the bread man cometh

Houston's 'Bread Man' announces opening date for new Memorial-area cafe

The wait for the Bread Man's cafe ends this week. White Elm Café Bakery opens Tuesday, August 10, the restaurant announced.

As CultureMap first reported in October, White Elm Café Bakery unites four talented people with a track record of success in Houston restaurants: Tasos Katsaounis, owner of Bread Man Baking Company; Christopher "Chico" Ramirez, a founder of both The Boot and Field & Tides; and Scott and Stacy Simonson, chef-owners of Humble's acclaimed French restaurant Chez Nous.

White Elm (14079 Memorial Dr.) offers an all-day environment with grab-and-go coffee and pastries in the morning followed by full service for lunch and dinner. The approximately 3,500-square-foot restaurant includes both a private dining room and an outdoor patio with total seating for 100 people.

“We are excited to open our first White Elm Café Bakery in this Memorial neighborhood,” Ramirez said in a statement. “We look forward to becoming an integral part of the community by not only offering a chef-driven, dine-in menu, but also a grocery aspect for quality baked goods and the perfect place to grab a pastry and coffee on-the-go.”

Katsaounis developed the bread and pastry program, which will be executed by executive pastry chef Jamie Orlacchio (recently of La Table), while the Simonsons created the French-inspired savory menu that will be overseen by chef de cuisine Jesus Salinas (Liberty Kitchen, Field & Tides).

Pastry options include croissants, cookies, and cinnamon rolls, plus freshly baked breads and Greek-influenced items inspired by Katsaounis' heritage. The savory menu includes salads, sandwiches, pizzas, and heartier entrees such as a Gulf red snapper, lasagna, and filet mignon with bone marrow butter.

Beverage options include a full range of espresso drinks made with locally-roasted Katz coffee, cold-pressed juices, and beer. Scott Simonson curated the wine list of American and European selections with 12 by-the-glass options priced between $8 and $14.

Duck banh mi on French baguette.

Photo by Shannon O'Hara

Duck banh mi on French baguette.

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ps, we're closed

Houston's most pretty-in-pink restaurant quietly closes in Upper Kirby

Photo by Jenn Duncan

You'll see a lot of pink at PostScript.

PostScript, Upper Kirby’ posh pink restaurant, has quietly closed, CultureMap has learned.

Although the restaurant is still accepting reservations on OpenTable — and is, as of this article’s publication, listed as open on both Yelp and Google — reports circulated on social media this weekend that it had abruptly canceled diners’ Mother’s Day reservations. In addition, its dining room in the Shops at Arrive mixed-use development has been emptied of furniture.

[Update: After the publication of this article, PostScript's management provided CultureMap with the following statement:

We are saddened to announce the closure of PostScript HTX.

We sincerely thank our patrons for their loyalty and support. It has been an honor to serve you and be part of your special moments. The people and culture in Houston are first class. We wish you all the best and hope our paths cross again in the future.]

PostScript opened with considerable fanfare in February 2024. Owners Veeral Rathod and Obi Ibeto, brought their experiences as partners in the Dallas-based GAP Hospitality to the project, which operates establishments such as XOXO Dining Room, Lyla, and Drai’s Dallas. Particularly inspired by XOXO Dining Room, they created an ode to pink that included pink exterior and interior walls, a pink quartz bar, and a pink grand piano. “Push for Champagne” buttons added to the lively spirit.

Chef Bryan Caswell created the menu. Best known for his pioneering Gulf Coast seafood restaurant Reef that closed in 2019, Caswell’s menu included fried chicken with hummus, oysters three ways (raw, roasted, and fried), a sushi roll, and the double smoked pork chop that was a Reef staple. A doughnut topped with caviar became a customer favorite.

Since Caswell was only consulting on the project, he left a couple of months after opening. Latuli, Caswell’s new Gulf Coast-inspired restaurant in the Memorial area, is expected to open soon.

CultureMap has reached out to PostScript via email, phone, and Instagram message for comment on the decision to close the restaurant. We will update this article if they reply.

PostScript’s closure follows that of Cru, which ended a 13-year run in December 2024. On the other hand, Kira, a sushi hand roll concept from Houston’s Comma Hospitality that’s also located in the development, is thriving, having earned the No. 4 spot on Texas Monthly’s list of the state’s best new restaurants. The development is also home to beloved Indian restaurant Pondicheri, an outpost of the steakhouse chain Eddie V’s, and top tier Houston shopping destination Tootsie’s.

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