jim1126

I think this new HEB looks fantastic and it's been a long time coming. Only thing I'm not sure about is parking... this place will destroy Kroger and I, for one, don't plan on setting foot in Kroger again once this store opens.

With all due respect to those who love the original Barnaby's on Fairview (and I'm one of them), I'd like to see the entire operation (regular Barnaby's as well as Baby) move into that space. They've just outgrown the original building and parking is hard to find. A little remodeling of the supermarket and it would be a great, still-funky Barnaby's with those big picture windows.

Marco Wiles (of Da Marco and Dolce Vita) is putting something new in the space. I heard it was seafood oriented. Whatever it is, you can bet that it will be good.

Went today and were amazed at how GOOD this place was. The beef and chicken sliders were both superb (the beef being JUST like the ones at Reef). Nice wines by the glass. With the big patio, this place is a great fit for the neighborhood and... boy was it good!!!

Stayed at a Dallas-area aloft over Christmas. Starwood definitely has a winner with this concept. The rooms (lofts) themselves have just about all the amenities found at a W - 42" plasma, comfy bed, Bliss products, glass shower with rainfall shower head, etc. Lobby had a full bar, a 7-11-ish snack bar -- and a pool table! Also had a couple of computers you can use to check your e-mail. Of course, no valet parking or room service (or any other kind of "service" - which you'd have to pay extra for anyhwere else). Decor was completely modern in a West Elm sort of way. Furniture and materials quality isn't up to what you'd find at a W, but the overall effect is pleasing. It was a bargain at $71/night (although non-holiday rates are surely higher). I'm anxious for this place to open in Houston!

I voted for Whataburger and love it, but they haven't banned trans fats yet, and some of their items are the worst offenders in the industry.

Because with Chuy's, Taco Milagro, Cafe Adobe, Armando's and to a lesser extent Pan y Agua does this neighborhood really need another Tex-Mex joint? I understand the owner is the original owner of Cafe Adobe and of the late, lamented Oasis on Lake Travis, so this may be what he does best, but isn't it just a little overkill?

Remember, this used to be the Academy, until they moved to the new building at 59 and Shepherd. Hmm, now what sort of chain store would work in this location?

I think something with the initials T and J would work very nicely. Are you listening Trader Joe's?

I've had power since Saturday but no Comcast. No cable, no internet, no time estimate for restoration. (And I have a newer TV with no analog tuner - a bummer right now.) Switching to U-Verse as soon as possible.

Made a special trip yesterday to see what all the fuss is about. The place was mobbed and we had to wait 15-20 min. for a table. The chili was great. I personally like beans in my chili, although our waitress commented that the chili really isn't selling because Texans don't like the beans. Who knows... but the chili was the highlight. Unfortunately the burger and especially the fries were absolutely awful. The burger meat was overcooked beyond recognition, and the skinny fries may have been the worst fries I have ever had. Unless someone drags me, I won't be back.

Sorry to resurrect an old thread but I have been curious about this address for a few months now (I have a good friend on Steel St. and pass it all the time). In the nearly three years since those photos were taken this building has really taken a downhill slide. Too bad - it's some very neat architecture.

Well, they drove me away. My Fitness Exchange membership expired between the time they closed the old place and opened Crew. I renewed a dormant Bally's membership for a year at the princely sum of $100, which gets me into any Bally's in the country. After the year is up, who knows? I've been getting calls from Crew asking me to come tour the place, but it costs a lot more than $100 and I'm not terribly close to it. I am, however, terribly close to the (much derided on this board) new L.A. Fitness set to open at Greenway Commons later this year, so we'll see...

I think it was before May or June, I could be wrong.

Minerva left in April and Sharron started first week in May.

The two recent electric and plumbing permits (10.02.07/10.19.07) were bought with the name Crostini, Inc. - so either it is a default entry of the former occupant, or the same company is still working on the space.

Thanks - Maybe Crostini will reopen. I always liked it, especially for Sunday brunch.

I've driven by the former Crostini restaurant at 2411 S. Shepherd a few times in recent days and have seen some construction/moving activity going on. Just curious to see if anyone knows who may be taking over the space? I get excited about new restaurants... my guess is that this may be the new Mykonos, or maybe the new seafood concept Marco Wiles (Da Marco, Dolce Vita) has been rumored to be starting.

Unless you are looking for more than one bedroom, $800-$900 inside the loop is a STEAL nowadays. If you find one, grab it and keep it. Many nicer inner loop apartments - even one-bedrooms - are approaching and often exceeding the $1,000 mark.

As I stated in the other W thread, I know someone who works for Starwood and is pretty familiar with their expansion plans. He said the next W that will be built in Texas will be built in Austin, not here. He said Houston will eventually get one, but we're pretty low on the list (as in, not on it at all at present). He also said all of the conjecture about Houston W locations in the other thread is just that - conjecture. All that said, that conversation was several months ago.

I'm so bummed George's moved so far out Westheimer. I loved it right there at Hillcroft. They made this one dish with italian sausage and a ton of goat cheese and sort of a vodka sauce that was just out of this world good.

My favorite local places are:

Veronas Italian Cuisine (Gessner / Westpart - Lebanese owned REPRESENT (I'm not lebanese, I just wanted to sound as cool as Puma)

Fajita Flats on Fondren (The food isn't the best but it is just a fun place to hang out. They need new chairs tho. The beef and shrimp diablos are GREAT.)

Jasper's in the Woodlands Town Square.

Uni Sushi in Woodlands Town Square

All great choices... but Jasper's in WTS is an outpost of the Dallas original. Doesn't take anything away from how good it is -- I love it.

I missed that on the first read of the original post, but I agree.

Me too. Will there be velvet ropes outside as well? (Actually, I'm only half joking as I suspect there will be.)

And my family ate at Jalapenos 2-3 nights a week for many years and were really saddened when it closed. What a pleasant surprise it would be for it to reopen in the new West Ave development, although I'm betting the rents are too high.

Well, the chef from Jalapeno's has now opened Seco's at 2536 Nottingham & Kirby with a lot of the Jalapeno's menu favorites intact. Smaller space, obviously, but I believe Alison Cook in the Chronicle recently raved about it in her Cook's Blog (not a full review).

The Dallas Mandarin Oriental is under construction now, right next door to the W in Victory Park.

This straight from the mouth of a guy I know who works for Starwood - W in Houston is currently "under consideration," as many posters have already said, but the next W to be built in Texas will be in Austin.

Houston's counterpart to Dallas' S4 is South Beach on Pacific. Dance club - young, gay-to-mixed crowd. No upstairs quiet bar though...

It's evident just by going in their stores that something is wrong at Randall's. The one at Weslayan and Bissonet stinks to high heaven every time you walk in. And others have mentioned their lack of selection, which is true, but there are two reasons why I will never set foot in a Randall's again. One is their pricing on milk. That doesn't sound like a big deal, but when they put gallons on sale 2 for $5, they neglect to mention that you have to buy two to get the sale price. I am single and cannot buy two whole gallons at once. So I had to pay the regular $3.49 for one gallon. And when I asked (well, complained) the cashier about it, reason #2 came into play - I received perhaps the single rudest response I've ever gotten about something - "THOSE are the RULES!!!" she yelled so the whole store could hear. You can bet I walked out of that store (the Shepherd one) and vowed never to return to Randall's again. And I haven't.

Where I live, I can conveniently choose between a giant Kroger, Rice Epicurean, Whole Foods and Central Market. I do not miss the two Randall's locations I could have gone to one bit.

(My biggest complaint about the Midtown location is that, unlike other Randall's, it is not Wells Fargo-affiliated.)

With the cut in subprime lending many people will no longer be able to buy homes, many people will be losing their homes to foreclosure. Apt rentals are expected to go way up. Where are all the laid off construction workers going to go? This housing boom is on the way out.

You've got that right. I'm looking for an apartment now (Inner Loop, not necessarily the latest or greatest property) and rents have gone from high to outrageous, even for B class properties. Here I was hoping rents would be coming down this year with all the construction, but that is obviously not the case.

Best guacamole for me is the tableside guacamole at Pappasito's. It's always fresh and delicious.

WORST guacamole (which SHOULD be best) - Cafe Express. It SHOULD be best because the avocado is so chunky, which is what I like, but every time I've ordered it something in it has been less than fresh making it dangerous and inedible. I mean EVERY time. So I don't order it there anymore... I don't want food poisoning.