River Oaks District is Getting a Host of New Restaurants

We’re pretty lucky here in H-town. Every day is different, but this still holds true: Another day, another new restaurant. Eateries of all kinds are flying into Houston, eager to impress diners with familiar flavors or daring dishes.

Of course, one hot area is seeing a lot of the action.

River Oaks District is winning big with three  new restaurants set up to open up there this spring and fall. The luxury outdoor shopping complex is rife with designer boutiques and already home to fine dining standouts such as Steak 48 and Le Colonial.

What’s new to the lineup? Two Baltimore-bred seafood spots, and a not-so-standard sandwich shop from our neighbor to the north.

River Oaks’ Seafood Power Play

Baltimore is sending some serious seafood down to Houston. The Charm City’s restaurant Ouzo Bay and its sister whiskey lounge/raw bar Loch Bar are scheduled to both open in River Oaks District in November.

The swanky spots will occupy 11,000 square feet in the mixed-use development, taking over the sprawling bottom level below Equinox at 4444 Westheimer. Ouzo Bay will cover roughly 7,000 square feet.

The upscale Mediterranean restaurant will hold as many as 225 diners, spread between indoor and outdoor seating. Baltimore’s Ouzo opened five years ago in the popular Harbor East area. The restaurant specializes in contemporary Mediterranean cuisine with a definite Greek slant.

Its emphasis is on daily catches from around the world, prime dry-aged meats and grass-fed lamb. The global sourcing includes fish from the Gulf Coast.

To give an idea of what’s to come — the Baltimore Ouzo’s menu offers signature Greek dishes in both small and shareable sizes and entrees. Lamb meatballs and spanakopita are on the app menu, along with a grilled seafood meze sampler.

Fresh caught whole fish are grilled on charcoal, deboned, and then priced by the pound. Ouzo Bay recommends one pound per person, with options like bronzino, black sea bass and red snapper. A live DJ will add something fresh to the upscale restaurant.

Loch Bar will occupy the bottom floor’s remaining 3,000 square feet. The seafood tavern and raw bar is slated to have one of the most extensive whiskey lists in all of Texas, Atlas Restaurant Group promises. The goal? At least 500 different bottles.

No Baltimore raw bar would be complete without Maryland crab cakes with a liberal dash of Old Bay — Loch Bar isn’t missing the mark, even creating a remoulade out of the signature spice.

The search for a chef for both Ouzo Bay and Loch Bar is ongoing. While the chef will be trained in Baltimore, Atlas Restaurant Group is looking for someone Houston homegrown.

With Houston having lost several high-profile seafood restaurants lately, including Salt Air, Holley’s and Peska, the city’s restaurant scene can certainly use this fish infusion.

Sandwich Mania

Dallas-born East Hampton Sandwich Co. is known for its upscale sammies and subs. Two Houston outposts are set to open this spring, serving up sandwiches with toppings, sauces, and potato chips all made in-house. The  Montrose location  will sell its subs in the same development as Chills360 and another Dallas native, Velvet Taco. The second East Hampton will set up shop in River Oaks District, next to Hopdoddy.

The fresh, five-year-old concept offers lobster-stuffed grilled cheese in eight locations in Dallas and Fort Worth. Sandwich meats run the gamut of lobster to fried chicken, country ham, Meyer lemon chicken, hickory smoked bacon, Balsalmic tenderloin and more. Feeling indulgent but want to say no to a bun? All of East Hampton’s gourmet sandwiches can be turned into a salad, served on a bed of Romaine or spring mix. Bun-free, guilt-free?

If you’re looking for any type of food answer, River Oaks District is rapidly turning into one of the places to start.