Textile has closed its doors, reports Katharine Shilcutt, the Houston Press‘s food-critic-in-waiting. But chef and owner Scott Tycer only plans to hang the concept out to dry over the summer: “We were seeing a little bit of a downturn, and business was not as good as it could be. So my thought was that we need to get on with our ideas of moving,” Tycer explains. He tells Shilcutt he’d like to find a new location that will accommodate a separate gastropub, with a distinct but fabric-friendly name. But the Heights won’t be on his shopping list:
Tycer and his partners are currently looking at three different parts of town for the new restaurant: downtown, River Oaks and — most surprisingly — the Post Oak/Galleria area. Tycer lamented the lack of truly inventive restaurants in that area: “It’s either Robert Del Grande and RDG + Bar Annie, or it’s a bunch of chains,” he sighed.
Not moving from the former Oriental Textile Mill on 22nd St. at Lawrence: Tycer’s Kraftsmen Bakery in the same location.
- Textile Takes a Summer Vacation [Eating Our Words]
- Previously on Swamplot: No White Tablecloths: Kraftsmen and Textile in the Heights
Photo of 611 W. 22nd St.: Heights Blog
” most surprisingly — the Post Oak/Galleria area. ” thats surely sarcasm right? not a shock to go where the money is. not a shock that people dont want to drop 100+ a head in an old factory. muchless anywhere outside of la/ny. it was always a cool concept to me, but could never justify the cost.
Funny how the restaurants that seem to last are not “chef” driven but focus on the customer experience. RDG may have a famous chef but he never forgets the customers spend their money for the total experience, not to pay homage.
If you’re lucky you get out of there at 100$/head.. but if you don’t mind drinking water you might be able to.. We had a nice time there the one time we went, but could never justify the cost to go more than that.. It wasn’t that kind of place where you’d just pop in for dinner.. you had to make an event out of it.. and maybe that was too much for most. It certainly was for us. I buy my theatre tickets 3 months in advance.. not my meals.. Good luck in River Oaks/Galleria!
Well, at least he didn’t say “Houston isn’t ready for us.”
With the exception of desserts, Textile seemed a little phoned-in to me. The menu was oddly static for a chef-driven restaurant.
I’d like to see Tycer open a small Kraftsmen storefront in that space, since it’d be nice to be able to get good bread that close to home. I also wouldn’t mind being able to buy some of Plinio’s foie gras ice cream.
Since they have a private club license, it’d also not be a bad spot for a small cocktail bar with some high-end bar snacks (a la Branch Water Tavern).
I agree the menu got stuck in a rut — and while the food was fantastic, if one is shelling out that kind of scratch, it’d be nice to see a little more effort.
I also agree that a Kraftsmen storefront would do extremely well at that location.
I try not to eat in the Galleria area unless I need to meet someone halfway from somewhere, but it’s true, there are very few good choices out that way. Basically just Berryhill. RDG is no Cafe Annie….