The Board Room, 800 Sorella, is shooting to open between late July and early August. The new wine bar and gourmet charcuterie destination comes from married couple Carly and John Whitehurst who are residents of the Memorial area. The duo have brought in hospitality veteran Scott Sulma of May I Speak Hospitality as consultant. The wine cafe will have a Level II Sommelier who does double duty as the general manager. The support staff will also be well-versed in wine and pairings.
During the day The Board Room will offer casual, counter grab-and-go meals, catering to local office workers and busy residents who need a fresh, quick and healthy lunch. Guests can choose from wraps like the Mediterranean Veggie, Crispy Chicken Bacon Ranch, Turkey Club and Kale Caesar. Salad options include Southwest Steak and Strawberry Spinach, along with handhelds like Cranberry Chicken Salad and Turkey & Gouda.
In the late afternoon, the venue switches gears to table service, offering a lively setting for socializing or romantic evenings. Thoughtfully-curated charcuterie boards are available in various sizes from individual to the impressive Tower Board, which can feed six people. There are different styles for every taste including the meat lover’s Butcher Board or the Crudite Harvest. The Signature Sampler is a mix of cheeses and meats, while the BYOB lets guests create their own charcuterie board. For carb-aholics, there’s the Bread and Spreads, and for sweet-aholics, there’s a decadent Dessert Board.
In addition to the snack boards, there is a dinner menu with dishes like Chicken Piccata, Seared Redfish and New York Strip. There is also a variety of flatbreads, sandwiches and salads.
The wine program will source varietals from around the world with between 80 to 100 different bottles available, with 20 of them available by the glass.
The space itself was designed by Carly Whitehurst and accommodates approximately 70 guests in the 2,000 square-foot space, including the bar, indoor tables and shaded patio. A custom vineyard mural in muted hues sets the tone for a memorable experience with friends, family or co-workers.
Sweet Paris, 20240 Summit Pt. Crossing, opened July 14 in Cypress, just in time for Bastille Day. Located in the Village Green area of the Bridgeland development, it’s the 8th Greater Houston area location for the French-inspired creperie and cafe, founded by Allison and Ivan Chavez. The first Houston store opened in Rice Village in 2012. It has now expanded to Austin, College Station, Florida, Minnesota and Neuva Vallarta, Mexico.
Its crepe offerings include both sweet and savory, so it’s a delicious destination any time of the day. For breakfast there are crepes such as Croque Madame, the fruity Allison’s Parfait and Le Mexicain, loaded with scrambled eggs, queso fresco, refried beans, spiced carnitas and more. For lunch and dinner there are savory versions like Chicken Carbonara, Philly Cheesesteak and The Vegan.
Crepes for dessert is always a sweet idea and the creperie offers Apple Cinnamon Creme Brulee, Cookie Butter, S’mores and the traditional Nutella. Its over-the-top milkshakes are another option with flavors like Reese’s, Oreo and Very Berry.
The menu also includes a variety of soups, salads and paninis, as well as hot beverages like coffee drinks, tea and hot chocolate. Wine, beer and cider are also available.
Black Rock Coffee Bar, 11123 W. Airport Boulevard, opens July 25 in Stafford. It will make number 21 for the Houston Metro area and the 42nd in Texas. The Lone Star State makes up 26 percent of Black Rock’s 157 stores across the country. For its grand opening day, each guest will receive a free 16-ounce drink.
Mark Davis, CEO of Black Rock Coffee Bar, says the growth in Houston continues to surpass expectations and the team is thrilled to bring a store to Stafford. “This community has such a strong sense of connection and our team is ready to welcome guests with fast, friendly service and quality drinks.”
Those quality drinks include classic coffees like Americano, mocha and cold brew, along with iced or hot drinks such as Caramel Blondie, Irish Coffee and Mexican Mocha. To beat the Houston heat, there are its signature Chillers in flavors including Caramel Truffle, Matcha Chiller and Oreo. Black Rock also offers energy drinks and a variety of flavored syrups, milk alternatives and breakfast pastries.
The 2,000 square-foot shop is in keeping with the brand’s industrial modern design, meant to create a space where guests can enjoy their favorite beverage while relaxing, working or socializing.
Ragin’ Cajun, 4302 Richmond and 1725 Wirt, has reopened both locations after a two week closure for what it terms as ‘gone fishing’. While both locations are back up and running, the original Richmond location also underwent renovations during the temporary closure. Its LA Oyster Bar has new lighting, booths and dining room chairs, along with a fresh coat of paint on the walls. Meanwhile, the private Crawfish Room also got a paint job, plus new tiles on the bar’s walls and bar top.
The seafood concept began in 1974 with Luke B. Mandola Sr. and Frankie B. Mandola when it first opened as Ray Hay’s Cajun Po’Boys. It transitioned into Ragin’ Cajun in 1980, serving crawfish, po’boys and Louisiana cuisine in a time when the Cajun culinary scene in Houston was just beginning to take off. It’s still a Mandola family operation with Dominic B. Mandola serving as its president.
If it’s been a while since you visited the Original on Richmond, now’s a good time to go check out the new re-fresh and also indulge in blue crabs, which are currently in season.
PKL Social, 1112 Shepherd, is expanding into the FM Kitchen & Bar space July 26, as reported by CulturemapHouston. Both brands are already owned by the same management team. FM Kitchen was founded in 2017and PKL Social opened adjacent to the restaurant in March 2024, with the restaurant providing much of the pickleball venue’s food. It’s more of an absorption, allowing PKL Social to expand and operate in a more streamlined way.
PKL Social boasts four adults-only pickleball courts and various seating arrangements around the building, plus a bar. For those not engaged in the pickleball viewing, there are televisions scattered about for spectator sports. Many of the same dishes and burgers will stay on the menu at the expanded PKL, along with cocktails and cold beer.
Pickleball, unlike many other participant sports, has become not only an activity for exercise, but also for socializing, often with cocktails and food. After playing, preferably.
Son’s Bakery, 10807 Huffmeister, opened June 9. The Cypress cafe is owned and operated by 21-year-old Edgar Gomez, according to Community Impact. Each day, the bakery rolls out baguettes, conchas, fruit pastries, pound cakes and fresh focaccia, often topped with tomatoes and basil. It’s still early days for this young business, so the baked goods are available until sell-out. Get there early to avoid disappointment.
Escalante’s has launched a new happy hour at all seven Houston area locations and the best part is, it’s available not only in the bar, but the restaurant and patio as well. The specials run Monday through Friday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. with $6 house margaritas, $5 import beer, $4 domestic beer and $7 house wine. It also offers $7 premium mixers plus $2 off mocktails like Aloha Mangoneada and Berry Chico.
Happy hour bites include $5 chile con queso, $6 chicharrones, $7 Mexican street corn and Steak Nacho Fries for $8.
