Not Getting It

Roots Bistro compounds its shocking domestic violence sign with an even worse first "apology"

Roots Bistro is making nationalandinternational headlines, but not for the thoughtful locavore dishes that once made the restaurant a darling of the Houston foodie scene.

On Saturday, an employee tasked with updating the bistro's roadside marquee hoped to get some chuckles by changing the sign to read: "BEER SHOULD BE LIKE VIOLENCE . . . DOMESTIC."

A Roots employee hoped to get some chuckles with: "BEER SHOULD BE LIKE VIOLENCE . . . DOMESTIC."

So it turns out, jokes about local brewing and domestic violence — which affects one in four women during their lifetime — don't get many laughs in 2013. But when they're on a sign on a major thoroughfare, they make for great pictures to post online.

As outrage on Twitter and Facebook ensued, manager Kenneth Choate told Katharine Shilcutt that the one-liner was posted by an employee who searched for so-called funny signs on the Internet (bastion of tastefulness that it is). In the end, Choate insists the phrase was only up for about 10 minutes.

Roots management felt the need to respond with another zinger on its marquee: "SERIOUSLY, FOCUS YOUR ENERGY ON EQUAL RIGHTS."

Needless to say, the new sign didn't help. By Sunday, the restaurant posted a full apology — "SORRY A MILLION TIMES OVER HOUSTON" — and went to social media for a more detailed mea culpa.

Roots responded with another zinger: "SERIOUSLY, FOCUS YOUR ENERGY ON EQUAL RIGHTS."

"As the General Manager of Roots Bistro I would like to formally apologize for our recent signage," Choate wrote on Facebook.

"In no way would we ever ever promote violence on any level. We work tirelessly to support the people and organizations in this city and would never want to hurt or offend anyone."

He said the restaurant supports a number of local charities, including women's shelters.

Roots Bistro was not immediately available for comment.

Roots found itself in hot water this weekend thanks to a sign

Roots Bistro sign Beer Should be Like Violence Domestic

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Roots found itself in hot water this weekend thanks to a sign

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BOGO Banh Mi

Houston Vietnamese restaurant rolls out new Spring Branch outpost

Courtesy of Saigon Hustle

Saigon Hustle will open its new location on Thursday, October 10.

A rapidly growing Houston Vietnamese restaurant has big plans for National Banh Mi Day, which is this Thursday, October 10. Saigon Hustle will mark the occasion by opening its new Spring Branch location.

Located in a converted gas station at 1223 Witte Road, the new Saigon Hustle both preserves all of the things that have made the original Garden Oaks location a success for founders Cassie Ghaffar and Sandy Nguyen and takes advantage of having twice as much space to add new menu items and a more complete dining experience.

Saigon Hustle Spring Branch rendering A rendering previews the restaurant's new location.Courtesy of Saigon Hustle

By going from just over 800-square-feet to 2,000, Saigon Hustle will be able to offer indoor seating for the first time. Total capacity is about 70 diners.

“The dine in is huge. We don’t have a lot of customer interaction [at Garden Oaks],” Ghaffar tells CultureMap. “We’re excited to have the customer facing side, interacting with them, watching them eat our food, without losing the drive-thru.”

A larger kitchen means that Saigon Hustle will be able to add pho to its menu for the first time. Diners will have their choice of chicken — made with sous vide chicken breast — or beef, which will come with the traditional round eye, brisket, and meatballs.

“There are so many people who come in expecting pho. When they can’t get it, they walk out,” Nguyen says.

As for the rest of the menu, it will include all of the banh mi, egg rolls, spring rolls, and rice dishes that have made the original a hit. Beverage options include both Vietnamese iced coffee and a tea bar that includes both milk tea and Thai-style iced tea.

Saigon Hustle Cassie Ghaffar Sandy Nguyen Saigon Hustle co-founders Cassie Ghaffar and Sandy Nguyen.Photo by Al Torres

Perhaps even more importantly, this new location is the first since Ghaffar and Nguyen partnered with Savory Fund, a venture capital firm that’s invested in a diverse range of concepts including Austin-based Detroit-style pizzeria Via 313. Originally, Saigon Hustle received a $1 million investment; since then, Savory has committed to helping it grow to as many as 40 units in Texas and the Midwest, Ghaffar and Nguyen say.

“Being a business person, this was the vision from day one. This [investment] has manifested the route we were aiming toward,” Ghaffar adds. “We’re very fortunate Savory believed in us and is helping us create a legacy for our families.”

Saigon Hustle will celebrate its opening with buy-one-get-one free banh mi sandwiches from 10 am - 3 pm on Thursday. Beginning Friday, October 11, it will open daily at 10 am.

news-you-can-eat openings spring branch

Not Getting It

Roots Bistro compounds its shocking domestic violence sign with an even worse first "apology"

Roots found itself in hot water this weekend thanks to a sign

BOGO Banh Mi

Houston Vietnamese restaurant rolls out new Spring Branch outpost

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