WTF Evan?

Surprise! Acclaimed sommelier suddenly departs Greek restaurant he helped found

Evan Turner has left Helen.

Courtesy photo

Change is constant in Houston restaurants. Chefs and front of house personnel come and go. Even those with senior titles may depart at a moment’s notice, as Danny Trace did from Brennan’s at the end of March.

Still, some people are so closely tied to specific concepts that it’s hard to imagine the restaurant existing without that person’s presence. Such is the case with sommelier Evan Turner and Helen Greek Food & Wine. The Rice Village restaurant grew out of a concept Turner developed and helped lead to national acclaim, including a James Beard semifinalist nomination for America’s best new restaurant in 2016, being lauded as the state's best new restaurant of 2015 by Texas Monthly, a CultureMap Tastemaker Award for best sommelier in 2016, and a recently opened sister restaurant in the Heights.

And yet, Houstonians will soon find out what Helen is like without Turner, because he announced Monday that he’s departed from his role as the sommelier for both the Rice Village and Heights restaurants. He declined to provide either a specific reason for leaving the company or whether he maintains any sort of ownership interest in the venture.

“Honestly, you can simply say it’s a choice I’ve made for my career and my well-being,” Turner said. Later, he added, “I’m positively heartbroken but sometimes you have to do what’s right for your career and what I wanted to do for Greek food and wine.”

In the wake of Houston Food Finder’s report about Turner’s decision, Helen issued its own statement that reads in part: "Turner has been an integral part of both Helen in the Heights as well as the original Helen Greek Food and Wine in Rice Village . . . Evan has decided to pursue other avenues, and the leadership team and staff behind Helen Family wishes him success in his future endeavors."

While it’s a sad day for Turner, he did note that Helen is on a strong footing. “I think it’s an amazing concept that will probably carry on without me,” he said. “We had wine class today. The (staff has) trained a ton, and there are a lot of really good talented people there. They should be able to do just fine.”

That’s certainly a possibility. After all, executive chef William Wright and director of operations Tim Faiola remain in place. However, neither restaurant will feel quite the same without Turner’s ebullient presence.

wine news-you-can-eat

where to eat on Christmas Day

More than 20 Houston restaurants that will be open on Christmas Day

Photo by Jenn Duncan

Live your own version of The Christmas Story at Duck N Bao.

On December 25, families all over Houston will gather for home-cooked Christmas Day feasts. We wish all of them a Merry Christmas.

For any number of reasons, not everyone will have that experience. This guide is for you. It contains a range of cuisines, locations, and price points to satisfy a range of tastes.

Of course, many restaurants in Chinatown and other Asian-oriented business districts will be open. Call your favorites to confirm their hours.

Afuri Ramen
Newly opened in the Heights, the restaurant will be serving steaming bowls of noodles, sushi rolls, and Basque cheesecake for its regular hours of 11 am - 10 pm.

Aga’s Restaurant & Catering
Nothing says Merry Christmas like goat chops and other Indo-Pak fare at this Southwest Houston restaurant that was recently featured in the New York Times. The restaurant will be open during its regular hours on Christmas.

Baso
The Heights restaurant will be open for its regular hours of 4-10 on Christmas. Expect the usual menu of chef-driven, Basque-influenced fare from chefs Max Lappe and Jacques Varon.

The Burger Joint
All three Houston-area locations will be serving sandwiches, fries, and milkshakes beginning at 11 am on Christmas.

Chow Wok
The Chinese American restaurant will be open its regular hours on Christmas. Since the restaurant will likely be busy, order your General Tso’s chicken, fried rice, shrimp rolls, dumplings, and more via its website.

Cleburne Cafeteria
The Houston institution will be open on Christmas Day from 11 am-8 pm with all of its comfort food favorites like chicken fried steak, roast turkey, and liver and onions. Don’t miss the freshly baked cakes and pies.

Davis St. at Hermann Park
Chef Mark Holley’s globally inspired restaurant will offer a four-course, $70 menu with lots of choices for appetizers, entrees, and desserts. Start with dishes such as gumbo, corn and crab chowder, chargrilled oysters, or crispy Thai shrimp. Entree choices include blackened redfish, turkey dinner, and grilled lamb chops ($14 supplement). Four dessert choices are available, but those in the know will opt for coconut cake.

Doris Metropolitan
The Israeli-inspired steakhouse will be open from 12-8 pm with its familiar menu of dry-aged steaks and Houston’s best bread service. Since December 25 is also the first night of Hanukkah, the restaurant will light a menorah at sundown.

Duck N Bao
For those craving Peking duck, soup dumplings, or Sichuan dishes, all three locations will be open their regular hours, 11 am - 9:30 pm.

Gold Tooth Tony's
Both locations of the Detroit-style pizzeria will open at 4 pm — just in time for the second half of the Texans game.

Hamsa
Rice Village’s modern Israeli restaurant will be open Christmas Day to serve its hummus, falafel, and other Mediterranean-inspired fare. Since December 25 is also the first night of Hanukkah, the restaurant will light a menorah at sundown.

Photo by Jenn Duncan

Live your own version of The Christmas Story at Duck N Bao.

Hongdae 33
This Korean restaurant in Chinatown’s Dun Huang Plaza will be open regular hours on Christmas Day, which means diners will be able to grill their meats tableside from 11:30 am all the way until midnight. The all-you-can-eat restaurant from the owners of Duck N Bao offers its full menu for $22 per person at lunch and $33 at dinner.

Juliet
The Galleria-area steakhouse will serve a Christmas Day buffet from 1-8 pm. Priced at $79 per adult, $48 for kids under 12, and free for children 5 and under, the buffet includes dishes such as hickory smoked ham, filet mignon, mashed potatoes, candied yams, cornbread dressing, cranberry sauce, lobster bisque, and dessert.

Karne
The upscale Korean steakhouse in the Heights will be serving up bulgogi, wagyu, and other grilled meats from 5-10 pm.

Kiran’s
The beloved Indian fine dining restaurant will serve its extravagant Christmas buffet ($110) with a wealth of choices that includes roasted duck, leg of lamb, cedar plank salmon, turkey pot pie, chicken tikka masala, a range of vegetable sides, and desserts. Reserve online.

La Griglia
The upscale Italian restaurant will be open from 12-6 with its usual menu plus specials such as short rib cappelletti, mushroom risotto, and grilled branzino.

Leo’s River Oaks
The upscale steakhouse and supper club will serve its regular menu that includes lobster bisque, seared scallops, grilled octopus, veal milanese, and more from 2-10 pm on Christmas Day.

Ojo de Agua
This Mexico City-based restaurant in River Oaks District will be open from 11 am - 8 pm on Christmas Day with its regular menu that includes breakfast dishes such as chilaquiles as well as sandwiches, tacos, salads, and more. Don’t miss the signature Açaí Bowl.

Phat Eatery
Katy’s acclaimed Malaysian restaurant will add Wagyu Rendang Wellington to its regular menu, 11 am - 9 pm. The Woodlands location is closed on Christmas.

The Palm
In addition to its regular menu, the downtown steakhouse will offer prime rib specials of 16 and 22 ounces ($69 or $79). , and a bone-in cut that weighs a hefty 32 ounces. Add a lobster tail to complete the experience, 12-8 pm.

Red Lion Pub
Head to the Anglo-Indian pub for dishes such as Shepherd’s Pie, fish and chips, and chicken tikka masala as well as a Christmas Day turkey dinner special with turkey, stuffing, yams, Brussels sprouts, mashed potatoes, and more ($38). It will be open for regular hours on Christmas Day (11 am-12 am).

Rudyard's
The favorite Montrose pub will open at 5 pm. Catch a free comedy show upstairs at 8 pm.

The Taco Stand
Both locations of the casual taqueria will be open from 8 am until midnight, because even Santa’s helpers deserve to start their day with breakfast tacos and finish it with canned margaritas.

Toro Toro
The pan-Latin steakhouse at downtown's Four Seasons Hotel will serve a four-course, $120 menu from 11 am - 3 pm. Choices include coconut butternut squash soup, baby kale salad, family-style entrees of Chilean sea bass and beef filet, and a dessert trio. Reservations are required.

The Warwick
The Galleria-area restaurant will be open on Christmas Day from 4-10 pm with its regular menu of elevated Southern fare.

Willie G’s
This seafood restaurant next to the Post Oak Hotel will serve an expansive Christmas buffet that’s priced at $69 for adults and $29 for children. Expect a full spread that includes prime rib, stuffed leg of lamb, a wide array of starters and sides, and an extensive raw bar with oysters, smoked salmon, peel & eat shrimp, and sushi rolls. Breads, pastries, and a couple of kid-specific dishes round out the offerings. 11 am - 7 pm

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