Of the two hotly anticipated projects from the Tcholakian family that have been in the works, the smaller of the two has finally opened in west Houston: Phoenicia Coffee House and Deli (12151 Westheimer), in the same center as the giant Phoenicia market. The downtown iteration of the grocery store is still set to open this December, but the Coffee House and Deli is now offering coffee and gelato alongside the same shawarmas and other tasty Lebanese food it did in its old location across Westheimer.
From the weekly My Table Side Dish newsletter, we learned that Jonathan's The Rub (9061 Gaylord) -- a Robb Walsh favorite for scallops and grits -- is expanding the small dining room, with hopes of the renovation being completed in time for Valentine's Day next year. Says My Table:
Chef/owner Jonathan Levine says diners can expect the same cozy neighborhood atmosphere in the larger digs.
Perhaps now, Levine won't be quite so irritated when he sees diners lingering at a table for too long after dinner.
Also open this week in the old Coldstone Creamery location at Shepherd and Westheimer is a new Berripop. Montrose and River Oaks residents can now get their tart yogurt fix without driving to West U. I know, I know; what tough lives we all lead.
The cat is out of the bag about a new restaurant that's coming to The Woodlands. Earlier this week, we Tweeted that one of Montrose's favorite places was opening another outpost up north. Some guessed Little Big's, others guessed BB's and some held out for Hugo's. But it's Marco Wiles who will be taking on The Woodlands, when he opens a second Dolce Vita in the old Tesar's location.
Sadly, one of my favorite Korean restaurants closed down last week. Seoul House (10603 Bellaire) was a bit pricey for Chinatown -- perhaps the reason that it's now closed -- but the service and the food, especially the belly-warming haemul dolsot, couldn't be beat. Readers, if you have another favorite restaurant in town for haemul dolsot, sound off in the comments section; I need to console myself somewhere.
