Even by the same old requirements of Houston’s bustling restaurant scene, the previous couple of months have been a busy time for brand spanking new openings. Profitable operators have debuted a number of promising ideas that each one clamor for individuals’s consideration.
From the return of a beloved burger joint to a brand new burger joint from a James Beard Award winner — wait, that doesn’t sound like a lot range. Let’s spotlight a brand new omakase idea from a veteran chef, a brand new inside Mexican restaurant for the Memorial space, the barbecue restaurant Cypress has been clamoring for, and a compelling new possibility for Memorial-area diners.
As at all times, these are roughly ordered by the precedence I might give to attempting them, however the entire entries on the checklist have one thing to supply. Write-ups are primarily based on precise experiences eating on the listed eating places (typically greater than as soon as). They’re much less formal critiques than a information of what to anticipate together with some solutions for what to order.
Daily Gather
This new spot from the house owners of Dish Society presents a refreshing, domestically owned various to CityCentre’s roster of principally company eating places. The previous Worldwide Smoke house has been given a homey makeover by Gin Design Group. Day by day Collect demonstrates its dedication to “gatherings” in plenty of methods, together with by offering each desk with a deck of playing cards that counsel subjects designed to spark dialog.
Those that know chef Brandi Key from her time at Clark Cooper Ideas will discover a lot to love about Day by day Collect’s eclectic menu. Begin with chilly seafood dishes such because the flavorful tuna aguachile earlier than shifting on to shareable small plates like elote cornbread, roasted bone marrow, and the must-order citrus avocado. Braised quick rib with Parisian-style gnocchi and seared salmon with Vietnamese herbs are standouts among the many entrees.
An in depth collection of cocktails, each alcoholic and nil proof, presents loads of pairing choices. Like Dish Society, it’s household pleasant with a youngsters menu accessible.
Kinokawa
After incomes acclaim at Blackbird Izakaya and opening Hidden Omakase, chef Billy Kin returns to the kitchen with this intimate omakase counter within the former Golden Bagels house. Kin is an extremely affable host, participating in banter along with his diners as he explains the conception of his dishes.
A part of what units Kinokawa aside from different, comparable eating places is Kin’s improvisational type. As an alternative of following an ordinary development of nigiri that ends in tuna and wagyu beef, meals at Kinokawa combine cold and hot dishes that hold diners intrigued about what would possibly come subsequent. For instance, evenly charred toro nigiri opened the meal, which was adopted by shirako, fried cod milt (it has a gentle taste and the feel of organ meat). Different surprising bites included ankimo in French dressing and sauteed Spanish eels. In the direction of the tip, Kin served rice bowls that mixed uni, caviar, scallops, and wagyu beef. After all, any of these programs might be swapped out for others relying on what gadgets he’s had flown in from Japan that week.
Since my go to, consulting chef Brandon Silva has departed for his subsequent undertaking, however the restaurant at all times displays Kin’s imaginative and prescient. Whereas the precise dishes Silva ready might or is probably not accessible, followers of omakase eating will discover a night at Kinokawa to be nicely spent.
Burger-Chan
Admittedly, this restaurant isn’t new, however its new location close to the Galleria gives alternative to revisit the Asian-influenced burger joint. Not solely does being above floor make Burger-Chan simpler to search out, it’s additionally open for dinner (restricted days throughout its smooth opening with extra nights within the weeks to come back).
What stays the identical is chef Willet Feng’s burgers, that are made with Texas beef from 44 Farms and boosted with an umami glaze. Each burger is constructed to order; diners select from two completely different patty sizes, 4 completely different buns, additional proteins (egg, bacon, or spam), three cheeses, all the same old veggies, and a compelling vary of housemade sauces equivalent to scallion aioli and sambal mayo.
The glaze provides the meat a deeply savory taste that makes the restaurant’s burgers simple to devour, and the quite a few topping decisions means everybody will discover a option to swimsuit their tastes. Add in fries or tots — accessible common or “loaded” with bacon, cheese, scallions, and bitter cream — for the total expertise.
Burro & Bull
Initially a stand within the Conservatory meals corridor, Veronica and John Avila have introduced their smoked Texana idea to a former Corky’s location in Cypress. Now in a devoted house, Burro & Bull has considerably expanded its menu to cowl each conventional barbecue meats like brisket, housemade sausage, and pork ribs alongside Mexican-influenced proteins like beef fajitas, rooster fajitas, and pork steak with pastor seasoning.
Sides are equally numerous starting from potato salad and cole slaw to ranchero beans and calabacitas (Mexican squash with onions, garlic, and corn). A full vary of beer and cocktails helps make the restaurant an interesting dinner possibility.
Whereas the barbecue wants some tweaking to match Houston’s greatest joints (ribs on a latest go to had been undercooked), the general menu presents sufficient tasty choices to make it a really compelling addition to the realm.
Norigami
This sushi hand roll pop-up happens a few instances every month within the Hidden Omakase house close to the Galleria. As at comparable ideas, diners might both order from prix-fixe progressions of three, 4, or 5 rolls or order a la carte (or complement a development with a few a la carte decisions).
Whereas most hand rolls are served totally wrapped, Norigami’s are left open like a taco, which gives the look of offering extra filling than rice. Choices embrace spicy tuna with a nice pop of warmth, salmon with yuzu-soy and a tangy roasted garlic aioli, and yellowtail with yuzu koshu, garlic-chili, and avocado. These in search of one thing extra decadent might go for toro, uni, foie gras, wagyu beef, or the “menage foie gras” — a mixture of all 4 plus caviar. Affordable costs (solely the menage prices greater than $20), speedy service, and the comfort of BYOB improve the expertise.
Underbelly Burger
Hay Service provider could also be in its remaining week of operations, however a model of its famed Stop & Desist burger lives on at this newly opened restaurant within the Houston Farmers Market. The entree decisions are easy: two completely different cheeseburgers — one made with meat sourced from 44 Farms and one other made with wagyu from R-C Ranch — a veggie burger; a fried rooster sandwich with black pepper buttermilk dressing; and a scorching canine made with chef-owner Chris Shepherd’s signature bacon sausage.
As one would count on, the burger’s mixture of two beef patties, two slices of cheese, lettuce, tomato, and pickles on a sesame seed-topped potato bun hits all of the traditional notes. The bacon sausage scorching canine is the menu’s hidden star; it’s break up in half, seared on a griddle, and paired with jalapeño mustard. Sidewinder fries steadiness the thickness and smooth inside of a steak fry with the crispy exterior of thinner cuts. A soundtrack of pre-Beatles rock ‘n roll from the ’50s and ’60s gives the proper contact for this old-fashioned, diner-inspired house.
Maize
After working at distinguished Houston eating places Mark’s American Delicacies and Hugo Ortega’s Oaxacan restaurant Xochi, chef Fabian Saldana has opened his first solo undertaking within the former Carmelo’s/B.B. Italia house within the Vitality Hall. General, the house feels welcoming with comfy banquettes and an expansive patio.
To create Maize’s menu, chef Saldana combines his Mexican heritage with the data he gained working for Ortega. Not surprisingly, corn-based dishes are standouts, together with the shrimp empanadas, octopus with salsa negra, and Gulf fish with segueza, a corn-based sauce. Different dishes, significantly too dry barbacoa, confirmed the kitchen continues to be discovering its footing in executing the menu constantly.
Nonetheless, there’s a lot to love, together with the nicely made, fairly priced cocktails and first price desserts. Along with his mentor Mark Cox and former Carmelo’s proprietor Carmelo Mauro aiding in getting Maize up and operating, Saldana’s future appears promising.
Mastro’s Ocean Club
This crown jewel of Tilman Fertitta’s restaurant empire has arrived in The Woodlands. The variations between Mastro’s Ocean Membership and Mastro’s Steakhouse comes down to a couple extra seafood dishes at Ocean Membership, however the eating places are essentially the identical: a spot for lavish entertaining, excessive eating, and massive celebrations.
Diners who desire a conventional steakhouse expertise of, say, wedge salad adopted by dry-aged ribeye with creamed spinach ought to in all probability go elsewhere. It’s not that Mastro’s doesn’t do these issues nicely — a ribeye for 2 arrived expertly medium uncommon with a spot-on crust — however going to this restaurant with out indulging in its non-traditional sushi rolls (wagyu and asparagus is especially tasty), chilled seafood towers, or decadent sides like lobster mashed potatoes means lacking out on what makes the restaurant particular.
So order that $20 Manhattan and save room for the signature butter cake. In spite of everything, extra is the purpose at Mastro’s.
Solecita Churrería y Taqueria
The house owners of downtown establishment Frank’s Pizza have transformed the previous Frank’s Yard into this new idea that sells, look ahead to it, tacos and churros (and tortas). The principally out of doors house contains a small cart that serves freshly fried churros and an Airstream trailer that homes the kitchen.
Developed with the help of consulting chef Omar Pereney, Solecita serves conventional, street-style tacos wrapped in handmade corn and flour tortillas. Fillings embrace goat barbacoa, rooster tinga, beef birria, pork carnitas, and a vegetarian possibility that mixes poblano, potato, mushroom, and roasted corn. A trio of flavorful salsas add slightly warmth to the combo, and a collection of drinks that embrace agua frescas cool issues down. Downtown definitely doesn’t lack taco choices, however extra decisions are at all times welcome after they’re this tasty.
