit sold benefits training youth who are aging out of the foster care system in entrepreneurship. Details gourmetprepmeals.com %26#8230; At CityCentre, Jerry Lasco will open his popular wine bar The Tasting Room Wine Caf%26#233; late this year. Last month, Flora %26amp; Muse %26#8212; a European-inspired bistro with a patisserie, coffee bar, lounge and flower shop %26#8212; debuted a few doors away. David Luna, formerly exec chef of Canopy, is behind the range %26#8230; Martin Berson, former operating partner at Benjy%26#8217;s, is bringing his Austin-based concept Snap Kitchen to Houston.%26nbsp; Think chef-prepared, healthy takeout fare. Watch for an opening at the end of this month at the corner of Richmond and Kirby %26#8230; This fall, chef Chip Hight, formerly with the Alden Hotel%26#8217;s 17 restaurant, will open Blue Apron, a full-service catering company %26#8230; Looking for Morton%26#8217;s The Steakhouse GM John Recio? He%26#8217;s hung up the tux and headed to Spring, then to Pearland to open Jax Burgers, Fries %26amp; Shakes with made-to-order Angus burgers in both locales %26#8230; On Thursday, September 30, Eric Schlosser, author of Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal, will speak with the Progressive Forum of Houston at the Wortham Theater. Tickets 832.251.0706.

Restaurant Buzz

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 04:47:36 GMT

Yun Cheng, owner of the Azuma Group, has brought his Japanese restaurant concept Azuma Sushi %26amp; Robata Bar to Sugar Land. His largest footprint yet, this beautiful 9,200-square-foot, two-story space with an outdoor patio has been christened Azuma on the Lake (part of the new Lake Pointe Development) and was designed by architect Palmer Schooley %26#8230; Have you heard? August 1 through 21 has been deemed Houston Restaurant Week, during which time 100 of the city%26#8217;s best eateries will offer special menus, with a portion of dining dollars contributed to the Houston Food Bank. The list includes notables such as Benjy%26#8217;s, Tony%26#8217;s, The Grove, Haven and Feast. Information houstonrestaurantweek.com %26#8230; Chef Bryan Caswell and Bill Floyd have partnered with Houston writer and critic Robb Walsh to create a Tex-Mex concept in the old Tower Theatre space at 1201 Westheimer, opening in February. Caswell and Tex-Mex expert Walsh will cook up the real deal: authentic fare made with masa and lard (no trans fats here) and drinks derived from pressed cane juice, not simple syrups. Caswell has been collecting mismatched china and tables for the 6,000-square-foot space to keep the vibe casual and cool %26#8230; Michael Cord%26#250;a is planning a fall opening for his worldly Latin restaurant Am%26#233;ricas in the new River Oaks Shopping Center addition. Architect Jordan Mozer, who designed Am%26#233;ricas%26#8217; first incarnation, has taken on the new space %26#8230; Not far away, Charles Clark and Grant Cooper (Ibiza and Catalon) have inked a deal for the space currently occupied by Tony Mandola%26#8217;s in River Oaks Shopping Center. The duo will move in when Tony Mandola%26#8217;s leaves for its new home around the corner at Waugh and Dallas (opening next spring). Look for an April opening for Clark and Cooper%26#8217;s Brasserie 19 (as in 77019), which will serve a French/American menu throughout the day. Designer Julie McGarr is doing the interiors %26#8230; Steve Zimmerman and sons Mark and Dan have big plans afoot in the Montrose. This fall, the trio is rebranding their hotel restaurant La Colombe d%26#8217;Or, with Jeramie Robison (late of Tesar%26#8217;s) as exec chef and Tony%26#8217;s former chef Francesco Casetta consulting. They plan to invite a roster of European chefs to guest-chef from time to time. In the meantime, the boys are launching a %26#8220;New Orleans meets the South of France%26#8221; bistro called Zimm%26#8217;s Little Deck on Richmond, not far from Zimm%26#8217;s Martini %26amp; Wine Bar; look for an August opening, with Robison manning the range there as well %26#8230; Now that chef Michael Kramer has left Hotel Icon for The Tasting Room, chef Greg Lowry (of the shuttered Rockwood Room) has taken over the range at the Icon%26#8217;s Voice restaurant %26#8230; Chef Scott Tycer reports that he%26#8217;s closed Textile for the summer and is contemplating a new location for a hybrid concept that will be two-thirds gastropub (think April Bloomfield%26#8217;s Breslin) and one-third Jo%26#235;l Robuchon%26#8217;s Atelier (a 30-seat boutique restaurant with a view of the chefs in action). For now, Tycer is searching for real estate %26#8230; For those who like to imbibe with a clear eco-conscience, check out the new Washington Avenue bar Sugarcane. These green barkeeps aspire to leave a smaller carbon footprint while creating boutique cocktails with fresh local ingredients (sans packaged mixes) Their efforts to create a healthier environment include composting and reducing aluminum and glass waste by using larger bottles %26#8230; Anthony Wegmann will open Epicurean Express on St. Emanuel in the EaDo district early this month. The 3,500-square-foot market/grocery near downtown and the East End is across the street from two bars (Cork Soakers and Lucky%26#8217;s Pub) that Wegmann has recently opened in this up-and-coming neighborhood.

Restaurant Buzz

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 06:57:31 GMT

Talk about your fine wine: Decanter Restaurant and Wine Lounge from chef Tony Gardizi is set to open in the Bishop Arts District in October. The new wine bar will boast fresh and locally sourced cuisine, more than 100 vinos and live music on the weekends. Make tracks to 408 North Bishop Avenue (Caf%26#233; Madrid%26#8217;s old lodgings) ... Deep Ellum%26#8217;s Green Room completes its reopening this month as Joel Harloff moves in as exec chef. What to expect from the Dali Wine Bar and Mi Piaci alum? A seasonal menu to be devoured atop the rooftop patio, plus a scrumptious Sunday brunch. Sip or dine at 2715 Elm Street; greenroomdallas.com %26#8230; We%26#8217;re always excited about an upgrade, which means we%26#8217;re thrilled about Houston%26#8217;s new name and amped-up offerings. The Preston Center staple is now known as Hillstone, and its revived menu brims with 25 new recipes, including a yellowtail-tuna burger, a scallop salad and a sinful tres leches cake. But not to worry: General manager Francis Luttmer assures that all the original faves will remain intact %26#8212; especially those crispy shoestring fries and the ahi tuna salad %26#8230; Cedar Springs%26#8217; Ilume development will roll out the welcome mat for Fin Sushi next month. The Japanese fusion restaurant comes from the brains behind Henderson Avenue%26#8217;s Sushi Axiom, which means a bold sushi and sashimi menu is sure to follow. Have your chopsticks ready at 4123 Cedar Springs Road %26#8230; You are the hostess with the mostest, which means your next f%26#234;te must be catered by Cassandra Fine Catering. How does it work? Customize your courses with dishes from a tasty listing (we%26#8217;re craving the cilantro- and cumin-crusted Chilean sea bass and the cherry tarts under homemade peach ice cream), and a chef will finish preparing the meal on site. Details 214.613.0131 or cassandrafinecatering.com %26#8230; Our secret for the perfect dinner-party gift stirs memories of bygone days at grandmother%26#8217;s country house and comes by way of Nothing Bundt Cakes. The bundt bakery at Preston Royal Village offers 10 flavors, an array of sizes (from itty bundtinies to gargantuan cakes) and even adorable decoration options. Sweet findings await at 10720 Preston Road, or order ahead at 214.691.2253. Yes, indeed, the icing on our August cake.%26nbsp;

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Image:%26nbsp; Red-velvet, chocolate-chocolate chip and lemon bundtinies at Nothing Bundt Cakes. Photo by illiam McKellar Photography.

Restaurant Buzz

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 01:29:53 GMT

These days, the name Brian Twomey is on everyone%26#8217;s mind. The reason for the buzz? The developer%26#8217;s array of new ventures. The first just opened at 2917 Fairmount Street, in the former Lola space: The Common Table, packed with nearly 70 beers and comfort food from French-trained chef Ben Ackland. We%26#8217;re going for The Camburger %26#8212; yes, with camembert, on a grilled brioche bun %26#8212; and the red-chili, honey-cured filet of beef. Twomey%26#8217;s second culinary undertaking is The Marquee Club at Highland Park Village. The two-story, Art Deco, fine-dining spot is set to open in November, adjacent to the soon-to-be-revamped Village Theater (which, by the way, is another Twomey project). The Marquee Club is inspired by NYC%26#8217;s historic 21 Club but will %26#8220;feel like it%26#8217;s been in HP Village forever,%26#8221; Twomey says. Stay tuned for more %26#8230; A taste of Tuscany arrives late next month at the hand of restaurateur Alberto Lombardi with the opening of his new steak house, La Fiorentina. Housed at 4501 Cole Avenue in the former Chip%26#8217;s Old Fashioned Hamburgers spot, the menu proffers house-made bean soup, jumbo roasted shrimp and traditional porterhouse steak, all served in an intimate setting %26#8230; Two culinary craftsmen %26#8212; Flynn Dekker of Brazilian steakhouse Fogo de Ch%26#227;o and Shawn Horne, former chef at Kitchen 1924 %26#8212; have merged paths on North Henderson Avenue with their recently opened eatery, Horne %26amp; Dekker. Here, an extensive comfort-food menu combines with a sleek, modern interior. What we%26#8217;re craving? The mushroom soup, the Coca-Cola%26#8211;braised pork carnitas and the cedar-plank salmon. (2323 N. Henderson Avenue, 214.821.9333) %26#8230; For Neighborhood Services owner and chef Nick Badovinus, all good things happen in threes. Hence, his third and newest NS, set to open after the Fourth of July at 10720 Preston Road near Preston Royal Village. The bar and grill is similar to the original Lovers Lane hot spot, which means more Three Jack %26amp; Mac Gratin for everyone! %26#8230; Cuisine connoisseur Andre Natera has a new kitchen to call home: He%26#8217;s moving in as executive chef at The Fairmont Dallas%26#8217; Pyramid Restaurant %26amp; Bar. Natera%26#8217;s earthy influence is already apparent: The majority of his creations boast ingredients from Pyramid%26#8217;s on-site garden and from local farmers. (Now, that%26#8217;s fresh.) Reservations 214.720.5249 %26#8230; Insiders know that Mondays are the best days to lunch at Preston Center. Why the early-week enthusiasm? Chef Kent Rathbun fires up his Big Daddy smoker outside Rathbun%26#8217;s Blue Plate Kitchen for an all-day barbecue feast. Make tracks to 6130 Luther Lane. We surely will.

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Image:%26nbsp; Pyramid Restaurant %26amp; Bar%26#8217;s%26nbsp; new exec chef Andre Natera. Photo by Kevin Marple.

Restaurant Buzz

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 12:45:13 GMT

This just in: Eatzi%26#8217;s is (finally!) opening the doors to its second market and bakery, at The Pavilion on Lovers Lane. It%26#8217;s everything you love about the Oak Lawn locale %26#8212; savory cuisine to go, a well-edited wine and cheese selection, gourmet sandwich and salad bars %26#8212; duplicated at the new address, 5600 West Lovers Lane %26#8230; Bijoux, one of our most-craved five-stars, is spreading its culinary gems in the form of new catering and box-lunch services. For your next event, call in executive chef and owner Scott Gottlich and his specially tailored seasonal fare. He%26#8217;ll whip up an array of appetizers (baked brie, smoked salmon) or individual courses for intimate seated dinners. As for those boxed lunches? Think anything but PB%26amp;J and carrot sticks: Gottlich%26#8217;s midday meals include elegant takes on vichyssoise and p%26#226;t%26#233;, with a gourmet sandwich selection, too. What%26#8217;ll it be: sliced lamb or beef tenderloin? For details, ring or write catering coordinator Mark Young at 214.350.6100; markyoung@bijouxrestaurant.com %26#8230; We%26#8217;ve spotted some rather stylish types at Bar C%26#233;line, the swank new Henderson Avenue establishment owned by Donald Chick and located directly behind his restaurant Park. Consider yourself warned, as the cocktails here pack a rock-star reputation. Hits are the LA Woman (Don Julio Anejo, cr%26#232;me de cassis, ginger, agave nectar, lemon) and the Velvet Underground (Mount Gay dark rum, Velvet Falernum, pineapple, lime, ginger ale). Cheers to 1921 Henderson Avenue; take a peek at barceline.com %26#8230; A grazing craving? Point your Panamera west to Cowtown Diner, a new eatery at Sundance Square in Fort Worth by owner Scott Jones (Screen Door, Caf%26#233; Italia), where a hearty menu is served up in stylish down-home digs. We%26#8217;re dying to sample exec chef Tom Slatt%26#8217;s weekend brunch: duck breast atop cornbread waffles with poached eggs or a farmer%26#8217;s frittata stuffed with a gamut of fresh veggies (305 Main St., 817.332.9995; thecowtowndiner.com) %26#8230; Move over, whirled peas: We%26#8217;re envisioning World Piece, the new incarnation of Uptown fave Watel%26#8217;s. After 23 years, owner and executive chef Rene%26#8217; Peeters has moved his restaurant to Greenville Avenue and has given it a smart new name, Watel%26#8217;s World Piece Caf%26#233;. Here, Peeters and his culinary team are spicing things up with global fare %26#8212; seared and herbed rare tuna with ratatouille; grilled shrimp with muamba sauce %26#8212; all in a casual atmosphere. What%26#8217;s for dessert? The pear poached in spiced port (1802 Greenville Avenue, 214.720.0323; watels.com).

Restaurant Buzz

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 01:41:18 GMT

Tony Vallone has a new restaurant in the works. Caffe Bello, scheduled to open late this month in the former La Strada space on Westheimer in the Montrose, is the most casual of his Italian concepts. The no-tablecloth place will feature cutting-edge Italian food and wine at competitive prices, with a patio upstairs that can be reserved, open or enclosed, for private parties %26#8230; Big doings (finally) at West Ave. It seems Schiller-Del Grande Restaurant Group is readying two new concepts for a December opening: Ava Brasserie and Pizzeria Alto. Ava%26#8217;s 6,400-square-foot downstairs space will have a casual feel with a long bar, tables facing Kirby, a conservatory for overflow dining and private parties, even a sidewalk patio. Look for a mix of American and Mediterranean fare such as pasta, seafood, burgers and steaks. Upstairs, Pizzeria Alto will fill its 4,800 square feet with share tables, a late-night menu and %26#8212; you guessed it %26#8212; chef-driven pizzas. The GM for both West Ave concepts is Rawad Semaan, with Susan Bennett as operating partner %26#8230; Pitmasters, there%26#8217;s a new guy in town. Phil%26#8217;s Texas Barbecue, owned by Phil Stephenson and his cousins Danae Stephenson and Martin Pike, has opened at Heights Boulevard and Washington Avenue in a circa-1930 garage %26#8230; In Memorial, the stellar seafood concept McCormick %26amp; Schmick%26#8217;s has set up a Town %26amp; Country Village outpost %26#8230; In a month, you won%26#8217;t recognize Rice Epicurean Markets on Holcombe. Currently closed for a multi-million-dollar redo, the new layout will enlarge the meat and seafood area, bakery, wine department, produce section and floral shop %26#8230; Cupcake imitators have sprouted up coast to coast, inspired by the success of Beverly Hills%26#8211;based Sprinkles Cupcakes, but now we have our very own Sprinkles in Highland Village, freshly opened last month %26#8230; Elizabeth Abraham and Manfred Jachmich, co-owners of SoVino Bistro %26amp; Wine Bar, transitioned their Montrose eatery into Caf%26#233; Moustache late last month. Chef Rudolf %26#8220;Pierre%26#8221; Merlin serves French country-comfort fare with waiter service by night and, starting July 6, quick counter service at lunch; brunch joins the menu on July 11.%26nbsp; This modern update of Jachmich%26#8217;s popular %26#8217;80s haunt will even include a cr%26#234;perie with savory and sweet selections %26#8230; Chef Julia Sharaby, who cooks on four wheels on board her Fusion Taco truck, will open a new restaurant, Julia%26#8217;s at the Brownstone, in September. She%26#8217;ll serve breakfast, lunch, dinner, late-night bites and weekend brunch at the bistro, which will be adjacent to the popular Red Room bar on Virginia %26#8230; Who doesn%26#8217;t love an ice-cold beer in this sweltering heat? Seamus Campbell and Robin Goldstein%26#8217;s new primer, The Beer Trials (Workman Publishing, $14.95), gives the lowdown on which craft brews and macro-lagers you should seek out, each chosen through a series of critical blind tastings. If wine is your thing, uncork Wes Marshall%26#8217;s new primer, What%26#8217;s a Wine Lover to Do? (Artisan, $17.95) %26#8212; 334 tips covering everything from the best cooking wines to how to find the sweet spot on a restaurant wine list.

Restaurant Buzz

Wed, 26 May 2010 11:46:52 GMT

Uptown is experiencing a taco takeover, with two new Mexican kitchens popping up on McKinney Avenue. First is Rock N Taco, the recently opened restaurant featuring specialty tacos, fajitas, sandwiches and more. There%26#8217;s even a fully stocked bar. (2912 McKinney Avenue, 214.740.0909). Then, there%26#8217;s a new Urban Taco location (the original is a fave at Mockingbird Station) from owner Markus Pineyro, right next to Lumi and set to open in July. All the beloved taqueria offerings will be there %26#8212; they come in many forms, including guajillo pepper-crusted ahi tuna and the adobo-spiked braised chicken and potato %26#8212; complete with a large patio in front, sure to be a stir among alfresco fans. (3411 McKinney Avenue; urban-taco.com) %26#8230; Over on Henderson Avenue, new eateries seem to open daily. The latest, Austin institution J. Black%26#8217;s Feel Good Lounge, offers stellar cocktail and wine lists backed by chef de cuisine Bobby Weddle%26#8217;s lineup of sharable gourmet plates %26#8212; New Zealand lamb chop lollipops, Texas Kobe beef sliders and a boastful brunch that promises breakfast pizza with prosciutto and caramelized onions. (2904 N. Henderson Avenue; jblacks.com) %26#8230; Elevation Burger is slated to open this fall at 8611 Hillcrest Road in the new Hillcrest Crossing Development at Northwest Highway (already home to Equinox and Insight Complete Eye Care). Watch for grass-fed, organic and free-range burgers, veggie patties and sides including mandarin oranges and fries cooked in olive oil. This may just be the Bentley of burgers %26#8230; Pizza pioneer Charlie Green ups the ante on his beloved Olivella%26#8217;s with a second pizzeria %26#8212; this one in Victory Park, set to open this month. It%26#8217;s called Neo Pizza Napoletana by Olivella%26#8217;s and will boast a Who%26#8217;s Who of the fave pies at the University Park locale, with several new additions, including a creamy mozzarella pizza that we%26#8217;re just dying to try. Whet your appetite at neopizzeria.com, or ring 214.522.9898.

Image: A rendering of the new Urban Taco. Photo courtesy of Steven Chan, Rendering House.

Restaurant Buzz

Wed, 26 May 2010 04:20:33 GMT

From June 14 through 20, the sixth annual Wine %26amp; Food Week %26#8212; sponsored by Cadillac, H-E-B and more %26#8212; will bring together a host of national and local chefs, wineries, beer makers and foodies in dozens of events throughout The Woodlands. Information wineandfoodweek.com %26#8230; Look what the tide washed in: Ocean%26#8217;s, a new casual Mexican eatery and lounge with an obvious affinity for seafood. The lunch/dinner/drinks spot, owned by brothers Jorge and Isaac Alvarez, will open in the former garden spot of Bistro Vino on West Alabama any day now %26#8230; Kudos to Houstonian Hotel pastry chef Catherine Rodriguez, who bettered her chocolate skills during a three-day course at Valrhona%26#8217;s Ecole du Grand Chocolat. She was one of just 12 invited to participate on this stellar chocolate maker%26#8217;s professional stage in France %26#8230; Speaking of sweets, pastry chef (and stray-dog-loving gal) Rebecca Masson will prepare a four-course dessert extravaganza with bubbles by Perrier Jouet, Hudson Ferus vodka and a cheese interlude by Houston Dairymaids to benefit Lucky Dog Rescue on Sunday, June 6, at 4 pm. Reserve your spot ($75) at luckyrescue.org %26#8230; Phoenicia Specialty Foods, the West Houston international market with a cult following, will open a 28,000-square-foot branch on the ground floor of One Park Place in December. Owners Zohrab and Arpi Tcholakian will load their shelves with exotic imports, fresh meat and seafood, produce, artisan breads, pastries, cheeses, wines, housewares and more %26#8230; Beep-beep, Fusion Taco is hitting the streets. A copy of L.A.%26#8217;s famed gourmet-street-food trucks, this mobile restaurant was created by Julia Sharaby and can be seen cruising hoods from midtown to uptown %26#8230; Brooks Bassler, owner of BB%26#8217;s Caf%26#233; in Montrose, is opening a second location downtown in the theater district. Look for Bassler%26#8217;s Tex-Orleans fare to be served up there this summer %26#8230; We%26#8217;re obsessed with Yelapa Playa Mexicana, a new Pacific Coast%26#8211;inspired Mexican restaurant on Richmond, brought to us by Chuck Bulnes (co-creator of Berryhill Tamale Company and former co-owner of Texas Tamales and Joyce%26#8217;s Oyster Resort). Chef L.J. Wiley is an alum of Jean-Georges Vongerichten%26#8217;s Spice Market%26nbsp; and other New York icons including Morimoto, Gordon Ramsay and L%26#8217;Atelier de Jo%26#235;l Robuchon. Needless to say, his remarkable dishes are not to be confused with run-of-the-mill Tex-Mex. More in next month%26#8217;s issue %26#8230; Now that chef John Tesar has exited Tesar%26#8217;s Modern Steaks %26amp; Seafood %26#8212; his namesake restaurant in The Woodlands %26#8212; his longtime trainees Austin Simmons and Jeramie Robison (who once worked at Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek in Dallas) are making their mark there as his collaborating co-chef replacements.

Restaurant Buzz

Tue, 27 Apr 2010 05:42:06 GMT

Rosewood Hotels %26amp; Resorts is raising a toast to three luxurious decades and to its renowned founder Caroline Rose Hunt. The flourish? Special cuisine, cocktails and spa treatments all inspired by the rose and only available for a brief time at its many glamorous lodgings. Our own Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek is marking the occasion with chef Bruno Davaillon%26#8217;s rose-infused cocktail %26#8212; aptly named Caroline%26#8217;s Rose %26#8212; and a floral dessert with raspberry composition, lychee %26#8220;gelee,%26#8221; coconut sable and rose ice cream. Sweet, indeed. (214.443.4747; mansiononturtlecreek.com) %26#8230; Speaking of sweets, we%26#8217;ve fallen hard for Dimples Cupcakes, where banana pudding, cookies-and-cream and Snickers are just a few of the delectable g%26#226;teau flavors. What began as a mobile cupcake bakery with a devoted following is setting up shop at two new permanent addresses: One just opened near West Village at 3000 Blackburn, Suite 180, and another is set to debut in June at One Arts Plaza. (972.287.2253; dimplescupcakes.com) %26#8230; Technology and taste come fully wired at the Hilton Anatole%26#8217;s new Media Grill + Bar. Here, glowing LEDs and an interactive bar top with touch-sensitive lighting meet bistro-style fare %26#8212; think flatbreads and cassoulets. Talk about digital deliciousness. (214.761.7439; hiltonanatole.com) %26#8230; Just in time for Cinco de Mayo comes Rusty Taco from restaurateur and Uncle Julio%26#8217;s co-founder Rusty Fenton. The Mexican kitchen is housed in a revamped Mobil gas station at 4802 Greenville Avenue and boasts a killer design by Jones Baker Interiors + Architecture plus a menu of tasty necessities: craveable tacos and equally killer margaritas. Well, it can%26#8217;t always be foie gras and Dom. Click therustytaco.com for more.

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Image: Raspberry rose sensation at the Mansion

Restaurant Buzz

Tue, 27 Apr 2010 12:34:00 GMT

It%26#8217;s official: Tiny Boxwood%26#8217;s, the breakfast/lunch/dinner retreat surrounded by the outdoor expanse of Thompson + Hanson nursery and shop, is replicating the concept in West U.%26nbsp; Look for the restaurant and a petite version of Kathy Frietsch%26#8217;s beautifully curated shop to open in the former spot of JMH Market by the end of this year %26#8230; Uptown Park%26#8217;s posh Granduca Hotel has brought on a new chef. Tuscan-born Renato De Pirro comes to Houston by way of Las Vegas, where he worked at Sirio Maccioni%26#8217;s Circo Ristorante, as well as at Valentino at the Venetian Hotel. Look for his new menu any day now %26#8230; If you%26#8217;re inspired by spring and summer produce and want to cook as if you%26#8217;re tucked away in a villa in Florence, pick up Recipes from an Italian Summer (Phaidon Press, April 2010, $39.95). This resource %26#8212; compiled by the authors of The Silver Spoon cookbooks, which have a cult following %26#8212; is filled with light meals, salads, picnics, desserts and drinks you%26#8217;ll crave when the temperature rises %26#8230; Longing to break out of your breakfast routine this weekend? Caf%26#233; Express is now serving Southwest scrambles, savory breakfast tarts and frittatas, breakfast tacos, French toast, scones, muffins and yogurt parfaits %26#8230; Pastry chef Michael Savino, who bakes an adorable array of tasty cookies, is going retail. Look for Michael%26#8217;s Cookie Jar to open next month at the corner of Bissonnet and Weslayan. Get your fill of rugelach, shortbread, chunky chocolate chip and Snickerdoodle cookies, to name but a few %26#8230; Have you always yearned to cook like a Michelin-trained chef? Now%26#8217;s your chance. Chef Matthew Gray of La Torretta Lake Resort and Spa%26#8217;s Chez Roux is holding cooking classes in Montgomery that focus on the fare and wine made in different regions of France. Three-hour classes take place either in the afternoon or evening each Wednesday, beginning May 12, with a four-course wine lunch or dinner immediately afterwards ($79 a session; call 936.448.440 to reserve a spot) %26#8230; On Saturday mornings starting April 17, Highland Village Farmers Market (HVFM) will present %26#8220;7 Chefs in 7 Weeks%26#8221; with demonstrations by local chefs (Ryan Pera, L.J. Wiley, Dylan Murray and more) cooking with local-farmer-grown ingredients at 10 and 11:30 am %26#8230; Teresa Byrne-Dodge of My Table is hosting Links, Greens %26amp; Fried Eggs, a golf tournament benefitting the University of Houston%26#8217;s Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management. Tee up at 10 am Monday, July 7, at the Wildcat Golf Club. Information teresa.byrnedodge@my-table.com %26#8230; Let your palate travel vicariously to South America when Central Market brings Passport to Argentina to its stores May 12 through 25. It%26#8217;s a feast of foods, produce, prepared meals, beverages and more ... It%26#8217;s off to Italy Friday through Sunday, May 21 through 23, when the 2nd Annual Italian Expo arrives at the George R. Brown Convention Center to celebrate all things made in Italy, from food and wine to fashion, design and art. Information iacctexas.com.

Restaurant Buzz

Tue, 30 Mar 2010 01:59:37 GMT

Lee Ellis filled us in first. Remember his new concept with chef Lance Fegan (and company), to be christened Burgerzilla? Well they%26#8217;ve scrapped that concept for a chef-driven southern comfort food%26#8211;themed place they%26#8217;re calling Liberty Kitchen in the same Heights location, 1050 Studemont. Expect the doors to swing open in about three months %26#8230; Dining bon vivant and my former radio co-host John DeMers is the accomplished author of more than 40 food- and drink-related books. Now he%26#8217;s finished his first novel: Marfa Shadows (Bright Sky Press, $23.95), which centers around a culinary crime fighter, Chef Brett Baldwin. DeMers immersed himself for months in this fabled West Texas town to research the tale. %26#8220;This book has drugs, plenty of sex and more than a few violent murders,%26#8221; DeMers says. %26#8220;There are some excellent dinner specials, too.%26#8221; Find it at Murder by the Book %26#8230; More news to report at CityCentre: Brio Tuscan Grille, a casual white-tablecloth Italian eatery, is opening there this month, while early this summer, you can sate your Mexican-food cravings at Cyclone Anaya%26#8217;s %26#8230; Dody Martel and Jerry Mancuso have opened Mancuso%26#8217;s Italian Table. Chef Greg Moore oversees the kitchen at this back-to-basics Italian eatery on South Voss %26#8230; Fromage fanatics, take note: Renowned cheese expert Juliet Harbutt, author of the new World Cheese Book (DK Publishing, $25), has introduced a new line of personally selected British cheeses for Central Market, representing 16 of the UK%26#8217;s best cheese exports. We can%26#8217;t wait to check them out for our next drinks party %26#8230; Ruggles Grille 5115 at Saks Fifth Avenue has been reinvented. Landmark Houston Hospitality Group (LH2G) and its chef, Pedro Silva, have recently acquired full control of the property from former owner Bruce Molzan. Look for a room revamp by designer Jay Clues, a new concept (more of a lounge and restaurant idea) and a menu that blends Silva%26#8217;s Latin roots with the traditional tenets of French cuisine %26#8230; Tru Meals is a delicious new meals-to-go option from Diet Gourmet, the long-established delivery service of weight-loss-inducing fare. Think high-end prepared foods to take home with you morning, noon and night. Look for Tru Meals on Farnham Street near Highway 59, in a former Starbucks location %26#8230; Meet us at Robert Del Grande%26#8217;s RDG + Bar Annie for the new Sunday brunch, featuring everything from coffee and doughnuts to kitchen breakfast %26#8220;hangover%26#8221; eggs and smoked salmon and scrambled egg casserole, as well as burgers, lobster meatballs, pork and green chile stew, and fried chicken salad %26#8230; Mark your calendars! The Grand Wine and Food Affair kicks off the culinary festivities Wednesday, April 21, with vitner dinners, wine seminars and luncheons, an around-the-world bistro brunch and the Sienna Sip %26amp; Stoll. Now a regular spring food festival sponsored by H-E-B, it draws both local chefs of note and more than 100 wineries. For more information on tickets and the event schedule, go to thegrandwineandfoodaffair.com.

Restaurant Buzz

Tue, 30 Mar 2010 01:59:53 GMT

For the moment, forget about fitting into those Vilebrequin shorts and Missoni bikinis. Instead, focus on this three-prong burger buzz. First, Denver-based Smashburger splashes into town, with plans to open 30 locales. Closest to us? The 100 percent Angus beef indulgences are at 4980 Belt Line Road in Addison. Info smashburger.com. Second, Deep Ellum%26#8217;s beloved Twisted Root Burger Co. just opened a new outpost in Richardson (730 E. Campbell Road) and will fire up its grills this month at The Shelby apartment residences at 5609 SMU Boulevard. Third, Jeff Sinelli (Which Wich) has opened a second Burguesa Burger, downtown. Seek out his Mexican-inspired mouthwaterers there, plus new breakfast tacos, all in the dining digs beneath Renaissance Tower at 1201 Elm Street %26#8230; Save the date for these two outdoor foodie fests. The White Rock Local Market is Saturday, April 10 (and the second Saturday of every month after that), and boasts an organic farmer%26#8217;s market plus booths of jewelry, antiques and art (whiterocklocalmarket.com). Then, on Sunday, April 18, One Arts Plaza hosts its first-ever Spring Block Party, with gourmet cooking demos by the chefs at Screen Door, Tei An, Jorge%26#8217;s and Fedora, plus a farmer%26#8217;s market featuring Tom Spicer, Homestead Grist Mill, Village Baking Company and more %26#8230; We%26#8217;re already big fans of Whole Foods%26#8217; spacious new digs at the Park Lane development, across Central Expressway from NorthPark Center. Must-sees at the 64,000-square-foot grocery landmark? Bars of all types (breakfast, wine, cheese, fro-yo, fresh juice, more) and a touchscreen computer that creates recipe and shopping lists based on the ingredients of your choosing (8190 Park Lane; 214.342.4850) %26#8230; Add %26#8220;guerrilla dining%26#8221; to your gourmet vocab. We have two definitions: Il Cane Rosso has taken its Neapolitan pizza on the road, with an Italian wood-burning oven on wheels. On Wednesday nights, the mobile pizzeria stops at Lakewood%26#8217;s Times Ten Cellars, then on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, the truck parks at Chocolate Angel Too. We%26#8217;re there. (214.577.6747; ilcanerosso.com). Then we have 48 Nights from Chris Jeffers, Chris Zielke and Tim Byres, the boys behind Smoke. Their new pop-up restaurant opens Monday and Tuesday nights for six months only, ending July 27, in Oak Cliff%26#8217;s Sylvan Thirty development. The impromptu eatery includes a rotating schedule of 24 big-name local chefs (Marc Cassel, Stephan Pyles, Graham Dodds, et al), seating for 30 and an always changing prix-fixe menu. Even better? It%26#8217;s all to benefit the multi-charity Mass Care Task Force. You%26#8217;ll need tickets to dine, so click to 48nights.com for details.

Restaurant Buzz

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 02:36:11 GMT

Brennan%26#8217;s of Houston, the 43-year-old Houston landmark ravaged by fire when Hurricane Ike swept through town, is open again for business. After an exhaustive 17-month renovation of the John Staub structure led by the Atlanta firm The Johnson Studio, this beloved Texas Creole restaurant has reopened under the direction of owner Alex Brennan-Martin and chef Danny Trace, an alum of the Commander%26#8217;s Palace concept in Destin, Florida %26#8230; Soon after Tootsies announced that it%26#8217;s making the big move down the street to West Ave, confirmation of leases (that everyone has been chattering about) were officially released. Restaurants and bars opening later this year and next at West Ave include: Anita Jaisinghani%26#8217;s urban Indian cafe, the wine bar Cru, seafood eatery Eddie V%26#8217;s (born in Austin) and a yet-to-be-named new concept care of Ad West (run by brothers Jeff and Darren Van Delden, who created The Drake and Red Door) %26#8230; Word is Niko Niko%26#8217;s, one of our favorite Greek eateries, is cloning itself downtown in Market Square. Lured there by the Downtown Management District, owner Dimitri Fetokakis says the %26#8220;mini%26#8221; Niko Niko%26#8217;s will be 375 square feet %26#8212; about the size of his family%26#8217;s original restaurant. Look for the eatery, complete with walk-up window, to open late this summer %26#8230; After a two-year hiatus from the Houston dining scene, Philippe Schmit (former chef at the now-shuttered Bistro Moderne) has signed a lease at BLVD Place. His two-story Philippe Restaurant and Lounge, which will open in the fall, will feature a lounge on the first floor and a dining room on the second, with kitchens, outdoor terraces and bars on each level. Architect Shafik Rifaat is designing the space, with interiors by Lauren Rottet. The inventive French fare will hit a range of affordable price points to encourage regulars to make it their personal bo%26#238;te. Schmit%26#8217;s former colleague Ludovic Poirier has been named director of operations %26#8230; Stefano Zullian, his wife Carla Susi and sister-in-law Silvana Susi have opened the chocolate shop Araya in River Oaks Shopping Center. Their artisan candies are sweetened with honey in lieu of sugar, with flavors such as pink salt, passion fruit, margarita and orange marzipan. They%26#8217;re artfully packaged, too: Araya invites artists to contribute work to appear on limited-edition box covers %26#8230; On the subject of sweets, pals Karee Gonzalez and Michelle McPherson have opened K%26amp;M Cake Ball Company. What%26#8217;s a cake ball? The name really says it all, with flavors such as red velvet, carrot, devil%26#8217;s food, peanut butter and strawberry coated in icing. Sold by the dozen at ucanhaveaball.com, they%26#8217;re fun giftables %26#8230; Calling all wine snobs: Nos Caves Vin is a new state-of-the-art, member-only wine-storage facility near Rice Village %26#8230; Bruce Molzan%26#8217;s original Montrose site of Ruggles Grill has reopened, offering old favorites and new dishes inspired by the wild success of their %26#8220;green%26#8221; concept, Ruggles Green (which, we should add will open its second location this spring in CityCentre).

Restaurant Buzz

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 12:42:34 GMT

Your ship has just come in %26#8212;%26nbsp;in the form of fresh catches and sinful steaks. Eddie V%26#8217;s Prime Seafood is set for launch this April, serving an array of gourmet fare, from specialty-aged, center-cut prime beef to an extensive raw-bar menu. It docks on Oak Lawn Avenue, in front of Equinox. Stay tuned for more %26#8230; We%26#8217;ve discovered a place that may just give Willy Wonka%26#8217;s factory a run for its money: Longtime pastry chef Katherine Clapner (most recently with Stephan Pyles) has opened Dude, Sweet Chocolate in Oak Cliff, where she is whipping up artisan candy bars, chocolate-dipped delicacies and more, all in rather intriguing flavors. Go for the orange-soda-pop candy bar with homemade orange Pop Rocks or sip on the decadent drinking chocolate %26#8212; we are not talking Swiss Miss, but instead molten Valrhona cocoa powder and Venezuelan chocolate, topped with Russian-style marshmallows. Tickle your sweet tooth at 408 West 8th Street, Suite 102, or click to dudesweetchocolate.com %26#8230; We see lots of lunch dates in your future: Neighborhood Services, the wildly popular Lovers Lane bistro, is opening two new locales. In mid-February, hurry to Henderson Avenue to try Neighborhood Services Tavern, where the tables are tall and the space is cozy. Come late spring, go north to NS%26#8217;s bar-and-grill outpost at Preston Royal Village. Can%26#8217;t wait to report back %26#8230; The Thai food gurus are at it again: Jeffrey Yarbrough, Tom Chawana, Lam Promwanrat and Kitti Lirtpanaruk are cutting the ribbons this month at Naga Thai Kitchen and Bar, another reason to visit Victory Park. We%26#8217;re hearing about dishes of curry and ginger, plus a yummy-sounding Tom-Yum soup. Our chopsticks are aquiver. See you at 669 High Market Street, not far from Kenichi %26#8230; Mike Hoque and Nafees Alam are sharpening the steak knives at their new downtown restaurant, Dallas Chop House. Take a peek at the open kitchen while noshing on executive chef Kenny Mills%26#8217; bone-in Kansas City strip or rack of lamb. Also take note of the eatery%26#8217;s art by Texan James Spurlock and Britisher Charlie Whinney. This spot is sure to satiate the appetites of the most voracious urban cowboys. 1717 Main St., 214.736.7300; dallaschophouse.com.

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Image: A rendering of the bar at Eddie V%26#8217;s

Restaurant Buzz

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 12:35:46 GMT

Another cupcake bakery has opened. Celebrity Cupcakes %26#8212; launched by a home baker with a love for sweets, Maria Cagle, and her husband, Chris %26#8212; is a darling Rice Village%26#8211;area shop that offers a menu of daily changing cupcakes. The Cagles aim to bake for the greater good: Celebrity will donate a percentage of sales of cupcakes branded with a charity%26#8217;s logo to support everything from Texas Children%26#8217;s Hospital to the animals at the SPCA %26#8230; Real estate developer and former JMH market owner Jim Reid has opened the kid-friendly Little Matt%26#8217;s restaurant and Matthew%26#8217;s Market in West University. Look for comfort food and lots of distractions for the kiddos, as well as a convenient neighborhood market next door for all those pantry fill-ins.

Restaurant Buzz

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 05:18:48 GMT

Celebrate the Strip House%26#8217;s fifth birthday in Houston when this downtown steak house offers (swoon now) five courses for only $55, now through February. For the tempting menu details and reservations, call 713.659.6000 %26#8230; Crave Cupcakes is opening a second location at 5600 Kirby Drive this spring. Look for another AvroKO-designed space (1,800 square feet) serving exclusively cupcakes %26#8230; Tres Market has opened a second space, this one at 5115 Buffalo Speedway. Drop by for quick, prepared foods to go, from meatloaf and breakfast casseroles to baked goods, as well as catered affairs %26#8230; Rumor put to rest: Sprinkles Cupcakes has signed a lease in Highland Village. Look for a spring opening %26#8230; Valerie Gamble has opened a new location of her chocolate shop Expressions Fine Chocolate at 3535 Wilcrest. She sells a wide variety of chocolate truffles %26#8230; Beep beep, it%26#8217;s the Frosted Betty Mobile Bake Shop. Yup, if you can%26#8217;t get out to Nicole Mora%26#8217;s new Old Town Katy bakery by the same name, she%26#8217;s going to come to you. Follow her on Twitter and Facebook later this month and see where she and her crew will be setting up their new mobile bakeshop (a Dodge Sprinter in disguise) filled with old-fashioned cupcakes, brownies, cookies and other mini desserts %26#8230; This spring, a new flower shop/patisserie/cafe will open in CityCentre. Labeled Flora %26amp; Muse, the nearly 6,000-square-foot European-style cafe will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner, and style stems of all sorts %26#8230; Later this spring, Galleria III will be home to a new restaurant called Ello, in the former spot of Fox Sports Grill %26#8230; Fins Seafood %26amp; Grill has opened where Rickshaw once stood on Westheimer. Chef/owner Kam Ip, who started (and has since sold) King Bo%26#8217;s restaurant, cooks up Asian fusion fare and sushi with an emphasis on seafood.

Restaurant Buzz

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 03:03:07 GMT

Bring in the chefs! City Cafe%26#8217;s kitchen is ready to take on a crowd. The local institution at 5757 West Lovers Lane recently finished an expansion that includes a larger dining room %26#8212; enough seats for more than 50 delightful diners %26#8212; and even more display cases of delectable dishes. Will we spot you from behind the bistro%26#8217;s new dinner menu? Hope so. Information 214.351.2233; thecitycafedallas.com %26#8230;%26#160; For the devoted Preston Center lunch bunch, there are two new eateries: Texas de Brazil Express (think delish meats in wraps and bowls) and Cedars Mediterranean Mezza (think gourmet kabobs and pitas) will keep internationally keen palates happy. For more, see texasdebrazilexpress.com and cedarsmezza.com ... You feast on pizza the way a sommelier sips a cabernet, which means you must taste Farnatchi Gourmet Oven. Owner Joe Khalaf (he is co-owner of Medina Oven and Bar, too) is cooking up fresh pizza pies in a cozy atmosphere. Gather %26#8217;round the large, central wood table and share the Mediterranean pizza with chicken, pesto, olives, mozzarella and feta. The ovens are hot at 3001 Knox Street, 214.219.7200, farnatchi.com %26#8230; The mixed-use Ilume complex is beefing up its dining digs, times two: Savor cocktails and cuisine at Dish, the new comfort-food concept from Tim McEneny (Lift, Dragonfly) and biz partner Doug Brown (yes, the popular chef). Here, the menu from executive chef Brian Sommers (Jasper%26#8217;s, Rick%26#8217;s) covers everything from flatbread pizzas to roasted free-range chicken and the most indulgent sides. Just a skip away, ready-to-devour bites are waiting at Brown's and Jason Foss%26#8217; Beyond the Box, its second location. Get your organic eats to go, or munch on them in the coffee lounge there. It%26#8217;s all at 4123 Cedar Springs Road; dish-dallas.com; foodbeyondthebox.com %26#8230; If this is what %26#8220;down on the farm%26#8221; means, we%26#8217;re there. Get to Good 2 Go Taco, the farm-friendly locale at Green Spot Market %26amp; Fuels (near White Rock Lake) that supports local growers. The menu, which offers tasty tacos for breakfast and lunch, changes daily, so check good2gotaco.com before heading to 702 North Buckner Boulevard %26#8230; Undergoing a bit of an identity change is Lazare. The West Village eatery, now called Lemon Bar, revamped its vibe and is focusing on great drinks and a more casual menu. We%26#8217;re in lust with the bottomless Bellini brunch, served Saturday and Sunday, 11 am to 3 pm. (3699 McKinney Ave., 214.443.6043; thelemonbar.com) %26#8230; We%26#8217;re wishing Tart Pastry Boutique a very merry fifth birthday this month. Help blow out the candles (and munch on a sugary whoopie pie) at 5219 West Lovers Lane at Inwood Road. Sweet!%26#160;

Restaurant Buzz

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 03:59:49 GMT

Michelin-starred French chef Albert Roux will personally host a six-course Robert Mondavi tasting dinner ($100 per person) on Saturday, December 12, at his restaurant Chez Roux at La Torretta Del Lago. Reservations 936.448.3010 %26#8230; Have you promised to ring in the New Year by eating more healthfully? Then consider the recently launched Armandos Food For Life for breakfast, lunch and dinner. This Tex-Mex-flavored healthful fare %26#8212; no, that%26#8217;s not an oxymoron %26#8212;%26nbsp;is available for pick-up or delivery at armandosfoodforlife.com %26#8230; Houston is home to a new Tex-Mex concept, Ruby Tequila%26#8217;s Mexican Kitchen. This Amarillo-style restaurant banishes microwaves, freezers and can openers from the kitchen in order to create fresh food made from scratch daily %26#8212; much of it over a mesquite-fired grill. Open now in Midtown and Willowbrook %26#8230; Ooh La La Dessert Boutique has expanded to a second location in Katy. Rumor has it that their next expansion (date unknown) will be to Houston, so we can partake in the signature jumbo cupcakes, cheesecakes, cakes, pies and cookies made by pastry chef/owner Vanessa O%26#8217;Donnell closer to home %26#8230; Quattro, the Italian-inspired restaurant downtown in the Four Seasons Hotel, is taking a casual approach to dining after dark. Gone are the formal white tablecloths, servers in neckties and smooth jazz musak; instead, you%26#8217;ll find bare, dark-wood-surfaced tables, black-on-black uniforms and Hotel Costes lounge music. And did we mention the enoteca dinner menu? Aside from the traditional menu, Quattro now offers small sharing plates, none priced over $9, with more than 50 (mostly Italian) wines by the glass %26#8230; Also downtown, Jerrell Powers has opened Byrd%26#8217;s Market %26amp; Cafe in the Historic District. The neighborhood gourmet grocer will feature artisan breads, wines, specialty food products, as well as the everyday basics, plus a chef-driven cafe and catering services (care of chef Marlies Wasterval) %26#8230; Hearsay, a new two-story %26#8220;gastro-lounge%26#8221; at the edge of downtown in the city%26#8217;s second oldest building, has opened. Created by Houston Landmark Hospitality Group (with several concepts in development), its bar is manned by Scotch whiskey expert/mixologist Britton Douglass, while the kitchen is headed by chef Pedro Silva, who mans the range at Grille 5115 at Saks Fifth Avenue by day %26#8230; Want to start a conversation %26#8212; or maybe a knock-down, drag-out fight? Pick up a copy of the Fearless Critic Houston Restaurant Guide 2010 ($15.95). We%26#8217;ll leave it up to you to decide if these opinioned write-ups (by part-time bloggers and the like) are gospel or if the info makes a better, albeit weighty restaurant directory %26#8230; Next year, the Greater Houston Convention %26amp; Visitors Bureau is coordinating culinary tours of the city led by chefs Bryan Caswell, Randy Evans, Monica Pope and Chris Shepherd. The five-hour excursions ($180 per person; limited to 15 attendees each) will take foodies to off-the-beaten-path favorites. The first one takes place Sunday, March 14, with a taste of Southeast Asia, as chefs Caswell and Pope venture to Kasra Persian Grill, Balaji Bawan, Sinh Sinh and Kim Tai. Reservations 713.520.1937; visithoustontexas.com. Laurann Claridge