Georgia James, 3503 W. Dallas, is under new ownership and its complete transformation was just announced this week. In addition to its dinner service, the rebrand includes lunch and brunch services which launched January 1, 2025.
The metamorphosis is just another step in the evolution of the steakhouse which was first opened by Underbelly Hospitality and its star chef/partner at the time, Chris Shepherd, in 2018. Located in the spot which originally housed Shepherd’s groundbreaking restaurant, Underbelly, Georgia James then moved to Regent Square in 2022. The James Beard Award-winning local culinary giant left Underbelly Hospitality in July 2022. Since his departure, the restaurant group has seen some turmoil surrounding some of its other concepts including the closures of Georgia James Tavern, Pastore, Comalito and Wild Oats.
In July 2024, CultureMap Houston reported that Underbelly Hospitality was in negotiations to sell Georgia James to Bari Hospitality Group, the team of hospitality veterans behind the acclaimed Bari Ristorante. The group includes industry lions like Pedro Teyuca and Tommy Nally along with renowned chefs Renato de Pirro and Philippe Schmit. Guests can expect there to be some changes that incorporate the Italian background of de Pirro and the French techniques of Schmit into a modern American menu with a few touches of Asian flavors. Some of the new dishes include starters like Bone Marrow with pickled onions, Creole mustard, toasted focaccia and bonito flakes plus Popcorn Shrimp, Beef Carpaccio and Hearth-Roasted Pork Belly.
There is a Raw Bar section of the menu with oysters, Smoked Redfish Dip and a luxe Seafood Tower. In keeping with its steakhouse origins, there will still be a selection of 44 Farms steak cuts and RC Ranch Wagu Strip and RC Ranch Akaushi Ribeye. There’s also a 20-ounce Chateaubriand of grass-fed Argentinian Angus meant for two guests. Entrees include Pan Roasted Snapper, Braised Short Ribs, Colorado Lamb Chops and Dover Sole Grenobloise, served tableside.
The interior of the restaurant has been “reimagined” as well. The Bari group brought in internationally recognized designer Carlos Castropedas of Castropedas Inc. to make the dining room both luxurious and welcoming with warm colors and glossy surfaces. New to the dining room is a self-playing piano and there will be live music each night.
The wine program at Georgia James, led by Fremmiot Rodriguez, will continue its offerings from multiple wine-growing regions that span the globe and for which it has received numerous awards including the ‘Best of Award of Excellence’ by Wine Spectator since 2020.
Alora, 2502 Dunlavy, opened January 2 after hosting a family and friends event this week, It will have its official grand opening January 29 to coincide with the Lunar New Year. The Peruvian- Vietnamese restaurant has taken over the space formerly occupied by Nikki Tran’s restaurant Kau Ba, which shuttered a week before it was given a Bib Gourmand by the Texas Michelin Guide. That designation was later rescinded after the closure was made apparent to the Michelin team.
The business partners behind Alora are Ngoc Tran, Louis Lamson Quy, Chef Diego Ponce and Chef Makayla Ponce. It’s the realization of a dream after the team traveled together to Saigon, Vietnam last summer. Tran, a graduate of the University of Houston Conrad N. Hilton College, has worked in the hospitality industry since she was 17 including serving as the food and beverage manager for the InterContinental Hotel Houston.
Quy, a U.S. Army veteran, has experience in finance and investing, a useful tool when operating a hospitality business these days. He serves as Operations Executive at Alora.
The Ponces are a married couple with Chef Diego hailing from Peru where he studied at the Instituto Cultural Peruano Norteamericano. His resume includes luxury hotels such as the Four Seasons and Houston’s Post Oak Hotel. Chef Makayla also did a stint at the Four Seasons Houston and has worked in local establishments like March and Albi. She is a graduate of the Culinary Institute LeNotre. Chef Diego takes on the role of executive chef while Chef Makayla will serve as chef de cuisine.
The menu at the unique concept features a fusion dish Shaking Lomo Saltado that blends the traditional Vietnamese dish Shaking Beef with the Peruvian staple Lomo Saltado. Ceviche, a mainstay of many a Peruvian menu, will be a consistent offering with creative twists such as the PeruViet Ceviche made with the fresh fish of the day, Cuzco corn, cancha, sweet potato, leche de tigre and nuoc cham. The Ca Ri Shrimp is a yellow curry served over vermicelli and the Green Papaya Salad is made with cured beef, cucumber, carrots, peanuts, Thai chili and crispy garlic.
Alora will also shine with its creative cocktails like Pho-quila made with, get this, pho aroma-infused tequila.
Yes, there is a Pisco sour and it is named The Ponce in tribute to the chefs. The Alora Mai Tai gets topped with pineapple foam while the Hanoi Quarter combines Lychee Soho, Lillet Blanc, fresh grapefruit and sparkling rose for a refreshing and well-crafted quaff.
TRIS, 24 Waterway, shuttered January 2, as first reported by Houston Food Finder. Its website cites the resignation of its acclaimed executive chef, Austin Simmons, for the closure while thanking the community for its patronage. The website also has a link for gift card refunds.
Located in the northern enclave of The Woodlands, Tris debuted in the Hubbell & Hudson Bistro spot in 2019 with Simmons continuing in his role as executive chef for the rebranded restaurant named for his daughter. Operated by Woodlands Hospitality Group, Simmons was in charge of culinary for the group which also operates The Kitchen and Black Walnut Cafe.
He was selected as Best Chef by the Houston Press Best of Houston 2020. Over the years, he has garnered numerous awards such as the Truffle Master title for his truffled grilled cheese at Truffle Masters 2018 and repeatedly makes the year-end lists of Houston’s best restaurants and chefs.
Though we do not have any more information at this time, the online announcement does say that Black Walnut Cafe locations and The Kitchen in The Woodlands and at Bush Intercontinental Airport will not be affected by the closure.
Backstreet Cafe, 1103 S. Shepherd, had its final service at its original location January 1, 2025. With a new year, comes a bigger and newer location just down the street. The announcement was made in September 2024 that Backstreet would be moving house after more than four decades in the 1930s home that has seen many years and a lot of wear and tear.
Houstonians have flocked to Backstreet Cafe for its delicious food and pretty patio for the past 40 years. It’s also where renowned James Beard Award-winning chef Hugo Ortega first met restaurateur Tracy Vaught. That romance bloomed into a marriage, a family and a successful company, H Town Restaurant Group. Now there are other concepts such as Hugo’s, Caracol, Xochi and URBE, but Backstreet Cafe is where it all began.
And where it will continue at 1201 South Shepherd. Equipment is already being moved out and demo has begun on both structures, according to spokesperson Paula Murphy. The plan is to open in the fall with fingers crossed for an October opening to celebrate the restaurant’s anniversary.
Anyone in the restaurant industry knows that best laid plans…
7 Brew, 156 El Dorado Boulevard, opens January 6 near Baybrook Mall. It will be the fifth Houston area location for the drive-thru coffee stand which offers a wide selection of coffee drinks, teas, cold brews and energy beverages. There will be a ribbon cutting at noon plus a presentation of a $5,000 donation to the Bay Area Turning Point, a non-profit with a mission of ending domestic and sexual violence. The stand will host a ‘Swag Day’ January 18 from 5:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. with free 7 Brew t-shirts with a large drink purchase, while supplies last.
The newest stand comes from franchise group, Texas Coffee Partners, led by COO Robert Abdallah. The group has been a major player in expanding the 7 Brew concept across Texas with locations in Houston, Austin and San Antonio. There are plans for more drive-thru stands in the next few years.
Barbacana, 907 Franklin, opened December 14 at Bayou Lofts. Leading the kitchen is chef Christian Hernandez whose prior Houston restaurant stints include BCN, March and more recently, a brief gig as executive chef at Albi. Its website is still under construction but it lists itself as a ‘Tasting Counter and Bar’. Currently, it is open for dinner service Tuesday through Saturday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
The rotational tasting menu offers snacks such as Prawn Carpaccio and TX Wagyu Infladita along with technique-focused mains like Cold Smoked Grouper, Dry Aged Duck and Crab with Buttered Onion. There’s an a la carte menu in the works with small plates such as Jicama Salad and medium plates like Saucisson aux Mimolette and Mushroom Donburi. Large plates include Pollo al Carbon and Grilled Vermillion Snapper.
There is a wine list and a cocktail menu as well.
Taco Cabana launched a new menu item, the Cabana Salad Bowl, along with $4.99 Meal Deals starting January 2, 2025. The Cabana Salad Bowl can help keep New Year’s diet resolutions on track since it only has 300 calories. It is topped with chicken fajita, black beans and guacamole. The Meal Deals include breakfast bargains like The Rise and Grind with two breakfast tacos, hash browns and a coffee. The Monster Breakfast Burrito is loaded with chorizo, bacon, hash browns, beans, cheese and chipotle ranch. The Crunch and Quench offers a soft drink to go with its Double crunch Pizza and the 7-Layer Burrito Meal Deal also comes with a drink.
This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2025.
