After nearly two decades of service, Crapitto's Cucina Italiana will close on Saturday, May 24, due to a construction project in River Oaks. The Italian restaurant shared the disappointing news on Facebook saying that the last supper will be held on May 24. Other establishments located around Crapitto's are set to be torn down as well.
Kevin Naderi's Lillo & Ella opened on Tuesday, May 20, at 2307 Ella Boulevard. Naderi's new concept has taken over the previous space of El Gran Malo, and will be open for lunch and dinner serving a multitude of Pan-Asian street food dishes. Choose from item such as basil flat iron beef with steamed rice and baby spinach, and blue crab fried rice for lunch, or feast on tuna tartare with shrimp chips, yogurt and curry shrimp skewers, and cane sugar and black pepper ribeye for dinner.
Common Bond is now officially open. The highly-anticipated bakery and cafe from pastry chef Roy Shvartzapel is located at 1706 Westheimer. CultureMap Houston reports that customers can choose from a selection of sweet and savory items, such as sandwiches, biscuits with bacon gravy, croissants and sticky buns.
Sal y Pimienta is now open in CityCentre at 818 Town & Country Boulevard, Ste. 105. The new South American restaurant recently held its grand opening and shared on its Facebook page that it is now open. In a statement, owner and restaurateur Gianfranco Percovich says Sal y Pimienta will serve a variety of products (fish, meat and produce) from all over the world -- pair any dish with one of the outstanding South American wines.
After Ace Chinese Restaurant in The Woodlands closed, the 4775 W. Panther Creek, Ste. 490, space was transformed into The Republic Grille. This new addition to The Woodlands serves down-home Texas food, such as shrimp and grits with pecan-smoked bacon and Andouille sausage, chicken fried steak and peach cobbler -- H-Town Chow Down noted that the CFC was one of their favorite dishes. Currently, The Republic Grille only serves lunch and dinner, but in late June, a lineup of breakfast options will be available.
BB's Cafe opened another location at 6154 Westheimer in Briargrove. Hank On Food checked out the newest BB's and gave everything he tasted an A+ or an A grade. Just as the other locations do, this BB's Cafe serves up delightful Po'Boys and fingerlicking-good Tex-Cajun Virgin, aka fries smothered in queso, gravy and roast beef.
As beach-goers head to Galveston for summer vacations or weekend getaways, they'll soon have a new bar/restaurant to visit along the Seawall. Longboard Pool Bar is set to open at 1702 Seawall Boulevard on Friday, May 30, as reported by Eater Houston. The new establishment comes from Dennis Byrd, owner of The Spot, Tiki Bar, SideYard and RumShack.
Another Salata opened on Thursday, May 22, at 9050 W. Sam Houston Parkway North. This opening marks the salad bar chain's 18th Houston location -- ten more Salatas are set to open in Texas this year.
Did we miss any openings or closings? Let us know in the comments section and we will be sure to include them in next week's report.
