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    Sneak Peek at Canard

    Sneak peek at Canard: Hip new cocktail bar promises an intimate good time

    Eric Sandler
    Mar 17, 2016 | 12:00 pm

    On the first night that Canard opened its doors to paying customers — an invite-only crowd of mostly fellow Treadsack employees and sympathetic friends — Leslie Ross couldn't quite believe where she was standing and what she was doing.

    "Holy shit," she said as she poured a cocktail. "I'm bartending at my bar."

    Canard may have missed its anticipated opening date of February 29 by a couple of weeks, but in this case, a dream deferred is not a dream denied. The bar will open to the public Friday night.

    Less a few adjustments to the lighting and finalizing some of the decorations, Canard as it exists as of Tuesday night is remarkably faithful to the vision Ross articulated for it when she revealed the project in January. The space only looks to seat about 50 people comfortably: making it an intimate destination that, like nearby tiki bar Lei Low, will draw an audience that seeks out its particular charms.

    Located next to Treadsack's Thai restaurant Foreign Correspondents — the two concepts share bathrooms and are separated by a curtain — the bar has a totally different feel than the restaurant thanks to its dark green walls, lush purple banquettes, and gold accents. One sure sign that Canard is truly Ross's bar: an entire shelf of the back bar is devoted to her beloved Chartreuse. The rest of the shelves aren't quite full yet, but the selection does include a few hard to find Scotches as well as spirits like passion fruit vodka that will undoubtedly cause some consternation among cocktail nerds.

    At opening, the menu consists of 10 house cocktails priced at $12, eight classics priced at $10, and four optics priced at $10 per ounce. A handful of bottled beers, four house wines by the glass, and eight bottles of sparking wine (all under $100) round out the offerings.

    House cocktails both reflect the meticulous preparation that allowed Ross to compete successfully in national cocktail competitions and benefit from access to Foreign Correspondents' kitchen to aid in preparing ingredients. For example, the "Hemingway Goes to Hebrides" includes a riff on horchata that's made with cantaloupe seeds, and the "Girl With a Pearl Earring" includes Genever infused with strawberry tops and pink peppercorns. It all sounds like a little baroque, but the layered, balanced flavors make them entirely too easy to drink quickly.

    On the other hand, the Optics feature combinations of three or four spirits and are more intense and alcohol forward. One of these is named the "Kelpie Cocktail" after a Scottish myth about a horse that appears out of lochs and drags children into the water. The drink's combination of Scotch, Green Chartreuse, and Sherry may not be quite that dangerous, but the smoky, aromatic punch definitely makes a strong impression.

    After 2015's torrid pace of openings, the beginning of 2016 was bound to be a bit of a letdown as the city caught its collective breath. Two-and-a-half months in, the first really exciting new concept of 2016 has arrived. Who's ready for a drink?

    Leslie Ross is ready to serve at Canard.

    Canard Sneak Peek
      
    Photo by Eric Sandler
    Leslie Ross is ready to serve at Canard.
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    news/restaurants-bars

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    long live the king

    Houstonians will get the royal treatment at this lively new steakhouse

    Eric Sandler
    May 14, 2025 | 11:20 am
    King Steak restaurant food spread
    Photo by Lauren Holub
    King Steak serves its guacamole with bacon.

    Houston’s newest steakhouse aims to lure diners with a simple, back-to-basics approach. Opening Wednesday, May 21, King Steak is the latest project from restaurateur Johnny Vassallo and chef Eric Aldis, two of the people behind Mo's...A Place for Steaks, a see-and-be-seen steakhouse that thrived on Post Oak until it closed in 2016.

    Working together, Vassallo as owner and Aldis as operating partner, the duo intends for King Steak to recapture Mo’s lively atmosphere while serving a menu in line with current trends, such as frying items in beef tallow rather than seed oils. For Aldis, who’s done everything from serving as a senior manager who helped grow Federal Grill to operating a short-lived barbecue joint in Midtown, the opportunity to focus on a single location is a welcome change of pace.

    “I’ve been overseeing a bunch of pubs and restaurants,” Aldis tells CultureMap. “Now, I’ll be at King’s six days a week. I want to be more centralized and do one spot for the next 20 years.”

    For a restaurant with “steak” in its name, King Steak keeps things simple. It serves a 16-ounce strip, a 20-ounce ribeye, and a filet in three sizes ranging from four to 12 ounces. They’re joined by steakhouse staples such as Caesar salad, shrimp cocktail, and four different potato sides — loaded baked potato, jalapeño hashbrowns, mashed potatoes, and beef tallow fries.

    Where the restaurant sets itself apart is its selection of non-steak entrees. Options include a short rib with mashed potatoes, chicken Parmesan, ahi tuna with mushrooms and Brussels sprouts, and a French dip sandwich. One item Aldis hopes diners will embrace is the restaurant’s vegetable charcuterie, a shareable appetizer platter made with grilled and roasted vegetables paired with an array of dipping sauces.

    “Having artichoke carpaccio, beet pastrami, all different types of vegetables presented in the style of charcuterie. It’s fun and a little healthy, too,” Aldis says. “Don’t get wrong. I still love a great charcuterie board with meats and cheeses, but it’s something different that goes well with a glass of wine and chilling on a patio.”

    Speaking of the patio, Vassallo and Aldis have invested in major upgrades to location’s outdoor seating, which now has year-round utility courtesy of glass walls and climate control. Formerly Osteria Mazzantini and Cafe Ginger, the dining room has been transformed with a mural and artwork that evokes the American West.

    Aldis is confident that the patio, and the restaurant’s private dining room that can be divided into three spaces, will help lure customers — as will Aldis’ outgoing personality.

    “Don’t shy away from a caviar bump when I’m walking around with a kilo to get the party started,” he says with a laugh.

    Yes, the Galleria area is thick with steakhouses at all price points, but many are corporate-owned or part of larger chains. Aldis sees an opportunity for a locally-owned, single location to distinguish itself with a more personal approach.

    “We’re not chef driven. We’re guest driven. That’s where we want to be,” he says. Later, he adds, “Whatever you want, we’ll go above and beyond to make it happen. Give me a couple days, I’ll get it in. We’ll make it beautiful for you.”

    King Steak is located at 2200 Post Oak Blvd. It will be open for dinner Monday through Saturday beginning at 4 pm. Weekday lunch service is expected to follow in mid-June.



    King Steak restaurant food spread
      

    Photo by Lauren Holub

    King Steak serves its guacamole with bacon.

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    news/restaurants-bars
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