Authentic Mexican Cuisine

Acclaimed Houston restaurateurs expand south of the border with collaboration in Oaxaca

Chef Hugo Ortega has been a five-time James Beard Awards finalist for the way he's brought the authentic flavors of Mexico to Houston at Hugo's and Caracol. Now, Ortega is going to bring the skills that he and his wife Tracy Vaught have developed as restaurateurs in Houston to his homeland.

Ortega and Vaught have entered into a partnership with chef Rodolfo Castellanos of Origen restaurant in Oaxaca, Mexico. Origen is known for the way it combines traditional Oaxacan cuisine with elevated techniques, particularly the region's famous mole sauces. As part of the partnership, Ortega will collaborate with Castellanos on the development of new menu ideas, techniques, and culinary trips to the area.

"Mexican food is my heritage and my passion, and it is the same for chef Rodolfo,” said Ortega in a statement. “We have a wonderful friendship and a shared passion for the food and culture of Oaxaca, which is so rich in history and, especially, food. Oaxaca has such a close relationship to its food and drink and the people who work the land and source the ingredients, and I am excited to have the opportunity to work here and with Rodolfo at Origen."

Castellanos brings some of his own celebrity to the relationship. Prior to opening Origen in 2010, he worked in Italy, San Francisco, and as the chef de cuisine at the French Embassy in Mexico City. He's currently a contestant on Top Chef Mexico, which airs locally NBC Universo (Thursdays at 8 pm).

"I have had the pleasure of working with Chef Hugo and his brother Ruben Ortega at culinary events in Mexico and Houston, and have seen how they have moved appreciation for authentic Mexican cuisine to the forefront in the United States,” said Castellanos. “I truly feel that coming together in one kitchen will be a great adventure for us as chefs and for diners of Origen."

Origen joins Backstreet Cafe, Hugo's, Caracol and Hugo's Cocina (opening this summer at George Bush Intercontinental Airport) as part of Vaught and Ortega's H Town Restaurant Group. Jose Cadena, who is described as "a long-time valued diner of Hugo’s and Caracol," is also a partner at Origen.

"We are excited to have chef Rodolfo Castellanos and Origen join our restaurant family,” added Vaught. “Rodolfo is a young, talented Oaxacan chef that is making a name for himself throughout Mexico with his modern approach to Oaxacan cooking. His knowledge of the ingredients, cooking methods and traditions give him a strong base. Hugo and Rodolfo make a great team, and we can’t wait to see what this union brings!"

Hugo Ortega has partnered with chef Rodolfo Castellanos at Origen in Oaxaca.

Courtesy photo

Hugo Ortega has partnered with chef Rodolfo Castellanos at Origen in Oaxaca.

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a cursed location?

Ramen joint that served super hot broth will shutter after only 18 months

Photo by Tracy Ling

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A Heights-adjacent ramen shop will soon serve its final bowl of soup. Kazzan Ramen & Bar will close this Saturday, January 24.

Located at 191 Heights Blvd., Kazzan was only the second American location of a restaurant that’s based in Osaka, Japan. Named for the Japanese word for “volcano,” Kazzan distinguished itself from other ramen restaurants by serving its noodles in a stone bowl that’s heated to 350 degrees Celsius — more than 650 degrees Fahrenheit. When the broth is poured tableside through a cylindrical top, the steam shoots out like a volcanic eruption. The menu also includes shareable plates like gyoza and rice bowls.

Diners who visit the restaurant during its final week of operations will receive 50-percent off all alcoholic beverages, including beer, wine, sake, cocktails, and spirits.

Google lists its other U.S. location in Los Angeles as “temporarily closed.” A representative declined to comment on the reason for the closure but confirmed that Kazzan is not looking for another Houston location at this time.

Notably, Kazzan is the fourth restaurant to occupy the space at 191 Heights. Originally, it was home to Bradley’s Fine Diner, a short-lived New American concept from Las Vegas-based chef Bradley Ogden. Next up was Star Fish, an ambitious seafood restaurant from the late Houston restaurateur Lee Ellis’ Cherry Pie Hospitality.

When Sambrooks Hospitality acquired Ellis’ restaurants, it rebooted the space as 1751 Sea & Bar, a seafood concept that closed in 2023. Kazzan opened in July 2024, so its tenure only lasted about a year and a half.

So, yes, restaurant obsessives, the time has come to discuss whether the location is “cursed.”

Kazzan isn’t the only ramen restaurant in the area to close recently. Nearby Ninja Ramen shuttered at the end of December after 11 years. The space has been claimed by Yuma, a Cuban and Brazilian-inspired sandwich pop-up that will open its first brick-and-mortar location later this spring.

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