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    hello hamsa

    Doris Metropolitan masterminds serve up opening date for modern Middle Eastern restaurant

    Eric Sandler
    May 4, 2022 | 11:19 am

    Houstonians will soon be dining on kebabs, vegetables, and a whole lot of hummus. Hamsa, a modern Israeli restaurant from the owners of Houston steakhouse Doris Metropolitan, will open Wednesday, May 11.

    First announced in 2019, Hamsa combines the diverse flavors and cooking techniques of the Middle East with a lively atmosphere and the wide-ranging beverage program that Doris Metropolitan is known for. It joins sister concept Badolina Bakery & Cafe in Rice Village (5555 Morningside Dr.) to make an all-day duo that can serve diners breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Together, the three establishments form Sof Hospitality, a restaurant group focused on bringing the flavors of the modern Middle East to Houston.

    “Hamsa is a concept we always wanted to do, which is more of the food we bring from back home,” Sof Hospitality partner Ital Ben Eli tells CultureMap. “The experience will be a little different than a traditional restaurant where you order an appetizer, entrees, and desserts. Here, we bring more of that experience that we’re used to from back home. We have different sections, but each one is meant to be shared.”

    The obvious comparisons are to award-winning restaurants like Zahav in Philadelphia and Shaya in New Orleans. Ben Eli, who also operates a location of Doris Metropolitan in New Orleans, is familiar with those establishment but sees Hamsa as having its own perspective.

    “I heard the name ‘Shaya’ in the past month more than I have in my entire life,” Ben Eli says with a laugh. “People are familiar with that concept in New Orleans, because it’s extremely popular.”

    He adds, “It’s like comparing two different Italian restaurants, but it’s still the segment of modern Israeli cuisine. Mostly what we have in common is a rich menu of different flavors and different styles of cooking. It’s really diverse as far as the range of flavors goes.”

    Diners will build a shared meal from the different sections of Hamsa’s menu. Salatin consists of about a dozen small vegetables plates that range from beet salad and labneh to baba ganoush, pickled vegetables, and harrisa-spiced carrots. Then, choose from one of three hummus preparations: lamb with caramelized onions and pine nuts, shakshuka with merguez sausage and egg, or Hummus Complet with tahini and a brown egg.

    Small plates include arak mussels, beef tartare, and falafel. Charcoal-grilled skewers come as a vegetarian king trumpet mushroom or carnivore choices such as beef tenderloin, chicken shawarma, or a kebab that mixes beef and lamb.

    “We insisted on having a charcoal grill for the skewers to get the flavor we were looking for,” Ben Eli says. “It was a pain to get the permits, but I think it was worth it.”

    Large entrees such as grilled lamb spare ribs and whole branzino round out the savory choices. They can be paired with sides like turmeric potatoes and Israeli salad.

    Pastry chef Michal Michaeli, who is also responsible for the creations at Doris and Badolina, has put her spin on Middle Eastern classics like grilled pears with whipped labneh, basboosa malabi cake, and halvah.

    Diners who simply want the restaurant to choose their meals may opt for the “Yella Yella” option. Hebrew slang for “let’s go,” it will consist of a range of the restaurant’s most popular dishes for a set price.

    Overall, the restaurants should cater to a wide variety of tastes, including vegans, vegetarians, and gluten-free. Sommelier and general manager Melissa Rogers has over 100 wines available for pairings, including many from Israeli and Lebanon.

    After two years of waiting, Ben Eli and his partners, Itamar Levy and chef Sash Kurgan, are looking forward to sharing their new creation with Houstonians. Lucky Doris regulars may have gotten a sneak peek at a couple of dishes, but Ben Eli notes that they taste even better cooked in Hamsa’s kitchen.

    “I’ve never worked for a restaurant for as long as we did with Hamsa,” he says. “We literally had a couple years to learn what we needed to learn. From trial and error to traveling to other cities, we had time to focus on what we wanted to do.”

    Hamsa grills its skewers over charcoal.

    Hamsa skewers
      
    Photo by Kirsten Gilliam
    Hamsa grills its skewers over charcoal.
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    ps, we're closed

    Houston's most pretty-in-pink restaurant quietly closes in Upper Kirby

    Eric Sandler
    May 12, 2025 | 12:16 pm
    Postscript restaurant interior
    Photo by Jenn Duncan
    You'll see a lot of pink at PostScript.

    PostScript, Upper Kirby’ posh pink restaurant, has quietly closed, CultureMap has learned.

    Although the restaurant is still accepting reservations on OpenTable — and is, as of this article’s publication, listed as open on both Yelp and Google — reports circulated on social media this weekend that it had abruptly canceled diners’ Mother’s Day reservations. In addition, its dining room in the Shops at Arrive mixed-use development has been emptied of furniture.

    [Update: After the publication of this article, PostScript's management provided CultureMap with the following statement:

    We are saddened to announce the closure of PostScript HTX.

    We sincerely thank our patrons for their loyalty and support. It has been an honor to serve you and be part of your special moments. The people and culture in Houston are first class. We wish you all the best and hope our paths cross again in the future.]

    PostScript opened with considerable fanfare in February 2024. Owners Veeral Rathod and Obi Ibeto, brought their experiences as partners in the Dallas-based GAP Hospitality to the project, which operates establishments such as XOXO Dining Room, Lyla, and Drai’s Dallas. Particularly inspired by XOXO Dining Room, they created an ode to pink that included pink exterior and interior walls, a pink quartz bar, and a pink grand piano. “Push for Champagne” buttons added to the lively spirit.

    Chef Bryan Caswell created the menu. Best known for his pioneering Gulf Coast seafood restaurant Reef that closed in 2019, Caswell’s menu included fried chicken with hummus, oysters three ways (raw, roasted, and fried), a sushi roll, and the double smoked pork chop that was a Reef staple. A doughnut topped with caviar became a customer favorite.

    Since Caswell was only consulting on the project, he left a couple of months after opening. Latuli, Caswell’s new Gulf Coast-inspired restaurant in the Memorial area, is expected to open soon.

    CultureMap has reached out to PostScript via email, phone, and Instagram message for comment on the decision to close the restaurant. We will update this article if they reply.

    PostScript’s closure follows that of Cru, which ended a 13-year run in December 2024. On the other hand, Kira, a sushi hand roll concept from Houston’s Comma Hospitality that’s also located in the development, is thriving, having earned the No. 4 spot on Texas Monthly’s list of the state’s best new restaurants. The development is also home to beloved Indian restaurant Pondicheri, an outpost of the steakhouse chain Eddie V’s, and top tier Houston shopping destination Tootsie’s.

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