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    Foodie News

    A new late night restaurant for The Galleria area: Owner unafraid of past failures in location

    Eric Sandler
    Mar 11, 2014 | 12:43 pm

    Until now, Cajun restaurant BB's Cafe has only opened locations inside the Loop, but that's all set to change in April, when owner Brooks Bassler will open his fourth location in the Briargrove area west of the Galleria.

     

    The new location follows the pattern Bassler established in 2007 when he took over German restaurant Alfredo's and began serving the dishes he ate at his grandmother's table in Morgan City, Louisiana. "I find struggling restaurants in valuable locations and make them work," Bassler tells CultureMap.

     

    In this case, BB's is taking over the space on Westheimer that housed both a Ninfa's and El Taco Tote. Bassler says he consulted with former Ninfa's co-owner Roland Lorenzo about the location before making the move and received enthusiastic feedback about its prospects. Furthermore, Bassler says that the kitchen "contained all new equipment," which limited the amount of capital required to renovate the space.

     

     

      "I find struggling restaurants in valuable locations and make them work." 

     
     

    Finally, the area is already known for late night dining (which is a BB's specialty) thanks to the presence of both Chacho's and House of Pies.

     

    Bassler credits BB's success to the restaurant's food. The Heights location is a top destination for crawfish, serving up to 1,500 pounds per day at the season's peak. The restaurant's po' boys are inspired by Bassler's favorite spots in New Orleans, but one dish on the menu is closest to Bassler's heart.

     

    It takes 24 hours to make grillades and grits the traditional way, but the results speak for themselves. "It's a process," Bassler admits, that involves "slow cooking (beef tenderloin) in Cajun roux gravy," but customers keep ordering the dish.

     

    Of course, Bassler is already thinking about what's next. He has his eyes on Katy and Spring as possibilities, but he's really intrigued by the development currently taking place in the Second Ward. Calling it "underdeveloped and underserved," he's seen the success of both The Original Ninfa's on Navigation and El Tiempo as an indication BB's could find success there, too.

     

    That's all in the future. For now, the extended Galleria area can prepare itself for a new late night destination.

     

    Who wants a po' boy?

    BB's Cafe Brooks Bassler stands inside the restaurant's fourth location, which will open in April.

    BB's Cafe Briar Grove Brooks Bassler
      
    Photo courtesy of BB's Cafe
    BB's Cafe Brooks Bassler stands inside the restaurant's fourth location, which will open in April.
    unspecified
    news/restaurants-bars

    What's Eric Eating Episode 476

    Award-winning Houston chef dishes on season 4 of hit show The Bear

    CultureMap Staff
    Jul 15, 2025 | 6:00 am
    The Bear cast photo
    The Bear/Facebook
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    On the most recent episode of “What’s Eric Eating,” James Beard Award-winning chef Justin Yu joins CultureMap editor Eric Sandler to discuss season four of The Bear, the FX series set in a Chicago restaurant. It’s become an annual tradition for the two men.

    (Spoilers ahead for all episodes of season four of The Bear.)



    In season four, which debuted on June 25, the show’s eponymous restaurant is struggling to find its footing after a review in the Chicago Tribune criticized the inconsistencies of chef Carmy Berzatto’s constantly-changing menu. The stressful environment leads chef de cuisine Sydney Adamu to contemplate leaving for a new restaurant. Yu relates to the other chef’s desire to hire Sydney away from The Bear.

    “This constantly happens in the restaurant business. We become both friends with and fans of people working under other people. You envision opening something new and having that person work for me. How do we get them to move over,” Yu says. “The ability to create is one thing. Money is a big thing. The promise of work-life balance is one thing. Those are ways to get people to move from one place to another.”

    The duo also take up the topic of sous chef Tina Marrero’s struggles to get the timing down on the pasta course that’s part of The Bear’s tasting menu. Sandler asks Yu about encouraging cooks to improve their skills

    “It’s trust but also training and the ability to have them understand what each dish means, the way it should taste and why, and how fast or slow it should go. A long time ago when we were being trained, we were told to cook the food and not given a reason for why it should be done that way. Whereas, we try our very best these days to explain the reasoning behind having a dish with fewer components so it can be plated up more quickly to get another turn on a table.”

    Listen to the full episode to hear Yu’s thoughts on Carmy’s decision to step away from The Bear. He also provides an update on some big changes come to the menu at Theodore Rex, his restaurant in downtown Houston’s Warehouse District that earned a Bib Gourmand designation in the Michelin Guide.

    chefsinterviewjustin yupodcaststhe beartv
    news/restaurants-bars

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