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The Heights Restaurant And Bar Scene - More Coming


Freelander

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Salé  Sucré is located on a particularly unattractive span of White Oak in a small, generic strip center just off Studewood not far from I-10 but you'll see the restaurant's glow before you even enter. And once in, you will be quickly enveloped by a welcoming, warm sensibility.

 

There aren't any other places in the nearby area that offer such nuanced French bistro fare. This lack of competition is both a blessing and a curse, translating into generally higher prices than one would normally expect to pay for the inconsistent quality and simple menu.

 

Philippe Harel and his wife Béline are the husband-wife entrepreneurial duo behind Salé Sucré. Unfussy yet dignified, Salé Sucré is relaxed but possesses a certain sophistication. On a Thursday evening when we visited the live music's volume was much too loud for the small space, precluding any attempt at having a conversation with our guests while eating. The music was good but left our heads throbbing by the end of the evening.

 

The waiters know about the food, and they're attentive without being overbearing. While well-intentioned, the bartender and small wait staff can be easily overwhelmed resulting in service that is often slow. You will need to be patient.

 

The order of service was disjointed and somewhat surreal. After an extended wait, our bottle of wine arrived while we were still wondering what happened to our cocktail order. Our cocktails arrived half-way through the appetizers. After several requests, bread (a single small loaf) initially made an appearance mid-way through the meal.

 

Once the bread arrived it was a joy in the form of a single miniature, delicious peasant baguette. Unfortunately, it was too small to adequately share between our party of four diners. Luckily, after several further requests, additional loaves began arriving at oddly-timed intervals.

 

The small menu, still apparently a work in progress, includes a lengthy list of both savory and sweet crêpe dishes, plus starters that include pan-fried Camembert served with spinach salad and honey dressing. The chef uses fresh herbs, which are well sourced and typically incorporated in well-chosen combinations. Main lunch entrees are somewhat pricey, and dinners are even more expensive. We found many menu items to be either over or under-seasoned resulting in food that was generally good but inconsistent, missing the mark of being great. The moules marinières in particular were bland due to inadequate seasoning and cooked for much too long resulting in an unpleasant, rubbery texture. The baked camembert was very salty due to an overly free-hand with the seasoning.

 

Salé  Sucré  is a good choice for simple bistro fare, like savory or sweet crepes and frites. Dining at Salé Sucré isn't perfect --but unfortunately it's about as close as you'll get to Paris within this area of the Heights.

 

DON'T MISS

 

THE SPACE Situated in a nondescript strip center, this bistro has an interior that is an entirely different story, with a welcoming bar and a handful of colorful tables creating a dining area with a warm French bistro feel. Soft lighting, wood floors and scattered cushioned seats along with a long cushioned wall bench create a cozy atmosphere. Seating in the bistro is snug and it can get uncomfortably loud, particulary if there is live music. A small but pleasant outdoor front patio is ideal for lunch or brunch during good weather. Wheelchair accessible.

 

THE CROWD Runs the gamut, from couples out for a romantic meal and singles at the bar to groups and families (There is a children's menu available but rambunctious children would not be appropriate). Great date spot or for small groups. Dress is casual.

 

THE BAR The centerpiece is a nice selection of premium liqueurs and alcohols, The restaurant offers both specialty cocktails and wines by the glass or bottle. The small wine list features French wines of varying quality and price.

 

THE BILL Entrees from $19 to $26; specials as high as $34. Major credit cards accepted.

 

WHAT WE LIKED  Baked camembert, French fries, mixed greens salad, New Zealand lamb ribs served with mashed potatoes and vegetables ($18) and Tornedos Rossini: beef with foie gras, fig chutney with vegetables and frites ($24).

 

IF YOU GO Lunch: Monday to Sunday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dinner: Monday to Sunday, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Reservations are recommended, especially for Friday and Saturday nights. Free private parking lot across the street from the restaurant. The Harels also run a custom bakery business on-site for weddings and special events.

 

RATINGS Overall O.K. but not great. Fairly expensive for bistro fare with slow but well-intentioned service and dishes of inconsistent quality. Has the potential to evolve but would not visit again anytime soon. . Only the test of time will tell if Salé Sucré can survive long enough to mature and realize its full potential.

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Except the already increasing number of restaurants in the neighborhood. 

 

Witchcraft is not within shepard and durham, but basically on the corner of 11th and shep.  Not too hard to imagine something similar inbetween them being successful.  Lifting the alchohol ban (which is rediculous in the first place) would definitely open opportunity for people to open some nice(and successful) bars/restaurants between shepard and durham. 

Nobody expects some miracle... but one or two more options sure would be nice.    I also think your disdain for the "cruddy booze barns" just shows what kind of person you are.  You afriad of "Ice house" patrons?

But if it is not hard to imagine another Witchcraft in the dry zone, then why isn't there anything even close in the thousands of square feet of retail space between White Oak Bayou and 16th st? Could it be because I am right that bar and restaurant owners do not want to be on N. Shep?

If you want to fill 16th to 26th with stuff like Buffalo Fred's Ice House and the Fiesta Liquor Mart, then that is your problem. I am very glad that the dry zone has kept that stuff out. Car dealerships are not pretty, but they close by 9 pm and don't blast music and fill the streets with drunk drivers and noisy Harleys. And if not wanting ice houses and liquor stores lining the street in your neighborhood makes you a snob, about 95% of Houstonians would be snobs.

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Also, what do you suppose land values are on Washington and White Oak?

Shady Acres is way cheaper than along N. Shep., especially back when Cedar Creek, et. al first moved in. Washington and White Oak are comparable in some parts, cheaper in others. But it is a no brainer if you are looking for a site for your restaurant or bar whether you want to be along 4 lanes of one way traffic or on White Oak or Washington. There is a ton of real estate between 6th and 16th on N. Shep, but not a single decent restaurant or bar. That is not because they are close to the dry zone. That is because no one wants to have a bar or restaurant where patrons sit on the patio and watch 4 lanes of I-10/610 cut trhough traffic.

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Salé Sucré is located on a particularly unattractive span of White Oak in a small, generic strip center just off Studewood not far from I-10 but you'll see the restaurant's glow before you even enter. And once in, you will be quickly enveloped by a welcoming, warm sensibility.

 

There aren't any other places in the nearby area that offer such nuanced French bistro fare. This lack of competition is both a blessing and a curse, translating into generally higher prices than one would normally expect to pay for the inconsistent quality and simple menu.

 

Philippe Harel and his wife Béline are the husband-wife entrepreneurial duo behind Salé Sucré. Unfussy yet dignified, Salé Sucré is relaxed but possesses a certain sophistication. On a Thursday evening when we visited the live music's volume was much too loud for the small space, precluding any attempt at having a conversation with our guests while eating. The music was good but left our heads throbbing by the end of the evening.

 

The waiters know about the food, and they're attentive without being overbearing. While well-intentioned, the bartender and small wait staff can be easily overwhelmed resulting in service that is often slow. You will need to be patient.

 

The order of service was disjointed and somewhat surreal. After an extended wait, our bottle of wine arrived while we were still wondering what happened to our cocktail order. Our cocktails arrived half-way through the appetizers. After several requests, bread (a single small loaf) initially made an appearance mid-way through the meal. Our water glasses, once empty, were not replenished.

 

Once the bread arrived it was a joy in the form of a single miniature, delicious peasant baguette. Unfortunately, it was too small to adequately share between our party of four diners. Luckily, after several further requests, additional loaves began arriving at weirdly-timed intervals but we were glad to have it. A collection of our used plates and glasses acquired throughout the evening went uncollected. It was an uncomfortably tight fit to serve dessert and coffee at our table towards the end of the night.

 

The small menu, still apparently a work in progress, includes a lengthy list of both savory and sweet crêpe dishes, plus starters that include pan-fried Camembert served with spinach salad and honey dressing. The chef uses fresh herbs, which are well sourced and typically incorporated in well-chosen combinations. Main lunch entrees are somewhat pricey, and dinners are even more expensive. We found many menu items to be either over or under-seasoned resulting in food that was generally good but inconsistent, missing the mark of being great. The moules marinières in particular were bland due to inadequate seasoning and cooked for much too long resulting in an unpleasant, rubbery texture. The baked camembert was good overly doused in honey creating a too sweet mess, while the couscous was extremely due to an overly free-hand with the seasoning.

 

Salé Sucré is a good choice for simple bistro fare, like savory or sweet crepes and frites. Dining at Salé Sucré isn't perfect -- but unfortunately it's about as close as you'll get to Paris within this area of the Heights where a lack of restaurant diversity persists.

 

DON'T MISS

 

THE SPACE Situated in a nondescript strip center, this bistro has an interior that is an entirely different story, with a welcoming bar and a handful of colorful tables creating a dining area with a warm French bistro feel. Soft lighting, wood floors and scattered cushioned seats along with a long cushioned wall bench create a cozy atmosphere. Seating in the bistro is snug and it can get uncomfortably loud, particularly if there is live music. A small but pleasant outdoor front patio is ideal for lunch or brunch during good weather. Wheelchair accessible.

 

THE CROWD Runs the gamut, from couples out for a romantic meal and singles at the bar to groups and families (There is a children's menu available but rambunctious children would not be appropriate). Great date spot or for small groups. Dress is casual.

 

THE BAR The centerpiece is a nice selection of premium liqueurs and alcohols, The restaurant offers both specialty cocktails and wines by the glass or bottle. The small wine list features French wines of varying quality and price.

 

THE BILL Entrees from $19 to $26; specials as high as $34. Major credit cards accepted.

 

WHAT WE LIKED Baked camembert, French fries, mixed greens salad, New Zealand lamb ribs served with mashed potatoes and vegetables ($18) and Tornedos Rossini: beef with foie gras, fig chutney with vegetables and frites ($24).

 

IF YOU GO Lunch: Monday to Sunday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dinner: Monday to Sunday, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Reservations are recommended, especially for Friday and Saturday nights. Free private parking lot across the street from the restaurant. The Harels also run a custom bakery business on-site for weddings and special events.

 

RATINGS Overall barely O.K. Surprisingly expensive for bistro fare with slow but well-intentioned service and dishes of inconsistent quality. Has the potential to evolve but would not visit again anytime soon.. Only the test of time will tell if Salé Sucré will survive long enough to realize its full potential. I hope so.

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Except the already increasing number of restaurants in the neighborhood. 

 

Witchcraft is not within shepard and durham, but basically on the corner of 11th and shep.  Not too hard to imagine something similar inbetween them being successful.  Lifting the alchohol ban (which is rediculous in the first place) would definitely open opportunity for people to open some nice(and successful) bars/restaurants between shepard and durham. 

Nobody expects some miracle... but one or two more options sure would be nice.    I also think your disdain for the "cruddy booze barns" just shows what kind of person you are.  You afriad of "Ice house" patrons?

 

For once I agree with S3MH - we don't need more BARS in the Heights, we need nice places that have good food & can serve alcohol.  The up till 2am crowd is seldom good for property values, and the parking problems that follow them are not fun to deal with either.

 

I also loathe the loud motorcycle butt-clowns who think the whole world needs to know that they are coming/going.  Each/Every time the dip-wad down the street comes home at 2am with his loud motorcycle and wakes both my kids up with his blaring music and even louder tailpipes - I contemplate setting his house on fire...If I did not have other neighbors that it would annoy I would get up a 5am and mow my yard and toss in an extra 20 minutes of leaf blowing just to tick him off...alas - I am polite so I just get annoyed, but still - we don't need more bars - we need more nice places...Witchcraft seems to be a nice compromise a place with a nice crowd...but we need an ice-house like we need a hole in our heads.

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For once I agree with S3MH - we don't need more BARS in the Heights, we need nice places that have good food & can serve alcohol.  The up till 2am crowd is seldom good for property values, and the parking problems that follow them are not fun to deal with either.

 

How do you expect to attract restaurants with alcohol if you support the alcohol ban with s3mh? Down House is an anomaly. Most business people aren't going to see the point in putting up with the "private club" workaround when there's an entire city out there that doesn't restrict them in this way.

Edited by kylejack
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For once I agree with S3MH - we don't need more BARS in the Heights, we need nice places that have good food & can serve alcohol.  The up till 2am crowd is seldom good for property values, and the parking problems that follow them are not fun to deal with either.

 

I also loathe the loud motorcycle butt-clowns who think the whole world needs to know that they are coming/going.  Each/Every time the dip-wad down the street comes home at 2am with his loud motorcycle and wakes both my kids up with his blaring music and even louder tailpipes - I contemplate setting his house on fire...If I did not have other neighbors that it would annoy I would get up a 5am and mow my yard and toss in an extra 20 minutes of leaf blowing just to tick him off...alas - I am polite so I just get annoyed, but still - we don't need more bars - we need more nice places...Witchcraft seems to be a nice compromise a place with a nice crowd...but we need an ice-house like we need a hole in our heads.

 

So its okay to tell others what to do with their property when it is in line with your agenda? 

 

I would love a nice IceHouse between shepard and durham somewhere between 11th and 18th.  The motorcycle complaint should be moot since it is already between two 4 lane oneway streets.  Not every motorcycle rider has loud pipes, and some of them that do have loud pipes try not to rack the exhaust around homes late at night...  your "dip-wad" neighbor reminds me of this jack-wagon schmuck down the street from me with a big F-250 4x4 diesel with a stack pipe running out of the bed... he comes home at 3 am and revs his truck up while doing a 7 point turn to back into his driveway... 

 

For the record... I ride a beast/monster of a bike which is why I take offense...  a Vespa ET2 (50cc) with completely stock everything.  (about as wimply as it gets)

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How do you expect to attract restaurants with alcohol if you support the alcohol ban with s3mh? Down House is an anomaly. Most business people aren't going to see the point in putting up with the "private club" workaround when there's an entire city out there that doesn't restrict them in this way.

Shade is in the dry area and does the private club thing. Coltivare is opening in the dry area and will undoubtedly do the private club thing too (unless they are in that little carve out along White Oak that is wet). And then you have Beck's Prime, Lola, Jenni's, Collinas, Thai Spice, Revival Market, Dry Creek, Happy Fatz, soon to be Heights General Store and Torchy's (should both be club locations if they serve), Kraftsmen, and a bunch of others that do not serve (Angela's oven, Crickets, La Carreta, etc.). Frankly, the best thing about the dry area is that it keeps bar concentration down and keeps out the possibility of another Washington Ave-esque booze district from crashing the Heights. I will gladly take the improved quality of life over being short a few restaurants and bars in the Heights. Montrose will always have better restaurants than the Heights because there are no restrictions. But, Montrose has some major traffic and parking headaches that we avoid in the Heights thanks to the dry restriction.

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Shade is in the dry area and does the private club thing. Coltivare is opening in the dry area and will undoubtedly do the private club thing too (unless they are in that little carve out along White Oak that is wet). And then you have Beck's Prime, Lola, Jenni's, Collinas, Thai Spice, Revival Market, Dry Creek, Happy Fatz, soon to be Heights General Store and Torchy's (should both be club locations if they serve), Kraftsmen, and a bunch of others that do not serve (Angela's oven, Crickets, La Carreta, etc.). Frankly, the best thing about the dry area is that it keeps bar concentration down and keeps out the possibility of another Washington Ave-esque booze district from crashing the Heights. I will gladly take the improved quality of life over being short a few restaurants and bars in the Heights. Montrose will always have better restaurants than the Heights because there are no restrictions. But, Montrose has some major traffic and parking headaches that we avoid in the Heights thanks to the dry restriction.

 

Was discussing with marksmu restaurants that serve alcohol, not Beck's Prime, Lola, Jenni's, Collinas, Thai Spice, Revival Market, Dry Creek, Happy Fatz, soon to be Heights General Store and Torchy's. Yes, I'm aware of Shade and Coltivare, but so many restaurants with no alcohol, I think demonstrates my point.

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All this bashing of drunks, nightowls, metal heads and bikers is upsetting me. And where we congregate shouldn't be an issue as long as it's closer to your house than my house and I have a back route home. But seriously, this is squeezing a balloon, with development somebody gets hosed to benefit the rest. Just buy location wisely and hope the City doesn't change the important rules midstream.

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So its okay to tell others what to do with their property when it is in line with your agenda? 

 

There is a big difference here - The area has been dry for a long time - this is not a new restriction.  I do not support the taking of property rights when a person has no say and its done retroactively....That is a big difference....To be clear, I do not want the area to be dry but conversely I do not want it to turn into a bar scene.  While the area between Shepherd/Durham can arguably support the noise/etc of a bar and seems to be a great location - the area can't accommodate the parking.  With property values where they are - the bars are just going to depend on the patrons parking in the neighborhood, which will in turn create the problems that all bars in neighborhoods create.  Can't we just have a nice place that is not only a bar? 

 

 

I would love a nice IceHouse between shepard and durham somewhere between 11th and 18th.  The motorcycle complaint should be moot since it is already between two 4 lane oneway streets.  Not every motorcycle rider has loud pipes, and some of them that do have loud pipes try not to rack the exhaust around homes late at night...  your "dip-wad" neighbor reminds me of this jack-wagon schmuck down the street from me with a big F-250 4x4 diesel with a stack pipe running out of the bed... he comes home at 3 am and revs his truck up while doing a 7 point turn to back into his driveway... 

I hate the inconsiderate folks no matter who they are and what they drive - but a disproportionate number of motorcycle riders are inconsiderate dip-wads...when you talk to them they always say they are not inconsiderate...."they require loud pipes to be safe on the road" so the jerk car drivers dont kill them.  To that I believe they should have to push their bikes home at 2am when driving through a neighborhood.

 

For the record... I ride a beast/monster of a bike which is why I take offense...  a Vespa ET2 (50cc) with completely stock everything.  (about as wimply as it gets)

I've got a completely stock F250 diesel and I actually push it out of my driveway on weekends when I leave very early b/c I am aware that my driveway is 3' from my neighbors bedroom window and it is loud when it starts.  There is no way to make it any quieter than it currently is...I don't have to do that, and she has never asked me to do it - but I know its loud when it first starts and if I am leaving at 3 or 4 in the morning I think its rude to start it up right in her window....Especially when its cold outside.

Edited by Marksmu
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There is a big difference here - The area has been dry for a long time - this is not a new restriction.  I do not support the taking of property rights when a person has no say and its done retroactively....That is a big difference....To be clear, I do not want the area to be dry but conversely I do not want it to turn into a bar scene.  While the area between Shepherd/Durham can arguably support the noise/etc of a bar and seems to be a great location - the area can't accommodate the parking.  With property values where they are - the bars are just going to depend on the patrons parking in the neighborhood, which will in turn create the problems that all bars in neighborhoods create.  Can't we just have a nice place that is not only a bar? 

 

 

I hate the inconsiderate folks no matter who they are and what they drive - but a disproportionate number of motorcycle riders are inconsiderate dip-wads...when you talk to them they always say they are not inconsiderate...."they require loud pipes to be safe on the road" so the jerk car drivers dont kill them.  To that I believe they should have to push their bikes home at 2am when driving through a neighborhood.

 

I've got a completely stock F250 diesel and I actually push it out of my driveway on weekends when I leave very early b/c I am aware that my driveway is 3' from my neighbors bedroom window and it is loud when it starts.  There is no way to make it any quieter than it currently is...I don't have to do that, and she has never asked me to do it - but I know its loud when it first starts and if I am leaving at 3 or 4 in the morning I think its rude to start it up right in her window....Especially when its cold outside.

 

So you don't want the area dry, but you want to make sure bars don't move in... and that isn't trying to tell people to do with their property how?

 

 

The number of loud motorcycles pales in comparison to the number of loud tow trucks, big trucks with exhaust, import "sporty" cars with coffee can sized exhaust tips, and people blasting spanish polka that drive by my house...   I think your disdain for motorcycles might be trickling over from your disdain for bicyclist...

 

You must have a completely flat driveway to be able to push such a huge truck.  (I could barely push a shopping cart out of my driveway.)

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Since when does Montrose have terrible parking issues?

 

Some of you folks need to travel a bit. Parking in Houston is still very, very easy.

 

The only problems with parking in this town are for two reasons;

 

1) People are lazy and wont walk more than 13 feet.

2) People are entitled and think no one should ever be parked in front of their house.

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Since when does Montrose have terrible parking issues?

 

Some of you folks need to travel a bit. Parking in Houston is still very, very easy.

 

The only problems with parking in this town are for two reasons;

 

1) People are lazy and wont walk more than 13 feet.

2) People are entitled and think no one should ever be parked in front of their house.

 

3)  The street is only 16 feet wide, and its not possible to back out of your driveway if another car is parked behind it.

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So you don't want the area dry, but you want to make sure bars don't move in... and that isn't trying to tell people to do with their property how?

 

 

The number of loud motorcycles pales in comparison to the number of loud tow trucks, big trucks with exhaust, import "sporty" cars with coffee can sized exhaust tips, and people blasting spanish polka that drive by my house...   I think your disdain for motorcycles might be trickling over from your disdain for bicyclist...

 

You must have a completely flat driveway to be able to push such a huge truck.  (I could barely push a shopping cart out of my driveway.)

 

My driveway slants towards the street the whole way...its all paved  But that truck, though heavy, is very easy to roll...especially slightly downhill.

 

On topic though - I dont much prefer for the late night folks to be mixed into neighborhoods...but without zoning there is nothing to prevent it.

 

So - While I am against most restrictions to property in general, I am actually not against reasonable restrictions that are intended to keep a residential area residential....though even that argument is not very good here when referring to the area in question...its actually a perfect area for commercial/restaurant/bar, etc...that is if they can keep their cars out of the neighborhood...just like the historic ordinance - I was against that, but I am for establishing minimum lot sizes...

 

I don't think a neighborhood should have to be inconvenienced with a bunch of cars parked on their street all the time so that some bar owner does not have to pay to buy sufficient parking.

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Not in that big old truck you're always boasting about. ;)

 

I fell off the driveway in my truck one time...it was an ordeal....My truck needs quite a bit more area to turn...so getting in/out of my driveway is indeed impossible in my truck if someone parks behind my driveway.

 

I can do it in my wife's car, but it is actually physically impossible in my truck....Its more than just an inconvenience when someone blocks you in your driveway....Ive been tempted to just put in 4wd and back them off into the ditch, but alas I'm a reasonable person.

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Since when does Montrose have terrible parking issues?

 

Some of you folks need to travel a bit. Parking in Houston is still very, very easy.

 

The only problems with parking in this town are for two reasons;

 

1) People are lazy and wont walk more than 13 feet.

2) People are entitled and think no one should ever be parked in front of their house.

 

Kinkaid...

 

Consider the source of the comment. 

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I don't think a neighborhood should have to be inconvenienced with a bunch of cars parked on their street all the time so that some bar owner does not have to pay to buy sufficient parking.

 

 

Not sure what the Historical District’s restrictions are on those parking lots.  I suppose if Victorian homes are razed to make way for the lots, they would have to be paved with cobblestones and have Victorian-era hitching posts along the perimeter.  If it’s Craftsman style homes removed to make way, maybe Prairie style fencing and concrete or tarmac paving with era-appropriate gravel.  No painted lines designating spaces on either one, unless it’s era appropriate lead based.

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Kinkaid...

 

Consider the source of the comment. 

Of course, when you resort to your childish insults, it just means that I am spot on. The revision to the parking lot ordinance is coming from all the people in Mayor Parker's neighborhood in Montrose complaining about all the parking overflow from Westheimer. I went to Poscol a few weeks ago and had to park a block away from S. Alabama. It doesn't bother me that I had to walk a few blocks to get to the restaurant. But, it does bother the residents that people will frequently block their driveways, barf on their lawns as 2:30 am and get into horn honking fights with other drivers over parking spaces at 10:30 pm on Friday night in their neighborhood. They are the ones complaining about the parking issue.

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