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    What's Eric Eating Episode 141

    Top Woodlands chef dishes on the future of fine dining, plus best to-go meals

    CultureMap Staff
    Apr 23, 2020 | 1:01 pm
    Chef Austin Simmons
    Chef Austin Simmons is this week's guest.
    Photo courtesy of Austin Simmons

    On this week's episode of "What's Eric Eating," chef Austin Simmons joins CultureMap food editor Eric Sandler to discuss the various steps he's taken at his two restaurants in The Woodlands, Tris and The Kitchen, to shift service in response to the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic. Simmons says he understood quickly that signature Tris dishes like kimchi pancake with poached crab or roasted duck breast wouldn't work in a to-go environment, so he switched to family meals like chicken parmesan and meatloaf that would travel well and offer value.

    So far, the shift has been working. Tris has captured enough business that Simmons says he was able to rehire most of his hourly cooks and keep the restaurant's management team on the payroll.

    Simmons has been thinking about how Tris will operate once dining rooms are allowed to reopen. He's purchased masks and gloves for servers to wear, and he anticipates using the restaurant's private dining rooms for regular seating to allow tables to be spaced farther apart. The restaurant's to-go meals will likely remain on the menu for some time as an acknowledgement that some people won't feel comfortable in public settings for awhile. Despite all of these challenges, he's feeling optimistic about the future.

    "I think there's a lot of opportunity in the restaurant business going forward. You've got to weather the storm. Right now, it's just about survival, get through until they pull social distancing from us," Simmons says. "Really and truly, Eric, it will come back. I'm not sitting here saying restaurants are over and my chef career is done. Everybody eats. That's always going to hold true, and people are going to want the dining experience again."

    Prior to the interview with Simmons, Avondale Food & Wine owner Mary Clarkson joins Sandler to discuss the news of the week. Clarkson offers an update on how Avondale has changed its business by focusing on retail wine sales and selling grocery boxes. Their other topics include the challenges of the Payroll Protection Program for small restaurants, restaurants reopening for to-go service, and Ostia, a new restaurant that will open in Montrose this summer.

    In the restaurants of the week segment, they discuss where they've been ordering food to go. Clarkson mentions The Pit Room, Cuchara, Squable, and others, while Sandler mentions Kokoro, Backstreet Cafe, burger-chan, and others.

    ---

    Subscribe to "What's Eric Eating" on Apple podcasts, Google Play, or Spotify. Listen to it Sunday at 1 pm on ESPN 97.5.

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    so succulent

    Houston's new Napa Valley-inspired restaurant sets opening date

    Eric Sandler
    May 15, 2025 | 10:04 am
    Succulent Fine Dining food spread
    Courtesy of Succulent Fine Dining
    Succulent Fine Dining's menu takes inspiration from California.

    A new wine-fueled, California-inspired restaurant is ready to make its debut. Succulent Fine Dining will open this Monday, May 19.

    Located in the former Pastore space in the Regent Square mixed-use development, Succulent Fine Dining is the latest project from Houston restaurateur Shawn Virene, the mastermind behind champagne-fueled River Oaks restaurant a’Bouzy. Working with executive chef David Buckley, Virene intends for Succulent to take inspiration from California’s Napa Valley with dishes that utilize ingredients from both Texas farms and those on the West Coast — such as the Hope Farms Kale salad that references the South Houston urban farm operated by local nonprofit Recipe for Success.

    “Succulent will be so much more than a restaurant — it’s a destination where food, design, and the culture of the vineyards come together,” Virene said in a statement. “I’ve dreamed of creating a space that reflects my love for the land and the laid-back elegance of Napa Valley dining. Succulent is personal — it’s gracious, warm, and deeply connected to nature.”

    Meals at Succulent could begin with caviar-topped deviled eggs, chicken liver mousse in pani puri, or a caramelized onion tart that’s Buckley’s riff on French onion soup. From there, the options include roasted chicken in preserved lemon beurre blanc, seared scallops with blue corn and brown butter dashi, and steak frites made with hanger steak that’s topped with salsa verde. Seafood options will include Gulf fish caught under Virene’s commercial fishing license such as snapper, cobia, and amberjack. Buckley is also adding seasonal touches with vegetable-based dishes.

    “The carrot gnocchi was developed when looking at seasonal spring vegetables,” the chef said. “We are using the carrot in place of a potato for an orange color.”

    “Succulent” doesn’t just apply to the food. Virene has carefully grown dozens of plants that are a prominent part of the restaurant’s decor.

    “I’ve been delving into horticulture,” Virene said on CultureMap’s “What’s Eric Eating” podcast. “I’m a pretty good propagator. I can take ‘em and break ‘em down and end up with a bunch more. I know what will grow well in Houston. They’re cute and pretty and kind of trendy right now.”

    Beyond adding plant life, Virene has made a number of upgrades to the space. Most notably, Succulent will utilize the building’s rooftop patio. Diners will find pergolas and greenery to provide shade, a dedicated bar for the second floor, and vintage greenhouses that can host private events. Downstairs is now home to a private dining room as well as a chef’s table with a view of the kitchen. An herb garden will

    Just like a’Bouzy, Succulent will be open for lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch. Its to-go options will include picnic baskets that may be consumed at Regent Square’s green space or at nearby Buffalo Bayou Park.

    Succulent Fine Dining food spread
      

    Courtesy of Succulent Fine Dining

    Succulent Fine Dining's menu takes inspiration from California.

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