Restaurants

02/13/14 10:30am

Your Long Wait for a Sushi Restaurant and Nightclub on Westheimer Is Over: Fish and the Knife Opens Today!

Cancellations and Delays, New Construction, Openings and Closings, Restaurants

11 Comments

Fish and the Knife Sushi Bar, Restaurant, and Nightclub, 7801 Westheimer Rd. at Stoney Brook, Houston

Note: Story updated below.

O ye of little faith, casting doubts here and there that a little 13,000-sq.-ft. standalone fine dining and lounging experience on Westheimer across Stoney Brook from AutoZone would ever open its doors after a mere 3 years of construction, a few long silences, and working so hard behind the scenes to get every detail right! It takes time, and actual anticipation, to truly earn the status of Houston’s Most Anticipated Restaurant. So take this: Fish and the Knife opens today. As in: You can park your car in the big parking lot out back, walk right in through the big wooden doors, and order yourself some sushi and a Japanese-style steak. And maybe this weekend, or some other big weekend night soon, wiggle your tail and fins to the rhythms and the flashing lights in the transformed 4,000-sq.-ft. “Las Vegas-style” nightclub inside.

Okay, but really, what took this place so long to open? Here’s the owner of the new spot at 7801 Westheimer, trying valiantly to explain it all:

A Good Restaurant Took Time

77063, Briarmeadow, Cancellations and Delays, New Construction, Openings and Closings, Restaurants

Demolitions

02/12/14 2:45pm

Foreign Correspondents, Hunky Dory Smashing Car Lots on Shepherd Now

Houston Heights, Proposed Developments, Restaurants

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Future Site of Hunky Dory and Foreign Correspondents, 1819 N. Shepherd Dr., Houston Heights

With today’s knocking of the Salmex Auto & Truck Sales building at 1819 N. Shepherd Dr. (pictured above from earlier today), the great used-car-lot-to-restaurant-row transformation of North Shepherd begins! Er . . . continues. On the site of this spot will flourish: a parking lot! And a pretty big one. But further in on 18th St. is the planned site of Foreign Correspondents, which bills itself as a “farm to table” Thai restaurant. Further in and attached to it will be tavern and whiskey bar Hunky Dory from the operators of DownHouse and Feast alumnus Richard Knight.

Used Cars to Whiskey, Farm to Table

77008, Bars and Clubs, Demolitions, North Shepherd, Proposed Developments, Restaurants

Downtown

02/03/14 1:15pm

Where the Red Lantern Has Been Lowered and the Creole, Cuban, and Caribbean Is Going In

Openings and Closings, Restaurants

Door at 917 Franklin St., Downtown Houston Going into the spot at 917 Franklin St. downtown where the Red Lantern Vietnamese restaurant shut down last year: a new restaurant from Arena Theater chef Mark Latigue, featuring “Creole, Cuban and Caribbean” Cuisine. Courtesy of another Skyhawk aerial camera-wielding quadcopter hovering above the Islamic Da’wah Center across the street, here’s a spy video of the Commercial National Bank building it’ll be in — on the ground floor.

Downtown Restaurant Spycam

77002, Downtown, Openings and Closings, Restaurants

Demolitions

02/03/14 12:30pm

And Now, a Report from the Corner of Hillcroft and S. Braeswood

Maplewood, Restaurants

5 Comments

Site of Former McDonald's 5911 S. Braeswood Blvd., Maplewood South, Houston

From a reader’s camera to your ears: The McDonald’s on the southwest corner has been demolished.

Update, 4 pm: Another angle!!

Is Maplewood Lovin’ It?

Demolitions, Fast Food, Maplewood South

01/30/14 12:00pm

Houston’s Most Anticipated Restaurant Will Open When It Feels Like It

Cancellations and Delays, Restaurants

9 Comments

Fish and the Knife Sushi Bar, Restaurant, and Nightclub, 7801 Westheimer Rd. at Stoney Brook, Houston

Fish and the Knife Sushi Bar, Restaurant, and Nightclub, 7801 Westheimer Rd. at Stoney Brook, Houston On-again off-again would-be Westheimer sushi-nightclub debutante Fish and the Knife has given up on target opening dates, reports Eater Houston. “The big debut is back on track,” reports Darla Guillen in a post that includes actual photos of the actual completed interior at 7801 Westheimer. After almost 3-and-a-half years of construction and several blown promised-opening deadlines, she writes, “the owner is (understandably) reluctant to announce an official date.” But, um, the restaurant is “definitely on schedule to open soon, and is currently hiring staff.”

Update, 3 pm: A daring update to Eater’s report notes the owner now “expects to be open by Feb. 10.”

Take a Sneak Peek Inside Upcoming Spot Fish & The Knife [Eater Houston]
Previously on Swamplot:Â Phew! Fish and the Knife Is Back to Its Usual â€˜Opening Soonâ€™ Status,Â Is Fish and the Knife Cutting Bait?,Â Fish and Knife: Beached Sushi on Westheimer

Photo: Swamplot inbox

Sooner or Later

77063, Briarmeadow, Cancellations and Delays, New Construction, Openings and Closings, Restaurants

Dunvale

01/22/14 3:00pm

The First New Bennigan’s To Reopen in Houston Has Already Closed, but Stand By for Steak & Ale

Franchises and Chain Stores, Openings and Closings, Restaurants

2 Comments

Bennigan's Restaurant, 8401 Westheimer Rd. at Dunvale, Houston If tracking the comings and goings of Bennigan’s in Houston has become a little confusing , that’s understandable. The Irish-stewish bankruptish restaurant chain suddenly shuttered all of its U.S. locations — including 20 in Houston — back in 2008; 3 years later, the chain’s new owners announced the impending arrival of as many as 10 new restaurants in Houston alone. The first of these new-concept franchises appeared under the tower sign of a strip-center endcap at Westheimer and Dunvale (above) in 2012. A second location opened just a couple of weeks ago in a former Aldo’s spot on the feeder road across I-45 from The Woodlands. And yesterday the company announced it had “nearly 100 restaurants under contract for development over the next several years worldwide,” including a new grand openingÂ in Houston to be announced soon. Bennigan’s is also planning a comeback for its sister Steak & Ale chain, which had packed out of Houston with the Bennigan’s retreat in 2008. President and CEO Paul Mangiamele is planning a “big announcement” about Steak & Ale’s future on Friday.

But in the meantime, the comeback Bennigan’s at 8401 Westheimer has shut down, the always-checking-it-3-times staffers behind the b4-u-eat restaurant newsletter now report. A new location of smaller scale chain 59 Diner has already signed up to replace it.

Bennigan’s Begins Again – Our Review [H-Town Chow Down]
Benniganâ€™s Legendary Comeback Continues; Chain Plans to Double in Size Worldwide [Restaurant News]
Steak & Ale’s Comeback [Facebook]

Photo of Bennigan’s at Westheimer and Dunvale: Laina C.

Bennigan’s Begin Again

77063, Dunvale, Franchises, Openings and Closings, Restaurants

Katy Fwy. Building Slated for Breastaurant Conversion Undergoing Hump Reduction Surgery

Renovations, Restaurants, Wilchester

6 Comments

Future Twin Peaks Restaurant, 11335 Katy Fwy., Wilchester, Houston

Former DiMassi's Restaurant, 11335 Katy Fwy., Wilchester, Houston The Alamo-style flattened humps shown at left that once marked the entrances of the now-shuttered DiMassi’s Restaurant on the south side of I-10 just west of Yorkchester appear to have been removed in the course of ongoing renovations to the 8,000-sq.-ft. property. The latest view of the property is shown above. What’s prompting the lumpectomy? The space’s conversion into a new Twin Peaks “mountain lodge”-themed sports bar. But the tasteful removal of the high-mounted flashy rounded appendages appears not to have assuaged a group of nearby residents who have complained to the city about the arrival in their neighborhood of the Dallas-based chain that features breasted waitresses inside: “We feel very strongly that anybody exercising common sense will see that a Twin Peaks in this location so close to so many children, smack in the residential area doesn’t speak to any of his values, it just doesn’t make sense,” a mother who lives in the adjacent neighborhood tells KTRK reporter Miya Shay. The 80,000-sq.-ft. feeder road lot backs up to Britoak Ln. and sits directly across the street from Wilchester Elementary School.

Photos: abc13 (construction); LoopNet (DiMassi’s)

Strange but True

77079, Neighborhood Disputes, Renovations, Restaurants, Wilchester

New Construction

01/14/14 12:00pm

Meanwhile, Across the Driveway from a North Loop Whataburger

Quicklink, Restaurants, Shady Acres

10 Comments

MEANWHILE, ACROSS THE DRIVEWAY FROM A NORTH LOOP WHATABURGER Home Depot Parking Lot, 999 North Loop West, Shady Acres, Houston From reader David Hille comes this report of the latestÂ parking lot pad site takeover: “After a morning run to the ‘Brinkman’ Home Depot on 610 near N. Shepherd, I became curious about the temporary fencing which was being erected around the northeast quarter of the parking lot. So, I stopped, and spoke to a couple of men who were reviewing a fairly large roll of blueprints on the lowered tailgate of a truck. I had a little head rush when I was told that a new Chick Fil-A was about to be erected . . . right there in the parking lot. Makes sense, as I can’t remember that portion of the lot ever being full of cars. A similar scenario took place last year at the Lowes down the street. Part of that property which held a retention pond is now home to a brand new CVS. Prior to that, some of the Lowes parking lot was sacrificed for a Murphy Express gas station . . .” Photo: David Hille

77008, Fast Food, New Construction, Parking-Lots, Restaurants, Shady-Acres

Mysterious ‘Odor Beyond Our Control’ Forces Closure of Strip Center Chinese Restaurant in Spring

Openings and Closings, Restaurants, Spring

11 Comments

Koya Asian Kitchen, 2111 Spring Cypress Rd. Unit 900, Spring, Texas

A curious 2-month-old “growing sewage odor” has forced 2-and-a-half-month-old Koya Asian Kitchen to announce that the restaurant will shut its doors forever, its owner claims. Before coming to the decision, owner Lisa Zhou says she employed a sequence of smell-be-gone techniques, including lighting scented candles, deploying a phalanx of air fresheners, and even opening the doors of the Szechuan establishment in a brand-new strip center at the corner of Spring Cypress and Old Holzwarth Rd., across from H-E-B. “In the end,” writes Zhou in a Facebook post published yesterday, “none has been effective against the horrendous smell.”

Sniff, Sniff

77388, Odors, Openings and Closings, Restaurants, Spring, Strip Centers

01/09/14 11:30am

Phew! Fish and the Knife Is Back To Its Usual ‘Opening Soon’ Status

Cancellations and Delays, New Construction, Openings and Closings, Quicklink, Restaurants

PHEW! FISH AND THE KNIFE IS BACK TO ITS USUAL ‘OPENING SOON’ STATUS Fish and the Knife Restaurant, Sushi Bar, Nightclub, and Lounge, 7801 Westheimer Rd., Houston After announcing just last week that it had given up all hope that the 3-and-a-half-year-long construction project on the corner of Westheimer and Stoney Brook Dr. would ever open its doors as a restaurant, the crack team behind the b4-u-eat newsletter declared yesterday that its loss of sushi faith was unwarranted: “Fish & The Knife mystery solved,” the latest email report reads. “The facebook page was removed because it was created by an employee who is no longer there. There were a lot of workers there today and the beautiful fish tank contains live fish now. The owner says they expect to open in 3 weeks.” [b4-u-eat; previously on Swamplot] Photo: Swamplot inbox

Openings and Closings

01/03/14 2:15pm

Is Fish and the Knife Cutting Bait?

Cancellations and Delays, Quicklink, Restaurants

5 Comments

IS FISH AND THE KNIFE CUTTING BAIT? Fish and the Knife, 7801 Westheimer Rd., Briarmeadow, Houston Restaurant review website b4-u-Eat appears to have given up all hope of sushi bar, nightclub, and restaurant Fish and the Knife ever opening. That’s kind of a big deal for a project that’s been under construction since 2010. The huge modern building at the corner of Westheimer and Stoney Brook Dr. (just west of Voss) appears to be complete, but all communication has suddenly gone dark.Â “They expected to open ~~Oct~~, ~~Nov~~, Dec 2013,” reports the site newsletter, “but didn’t and their facebook page with all construction photos disappeared this week.” [b4-u-eat; previously on Swamplot] Photo: Swamplot inbox

77063, Briarmeadow, Cancellations and Delays, Restaurants

Openings and Closings

12/26/13 10:00am

Winter Snoballs for Houston

Quicklink, Restaurants, Retail, Sunset Heights

No Comments

WINTER SNOBALLS FOR HOUSTON MAM's House of Ice, 1040 W. Cavalcade St., Sunset Heights, Houston Just in time to serve up a white Christmas — at least before a few pumps of flavoring are added to your order — MAM’s House of Ice has opened its first-ever non-wheeled, year-round location. It’s at 1040 W. Cavalcade St. in Sunset Heights, about a mile east of the popular mobile storefront’s longstanding trailer-parking spot. That means snoballs (along with a few warmer dessert-y and snack-y items added to the menu) will now be available year-round. [b4-u-eat; previously on Swamplot] Photo: Mam’s House of Ice

77009, Openings and Closings, Restaurants, Retail, Sunset Heights

Bellaire

12/04/13 11:00am

Spotted: Bernie’s Bellaire Triangle Burger Bus Depot Roll-In

Openings and Closings, Restaurants, Retail

Bernie's Burger Bus, 5407 Bellaire Blvd., Bellaire, Texas

Bernie's Burger Bus, 5407 Bellaire Blvd., Bellaire, Texas Swamplot reader Dave spots the signs up for Bernie’s Burger Bus in the Bellaire Triangle, giving an actual address (5407 Bellaire Blvd., in the former Christian Community Service Center Sunshine Retail Shop) to the growing vehicle-and-restaurant chain’s previously announced somewhere-in-Bellaire location. Like the other non-wheeled Bernie’s locations, this one will be called a Bernie’s Burger Bus Stop — but Bus Station might be more accurate: Owner Justin Turner told Eater back in September he plans to use the Bellaire spot as a “hub” where production and prep takes place and deliveries go out for all the restaurants — including the new one planned for Katy. And in addition to an in-kitchen table for occasional (non-burger) pop-up dinners, there’s an actual bus planned for the interior. Collaborative Projects’ design will let you pick up your orders as they’re passed through a bus window.

Previously on Swamplot: Park That Bus: Bernieâ€™s To Open 3 Non-Mobile Locations

Photos: Dave

Hamburger Transfer Station

77401, Bellaire, Mobile Food Vendors, Openings and Closings, Restaurants, Retail

Quicklink

11/27/13 10:00am

A Westheimer Wendy’s Long Journey to a $200 Burger

Restaurants, Upper Kirby