Galleria Restaurant Closes

Critic-loved eatery that made year's list of biggest restaurant scandals finally shutters

Looks like the saga of Galleria-area Italian restaurant Osteria Mazzantini has drawn to a conclusion. The restaurant announced on its website today that it has closed.

Mockingbird Bistro chef/owner John Sheely opened Mazzantini in August 2013 to get fanfare and critical praise, including a spot on Texas Monthly's list of the state's best new restaurants and a three-star review from Chronicle critic Alison Cook. Despite that, it never lured the crowds necessary to support its high dollar rent.

Mazzantini's shuttering brings to an end a drama that had captivated Houston's restaurant community last summer.

Sheely tells the Chronicle that, despite his best efforts, Mazzaninti wasn't meant to be. "We put a lot of time and effort into the project. We touched a lot of lives with our food and service. I feel very proud of what we accomplished here. But we fell short. It just didn’t work out.”

The chef will focus on his other restaurant, the venerable Mockingbird Bistro.

Mazzantini's shuttering brings to an end a drama that had captivated Houston's restaurant community last summer. Beginning in June, rumors swirled that Mazzantini was going to close, which Sheely denied. Then he announced that he had struck a deal to close the restaurant and sell the location to Ruggles Green, but had to remain open when the deal fell through. During the turmoil, most of the restaurant's most important staff members, including executive chef Paul Lewis, sous chef Matthew Lovelace and bartender Kimberly Paul, left for other jobs. The affair led to Mazzantini landing on the list of CultureMap's biggest restaurant scandals of 2014.

No one who knows what will replace Mazzantini is talking to the media (yet). With rent rumored to be in the range of $30,000 per month, it'll take an ambitious concept to make the space viable. Still, expect someone to jump on it quickly. The success of Hugo Ortega's Caracol in the adjacent space suggests that diners will patronize the right concept at that location.

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cheers to that

Texas bourbon named one of 2024's top 10 whiskies

Still Austin Whiskey Co. Red Corn Bourbon Whiskey

Still Austin Whiskey Co./Facebook

Now if only we could snag a bottle...as a Christmas gift, of course.

Three cheers for Still Austin Whiskey Co.! The distillery's Bottled in Bond Red Corn Bourbon Whiskey was recognized as one of Whisky Advocate'sTop 20 Most Exciting Whiskies of 2024.

Every year, Whisky Advocate's expert panelists rank hundreds of whiskies based on their quality, availability, value for the price, and "X-factor," meaning an excitement-inducing component like a unique flavor or an innovative idea. An international panel also reviews contenders through several blind taste tests without knowing each whisky's producer, origin, age, or price.

The magazine ranked Still Austin's five-year Red Corn Bourbon No. 7 on the list with a prestigious score of 94 points. The Red Corn whiskey, which was released in June 2024, has mash bill consisting of 36 percent Jimmy Red corn, 34 percent white corn, 25 percent rye, and 5 percent barley.

According to panelist Shane English, tasting notes start big and bold with cracked pepper, dusty leather, and cocktail cherries, before moving on to a palate of chile pepper, caramel, and buttery cornbread.

"Each sip is electric — the pepper gives this whiskey a zing balanced by poundcake and glazed doughnuts," English said. "Charred oak fades to chocolate, coffee, and pecan pie on the finish."

Still Austin had the only Texas product on the list, which was fitting given the brand's recent boasting that it could match any Kentucky Bourbon. As a game day stunt when the Texas Longhorns played the Kentucky Wildcats in November, Still Austin refilled empty Kentucky Bourbon bottles with its own Cask Strength Bourbon for just $1.

When the brand isn't playfully antagonizing Kentucky fans, its Red Corn Bourbon sells for a retail price of $85 per 750-milliliter bottle, falling nearly in the middle of the price category out of all 20 bourbons on the list, with eight others priced for less.

For additional context, none of the top five bourbons fall under a $100 price tag. In fact, the most expensive bottle on the 2024 list is the Angel's Envy 2023 Cask Strength Port Wine Barrel Finished Bourbon, which ranked No. 12 and retails for $230 per bottle.

"Our top 20 whiskies represent a curated collection that deserves your attention. Each whisky on the list stands out for its superb taste, representing the pinnacle of a year filled with remarkable tastings," said executive editor David Fleming in a release. "This list features whiskies offering exceptional value, leaders in their respective styles, and superbly made expressions that are well worth seeking out."

Whiskey Advocate's 2024 Whiskey of the Year is Laphroaig Elements 2.0 Cask Strength Scotch Single Malt, which earned 95 points and retails for $165 a bottle.

whiskey bourbon distilleries awards lists