Lil’ Koffeteria is joining The Quad at Brittmoore, located at Interstate 10 and Beltway 8 later this spring. It’s a mini version of the award-winning Koffeteria from James Beard Award nominated chef and owner Vanarin Kuch, who was announced as a JBA semifinalist for Outstanding Bakery this past January. Kuch says he is thrilled to find a home for a second outpost of the Cambodian-inspired cafe and bakery. He added, “Our team will continue to serve the same quality pastries and foods Houstonians have come to know at our home base in EaDo.”
Kuch opened the first Koffeteria in late 2019 at 1110 Hutchins after earning a little fame from his television appearances on the Food Network’s Chopped and Top Chef: Just Desserts. These opportunities presented themselves after years of struggle as a first-generation Cambodian American, born to refugee parents and a childhood where money was scarce. His time spent in his family’s seafood and doughnut shops, an important stint as pastry chef at Tiny Boxwoods in Houston and work in kitchens in New York and Chicago, all influenced his return to Houston to open Koffeteria.
In the upcoming Spring Branch location, many of the same pastries, kolaches and tacos will be served. The flaky, buttery croissants are a consistent favorite at Koffeteria and they appear in many forms on the menu. However, Kuch bases his menu on seasonal ingredients and fresh products, so the menu is often changing and often selling out. Customers can order online ahead of time to ensure that they get the pastries they crave. Items like Calamansi Meringue Tart, Carrot Cake Scone, Pistachio Baklava Croissant and Banana Bread Mochi were all out of stock the day we checked.
Some of the savory items on the weekday menu may include Beef Pho Kolache, Chinese Sausage Taco and the Tamalwich, a griddle-fried tamale with Oaxacan cheese, Thai chili salsa and a crispy tostada served between two souflee pancakes. Koffeteria features a strong coffee and tea program with a variety of beverage options.
The smaller concept will offer 770 square feet of space with more room outside on the indoor/outdoor terrace.
Doko, 3737 Cogdell, opened February 1 at Autry Park. Located across the alleyway from its recently opened sister concept, Bar Doko, it is a sushi and yakitori restaurant from Duckstache Hospitality and its two renowned chefs/owners Daniel Lee and Patrick Pham. The duo are alums of Uchi, Hai Hospitality’s upscale Japanese concept, where many sushi chefs cut their teeth in Houston. Duckstache Hospitality also operates concepts like Handies Douzo, Aiko, Himari and Kokoro here in Houston.
Both of the new concepts are intimate and cozy spaces that make diners feel as if they are discovering hidden gems. Doko itself has chosen to veer from the traditional sushi bar design and instead offer guests loveseat-style banquettes facing the chef stations. There are four split banquettes, each offering seating for two, which means diners can settle in comfortably and be privy to all the action. The rest of the dining room offers more booth and chair combos.
Both sushi and yakitori will have equal billing on the menu. While Lee and Pham are already working on potential new dishes, the restaurant currently offers a six-course tasting menu, along with a la carte choices. Items like nigiri, wagyu toast, sahimi and crudos will be on the tasting menu, but Lee thinks that the Chicken Fat Rice, only served at one other Duckstache concept, will be one of the most popular items.
He said in a press release, “We simmer chicken fat with lemongrasss and aromatic spices for about eight hours and top it off with a slow-cooked Japanese egg – people love it. We didn’t have the set up for it until now and we’re excited to give our fans something they’ve requested for years.”
As for Pham, he wants guests to let loose and enjoy, “Doko isn’t something people have been asking for but it’s something we’ve always wanted to do – serious food without the serious ambiance.”
The restaurant also has a well-thought-out wine list, sake, Japanese beers and cocktails such as the Wakame Rita and Kyushu Spritz.
Money Cat, 2925 Richmond, closed its doors for good February 1. Originally opened in January 2023, owner and chef Sherman Yeung has decided to close Money Cat and focus instead on his other restaurant, Tobiuo in Katy, according to the Houston Chronicle. Yeung blamed the economy and the fact that the restaurant’s vision may have not been as defined for the public as he wished due to the fact that he did not want to refer to it as a sushi restaurant. However, from rave reviews online and acclaim from local critics, it seems diners were usually quite happy with the cuisine he was dishing out, though there were some rumbles about the pricing.
Money Cat showcased Sheung’s modern version of Japanese fare with both hot and cold dishes. Sushi was still a large part of the menu but so was the robata grill and menu items like katsu and maitake kaarage. Desserts were also given special attention, thanks to Jiolo “Jio” Dingayan, who Sheung brought over from Tobiuo to be chef de cuisine and pastry chef at Money Cat. Dingayan even appeared on CBS Mornings The Dish in June 2023 at the ripe old age of 22.
While Sheung is now focused on Tobiuo, Dingayan’s next moves are not known to us, yet. On Instagram, he thanked the teams at both Money Cat and Tobiuo as “family” and added “Thank you to all the guests that have dined with us to try some silly 20-something-year-old’s menu haha. I have learned so much and yet still have more to learn.”
The Rustic opened at Hobby Airport in the Central Concourse February 1. It’s the result of a deal between the City of Houston, FreeRange Concepts and La Trelle’s Management Company, a family-owned firm based in Houston. The Rustic is a FreeRange Concepts venture and already has two huge locations here in Houston. However, the location at Hobby will be owned and operated wholly by La Trelle’s. So far, LaTrelle’s has completed Phase One and Phase Two of its four-phase project at the airport which includes local businesses like Velvet Taco and Fat Cat Creamery as well as corporate concepts like Dunkin’ and Starbucks.
LaTrelle’s has been involved in the restaurant industry for decades. Cindy James, VP of Corporate Affairs, said, “From our first locations at Hobby Airport back in 1985, this significant milestone reflects our family’s 40-year commitment to delivering exceptional dining experiences and we’re thrilled to welcome the traveling public.”
Hobby airport travelers will find a Texas-themed venue with home-style meals, cold beer, cocktails and live music, definitely a pleasant way to wile away time waiting for a flight. Dishes like Steak Laredo, Cedar Plank Salmon and The Drunk Chick, a beer-can roasted game hen that is served with jalapeno spoon bread and ancho-lime butter.
Unique to the airport location will be a breakfast menu for early birds before or after a flight. There will be steak and eggs, brisket breakfast tacos and breakfast burritos.
Del Pueblo, 13235 Jones, closed January 30. While this writer was made aware ahead of time due to a family member’s part-time employment at the restaurant, social media rumors began to swirl within hours of the restaurant’s failure to open its doors for lunch. In reply to the rumors of ICE, the IRS and other baseless speculation, the owner posted a lengthy Facebook message addressing the closure.
“The reason I closed my doors is because I am in the process of selling Del. As the world and economy and everything that comes along with it change, it becomes harder for a smaller mom and pop shop to operate. As it becomes harder for us to keep running things at an affordable family restaurant I saw an opportunity for maybe someone else to take a shot at it.”
The post added, “I mean we’ve been here for 28 years and of course it’ll be difficult. Thank you for your understanding and just know that we love every single one of you and thank you for the wonderful memories.”
And the memories must be many because the post has received nearly 500 comments. While new and innovative restaurants open daily in Houston, this suburban and family-owned Tex-Mex restaurant delivered on the steak fajitas, enchiladas and potent you-only-need-one margaritas. For nearly three decades at Del Pueblo, local school teachers celebrated the end of the year, families hosted out of town guests, youth sports teams held their banquets and many a birthday honoree wore the sombrero.
With all of the love, you’d think it would never end.
55 Seventy is coming to Houston next year, though the exact location in River Oaks has yet to be disclosed. The private wine and social club first debuted in Dallas in 2022 as a private wine cellar with temperature and humidity-controlled wine storage for collectors and oenophiles. It evolved into a social club, adding chef-driven dining, premium spirits and cocktails, along with special club events.
The River Oaks location is being built from the ground up and will offer approximately 800 wine lockers and cellars for private collections of all sizes. Members will be able to enjoy their own prized vintages or enjoy one of the 800 rare wines chosen to complement the upscale cuisine at the stylish restaurant. Members will also find many social tasting events like wine pairing dinners, interactive wine classes and Pop and Pour tastings. There will be four exclusive membership tiers and the Founder’s Equity Membership is expected to sell out quickly.
Crust Pizza, 9406 Gaylord, is celebrating its grand opening February 15 in the Hedwig/Memorial area. There will be a ribbon cutting and a chance to win free pizza for a year for the first 100 dine-in guests. The family-friendly event will feature giveaways, music, games and a bouncy house.
Crust Pizza, 14433 W. Lake Houston Parkway, is celebrating its grand opening March 1 in the Summerwood area from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. There will be a DJ, prizes and a chance for the first 100 guests to win free pizza for a year.
