CultureMap Exclusive

Prolific entrepreneur opening a new Mexican restaurant & a Texas beer bar on Lower Westheimer

Between his recent retail takeover, his food trucks and his successful bar and restaurant ventures on Lower Westheimer, California native Shawn Bermudez seems to have quite enough to keep him busy — but you won't find him resting on his laurels.

On a recent weekday, between calls from employees and vendors, Bermudez gave CultureMap a sneak peek of two high-profile ventures set to open this spring and summer along the busy corridor.

Adjoining Bermudez's Boondocks, in the space formerly occupied by Liquid, plans are being laid for Stone's Throw, an Americana bar cheekily named for its proximity to Bermudez's other spots. A collaboration with Hunter Montgomery, the general manager of Royal Oak, the bar will offer about 16 Texas-brewed beers on tap and a simple seasonal cocktail menu.

Chef Brandon Shillings has crafted a tasty menu that includes a mouthwatering meatloaf tort.&

The opening date has been set for May, but there's still much to be done: Current building plans prescribe bigger windows and architectural flourishes on the Westheimer-facing facade, construction of an second-floor balcony with banquette seating and the creation of an outdoor patio — one that offers plenty of privacy from Boondocks next door.

Bermudez said that the space will be small but inviting, a sort of neighborhood hangout. Expect intimate seating, copper-topped tables and bars.

That metallic touch will carry over down the street at Pistolero's, where the distinctive angular entrance that most recently belonged to Nabi has received an all-over copper treatment. Wooden planters out front will soon be filled with cacti in advance of an anticipated March opening.

"The timing wasn't right, but the location made so much sense for me," Bermudez explained of the fast-tracked plans for the Westheimer space, where tacos and tequila will be the main fare.

He warned, though, that chef Brandon Shillings — formerly of Catalan and Benjy's — has crafted a tasty menu that also includes a mouthwatering meatloaf torta, which pairs perfectly with Mexican beer.

Unfazed by a confluence of food trucks near brick and mortar restaurants, Bermudez has also started a Montrose Food Truck Lunch program from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. every weekday. On Mondays you'll find Bernie's Burger Bus camped in the Anvil parking lot; Tuesdays belong to Coreanos, Wednesday to Koagie Hots, Thursday to Golden Grill and Friday to Phamily Bites.

Shawn Bermudez has created something of an empire in lower Westheimer.

Shawn Bermudez from the Royal Oak Bar & Grill, February 2013

Photo by Adrienne Raquel

Shawn Bermudez has created something of an empire in lower Westheimer.

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Houston's 'Chinese takeout bar from the future' touches down in Webster

Courtesy of The Rice Box

A rendering previews The Rice Box's new location in Webster.

Houston’s Chinese takeout bar from the future is coming to the Bay Area. The sixth location of The Rice Box will open in Webster later this summer.

Located at 114 El Dorado Blvd, the new location will be called Rice Box Space Center after NASA’s headquarters at the nearby Johnson Space Center. Founder John Peterson tells CultureMap that it’s a bit of a homecoming for him and his wife/business partner, Jenny Vo, as they grew up in the area. As with every new location, the restaurant created a movie-style poster to announce its opening.

Rice Box Webster movie poster The Rice Box Space Center is expected to open later this summer.Courtesy of The Rice Box

For its first truly suburban location, Peterson plans to offer a more efficient pickup system for to-go orders. Dubbed The Rice Box Pickup Reactors, the system applies Rice Box’s sci-fi aesthetic to curbside ordering. As seen in the rendering above, the building will have six slots that drivers will pull into to get their orders.

“The goal is to have guests in and out with food in hand in around 90 seconds,” Peterson writes in an email. “It’s still pickup, but we’re trying to make that moment feel more intentional and more connected to the digital side of Rice Box instead of treating it like an afterthought. We’re looking at this opening as both a new store and a prototype for how Rice Box can work in more suburban markets without losing the part of the brand that makes it feel like us.”

Bay Area-area diners can expect the same menu as the Rice Box’s other locations. That includes staples such as General Tso’s chicken, sesame chicken, beef with broccoli, and orange peel beef. The restaurant also serves traditional Chinese-inspired fare such as Chongqing chicken, cumin beef, mapo tofu, and chow fun noodles.

Recently, Peterson rolled out a new version of Rice Box’s dumplings. Available in chicken, pork, or vegetable, each style of dumpling comes with a different wrapper that enhances the filling’s flavor. They’re also available either steamed or fried.

The Rice Box started as a food truck in the early 2010s. After moving to a permanent location in the Greenway Plaza food court, it has opened brick-and-mortar locations in the Heights, River Oaks, Rice Village, and Memorial.

openings news-you-can-eat the rice box