"Stupidity," that was the first word out of the mouth of Chuck Pritchett, the owner of Hollister Grill (1741 Hollister, 713-973-1741), when asked why he opened a restaurant. Pritchett has been in the retail business all his life - selling men's clothing, to be precise - and this restaurant is his first venture into the realm of hospitality. But he went on to say, "We're putting out a product that I'm proud to serve."
"During the day, we're serving comfort food like burgers, Reuben sandwiches, pot roast, meat loaf, with daily specials like red beans and rice and catfish. At dinner our executive chef, Brent Evans, is preparing continental cuisine with a twist, like filet of beef, veal and lamb dishes and of course our fresh fish, which has really caught on. You know, the food is very similar to the food you can get at a lot of places, but it's the way we service our clients that sets us apart."
Pritchett believes in keeping it simple. "We decorate the plate with the food, not the garnishes, or the way some chefs stack all the ingredients on top of each other to make it look like something it isn't. We're not into architectural food. We're a casual yet sophisticated place that is also BYOB," said Chuck.
When Café Bites visited one lunchtime, we were treated to a terrific plate of red beans and rice with a homemade biscuit that was perfect for sopping up the gravy. And yes, the service was noticeably excellent.
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