Restaurants

North Montrose
08/23/13 2:15pm

Mama Fu’s Making Houston Debut in W. Gray Shopping Center

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Openings and Closings, Restaurants
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Another Austin chain is moving inside the Loop: Mama Fu’s Asian House, which appears to pull its menu items indiscriminately from China, Vietnam, Thailand, Japan, and Korea, is replacing the former Souper Salad at 1574 W. Gray. About a year ago, franchisee Steve Chappelear — who also owns 8 Buffalo Wild Wings here — said he was planning to open 18 Mama Fu’s in Houston; this would be the first.

Photo: Swamplot inbox

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Memorial City
08/23/13 11:00am

The New Hospital-Adjacent Steakhouse in Memorial City

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New Construction, Openings and Closings, Quicklink, Restaurants
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THE NEW HOSPITAL-ADJACENT STEAKHOUSE IN MEMORIAL CITY And far below that lit-up crown that you can’t enter, there will soon be a steakhouse you can: Culturemap reports that construction is coming along at the mixed-use Gateway Memorial City development on Vallone’s, the red-meat-and-red-wine concept from the folks who feed you on a first-name basis at Tony’s. General manager Scott Sulma says that they hope to open here on Gessner Rd. and the Katy Fwy. in October. [Culturemap; previously on Swamplot] Rendering: Vallone’s

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Houston Heights
08/22/13 11:05am

Drinkin’ and Eatin’ Beneath the Trees in the Heights

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Proposed Developments, Restaurants
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Uchi and Sushi Raku architect Michael Hsu is behind these designs for Hunky Dory, the open-air bar and restaurant to be built over the next year in the Heights. Located just about 3 blocks north of the very recently proposed Heights Bier Garden at the old Longhorn Motor Company dealership, the new all-good hangout will also be replacing a used-car lot — Salmex Auto & Trucks at 1819 N. Shepherd, between 18th and 19th St. Alison Cook reports that Hunky Dory — with a courtyard designed around an 85-year-old live oak — is a collaboration among Down House and D&T Drive Inn owner Chris Cusack, former Feast chef Richard Knight, and current Down House chef Benjy Mason.

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Montrose
08/22/13 10:00am

A Greek Restaurant Revival in Montrose

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Openings and Closings, Renovations, Restaurants
12 Comments

This 1920 house at 4210 Roseland is being renovated into a Greek restaurant. The reader who sends this photo estimates that it could be open next year. County records show that the house was last sold in 2010; it’s about 2,154 sq. ft. and sits on a 4,500-sq.-ft. lot just south of Colquitt and east of Montrose Blvd.

Photo: Swamplot inbox

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Old Sixth Ward
08/21/13 11:10am

‘Sports Bar With Class’ Replacing Sports Bar on Washington Ave

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Openings and Closings, Quicklink, Restaurants, Washington Ave, Washington Corridor
21 Comments

‘SPORTS BAR WITH CLASS’ REPLACING SPORTS BAR ON WASHINGTON AVE The prophecy foretold by that plagiarized message put up in July on Sawyer Park’s marquee has come to pass: A new “sports bar with class,” Social Junkie, will be opening here on Washington Ave on Sept. 13, reports Culturemap. Social Junkie’s owned by Saleem Fernandez, who also owns Roosevelt Bar and 5th Amendment in Midtown. Fernandez tells Culturemap that this bar, like his others, will have a pretty strict dress code — and lotsa sports: “‘Tuesdays we will have a live video broadcast with a Texans player . . . . We will also have a live radio broadcast here — an a.m. sports radio station.'” [Culturemap; previously on Swamplot] Photo: Allyn West

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Houston Heights
08/20/13 4:30pm

Drinking, Not Driving: Heights Used-Car Dealership Sold to Beer Gardeners

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Proposed Developments, Restaurants
20 Comments

A reader sends this photo of the long-time Longhorn Motor Company property at the corner of N. Shepherd and W. 15th St. in the Heights. Longhorn, writes the reader, “recently got rid of all its cars and went on the market. A couple of weeks ago an application to TABC turned up. I tried to do research and found nothing on it but the prospect of a nice little beer joint on that stretch of North Shepherd is pretty exciting.” County records show that the 1.15-acre property changed hands in June. That TABC sign the reader mentions is dated July 2; it names “Heights Bier Garden” as the applicant here at 1433 N. Shepherd.

Photo: Rachelle Varnon

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Idylwood
08/19/13 3:00pm

Non-Walmart Do-Nuts in Idylwood

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Openings and Closings, Restaurants, Retail, Strip Centers
6 Comments

Maybe attracted by the gravitational pull of the hulking 185,000-sq.-ft. Idylwood Walmart going up on the other side of S. Wayside Dr., Shipley Do-Nuts is moving into this strip center. This location is about 2 miles closer in than the one near HCC Southeast, also on the northbound Gulf Fwy. feeder.

Photo: Allyn West

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Montrose
08/15/13 2:00pm

Austin Bar Doc’s To Remedy Montrose Wendy’s Wreckage

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New Construction, Openings and Closings, Restaurants
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The old Westheimer Wendy’s has been reduced to a shell of itself, this photo shows, as Doc’s Bar and Grill has come all the way from Austin to build itself up. Located at 1303 Westheimer and Graustark — right beside the overflow parking lot for Royal Oak Bar and Grill, which is right across the street — Doc’s says in a Facebook post that this 3rd location could open in November.

Photo: Swamplot inbox

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Buildouts
08/14/13 10:15am

Pink’s Pizza Moving Into West End Strip Center

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Openings and Closings, Restaurants, Washington Ave, Washington Corridor
9 Comments

A reader sends these new photos of the taped-up TABC sign in the window of the old laundromat at 1009 Moy St., shown above, where it appears a Pink’s Pizza will be opening soon. The photo at the top of the page shows the strip center endcap as seen from the corner of Moy and Center St., looking toward Washington Ave. a block to the south; T.C. Jester is a few blocks to the west. This new Pink’s will be the restaurant’s 4th inside the Loop; a 5th is on N. Shepherd in Garden Oaks. No opening date has been revealed. Another Pink’s is reported to be opening soon in that new retail center on Calhoun Rd. at the University of Houston.

Photos: Lisa L. Riley

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Buildouts
08/13/13 12:00pm

Upper Kirby Ranch-to-Table Restaurant Lets You In on Permit-to-Sign Renovation Process

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Openings and Closings, Restaurants, Upper Kirby
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The new restaurant moving into the old Palazzo’s Trattoria space on Westheimer is 60 Degrees Mastercrafted, a “ranch to table” concept from Certified Master Chef Fritz Gitschner. In keeping with this culinary philosophy of full disclosure and transparency, 60 Degrees also seems intent to reveal the process of its own becoming. Says a post on its Facebook page: “We are looking forward to having you follow us along this amazing journey and watch the restaurant come to life!”

The first stop on this amazing journey? The Houston Permitting Center. Now, write that check . . .

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Midtown
08/12/13 12:05pm

The Gas Station Coffee Patio Coming Soon to Midtown

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Openings and Closings, Quicklink, Restaurants
9 Comments

THE GAS STATION COFFEE PATIO COMING SOON TO MIDTOWN The Houston Chronicle reports a few more matter-of-fact details about Retrospect Coffee, the cafe that Tacos-A-Go-Go owners are planning to open in — but primarily around, it appears — that oft-painted former gas station at the corner of W. Alabama and La Branch near HCC and the Station Museum in Midtown: “It will serve beer and wine in addition to coffee. . . . The building will hold espresso machines and perhaps a counter for patrons. . . . Most of the seating will be outdoors. Furniture will be bright orange to represent the old Gulf logo that once hung on the gas station.” [Houston Chronicle ($)] Photo: Allyn West

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Buildouts
08/09/13 3:00pm

What’s Becoming of Harold’s in the Heights?

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Houston Heights, Openings and Closings, Renovations, Restaurants, Retail, Shopping Centers
29 Comments

The former menswear mod on W. 19th St. and Ashland is being outfitted with some contemporary effects, it appears: Purchased back in 2011 by Braun Enterprises — which also recently snapped up and plans to knock down 2 Baptist Temple Church buildings to make way for retail just north of here — the building has got the signage for what will be Houston’s 3rd Torchy’s Tacos and some fake graffiti advertising a September opening. In the back, the buildout is a bit more substantial: The roof has been popped out rather jauntily for the Heights General Store, a small market and restaurant that will have a terrace, and women’s clothier Emerson Rose.

You can see more photos, going around the corner spot, after the jump:

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Comments
08/09/13 12:00pm

Comment of the Day: How Ethnic Food Becomes Fine Dining, in a Few Simple Steps

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Quicklink, Restaurants
7 Comments

COMMENT OF THE DAY: HOW ETHNIC FOOD BECOMES FINE DINING, IN A FEW SIMPLE STEPS “The pattern in Houston is the same as in a lot of cities: Pricier ‘fine-dining’ establishments are found in city centers and more desirable neighborhoods where rents tend to be higher, while the more interesting but less refined ethnic restaurants open in areas where rents are affordable for their (often recent immigrant) owners. There is a sort of built-in prejudice against paying fine-dining prices for certain types of ethnic foods. One often hears ‘I’m not paying $25 for Thai/Vietnamese/Mexican food.’ We haven’t minded paying high prices for French or Italian food for at least two generations. And Japanese food followed a generation later. Spanish restaurants are commonplace, fine-dining Chinese food can now be found in many markets, and Houston has one of the finest Mexican restaurants in the country in Hugo’s. As 2nd generation immigrants come of age, you often see chefs receive ‘classical’ training, gain experience in the country’s best restaurants, then connect this knowledge with the food they grew up with. I fully expect Houston to have, say, a top-notch fine dining Vietnamese restaurant within the next decade.” [Angostura, commenting on Comment of the Day: Following the Great Chain Restaurant Migration]

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Openings and Closings
08/09/13 11:00am

Here’s Your Rice Village Ground-Floor Retail

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Quicklink, Restaurants, Retail, Rice Village, Southampton
19 Comments

HERE’S YOUR RICE VILLAGE GROUND-FLOOR RETAIL The first tenant to open on the Morningside side of Hanover Rice Village will be Coppa Osteria, reports Eater Houston’s Darla Guillen, who pins the date in September. Coppa will be run by the folks who bring you Ibiza, Brasserie 19, and Coppa Ristorante Italiano, a fact that strikes Guillen as emblematic of a pattern in Houston’s culinary scene: “It seems like many upscale restaurants feel compelled to open the cool little brother to their high-end establishments.” At any rate, Coppa appears to have a cool walk-thru pizza window and cool neon signage. At 5210 Morningside and Dunstan, it’s right across the street from the site of the old Garden Gate, where Hanover is planning to build that 12-story tower with no ground-floor retail. Also coming soon to the Morningside side? Chef Chris Leung’s Cloud 10 Creamery, the signage for which has been strung up right next door. [Eater Houston; previously on Swamplot] Photo: Allyn West

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Montrose
08/08/13 3:00pm

Common Bond Coming Together in Montrose

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Openings and Closings, Quicklink, Restaurants
7 Comments

COMMON BOND COMING TOGETHER IN MONTROSE Culturemap reports a few more details about Chef Roy Shvartzapel’s new pastry cafe, dubbed Common Bond, that’s moving into that 2-suite retail center (with plenty of parking in the back) that’s been going up on the corner of Westheimer and Dunlavy — including the co-aspirants Shvartzapel has persuaded to join him in his lofty quest “to make the best croissants you’ve ever had:” “[The team will] include executive pastry sous chef Jillian Bartolome (Bouchon Bakery at Rockefeller Center, Cyrus), chef de cuisine David Morgan (August Restaurant, Cyrus), head bread baker Drew Gimma (Bouchon, Per Se), assistant bread baker Tony Stein (Bouchon Beverly Hills) and assistant bread baker Alec Bartee (Cyrus).” And when is this place gonna open? “Although he says the bakery ‘will not open before we’re ready,’ Shvartzapel hopes to welcome customers in November to demonstrate Common Bond’s ideas about Thanksgiving pies.” [Culturemap; previously on Swamplot] Photo: Allyn West

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