Creative Cooking

Openings and Closings: Casa Nomad Heights, Rosalie Returns

Openings and Closings: Casa Nomad Heights, Rosalie Returns

Openings and Closings: URBE Opens, Chivos Will Replace Calle Onze

Openings and Closings: URBE Opens, Chivos Will Replace Calle Onze

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Openings and Closings: Hello Yelo, James Harden's Thirteen Opens

By Lorretta Ruggiero
Mar 5, 2021

Yelo Banh Mi Artisans, 23119 Colonial Parkway, softly opened last week before celebrating its grand opening March 3. The banh mi-centric restaurant is a collaboration between Phat Eatery owner and chef Alex Au-Yeung and chef Cuc Lam. Located next to Phat, the buildout was delayed by the pandemic. In the...
Openings and Closings: Lefty's Cheesesteak Debuts, Texas City Livens Up

By Lorretta Ruggiero
Dec 18, 2020

Lefty's Famous Cheesesteaks, Hoagies and Grill, 8057 Kirby, opened December 15 with Houston Texans Chester Pitts, Roderick Johnson, Laremy Tunsil, Duke Johnson and Brandin Cooks in attendance to lend support to their teammate, Texans quarterback, Deshaun Watson. Watson, who became an owner of the brand in August this year, plans...
Openings and Closings: Ostia Debuts, Xochi Returns

By Lorretta Ruggiero
Sep 25, 2020

Ostia, 2032 Dunlavy, opens for dinner September 25 with its lunch service set to launch October 1. The New American restaurant is a highly anticipated venture from executive chef/owner Travis McShane, a Houston native who has spent more than a decade earning his stripes with renowned chef and restaurateur, Jonathan...
Openings and Closings: Good News and Good Deals

By Lorretta Ruggiero
Apr 24, 2020

Right now, many of us are working at our home computers, trying to figure out how to teach our children algebra and what to make for dinner from the supplies that we have left. Others are pulling double shifts at hospitals or fending off complaints from shoppers who are pissed...
Openings and Closings Take-out for the Long Haul

By Lorretta Ruggiero
Apr 17, 2020

As you may have noticed, the Openings and Closings column has been focused on restaurants around Houston that have turned to take-out and delivery to make it through the current coronavirus pandemic and the restrictions on dining in. However, we actually have a recently opened food truck and a restaurant...
Coronavirus Food Tips: Don't Waste the Goods

By Lorretta Ruggiero
Mar 25, 2020

You've done all your shopping. You and the people you love are hunkered down, working from home and ready for the long haul. It might be a while. It's time to make the most of what is in your house and at your disposal. Houston is not on a mandatory...
YELO Will Hello This Summer, Sam's Fried Chicken and Donuts Closes

By Lorretta Ruggiero
Mar 13, 2020

YELO, 231119 Colonial Parkway, will open in late summer. Cuc Lam and Alex Au-Yeung will open the collaborative banh mi restaurant in Katy Asian Town in the spot next to Au- Yeung's Malaysian restaurant, Phat Eatery. The all day concept will specialize in craft banh mi and specialty coffee and...
Openings and Closings: Be More Pacific Comes to Houston, III Forks Downtown Closes

By Lorretta Ruggiero
Mar 6, 2020

Be More Pacific, 506 Yale, softly opened March 2. The first brunch service will be Sunday March 8.The Filipino restaurant began as a food truck in Austin in 2011 from founders Mark Pascual and Giovan Cuchapin. They opened a brick and mortar at 7858 Shoal Creek in Austin in 2017...
Kitchen Gear Essentials: The Chef's Knife

By Jeff Balke
Mar 3, 2020

Brand new to the kitchen? Trying to figure out what gear you need to get the job done? Or maybe you're getting married and want to add to the registry. We've got you covered with basic kitchen essentials for the home cook. There is perhaps no more critical cooking instrument...
Openings and Closings: Eighteen36 Debuts, Local Group Brewing Opens Soon

By Lorretta Ruggiero
Feb 14, 2020

Local Group Brewing, 1504 Chapman, is set to open softly February 28 with a full food menu and abbreviated beer menu. A grand opening will follow within a few weeks. The 7,500 square foot brewpub comes from veteran brewer James "Huggy Bear" Wolfe, Michael Steeves and Todd Donewar. The trio...
Star Chefs Rising Stars Gala 2019: A Chef-Studded Night

By Lorretta Ruggiero
Dec 20, 2019

Houstonians might have witnessed some shooting stars in last weekend's meteor shower, but StarChefs, the Brooklyn, New York-based resource and platform for restaurant professionals, was in town last week to fete some of Houston's rising culinary and mixology stars, some very familiar and others just starting to emerge on the...
Chris Shepherd Talks About His New Book at a Houston Public Library Event

By Houston Press
Nov 20, 2019

Here's your chance to get up close and personal with an award-winning chef this Thursday night when Chris Shepherd talks about his new book Cook Like a Local: Flavors That can Change How You Cook and See the World at the Houston Public Library on Thursday. Co-written with Kaitlyn Goalen...
Openings and Closings: Rosalie Opens, Houston's Westheimer Closes

By Lorretta Ruggiero
Oct 18, 2019

Rosalie Italian Soul, 400 Dallas, opened in the new C. Baldwin Hotel October 15. This is the first Houston restaurant for business partners Chef Chris Cosentino and co-owner Oliver Wharton. Cosentino has an impressive portfolio which includes Cockscomb in San Francisco, Jackrabbit in Portland, Oregon and Acacia House in the...
Landry's Goes to Hollywood

By Lorretta Ruggiero
Aug 14, 2019

Vic and Anthony's Steakhouse, 1510 Texas, hosted the " Culinary Goes Hollywood" finale dinner of the Landry's Inc. Signature Groups' Houston Chefs Series 2019 this past Saturday, August 10. The exclusive experience included three passed appetizers and eight courses, each paired with a themed cocktail or beverage. The dishes were...
Openings and Closings: One Fifth Gulf Coast Debut, Understory Grand Opening

By Lorretta Ruggiero
Aug 9, 2019

One Fifth Gulf Coast, 1658 Westheimer, will open August 12. This is the fourth iteration in Chris Shepherd's Five Years/Five Concepts restaurant. One Fifth Mediterranean closed out its run with a "family dinner" July 31. The James beard Award-winning chef almost didn't want to let go of the Mediterranean concept...
Filmmaker Alyssa Rachelle Explores the Cultural Influences Behind Gumbo

By DeVaughn Douglas
Aug 5, 2019

The lights were dim in the DeLuxe Theater as guests sat around banquet tables and stared intently at the screen. Projected in front of them a woman and a chef moved through the tight, hectic space of a restaurant kitchen as line cooks prepped for the evening’s guests. The two...
Openings and Closings: The Rustic, State Fare Expand, Torchy's West U Coming

By Lorretta Ruggiero
Aug 2, 2019

The Rustic, 1121 Uptown Park, is slated to open February 2020. The restaurant and live music venue from Kyle Noonan, Josh Sepkowitz and country music artist Pat Green opened its first Houston location downtown in November 2018. Now, the concept, which has locations in Dallas and San Antonio, will open...
Openings and Closings: Bravery Chef Hall is Open, Warehouse 72 Next Week

By Lorretta Ruggiero
Jul 26, 2019

Bravery Chef Hall, 409 Travis, softly opened July 23, for dinner only. Next week, the multi-chef food hall will be open for lunch as well. Last year, we wrote about some of the chefs who had signed on for the concept from partners Ahn Mai, Lian Nguyen and Shepard Ross...
Openings and Closings: MAD Debuts Next Week, Be More Pacific Coming

By Lorretta Ruggiero
Jun 14, 2019

MAD, 4444 Westheimer, is expected to open June 19. The Madrid-inspired restaurant comes from partners Ignacio Torras and Chef Luis Roger who brought BCN, a Barcelona-inspired hot spot to Houston's Montrose area five years ago. Now, with veteran general manager and sommelier Sebastien Leval on board, they are bringing an...
Ramen Tatsu-Ya Celebrates Crawfish Season with Crawmen

By Doogie Roux
Apr 22, 2019

All right y'all! Crawfish season is in full effect once again. For last season, yours truly laid out varying methods, perspectives, and a firm list of dos and don'ts in the article, "Houston We Have Crawfish. Here's What You Want to Do With It" Some of you read it and...

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