Food for Thought

Kitchen envy to the next dimension: Outdoor and in Philippe, the craze gripsHouston

By now, if you haven’t eaten at Philippe Restaurant + Lounge, you’ve at leastread about the stellar architecture by Shafik Rifaat and the fabulous food bychef Philippe Schmit. But the kitchen is the real untold story.
Photo by Shannon O'Hara
My first kitchen when I moved to Houston, so many moons ago, was an adorable,tiny space with a black-and-white tiled floor and a gas stove.
Philippe exclaimed, “This will be the best kitchen I’ve ever worked in!”
Photo by Marene Gustin
One of the judges at a recent fundraising chili cook-off at Blanco’s for Casa DeEsperanza de los Niños was David Cordúa.
Photo by Marene Gustin
In the downstairs lounge there is small (very, very small) kitchen that turnsout the bar menu, which includes a fab burger.
Photo by Michelle Watson/CatchlightGroup.com
Upstairs, there is a kitchen fit for a king. Or at least a French Cowboy.
Photo by Marene Gustin

I rarely cooked when I was young. My first kitchen when I moved to Houston, so many moons ago, was an adorable, tiny space with a black and white tiled floor and a gas stove that reminded me of the one my grandmother had with a pop up broiler on top. I adored it.

Unfortunately, it had a leak in the gas line and the utility company (wisely) refused to hook it up.

It made a lovely planter and a nice storage place for sweaters.

Fast forward many years and I now have a functioning kitchen that I use with gusto. I also, because of my writing, am able to tour commercial kitchens. I am often amazed at the incredible dishes that tiny kitchens — from gourmet food truck galleys to the miniscule food cooking area at Mockingbird Bistro — can turn out. Apparently, you don’t need much space to create delicious dishes.

Which I was reminded of again this past weekend at a fundraising chili cook off at Blanco’s for Casa De Esperanza de los Niños, a wonderful nonprofit for children in crisis.

Most of the teams had pre-cooked their chili and were serving them in crock pots (who knew they were still so popular?), but it got me to wonder, what makes for a great outdoor kitchen? Luckily, one of the judges was David Cordúa, son of James Beard-nominated Michael Cordúa, and, in his own right, executive chef of América’s River Oaks.

“I just got back from Argentina,” said the young Cordúa (one of the youngest-looking chefs in town). “Outdoor cooking is huge there. And our family grills outdoors every Sunday. I’d have to say that what you need for a great outdoor kitchen is plumbing and a gas line.”

So, cooking outdoors, wood or charcoal?

“Wood has a nice flavor,” Cordúa said, “but you have more control with charcoal.”

Outdoor kitchens are huge now, full-scale kitchens with all the amenities imaginable. Far removed from dad’s old backyard burger grill, they now come equipped with grills, ovens, sinks and serving space. Everything a chef needs for a gourmet meal.

And then there’s the indoor kitchen at Philippe Restaurant + Lounge. By now, if you haven’t eaten there, you’ve at least read about the stellar architecture by Shafik Rifaat and the fabulous food by chef Philippe Schmit. But what you may not know is that the kitchen (actually, kitchens) here is the envy of many.

In the downstairs lounge there is small (very, very small) kitchen that turns out the bar menu, which includes a fab burger. But upstairs, there is a kitchen fit for a king. Or at least a French Cowboy.

Schmit designed the kitchen himself, based on his years working in other people’s kitchens.

“It’s not even finished yet,” he enthused on a recent tour. “This will be the best kitchen I’ve ever worked in!”

Schmit was like a kid in a candy store, or a nerd in an Apple store, or, well, a chef in a kitchen made to order.

“We have two lines,” he explains excitedly. “One for the regular menu and one just for the tasting menu so you’re not interrupting the dinner rush.”

Wow.

“And I had sinks put in at the end of each line so there’s no running back and forth.”

And racks along the backside for hanging his copper and carbon pots and pans. Everything is within easy reach, designed for über efficiency. Oh, and for good taste as well.

“Here we have the plancha,” the chef points out like a proud papa. The plancha, a Spanish, thick aluminum plate, is used in the Philippe kitchen instead of a griddle.

“It’s much better and produces less fat for grilled meats,” he says.

But that’s not all.

There’s also the pastry kitchen where they turn out deserts and their own bread and rolls and even a butcher shop, next to its own delivery door and walk in meat locker. Slabs of beef, whole fish and about a zillion lobsters were being attacked by knife wielding chefs at alarming speeds when I visited.

“So, how many folks work back here?” I asked, amazed at the white-frocked folks running around the huge kitchen.

“Oh, 12 or 15,” Schmit says. “But that’s just the cooks.” As in, that doesn’t include the dishwashers and clean up staff.

It is a kitchen to inspire kitchen envy.

And get this.

There’s even a closed circuit TV hookup that beams shots of every plate headed out to the dining room to flat screen monitors in the lounge downstairs. Just a little TV viewing to whet the appetites of the bar flies and entice them upstairs.

That would be so cool in your home kitchen.

Err, maybe not. I don’t want my guests to see me picking up the dropped pot roast and putting it back on the platter. What? You’ve never heard of the five-second rule?

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where to eat on Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving procrastinators: Reservations remain at these Houston restaurants

Courtesy of Culinary Khancepts

Dine on a three-course meal at Leo's River Oaks.

Houstonians who still don’t have plans for where they’re eating on Thanksgiving, which will be observed this Thursday, November 27, need not worry. With more and more Houston restaurants open for the holiday, procrastinators still have plenty of choices available.

This roundup includes some fine dining options with prix fixe menus, a couple of decadent buffets, and a few lower priced, a la carte options, including one that can be picked up from a drive-thru. All of the establishments listed below had reservations available as of Monday, November 24, but that will change as Thanksgiving approaches.

Courtesy of Culinary Khancepts

Dine on a three-course meal at Leo's River Oaks.

Note that this guide focuses on restaurants serving a version of traditional Thanksgiving fare. Dozens of restaurants in Chinatown and other Asian-focused districts will also be open — and busy — on Thursday.

Amrina
Put a masala-spiced spin on Thanksgiving with this restaurant’s five-course, $95 menu. Choices include pumpkin-spiced pani puri, Mulligatawny velouté with turkey kofta, and turkey kebab. Entree choices — including roasted turkey breast, filet mignon, and tiger prawns — are matched with family-style sides such as mashed potatoes, cranberry chutney, and spinach and corn casserole. Pumpkin mascarpone cheese mousse leads the three dessert options.

Bar Bludorn
The Memorial tavern is serving a three-course, $75 menu that begins with starter choices such as oysters, steak tartare, endive salad, and squash soup. Entree selections include roast turkey, steak frites, and branzino, all of which can be paired with sides such as pommes puree, cranberries, and stuffing. Finish with one of three dessert selections.

Chardon
Visit this French restaurant in the Thompson Hotel for a three-course, family-style Thanksgiving meal. Priced at $75 per adult and $25 for kids five and above, it includes shareable portions of cornbread, deviled eggs, chestnut and celeriac soup, fennel and apple salad, and smoked duck and cranberry terrine. For the entree course, diners will share herb-roasted turkey, turkey leg cassoulet, and beef cheek bourguignon paired with traditional sides. For dessert, the restaurant will serve apple tart, maple profiteroles, and chocolate and hazelnut cake.

Cleburne Cafeteria
For those looking for a more affordable option, this Houston favorite will be open for both dine-in and to-go from from 11 am-8 pm with a full range of starters, sides, entrees, and desserts. Keep in mind that lines may be long.

Fielding’s River Oaks
The European-inspired restaurant will supplement its usual menu with Thanksgiving add-ons such as grilled turkey breast with garlic confit and sage gravy, orange cranberry chutney, brown butter sweet potato mash, and green bean casserole ($49), as well as Peking duck breast ($46), pumpkin spice parker house rolls ($18), and apple cinnamon crisp ($17).

Himalaya
On Thanksgiving, chef-owner Kaiser Lashkari adds masala-spiced turkey and dressing to his extensive menu of Indo-Pak fare. Remember, the restaurant is BYOB, so plan accordingly.

Juliet Steakhouse & Fine Dining
The Galleria-area restaurant will serve a Thanksgiving buffet from 12-9 pm. Priced at $59.95 for adults and $29.95 for kids, it includes a carving station with turkey, salmon, and filet mignon as well as sides such as mashed potatoes, green casserole, mac & cheese, and more. Additional items include lobster bisque, Caesar salad, and desserts.

King Ranch Texas Kitchen
The Galleria-area restaurant’s Thanksgiving Day buffet ($59 per adult, $25 per child), includes a carving station with turkey, ham, prime rib, and brisket, as well as spinach dip, Caesar salad, deviled eggs, King Ranch chicken empanadas, shrimp cocktail, and an extensive selection of sides and desserts.

King Steak
The recently-opened Galleria-area restaurant will serve a four-course, $70 Thanksgiving menu. The family-style meal includes shared appetizers including vegetable “charcuterie,” deviled eggs, and cornbread. Entree options include turkey, ham, and tenderloin ($10 supplement) paired with sides that include mashed potatoes, dressing, green bean casserole, candied yams, roasted carrots, Brussels sprouts, and cranberry sauce. Finish with pumpkin pie and pecan pie.

Kitchen Rumors
The eclectic, Indian-inspired eatery is serving a four-course, $65 menu. Begin with dishes such as lobster dumplings, crispy kale and wasabi peas, and blue cheese chicken kebab. Entree choices include turkey breast, filet mignon, shrimp and pumpkin stir fry, and two vegetarian options, all of which are paired with family-style sides such as mashed potatoes, cranberry chutney, garbanzo beans, and garlic naan. The meal concludes with either pumpkin halwa pie or chocolate cremeux.

Leo’s River Oaks
Winner of the Best New Restaurant in the 2025 CultureMap Tastemaker Awards, the restaurant will serve a three-course menu that begins with lobster bisque or kale salad. Choose turkey ($75) or chateaubriand ($85) for an entree, both of which are paired with family-style sides that include pomme puree, brown butter green beans, butternut squash stuffing, cranberry sauce, and a parker house roll. Dessert is pumpkin pie.

Navy Blue
The Rice Village seafood restaurant is offering a three-course, $85 menu (children 10 and under, two courses for $55). Starter choices include shrimp cocktail, Caesar salad, seafood gumbo, or crab cake. For an entree, select turkey roulade with sweet potato and stuffing, hanger steak with bone marrow herb butter, branzino, seared scallops, or tagliatelle with mushrooms, plus optional sides. The meal ends with one of four desserts.

Pappas Bar-B-Q
Get a Thanksgiving plate with turkey, ham, and sides for $21.95. Served from 9 am-6 pm, it’s the only meal on this list that can be picked up at a drive-thru. The restaurant will also be serving its full menu, which means people can pick up brisket, ribs, or pecan pie to supplement their Thanksgiving table.

Perseid
This French-inspired restaurant at the Hotel Saint Augustine will serve a three-course, $85 menu. Starter choices includes chicory salad, sunchoke soup, duck terrine, and hiramasa crudo. Go traditional with turkey roulade or mix things up with mushroom risotto, hanger steak, or salmon. Dessert choices include pumpkin pie and maple cake.

Saltgrass Steak House
The family-friendly restaurant will serve a Thanksgiving plate that includes roast turkey breast, dressing, gravy, garlic mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, and choice of salad or soup for $23.99.

Willie G’s
This seafood restaurant next to the Post Oak Hotel will serve an expansive Thanksgiving buffet that’s priced at $69 for adults and $29 for children. Expect a full spread of traditional Thanksgiving fare such as turkey, honey-roasted ham, stuffing, candied yams, and green bean casserole. In addition, diners will have access to a raw bar with oysters, smoked salmon, peel & eat shrimp, deviled egg, and spicy tuna rolls. Breads, pastries, and a couple of kid-specific dishes round out the offerings.

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