s3mh Posted January 25, 2019 Share Posted January 25, 2019 https://theleadernews.com/approachable-wine-bar-coming-to-heights/ February opening for the wine bar. Sounds like the restaurant portion (Savoir) is going to open later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IronTiger Posted February 6, 2019 Author Share Posted February 6, 2019 It looks like the gray stucco approach is the permanent exterior to the building. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avossos Posted August 9, 2019 Share Posted August 9, 2019 we are seeing something special in the heights... the reuse of buildings, even unremarkable buildings... into thoughtful structures is making this area unique. We are re-writing history... we are refreshing it and honoring the past. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s3mh Posted August 9, 2019 Share Posted August 9, 2019 The build out has taken almost a year. The interior design does look amazing considering what they started with. But it is a bit odd how they left the cinder blocks exposed on the exterior, looking kind of shabby and not in a decorative way. And the parking lot on the north side does not drain properly. A big puddle forms and hangs around for a day or two after a downpour. I thought for sure they would put in a drain when they did all the work on the parking lot. I have only been peeking through the windows, but I cannot recall seeing a big wine fridge anywhere. There is a big open shelf in the La Grande Rue part of the building, but if you are going to sell high end old world reds, you have got to have it ready to pour at the proper temperature. Maybe that will be one of the last things to go in before they open. I presume that they are going to have to valet park a majority of the people coming for dinner. The parking lot on site is tiny. Maybe they have a deal with the funeral home to use their lot in the evening. Given the long build out and quirks, I hope they hit it out of the park and have crowds like Coltivare every night. My fear would be that the restaurant is just another new flashy high end thing that gets forgotten when the next new flashy thing opens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbigtex56 Posted August 9, 2019 Share Posted August 9, 2019 2 hours ago, Avossos said: we are seeing something special in the heights... the reuse of buildings, even unremarkable buildings... into thoughtful structures is making this area unique. We are re-writing history... we are refreshing it and honoring the past. I'm glad they did it and the result is pleasing. The thing is, once the interior, the exterior, the windows and doors all have been replaced, what's left of the history? IMO the weathered stucco was much more attractive. And yes, it can be stabilized and maintained. New Orleans has made an industry of doing exactly that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s3mh Posted August 12, 2019 Share Posted August 12, 2019 Ok. I can see where the wine storage is going to be. But doesn't look like it has been completed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s3mh Posted August 23, 2019 Share Posted August 23, 2019 Soft opening is imminent. Looks like they have staffed up and are getting ready. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s3mh Posted August 28, 2019 Share Posted August 28, 2019 http://houston.culturemap.com/news/restaurants-bars/08-27-19-savoir-new-restaurant-the-heights-wine-brian-doke-william-meznarich-micah-rideout/#slide=4 First look from culturemap. Says that the wine bar/retail side should open today. Restaurant side is still in soft opening with limited reservations, but they are up on resy now. https://houston.eater.com/2019/8/28/20836675/la-grande-rue-heights-houston-opening-august-2019 Eater article on the wine bar side that is opening today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angostura Posted August 28, 2019 Share Posted August 28, 2019 Interesting that they'll have one kitchen, but two menus and two wine lists, and two liquor licenses, so as to be able to both sell spirits for on-premise consumption and wine for off-premise consumption. Having seen similar ventures in the past, I expect the off-premise business will struggle to justify its square footage, and gradually atrophy (though I hope I'm wrong). If the over-under on the number of concepts operating in this space in 24 months were set at 1.5, I'd take the under. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texasota Posted August 28, 2019 Share Posted August 28, 2019 I disagree, depending on the quality of their wine list and how distinct the two purposes are. I think especially if they have the good sense to offer (and label) natural wine, which is still only explicitly prioritized at maybe half a dozen shops. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angostura Posted August 29, 2019 Share Posted August 29, 2019 18 hours ago, Texasota said: I disagree, depending on the quality of their wine list and how distinct the two purposes are. I think especially if they have the good sense to offer (and label) natural wine, which is still only explicitly prioritized at maybe half a dozen shops. I hope you're right. I think it depends on how they use the space. About ten years ago there was a wine bar/retail shop on Shepherd (the name escapes me) that split the space about 50/50. They had a fair amount of interesting wines, occasional tastings, etc. Over the course of the time they were open, the area dedicated to the wine shop gradually shrank, and the area dedicated to on-premise grew, until eventually the retail operation ceased altogether. A successful restaurant, with a full reservation book and/or significant wait times at some point looks around their space and thinks, "if I didn't have all this retail stock taking up floor space, I could seat more people." Which is why a lot of places that start out as a restaurant/grocery or restaurant/delicatessen or restaurant/retail wine shop end up as just restaurants sooner than later. (Not to mention the impact on wine mark-ups when you're no longer selling the same bottles for retail prices a few feet away.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texasota Posted August 29, 2019 Share Posted August 29, 2019 It'll be interesting to see how Light Street does. The acoustics there are awful, but otherwise I really like that place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s3mh Posted August 29, 2019 Share Posted August 29, 2019 All the wine looks to be along the wall behind the counter in the La Grande Rue part of the building. So, they aren't really sacrificing any floor space for wine bar patrons with retail displays for wine. I thought they might do like Coltivare and not take reservations at Savoir so that everyone would hang out at La Grande Rue drinking wine before dinner. But Savoir is set up for reservations. Wine bars are funny concepts. You have a wide range of consumers that go from someone who just likes to drink and wouldn't know Burgundy from a boxed wine all the way to full on wine snobs who buy Bordeaux futures every year and won't blink at paying $150+ for a bottle. So then, people beat each other with sticks to get a table at Postino to drink some very average but affordable wine and eat above average food, while places like the Tasting Room and 13 Celsius will sell $500+ in wine to a group of 4 wine snobs. It sounds like La Grande Rue is looking to serve the high end of the market. If that is the case, they do not really need a lot of space and the retail side need not rake in a ton of cash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flatline Posted September 16, 2019 Share Posted September 16, 2019 Went with a group of 6 for dinner at Savoir then strolled over to LGR to share a post-dinner bottle. I was truly surprised at how expansive the space is on the inside - you don't really get a feel for that from the street. The buildout is beautiful, with a mix of polished concrete, tile, and wood. U-shaped bar setup is great in Savoir - LGR bar was more of a traditional L but also worked in the space. Savoir was packed so the noise level was high, but not as bad/unbearable as some of the new places (ahem, I'm looking at you, Calle Onze. . .). Savoir had the cursed banquette setup in about half the space, but also a good number of 4-tops. LGR had a good mix of seating, from the traditional bar, to some hotel-lounge type low chairs, to bar-high tables. Very comfortable and good vibe. Looks like the valets were parking in the parking lots for La Paz spa next to the Sunny's convenience store and at the instrument repair shop on the NW corner of the intersection. I don't want to turn this in to a yelp review, but the food was outstanding, the old fashioneds were spot-on, and the wine lists on both sides were interesting with a reasonable markup. That we could comfortably walk on a late summer evening from our house to what had previously been an eyesore abandoned storefront was pretty awesome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.