Jump to content

The Heights Restaurant And Bar Scene - More Coming


Freelander

Recommended Posts

I always gave them credit for at least having ground floor retail. There is absolutely nothing utopian about wanting mixed use developments. They are sprouting up like toad stools after a down poor in the Galleria area.

so you do support walmart..?

there is a mcdonalds in walmart though so i guess it is also mixed use and is part of your "down poor" (emphasis on "poor")

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Per the WH bulletin board, it's been bought by the owner(s) of Hearsay. Word is that it is being remodeled and will reopen as a "park-oriented walk-up/bike-up tavern." I don't have any independent confirmation of this besides the buzz on the bulletin board. I'm curious to see what happens, as it's right around the corner from me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

http://www.29-95.com/restaurants/story/killen-craig-will-open-cks-steakhouse-w-19th

I actually like the sound of this much better than a super-highend stakehouse in the old Stella Sola building. Glad to see that Killen stayed with the area after things blew up on Studewood. As for the landlords of the old Stella Sola location, I hear that they might start serving crow soon if they do not get a tenant in their anytime soon.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

Few questions... anybody have any more information regarding timelines for Torchy's, the Revival Market people's italian restaurant, the killen/hubcap place, Ruggles Green, or Union Kitchen?

Anything further known about distillery 2520 being replaced by Hearsay?

Has anyone been to Sale-Sucre lately? I went there when they first opened and was less than wow'd. Wanted to wait until I heard positive reviews before going back.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ruggles Green found out that the building was in much worse shape than they anticipated and had to pretty much rebuild it. Things are moving pretty quickly now, with a new roof up. They originally wanted to be open now. Not sure when they will be finished, but they have a green light from the City and have a lot of work going on every day.

Torchy's just did some utility connections. I am not sure where they are on permitting. They will have a lot of work to do repurposing that building.

Killen said he thought it would take three months to build out his new restaurant. Pretty ambitious if they have yet to get the City to sign off on everything.

Sale Sucre serves excellent food, but they need to hire a manager who can get the service in line with customs and expectations for American restaurants. I suspect that the owners intend the restaurant to be like a neighborhood bistro in France, where you would go for a leisurely meal and get food that is very good, but not haute cuisine. They definitely have the food part right, although I have heard that they have had some trouble keeping a good sous chef. The service part has been an issue, although I have not had a problem whenever I went. They can have a slow kitchen and staff that is more European about service. I actually like dining in France when you have to flag down the waiter to get a check or some more wine. Snappy service is nice when you are on a schedule, but it can also make you feel like they want to get you the hell out of there so they can turn your table as soon as possible. I hope they figure it out because the food can be very good. And there are getting to be too many restaurants in the Heights doing variations on southern comfort food.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Has anyone been to Sale-Sucre lately? I went there when they first opened and was less than wow'd. Wanted to wait until I heard positive reviews before going back.

I had kind of hoped that Salé-Sucré would be a place that does good, simple bistrot food. Steak-frites, frisee-aux-lardons, quiche, cassoulet, pan sauces made from proper stocks, mashed potatoes with embarrassing amounts of butter; you get the idea. I can't say I've been impressed with much of anything from the savory side of the menu.

Most disappointing example is the french onion soup. At it's best, this soup should have copious amounts of well-caramelized onions in a rich beef stock laced with a little cognac. It takes me two full days to make a good one at home, so it'd be nice to have a good restaurant version in the neighborhood. S-S's version is a weird-tasting, watery broth with some strips of sauteed onions and random bits of herbs floating in it.

And, yes, the service kind of sucks, too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Most disappointing example is the french onion soup.

That is interesting. I think French Onion Soup is a bit like gumbo. Everyone has their idea of what is the gold standard, but rarely will you find more than two people who have the same notion of what makes for a superior version. I am not a big French Onion soup guy, but went with friends who thought the French Onion soup was the best thing they had that evening. I have also heard stories of pretty wild swings in quality from the kitchen due to some turnover. Might be that you caught them on a down night.

I have generally been happy with the food I have had at Sale Sucre. You will never get truly French food in Houston because all the good ingredients are in France and French food inevitably has to be dumbed down a bit for American palates. But, I think if they hire a manager who can bring them up to the standards expected of restaurants in Houston, Sale Sucre will make it. Otherwise, I have heard that there is a family looking to lease space for an Indian restaurant.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am not a big French Onion soup guy, but went with friends who thought the French Onion soup was the best thing they had that evening. I have also heard stories of pretty wild swings in quality from the kitchen due to some turnover. Might be that you caught them on a down night.

It was probably the best thing I had, too. That says more about the rest of the menu than it does about the soup. (Maybe we caught them on an off day.)

I have generally been happy with the food I have had at Sale Sucre. You will never get truly French food in Houston because all the good ingredients are in France and French food inevitably has to be dumbed down a bit for American palates.

I disagree. It is absolutely possible to do good bistro/brasserie food in Houston. It just requires some attention to detail. No, you can't get poulet de Bresse or Charolais beef here, but you don't need them to make decent roast chicken or steak au poivre. A was hoping for a less formal version of, say, Brasserie 19. A version more suited to the Heights than River Oaks, but still doing faithful versions of standard bistro cuisine.

I'd like to see them ditch the crepes, edit the menu down to 3-5 starters and 3-5 mains, and just execute them very well.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Few questions... anybody have any more information regarding timelines for Torchy's,

Latest news on Torchy's and the first news I have seen about the "Heights General Store." I have seen a lot of demo work going on in the portion that is going to become Heights General Store. I really like the idea of the roof top patio dining and tables along 19th st.

http://www.theleadernews.com/?p=3942

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

http://www.theleadernews.com/?p=4369

Looks like Union Kitchen might be leaving the station, so to speak. They are currently looking elsewhere, but will not rule out 1111 Studewood. Wondering what is up with that thing. The website says "occupancy fall 2012", but I wonder whether they will even be open within a year of that. And this is now the second tenant to come and go (Bikram Yoga had previously been mentioned as a tenant).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hearsay rumos appear to be unfounded. Distillery has been painted green, and new signage indicates it will now be a Lucky's Pub. I was hoping for more of a gastro-pub, but a good beer drinking spot that I can stumble home from is still a good thing. Hopefully they can get a better vibe than distillery did (place had tons of potential but really weird vibe).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Speaking of beer drinking, the owner of Down House is opening a beer spot on Cavalcade, right near th epost office. This isn't far from where TownIn City brewery will be, either. Excited for more options east of Studewood.

D&T is closer to 45 than the post office, and Town in City is closer to Main. That said, looking forward to both.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...