Each Postino restaurant makes its mark by drawing inspiration from the community in which it lands, whether it be a former gay bar in the Montrose or an upscale Houston shopping center such as Uptown Park or Town and Country. For the newest spot in The Woodlands, guests will find mid-century-style furniture and memorabilia sourced from local vintage shops. Each Postino usually has an Instagrammable collections wall and this one boasts an art installation of hundreds of colorful 1950s and 60s fedoras with help from a picker in Round Top, Texas.
In keeping with the late George P. Mitchell's vision for The Woodlands community, the wine bar and restaurant connects with the outdoors by way of roll-up garage doors, an outdoor patio and a bar that bridges the indoor and outdoor spaces.
First and foremost, Postino is about sharing wine and other beverages with friends and family. Advanced Sommelier, Brent Karlicek, has created a wine list that features boutique producers as well as more familiar labels. He has also curated a beer and cider program catered to the residents of The Woodlands and surrounding areas.
Its food menu offers elevated shareables like its bruschetta boards, one of its most popular offerings. Guests will find tasty bruschetta options such as Prosciutto di Parma, Fig and Mascarpone and Sweet N' Spicy Pepper Jam & Goat Cheese. There's also a menu of Snacky Things and we highly recommend the Maitake Mushroom appetizer for a unique, crispy treat. There are also fresh-pressed paninis, salads, soups and charcuterie boards.
An indoor-outdoor bar and umbrella-shaded seating offers al fresco options for Houston's spring weather.
Photo by Jenn Duncan
It also has a Board & Bottle special Monday and Tuesday after 8 p.m. which offers guests a bottle of wine and a bruschetta board for $25.
Some of the old bricks from Grappino di Nino still stand at the new Verde Garden.
Photo by Dustyn Zenner
The new venture is a Midtown paradise of lush landscaping, a citrus tree mural and ceilings decorated with colorful birds and flowers. Exposed brick gives a warmth and coziness to the space. Natural sunlight filters in while an expansive covered patio offers even more of the outdoors with more than 10,000 square feet.
The dining menu was created by Culinary Director Teddy Lopez. Chile con Queso is made with smoked hatch green chiles while the ceviche offerings at Verde Garden include sea bass, shrimp, scallop or, for vegetarians, hearts of palm.
For enchilada dishes, there are choices such as Red Chili Tinga, Green Tomatillo & Poblano Mole, Barranco Mole and Suizas. The list of torta sandwiches includes Ahogada-style with pork carnitas or Milanesa options with crispy beef or chicken. The Hongas is a vegetarian option with roasted portabella mushroom, black beans, grilled onion and peppers and provolone cheese.
The Kirby Group's beverage director, Joel Ramirez, has curated a beverage program of a dozen specialty made-to-order frozen margaritas, 20 house cocktails and 60 classic drinks. There are 250 agave Mexican spirits on the menu along with 750 other liquors. There's beer, wine and cider as well.
Though the restaurant opens to the public April 25, its grand opening will kick off May 4 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. with a live mariachi band. The fun will continue the next day with a Cinco de Mayo celebration.
Restaurateur Chris Williams relaxes briefly in the Eldorado Ballroom.
Photo by David "Odiwams" Wright
First opened in 1939 by married couple Anna Johnson Dupree and Clarence Dupree, the ballroom served as a place for the Black residents of the Third Ward community to enjoy live music and artistic performances while also providing a space where they could celebrate milestones and host events without discrimination. Some of the Black artists who graced the space were B.B. King, Ray Charles, Ella Fitzgerald and Houston's own Sam "Lightning" Hopkins.
The Eldorado was sold in the 1970s amid the decline of the neighborhood. It was bought soon after by Hubert Finkelstein, founder of Medalllion Oil Company, who donated it to Project Row Houses in 1999 so that it could be preserved. Recently, through a nearly 10 million dollar capital campaign led by PRH and its partners, the landmark building underwent a complete restoration.
Williams, known as much for his philanthropy as his culinary skills, will bring the three new concepts to the historic space this spring. The first, Eldorado Ballroom, is a reimagining of the original space with the same goal; to bring music and performances to the Third Ward along with providing a venue for events and community gatherings. It will be managed by Lucille's 1913, the philanthropic non-profit that operates under the Lucille's Hospitality Group umbrella. Lucille's 1913 will also run the Hogan Brown Gallery which will offer business education services and opportunities for community members through the cultural and culinary arts.
The third concept, Rado Cafe & Market, will be a hybrid all-day cafe and neighborhood market offering culturally-conscious prepared foods, groceries and locally-sourced mercantile products. It will also feature a bistro-inspired menu created by LHG's Creative Culinary Director, Chef Dawn Burrell.
Burrell, a two-time Top Chef competitor and James Beard Award-nominated chef, will soon open Late August, a restaurant collaboration with Lucille's Hospitality Group. We reached out for a more specific date and were told "this summer".
Andiron, 3201 Allen Parkway, opened April 19 as reported here in the Houston Press. The live-fire concept from Sambrooks Management Company has been in the works since it was first announced in August 2021. Located in a historic structure that was thoughtfully renovated by Radom Capital, the design of the stunning new restaurant was done by AvroKO with a focus on the live fire aspect of the concept, using burnt wood colors and red marble that is veined with white to evoke the beauty of well-marbled beef.
Owner and founder Michael Sambrooks has brought in Louis Maldonado as executive chef. Chef Maldonado has had lead positions in kitchens at culinary heavyweights like French Laundry, Mourad and Cortez in San Francisco. As executive chef at Cortez, he led his team to the restaurant's first Michelin star in 2008.
Other kitchen team members include Chef de Cuisine Mario Da Silva and Pastry Chef Katie O'Hara. Jose Montufar serves as maitre'd while Advanced Sommelier Renato Bringas is in charge of the beverage and service program.
The opening menu at Andiron begins with raw bar offerings such as Kanpachi with whipped tomato ponzu, shiso and daikon or Shima-Aji (Striped Jack) served with wasabi, sunchoke creme and dill. There's a classic or wedge salad plus a salad of coal-roasted beets with pecans and grilled celery.
While some of the seafood and vegetable dishes get kisses of fire, it's the carefully-sourced meat that makes a steakhouse. Standard cuts such as a prime Black Angus filet and wagyu NY strip are on the menu plus picanha and a hefty bone-in ribeye on the pricier side. The Whole Grilled Turbot and Two Pound Lobster might break the bank for a single diner but they also make a romantic entree for two to share, especially if you're indulging in a Kiss Goodnight cocktail or two.
Tacodeli is going uptown.
Photo by Mackenzie Smith Kelley
Post Oak Plaza, at San Felipe and Post Oak Boulevard, will have two new restaurants joining its line-up of retail and dining businesses. LEVCOR, the real estate developer behind the shopping center, announced that Rakkan Ramen and Tacodeli will open later this year in the pedestrian-friendly space along with Nando's Peri Peri and Balboa Surf Club which are planned for this summer. Other restaurants that have recently opened at Post Oak Plaza include Bluestone Lane, il Bracco and Kenny and Ziggy's New York Delicatessen.
Rakkan Ramen is a Japanese noodle restaurant that offers 100 percent plants-based broth for its ramen dishes allowing vegans, vegetarians and omnivores to be able to choose dishes that fit their dietary requirements. The Post Oak Plaza location will be the third in Houston for the brand. It recently opened its second store at 12645 Tomball Parkway this past February.
Tacodeli is an Austin-based taco shop that serves fresh made tacos, salads and bowls all day including breakfast, lunch and dinner. It also serves margaritas, soft drinks, breakfast beverages and beer. This is the second Tacodeli to open in Houston. The first opened on Washington in 2017.
M Express Thai Kitchen opened April 18 as a 'cloud' kitchen at Fair Food Co., 5832 Fairdale Lane. The new concept comes from restaurateur Lukkaew Srasrisuwan, known for her Thai restaurant, Kin Dee, in the Heights. Fair Food Co. is a restaurant co-op with a modern twist on the traditional food hall. M Express Thai Kitchen will be dedicated to delivery and to-go service with special packaging to keep the good fresh en route.
The new cloud kitchen will offer contemporary takes on traditional fast food items, curated by Kin Dee's culinary consultants, Chef O and Chef Bell. The award-winning culinary duo from Thailand have created a menu that takes American fast-food dishes such as burgers, chicken wings, hot dogs and wraps and gives them a taste of Thailand using authentic ingredients.
There are 13 dishes on the take-out list including snacks like Shrimp Nuggets, Sriracha Wings and Crispy Wonton Pad Thai. Mains include the Green Curry Pork Burger, the Basil Beef Burger and a Panang Chicken Club Sandwich. The Beef Drunken Dog is a beef hot dog loaded with stir-fried ground beef, bell peppers, red onion, and a Shishito pepper in Drunken Noodle sauce, then sprinkled with deep-fried Thai basil.
Orders can be placed through the website or third-party outlets such as UberEats, ChowNow, DoorDash and GrubHub. For pick-up (which involves a robot, locker and smartphone text), customers can order through the fair Food Co. website or at the food hall's onsite touchscreen kiosks.
Srasrisuwan announced earlier this year that she would be opening MaKiin, an upscale Thai concept, at The Hanover River Oaks, 2651 Kipling, later this summer. It will be located on the ground floor of the luxury high-rise.
Houston Polo Club, 8552 Memorial, has partnered with Chef David Cordua and his restaurant, The Lymbar, to provide upscale concessions and catering services to the polo venue for 2023. The partnership runs April 15 through June 11 for the spring session and September 17 through November 19 for fall.
A native Houstonian, Cordua's culinary heritage includes his father's founding of Churrasco's in Houston. Many regard his father Michael Cordua as the pioneer in introducing Houstonians to Latin American cuisine that was not Mexican.
Houston Polo Club was founded in 1928 and, at 26 acres, is the largest in America. It is open to polo players and the public alike. Guests can order individual tickets for two forms of seating. Its Red Oak Courtyard is open, but covered and has a more casual menu from The Lymbar along with a premium selection of cocktails and beverages. There is also Grandstand Box seating which is serviced by staff from The Lymbar.
Some of the concession items include Truffle Pecorino Popcorn, Beef Sliders with garlic aioli, and the Lymbar's signature dishes such as Spinach and Halloumi Empanadas, Chicken Shawarma Skewers and Hummus with chili bomba relish. There are also cocktails such as the Lymbar Rita, Mystic Old Fashioned and a selection of champagnes.
Echoes Cafe, 900 Richmond, will open May 4. The new Montrose cafe and bar is inspired by the music of Pink Floyd and Roxy Music with different sounds, visual art, drinks and bites part of its exploratory mission. Owner Georgeos Kazilas blends both the Greek and Mexican roots of his family into the menu, combining both cultures in its menu of shareable bites.
Chefs Ana Stanciu and Armando Ramirez are professionally and personally connected.
Photo by Rebekah Flores
The menu offers tasty plates such as Smoked Tempura Eggplant, Fried Zucchini, Potato Croquettes and an authentic Greek salad. The Mexican side shows up in dishes such as Ribeye Tacos, Chicken Chilaquiles and Tortilla Espanola. The restaurant is open from 5 p.m. to midnight Tuesday through Saturday plus a Sunday brunch from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Echoes Cafe is working on adding a lunch service in the future that will offer a number of specialty seafood dishes.
Simon Cacheton, 10130 Grant, opened March 5 in the Cypress area. The family-owned restaurant has Marla in the kitchen creating fresh California-style tacos and burritos while dad Lolo says he's just the dishwasher. Marla, who owns the new business with husband Chris, told the Houston Press that Simon Cacheton translates to "Yes, chubby cheeks."
The menu at the neighborhood eatery is small for now as the business gets up and running. It took an unexpected five months for the permits so the family is adding to it as time goes on. For the most part, it's a selection of 5-inch tacos ($2.76-$4.51) and 14-inch burritos ($13.76). The tacos come with protein choices such as carne asada, al pastor, pollo asado or the Baja-style fish or shrimp tacos.
In addition to al pastor and carne asada burritos, the restaurant offers its version of a California burrito in the form of the New Texas Burro. The El Chupacabra Burro has carne asada, pollo asada, al pastor, French fries, cheese, guac, sour cream, salsa and chipotle salsa for a kitchen sink kind of burrito.
For a shareable snack, there's the Simon Cacheton Fries loaded with a choice of meat, guacamole, sour cream, cheese and salsa.
El Segundo Swim Club, 5180 Avenue L, will reopen its pool and bar for the spring and summer 2023 season beginning April 29. Located in Second Ward, the 15,000 square-foot urban oasis has a 1,350 square-foot pool with cabanas and beverage service. Its design harkens back to the days of Rio de Janeiro's heyday as a getaway for the famous and the infamous. Lush landscaping is mixed with layers of colors and murals that offer a bohemian escape from Houston's summer heat.
The swim club will also kick off its series, Sound Waves, May 7. It will feature DJs doing 90-minute or 120- minute sets as the sunsets over the city. The first musical performance will be by The Faint. Other upcoming entertainment for the Sound Waves series includes Neon Indian, Washed Out, Twin Shadow, Them Jeans, Disko Cowboy, Fat Tony and Ed Droste of Grizzly Bear.
For drinks, there is a menu created by Chris Frankel with summery cocktails, canned beers and mixed-drink carafes. During peak hours, the swim club hosts rotating food trucks.
Chuck E. Cheese, 5075 Fairmont Parkway, reopens its newly remodeled and upgraded space April 27 in Pasadena. The mouse himself, Chuck E. Cheese, will be on hand to host the grand reopening event from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. There will be raffle prizes, free cake and entertainment from Chuck E. and his pals. The first 25 families in line will receive free game play during the event.
