Duchess, 1131-01 Uptown Park Boulevard, opened February 21 in Uptown Park. Owners Peggy and Daniel Chang and Roveen Abante have brought in Chef Omar Pereney to create an eclectic menu inspired by Mediterranean, Asian and South American cuisines, with a strong influence of coastal ingredients and live-fire cooking.
The menu begins with shareables, both hot and cold. From a Little Gem Salad drizzled with tahini ranch to the Peach & Pistachio Burrata, fresh ingredients lead the way. One must have starter is the Bread, Butter & Pickles a starter of whipped goat cheese, parmesan-crusted brioche and house made pickles. Decadent palate pleasers include Gougeres & Caviar, Grilled Octopus with truffle potato croquettes and tandoori-style Lamb Loillipops. A Roasted Seafood Platter takes it over the top with oysters Rockefeller, sauteed mussels, wood-grilled lobster tail, octopus and tiger prawns.
The live flame makes its mark with wood-fired skewers with vegetarian and meat options, from Portobello mushroom to beef ribeye to lobster tail. The dessert menu is small but tempting with its Panna Cotta served with cantaloupe-apricot salsa and stuffed doughnuts filled with chocolate cremoix, cinnamon pastry cream or dulce de leche. The signature dessert, Duchess Rose, is a dish of white chocolate mousse, white chocolate feuilletine, strawberry compote and elderflower foam.
The interior is both elegant and cozy with jewel-tone colors, blue velvet banquettes and a mix of booth and table seating. Pops of florals and colorful artwork create a vibrant, yet relaxing atmosphere.
Harold's in the Heights, 350 W. 19th,  will have its final service March 3. The farewell brunch comes as owner Alli Jarrett and her team switch the focus to catering only. Last fall, Jarrett announced that a new tenant, Blue Tuba, would be taking over the upstairs of Harold's. Jarrett then began downsizing the restaurant in October 2023, transitioning the first floor to Harold's Bistro, Bar & Market.

The Southern cuisine restaurant first opened in 2013, taking over the space which formerly housed a  clothing store, Harold's in the Heights, run by Harold and Milton Wiesenthal. It closed in 2011 after 61 years in business. Jarrett gave new life to the century old building with thoughtful renovations to the structure.
When Harold's restaurant opened, the restaurant placed a strong emphasis on fresh and seasonal ingredients along with careful sourcing from local producers and purveyors. Its rooftop terrace became a Heights social spot while its reputation for craft cocktails led to Jarrett expanding the concept, adding Harold's Tap Room in 2016.

The final dinner service March 2 promises to be a festive one, with the restaurant shuttering after the next day's brunch. Some of the staff at Harold's will remain with the catering business, some will switch over to Jarrett's Spring Branch Restaurant, Low Tide Kitchen & Bar, and others will be joining Blue Tuba, which is hoping to open in March 2024.
As for Jarrett, she still has Low Tide in Spring Branch and she's hopeful that folks will enjoy her food through Harold's catering services for family and corporate events. A resident of the Heights since 2001, she's been part of its modern evolution through floods, freezes and the pandemic. She said in a press release, "We've created many memories and I am grateful to all our guests, staff members, partners, vendors and fellow merchants on 19th Street. It has been an honor and privilege to be a part of the fabric of the neighborhood and serve our community."
Credence and Sidebar, 9757 Katy Freeway, are both expected to open in summer 2024. The dual concepts from Levi Goode are located side by side and will have Joseph Geiskopf as executive chef for both. Goode has also pegged David McCrea to take on the role of general manager.

Formerly trained at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, Geiskopf has global culinary experience including a stint as executive chef at Michelin-starred restaurant Pineapple and Pearls in Washington D.C. Most recently, Geiskopf served as culinary director at CIEL, here in Houston.

McCrea has more than 15 years of professional hospitality experience, working his way up from busser at restaurants in his native New Orleans to managerial roles in fine dining establishments across the country and in Houston.
Luchador Micheladas & Botanas, 7751 Barker Cypress, opened January 24. It comes from two business partners, Renee Saenz and Franciscio Rios, who met while working in the automotive industry. Rios is from Nogales Sonora, Mexico while Saenz hails from El Paso, Texas. The two bonded over their shared interest in food and cooking. After a trip to visit her parents in Mexico which included some amazing chilaquiles, Saenz returned to Houston and began bugging Rios to open a restaurant with her until he finally gave in. She added, "And here we are now, lol."
The menu offers a variety of tacos, chilaquiles, chimichangas and flautas plus specialties such as Shrimp in Poblano Cream Sauce and Enmoladas, corn tortillas stuffed with shredded chicken an topped with mole. Rios' Sonoran heritage shows up in dishes like Botana de Mochomos Sonorense. It's a plate of flash-fried beef dusted with Sonoran spices and served with flour tortillas and chiltepin sauce.

There is a daily chef's creation lunch special for $10.99 plus a Saturday and Sunday brunch with items such as menudo, breakfast tacos, chilaquiles, omelettes and molletes. Tuesday is Tacos and tequila night and there are also Game Day specials.

There are a variety of flavored micheladas and margaritas as well.

KP's Kitchen, 5427 Bissonet, sent out an email this week saying that the final touches are being put on the "WOW factors" for the new Bellaire location and that the first round of inspections have begun. The opening date is yet-to-be-determined but it is shooting for this March.

Hangry Joe's Hot Chicken, 22603 Morton Ranch, is celebrating its grand opening March 3 beginning at 11 a.m. The first 50 guests in line before 11 a.m. will receive a free Hot Chicken Sando. It originally opened in early February, making it the third in the Greater Houston area, if you consider La Marque part of Greater Houston.

It offers Nashville hot chicken in sandwiches, by the fingers and with waffles. The Chicken Sando comes with fried chicken breast, cider slaw, pickle and Hangry sauce on a brioche bun. The chicken is also available on a salad and in a wrap. The spice levels range from no seasoning to Angry Hot, which requires a signed waiver. For peeps on the normal side, there's No Heat, Mild, Medium and Hot.

The Nashville hot chicken chain was founded in Ashland, Virginia in 2021 by Derek Cha, founder of sweetFrog Frozen Yogurt.  Three years later, it has locations across 15 states plus one in Dubai and one in South Korea.
Se7en, 3300 Kirby, has a new executive chef taking the reins at the River Oaks restaurant. Chef Martin Fassi, a graduate of Lenotre Culinary Institute, is bringing classic French traditions and a tapestry of global culinary experience to the menu.

Fassi began his food journey as a young boy in Buenos Aires, Argentina, working alongside his grandmother. Those traditional recipes, along with his culinary education, have influenced some of the dishes that appear on the menu including Merquez Empanadas and Fried Lobster Arancini.
PostScript HTX, 2800 Kirby, opened February 12, as we reported here in the Houston Press. This weekend, it will debut its brunch service beginning March 2. Brunch will be available Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Executive chef Bryan Caswell has created a luscious brunch menu of dishes like Lobster Benedict with chili hollandaise, Crispy Truffle Flatbread with truffle puree, Truffled Short Rib Benedict with sweet potato hash and a variety of breakfast toasts including a French toast made with brioche Texas Toast.

There are hearty brunch options such as steak and truffle fries or lighter fare like salmon with pesto aioli. There are shareable dessert platters plus champagne, sparkling wines, Bloody Marys and mimosas.

Restaurants Reported Open February 2024:

BoomerJack's Grill, 20961 Gulf Freeway, opened February 17
Chicken N Pickle, 210 Blue Heron, opened February 20
Clutch City Cluckers, 7064 Will Clayton Parkway, opened late February
Conservatory Galleria, 5353 W. Alabama, opened February 19
Cyclone Anaya's, 3736 Westheimer, opened February 6
Dessert Gallery, 25 Waterway, opened February 8
Ego Cuisine & Music, 3074 College Park, opened February 9
Kanpai Club, 8211 Long Point, opened late February
Magdalena's, 5110 Buffalo Speedway, opened February 13
Mandito's Tex-Mex, 9910 Gaston, opened February 19
MARCH, 1624 Westheimer, reopened January 30
MF Lobster & Ceviche, 3711 Autry Park, opened February 16
Nando's PERi PERi, 23501 Cinco Ranch, opened February 5
Pinoy Gourmet, 4899 Highway 6, reopened early February
PostScript HTX, 2800 Kirby, opened February 12
Round Table Pizza, 8323 FM 723, opened February 17
Snooze A.M. Eatery, 12333 Southwest Freeway, opened February 14
Stomp's Burger Joint, 4225 Sienna Parkway, opened late January
Sushi Haya, 24330 Highway 290, opened late January
Urban Bird Hot Chicken, 25250 Northwest freeway, opened mid-February


Restaurants Reported Closed February 2024:

Dinette, 1018 N. Shepherd, closed February 4
Golfstrommen, 401 Franklin, closed early February
Joe's Italian Restaurant, 13203 Jones, closed early February
Simon Cacheton, 10130 Grant, closed mid-January