Winter 2021

Special Promotion Memorial Hermann’s 10 Tips for a Healthier Life

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ADVERTORIAL

NEW YEAR, NEW YOU: 10 TIPS FOR LIVING A HEALTHIER LIFE (HINT: DON’T START BY SETTING RESOLUTIONS)

Eva Ayala, DO Family Medicine Doctor Memorial Hermann Medical Group

Rachel Kelt, MD Pediatrician Children’s Memorial Hermann Pediatrics

Edward Nicklas, II, MD Endocrinologist Memorial Hermann Medical Group

Sonia Singh, MD Internist Memorial Hermann Medical Group

ADVERTORIAL

We’ve finally bid adieu to 2020, and with COVID-19 vaccines now granted Emergency Use Authorization, we’re counting on a brighter year ahead. If there’s one thing we’ve learned from the pandemic, it’s that life is precious. We can’t take our health for granted. And selfcare is not a luxury.

But how do we go about transforming today’s good intentions into lasting good habits? Physicians from Memorial Hermann Medical Group and Children’s Memorial Hermann Pediatrics offer their top tips for living longer, healthier lives.

1. Know where you stand.

“Your first stop should be your primary care doctor for a physical,” says family medicine doctor Eva Ayala, DO. A complete physical might include an evaluation of your health history and your family’s medical history, a depression screen, a physical examination and a check of your key health statistics, including blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar and body mass index (BMI).

Know Your Numbers For optimal health, keep your numbers within these ranges: • Blood sugar Prediabetes: HbA1c less than 6% Diabetes: BbA1c less than 7% • Blood pressure Less than 130/80 • Blood cholesterol Total cholesterol 125 to 200mg/dL and LDL less than 100mg/dL for men and women ages 20 and older • Body weight Body mass index (BMI) of 18.6 – 24.9 Waistline smaller than 35 inches for women and 40 inches for men.

If your critical numbers fall outside these ranges, work with your doctor to develop a plan to reach these goals.

ADVERTORIAL

2. Set goals, not resolutions.

Studies show that 80 percent of New Year’s resolutions fail by February. Instead of making resolutions, create lifelong habits.

Choose a small number of goals that are most important to your short- and long-term health and wellbeing. For each, identify concrete steps you can take toward achievement. Track your progress, and celebrate successes along the way.

3. Get screened.

It’s true: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Early detection is one of the best defenses against serious illness.

Screenings for breast, cervical, prostate, colorectal, lung, skin and other cancers save lives. Your family medicine doctor can help you determine which screenings are right for you.

4. Get vaccinated.

Vaccines and immunizations protect you and your family from preventable disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), vaccines are available for numerous deadly diseases, from chickenpox to whooping cough. Your family medicine doctor and pediatrician can help keep you on track.

Vaccines by Disease According the CDC, vaccines are available for these dangerous or deadly diseases. Work with your primary care physician and your child’s pediatrician to get and stay on track.

• • • • • •

Chickenpox (Varicella) COVID-19 Diphtheria Flu (Influenza) Hepatitis A & Hepatitis B Hib (Haemophilus influenzae type b) • HPV (Human Papillomavirus) • Measles

• • • • • • • • •

Meningococcal Mumps Pneumococcal Polio (Poliomyelitis) Rotavirus Rubella (German Measles) Shingles (Herpes Zoster) Tetanus (Lockjaw) Whooping Cough (Pertussis)

5. Get moving.

Regular exercise should be part of every plan. And you don’t need a gym membership or expensive equipment to stay in shape. Start by walking. (Bonus: Walking is good for your physical and mental health.) Pediatrician Rachel Kelt, MD, suggests involving your kids, especially teens. “Kids have been inside for almost a year now, and a lot of them are gaining weight.

I try to motivate my patients as a family unit to get outside and do something together. Parents and kids can encourage each other,” says Dr. Kelt. It’s always a good idea to check with your doctor before starting a new exercise regimen.

6. Prioritize your mental health.

Our physical health is just one aspect of our whole being. Take stock and set goals around both your physical and mental wellbeing. “If you’re feeling down and anxious, talk to your doctor,” says Dr. Ayala. “People think, ‘It’s just me,’ but I always try to reassure my patients that they are not alone. Anxiety and depression are more common than you think, especially now.”

And adults aren’t the only ones struggling. Dr. Kelt says COVID-19 has taken an emotional toll on kids, especially teens. “Small children can sense that their parents are nervous.

Teenagers are used to hanging out with their friends and are feeling the isolation,” says Dr. Kelt. “They need someone they feel comfortable talking to about what they’re feeling.”

About Memorial Hermann Medical Group and Children’s Memorial Hermann Pediatrics West University The new 65-exam-room West University location offers 20 physicians ready to care for the entire family, providing family and internal medicine services, endocrinology and gynecology through Memorial Hermann Medical Group as well as pediatric care through Children’s Memorial Hermann Pediatrics. West University patients will benefit from free onsite parking, onsite lab services, convenient urgent care services next door and imaging and diagnostic services just down the street. MHMG West University is the ideal location for patients and consumers in Houston’s inner loop and the Texas Medical Center.

SAFE WAIT™

Protecting your health has never been more essential. Memorial Hermann Medical Group has put new safeguards in place to protect everyone. Whether you opt to see your doctor in person or through a Virtual Office Visit, you can feel good about staying healthy.

ADVERTORIAL

7. Manage stress.

Internal medicine and nutrition specialist Sonia Singh, MD, says stress management, like diet and exercise, can positively affect your short- and long-term health. She recommends practices such as mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), meditation, gratitude and journaling. “They’re free and effective, with no negative side effects,” she says.

9. Watch food portions.

American portion sizes have gotten out of hand, especially in restaurants, contributing to the rising obesity rate. Educate yourself and your family about healthy portion sizes. For starters, a portion of meat, poultry or fish is 2-3 ounces, about the size of a deck of cards. Dr. Singh recommends cooking more meals at home, which enables you to know exactly what’s going into your food and manage portion sizes.

8. Eat whole food.

“Dine from the garden, the hen house and the sea,” says Dr. Singh, who recommends eating a plant-based diet. “Replacing meat and processed foods with fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds and whole grains can reduce your risk of cancer and improve your immunity, cardiovascular health and longevity.”

Dr. Kelt suggests involving preteens in meal planning. “Kids ages 8, 9 and 10 want to have some control. It’s also a time when lifelong habits are formed. Let them help place your curbside grocery shopping order online or let them pick out a vegetable they’ve never had and help prepare it.”

Healthy Portion Sizes According to the American Heart Association, you may be surprised to learn these are serving sizes: • • • • • • • •

1 slice of bread ½ cup rice or pasta (cooked) 1 small piece of fruit (super-large apples are 2+ servings) 1 wedge of melon ¾ cup fruit juice 1 cup milk or yogurt 2 oz. cheese (about the size of a domino) 2-3 oz. meat, poultry or fish (this is about the size of a deck of cards)

10.Lose the excess weight.

Being significantly overweight can lead to life-threatening illnesses, like type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, heart disease and stroke. Obesity also increases your risk of developing serious complications from COVID-19.

Endocrinologist Edward Wilson Nicklas II, MD, says, “Losing weight can be challenging, given patients’ busy schedules and the potential emotional ties to eating.” He counsels his patients on proven ways to lose weight, including nutrition, exercise and, in some cases, weight loss surgery. “There are a lot of studies that support the efficacy of gastric surgery in improving health,” he says.

Make a fresh start in 2021.

Schedule an appointment today Visit memorialhermann.org/mhmg or call 832.658.6464.

Advancing health. Personalizing care.

Contents

62

10 PUBLISHER’S LETTER 12 EDITOR’S LETTER 14 CITYBOOK AT LARGE

Feeder 17 NEWS New museum shows, party games with a Symphony conductor and spring-sational accessories! Plus: It’s time to ‘Branch’ out.

22 DESIGN Pan-tone it down, or play it up: the season’s must-have décor in pandemic-inspired hues.

34 NEWSTONIAN The Senegal-born manager of Houston’s hottest new restaurant trades Manhattan for Montrose.

Features 56 CALL IT A COMEBACK! Restaurant industry survivors serve up sexy seasonal fashions — with a side of can-do optimism!

62 DEVOURING HOUSTON After the restaurant industry’s wildest year ever, the best the city has to offer — from caviar to comfort food — is on the menu.

Book Reports 74 DINING Inside Houston’s Vietnamese-food craze. Plus: Two Houston institutions celebrate milestones, and deep inside Turner’s.

33 MUSIC Indie-rock trio The Soft Wear channels major 2020 energy on its raw debut album.

78 TRAVEL With everything from high-end modern Mex to Asian-barbecue fusion food, a getaway to Austin is more delicious than ever.

34 GIVING BACK With its new app, Houston-based org Lemonade Day is showing kids around the world how to squeeze the most out of entrepreneurship.

82 GUIDEBOOK 88 SECOND GUESS

36 DUOS On the CityBook & Co. podcast, Steve and Dan Zimmerman explore the rich history and bright future of their famous La Colombe d’Or hotel ahead of its grand reopening.

6 | houstoncitybook.com

On the Cover This issue of ‘CityBook’ features two covers, one with Gabrielle McTopy in Michael Kors and the other with Chris Wise in Hugo Boss, both shot by Ashkan Roayaee.

Equipment repair & installation Advanced diagnostics Weekly maintenance Renovations & Pool School Fully licensed & insured

JEFF GREMILLION Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor

Evan W. Black

Creative Director

Patrick Magee

Style Editor-at-Large Senior Stylist FR c o n s E E p o ol s clean ultation & ide — for — regular filter ly $ ne when w custom 80 this a ers d ment ioned is

Nicholas Bagwell, owner

Podcast Producer

Kate Stukenberg Todd Ramos Luke Brawner

Writers

Chris Becker, Leah Cast, Holly Crawford, Brant Croucher, Ray Dennison, Lawrence Elizabeth Knox, Zachary McKenzie, Ed Nawotka, Mellanie Perez, Mai Pham, Tara Seetharam, Natalia Gonzalez Blanco Serrano and Marcia Smart

Photographers & Illustrators

Dionne Christiansen, Greta Connolly, Fulton Davenport, Jenn Duncan, Kelli Durham, Kirsten Gilliam, Carla Gomez, Jhane Hoang, Shannon O’Hara, Daniel Ortiz, Phoebe Rourke, Ashkan Roayaee, Debora Smail, Julie Soefer, Al Torres and Steven Visneau

832.992.3631 radiantpoolstx.com Stylists & Groomers

Edward Sanchez for Edward Sanchez Cosmetics

LISA HOLTHOUSE Executive Publisher Sales Director

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Find your next podcast at milieumedia.com and join a neighborhood of storytellers.

Peter Remington

Associate Publishers

Lisa Appleby and Jennifer Kahlden

Operations Director

Eric Holden

Technology Director

Christopher J. Nodd

Advisors & Partners

M. Sonny Garza and David Paul Rabalais

Accountant

Christopher Doyle

945 McKinney Street, Suite 119, Houston, Texas 77002 832.514.3001 Phone | 832.514.3002 Fax FOR SALES INFORMATION sales@houstoncitybook.com TO CONTACT AN EDITOR evan@houstoncitybook.com

President and Chief Executive Officer Jeff Gremillion Vice President Lisa Holthouse Chief Operations Officer Eric Holden Chief Technology Officer Christopher J. Nodd Advisors M. Sonny Garza and David Paul Rabalais Style Editor-at-Large Kate Stukenberg

Publisher’s Letter

I LISA HOLTHOUSE Executive Publisher

pivoted and turned their lives and restaurants upside down in order to keep serving their local patrons in a safe and delectable manner. And we owe it to them to honor them by continuing to support them like never before. As they adapt and innovate, it’s a wonderful reminder of the greatness of our local community.

It brings me such joy that our creative editorial team chose to enlist some of Houston’s local hospitality workforce for this issue’s fashion shoot. Nobody is more deserving; I place them right up there on a pedestal with our frontline workers who have given their lives to save Houston over the past tumultuous year.

As wonderful as it’s been to spend quiet dinners at home around the dining table, it’s time to get out, Houston! It’s time to march into our local eateries (which by the way are safer than eating at home with a group of friends!) and support our fellow comrades in the restaurant industry.

They deserve our love and patronage. They are working hard to serve their city and their country, one dish at a time.

photo by steven visneau; shot at omni houston

10 | houstoncitybook.com

imagine there has been no industry outside restaurants and hospitality, across the globe, that has been more negatively impacted — borderline devastated — in the last nearly one year by the pandemic. According to a study by the National Restaurant Association, 17 percent of eateries — more than 110,000 — have shuttered either long-term or permanently across our country. With more people eating at home, along with the indoor dining bans and rules, our beloved restaurant workers are grappling to find ways to stay relevant and afloat.

It’s times like these that I’m thankful to live in Texas — and more so, in Houston, Texas. Our restaurant industry friends are strong, resilient, resourceful and innovative. And although many are suffering great and unexpected losses, they are standing strong!

I have nothing but utmost admiration for them.

This annual food issue is feeling more special than ever before. I’m viewing it as an homage to our comrades in the Houston food industry.

These professionals have

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CityBook At Large Updates

from HoustonCityBook.com & beyond

ICYMI

Insta-Worthy Moments

Here are a handful of hits from our social-media feed. Follow @houstoncitybook for more!

WELLNESS

Trellis Spa Reopens as Largest in Texas

After the year that was 2020, what better time to prioritize self-care and relaxation? CityBook Digital reported that the Houstonian’s famous Trellis Spa will reopen in February, boasting a massive expansion to create a 26,000-square-foot indoor-outdoor spa experience. The spa’s new dining room overlooks the oaks for which the Houstonian campus is known.

January 4 Stages announced its updated spring season, which includes a six-week run of the crew’s popular Stages Studio Sessions.

January 15 The grand opening of Memorial Trail Ice House drew social-media buzz from folks looking for options for safe, outdoor socializing.

FOOD

MUSIC

Ghost Kitchen Makes To-Go Orders Easier than Ever

Houston Hip-Hop Star Talks Delicious New Single

We reported on the continution of the ghost-kitchen trend into 2021, with Berg Hospitality’s new Galleria-area Fair Food Co. offering pickup or delivery of items from three of its concepts: B.B. Lemon, B.B. Italia and the Butcher Shop at B&B.

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Jonathan Harris, known by his stage persona Nate Drop, gave CityBook a sneak peek of his new single, “Cornbread,” homaging the delectable and buttery confection — and all of its familial significance, as realized during Covid.

December 18 Asia Society launched a program called Artists on Site, which supports Houston BIPOC artists with funding and work spaces.

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Winter 2021 STYLE, CULTURE, BUSINESS & MORE

Let There Be Light THIS SPRING, the Museum of Fine Arts will illuminate the United States’ first large-scale exhibition of lighting design. Electrifying Design (Feb. 21-May 16) highlights how objects — such as this Go-Off Sphere Hanging Light by Ron Arad — blend “advances in technology with artistic expression,” per the museum’s Gary Tinterow. The show features 85 pieces divided among three groups: Typologies, reflecting the evolution of lamps; the Lightbulb and its various forms; and Quality of Light, which explores different lighting effects.

–evan w. black

FEEDER News

Art

THE DISPATCH

‘WILD’ THINGS!

HOTELS

The Four Seasons has debuted its expanded grand ballroom, along with revamped meeting spaces.

Designer Meyer Davis, who’s responsible for the living-room-style reno of the Four Seasons’ lobby, was charged with increasing the gathering space by 150 percent, and used walnut wood paneling, accents of brass and oilrubbed bronze, and custom light fixtures throughout to bring it all together.

JEWELRY

Fabergé celebrates the Year of the Ox with a beautiful Heritage Surprise Locket ($10,500) featuring red guilloche enamel for luck and posterity, and 15 sparkling diamonds set in 18 karat gold. It opens to reveal a golden ox. It’s the twelfth and final Fabergé Chinese Zodiac locket. faberge.com

CULTURE

In Music Illustrated, the Houston Symphony utilizes Google’s virtual reality technology to create life-size art that moves with the music in real time. In addition to two socially distant in-person shows Feb. 13-14, the production will be livestreamed on the 13th. houston symphony.org

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Design

Worth a ‘Look’

M

other-daughter power pair Sylvia Longoria Dorsey and Elizabeth Dorsey Fertitta, who together own the high-end homegoods store Longoria Collection in Uptown Park, have launched a new brand of luxury linens called Look Lifestyle.

The Italian-made line, which is available online and through Longoria Collection, includes sheeting, quilts and pillows; American-made down comforters

Sylvia Longoria Dorsey and Elizabeth Dorsey Fertitta in Look Lifestyle

and pillows are available as well.

But the hallmark of Look Lifestyle just might be the patent-pending Boobie Pillow.

“Every side-sleeping woman needs a Boobie Pillow,” says Sylvia, who designed the hourglass-shaped item for her own use. It’s made to support a woman’s chest and protect her décolletage from wrinkles. “It can and will reverse lines when used nightly,” she insists. The pillow is available in blush or white cotton or silk. looklifestyle.com –ewb

THE CAMH closed its doors in March due to Covid. Its reopening is almost as hotly anticipated as its latest exhibition, Wild Life, on view through Aug. 9. It brings together colorful, uniquely shaped paintings spanning the career of the late Elizabeth Murray, and the sculptural work of New York-based rising-star Jessi Reaves. The title of the show takes its name from a title of a painting by Murray — although it’s fitting for life mid-pandemic, too. camh.org

‘C Painting’

by Murray

Design

Hopping the Pond British design retailer Oka has announced plans for rapid U.S. expansion — beginning with a Houston storefront! In early spring, find furniture, lighting, decorative objects and more in the former Wisteria space on West Alabama at Edloe. oka.com –ewb

FEEDER News

THE DISPATCH

REAL ESTATE

Defying a pandemic, the Houston real estate market cracked the code to unprecedented success. Per HAR, for only the second time in Houston’s market history, the annual total property sales topped 100,000 — and totaled a record-breaking $35.3 billion.

The average sales price for a single-family home in 2020 was up nearly 6 percent, to $324,069.

July produced the greatest one-month sales volume of all time, and by year’s end, months of inventory — the amount of time it would take to sell every home on the market at the current pace — was down to just 1.9. That’s the Houston market’s lowest level ever.

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On the Map

Spring (Branch) Has Sprung A residential pocket just outside the Loop has long been a favorite among young families who favor large lots and short commutes. And it seems like the rest of Houston is catching on.

Here are the hot restos, cool bars and locavore-chic spots on tap for Spring Branch in 2021.

–ewb, illustration by dionne christensen 1 A 2.4-mile segment of the Spring Branch Trail has opened between Blalock and Wirt, boasting a 10-footwide paved pathway.

The $1.7 mil section is part of a plan to connect West Houston to White Oak, Buffalo Bayou Park, the Med Center and the East End via bayou greenways. 2 Lazy Oaks Beer Garden opened in 2019 and

heartily withstood Covid, thanks to its ample outdoor space, craft beer selection and comfort food like frito pie and house-smoked wings.

3 Degust, a tastingmenu destination helmed

by Brandon Silva, and the adjacent cocktail bar Diversión opened on Long Point at the beginning of the year. The former features a rotating lineup of small plates

that draw from Spanish, Japanese and Mexican influences; plant-based and omnivore menus are available for three seatings nightly. The “immersive” cocktails next-door are not to be missed. 4 Erin and Patrick Feges will open a long-awaited, patioperfect outpost of their popular Feges BBQ later this year. In the same shopping center on Long

Point, guests will soon find Freedom Floral gift and flower shop; Kevin Floyd’s self-serve wine bar Shoot the Moon; and popular inner-Loop coffeeshop Slowpokes.

5 The first of a new restaurant class to arrive on Long Point, in 2019, Korean steakhouse Bori quickly gained a following for its high-quality meats and matching service.

CULTURE

The Alley’s digital season includes several short plays, all revamped classics, translated and directed by Rob Melrose. The Stronger, starring Melissa Pritchett, above, runs through Feb. 7; A Half Sheet of Paper streams through Feb. 14. And catch The Man with the Flower in His Mouth Feb. 12-March 14. alleytheatre.org

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THE DISPATCH

Sense of Direction Steven Reineke

COMEDY

Houstonians have four chances to catch Heather McDonald’s Juicy Scoop tour at Improv Houston on Feb. 12-13. improv houston.com

FOOD

Two Truths & a Lie

Codes of Conduct Based in New York, Houston Symphony Pops conductor Steven Reineke is accustomed to spending time on Amtrak trains and planes — albeit a great deal less post-Covid. But the coming years are sure to bring plenty of cross-country travel for Reinicke, who just extended his contract here until the 2026-2027 season. Known for reaching new demographics through cross-genre collaborations with artists like rapper Nas, he insists the Houston Symphony will “continue to push the envelope” of what an orchestra can do with popular music. “This is not your grandparents’ Pops.” Can you spot which of these fun facts about him is off-key?

–lawrence elizabeth knox, photo by claire mcadams 2. He has dined on monkey brains that were served on a silver platter while assisting his mentor Erich Kunzel in Taipei, Taiwan.

1 is a lie, although collaborating with Parton would be his dream.

1. At age 37, his childhood dream came true. He was invited to sing an impromptu duet with Dolly Parton at a concert in Atlanta, where he frequently makes guest-conducting appearances.

answer:

The $35 million Houston Farmers Market on Airline Drive is nearly complete.

The finished development will include 10 restaurants (two from Underbelly Hospitality!), stalls for 65 local purveyors, and a 40-foot, open-air pavilion highlighting street-food and counter-service vendors. Elsewhere in the market, which is being developed by MLB Capital Partners, expect spaces dedicated to chef demonstrations, live music and more.

3. His alternate career might have been in the field of geology or plate tectonics. He has explored several National Parks, hiking to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and back three times.

Jewelry

CULTURE

Society for the Performing Arts collaborates with National Geographic for a naturally fascinating virtual production featuring biologist-turnedphotographer Prasanjeet Yadav, who will discuss the intersection of science and photography, on Feb. 9 at 6pm.

20 | houstoncitybook.com

Rosy Disposition Time to put on the rose-colored glasses for 2021! Tiffany & Co. has a number of gifts for gals who may be heart to please on Valentine’s Day. Platinum bands with colored gemstones and rows of diamonds fall squarely in the can’t-go-wrong cateogory. In the Galleria, tiffany.com

FEEDER News

Style

word on the avenue FASHIONABLE content-creator Lyndsey Zorich’s brick-andmortar boutique, The Avenue, is now open in The Cottages at Matt Camron on Westheimer.

Her shop, which started as an e-commerce site to supplement her blog, is full of fab finds like personalized baubles, staple denim, unique tabletop items — and this spring-sational Butter mini shopper by Blame Lilac. $515, onlyontheavenue.co

Wellness

Double the Fun Rise and shine! Duo Coffee & Pilates is now open on Westheimer at Greenbriar. Within the bright and airy space are six reformer machines, plus space for mat pilates and yoga; the cafe serves Tenfold coffee, along with juices, pastries, bowls and kombucha. duohouston.com

THE DISPATCH

DATE NIGHT

Rooftop Cinema Club launched in Houston in 2018, and has since reimagined its open-air movie-viewing experience as a drive-in. Located in Houston’s East End, The Drive-In off Navigation boasts Houston’s largest drive-in screen, in front of which up to 200 cars can park and enjoy views of the Downtown skyline.

Menu items from food trucks like Kurbside Eatz and Sizzles HTX are available. Tickets range from $22-36 per vehicle, with monthly Community Screenings that cost just $5-10 per car, with proceeds benefiting local nonprofit The Beacon. rooftopcinema club.com

Art

Blast Off!

L

ately, Houston has welcomed several interactive art galleries aimed at providing social-media users with picture-perfect backdrops. A new museum is taking that concept to the next level.

Seismique — a 40,000-square-foot space on Highway 6 at Westheimer — features the colorful, tech-savvy works of more than two dozen artists. Through the use of projectors, holograms, motion tracking and other techniques, the museum is both playful and thought-provoking, designed to let visitors find inspiration through exploration.

For example, Worm Hole, at left, is a trippy tunnel, while a gallery room called Venus emulates the surface of the planet using crocheted hammocks and hanging pendulums for climbing and swinging. seismique.com –ewb

WINE TIME

Uplifting Wines is a new Houston-based biz committed to making wine fun, accessible — and safe. They’ll provide all the goods — including snacks like charcuterie, if you so choose — for pickup or delivery, and conduct a virtual tasting session for individuals, couples or groups.

In-person, socially distanced, outdoor tastings are also available. upliftingwines.com

21 | houstoncitybook.com

FEEDER Design

1

Sunny Daze The clouds of 2020 are beginning to part, and the sun rays

of a new year are trying to peek through. It makes sense that the Pantone colors of 2021 are Ultimate Gray and Illuminating, the latter a sunny shade of yellow. While gray can be seen as symbolically ambiguous and unending — fitting, as the pandemic rages on — it is also familiar and comforting. And a pop of saturated lemon-yellow, as in an accent tray or pillow, lifts both hues into a new and brighter place. – evan w. black

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1. Vigor lamp, $138, at High Fashion Home 2. Avalon Terre d’H pillow, $1,050, at Hermes 5

3. Cascade Iris rug, at Madison Lily 4. Wooden tray, $55,

by Deny Designs at Target 5. Beatrix pleated chair, $269, at High Fashion Home 3 4

FEEDER Newstonian

Making Moves Trading Manhattan for Montrose, the manager of Houston’s hottest new restaurant is feeling right at home.

By Ray Dennison, Photo by Julie Soefer

O

ver the last decade, this city has experienced an influx of diverse, ambitious individuals eager to make the most of Houston’s opportunities — and the pandemic isn’t slowing that trend. Last year, Cherif Mbodji moved from New York to H-Town to help open a fine-dining concept — one that not only debuted during Covid, but has thrived, becoming a culinary standout. At Bludorn, tables are booked and reviews are glowing; at home, Mbodji’s family is taking to its new city with enthusiasm.

Born and raised in Senegal, Mbodji, 41, first came to the U.S. in 2000 to study business management at Western Michigan University. He moved to New York and spent a decade climbing the ladder at prestigious restaurants, including Michelinstarred Bouley, Daniel and Café Boulud. “It was all about personal relationships, with staff, guests and chefs,” he says. “Top service is about being in the moment and giving

24 | houstoncitybook.com

your full attention to what is in front of you.” Mbodji had always entertained dreams of opening his own place, so when his longtime colleague and favorite chef Aaron Bludorn decided to do just that, Mbodji jumped on the next flight to Houston to run the service side of the operation. “It was a no-brainer.”

Mbodji arrived in July, at the height of the pandemic’s summer spike and its accompanying restrictions. He and the Bludorns used the time as a learning opportunity to observe best practices at other high-caliber establishments in town. Because they were still constructing their space, carved from the former Pass & Provisions on Taft, they created a layout fully focused on social distancing and cleanliness. Mbodji was also able to establish strict protocols for his service team’s safety from day one.

“The hiring phase was completely new for me,” Mbodji says. “In the hospitality business, appearance and presentation are so important, so at first it was strange to not see people’s faces in interviews. I then realized, however, that what I really am looking for is character and personality. I learned to see through the mask, and to feel their energy.”

Meanwhile, Mbodji is also relishing family time. He lives in Timbergrove, and his 14-minute commute helps balance work with time with his wife and three kids. They love the zoo, biking along the bayous and visiting Galveston.

“My children recently discovered queso; our neighborhood favorite is Superica.

Ask any night what they want for dinner, and they’ll scream queso,” he says with a laugh. Mbodji’s wife, Monica Bondi, is also settling in. In New York, she owned a pilates studio, and inspired by Houston’s entrepreneurial spirit, she’s looking into opening one here.

“When we first arrived, we were struck by the diversity. As a mixed family, that’s very important to us. I am from Senegal, my wife is Italian, and we want to raise our children in a safe environment where race is not an issue.

I came with an open mind, and I was surprised on so many levels,” Mbodji says. “In New York, you are running so fast that you don’t enjoy the scenery. I don’t regret any of it — every experience led to another — but I thank my lucky stars that I’m in a place where I can experience life at a different pace. I feel more connected to the ground, to the people walking past and saying hello. I’m happy to be here.” 

New Year, New Home Find your place in 2021

30 Robinlake Lane Memorial 5 BD • 4.3 BA • 6,930 SF • $3,395,000

Kim Whaley 713.922.6110 kim.whaley@compass.com

311 Lodge Hollow Court

9 Memorial Point Lane

Memorial 4 BD • 4.3 BA • 6,297 SF • $1,975,000

Memorial Villages 4 BD • 3.2 BA • 4,757 SF • $1,995,000

Shelly Porter 713.446.2473 shelly.porter@compass.com

All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only. Information is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale, or withdrawal without notice. All measurements and square footages are approximate, but not guaranteed and should be independently verified. This is not intended to solicit property already listed. Nothing herein shall be construed as legal, accounting or other professional advice outside the realm of real estate brokerage. Compass is a licensed real estate broker. Equal Housing Opportunity.

12010 Surrey Lane Bunker Hill Village 5 BD • 5.1 BA • 6,753 SF • $2,750,000

Karen Harberg 281.546.9444 karen.harberg@compass.com

1201 Ben Hur Drive

5704 Tanglewood Cove Street

Spring Valley Village 6 BD • 6.2 BA • 6,477 SF • $2,650,000

Tanglewood Area 4 BD • 4.1 BA • 4,543 SF • $1,700,000

All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only. Information is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale, or withdrawal without notice. All measurements and square footages are approximate, but not guaranteed and should be independently verified. This is not intended to solicit property already listed. Nothing herein shall be construed as legal, accounting or other professional advice outside the realm of real estate brokerage. Compass is a licensed real estate broker. Equal Housing Opportunity.

9010 Wickford Drive Memorial 4 BD • 5.2 BA • 8,372 SF • $4,849,000

9203 Cliffwood Drive

4534 Live Oak Street

Willow Meadows 6 BD • 8.2 BA • 9,697 SF • $2,300,000

Bellaire 4 BD • 4.1 BA • 5,102 SF • $1,600,000

Vikki Evans 713.823.3030 vikki.evans@compass.com

All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only. Information is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale, or withdrawal without notice. All measurements and square footages are approximate, but not guaranteed and should be independently verified. This is not intended to solicit property already listed. Nothing herein shall be construed as legal, accounting or other professional advice outside the realm of real estate brokerage. Compass is a licensed real estate broker. Equal Housing Opportunity.

me.Play at home.

2201 Avalon Place RIVER OAKS • 5 BD • 6.2 BA • 7,519 SF • $2,490,000 Robert Bland • 713.252.6588 • rbland@compass.com

Logo or Headshot Area

treet6511 Vanderbilt Street

F

$4,599,000 West University

5-6 BD

6.3 BA

7,509 SF

$4,599,000

g a 20,000Gorgeous sq. ft.

Texas limestone and stucco home featuring a 20,000 sq. ft. wide planklushly hardwood landscaped lot. This home includes handsome wide plank hardwood ® y ceilings with floors, cove extensive millwork, REALTOR seven-foot baseboards, tray ceilings with cove ws that overlook lighting, walls ofGate both713.851.2521 casement that overlookDrive, 222and Laurel Terraceand fixed windows 2418 Potomac ENERGY • $365,000 backyard.

GALLERIA • $1,075,000 mature oaksCORRIDOR and the sprawling

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Logo or Headshot Area

Alex Loyd

alex.loyd@compass.com Lexi Sakowitz Marek • 713.444.4592 Holley Madden • 832.419.1626 lexi.marek@compass.com holley.madden@compass.com

Alex Loyd REALTOR® Unit B 713.851.2521 2418 Potomac Drive, Unit C GALLERIA • $1,185,000 alex.loyd@compass.com Holley Madden • 832.419.1626 holley.madden@compass.com

out d from notice. sources All measurements deemedAll reliable material andbutpresented is subject herein to errors, is intended omissions, forchanges informational in price, purposes condition, only. sale, Information or withdrawal is compiled withoutfrom notice. sources All measurements deemed reliable andbut is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale, or withdrawal without notice. All measurements and material presented herein islisted. intended for informational purposes only.

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be independently verified. This is not intended to solicit property already listed. Nothing herein shall be construed as legal, accounting or other professional advice outside the realm of real estate brokerage. Compass is a licensed real estate broker. Equal Housing Opportunity.

me.Play at home.

414 Wycliffe Drive MEMORIAL • 5 BD • 4.1 BA • 5,000 SF • $1,699,000 Annie Hewitt • 713.725.7875 • annie.hewitt@compass.com

Logo or Headshot Area

reet6511 Vanderbilt Street $4,599,000 West University

5-6 BD

6.3 BA

7,509 SF

$4,599,000

a 20,000Gorgeous sq. ft.

Texas limestone and stucco home featuring a 20,000 sq. ft. wide planklushly hardwood landscaped lot. This home includes handsome wide plank hardwood ® ceilings with floors, cove extensive millwork, REALTOR seven-foot baseboards, tray ceilings with cove 5110 Felipe Unit 311W 4538 Beech Street s that overlook lighting, andSan walls of bothStreet, casement and fixed windows that overlook 713.851.2521 TANGLEWOOD • $850,000 BELLAIRE • $1,748,000 mature oaks and the sprawling backyard.

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Logo or Headshot Area

Alex Loyd

Bill Dodson • 713.628.3914 Lee Kaplan • 281.468.9912 alex.loyd@compass.com bill.dodson@compass.com lee.kaplan@compass.com

Alex Loyd REALTOR® 4243 Bettis Drive 713.851.2521 BRIAR HOLLOW • $579,000 Barbara Josephson & Tania Amin Shirazi alex.loyd@compass.com

713.899.6603 • barbara.josephson@compass.com

rom notice. sources All measurements deemedAll reliable material andbutpresented is subject herein to errors, is intended omissions, forchanges informational in price, purposes condition, only. sale, Information or withdrawal is compiled withoutfrom notice. sources All measurements deemed reliable andbut is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale, or withdrawal without notice. All measurements and All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only. Information is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, counting architectororother engineer. professional square This isfootages not intended are approximate. to solicit property Exactalready dimensions listed. can Nothing be obtained herein by shall retaining be construed the services as legal, of an accounting architect or or other engineer. professional This is not intended to solicit property already listed. Nothing herein shall be construed as legal, accounting or other professional omissions, changes price,Equal condition, or withdrawal without notice. All measurements and square footages are approximate, but not guaranteed and should Housing Opportunity. advice outside the realm of real estate brokerage. Compass is a licensed real estatein broker.

Housingsale, Opportunity.

be independently verified. This is not intended to solicit property already listed. Nothing herein shall be construed as legal, accounting or other professional advice outside the realm of real estate brokerage. Compass is a licensed real estate broker. Equal Housing Opportunity.

me.Play at home.

223 South Fazio Way THE WOODLANDS • 5 BD • 6.2 BA • 7,414 SF • $2,995,000 Robyn Brand • 832.928.4143 • robyn.brand@compass.com

Logo or Headshot Area

treet6511 Vanderbilt Street

F

$4,599,000 West University

5-6 BD

6.3 BA

7,509 SF

$4,599,000

g a 20,000Gorgeous sq. ft.

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Logo or Headshot Area

Alex Loyd

Jill Behrens • 281.797.5293alex.loyd@compass.com Courtney Robertson • 713.557.5943 jill.behrens@compass.com courtney.robertson@compass.com

Alex Loyd REALTOR® 4208 Oberlin Street 713.851.2521 WEST UNIVERSITY • $1,178,000 alex.loyd@compass.com Carol Rowley • 832.277.1552 carol.rowley@compass.com

out d from notice. sources All measurements deemedAll reliable material andbutpresented is subject herein to errors, is intended omissions, forchanges informational in price, purposes condition, only. sale, Information or withdrawal is compiled withoutfrom notice. sources All measurements deemed reliable andbut is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale, or withdrawal without notice. All measurements and material presented herein islisted. intended for informational purposes only.

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be independently verified. This is not intended to solicit property already listed. Nothing herein shall be construed as legal, accounting or other professional advice outside the realm of real estate brokerage. Compass is a licensed real estate broker. Equal Housing Opportunity.

me.Play at home.

1109 Krist Drive

1003 Alexander Street

MEMORIAL • $889,000 Robert Bland • 713.252.6588 rbland@compass.com

HEIGHTS • $1,199,000 Elizabeth Gregory • 713.265.7455 elizabeth.gregory@compass.com

Logo or Headshot Area

treet6511 Vanderbilt Street

F

$4,599,000 West University

5-6 BD

6.3 BA

7,509 SF

Logo or Headshot Area

$4,599,000

g a 20,000Gorgeous sq. ft.

Texas limestone and stucco home featuring a 20,000 sq. ft. wide planklushly hardwood landscaped lot. This home includes handsome wide plank hardwood ® ® y ceilings with floors, cove extensive seven-foot baseboards, REALTOR REALTOR 20040millwork, Keenan Cut Off Road tray ceilings with cove1600 Post Oak Boulevard, ws that overlook lighting, MONTGOMERY and walls of both casement and fixed windows that overlook GALLERIA • $1,395,000 • $3,400,000 713.851.2521 713.851.2521 mature oaks and the sprawling Kecia & Arlene Propertiesbackyard.

Group • 713.367.7333 Dawn Gervais • 832.752.6114

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Alex Loyd

alex.loyd@compass.com kapropertiesgroup@compass.com

Alex Loyd

Unit 1106

alex.loyd@compass.com dawn.gervais@compass.com

out d from notice. sources All measurements deemedAll reliable material andbutpresented is subject herein to errors, is intended omissions, forchanges informational in price, purposes condition, only. sale, Information or presented withdrawal is compiled without from notice.

All measurements deemed reliable andbut is subject to errors, changes in price, condition, sale, or withdrawal measurements and All material herein is sources intended for informational purposes only.omissions, Information is compiled from sources deemed without reliablenotice. but isAllsubject to errors, accounting an architectororother engineer. professional square This isfootages not intended are approximate. to solicit property Exactalready dimensions listed. can Nothing be obtained herein by shall retaining be construed the services as legal, of an accounting architect or or other engineer. professional This is not intended to solicit property already listed. Nothing herein shall be construed as legal, accounting or other professional omissions, changes in price, condition, sale, or withdrawal without notice. All measurements and square footages are approximate, but not guaranteed and should ual Housing Opportunity. advice outside the realm of real estate brokerage. Compass is a licensed real estate broker. Equal Housing Opportunity.

be independently verified. This is not intended to solicit property already listed. Nothing herein shall be construed as legal, accounting or other professional advice outside the realm of real estate brokerage. Compass is a licensed real estate broker. Equal Housing Opportunity.

FEEDER Music

Bunch of Softies The Soft Wear’s Sanchez, Edwards and Price

‘WEAR’ TO NEXT? Indie-rock band The Soft Wear channels the grief and angst of 2020 in a raw debut album. By Daniel Renfrow, Photo by Jhane Hoang

‘I

t’s like 2012, but times 20,” muses a masked Tyler Price, 30, citing the apocalyptic film as he describes the year he and his bandmates, guitarist and vocalist Jose Sanchez, 32, and drummer Allen Edwards, 25, have had. Price provides additional vocals and plays bass guitar and keys in their indierock group The Soft Wear. The trio has gathered (six feet apart) on the grounds of the Menil.

In December, the band, which coalesced in 2018 after a series of fruitful jam sessions before playing its first show at an anniversary party for Montrose dive bar Poison Girl, released its self-titled debut album. The nine-track record, mixed and produced by Poison Moon Records’ Kirk Campbell, has a feeling that makes one nostalgic for the foregone days of live shows. “The music I wanted us to make was music that feels like you’re playing in a basement or at a show,” says Sanchez, noting the band used to perform regular live shows at venues like Shoeshine Charlie’s Big Top Lounge and Continental Club.

“We come from Jonathan Richman, and also Lou Reed,” adds Price of their influences. “That rawness is unapologetic, and that makes it a bit easier in the songwriting process.”

The bulk of the recording of the angsty album happened at

the end of 2019 — before 99.9 percent of all people on earth were forced into cultivating their own level of simmering, social-isolation-induced angst. This worked out quite well for the album. “So much of it was based on my ideas of love, of fate, of running away, of swirling,” says Sanchez. “Now, it kind of feels like everyone is feeling that way. … I feel like it’s time for all of us to acknowledge that in ourselves.”

The band, which used to practice at the East End’s historically decrepit Francisco’s, had originally planned to do some touring after the release of the album, but the pandemic has torpedoed those plans.

“We’re probably pretty rusty now,” laughs Price.

“But I’d love to play a show,” muses a melancholic Edwards.

“Until it feels safe, it won’t feel right,” adds Sanchez.

In spite of the roadblocks, the trio is happy they’ve contributed something worthwhile to the local music community, which Price praises for its innovation and resilience.

“We’re part of the Houston music community that is still releasing stuff. And even though we wrote these songs the year before, we were still working in 2020,” says Price. “It’s super redeeming, in retrospect, knowing that we ... still hustled. It was just a different kind of hustle.”  33 | houstoncitybook.com

FEEDER Giving Back

Perfectly Sweet Sabrina Roesler was named Lemonade Day’s Entrepreneur of the Year in 2020.

Squeeze Play Empowering kids with entrepreneurial drive and an understanding of financial literacy, Houston-based nonprofit Lemonade Day is going global. By Zachary McKenzie, Photo by Phoebe Rourke

S

ugar Land fourth grader Sabrina Roesler lost her father when she was 6. “My dad had brain cancer and we really wanted him to get better, but they didn’t have a cure,” says the now 9-year-old. Even at such a young age, Roesler felt called to turn her situation into something positive — to make lemonade, if you will. After years of practice with plastic playsets and toy lemonade stands, Roesler started a reallife business called Fresh’n Juicy, and decided to donate 10 percent of all sales to the Dr. Marnie Rose Foundation, a Houston brain-cancer-research organization. “It feels like something I have to do, because I loved my dad so much, and I want others to have a second chance if they get diagnosed.”

Roesler learned much of her entrepreneurial skills through Lemonade Day, a Houston-based nonprofit program that has been teaching young people the basics of starting and running a business since 2007. Its new app, My Lemonade Day, will expand the organization’s reach worldwide, and aims to create an entire generation of biz-savvy youngsters — all with the help of the good ol’ fashioned lemonade stand.

Participants of the program — which instructs kids

34 | houstoncitybook.com

of any age how to set and achieve goals and teaches the importance of financial literacy and teamwork — have gone on to achieve great success with their lemonade stands, some even appearing on Shark Tank. Austin teen Mikaila Ulmer, for example, made quite an impression on judge Daymond John when she appeared on the ABC show. The founder of BeeSweet Lemonade, which she conceived during the Lemonade Day program and got picked up by major retailers like Whole Foods, walked away from the tank with a $60,000 investment. Today, the entrepreneur is celebrating 10 years of business success — and even wrote a book, Bee Fearless, Dream Like a Kid, last year.

For her part, 2020 Lemonade Day Entrepreneur of the Year Roesler has her elevator pitch down. “There are no preservatives, and our lemonade is made with brown raw sugar, which is a healthier option,” she says. The savvy marketing is just one of the many skills Roesler came by through her experience with the program. “The ‘pitch your business’ event gives you a chance to talk about your business and that’s how I was able to start my business. I had the best mentor that helped me along the way,” recalls the tiny business owner with poise and eloquence. continued on page 88

The Best You is What We Do

(713) 352-3869 | www.MyBeautifulBody.com

FEEDER Duos

Remaking History Champions of Montrose’s past, hotelier Steve Zimmerman and his developer son Dan are helping shape its future. By Jeff Gremillion, Photo by Kelli Durham

A

s Montrose’s storied La Colombe d’Or hotel readies to reopen after two years of renovation, father-son owner-operators Steve and Dan Zimmerman are reflecting on the history of the place, and its future.

The Zimmermans partnered with the Hines corp in a massive project that includes revamping of the hotel and building a 32-story luxury high-rise, The Residences at La Colombe d’Or, where the hotel’s back ballroom once stood.

Steve, a New Orleans native, says he came to Montrose in the 1960s as a young lawyer and poli-sci prof at the University of St. Thomas, falling in love with the neighborhood’s “a little bit bohemian” vibe. He developed an enthusiasm for real estate and began buying properties around the district — for cheap.

“You could buy a home for in the area for $10,000, with $500 down,” he says. Through realty channels, he received a curious proposition in 1977.

“I got approached very confidentially about buying an old home in Montrose, which turned out to be the Fondren Mansion,” says Steve. Walter Fondren, who built the house in 1923 in a Montrose Boulevard setting that would’ve been considered a bucolic suburb at the time, was the co-founder of ExxonMobil antecedent Humble Oil. The sellers were the Fondren grandchildren. “They told me you probably can’t do anything with the old house, but … if you’re interested, we’ll sell it to you for just land value. And if you have to knock the house down, we’ll give you the money to [do it].”

The only hitch was Steve couldn’t take possession, or even tell anybody he’d bought it, till 1979. “They said grandma is

36 | houstoncitybook.com

still alive. She’s 102 years old and lives in the Fondren wing of Methodist hospital, and we don’t want her to know that the old homestead is being sold and might be torn down.”

Steve made the deal and spent the next 18 months deciding what to do with the property, which also had a 30-year history as a Red Cross operations center. Inspired by visits to a beloved auberge in the South of France, he decided to try his luck as a hotelier. And for the last 40 years he’s run the place, with Dan at his side for the last decade. Notable guests have included Walter Cronkite, archbishop Desmond Tutu and Madonna.

“I had a senator from Louisiana who damn near burned the place down with cigarettes and drinking too much, and all of a sudden the curtains are on fire,” says Steve. “Let’s just say it hasn’t been boring.”

Heading into the next chapter, Steve credits Dan for the bold expansion. “This project wouldn’t have happened without him and his vision,” says the elder Zimmerman.

Dan is an accomplished developer, having recently restored a row of historical buildings Downtown. Still, he plays off the compliment. “Dad had the forethought to take this old mansion and turn it into this fantastic boutique hotel,” he says. “My job was easier. I just had to was expound on that.

And change the plumbing.” 

For much more with Steve and Dan Zimmerman, find CityBook & Co. at HoustonCityBook.com and on Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Spotify.

THRIVE + INSPIRE A SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION

2021

Honoring Houstonians and Houston businesses that persevered and pivoted in 2020 — and are ready to win in a promising new year!

FEATURING CINDY APLANAP, BILL BALDWIN, DR. VANESSA BARROW, PATTY DOMINGUEZ, DR. KATIE EICK, ANDIE TEN HAVE, JON HEINE, BRAD & JOANNA MARKS, GERARD O’BRIEN, MURRY & KAREN PENNER, MADDIE PROFILET, BENJAMIN RANDALL, HENRY RICHARDSON, JAMEY ROOTES, MIMI SPERBER

Makeup by Perfect Pout Houston, Kristin Jones-Coyle Hair by Daina Mitchell

DR. VANESSA BARROW, DPM photos by al torres photography

Owner, Sole Aesthetic

You had to deal with the pandemic crisis in a big way, before most of us, didn’t you? In early March of 2020, I tested positive for Covid. This was before masks, before social distancing, before knowing as much as we do now. Everything came to a screeching halt. It was devastating more so because my practice had just celebrated its two-year anniversary. Unfortunately, I had to let my amazing staff go and focus on keeping my business thriving from bed, behind closed quarantined doors while recuperating from the virus.

How did you find hope in those early days?

During my downtime, I felt that my story could educate and inspire others. I went public with my diagnosis and reached out to the media so that others would be more aware of the experience from symptoms to testing to recovery.

How did you adjust and overcome? How did you reset? Returning to my practice with no supporting staff in the midst of a pandemic forced me to reassess how to manage my business while keeping it safe for all of my patients. I never imagined having to face this type of obstacle, but I am thankful for the learning experiences it has created — which in turn have only made me a stronger, better and more resilient entrepreneur. Inspiration and motivation can come from the most unexpected of places and can change your perspective about how you run your business and who you are as a business owner.

What has the whole experience taught you about yourself? I have ultimately realized that, even presented with the unprecedented trials of 2020, there is no place I would rather be. It only reignited the entrepreneurial fire within me to keep fighting, push through and rise above. And for this I am beyond grateful.

ENVOY MORTGAGE

Benjamin Randall, Premier Loan Originator & Andie Ten Have, Operations Support CityBook: What were your biggest challenges of 2020?

Andie: Hands down it was working from home and taking care of my kids at the same time. My kids may not know the alphabet yet, but they have some episodes of Mickey Mouse club house memorized word for word!

Benjamin: One month was particularly more difficult when several members of my immediate and extended family contracted the Coronavirus.

Fortunately, we all made it through everything okay!

Andie: Because we didn’t know when our kids would go back to school, we had to take it one day at a time. Some days we took it one hour at a time. My husband and I leaned on each other a lot — and we also spent a lot of time outside!

CityBook: What’s the secret to staying hopeful and forward-looking in tough times?

Benjamin: Limiting the amount of bad news you hear is important. Hearing something negative once is enough. You don’t need to hear it 100 times from different sources on every device you own.

Andie: For me, it’s being thankful. It is so easy to concentrate on adversity when we have so many

CityBook: What did you learn about yourself, your business or your community that might inspire others?

Andie: Houston is the world’s greatest city. I’ve seen that many times and saw it again this year.

I especially loved the efforts to take care of so many local businesses. Shout out to all the wonderful local restaurants that fed our team while we worked overtime!

Benjamin: When it became more difficult to network and meet new people, I took a step back and truly realized how fortunate I am to be surrounded by the people that I already know.

CityBook: What’s new for 2021 that you’re excited about?

Benjamin: It is estimated that the average 30-year, fixed mortgage rate will likely remain between 2.75% and 3.375%. Low mortgage rates will boost house-buying power, especially for those looking to purchase larger homes to accommodate home offices and exercise areas. To find out how much home you can purchase, submit an application at ApplyWithBen.com!

Andie: I think it is going to be a great year to buy a house in the Houston area, and I am excited to watch our team grow and help more families than ever this year.

photo by al torres photography

CityBook: How did you adjust and overcome obstacles? How did you reset?

Benjamin: I became more intentional about exercise, family time and spending time outdoors.

things to be thankful for. I find that shifting my mindset toward gratitude changes my whole day.

CINDY APLANAP

Owner, CHAIRMA Design What’s your 2021 ‘Word of the Year’?

Thrive! Last year I learned a lot about myself, my business, the character of my team and our ability to really contribute to the lives of our clients and the design/ build community. This year we are teed up to thrive!

What is the greatest lesson you learned in 2020? That the emotion of LOVE is the most powerful force in the universe.

Where love dwells, there is simply no room for fear. 2020 taught me to really lean into love and not allow fear to have any place in my business or personal life.

What do people not know about you?

That I purposely do something hard, scary or uncomfortable every single day so that I can just get over it and get on with it!

This willingness to grow has opened some amazing doors for me both personally and professionally.

What is the most rewarding part of your career? My firm’s consistent ability to take a client’s intentions and dreams, and create the space for those deepest, those most meaningful and personal desires, to come to life. This is the energy behind all we create.

What sets you apart in your industry?

Chairma’s amazing sense of team. One of our superpowers is our ability to

attract the best people, with the greatest talents and then know how to get out of their way! Architects, builders, artisans, vendors, workrooms, movers, installers, and so many more — we really seek out the talents and passions of others and then stand back and let them make their contribution by doing their thing!

Anything else? Being transparent. It’s there in all the ways we work, from how we design, to how we connect with our teams, and how we relate to our clients.

Our All In Cost Blueprint is unique, and honestly it reflects the way I’d like to be treated: very up-front … from the beginning and all the way through!

What makes you optimistic about the future of your business in 2021? The emotion of home. This energy is showing up so powerfully and I think it’s because people are home so much now. We used to be able to get away from each other and our lives, but that’s changed over the course of last year, so now the home space is even more important than it’s ever been. I see such a beautiful connection between how we view the preciousness of our life, and having the awareness that we want to spend it in a beautiful and meaningful home with those we love. This not only delights me, but also causes me to feel super optimistic — after all, I am in the Business of Home!

remote working was not something we had ever tried before. I visited with Jeff Schmitz, our CIO, to see what it would take to quickly get our staff working from home. He gave me a look that said, “Are you out of your mind!”

I asked him to get to work and let me know if there is anything at all that he would need to make it happen. I asked him to push beyond can/can’t thinking and only consider “what’s it going to take?” As I expected, our IT team had everyone working from home right on time. Monday, March 16, at 8am.

JAMEY ROOTES President, Houston Texans

When did you know that something big was going to impact Houston? It was 7:30am on Wednesday, March 11, 2020, and I was participating in one of the first-ever meetings of the Greater Houston Partnership Executive Committee to be conducted via Zoom. The normal public policy and economic development focused agenda was hijacked by a discussion regarding the potentially devastating impact of a new and highly contagious virus. It was hypothesized that this virus, the novel coronavirus, could absolutely overrun the capacity of our local health system. I was skeptical. I thought, “We have the largest medical center in the world. It would take something of biblical proportions to exhaust our medical capacity.” As I learned, Covid-19 was pounding Europe, especially Italy, but we had yet to have a documented case of community spread in Houston. That was all about to change.

How did you adjust and overcome obstacles? My primary concern was the safety of our staff, which we also call “teammates.” We needed to find a way for all of our teammates to work from home, and we had about 72 hours to get that done. The only problem was

What is the secret to staying hopeful and forward looking? Fortunately, our organization has faced a number of crisis situations in the past — 9/11, hurricanes, floods, lockouts — so we have a pretty good toolbox to get and keep everyone’s mind right. I have termed them the “plays” for handling adversity. One of those plays is to simply commit to pushing back.

Decide that this is not going to defeat us, and we are going to do something about it. Another is to stay “Positively Focused,” which is shorthand for control what you can control, ignore what you can’t control and be sure to remind yourself of the positives to counterbalance the overwhelming negativity you are hearing and seeing. Third is to believe that we can overcome this.

The next thing we had to do was to pivot from our established priorities for the year to something that would address our current reality. We had anticipated another record year and had a great plan to deliver that, but current circumstances would require all of us to embrace a new plan. It was my job to create and clearly articulate that new plan: Take care of our teammates, build our team, support our community, embrace our customers, engage our fans, prepare for our season.

What’s new for 2021 that you are excited about? I’m excited to get together with Texans fans again, experience tailgating and the rituals and traditions of game day that have become a Houston institution the past two decades. And my new book, “The Winning Game Plan.”

BILL BALDWIN Owner & Broker, Boulevard Realty

What were your biggest challenges of 2020? My single biggest challenge in 2020 was staying positive.

I consider myself a very positive person in general, but 2020 really put that to the test. Nevertheless, I chose early on that I would strive to take the positive route.

We get a chance to see the upside or the downside of any situation, and I made a concerted effort in 2020 to see the upside. I started the pandemic with a virtual talk on “the glass half full” and I chose to continue seeing the glass as half full throughout the rest of 2020 and now into 2021.

How did you adjust and overcome obstacles? How did you reset? At Boulevard Realty, we worked to maintain a high level of connectivity and sense of community even while being more physically distanced than ever. That meant daily Zoom meetings with our agents and a separate one with our staff.

Even on days when we didn’t have many new topics to address, it was rewarding to simply check in and be connected with everyone.

We also hosted virtual housing market updates twice a month. These presentations were an opportunity to keep our clients, friends, and others in the industry informed on the local real estate market, Covid-19 statistics, and how it all tied together (using only the most accurate and up-to-date info available).

What’s the secret to staying hopeful and forwardlooking in tough times? Choose to be positive. I know this is easier said than done, but in times like these, I think it all starts with your mindset, so you must choose to be positive.

What did you learn about yourself, your business or your community that might inspire others? I learned that our market and technology can adapt remarkably quickly! Our local real estate market hardly missed a beat in 2020, with things like remote notaries, paying by phone, and virtual open houses helping our industry swiftly respond to any disruption. We’ve seen this quick adaptation more generally, too, whether it

be with the emergence of Zoom, increased deliveries, or shrewd responses like outdoor retail and dining.

What’s new for 2021 that you’re excited about? I’ve been so proud of Houston’s response to the pandemic and am excited to see how we continue to respond in 2021. Once again we have seen firsthand the resiliency of our city. Houstonians rise to the occasion, no matter what it is!

More personally, I’m just excited to really connect with people again. I can’t wait to be in person again and to see smiles without masks!

President, Houston Market, Veritex Community Bank

What were your biggest challenges of 2020? Without question the biggest challenge was pivoting from the playbook we had to begin 2020 in order to quickly address the immediate needs of our clients, colleagues and communities.

Working with our customers to provide loan payment deferrals and PPP loans through the SBA Payroll Protection Program (Veritex Bank provided over $400 million to 2,100 clients in Round 1) became the immediate priority. This involved a Herculean effort from over 120 of our colleagues in various departments of the Bank who raised their hand to assist not because of an opportunity, but out of obligation to the communities we serve.

What’s the secret to staying hopeful and forward-looking in tough times? Faith, Family and Friendship. Constantly reminding yourself and others, as with all things, this too shall pass. I think as Houstonians, we have a noticeable edge when it comes

to perseverance as many of our friends and families were tested with another form of crisis — Hurricane Harvey — just a few years ago. We lived up to the moniker of Houston Strong!

down to people and relationships.

Whether they work in an office, in a branch, or at the kitchen table, if you have the right people working together, they will band together to accomplish anything.

What did you learn about yourself, your business or your community that might inspire others? First, how Truth and Transparency are never more appreciated by your colleagues and customers than in a time of crisis — especially when there are so many unknowns. This has been a part of the Veritex Bank culture from the very beginning and I’m extremely proud of the fact we stayed true to these core values.

Secondly, I learned that in our effort to “social distance” and with half of our [700] employees working from home, the crisis brought many of our employees closer together. I have had numerous colleagues tell me they have better relationships today with their colleagues than ever before. I will give technology credit for an “assist,” but it comes

What’s new for 2021 that you’re excited about? Having just been recognized by Fortune’s Top 100 fastest growing companies in the U.S., we are planning to continue with that theme in 2021 by adding new team members in our Commercial Banking and SBA lines of business in both Houston and Dallas. In addition, we are very excited to announce we will be adding a Memorial City area office in 2021 for our commercial banking team. This will be a game changer for our colleagues and clients that live in and around the area. With a growing team, we are able to serve more customers with the Veritex experience of local decision making and custom business banking solutions with a trusted banking relationship.

photo by al torres photography

JON HEINE

GERARD O’BRIEN

President/CEO & Founder, ORION EMS

What were your biggest challenges of 2020? As an EMS company, we take seriously our duty to the community to provide safe, reliable medical service and transports. The coronavirus pandemic reinforced the call to selfless service present in our staff.

Also, I understand my obligation to my people to ensure that they are safe in their health and secure in their jobs. To that end, I directed several strategic business decisions that preserved our ability to serve Houston not only during this pandemic but also into the future.

How did you adjust to overcome obstacles? While other industries shut down, ours experienced tremendous demand; however, we faced significant challenges in supply chain disruption and staffing.

It took the adaptability of our management and staff to maintain continuity of service. Working with city and state public officials and local medical experts, we constantly

analyzed the available data in order to predict the trends of the medical needs of Houston.

What is your secret to staying hopeful in tough times? What keeps me centered each day is my sincere belief in the mission of ORION, a key element of which is my empowerment of employees to create a distinct atmosphere within their department that fosters a selfsustaining culture of achievement and success. There is nothing about the current world environment to prevent us from upholding our 13year tradition of excellence.

What were some of the key lessons learned last year? I continue to be amazed at the resiliency of this community and its ability to persevere. The seven million people of this city are, ultimately, united by that strongest of bonds — basic human compassion for each other.

I witnessed the unyielding strength of my staff in upholding ORION’s

principles of safe medical transport and elite customer service. We were there to remind each other: The rain always stops; the darkness always fades; the sun always rises.

What new projects have you most excited in 2021? This year, I am serving as the President of the Texas Ambulance Association, and the 2021 legislative session in Austin promises to be one of the most important for EMS in recent memory. We are happy to have many advocates who recognize the need for a strong and united EMS industry to serve the people of Texas. Personally, I am very excited about several opportunities for ORION to augment our market share and diversify our services for the region. Soon, we will debut our Concierge Service, allowing patients to choose their destination facility. Throughout 2021, I, and ORION, stand strong and ready to do all that we can for the people of Houston.

PATTY DOMINGUEZ

VP of Architecture & Design Sales, Cosentino North America How did you adjust and overcome obstacles? How did you reset? I believe at Cosentino our biggest challenge was ensuring that we were able to keep the balance between the safety and health of our employees as the main priority and finding a way to continue to operate the daily business worldwide. Similar to other companies we adapted to the virtual world as a way of living and to continue doing business.

Since we are a company where our greatest value is personal relationships virtual meetings and visits were very important. It was difficult to adapt at first but we found ways to make this successful.

What’s the secret to staying hopeful and forward-looking in tough times? Cosentino is an innovative company. We thrive on difficult situations which push us to be more innovative in our industry and to be forward thinking in taking the next step to be ahead

of our time. Our President, Paco Cosentino, has taught us all to never give up, stay humble and work hard!

What did you learn about yourself, your business or your community that might inspire others? I think what I learned about myself is that the routine I had established before the pandemic was something I needed to keep, and it helped guide me through the difficult times.I enjoy waking up at 5:00 am with some friends and getting outside into the fresh air. We like to go walking and this helps me prepare mentally for the day and its tasks. We are lucky to live in this beautiful city of Houston, where the weather is perfect to do this almost everyday. This routine allows me to have time to myself, have my coffee and start the work day. This helps me feel productive and at the same time keep my sanity.

In regards to my business, I have learned that we managed to stay closer than ever, even though we

are a large company with over 5,000 employees. we are a small family that truly cares about each other — and we never lost focus of the most important thing, which was the wellbeing of our workers.

What’s new for 2021 that you’re excited about? So many new and exciting things happening at Cosentino. We are scheduled to open new showrooms across the U.S. this year. This will help our economy and also families who have lost their jobs during the pandemic because we will have many open positions to fill the within the new showrooms.

We are excited to launch our new colors in Silestone and Dekton surfaces!This is exciting mainly because, even with the pandemic, our business continued to grow and our R&D team in Spain never stopped working to develop new colors and researching new opportunities to serve our customers with our products.

HENRY RICHARDSON CEO & Founder, DEFINE Body & Mind

How did you adapt in these unprecedented times?

Ahhh. Deep breath. Just thinking about those early days of the shutdown makes my heart palpitate. All of us at DEFINE had quite the shift happen in 2020, and honestly, it started off brutal. I don’t think I slept for roughly 72 hours in those early days of the shutdown.

In order to stay relevant, we launched both our DEFINE On-Demand service and our DEFINE Livestream classes.

We wanted to move as quickly as possible to ensure our clients had the ability to take classes with their memberships.

What were those early pandemic days like for you?

When I look back, I laugh at what we had to do to make things work. We had instructors teaching classes from their living rooms, from their backyards, at DEFINE, and even from their garages. Each day we were all meeting to try to create best practices because everything we were doing was new. We had to figure out the best cameras to use, the best way to play music through Zoom, what to do when the internet went out, and how to make sure our vocals and music were in alignment so clients got the true “DEFINE” experience. Even though it was brutal, I am so proud of what we accomplished. We learned the definition and application of resiliency and grit. And we were forced to put our mission of strength, flexibility and balance into everyday practice.

It sounds like you’ve been very innovative. We have.

We have added new services and products to enhance the experience of DEFINE’s clients. We have added an Infra-Red Sauna, health coaching, nutrition coaching, functional medicine, as well as several new classes.

We created a new DEFINE Detox program that has had incredible results, all in an effort to give people an entirely new way of achieving optimal health and wellbeing. Our success stories of weight loss, increased energy, better digestion, clearer skin and overall happier clients have kept us really inspired. We’re getting closer to my original vision of becoming a holistic health center, and that feels really good.

What did you learn that might inspire others? People are incredibly kind. I’ve always known that we have amazing clients, but the amount of gratitude that has been shown because of our efforts has made every

moment of this pandemic manageable and meaningful.

Not only did people choose to support us through this incredibly hard time, but they gave us credit for being their one true sense of normalcy. It was a very tough year psychologically, and I think every DEFINE staff member will agree that the only way we got through it was because of our awesome clients and their kindness.

What’s new for 2021 that you’re excited about?

We know that physical fitness, meditation, positive psychology, nutrition, as well as functional medicine all offer positive tools for transformation. We are now creating personalized plans that are based on client goals and their personal biology. Covid has forced us to be more innovative, and for that, I am excited for what is next. Not only will we be helping individuals, but we are about to help our entire community, which I personally find very inspiring.

a priority. Home became the best and safest place to be, so if clients were not coming to the Gallery, we brought the Gallery experience to them. We participated in virtual art fairs and added a fun and free virtual augmentation tool onto our website, allowing clients to safely and independently try paintings on their walls before deciding on a work. We had the opportunity to source several important pieces for clients, which helped boost our enthusiasm and understand new buying behaviors.

What’s the secret to staying hopeful and forward-looking in tough times?

In any area of our lives, and especially in business, we must learn to stay open, positive, and adapt to change. To do what you love — and believe in it — helps immensely through the tough days.

MIMI SPERBER

Founding Partner, Off the Wall Gallery

How did you adjust and overcome obstacles? How did you reset?

Our walk-in traffic slowed down, but our online outreach was strong, and we were still reaching far and wide in Europe, Asia and Central America. Locally, our services got more personalized, and safety,

What’s new for 2021 that you’re excited about? I am excited about new opportunities for our country, the vaccine and getting back to a world that feels safe, friendly and free again. To be able to travel, one of my biggest passions in life! We are welcoming a new grandbaby in our family, and that alone fills our hearts with joy.

At Off The Wall, we are thrilled to launch our new e-commerce website, shopoffthewallgallery.com. We are also scheduling a Bernie Taupin Exhibition for January 2022 in conjunction with Elton John’s Farewell Tour. A Gallery trip to Mackenzie Thorpe’s Studio in the UK and other art-travel adventures will happen as soon as we can all travel safely.

photo by al torres photography

What were your biggest challenges of 2020? Navigating the pandemic while running a business was the challenge of a lifetime.

Having to temporarily close doors for several weeks due to Houston’s lockdown brought financial uncertainty and difficult decisions. Staffing and budgets were drastically cut, and it was personally hard and emotional at times. While our Main Gallery had to remain closed and unable to generate cash-flow from walk-ins, we built a brand new L’Atelier Gallery inside Galleria One by Prada, replacing our smaller Art Boutique by Neiman Marcus and Chanel.

The planning had been in the works for over a year, permits issued, and construction started right when the city closed. The timing was disadvantageous, but we stayed focused and solvent in all of our financial responsibilities, and L’Atelier was finished when Houston reopened.

What did you learn about yourself, your business, or your community that might inspire others? Staying hopeful helped me realize how fortunate we are despite it all. Reminiscing of the past, WWII and civil rights movements hit close to my heart and family history. This pandemic helps us understand that we are all connected, and our decision affects others. My gratitude goes to doctors, nurses, first responders, delivery drivers and grocery workers. They helped keep businesses and the community going.

DR. KATIE EICK CEO & Founder, Rockin’ Pets, Rollin’ Vets & Doctor of Veterinary Medicine

What were your biggest challenges in 2020? Well, the onset of Covid would have to be our biggest challenge. Before we knew too much about how it was transmitted, we enacted mask mandates and changed the way we interacted with each other and our clients.

We shortened our hours and paired off into groups of two so that if one group got sick or exposed, we would have other groups intact to be able to continue working.

How did you adjust and overcome obstacles? We kept a sense of humor and lightness, despite the grave circumstances of the pandemic. Thankfully, pets help with keeping spirits light! So that aspect of our work kept us going.

What’s the secret to staying hopeful and forwardlooking in tough times? I will quote Mr. Rogers: “Look for the helpers.”

We are a practice full of helpers. Everyone continued to show up, despite circumstances.

Everyone performed their jobs with grace, dignity and determination. Witnessing this group of individuals going about their jobs with the level of dedication they have shown has been humbling and also makes me incredibly hopeful. Even in the face of a global pandemic, our staff came to work every day, happy to be there, ready to roll up their sleeves and get to work.

These are the helpers, and I could not be prouder to have them on our team!

All I need to do to remain forward-looking is to see them hard at work every day. They make me believe that one day life will be back to the way we once knew it, and possibly be even better because we’ll have gained a deeper sense of gratitude than we knew before.

one. It also reminds me of the healing power of animals, and how their companionship can change everything for an individual. There were — and still are — many individuals who live alone, work remotely and remain relatively isolated from the community. Those who fit that criteria, but also had a companion pet, seem to have weathered the quarantine storm with less anxiety, isolation and hopelessness.

What did you learn about yourself, your business or your community that might inspire others? It was inspiring to me to see how people adopted animals in record numbers. Since they were home and had the time, people opened their homes and their hearts to homeless animals. This act alone reminds me of the goodness of humans and inspires me to be a better

What’s new for 2021 that you’re excited about? So much! Vaccines are rolling out so life is closer to getting back to normal. We are in a rapid expansion phase and have so much changing with our growth plans this year! We are excited to see where this year takes us and how many animals and people we get to help along the way.

MURRY & KAREN PENNER Owners, M PENNER Houston

What were your biggest challenges of 2020? Our biggest challenge was to figure out how survive a shutdown. We not only had to find a way for our customers to shop with us, we also needed to reassort our inventory because, hey, the guys who needed suits and ties were few and far between. Without being able to travel, buying for the store was also a big concern. And our staff is our family, and we were determined to keep them safe and employed.

How did you adjust and overcome obstacles? How did you reset?

First, we took stock of our business — our strengths and weaknesses — and clarified what we needed to do to adapt and reposition ourselves. It was a tough but necessary exercise that resulted in the closing of our women’s department and repurposing that square footage, focusing on the change that staying at home would bring.

We expanded our casual offerings by adding more contemporary brands. And we also focused on easy-care and active wear offerings, both in clothing and footwear, that would work with a lifestyle shift that included Zoom calls and more outdoor activity.

We stayed in touch with customers by offering tutorials on what to wear for Zoom calls and how to clean their closets. We posted cooking videos, delivered Penner brownies, and shared what our

staff was doing during the shutdown.

While the store was closed, we revamped our website and launched our ecommerce site. We decorated our windows with humorous cartoons and messages of hope. When our tailors had no suits to alter, they made face masks instead.

We sent style boxes to customers, mastered Facetime selling, and scheduled private appointments.

For Father’s Day, our sales team created Houston’s first “Drive-In” Fashion Show in our parking lot, featuring scenes like Zoom Calls and Date Night at Home.

It was streamed on Instagram and Facebook live, and it was amazing!

We decorated our holiday windows with shopping bags from other local businesses with a reminder that we’re all in this together and a request to support local businesses.

Rather than traveling to New York and Italy to buy, we previewed designer collections on Facetime and Microsoft Teams at our dining table. Our sales reps travelled to us for appointments if they could and when they couldn’t, they shipped us samples. It wasn’t ideal but together we made it work.

What’s the secret to staying hopeful and forward-looking in tough times?

We’re optimistic by nature, and we’ve survived tough times before. We wouldn’t be here without our team, and everyone has gone above and beyond through it all. At our store meetings, we talk about our customers and how they have been incredibly supportive, too. When we had to shut down, many customers purchased gift cards to support us, and as a sign that they trusted we would come through this. Remembering the joy we all experience when we help our customers is an incredible motivator!

What will 2021 bring? 2020 was definitely a reset year but with adversity comes opportunity. We’ve adapted and adjusted, and with the changes we’ve made we have more to offer in 2021 than ever before. And we just completed a very exciting project with Gittings portrait studio and some special customers. Stay tuned; you’re gonna love it!

embraced tools used already by enterprise organizations. It’s amazing how resourceful we have become. Restaurants synonymous with experimentation showed a willingness to drive innovation in order to survive. You can’t hug family, but a socially distanced picnic makes it a little better. Via webcam, a friend of mine hosted piano concertos. Another, tasting parties. And that has bred a new sense of coming together.

What do people not know about you?

Growing up, shyness and sensitivity shaped me. Those traits are now an asset.

I’m very empathetic, always tuned in to surroundings. Disruption also runs in this Aquarian’s blood. A dose of empathy combined with perception and aheadof-the-pack expertise means I’ll take calculated risks.

MADDIE PROFILET Founder & CEO, Madhouse Media

photo by david a. brown

What were your biggest challenges of 2020? Picking the most inopportune time, I sauntered away from Silicon Valley with the dream of consulting full time at Madhouse Media — my boutique marketing agency — in 2019. Then Covid happened (new leastfavorite phrase?). By the grace of whomever you pray to, Madhouse Media grew. Small businesses and other clients with our help flourished, too.

How did Madhouse Media adjust and overcome obstacles? How did you reset? It’s all about changing strategy on a dime, while providing brands with a competitive edge. During the chaos, our role evolved into that of a strategic advisor, shaping flexible marketing strategies or offering Covid-related guidance.

We had to create a fresh framework for client growth — new distribution channels, market segments, product offerings, communication approaches — throwing out yearly plans to get a campaign ready in two weeks, cohesively putting a million marketing pieces together, pushing boundaries.

What did you learn about your business or your community that might inspire others? Never before have we connected and collaborated so creatively. SMB’s, local shops, families and friends

What’s the secret to staying hopeful and forward-looking in tough times? Big picture: Change brings transformative ideas. Marketing’s role will continue to evolve. We must create authentic conversations, and take on civic and even philanthropic roles. In this crazy world, it’s no longer okay for brands to sit on the sidelines. We must take a stance, and being able to do just that makes me happy. Volunteer work keeps me grounded, hopeful. I’m proud to be a Big Sister with Big Brothers Big Sisters, fundraise for Animal Justice League, and serve on the Board of Directors of the Doug Miller & Don Sanders Scholarship Fund.

Seeing customers succeed reigns supreme. One Madhouse client became the glam go-to during the pandemic; ultimately earning status as Best Salon by the Houston Chronicle thanks to solid customer safety and satisfaction efforts.

Understanding the value of marketing: Advertisements kept running; at-home hair color could be custom-ordered for curbside pickup; a lot of how-to videos were made. Consistent updates on all imaginable channels — social, email, print, web — kept customers in the know and beauty booming.

BRAD & JOANNA MARKS Owners, IW Marks Jewelers What were your biggest challenges of 2020? Our biggest challenge was definitely dealing with the economic shutdowns due to the virus.

How did you adjust and overcome obstacles? How did you reset? We are expanding our selling to include online through our website and social media platforms.

What’s the secret to rising above obstacles and persevering in tough times? The secret to staying hopeful

and forward-thinking is believing in God, yourself, business and employees.

What did you learn about yourself, your business or your community that might inspire others? We can overcome anything with what we have been through this last year.

What’s new for 2021 that you’re excited about? I am very excited about expanding our business to include online sales.

Tim Reading Private Chef

Reading grew up near Boston, where he washed dishes at the local country club and eventually became a cook. His training and work took him from upstate New York and Germany to famed chef Hugo Ortega’s Caracol in Houston, where he was exec chef when the pandemic hit. He was laid off on his birthday. “I began hosting small parties for my friends to make ends meet,” he says. Word of mouth and social media buzz took off, and his services are increasingly in demand!

“I keep myself positive by taking a step back, taking a deep breath and giving it my 100 percent.”

Shirt, $1,300, by Dior, pants, $890, by Fendi, and jacket, $250, by G-Star Raw, all at Saks Fifth Avenue.

Call It a Comeback

Few have been hit harder by Covid-era shutdowns and slowdowns in Houston than restaurant and hospitality workers. These five are boldly back in action now — serving up food and drinks again, with a side of smokin’ seasonal style!

Photos by Ashkan Roayaee, styling by Todd Ramos, hair and makeup by Edward Sanchez for Edward Sanchez Cosmetics, shot on location at the Silos at Sawyer Yards.

Gabrielle McTopy Hostess at Willie G’s Seafood

McTopy, who’s back to work after a three-month furlough last spring, admits it’s been a rough and “unpredictable” season of her life. “It’s very hard for me at times,” she says. “I can’t always find the light in all the darkness, but it helps me to know that all things are temporary. The hope I have for the future — for myself, and for those I love — is what keeps me going.” McTopy, a Lamar High grad who spends her downtime cooking and exercising, is originally from Houston with family in Louisiana. She’s working toward a degree in international business at the University of St. Thomas.

Dress by Michael Kors; paperclip chains, $4,625 and $5,475, chain-link necklace, $2,000, heart pendant, $8,200, and floral bracelet, $4,350, all

by Lesley Ann Jewels; keyhole bracelet, $4,350, and hinged bangle, $5,675, by Norman Covan at Lesley Ann Jewels.

Joao Diniz

Bartender at The Oaks Originally from Brazil, Diniz is working his way through Blinn College. He remembers how scary the early days of Covid were, when The Oaks Kitchen & Bar was only open for takeout and delivery.

“A lot of change was happening very quickly,” he says. “I was just really grateful to be able to keep working.” He continues to be thankful, and eager for a return to normalcy. “Things are certainly better now, but not everything is quite back to normal yet. Business still fluctuates quite a bit, and reduced seating at the bar definitely affects the bartenders a lot.” His family — and listening to music — keep him upbeat and positive.

Shirt, $950, jacket, $1,690, pants, $890, and shoes, $690, all by Fendi at Saks Fifth Avenue; watch, $6,000, by Tudor at Deutsch Houston.

Chris Wise

Operations Manager at Southern Smoke A La Porte native who first came to Houston to play music with his band Buxton, Wise has also worked in bars and restaurants here for a decade — most recently at Cantina Barba, until Covid shut it down. But when that door closed, a window opened at the Southern Smoke crisis-relief organization for food and beverage workers. He was hired to manage operations and, as he puts it, “advocate for an industry that has given so much to me.” The career change has been profound. Wise will enroll in UH this fall, to further his education in nonprofit leadership. “Southern Smoke started as a means to an end but soon became a source of purpose.”

Shirt, $745, and suit, $298, both by Hugo Boss, at Saks Fifth Avenue; watch, $14,000, by Cartier at Deutsch Houston.

Alexa Braeswell Lead Mixologist at Le Colonial

Like most of us, Braeswell recalls “high levels of anxiety” when she found herself without a job in the beginning of the pandemic.

She made the best of the downtime — working out, reading and leaning on her family for “good energy.”

Now the native Houstonian is back to work, adjusting to the “new normal,” which includes constant safety protocols. “We have to support each other in this new world,” she says.

“Food is a human necessity, but it is also a way to bond over a delicious meal. I am happy that we can provide that for people who are ready to step out.”

Dress, $1,975, by Versace, at Saks Fifth Avenue; necklaces, $13,000 and $14,000, double-hoop earrings, $5,900, ear cuff, $950, and huggie earrings, $1,950 and $2,600, all by Jade Trau at Lesley Ann Jewels.

Devouring

Houston It’s been a rough, wild year in the restaurant biz. And now, as the industry battles back, the best the city has to offer — from trendy fried chicken to daringly decadent caviar — is on the menu. By Evan W. Black with Mai Pham

Traveler’s Table’s Louisiana Fried Chicken, with mascarpone grits, a buttermilk biscuit, sawmill gravy and a fried egg

traveler’s table by kirsten gilliam; kata robata by carla gomez; fine by julie soefer

DU JOUR

Mixing It Up Just like every restaurant in Houston, Traveler’s Table, which was only a few months old when the pandemic hit, had to evolve throughout 2020. In the last several months, the eatery launched a new global brunch menu to fulfill diners’ wanderlust during the stay-at-home orders, and rolled out innovative bento-box-style takeout specials — think mix-and-match items like duck gyoza, short rib bimbimbap, and broccolini with chimichurri.

And just weeks ago, Traveler’s Table evolved again, this time expanding its patio into the parking lot, as many other area restaurants have done in order to accommodate additional outdoor seating.

Kata Robata’s innovative caviar service

TREND

ROE TO KNOW The latest trend to hit Houston’s highend restaurants is, well, something of a hallmark of high-end restaurants: caviar. Find it on the menu at La Table, where oysters are accompanied by the

delicacy, and the cured salmon comes with smoked egg yolk and a dollop of caviar; traditional caviar service is also available. Decidedly not traditional service is found at Kata Robata, where Chef Hori’s accoutrements include salmon-skin chips and cauliflower mousse. And at Uchi, mark a special occasion with a flight of three varieties, with either a Champagne or sake pairing.

PEOPLE

COOKS IN THE KITCHEN

Wild Oats’ Nick Fine

Underbelly Hospitality has several pots on the stove in 2021.

Expanding beyond Montrose, Georgia James Tavern will open on the ground floor of Downtown’s Market Square Tower. Expect sandwiches and salads, along with cast-iron-seared steaks by longtime UBH chef Matthew Coburn. And Nick Fine will helm one of two Underbelly concepts opening at Heights-area Houston Farmers Market; his Wild Oats is billed as a “fresh take on traditional Texas,” with plates like shrimp-and-grits but with masa, as in tamales.

Devouring

Houston

ON THE MENU Now open in CityCentre: Yi Peng Thai Dining, helmed

by Junnajet “Jett” and Jira Hurapan.

It celebrates the flavors and traditions of Northern Thailand — as in the Homemade Sai Ua plate, with chicken, shrimp, crabmeat and sausage mixed with chili spices and lemongrass.

And The Moran CityCentre’s Radio Milano reopened, now boasting a panMediterranean menu with items like beef souvlaki skewers. ...

Merus Grill in Uptown Park, which opened just a couple months before the shutdown is proving its staying power, thanks to well executed staples like firegrilled artichokes and slow-roasted prime rib with mashed potatoes.

A CLOSE SHAVE

A true treat atop already indulgent Italian cuisine? Shaved truffles. At Amalfi — which annually receives a shipment of the rare Urbani delicacy — savor the best of the best during the Black Truffle Wine Dinner on Feb. 25.

And as always, at finedining stalwart Tony’s, white truffles are on display underneath a domed glass lid, on the ready at a moment’s notice for white-glove table-side service.

Truffles at Amalfi

PEOPLE

POWER

Step inside Montrose’s seafood-savvy, Gulf South-celebrating, brasserie-esque Bludorn on a busy Friday night, and it feels, miraculously, like pre-Covid times. Deftly prepared plates of oysters, risotto and beef wellington make their way across the pass of the open kitchen, where chef Aaron Bludorn — who recently welcomed a child with his

COUPLE wife Victoria Pappas (yes, of that Pappas family) — and his culinary team work their magic. Occupying the space formerly belonging to Pass & Provisions, Bludorn was certainly one of the most anticipated restaurants of 2020 — and in a year fraught with uncertainty, it achieved what most restaurants can only aspire to: It exceeded expectations.

Victoria and Aaron Bludorn

bludorn and march by julie soefer

Merus

TREND

DU JOUR

Marching Into Montrose

The Tini Apple cocktail, with vermouth, mint and cinnamon, at March

Even with the departure of its co-founder David Keck, the master sommelier who relocated back to his home state of Vermont in early 2020, Goodnight Hospitality found its footing during a wild year. The group opened an abbreviated, lounge-style version of its long-awaited upstairs March restaurant over the holidays, and while doors are currently closed, the dining room should fully open in the spring. Expect more Mediterranean-tinged farm-totable fare and thoughtful signature cocktails. In the meantime, the patio at Goodnight’s adjacent Montrose Cheese & Wine remains hopping.

Devouring

Houston

Veggie spring rolls with cashew-coconut sauce at Satisfy

Riel chef Ryan Lachaine with lunchtime Louie’s sandwiches

DU JOUR

Between the Buns

lachaine by kirsten gilliam; musaafer by julie soefer

The menu for Riel chef Ryan Lachaine’s new Louie’s concept is stacked.

Previously only open for dinner, the Montrose hangout now boasts a to-go lunch menu of sandwiches and more — perfect for those working from home or who need an extra dose of comfort food this season. Try a classic Italian sub or a mouthwatering, monstrous chickencaprese creation — fried mozzarella, tomato, basil, and pesto-drenched chicken, topped with honey-balsamic — along with sides like Lachaine’s signature poutine. Louie’s, which has been in the works since April, also boasts sliderportion “butter burgers” and crawfish rolls, and a handful of salads.

TREND

TAKE IT OUTSIDE As though ice houses weren’t already insanely popular, the pandemic magnified Houstonians’ love of the al fresco establishments. New Memorial Trail Ice House boasts a full bar, rotating food trucks, and a 20,000-square-foot outdoor area with lawn games a dog-friendly area.

Speaking of dogs: Brian Ching’s East End Backyard is a hybrid dog-park-andbar, with more than two dozen beers and ciders on tap. And the indoor-outdor Post Oak Ice House opened ahead of the holidays, just west of the Galleria.

East End Backyard

Musaafer’s mushroom galouti eclair

DU JOUR

A WHOLE NEW WORLD For an immersive experience into Indian culture, design and yes, food, take a whimsical journey through India’s 29 states by way of Musaafer, Mithu and Shami Malik’s stunning, 10,000-squarefoot modern Indian restaurant in the Galleria. Chef Mayank

Istwal traveled throughout India to collect traditional recipes that form the basis of his menu. Mustnot-miss dishes include the Onion Xuicho, a layered kachori bread; the beautifully Instagrammable Tuna Chaat; and the Dal Makhni, a black lentil dish braised in spices for 72 hours until velvety smooth. Also unforgettable? Pastry chef Ruchit Harneja’s Mishti Doi dessert, made of faux-yogurt mushrooms with pomegranate and pistachio.

Devouring

Houston

ON THE MENU In Oak Forest, a slew of mixed-use developments is transforming W. 34th Street.

Valencia’s TexMex Garage is now open, owned and operated by brother-sister duo Ricardo Valencia and Vienna Valencia Bement, whose parents founded famed chain Cyclone Anaya’s. ... Just a block off 34th is Millie’s Kitchen & Cocktails, a comfort-seafoodsavvy restaurant in a former gas station.

Millie’s recently completed its back patio and revamped its happy-hour offerings. ...

Speaking of converted auto shops: Vietnamese drivethrough concept Saigon Hustle will open inside a former tire shop on the corner of 34th and Ella soon.

TREND

ROLL PL AY

Hidden Omakase

If 2012 is known as the year ramen took Houston by storm, 2021 will most certainly be the year known for the city’s stratospheric leap into the world of highend sushi, with three new chef-driven restaurants — and more on the way. At the 14-seat Hidden Omakase in the Galleria, Billy Kin will conduct multi-course premium tastings four nights a week featuring luxe ingredients like A5 wagyu, foie gras and caviar. In the former Barnaby’s space on White Oak in the Heights, MF Sushi’s Chris Kinjo will undoubtedly wow fans at his custom-designed Ume Sushi. At Drewery Place in Midtown, Mike Lim will exercise his knife skills at Kanau. Adding to the excitement, Uchi’s Tyson Cole is set to debut Houston outposts of both Uchiko and Loro later this year.

TREND

BOOZE NEWS

huerta and relish by julie soefer

A silver lining of the pandemic’s F&B restrictions is that alcohol to-go is poised to become a permanent thing.

Restaurants and bars continue to fix patrons up with clever DIY cocktail kits — á la build-your-own Bloody Mary bars — and takeaway mixed drinks, and have adapted to host virtual wine tastings, pairing dinners and more. Alba Huerta, whose Wash Ave bar Julep reopened in October, rolled out a cocktaildelivery truck, and hosted a livestream cocktail class with Williams Sonoma for six weeks over the holidays.

Alba Huerta

Relish’s mouthwatering brownie sundae

TREND

Tastes Like Home Comfort food never goes out of style, but after a year like 2020, it’s in demand more than ever before.

Craving a belly-warming meal? For food that feels like a cozy embrace, head to Killen’s in the Heights for giant chicken-fried steak; State of Grace for blue-crab hushpuppies; and The Annie for daily specials like the Saturday Prime Rib. Also winning: fried chicken at Frank’s Americana Revival and La Lucha. And the ultimate comfort dessert? A s’moresstyle brownie sundae at Relish.

Devouring Houston

Ostia’s Travis McShane

DU JOUR

Word on the Eat mcshane by lauren defrehn; lam and au-yeung by kim park; rosie cannonball by julie soefer

For years, Westheimer, which bisects Montrose into northern and southern sections, has been Restaurant Row. But things are trending north: Joining the mostly residential portion of the area — which has welcomed neighborhood hangout Roost, veggie-forward Vibrant, spicy-fun Kau Ba and New Orleans-esque Eugene’s in recent years — is Ostia. Both the food and décor at Travis McShane’s place on Dunlavy are simultaneously Mediterranean, Italian and French, by way of California. Don’t pass up the delightfully chewy gnocchi.

Pepperoni pizza at Rosie Cannonball

TREND

FIRED UP!

Houston’s pizza scene is tastier than ever. Tiny Champions (from the Nancy’s Hustle team) debuts in EaDo with four standard pies featuring chef Julia Doran’s delectable, naturally leavened crust. Rosie Cannonball adds a fennelsausage pie with romesco sauce and farm-braised kale to its wood-fired lineup. And Vinoteca Poscol brings back muchloved favorites from its now-closed sister resto, Dolce Vita: Calabrese, with spicy salami — and La Dolce Vita, with Taleggio, arugula, pears and truffle oil.

PEOPLE

‘TOWN’ FOLKS Move over Bellaire Boulevard. A new destination for Asian food has emerged in Katy. Anchored by the new flagship location of Korean grocer HMart, Katy Asian Town is the destination one-stop shop for

Cuc Lam and Alex Au-Yeung

everything from Beard Papa Japanese cream puffs, to pho at Yummy Pho & Bo Ne. New to the development is Korean casual eatery Bon Galbi, as well as Phat Eatery’s new sister restaurant YELO, a craft banh mi shop by pop-up chef Cuc Lam and Phat Eatery chef-owner Alex Au-Yeung, which is already winning raves.

Houston Chronicle food critic Alison Cook’s named YELO’s char siu banh mi among her 10 best dishes of 2020.

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facing Post Oak Blvd.

713.871.0940

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Eat. Drink. Travel. Live.

photo by kirsten gilliam

Egg-spect Greatness

With a menu by Omar Pereney, the Nash bows in the historic Star building Downtown. Early hits include the Forbidden Eggs, with tamarind-sweet-chili sauce and crispy shallots. page 76

Dining

Shrimply Irresistible Clockwise from above: Le Colonial’s signature crispy red snapper; the Mi Quang rice-noodle dish with pork, shrimp, fish cake and banana blossom at Huynh; Le Colonial’s upstairs private-dining room.

Can’t-Lose Cuisine?

Houston, home to the country’s third-largest Vietnamese population, has ‘pho’ and ‘banh mi’ down pat. Time to discover Vietnamese fried chicken, crepes and pandan cupcakes. Dig in! By Mai Pham, Photos by Julie Soefer

I

In naming Huynh (912 St. Emanuel St.), the beloved family-run eatery in EaDo, one of “100 Restaurants America Can’t Afford to Lose” at the end of last year, the editors of Esquire opine: “Visiting Houston without eating Vietnamese food would be like going to Bologna and neglecting the pasta.”

Indeed, are there any true Houstonians who haven’t succumbed to the pleasures of a hearty bowl of pho or a loaf of tasty banh mi? The sheer breadth and availability of Vietnamese food in Houston — home to the third-largest population of Vietnamese in the United States — puts it right up there with Tex-Mex, Indian food and barbecue as a quintessentially Houstonian cuisine.

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One of the most exciting places to try Vietnamese food at the moment is the new Xin Chao (2310 Decatur St.). A joint project between Masterchef season-three winner Christine Ha (who also owns The Blind Goat at Bravery Chef Hall), and Saigon House chef Tony Nguyen, the modern Vietnamese menu interprets Vietnamese food from a local lens, incorporating Southern flavors and Gulf Coast ingredients. Opening menu standouts include a smoked duck and jackfruit salad, a smoked beef rib and pan fried rice noodle, and an incredibly memorable Nguyen-er Nguyen-er Fried Chicken Dinner, wherein the batter is infused with notes of lemongrass and pandan leaf.

Returning to Downtown’s Underground Hall (formerly

Dining

LATEST DISH! HOUSTON’S BEST FOOD NEWS, IN SMALL BITES ...

Permission Whiskey & Service is now open in the previously dry Heights, with an impressive selection of more than 350 bourbons and whiskeys — all beautifully displayed on backlit wooden shelving — plus artfully crafted cocktails.

The ambiance is simultaneously intimate and spacious, as the establishment is operating at 50 percent capacity.

Bar bites include charcuterie boards and oysters — and, for the nightcap crowd, dessert!

2920 White Oak Dr., 713.696.9883

known as Conservatory Food Hall) any day now, chef Danny Nguyen brings back his family-recipe pho broth at The Pho Fix. A build-your-own bowl concept, the soulful broth is complemented by toppings like beef rib and bone marrow.

Over in Asiatown, Bodard Bistro (11360 Bellaire Blvd.) — known for its nem nuong cuon grilled pork sausage spring rolls and its phenomenal banh xeo Vietnamese crepe — relocated to the Universal Shopping Center, the same strip mall that houses Crawfish and Noodles, whose chef, Trong Nguyen, was named a Best Chef of Texas finalist in the 2020 James Beard Awards.

Just down the street, French-Vietnamese pastry shop Desseire (10600 Bellaire Blvd.), by brother and sister team Julie and Olivier Do, have already earned a strong following for their pandan cupcakes, Canelés de Bordeaux, and French macarons in flavors like lychee and black sesame.

Which brings us to French-Vietnamese restaurant Le Colonial. Still the best place in Houston to enjoy top-notch service and chef-driven Vietnamese fare (the concept chef, Nicole Routhier, is a cookbook author and authority on Vietnamese cuisine), the restaurant boasts a see-and-be scene even thoughout the pandemic, thanks in part to its wraparound patio near the entrance to River Oaks District. 

Wash Ave hot spot FM Kitchen & Bar (1112 Shepherd Dr.) is set to open a second location in Montrose (907 Westheimer Rd.) soon. Both restaurants will tout items from chef Bety Berrera’s new menu, including rotating daily specials, a late-night menu, and low- and no-alcohol cocktails. Lighter dishes available for 25 percent off during happyhour — weekdays from 3-6:30pm! — include jalapeño-pea hummus, crispy Brussels sprouts with bacon jam, and shrimp remoulade with housemade potato chips. Among the seasonal mains are salmon tacos, and a salsa-verdetopped flank steak.

At the beginning of the pandemic,

Lucille’s chef-owner Chris Williams began distributing meals to frontline workers, and shortly thereafter Williams founded Lucille’s 1913, a self-funded nonprofit that will soon open a 1,200-square-foot community garden connected to its satellite kitchen at Pleasant Hill. He plans to continue his community food and PPE drives all over the region throughout 2021. Houstonians can support his efforts by dining at his Museum District restaurant — the fried green tomatoes and cornbread are can’t-miss. 5512

La Branch St., 713.568.2505 Local Foods in Rice Village has absorbed the next-door Benjy’s, expanding upon its grocery concept that became wildly popular when it originated during the shutdown last spring. The two-story Local Foods Market is slated to open at the end of January, with an expanded patio and an all-new counter-service menu created by former Benjy’s chefs Maria Gonzalez and Mike Potowski.

2424 Dunstan Rd., 713.521.7800

Sweet Somethings A low-ABV piña colada at FM Kitchen and, below, The Nash’s dessert pizza

Dining

LATEST DISH! HOUSTON’S BEST FOOD NEWS, IN SMALL BITES ...

The MFAH’s new Nancy and Rich Kinder Building will soon be home to two concepts by Michelinstarred chefs. The first, Cafe Leonelli, should open midMarch, with Italian cuisine by Jonathan Benno. Expect friendly environs and prices, with buffet-style pasta, house-baked focaccia and more.

Within, there will be an outpost of pastry chef Salvatore Martone’s Miami ice cream shop Frohzen.

Le Jardinier, a fullservice restaurant from chef Alain Verzeroli, will open about a month later, with a veggie-forward menu; al fresco dining will take place amid the Sculpture Garden. The concepts are under the New York-based Bastion Restaurants umbrella (La Table on Post Oak). 5500 Main St. Culinary Khancepts acquired the Liberty Kitchen brand, updating the menu and décor at the San Felipe location (4224 San Felipe St., 713.622.1010) and The Treehouse

(963 Bunker Hill Rd., 713.468.3745).

Expect new furniture — and heat lamps!

— on the coveted patio spaces, and live music on Saturday nights at The Treehouse. A new Southern-style brunch channels some serious Hamptons energy, with new plates like lobster benedict and a take on a charcuterie board with salmon and caviar.

Now open Downtown: The Nash is serving dinner (with lunch and brunch to come!) inside the historic Star, formerly known as the Texaco Building. There’s a dog-friendly patio and a spacious interior that boasts a floor-to-ceiling bar and open kitchen. The globally inspired menu

by Omar Pereney is full of shareable, seasonal items, plus hearty steaks and chops. Pies like the Pizza Bianco with truffled honey are enticing. (There’s even a dessert pizza with caramel apples and gelato!) 1111 Rusk St., 713.222.6274

Star Power Michelin-starred chefs Martone, Benno and Verzeroli of the new MFAH restaurants

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Shell Game Robert del Grande’s sumptuous spin on Lobster Thermidor, sauced tableside

Speakeasy Style

T

Turner’s is a moody theater, and rich, vintage food is the star. By Jeff Gremillion, Photo by Kirsten Gilliam There’s an elite club of beautiful Houston restaurants that, after long seasons of thoughtful planning and painstaking development, were forced to make their debuts during the trying days — especially for the food and beverage industry — of the Covid era. Bludorn, Ostia and the spectacular Indian palace that is the Galleria’s Musaafer are members.

And so is a wonderful gem of a place that may have gotten a bit less attention because it only has 40 seats and, by design, is just a bit off the radar: Master restaurateur Ben Berg’s clubby, dimly lit Turner’s, literally under the stairs of Berg and famed chef Robert del Grande’s sprawling The Annie Café & Bar. Stepping into Turner’s is a bit of an adventure, amid the tinkling ambiance of a mahogany piano and the gently flickering candlelight of table lamps, passing a small blackmarble bar and entering a narrow shotgun-style hall of a space with soaring ceilings. Forest green walls are chock full of old paintings in gold-gilded frames, and there’s tufted leather everywhere, all decorated in the way one might imagine the

grand libraries of the robber barons of hundred-years-ago New York. You pretty much must have a Manhattan or Old Fashioned to sip, and a lingering smile for the swells.

The food here is as decadent as the environment (which, by the way, is kicked up a notch further with live vocalists accompanying the pianist on weekends). There’s an emphasis on wow-factor fun, with lots of tableside panache — as in the wedge salad that gets bacon added by the servers, who slice bits right off a fully cooked slab before your eyes. Indeed, finishing touches — a ladle of gravy here, a sprinkling of spicy honey something there — are added to almost everything on the table.

There’s a killer burger and an over-the-top Rueben sandwich on the menu, and even a Wagyu hot dog, but it’s hard not to choose a more traditional multicourse meal, that really must begin with the steak tartare and foie gras combo; expect a big thick is-this-all-for-me? disc of the latter. Mains include the Ambassador’s Meatloaf that comes with a fried egg and oxtail gravy on top, and a rich Lobster Thermidor. 

Dining

Marking the Occasion

Toasting a milestone birthday amid a global pandemic isn’t ideal — especially for a restaurant. But two Houston institutions are cooking up special ways to celebrate.

Fifty, Fabulous ... Fiesta!

TEX-MEX FAVORITE Los Tios, which famously introduced Houstonians to the frozen margarita way back in 1975, is celebrating its golden anniversary throughout 2021. The owners have decided to stretch the celebration into a year-long fete filled with menu specials that diners can experience either to-go or in-house.

“Rather than do a single, onetime, 50-year event, we’re just going to celebrate the anniversary all year long,” says owner Gary Adair, who runs the business alongside his 30-something kids Katie and Nick.

Los Tios has a dedicated fanbase of loyal customers who are addicted to the Tex-Mex staple’s cultfavorite menu items, like signature combination plates and puffy quesos, which will be featured in rotating and ongoing menu specials over the next several months.

Founded by the Garbett family in

1970, Los Tios was run for years by the family’s matriarch, a housewife and mom of four who took over running the biz after the early death of her husband. Adair, whose Adair Concepts is behind the likes of Skeeter’s Mesquite Grills, Adair Kitchen, Eloise Nichols Grill + Liquors and Bebidas Juice Coffee & Bites, was approached in 2000 to buy Los Tios from Mrs. Garbett. Adair, who had been going to Los Tios since he was 16, jumped at the opportunity.

Adair and his kids have made a few changes over the years — they’ve expanded the restaurant’s margarita selections, and added a robust fajita section to the menu — but they’re always careful to stay true to Mrs. Garbett’s original vision.

“The core menu — the things that people have always loved about Los Tios — are still there and they will never go away. We still use the same recipes that Mrs. Garbett started with,” he says. “And if we’re going to ask our customers to try something different, we have to make sure it’s really, really good.” –daniel renfrow

Spice Is Nice Crispy chicken with green beans

’Rita-rific Margs on the patio at Los Tios on San Felipe

Mala Sichuan: On the Grow TEN YEARS AFTER opening their first restaurant on Bellaire Boulevard, the husband-wife duo behind Chinese staple Mala Sichuan has unveiled a fourth location, this time in Sugar Land.

This outpost has actually been in the works since 2017, but a series of natural disasters and the ongoing pandemic waylaid the plans. But diners can now officially raise a glass to the Sugar Land restaurant’s grand opening — and Mala Sichuan’s 10-year anniversary — in 2021.

The newly built space is located within the same shopping center as the popular Jusgo Supermarket.

“Jusgo in Chinatown is near our

Bellaire location,” says owner Cori Xiong. “We have a great relationship and share a lot of business. Plus, they supply us with produce for the restaurants, so it’s very convenient.”

The interior design boasts minimalist elements and those that remind Xiong of her youth in Chengdu, the capital of the Sichuan province in China, such as latticework paneling and walls of jade and gray brick.

And the menu is, of course, comprised of the same deliciously spicy dishes for which Mala Sichuan has become known, thanks to its uninhibited use of the tingling Sichuan peppercorn. The Three Pepper Beaten Duck, for example, is simmered with spices then stir-fried with red chilies, Serrano peppers and whole Sichuan peppercorns. Feel the burn! –evan w. black

Travel

Capital Cool

With cuisine running the gamut from Asian-inflected barbecue to high-end modern Mex and avant-garde tasting menus, Austin is tastier than ever.

By Mai Pham

S

Served on the patio at the sleek, sophisticated Comedor in Austin’s warehouse district, the modern Mexican cuisine is executed so beautifully, it practically transports diners to Mexico. (Quite a feat mid-pandemic!) A tostada, topped with chunks of svelte snapper swathed in oyster emulsion and drizzled with shrimp oil, is simply dazzling. So, too, is the pork belly memela, wherein the crispy crunchy textures of pork belly chicharron are contrasted against the slowroasted savoriness of Yucatán-style cochinita pibil; or the roasted bone-marrow tacos, served build-your-own style, with heirloom blue-corn tortillas, all plated to look like something that would grace the cover of Food & Wine.

A quick, two-and-a-half-hour drive from Houston, Austin just might be the best place for Houstonians to visit at the moment. No need for air travel, or to worry about providing proof of a negative Covid-19 test prior to departure or arrival. (Though by all means, please wear a mask and be considerate of others.)

For gastronomically minded travelers used to parachuting into a city like New York or Paris for an immersive eating fest à la the late, great Anthony Bourdain, Austin’s food scene is as exciting, varied and sophisticated as ever. The options are so numerous that three days of nonstop eating barely scratches the surface.

Those still gun-shy about staying in a hotel might consider booking Casa Cartel, a private, five-bedroom villa in Austin’s East Side, available via Airbnb. The former home of Austin Abraham Kennedy, whose restaurant El Gallo was a fixture on South Congress for 59 years, the house was entirely refurbished and decorated by famed designer and Flip That House star Jantzen Matzdorff in 2018. With an expansive patio, plunge pool, private entertainment room, gourmet kitchen, formal dining area, and vivid mystical 20-foot wall mural depicting Mayan mythology, the setup is ideal for families or groups who prefer the privacy of having their own space.

Meanwhile, those looking for a resort-style getaway will want to book a room at the Commodore Perry Estate (4100 Red River St., 512.817.5200), part of the Auberge Resorts Collection. Conveniently situated just Keep Austin Delicious Clockwise from top left: The seafood tostada at Comedor; the porch at Loro; Commodore Perry Estate’s Hal Thompson Suite; Loro’s mint julep; the Mansion Loggia at the Commodore Perry Estate; smoked brisket at Loro; and a stylish stairwell at Austin Proper Hotel.

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Travel

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Travel

Dining Destination The Peacock in Austin Proper and, at right, the modern-Mex restaurant Comedor

10 minutes from Downtown, the property debuted in summer 2020 and is all kinds of dreamy, with 42 rooms and 12 suites, and amenities that include an organic urban farm, English-style gardens, resort pool and private chapel.

Built in 1928 and listed in the National Register of Historic Places, the original Mansion, which sits apart from the newly constructed Inn, exudes European elegance and serves as the main hub for all on-property activities. On weekdays, plan for pre-dinner drinks during the complimentary evening Punchbowl service, then indulge in dinner on the loggia or in the main dining room, where exec chef Bradley Nicholson (an alum of Barley Swine) offers contemporary American fare ranging from a seafood tower to truffle-hush-puppies to classically prepared roast chicken.

Check the programming calendar for Live at the Mansion musical performances, offered several nights a week. If romance is on the agenda, book a private picnic for two, served on the property’s expansive lawn, for a feast of cold fried chicken, berries and Champagne. And don’t skip breakfast on the lovely terrace, if only to get a taste of pastry chef Susana Querejazu’s phenomenal creations; the croissants and Kouign Amanns are to-die-for.

Sampling craft barbecue in Austin is a must, so when you’re ready to venture off-property, head to Loro on South Lamar, a joint project between Aaron Franklin of Franklin Barbecue and Tyson Cole of Uchi, two of the city’s most prominent chefs. With casual, walk-up counter service and a sprawling, tree-shaded patio, the food at Loro brilliantly marries traditional craft barbecue with Asian themes and flavors — and with built-in social-distancing measures.

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Here, Franklin’s famous smoked beef brisket, available for dinner only, is dressed with Thai herbs and lip-tingling chili gastrique. Mains like the Malaysian chicken bo ssam or smoked prime bavette with shisito salsa verde are just as compelling, complemented by an assortment of fun, well priced small plates like the Japanese-style chicken karaage or corn fritters with sriracha aioli.

Speaking of meat, custom cuts for ribeye, New York Strip, and filet mignon are butchered right in front of you at new Carve American Grille. At this concept by Houston’s own Chris Perry of Perry’s Steakhouse, Perry’s master chef Rick Moonen wows with new takes on American dishes. Early hits include the meatloaf cupcakes and the Carve meat board for four, which includes chateaubriand, a taste of the restaurant’s caramelized prime rib and more.

For lighter, farm-to-table fare — fresh salads, wood-fired flatbreads, grilled Columbia River arctic char served with jasmine rice — the new Verbena by chef Nic Yanes is a worthwhile stop. Located on West 6th on the ground level of the Canopy by Hilton hotel, the open-air courtyard makes for a lovely lunch spot surrounded by shady trees, climbing ivy and a water sculpture.

And when a celebratory, special occasion meal is in order, you can never go wrong with Uchiko. More than a decade after its initial debut, Tyson Cole’s Japanese farmhousestyle menu of sushi and hot and cold tastings — the kinoko usuzukuri cold trumpet-mushroom dish just might blow your mind — still manages to feel timely and of-the-moment.

Another option for a resplendent evening? Dinner at Hestia, chef Kevin Fink’s tasting-menu-only ode to live-fire cooking,

where the menu is not a menu at all, but offered as a series of meditations, in post-card form, on a specific ingredient or dish, presented prior to the arrival of each exquisitely prepared course.

A two-minute walk from Hestia, the Austin Proper Hotel (600 W. 2nd St., 512.628.1500), newly debuted as of January 2020, boasts one of the most attractive lobby bars and restaurants in the city: The Peacock. Here, a QR code scan reveals the bar menu, comprised of wines, a selection of mezze, and cocktails such as the Moroccan Mojito, made with white rum, limoncello, mint lemonade and Topo Chico.

Stay for sips and snacks, or better yet, reserve the experience for your return visit to Austin. With the Austin Proper Hotel as your piedĂ -terre, an entirely different itinerary awaits, starting with a walk across the Butterfly Bridge.

May that future adventure be just as delicious. ď Ž

Figs, Burrata and Prosciutto at Relish

GuideBook

Here’s where to dine, what to order, and who to know now in the most deliciously diverse city in America.

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DINING DISTRICT 1 MEMORIAL, GALLERIA AREA, RIVER OAKS, UPPER KIRBY, MONTROSE

51FIFTEEN american Located inside Saks Fifth Avenue in the Galleria, this two-story restaurant is a design dream,

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with an oversize spiral staircase joining the first-floor coffee-andwine bar to the second-floor dining room. The restaurant’s lunch and dinner plates are as pretty as the designer wares. 5175 Westheimer Rd., 713.623.6100

gem is popular for its coldpressed juices, big breakfasts and giant salads. Healthful home-style meals are casual and quick, but regulars are known to settle in with a bottle of wine at dinnertime and stay awhile. 5161 San Felipe St., 713.623.6100

still-amazing shareable plates that chef Olivier Ciesielski rotates seasonally. There’s a private dining room filled with 100 bottles of wine, selected by consultant Nate Rose, available for retail purchase. 240 Westheimer Rd., 713.360.6313

UPDATE! A’BOUZY american This sceney restaurant and patio combines a menu of shareable plates with prime meats and a raw bar. Pick from the substantial wine list that includes more than 250 Champagnes or sparklings.

Excellent take-out and delivery specials! 2300 Westheimer Rd., 713.722.6899

AMALFI italian Charming Amalfi touts coastal Italian dishes like homemade fettuccine in creamy black-truffle sauce by Salerno native chef Giancarlo Ferrara. 6100 Westheimer Rd., 713.532.2201

BACKSTREET CAFÉ american Housed in a two-story 1930s home, Hugo Ortega’s Backstreet Café became a River Oaks staple 30 years ago. Expect a menu boasting an imaginative take on seasonal fare along with hefty vegetarian selections. 1103 S. Shepherd Dr., 713.521.2239

ADAIR KITCHEN american This Tanglewood neighborhood

AVONDALE FOOD & WINE french

L’Olivier on Westheimer is now Avondale Food & Wine. Expect

BCN TASTE & TRADITION spanish

Named after Barcelona’s airport

code, BCN offers authentic Spanish cuisine in a whitetablecloth setting. The specialty gin and tonics are a musthave, as is the Spanish Iberico ham. 4210 Roseland St., 832.834.3411 NEW! BLUDORN american Aaron Bludorn — who’s worked in several Michelin-starred restaurants and appeared on Netflix’s The Final Table — and his wife Victoria Bludorn (née Pappas, of that Pappas family) deliver a Gulf-tinged New American menu and low-key fine-dining to Montrose.

BRASIL american/coffee Part coffee shop, part wine bar, part bistro and part art gallery, Brasil is a buzzy brunch destination, and the shaded back patio stays packed with drinkers and diners well into the night. 2604 Dunlavy St., 712.528.1993 BRENNER’S ON THE BAYOU steakhouse

Enjoy dinner with a view at this steakhouse nestled on the lush banks of Buffalo Bayou.

Steaks, sides and decadent desserts are all good bets, and the restaurant’s hip Blue Bar offers a less formal — yet still sophisticated — vibe with craft cocktails. One Birdsall St., 713.868.4444 CARACOL mexican/seafood Hugo Ortega’s seafood-savvy concept boasts Mexican coastal cuisine in a swanky, mod space on Post Oak. Order the bananaleaf-wrapped sea bass or

coal-roasted peppered tuna, and spring for the signature El Coco dessert and use a wooden mallet to crack open its chocolate shell. 2200 Post Oak Blvd., 713.622.9996 CARRABBA’S italian One of two locations which are still family-owned by Houston’s famed Carrabba family, the original Carrabba’s on Kirby serves made-from-scratch Italian fare — from pizzas fresh out of the wood-fired oven to housemade cheeses and pastas.

3115 Kirby Dr., 713.522.3131 multiple locations visit restaurant website for details CHAMA GAUCHA steakhouse At this Brazilian steakhouse, a lavish meat-savvy buffet includes tender filet mignon, smoky sausage, flavorful lamb, and the house specialty prime sirloin — and a meal wouldn’t be complete without several of those addictive Brazilian cheese rolls. 5865 Westheimer Rd., 713.244.9500 UPDATE! COMMON BOND bakery

Enjoy gourmet coffee and buttery croissants as big as your face at this Montrose bakery and cafe. Take advantage of the free Wi-Fi and post up with a lavender latte on the dog-friendly patio. There’s a drive-through location now open in the Heights, and another coming soon to Garden Oaks! 1706 Westheimer Rd., 713.529.3535 multiple locations visit restaurant website for details

GIANCARLO FERRARA Executive Chef & Owner

Italian born, Amalfi Coast native, will transport you to his homeland with his inspired menu of fresh seafood, vivid citrus, and cozy olive oil in addition to fresh pastas, assorted meats, family-made cheeses, and an extensive, thoughtful Italian wine list.

P RIVATE D INING

Book your next special event or private occasion at Amalfi!

CATERING & EVENTS Bring the magic of the Amalfi Coast with our worldclass full catering service!

S AVE THE D ATE

Thursday, Feburary 25, 2021

It s Black Truffle Season and Chef Giancarlo Ferrara has created an amazing dinner menu featuring beautiful imported Italian black truffles and perfectly paired outstanding Italian wines.

R OMOLO B IANCO

Book Romolo Bianco for Your Special Event or Private Party.

WORLD-CLASS MUSICIAN FROM NAPLES, ITALY

Pianist, Guitarist & Singer specializing in his heartfelt ballads from his native Napoli.

Performing Nightly, Exclusively at Amalfi.

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L A F ESTA DEGLI I NNAMORATI Valentine’s Day! Love is in the air!

Chef Giancarlo has prepared a special á la carte menu of specialties from the Amalfi Coast.

Call 713.532.2201 today to reserve a table for Valentines Day, February 12th, 13th and 14th.

Request to have a bottle of chilled champagne or a dozen roses delivered to your table.

6100 WESTHEIMER RD., HOUSTON, TEXAS 77057

/AmalfiHouston

713.532.2201

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www.amalfihouston.com @AmalfiHouston

GuideBook

DA MARCO italian High-end Da Marco puts a luxurious spin on Tuscan cuisine with dishes like spaghetti-andsea-urchin and sweet-corn ravioli with lobster. The elegant space is one often considered for special occasions. 1520 Westheimer Rd. DESSERT GALLERY bakery This Upper Kirby café is clean and bright, with colorful treats that range from bite-size brownies to decadent custom cakes for big parties. Sit and enjoy with a cappuccino. 3600 Kirby Dr., 713.522.9999 UPDATE! DISH SOCIETY american

Fast-casual diner Dish Society is known for its relationships with local purveyors. From fresh juices to the customizable farmer’s plate, diners love the revolving menu of clean eats. Now open in Bellaire! 5740 San Felipe St., 832.538.1060 multiple locations visit restaurant website for details DORIS METROPOLITAN steakhouse

This glam steakhouse in the old Triniti space is inspired by Middle Eastern flavors. Hot tip: The breadbasket alone may be worth the trip, with rolls flavored with caramelized onions and presented with crushed-tomato spreads and herb butters. 2815 S. Shepherd Dr. EL TIEMPO tex-mex El Tiempo — now open in Kingwood and The Woodlands — delivers Tex-Mex in a big way with platters like the ancho-glazed grilled quail with cheese enchiladas and spicy shrimp chalupas. Pair with a peach margarita and be sure to save room for tres leches cake and sopapillas. 322 Westheimer Rd, 713.807.8101 multiple locations visit restaurant website for details ELOISE NICHOLS southern Regulars post up at this Highland Village restaurant where hearty plates like the maple-brined grilled pork chop are offered alongside craft cocktails and wine.

Breakfast is served on weekday mornings and happy hour — “Afternoon Bites” include a yummy cheese board — is offered daily. 2400 Mid Lane, Ste. 100, 713.554.0136

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FIG & OLIVE mediterranean Taste the elegant — and healthful — flavors of coastal Mediterranean cuisine in the expansive 7,000-square-foot restaurant in the Galleria, which features a terrace, lounge and two lavish private dining rooms. In the Galleria, 832.632.6632

HUGO’S mexican Chef Hugo Ortega’s namesake restaurant is a Houston staple, serving up authentic Mexican cuisine with margaritas to match.

Guests love the festive weekend brunch buffet where indulging in seconds — even thirds! — is a must. 1600 Westheimer Rd., 713.524.7744

FLEMING'S steakhouse Situated at the corner of West Alabama and Kirby, this River Oaks steakhouse is beloved for its happening happy hour and impeccable service. 2405 W. Alabama St., 713.520.5959

KATA ROBATA japanese Discreetly situated in a retail center, this top-notch sushi bar serves up fresh, innovative Japanese dishes daily under the direction of executive chef Manabu Horiuchi. Try a heaping bowl of spicy soy ramen — or Chef Hori’s inventive new caviar service. 3600 Kirby Dr., 713.526.8858

FLOWER CHILD vegetarian Wash down a scratch-made vegan wrap — the Thai Dye has spicy tofu and daikon radish — with flavored lemonade or organic wine or beer at this healthy resto. New location just opened in the Heights! In Uptown Park, 713.730.4261 GEORGIA JAMES steakhouse Chris Shepherd puts a distinct spin, as only he can, on this steakhouse named after his parents. Cast-iron-seared or wood-fire-grilled steaks from 44 Farms are presented with sides like Steen’s-vinaigrette-dressed Brussels sprouts. 1100 Westheimer Rd., 832.241.5088 GROTTO RISTORANTE italian Find sophisticated takes on Italian classics like Veal San Pietro. A festive Sunday brunch brings French toast with Grand Marnier batter and frozen peach Bellinis. 4715 Westheimer Rd., 713.622.3663 multiple locations visit restaurant website for details HOPDODDY american This wildly obsessed-over burger bar features a menu of piled-high patties with toppings like seared poblanos, apple-smoked bacon and truffle aioli alongside fries and queso. 4444 Westheimer Rd. 713.227.2337; hopdoddy.com mulitple locations visit restaurant website for details HS GREEN american Fast-food meets clean-eats at this order-at-the-counter restaurant near the Galleria. Wash down a customized wrap or salad with a cold-pressed juice. 5092 Richmond Ave., 713.904.3547

KILLEN'S southern Ronnie Killen’s first inner-Loop endeavor is now open in the former Hickory Hollow space.

At Killen’s, expect much of the same mouthwatering comfortfood fare experienced at his fried-chicken pop-ups throughout the last year, plus fried green tomatoes with buttermilk sauce, and an ever-comforting chickenand-dumplings dish. 101 Heights Blvd., 713.637.4664 LA GRIGLIA italian From caprese salad to wild mushroom lasagna, the menu at La Griglia is simple, but elegant.

When Houston weather permits, enjoy the patio, complete with fire pits and scenic River Oaks views.

2002 W. Gray St., 713.526.4700 LE COLONIAL french/vietnamese French-Vietnamese cuisine is presented in a posh space in River Oaks District. Dishes like the crispy whole duck — which serves up to four people and must be ordered in advance — are authentic and full-flavored. Weekend brunch brings Vietnamese steak and eggs and “exotic” mimosas! 4444 Westheimer Rd., 713.629.4444 MAD spanish Everything at this BCN sister concept — from the mirror-lined hall to the bathroom and the cartoon-like, cheese-stuffed shiny red MAD Tomato — is photoworthy. Reservations weeks in advance highly recommended.

4444 Westheimer Rd., 281.888.2770

UPDATE! MALA SICHUAN chinese This longtime Chinatown favorite is equally popular inside the Loop, where its corner location in a Montrose shopping strip is reminiscent of a trendy New York resto. Mala’s menu packs a punch with dishes like the dry-pot chicken and three-pepper duck.

Now open in Sugar Land! 1201 Westheimer Rd., 832.767.0911 MASTRO'S steakhouse At more-is-more Mastro’s, Vegas comes to Houston, with everything but showgirls and roulette wheels. Try something out of the steakhouse box, like the Wagyu hamburger helper. 1650 W. Loop S., 713.993.2500 MERUS GRILL american Uptown Park’s newly enhanced dining scene includes industrial-glam Merus Grill, from the folks at J. Alexander’s. The menu touts beautifully prepared, classic American dishes — fresh seafood, burgers, piled-high salads. 1180 Uptown Park Blvd., 346.299.5775 NARIN’S BOMBAY BRASSERIE south asian

Indulge in saag paneer and chicken tikka masala (and oh so much more) at this traditional Indian restaurant run by father-and-son team Narin and Sanjay Sehgal.

Visit during weekend brunch and see what’s cooking on the tandoor in the main dining room. 3005 W. Loop S., 713.622.2005 NOBU sushi At socialite-savvy Nobu, hyperinformed waiters float around, delivering bite-sized delicacies on geometric white plates to tables. Unique takes on sushi include ones with pickled cucumbers, Shiso leaf and Japanese mackerel. In the Galleria, 832.987.2599 NORTH ITALIA italian Stop in to this hip Uptown Italian restaurant for happy hour on weekday evenings and all day on Sundays to enjoy the $20 special: a choice of a pizza, bruschetta, or meat-and-cheese board, with a bottle of wine. In BLVD Place, 281.605.4030 ONE FIFTH gulf cuisine In its fourth phase, One Fifth explores the fresh flavors of the Gulf coast, with a menu of raw, cured, fried and roasted

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seafood. 1658 Westheimer Rd., 713.955.1024

the heart of Downtown. 5839 Westheimer Rd., 713.780.7352

OUISIE'S TABLE southern This River Oaks institution serving Southern standards — shrimp and cheese grits, New Orleans red snapper, chicken and waffles at brunch! — is charming. With a beautiful patio and private rooms, it’s a popular locale for showers, receptions and more, too. 3939 San Felipe St., 713.528.2264

PEPPER TWINS chinese Don’t take the “pepper” in foodie fave Pepper Twins lightly.

The dishes at this Szechuanstyle restaurant, now open in CityCentre, incorporate serious spices like the fresh nine-leaf peppercorn, helping customers to feel the burn. Try the mung bean smoothie! 315 Fairview St., 832.649.7175 multiple locations visit restaurant website for details

OUZO BAY mediterranean This Greek spot in River Oaks District, known for its eyecatching seafood displays and simply delicious whole-fish presentation, is next door to the whiskey-centric Loch Bar. 4444 Westheimer Rd., 832.430.6610

steakhouse

RAGIN’ CAJUN cajun Crawfish season is here! There’s no better spot to get the fixins for a backyard boil than the original Ragin’ Cajun on Richmond.

Don’t miss Jambalaya Tuesday, when a bowl is served with bread and a drink for just $10. 4302 Richmond Ave., 713.623.6321

Given its expansive wine list and in-house dry-aging process, diners can expect nothing short of perfection when dining at familyowned Pappas Bros. Steakhouse.

Visit the newest location in

RELISH american Quick counter service is offered for lunch and brunch at this café run by a husband and wife team, while evenings are

PAPPAS BROS. STEAKHOUSE

reserved for a full-service dining experience. 2810 Westheimer Rd., 713.599.1960 RISTORANTE CAVOUR italian When a European vacation is not in the immediate future, visit the romantic Ristorante Cavour inside Hotel Granduca.

The elegant menu, executed

by Maurizio Ferrarese, boasts Italian plates and a wine list for days. 1080 Uptown Park Blvd., 713.418.1104 UPDATE! RIEL american Riel offers an American menu inspired by local color and chef Ryan Lachaine’s Ukrainian heritage; the Montreal smoked meat is splashed with French’s mustard. Check out the sandwiches at lunchtime, when Riel operates as Louie’s. 1927 Fairview St., 832.831.9109 UPDATE! STATE OF GRACE southern

Grab a seat at the oyster bar during happy hour for $1 oysters at chef Ford Fry’s River Oaks restaurant. Dining out

with the fam? Try the festive Sunday supper for $29/person.

The new weekend brunch touts mouthwatering cinnamon rolls and batch cocktails — even to-go! 3258 Westheimer Rd., 832.942.5080 STEAK 48 steakhouse A steakhouse standout delivers in its rich side dishes — the Hasselback potatoes are excellent — and desserts. Crowds of pretty people pour in early and stay late, so reservations are recommended. In River Oaks District, 713.322.7448 TONY’S italian A cherished part of the Houston dining scene, Tony Vallone’s namesake restaurant is an exquisite treat from start to finish. Opt for the three-, five- or seven-course tasting menu for a true culinary experience, featuring the foie gras flambé — a feast for the senses! 3755 Richmond Ave., 713.622.67788 UPDATE! TRIBUTE southern At this restaurant in the

by J. Al e x an de r ’ s Dining Room open daily for Lunch and Dinner.

Take-Out & Delivery also available at www.merusgrill.com.

1 1 8 0 - 1 U P T O W N PA R K B LV D, H O U S T O N , T X

(346) 299-5775

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Houstonian hotel, savor unique fare that blends the flavors of Texas, Louisiana and Mexico.

Book the private wine room for a special occasion and pick your own playlist! 111 N. Post Oak Ln., 713.680.2626

pairing fried chicken with a glass of Champagne. Max’s is hardly a dive, with a serious wine list and hearty Southern plates. 4720 Washington Ave., 713.880.8737; maxswinedive.com

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UPDATE! UCHI japanese It’s hard to beat Uchi for fresh, interesting sushi and sashimi — and the Brussels sprouts are can’t-miss. The sake social hour seating, which offers heavily discounted plates and wine from 5 to 6:30pm, is one of the most sought-after in the city. Prepare to wait in line. Equally delicious: An eight-course dinner to-go, with wine, for less than $100. 904 Westheimer Rd., 713.522.4808 VIBRANT american It's easy to be happy and healthy at this adorable neighborhood café. Enjoy breakfast — dishes like the coconut-chia pudding, which is both creamy and crunchy, are served all day — and lunch in an indoor-outdoor space that feels much more Santa Fe than Houston. 1931 Fairview St., 832.409.6423 UPDATE! WHITE ELM bakery/mediterranean The Memorial area’s new White Elm Café Bakery is a nearly 3,500-square-foot space with a patio that offers walk-up coffee and pastries in the morning and lunch and dinner daily.

Expect fresh bread, and Greek specialties nodding to chef-owner “Bread Man” Tasos Katsaounis’ upbringing. The cheesebuger with bone-marrow butter is one of the best in the city! 14079 Memorial Dr., 281.496.2920 WILLIE G'S seafood The new Willie G’s, steps from Tilman Fertitta’s new Post Oak Hotel, is glam and modern. Enjoy the rotating selection of fresh fish, and the Mexican-street-corntopped seared scallops. 1640 W. Loop S., 713.840.7190

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UPDATE! UB PRESERV american Underbelly lives on at Chris Shepherd’s cozy concept on the Westheimer curve. Chef Nick Wong’s dim sum-style Sunday brunch was called out by Food & Wine as the most interesting brunch in America. Check out the new late-night menu on Thursdays! 1609 Westheimer Rd., 346.406.5923

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DINING DISTRICT 2 GARDEN OAKS, THE HEIGHTS, WASHINGTON CORRIDOR

BB’S CAFE southern Get your Cajun-food fix at BB’s: From Maw Maw’s gumbo to a platter of fried catfish, find New Orleans-style cooking with a Texas twist. 2701 White Oak Dr., 713.868.8000 multiple locations visit restaurant website for details B&B BUTCHERS & RESTAURANT steakhouse

Venture in for the deep-fried A5 Wagyu katsu sando, or similarly stacked deli sandwich in the adjoining butcher shop, at this boutique steakhouse. A rooftop terrace makes B&B a premiere Sunday brunch destination. 1814 Washington Ave., 713.862.18144 B.B. LEMON american Ben Berg has combined the best of his two favorite cities, Houston and New York, at his latest concept located across from his flagship B&B Butchers. Expect flavorful plates like blue-crab beignets, craft cocktails and retro-inspired desserts.

Now also open in Montrose! 1809 Washington Ave., 713.554.1809 COLTIVARE italian With its strict “no-reservation” policy, the restaurant’s onsite garden — where many of the herbs and produce for the Italian dishes are grown — doubles as a charming waiting area. 3320 White Oak Dr., 713.637.4095 FIELD & TIDES american This Heights restaurant in an old 1940s gas station may seem unassuming, but the food is incredible. Try the braised octopus with chorizo and chimichurri, or the colorful soba noodle salad. 705 E. 11th St., 713.861.6143 MAX'S WINE DIVE southern Here, keeping it classy means

POSTINO italian Rosé — and everything else — all day! This patio spot in Heights Mercantile, with a second location in Montrose, is always packed, especially during the bottle-andboard special, available after 8pm on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Coming soon to CityCentre! 642 Yale St., 346.223.1111 multiple locations visit restaurant website for details UPDATE! RAINBOW LODGE steakhouse

True to its name, Rainbow Lodge provides steakhouse and wild game fare in a rustic lodge setting.

Outdoor seating on the newly expanded wine deck is coveted.

2011 Ella Blvd., 713.861.8666 REVIVAL MARKET american Part grocery store, part coffee shop, part sidewalk café, Revival Market is your one-stop shop for a midday treat. Try the hot chicken honey butter biscuit and stock up on meat and charcuterie for the week. 550 Heights Blvd., 713.880.8463 SUPERICA tex-mex Atlanta-based Ford Fry has opened an outpost of his famed Superica in his hometown. Expect Tex-Mex classics, along with more Mex-Mex items like ceviche and pozole.

Next-door at La Lucha, there’s a more laidback vibe, with outdoor games and a more Gulf-focused menu. 1801 N. Shepherd Dr., 713.955.3215 VERDINE vegetarian Vegan chef extraordinaire Stephanie Hoban has opened this brick-and-mortar followup to her popular food truck, formerly known as Ripe Cuisine. The menu of plant-based food includes savory, slow-cooked “carnitas” made with jackfruit, and a meatless burger built with a lentil-walnutmushroom patty. 449 W. 19th St., 713.876.4768 THE BREAKFAST KLUB southern Enjoy a feast of home-style classics — wings and waffles, catfish and grits — at this no-frills Midtown diner. The line starts forming bright and early, but being part of the “klub” is worth the wait. 3711 Travis St., 713.528.8561

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DINING DISTRICT 3 MIDTOWN, DOWNTOWN, EADO, THIRD WARD, FIFTH WARD

UPDATE! BRENNAN’S OF HOUSTON southern Count on this decades-old Houston staple for an exquisite dining experience full of Southern-Creole flavors. Seating spans two levels and guests love Sunday brunch in the courtyard.

The turtle soup with sherry is famous, as are the pralines.

Inquire about cocktail kits and DIY bananas foster, to go! 3300 Smith St., 713.522.9711 UPDATE! INDIANOLA american This retro-chic diner reopened after Covid with a new focus on Gulf cuisine. On the simple menu, find not only superb seafood, but lots of plates with influence from Mexico and ones utilizing local beef and pork. 1201 St. Emanuel St., 832.582.7202 NINFA’S ON NAVIGATION

tex-mex

The origin of Tex-Mex as we know it, Ninfa’s is always packed no matter when you dine. Guests love the sizzling fajitas and loaded quesadillas. In the mood for something different? Try the grilled octopus from the woodburning oven. 2704 Navigation Blvd., 713.228.1175 POTENTE italian Top-tier chef Danny Trace and Astros-owner-turned-restaurateur Jim Crane hit a haute homerun at this elegant eatery by the ballpark. Opt for tableside truffle service on handmade spaghetti al tartufo, and save room for intricate desserts. 1515 Texas Ave., 713.237.1515 STREET TO KITCHEN thai Chef-owner Benchawan Painter finally has a permanent home for her Street to Kitchen pop-up concept. The East End restaurant spotlights self-proclaimed

GuideBook

“unapologetically, authentically Thai” food, elevating items that are traditional street foods in Painter’s native Thailand to chef-driven dishes made with local and organic ingredients.

6501 Harrisburg Blvd., 713.428.1975 THEODORE REX american Justin Yu’s modern American bistro is housed in the same location as his late, lauded resto Oxheart. He presents farm-fresh a options like the uncomplicated tomato toast or Gulf snapper in broth and a short but sweet wine list. 1302 Nance St., unit A, 832.830.8592, trexhouston.com TOUT SUITE bakery/coffee Stop by this all-daybakery for a macaron or cupcake, or post up for a while at one of the community tables and enjoy brunch bites like avocado toast and freshsqueezed juice. There are also CBD-infused pastries, chocolates and more! 2001 Commerce St., 713.227.8688 WEIGHTS + MEASURES

bakery/american

Glass walls at this industrial-chic bakery and restaurant allow guests to witness the pastry-making magic up close. Partake in the lively Sunday brunch with plates like cake donuts and fried chicken (which comes with a side of spinach, making this a very healthy choice). 2808 Caroline St., 713.654.1970 COPPA OSTERIA italian All of the Neapolitan-style pizzas and handmade pastas are popular at this Rice Village winner. While the restaurant and wraparound patio are bustling with activity, it is the walk-up pizza window that is truly a hit in the largely pedestrian-friendly area.

5210 Morningside Dr., 713.522.3535

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DINING DISTRICT 4 BELLAIRE, WEST UNIVERSITY, MUSEUM DISTRICT, MED CENTER

NEW! GINGER KALE american

This fast-casual, healthconscious café is a fab addition to Hermann Park.

Watch the train roll by and be entertained by the ducks and geese on the lake, all while enjoying plates like beet-and-goat-cheese toast, or a crisp salad.

6104 Hermann Park Dr., 713.429.5238 LOCAL FOODS american This fast-casual diner has a guilt-free menu of sandwiches, salads, soups and sides, all made fresh using locally sourced ingredients. A cocktail and wine list at the Upper Kirby, Downtown and new Heights and Tanglewood locations make it a hip hangout. Plus: Find essentials like eggs, milk, bread and produce — plus grab-and-go gourmet items — at the new Local Foods Market in Rice Village. 2424 Dunstan Rd., 713.521.7800 multiple locations

visit restaurant website for details LUCILLE’S southern Named after their greatgrandmother, brothers Ben and Chris Williams bring the comforts of down home Southern cooking to the table at Lucille’s. Go for the crab cake beignets or oxtails and grits, and adding on the piping-hot pan of corn bread is a must. 5512 La Branch St., 713.568.2505, lucilles houston.com

Expect a line at this very popular gardenset getaway, where the chocolate-chip cookies have earned as much of a reputation as the restaurant itself.

Snag some, along with housemade ice cream, at the next-door Milk & Cookies booth. 3636 Rice Blvd., 713.664.0141; tinyboxwoods.com multiple locations visit restaurant website for details

OUTSIDE THE LOOP HIMALAYA south asian Hidden in a retail plaza in Little India, this ultracasual cafe is BYOB and serves up spicy Indo-Pak classics like chicken tikka masala and lamb biryani.

If you’ve been-there-eatenthat, try the smoked-brisket masala or top-secret fried chicken. 6652 Southwest Fwy., 713.532.2837 PIER 6 gulf seafood Former Brennan’s chef Joe Cervantez and Prestige Oysters’ Raz Halili have opened Pier 6 in San Leon, with fresh seafood fare and views of Galveston Bay. Sit inside or dine al fresco on the covered patio with hanging rattan swings.

Expect a lot of Cajun and Creole influence on the menu, with some Asian and East Coast techniques, too.

113 6th Street, in San Leon TRIS american Find modern American fare at this prized Woodlands bistro under the direction of Chef Austin Simmons.

Tris’ new menu, which debuts Sept. 7, will include casual lunch fare, high-end dinner options, and craft cocktails. The interactive, tasting-menu-touting Cureight remains. 24 Waterway Ave., Ste. 125, 281.203.5641 

squeeze play continued from page 34

“It’s really simple,” says founder Michael Holthouse of the nonprofit’s origins. “There are a whole host of kids that are as bright and capable as any in all the world. Sadly, they’re growing up in an environment that is often unlikely to produce happy, healthy contributing members of our world.”

Holthouse set out on the venture alongside his wife Lisa, CityBook’s executive publisher, who also helps run the Holthouse Foundation for Kids, after a day spent developing and running a lemonade stand with their daughter.

“That became one of the greatest days ever.

We had so much fun,” recalls Michael. “We were talking about revenues and profits and quality of product. Before you knew it, all these cars were coming up and she started making a whole bunch of money, and it occurred to me at that point in time that teaching kids entrepreneurship is the key to the kingdom.”

Since its inception, Lemonade Day has partnered with organizations in 85 different cities and 14 countries, in addition to touching the lives of more than 55,000 Houston-area children. And the new app is destined to expand that reach even further.

My Lemonade Day is available on all smart devices, and teaches four things, according to Michael: “Set a goal, make a plan, work the plan, and achieve the goal you set. A lot of kids are having to learn from home these days, and having an app that helps them learn entrepreneurship remotely will be a huge advantage.”

Making all of the curriculum available worldwide was the natural next step for Lemonade Day. “Pure and simply, we wanted to do the app because we’d love for every single child on planet Earth to know how to start a business, and we think a … lemonade stand is a great place to start,” explains Holthouse.

“One thing that’s certain is that kids are the only future we’ve got. So if they’re prepared, our country will be better off. Investing in our future is what Lemonade Day is all about.”

Jenny Roesler, Sabrina’s mom, who has championed her daughter’s business every step of the way, has witnessed her daughter expand her horizons in ways she never imagined. “A week ago, she was dancing and performing in recitals,” says Jenny. “She said ‘I want to be a dancer, actress and business owner.’ Kids can change their mind all the time, because it depends on what they’re interested in at the moment. Sabrina has never changed her mind on the business ownership part. It makes me so proud.”

Sabrina pipes up. “My mom says I’m learning things she didn’t learn until college!” 

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Second Guess

Brave Faces This issue includes a series of fashionable portraits of Houston hospitality workers, shot by Ashkan Roayaee. Styled by Todd Ramos and made up by Edward Sanchez, these faces are just five out of hundreds of thousands whose lives and livelihoods were greatly affected by the pandemic and ensuing restrictions. Who’s on the cover of the magazine you’re holding depends on where you picked it up. Readers grabbing the mag from newsstands and giveaway racks will get one with Chris Wise, a former bartender who recently joined the Southern Smoke Foundation as manager of operations. And home subscribers will have received the one with Gabrielle McTopy, a hostess at Willie G’s Seafood in The Post Oak Hotel who persevered through a three-month furlough.

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TOP PRODUCER

Taking Your Home to the SOLD

Andrew McCain | 713.526.4847 | andrewmccain@compass.com