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New Houston Restaurant Recommendations

Jimbaround

By Jimbaround
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billfromlaketravis
billfromlaketravis

I’d go to the original Ninfa’s on Navigation for Tex-Mex. Everything is good, but I like the fajita burger best. Trust me. 

ERhine
ERhine

If you're staying at the Marriott Marquis, the obvious answer is Xochi.

ERhine
ERhine

Probably my favorite restaurant in town over the past six months or so. The dessert literally brought my wife to tears it reminded her so much of a dish her mother made.

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Mack Tripper

Mack Tripper 691

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18 hours ago, HoustonHorn said:

Dead on. Hit it up a couple times per year for a business lunch.

I live pretty close by and only make it by for a dinner maybe once a year and every time I enjoy the hell out of it. A very good example of why it's so tough in the restaurant industry. Everyone goes to the next big thing.

My wife and i walked in on Saturday night at 7:30 with no reservation and it was not busy. Everything we had was great, there's a wide selection, and made me wonder why we don't go more often. Even my kids really like it when we've taken them.

What do you get there? I live really close and looked at the menu recently and it seemed pretty heavy on beef filet, which I'm not a fan of. 

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HoustonHorn

HoustonHorn 1059

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Posted (edited)
1 hour ago, Mack Tripper said:

What do you get there? I live really close and looked at the menu recently and it seemed pretty heavy on beef filet, which I'm not a fan of. 

I got the Pampas Salad  and my wife got the Pollo Encamisado and I put some of the chicken on my salad. We started with the Taquitos de Malanga. All of it was superb. Previously we've gotten the Empanadas and those are great, the steaks are prevalent (hence the name) but very good and obviously not a typical steakhouse style steak. They have numerous seafood options although we aren't big seafood eaters. The spareribs are great. Have enjoyed the carnitas in the past. Latino Chicken Sandwich was great when I had it about a year ago for lunch.

There's more than enough options for someone who doesn't want a steak. And again, the beef filet is not remotely similar to a regular steakhouse filet.

Edited by HoustonHorn
and nice humblebrag
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pepper brooks

pepper brooks 578

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2 hours ago, texasdago said:

Customers who like wearing shorts and trucker hats to steak restaurants and enjoy eating popcorn in a waiting room absolutely love it.

and my kid who loves to go once per year to see all the Christmas decorations.  almost time to make the annual pilgrimage out there to overpay for freaking choice beef that is almost always tough.  

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DCA_HORN

DCA_HORN 725

Posted
Posted
and my kid who loves to go once per year to see all the Christmas decorations.  almost time to make the annual pilgrimage out there to overpay for freaking choice beef that is almost always tough.  
It's not bad as long as you dont equate it to a high end steakhouse. It's also why you get the filet if you order a steak but there is enough other options on the menu to have an enjoyable meal.
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Tylerocks

Tylerocks 2537

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Looks like Caswell is done.  Reef closed.

http://houston.culturemap.com/news/restaurants-bars/11-26-19-reef-restaurant-closed-shuttered-bryan-caswell-midtown/

 

One of Houston’s most acclaimed restaurants has served its last crispy skin snapper. Chef Bryan Caswell has closed his Midtown seafood restaurant Reef.

The restaurant released the following statement confirming the closure:

After a recent cardiac event that necessitated a hospital stay, combined with other economic factors, chef Bryan Caswell has made the decision to close Reef & 3rd Bar.

The remainder of nonperishable goods will be donated. All employees have been paid through last Monday, 11/18, and any additional hours will be paid accordingly. Charles Clark of Clark-Cooper Concepts has graciously offered to provide opportunities for all staff, as well as accommodate all holiday reservations/private functions at his multiple concepts. Caswell extends his immense gratitude to Houston for the unforgettable memories and support over the yearOriginally opened in 2007, Reef’s innovative menu featured seafood sourced exclusively from the Gulf of Mexico and preparations inspired by Houston’s immigrant communities. Combined with a low markup wine list overseen by Caswell’s business partner Bill Floyd, the restaurant drew crowds and critical acclaim. Caswell earned a Food & Wine Best New Chef Award in 2009 and James Beard Award Best Chef: Southwest finalist nominations in 2010 and 2011.   

Caswell’s fortunes took a turn for the worse in 2017. Reef suffered extensive damage during Hurricane Harvey and closed for almost two years. During that time, the chef closed Little Bigs, his Montrose burger restaurant and ended his partnership with Floyd.

Earlier this year, Caswell and his wife Jennifer began divorce proceedings. In October, he closed El Real Tex-Mex Cafe, citing a lack of business.When Caswell reopened Reef in June, things got off to a promising start. The chef introduced a number of new dishes that earned raves, but it never drew the crowds necessary to sustain itself. 

Fundamentally, the restaurant belongs to a different era when independently owned, chef-driven concepts would seat 200 or more diners. Now, the city’s most culinarily ambitious restaurants (Riel, Nancy’s Hustle, Nobie’s, etc) typically accommodate fewer than 100 diners at a time.

Caswell declined CultureMap’s request to comment on his future plans. Hopefully, he makes a comeback in a smaller, more economically viable situation. Houston’s a better dining city when Caswell is cooking for it.

 

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huge

huge 3775

Posted
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16 hours ago, Lazarus Bocanegra said:

Went to MAD last weekend for our anniversary.  Like the Madrilenos do, we booked a 10:30 dinner reservation.  Place is unholy bananas of a scene, and the food was outstanding.  Good enough that I got over the ridiculousness of the place.  Will be back.  Suckling pig rice for the win.  

 

 

I'm headed to BCN tonight but at an earlier hour.  Can't wait.

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Jimbaround

Jimbaround 972

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Went to MAD last weekend for our anniversary.  Like the Madrilenos do, we booked a 10:30 dinner reservation.  Place is unholy bananas of a scene, and the food was outstanding.  Good enough that I got over the ridiculousness of the place.  Will be back.  Suckling pig rice for the win.  
 
 

We went a couple of weeks ago. Saw Correa there and the wives took a pic with him.

Had some apps and the Iberico skirt and octopus. Really great. Somm recommended a really nice bottle that was very easy on the wallet (can’t for the life of me recall the bottle, but it was an garnacha).
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huge

huge 3775

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On 11/27/2019 at 11:50 AM, tx 3 putt said:

Post a review 

It was badass of course.  6 adults and we passed the plates around.

“Patatas bravas BCN” potatoes, spicy oil and alioli

Spanish Ibérico ham 

Grilled Spanish octopus served with potato purée, olive oil and smoked paprika

Oven roasted quail stuffed with onions, porcini and foie gras served with sweet potato purée, cranberries and chestnuts

Confit pork cheeks, red wine demi-glace, potato and bacon terrine, Brussel sprouts

Sous vide rabbit loin, porcini rice with sauteéd artichokes, vermouth and caramelized onion sauce

Confit duck leg, creamy foie gras rice, caramelized grapes and Moscatel reduction

 

and 2 off the menu items (one was Hake which apparently is like a halibut)

 

Everything was fantastic including the wine.  Only hiccup was when I ordered a Blantons ($15) after dinner and they served me something that tasted like Balcones 1.  It was quickly remedied.

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Js1

Js1 83685

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On 11/26/2019 at 4:12 AM, Hank Scorpio said:

I think Wanna Bao is my favorite Sichuan place in Houston now. Those soup dumplings are on par with pasta from Baris. 

100% the place I’ll miss most leaving Houston (not including Whata)

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TonyTexas

TonyTexas 10433

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Two of the biggest names on the Texas food scene  – both internationally recognized James Beard Award-winning chefs – are plotting their move to Houston.

Pitmaster Aaron Franklin and chef Tyson Coleannounced Thursday they are bringing Loro, their Asian smokehouse concept, to Houston, opening winter 2021 at 1001 W. 11th St. in the Heights.

Cole’s award-winning Uchi is already a known quantity in Houston; he opened the H-town location of Austin’s famed modern Japanese restaurant in 2012.

Franklin, however, hasn’t dipped his toes in Houston yet, save for his annual appearances at his buddy Chris Shepherd’s Southern Smoke festival where his are the longest lines for what is considered the best Central Texas-style barbecue in the world. This will be Franklin’s first restaurant project in Houston.

The Austin chefs joined forces for the original Loro that opened in 2018. Cole brought with him the Asian flavors he trafficked in at his original Uchi and Uchiko. Franklin, the owner of Franklin Barbecue, lent his smoking prowess to a collaboration cuisine that features dishes such as smoked beef brisket with Thai herbs and chili gastrique; barbecue pork belly with hoisin sauce; smoked pork sausage with papaya salad, Thai chili sauce and peanuts; smoked Prime steak with shishito pepper salsa verde; Texas sweet corn with yuzu aioli; oak-grilled snap peas with kimchee emulsion; and smoked baby back ribs with cauliflower pickle

“Those who come to Loro expecting a hybrid version of Uchi and Franklin Barbecue will soon realize that this is something completely different,” Matthew Odam, restaurant critic for the Austin American-Statesman, wrote in his August 2018 review of Loro. “It’s not an equation whereby those two James Beard-winning superpowers are added to one another or multiplied. It’s a new formula altogether.”

The Heights was selected, according to a press release for its “fun, familial vibe, diverse community and interesting history.” The restaurant will be designed by Austin-based Michael Hsu Office of Architecture. The space, a former house of worship, will offer 5,500 square feet of indoor and outdoor dining space 
 
 

“Since opening Uchi here in 2012, we have loved being a part of this Houston community,” Cole said. “We are incredibly excited to bring Loro to the Heights.”

Franklin seconded that emotion. “More time with some of the best people in one of the best food cities in the country? Yes, please.”

The original Loro is at 2115 S. Lamar in Austin with a second location opening in Dallas at 1812 N. Haskell in summer 2020. In October, Hai Hospitality announced it was opening Uchiko in Houston,

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GreenspointTexas

GreenspointTexas 9387

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1 hour ago, TonyTexas said:

Two of the biggest names on the Texas food scene  – both internationally recognized James Beard Award-winning chefs – are plotting their move to Houston.

Pitmaster Aaron Franklin and chef Tyson Coleannounced Thursday they are bringing Loro, their Asian smokehouse concept, to Houston, opening winter 2021 at 1001 W. 11th St. in the Heights.

Cole’s award-winning Uchi is already a known quantity in Houston; he opened the H-town location of Austin’s famed modern Japanese restaurant in 2012.

Franklin, however, hasn’t dipped his toes in Houston yet, save for his annual appearances at his buddy Chris Shepherd’s Southern Smoke festival where his are the longest lines for what is considered the best Central Texas-style barbecue in the world. This will be Franklin’s first restaurant project in Houston.

The Austin chefs joined forces for the original Loro that opened in 2018. Cole brought with him the Asian flavors he trafficked in at his original Uchi and Uchiko. Franklin, the owner of Franklin Barbecue, lent his smoking prowess to a collaboration cuisine that features dishes such as smoked beef brisket with Thai herbs and chili gastrique; barbecue pork belly with hoisin sauce; smoked pork sausage with papaya salad, Thai chili sauce and peanuts; smoked Prime steak with shishito pepper salsa verde; Texas sweet corn with yuzu aioli; oak-grilled snap peas with kimchee emulsion; and smoked baby back ribs with cauliflower pickle

“Those who come to Loro expecting a hybrid version of Uchi and Franklin Barbecue will soon realize that this is something completely different,” Matthew Odam, restaurant critic for the Austin American-Statesman, wrote in his August 2018 review of Loro. “It’s not an equation whereby those two James Beard-winning superpowers are added to one another or multiplied. It’s a new formula altogether.”

The Heights was selected, according to a press release for its “fun, familial vibe, diverse community and interesting history.” The restaurant will be designed by Austin-based Michael Hsu Office of Architecture. The space, a former house of worship, will offer 5,500 square feet of indoor and outdoor dining space 
 
 

“Since opening Uchi here in 2012, we have loved being a part of this Houston community,” Cole said. “We are incredibly excited to bring Loro to the Heights.”

Franklin seconded that emotion. “More time with some of the best people in one of the best food cities in the country? Yes, please.”

The original Loro is at 2115 S. Lamar in Austin with a second location opening in Dallas at 1812 N. Haskell in summer 2020. In October, Hai Hospitality announced it was opening Uchiko in Houston,

Thats 75 feet from my front door

 

neat

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elfenix

elfenix 34129

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Posted (edited)
1 hour ago, tx 3 putt said:

Was balls out any good ?

it was a stupid so I never stopped 

food truck was good.  never tried the b&m.  i'm a bit more tolerant of a $15 burger when they come to me and i can drink my own beer. 

 

edit: i need to try that hot chicken though it appears to not be bone in

Edited by elfenix
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pepper brooks

pepper brooks 578

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1 hour ago, mycox said:

The regular chicken sandwich at Bird Haus is pretty damn good.

it is, but it isn't very spicy.  I figured if the "hot" was not really hot at all, then the reaper would be hot but tolerable.  Dear God, no.  not even the same galaxy.  I like that place a ton.  Good fried pickles too.  Never again will I ever consider that reaper.  I eat hot stuff all the time.  that shit is in a league of it's own.  

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Homesickhorn

Homesickhorn 2194

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Was balls out any good ?

it was a stupid so I never stopped 

It was initially inked to be an Irish Pub/Beer Garden. The (original) tenant made a name for himself over in the UK as a pub guru. Developer was stoked about this idea because of the potential tenant’s street cred over in the UK, so he was onboard.

Fast forward to Lease execution; Plans are drawn, lawyers are cozy with each other, rent is agreed upon, and contingencies are waived. Then, at zero hour (literally at lease execution), the tenant informed the owner that he’s gonna do a completely different concept.

Developer was livid, but had already spent so much on the tenant’s build out, TI allowance, and permitting that he was ready to just get the fucking thing signed (plus, the tenant’s credit is immaculate and his payment history with his UK stores check out).

I might have been the first one that property owner/developer called when the tenant called no-joy after a whopping 4-5 months of operation.

I love the location, but the parking is a joke, and I’m pretty sure the property has a grandfather clause that allows all of the six “street parking spaces” to count as coded parking for the square footage of the actual improved property (which is jack shit).

 

TLDR; developer thought he was getting an authentic Irish Pub from a proven operator, but instead, the Irish operator went all hands on deck and committed conceptual suicide.

 

 

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billfromlaketravis

billfromlaketravis 11291

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Thanks to @Homesickhorn for his lengthy explanation. In thought Balls Out was pretty good. I ate there a few times. It reminded me of a Whataburger with higher quality ingredients. I bet this exactly what the tenant was going for. Let’s rip off Whataburger and charge patrons $10 for the the privilege.  

Edited by billfromlaketravis
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Homesickhorn

Homesickhorn 2194

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Thanks to [mention=1412]Homesickhorn[/mention] for his lengthy explanation. In thought Balls Out was pretty good. I ate there a few times. It reminded me of a Whataburger with higher quality ingredients. I bet this exactly what the tenant was going for. Let’s rip off Whataburger and charge patrons $10 for the the privilege.....slainte’!!!


Fify.
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elfenix

elfenix 34129

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18 minutes ago, billfromlaketravis said:

Side bar, I have no idea how the owner and the tenant thought they could open an Irish pub in that space. The dining room in Balls Out was maybe 200-250 square feet. It was overwhelmingly  outdoor seating. I don’t know anybody that wants to drink a Smithwick’s do anything in 100 degree heat. 

 

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SydneyCarton

SydneyCarton 47486

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11 hours ago, Homesickhorn said:

It was initially inked to be an Irish Pub/Beer Garden. The (original) tenant made a name for himself over in the UK as a pub guru. Developer was stoked about this idea because of the potential tenant’s street cred over in the UK, so he was onboard.

Fast forward to Lease execution; Plans are drawn, lawyers are cozy with each other, rent is agreed upon, and contingencies are waived. Then, at zero hour (literally at lease execution), the tenant informed the owner that he’s gonna do a completely different concept.

Developer was livid, but had already spent so much on the tenant’s build out, TI allowance, and permitting that he was ready to just get the fucking thing signed (plus, the tenant’s credit is immaculate and his payment history with his UK stores check out).

I might have been the first one that property owner/developer called when the tenant called no-joy after a whopping 4-5 months of operation.

I love the location, but the parking is a joke, and I’m pretty sure the property has a grandfather clause that allows all of the six “street parking spaces” to count as coded parking for the square footage of the actual improved property (which is jack shit).

 

TLDR; developer thought he was getting an authentic Irish Pub from a proven operator, but instead, the Irish operator went all hands on deck and committed conceptual suicide.

 

 

I have a hard time imagining any concept being successful their, and that's before you take into account the indoor square footage for an irish pub as others said. There's zero parking, 90% of the space is outdoors which is prohibitive without shade and a motherfuck ton of fans and misters. The coverage that does exist is very high up, which means less actual shade. But the big glaring issue is that it sits right on top of a very busy, very fast moving Durham road. People don't want to bring their dogs there, and they don't want to sit at a table 8 feet from an SUV doing 40 mph through a curve while they eat their lunch. It's not a place I'd just chill and want to hang out at at street level. It was better off being a fucking car wash. 

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SydneyCarton

SydneyCarton 47486

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23 minutes ago, GreenspointTexas said:

Lol at complaining about parking in the heights

Or the converse, is that the parking is SO shitty/non-existent that even people who've lived for a decade or more in the heights are shocked by how poor the situation is...Honestly dude, I can't even think of another place with completely unbearable parking in the Heights off the top of my head. 

 

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huge

huge 3775

Posted
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2 hours ago, SydneyCarton said:

I have a hard time imagining any concept being successful their, and that's before you take into account the indoor square footage for an irish pub as others said. There's zero parking, 90% of the space is outdoors which is prohibitive without shade and a motherfuck ton of fans and misters. The coverage that does exist is very high up, which means less actual shade. But the big glaring issue is that it sits right on top of a very busy, very fast moving Durham road. People don't want to bring their dogs there, and they don't want to sit at a table 8 feet from an SUV doing 40 mph through a curve while they eat their lunch. It's not a place I'd just chill and want to hang out at at street level. It was better off being a fucking car wash. 

*there 

you cretin

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