Foodie News
Dream restaurant with chef's table (but no cold cove) sets opening date in former Haven space
The restaurant that's replacing Haven has an opening date. Paul's Kitchen, the restaurant that unites Union Kitchen owner Paul Miller with former Cullen's/Osteria Mazzantini chef Paul Lewis, will open next Monday Sept. 29.
Tagged as "globally inspired, locally sourced," Lewis's menu mixes Southern classics like BBQ shrimp with a braised pork torta and Gulf red snapper.
Interior changes include replacing Cold Cove Bar with a 35-seat bar and a new, four-person chef's table. Available for one seating per night, diners are invited to consult with Lewis on their menu.
"Farmers, ranchers, fish mongers, cheese makers . . . seasonality is a huge part of my world of utilizing produce at its utmost perfection of freshness and ripeness,” Lewis said in a statement. “I can use the knowledge and experience from my world travels to create simple presentations with super flavors."
Joining Lewis in the kitchen will be two other familiar faces from his Mazzantini days: sous chef Matthew Lovelace and pastry chef Kelsey Hawkins. "I’m really excited about Lovelace’s house-cured charcuterie, bacon and sausages,” Miller added in a statement.
Interior changes include replacing Cold Cove Bar with a 35-seat bar and a new, four-person chef's table. Available for one seating per night, diners are invited to consult with Lewis on their menu. Other interior details include butcher block table tops and and dark wood accents in the main dining room.
"This is the restaurant I have dreamed of opening my entire life,” stated Miller. While the Union Kitchen's success at three locations across the Houston area suggests that diners share Miller's dreams, Paul's Kitchen is a decidedly more upscale venture in the highly competitive Upper Kirby dining scene that's seen a wave of closings throughout the summer.
Can the Pauls succeed where celebrated chef Randy Evans came up short? Time will tell.
Paul's Kitchen is open every day: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday.