feeding the needy

Good-hearted new pop-up kitchen feeds Houston seniors and unemployed

A Houston City Council member has teamed up with a group of Houston chefs to feed people who have become unemployed during the coronavirus pandemic. Pop-Up Kitchen will operate out of Midtown restaurant Seaside Lounge (702 W. Dallas St.) beginning Wednesday, April 8.

Organized by Council Member At-Large Letitia Plummer, Pop-Up Kitchen aims to feed seniors, especially those who "rely on multipurpose centers or faith-based organizations or non-profits to provide their daily meals," according to a release. Seeded with money from Mario Azodinia, CEO of the private equity firm Capstone Houston Group, LLC, the program aims to feed at least 100 Houstonians a day April 8-12 and April 14-19.

Seaside Lounge chef Wendall Price is leading the culinary side. Other participants include Ana Beaven (Cuchara), Andres Albarran (New York Deli & Coffee Shop and Houston Catering Concepts), Nick Semoudiaris (Roadster Grill at Eighteen36), and Rafi Nasr (Craft Pita). Dishes slated to be served include potato tacos (Beaven), lasagna (Albarran), and grilled chicken skewers (Semoudiaris). Chefs who are interested in joining the effort may sign up online.

Available between 10 am and 2 pm (or sold out), meals will be distributed to people who can demonstrate recent unemployment or have proof they are age 65 or older. Measures will be in place to promote social distancing and proper hygiene.

Plummer and the chefs intend to keep the project going for as long as they have funds to support it. Houstonians may make tax-free contributions via a GoFundMe organized by local non-profit Disaster & Humanitarian Services, Inc. Contributions may be as small as $4, the cost of one meal.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted our neighbors in Houston in more ways than one, with job loss being a major hit to so many lives,” Plummer said in a statement. “I am so appreciative and humbled by the incredible local chefs, our organizing team including Mario, chef Wendell and Laurie Robinson [founder of Disaster & Humanitarian Services], and the generosity of our neighbors who are donating to our GoFundMe to help us keep our neighbors in need fed for the next few weeks.”

Falafel rice bowl from Craft Pita.

Courtesy photo

Falafel rice bowl from Craft Pita.

charity chefs fundraisers

seven nation army

Chinatown's AYCE sushi spot rolls into Midtown with late night DJs

Photo by Jenn Duncan

Seven Sushi and Robata serves an extensive selection of sushi, skewers, and more.

Midtown diners will soon have a new option for all-you-can-eat sushi. Seven Sushi & Robata has claimed the former Beer Market/D’Alba Cafe space (3304 Milam) for a new location that will open later this year.

Like the original in Chinatown’s Dun Huang Plaza that opened in November 2025, the new Seven Sushi & Robata will be open for lunch and dinner daily with a tiered pricing structure of $22 at lunch, along with two choices at dinner — a $37 “core” offering and a $57 premium menu that adds items such as bluefin tuna, salmon belly, Korean galbi, Hawaiian ribeye, and an otoro hand roll. Supplementing the sushi, Seven’s robata offerings will include teriyaki chicken thigh, chicken gizzards chicken hearts,grilled miso beef, pork belly, chicken wings, and seasonal vegetables.

Where the Midtown location will set itself apart is in its design. Pitched to Midtown residents and revelers, husband-and-wife owners Grace and Leo Xia have initiated a comprehensive renovation that’s centered around an indoor-outdoor bar that will serve both the dining room and a covered patio.

The Midtown location will also stay open later than the original — until midnight Sunday through Thursday and 2 am on Friday and Saturday. Weekends will also feature “Seven After Dark,” with DJs and a late-night menu of shareable dishes, skewers, and Japanese-inspired bar bites.

“Midtown has a completely different energy, especially at night,” Leo Xia said in a statement. “We didn’t want to simply build another all-you-can-eat sushi restaurant. We wanted to create a place where the food is strong enough to be the reason you come, but the cocktails, music and energetic setting give you a reason to stay. It’s designed to move naturally from lunch and dinner into a more livelier late-night experience.”

Seven builds on the Xias' success with their Chinese concept Duck & Bao and Hongdae 33, an all-you-can-eat Korean barbecue that’s also in Dun Huang Plaza.

“Building a new restaurant isn’t as intimidating as it once was, because I’ve learned how to communicate the vision more clearly to our teams and our guests,” Leo Xia added. “We never stop learning or thinking about how we can offer guests more unique experiences. At Seven, quality sushi is the foundation, but the service, drinks, atmosphere and location all come together to create the full effect.”

Photo by Jenn Duncan

Seven Sushi and Robata serves an extensive selection of sushi, skewers, and more.

openings news-you-can-eat seven sushi and robata