Posts Tagged ‘Restaurants’

From Farm to Table, Benjy Levit’s New Restaurant, Local Foods

Friday, November 4th, 2011 by Roz Pactor

Benjy Levit has done it again!  He has gone above and beyond and is bringing Houston another unique and delicious restaurant.  Local Foods, located at 2424 Dunstan, which is next to Levits’ other Rice Village restaurant institution (benjy’s), will be opening its doors this Saturday, November 5.

Local Foods, which has provided Levit the opportunity to expand into the neighborhood, “will offer customers a fast, casual, walk-up counter concept centered on locally sourced items,” and food that comes straight from the farm and goes to your table.  Talk about fresh!  The menu is another important feature to look at.  At Local Foods, the menu will be ever changing and will provide customers the opportunity to grab-and-go.  We will see sandwiches, salads, sides, fresh seafood, and Texas-derived products from some well-known Texas vendors.

In order to capture the appropriate aesthetic for this venue, Benjy Levit teamed up with Aaron Rambo, designer and collector of Found.  The team will incorporate a farmhouse kitchen feel, using retro-looking equipment, vintage bakery carts, and a “Mondrian-inspired” wall for decoration.  The restaurant will also provide a cozier setting for those that don’t want to eat on the go.  They will provide communal tables and outside patio seating.

To learn more about Local Foods, the Texas vendors they have paired up with, and to view their menu, visit: houstonlocalfoods.com.

A Taste of Italy Joins Washington’s Restaurant Row

Friday, September 9th, 2011 by Roz Pactor

What makes Italians happier than the combination of good food and good people coming together? Handmade meatballs, al dente pasta, an ending of zeppole (my favorites) and time with the ones you love!  What better concept than this to base a new restaurant on?  With an Italian vibe that shows the importance of what every Italian loves, food and people, Charles Clark and Grant Cooper of Clark Cooper Concepts have proudly added on to their restaurant family with Coppa Ristorante Italiano. Read the rest of this entry »

A Great White Night in the Heights!

Thursday, August 4th, 2011 by Roz Pactor

Image Courtesy of Culture Map

THE place to be in H-town on Saturday, August 6 is definitely The Heights, from 6:00-10:00 p.m. for their annual celebration of art, shopping, dining, community and all things Heights. “White Linen Nights” anchored on 19th street draws thousands of people to the streets of this wonderfully bohemian suburb. Read the rest of this entry »

Tony Mandola’s New Eatery…from a Miracle to their Dream!

Friday, July 8th, 2011 by Roz Pactor

It is with great pride that I can talk about my friends, Tony and Phyllis Mandola’s journey that has taken them from their “miracle” location to their “dream,” of a stand-alone restaurant of their own. The opening of their “French Quarter-inspired” restaurant on Waugh Drive is a fulfillment of a life-long journey for this family.  It’s a beautiful crescendo to a legacy that they have built together of serving great food and warm hospitality, at various locales, for close to four decades (hard to believe?) in the food business. Read the rest of this entry »

RELISH the Idea…Fast, Healthy Food, Could It Be?!

Tuesday, June 28th, 2011 by Roz Pactor

Exactly, could there really be such a thing in this fast-paced, busy world that we all live in daily, where we could actually run in, pick up some food for ourselves or our families, that’s also good for us?!  Well, it is happening. This brainchild of French Culinary Institute, NY, Grad, Addie D’agostino, is just that.  This easily accessible take-out eatery is stocked full of sandwiches, salads and market sides that are all made using local, seasonal ingredients, brought in fresh daily and prepared in the simplest but most flavorful ways. Read the rest of this entry »

Live La Dolce Vita

Wednesday, June 1st, 2011 by Roz Pactor

Ahh, the Good Life…who doesn’t think of fashion, food & wine and, of course, luxury cars, when you think of Italy?! This weekend all of you that are Italian and the others that just wish they were, can experience all that is the best of Italian culture including art, entertainment and tourism at the 3rd Annual Italian American Expo.

The Italy-America Chamber of Commerce Houston is bringing together all things that are the “Best of Italy” beginning Friday, June 3 through Sunday, June 5 at the George R. Brown Convention Center. Read the rest of this entry »

Bellissimo….Pizzeria Alto Opens in West Ave.

Tuesday, May 24th, 2011 by Roz Pactor

Pizzeria Alto, the newest of Schiller-Del Grande’s urban chic restaurant duo in West Ave. has opened, and I have already got my favorites after many dining trips there, from their selection of designer pizzas.  Being a creature of habit if I love something, I already have a new favorite food addiction at this restaurant. The gorgonzola and white cheese pizza, with a bed of bitter arugula, contrasted by the sweetness of mission figs, is the first thing I order upon arrival. These pizzas and delectable shareables have been created by Chef Robert Del Grande in his 2 ½ ton, gold tiled, gas-fired stone pizza oven like the ones I just recently saw in bakeries and pizzerias all over Italy.  This oven serves as the centerpiece of this beautifully lit second-floor eatery. Read the rest of this entry »

Brasserie 19 – Where French Classicism Meets Modern Luxury

Tuesday, May 24th, 2011 by Roz Pactor

Looking for a touch of Paris, Gulf Coast style?  If you haven’t been to River Oaks Shopping Center’s newest restaurant, Brasserie 19, now is the time to go! Restaurateurs Charles Clark and Grant Cooper – Clark Cooper Concepts opened the doors of their newest restaurant on May 4, 2011, in the space previously occupied by Tony Mandola’s Gulf Coast Kitchen on West Gray. Brasserie 19, named for its River Oaks zip code, is Clark Cooper Concepts fourth concept, following the successes of Ibiza Food and Wine Bar, Ibiza Next Door and Catalan Food and Wine. Read the rest of this entry »

A Taste of the Big Apple…Italian Style!

Wednesday, March 30th, 2011 by Roz Pactor

So maybe I don’t get to NYC nearly as much as I used to and of course, I miss it.  I miss it a lot.  So when any part of the Big A. comes to town that I love, I want to be the first to try it and that I did when I was lucky enough to attend one of the tasting nights at the new Trattoria Il Mulino restaurant in the Memorial City Westin Hotel. Read the rest of this entry »

The Chic Sheet’s Chic Chef, Michael Kramer Brings His Passion For Food To His Newest Venture, Overseeing The Tasting Rooms

Thursday, March 24th, 2011 by Roz Pactor

In our second attempt at profiling another of the many talented chefs that make Houston such a sensational restaurant town, I’ve selected Michael Kramer of the Tasting Rooms.  Michael is not new to us, as we all remember him as the new chef in town, back in 2007, when he brought his own unique culinary trends to conceptualize Voice, the restaurant in the then new Downtown Hotel Icon. There he received much recognition by both national and local press as one of the “best restaurants in Texas” and also a few “best in Houston” accolades as well.
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