- 7626 Olympia Dr. [HAR]
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Tag: 77063
The northeast corner of Westheimer and Fondren, where until recently a Landry’s Seafood restaurant and a Prosperity Bank building stood, is the scene for this remarkable series of photos sent to Swamplot by reader Roy Cormier, showing the demolition in progress earlier this month. Above, an excavator nibbles away at the remaining urban oasis at the end of the parking lot. Below, we find the drive-up ATM at the end of civilization:
Crest, not Complete
Neon lighting doubles its pop in the highly reflective interior of a 1982 Tanglewilde condo, east of Gessner Rd. near the Westchase District. The funky-finished home with the nightclub-inspired interior was listed a week ago with a $135,000 asking price. A note in the listing description assures agents that there’ll be some changes coming to the walls, carpets, and some of the bath tile before any buyer moves in. So take in all the indoor scenery here, before closing time comes and the beige paint moves in:
Pad Site
An attorney representing international hotel and restaurant designer Tony Chi has sent a cease-and-desist letter to the owners of the Fish and the Knife, complaining that the recently opened Houston sushi restaurant and nightclub has “repeatedly and intentionally” claimed that Chi was responsible for the restaurant’s design. “As you most certainly know,” the letter reads, “Tony Chi had no role whatsoever in connection with the Fish & The Knife and most certainly is not answerable for its operation, particularly its delayed opening.”
A Facebook post published by the restaurant shortly before its February 13th opening claimed that Tony Chi had designed the interior — and implied that his involvement bore some responsibility for the restaurant’s notably delayed debut: “The owner commissioned Tony Chi, famed architect and interior designer, to fit the restaurant into his relentless schedule,” reads the post (which may also have been issued as a press release) in a sentence that directly follows a reference to repeated postponements of the restaurant’s opening. It then goes on to name-drop several of Chi’s former clients: “Based in New York City, Chi owns and operates a global design powerhouse that has an unrivalled reputation in the hospitality industry. Some of Chi’s designs include restaurants for Wolfgang Puck, Alain Ducasse and Michael Mina. In addition to restaurants, he designed many Ritz-Carlton, Park Hyatt, Intercontinental and Mandarin Oriental hotels around the world.” But Chi’s designs do not appear to include Fish and the Knife.
Credit Where It Isn’t Due
There may not be a whole lot of wildlife ranging around the grounds surrounding this 1982 property in Piney Point Village. But check out the inside of the home:
Jungle Fever
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
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: Phew! Fish and the Knife Is Back to Its Usual ‘Opening Soon’ Status, Is Fish and the Knife Cutting Bait?, Fish and Knife: Beached Sushi on Westheimer
Photo: Swamplot inbox
Sooner or Later
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 opening 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]
- Bennigan’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
IS FISH AND THE KNIFE CUTTING BAIT? 
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. “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
Any foray into the Woodlake Forest community from South Gessner near Briar Forest Dr. likely passes by blocks of 1978-built townhomes that include this slightly recessed 2-bedroom unit peeking out from behind Orleansian iron grille barricades at the porch and balcony levels. Polished marble and parquet flooring give it a gloss finish downstairs. The spiffed-up property was listed Wednesday with a $298,500 asking price.
Where’s the Lake in Woodlake Forest?
Eight — count ’em, 8 — curtain calls have had this updated 1961 Westmont home (near Tanglewilde) on and off the market since February 2010. In the interim, a series of listings, relistings — and a break or two — saw adjustments to the asking price from a low of $149,000 in October 2012 to a high of $199,900 in early November 2013. The price tag has since dropped $10K, making it $189,900. Appearing now as an as-is basic beige home in its from-the-curb portrait, the property displays a more colorful inner life:
Fix-Me-Up
Construction could start by the end of the month on this apartment building on the site of the demolished Vargo’s Restaurant in Piney Point. The rendering and plans for the complex, to be located at 2411 Fondren near Woodway, show no signs of the azaleas and starving peacocks that had been on the former fancy steakhouse’s land — nor its apostrophe: The complex, dubbed Vargos on the Lake, will have 276 1- and 2-bedroom apartments and 13 3-bedroom townhomes, explains a PR rep. Buying the 8.71-acre property out of bankruptcy, developer Sandy Aron appears to be going all out with the perks:
[Vargos] will offer active recreation via the Fit Flicks Theater; which will feature a projection wall and cardio equipment such as rowers, bikes, treadmills and Stairmaster. Fit Flicks Theater will screen movies on a daily basis.
Additional top-of-the-line amenities include two leash-free dog parks, resident clubhouse and demonstration kitchen, conference/private dining room, evening concierge, cold food delivery storage, kickboxing station, three outdoor kitchens, active pool with stainless steel tree sculpture and water feature, poolside event cabana, outdoor fire lounge, Zen pool, global gaming room, yoga studio and two massage rooms.
- Opening Summer 2014 [Vargos on the Lake]
- Vargos on the Lake to break ground [Houston Business Journal]
- Previously on Swamplot: Replacing Vargo’s Restaurant with Vargo’s Apartments, The Messy End of Vargo’s Restaurant
Rendering: Hunington Properties
In February, the Art Guys went for distance, walking the marathon that is W. Little York Rd.; tomorrow, they’ll be going for danger. The 9th of their “12 Events” requires Jack Massing and Michael Galbreth to maintain pedestrian safety techniques and situational awareness as they cross the street, all day, at Westheimer and Hillcroft/Voss, what they’re claiming is the “busiest intersection in Houston.”
Here’s the deal: They’ll start their day off walking clockwise, and, presumably to avoid the monotony, switch things up and go counterclockwise the rest of the afternoon. It’s unclear whether they’ll be taking advantage of the various muscle supplements and joint remedies at the nearby Vitamin Shoppe in the Westhill Village Shopping Center there on the southwest corner.
- 12 Events [The Art Guys]
- Art Guys coverage [Swamplot]
Photo of Art Guys on W. Little York Rd.: Everett Taasevigen
APARTMENTS COULD REPLACE CLOSING LANDRY’S ON WESTHEIMER 
The Landry’s Seafood House at 8816 Westheimer Rd. has lost its lease, apparently, and will close: This Sunday, reports Food Chronicles, brings the restaurant’s 20-year run in this spot to an end. But it doesn’t appear that the 4.5-acre site at Westheimer and Fondren will remain without activity for very long: “The landlord . . . sold the property to an apartment builder. According to Landry’s, the restaurant and other buildings . . . are slated for demolition.” [Food Chronicles] Photo: Landry’s Seafood
- 8800 Woodway Dr. Unit 14 [HAR]
