Since 1969, restaurant, hotel, travel & other witty reviews by a handpicked, worldwide team of discerning professionals—and your views, too.


News for Restaurants in Houston
August 2012 Archive

Search / Openings / Closings / News Bytes / Culinary Events / Wine Dinners / Sign up for our free, monthly newsletter / News Archive

HOUSTON RESTAURANT NEWS

Openings

Oxheart is a joint project from from chef Justin Yu, pastry chef Karen Man and sommelier/GM Justin Vann. This progressive restaurant presents three prix-fixe menus that change often. Guests might encounter dishes such as braised young goat with spices, boiled peanuts, sweet peppers and black garlic. Oxheart, 1302 Nance St., Houston, TX 77002, 832-830-8592.
 
Brio Tuscan Grille has opened a location in River Oaks in the former Pesce space. The Italian restaurant offers generous portions of seafood, steaks and chops; made-from-scratch pastas; flatbreads and a wide assortment of desserts. A $5 martini night occurs every Wednesday in the bar. For more information, visit www.BrioItalian.com. Brio Tuscan Grille, 3029 Kirby Dr., Houston, TX 77098, 713-528-8200.
 
Roots Juice Bar has opened in Houston German Mosquera, the chef/owner of Roots Bistro, now has his own juice bar next door. This summer, Mosquera opened Roots Juice Bar at 504 Westheimer Road. “Roots Juice was a natural extension of the bistro and shares our commitment to working with the best of farm fresh ingredients that are locally sourced,” Mosquera says. “Our goal was to create a fun and casual, coffee shop-like environment that would serve both grab-and-go needs and as a gathering place in the Montrose area.” Besides fresh fruit and vegetable juices, Roots Juice offers seasonal breakfast and lunch items that are vegetarian and often gluten-free. Roots Juice Bar, 507 Westheimer Rd., Houston, TX 77006, 713-524-1000.
 
BB's Café recently opened its fourth Houston location in Greenway Plaza. BB's serves New Orleans food with a Texas influence, such as their signature New Orleans style po' boys overstuffed with filling. The restaurant is open late and is available for dine-in, delivery, takeout and catering. BB’s Café, 3139 Richmond Ave., Houston, TX 77098, 713-807-1300.
 

News Bytes

Changes at T'afia
Big changes at Top Chef Masters’ Monica Pope’s T’afia restaurant in Midtown. She locked the doors August 1 but says she plans to reopen August 14 with a new concept. No word on if she’s planning a name change --- or just what the changes will be --- but celebrity chef Pope has been a staple on the farm-to-fork scene in Houston for decades, supporting local growers and producers and wowing diners at the former Boulevard Bistro and at T’afia since it opened ten years ago. T'afia, 3701 Travis St., Houston, TX 77002, 713-524-6922.
 
Sundown at The Grove
One of the best views in town can be seen from the air-conditioned rooftop deck at The Grove, chef Robert Del Grande’s green restaurant in the middle of downtown’s Discovery Green park. And now, through September 26, you can enjoy Sundown at The Grove. Every Wednesday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. you can enjoy live music, specialty cocktails and complimentary light bites, not to mention a gorgeous view of the sunset against Houston’s downtown skyline. The Grove, 1611 Lamar St., Houston, TX 77010, 713-337-7321.
 

Chef Shuffle

Brooklyn Athletic Club is set to open in September, taking over the space currently occupied by Zimm's Little Deck. Chef Shepard Ross, sommelier and co-owner of The Glass Wall, will create American- and Italian-influenced cuisine reminiscent of Brooklyn. Ross plans on expanding the patio so guests will be able to play croquet, badminton, bocce and horseshoes. He's also adding a second bar area, with new beer, wine, and cocktail selections. Brooklyn Athletic Club, 601 Richmond Ave., Houston, TX 77006, no phone available.
 

Closings

CLOSED FOR GOOD
Take your taste buds on a walk down memory lane! Check out our exclusive closed restaurant database for Houston to virtually visit your favorite dining spots from yesteryear. Zula, R.I.P.

Adios, Ava. Fans of Robert Del Grande’s Ava Kitchen & Whiskey Bar were saddened by the closing but found solace just upstairs. Ava was part of a Schiller Del Grande two-restaurant, two-story concept in the multi-use West Ave center in Upper Kirby. But Ava never really took off and the decision was made to close the downstairs eatery and merge the best menu items with the upstairs Alto Pizzera. The two restaurants shared en entranceway that West Ave will now separate; plans are for a steakhouse to go into the old Ava space. Ava Kitchen & Whiskey Bar, West Ave, 2800 Kirby Dr., Houston, TX 77098, no phone.
 

CULINARY EVENTS
Want to
learn to cook? Try new dishes? Meet a foodie friend for fun? Check out our compilation of culinary events in your area.


View our calendar of Wine Dinners & Tastings in Houston

Current News View archived news: October 2013 | September 2013 | August 2013 | July 2013 | June 2013 | May 2013 | April 2013 | March 2013 | February 2013 | January 2013 | December 2012 | November 2012 | October 2012 | September 2012 | August 2012 | July 2012 | June 2012 | May 2012 | April 2012 | March 2012 | February 2012 | January 2012 | December 2011 | November 2011 | October 2011 | September 2011 | August 2011 | July 2011 | June 2011 | May 2011 | April 2011 | March 2011 | February 2011 | January 2011 | December 2010 | November 2010 | October 2010 | September 2010 | August 2010 | July 2010 | June 2010 | May 2010 | April 2010 | March 2010 | February 2010 | January 2010 | December 2009 | November 2009 | October 2009 | September 2009 | August 2009 | July 2009 | June 2009 | May 2009 | April 2009 | March 2009 | February 2009 | November 2008 | June 2008 | May 2008 | March 2008



VALENTINE'S DAY WINES

Add wine to the celebration of love, curated by GAYOT´s Wine & Spirits Editor.

Check the list.

CHAMPAGNE COCKTAILS

For a rosé bubbly Valentine's Day celebration.

Get the recipes.

GAYOT'S RESTAURANT AWARDSOver the years, we have been electing restaurants to be on GAYOT's Yearly Restaurant Awards.

Check the list.