A Lemon for Montrose

Houston steakhouse owner brings bustling burger joint to 'perfect' Montrose space

B.B. Lemon is coming to Montrose.

Photo by Leah Wilson

Montrose residents rejoice! The rumors about the future of the Pax Americana space are true.

Restaurateur Ben Berg will bring B.B. Lemon, his New York-inspired burger and seafood joint, to the property next month. With only minimal cosmetic changes on tap, expect the restaurant to open by late June.

When it does, expect an enhanced version of B.B. Lemon’s offerings that will add more of the Northeast-inspired seafood dishes — currently represented by items like New England clam chowder and a lobster roll — to the roster while still preserving signature items such as the cheeseburger, crab beignets, and the eclectic cocktail list. Like the Washington Avenue original location, the new B.B. Lemon will be led by executive chef Emily Trusler and beverage director Monique Cioffi-Hernandez, a CultureMap Tastemaker Awards nominee for bartender of the year.

Best known as the proprietor of popular steakhouse B&B Butchers, Berg already has a lot on his plate. He and his brother, chef Daniel Berg, recently relaunched Memorial-area Italian favorite Carmelo’s into B.B. Italia, and he just announced a deal to purchase Cafe Annie from chef Robert Del Grande that will transform it into The Annie Café & Bar. Still, he couldn’t resist the appeal of the Pax space.

“Basically, Dan Zimmerman came to me and asked me if I was interested in it. I loved the space. Such a cool little spot. Not a lot to do to it,” Berg tells CultureMap. After a bit of negotiating, they struck a deal. “The space is so perfect inside and has character and ambiance for a Lemon. That’s kind of what happened.”

Does that mean that more B.B. Lemons are on tap? Berg isn’t saying no.

“I think it could go other places, but I wouldn’t put it in a strip center,” Berg says. “It would have to be the right older space.”

news-you-can-eat openings

inspired by Houston's

Houston steakhouse reboots as a more affordable neighborhood restaurant

Photo by Michael Anthony

Find a steak frites on the new menu at Andiron.

Michael Sambrooks is ready to unveil the refreshed Andiron. Beginning this Monday, November 25, the fine dining steakhouse will begin operating as the more affordable Andiron Grille & Patio.

“We looked at more neighborhood restaurants [like] Nancy’s Hustle and Nobie’s,” Sambrooks tells CultureMap. “We wanted to fall into that neighborhood restaurant category instead of fine dining and steakhouses. With the patio opening, we wanted to turn it into an eating and drinking place that’s more casual. Seemed like the vibe that would work for the neighborhood.”

To get that everyday appeal, Sambrooks and chef Michael O’Connor worked to decrease the restaurant’s prices by removing luxurious items such as caviar and truffles. Andiron still serves imported Japanese wagyu, but now it’s the chuck instead of strip or ribeye. Overall, diners can expect to spend about $100 per person, which is down from the $150 per person or more of Andiron’s original iteration.

Similar to a restaurant like Hillstone (formerly Houston’s), diners will find steaks at Andiron, but they have other options, too. The restaurant’s prime rib sandwich and decadent wagyu burger both appear on the new menu. They’re joined by a roasted half chicken, pork steak, and Gulf fish with Thai curry.

“People seem to really enjoy [the new menu],” Sambrooks says. “A lot of our neighborhood folks and regulars have come in. They appreciate the value-driven options. A lot of people say they can come more often.”

Another reason they’ll come more often is to enjoy the restaurant’s new patio. Part of the 2,800-square-foot space features lounge-style seating designed for people who want to devote most of their attention to bartender Angel Bautista’s refreshed cocktail offerings. Inspired by his time working at Mexico City’s Handshake Speakeasy — ranked No. 1 in the world by the World’s 50 Best organization — the menu includes a selection of carbonated cocktails that are both refreshing and able to be served quickly.

“We’ve got 75 seats. Some of those are for dining, some are for lounging and cocktailing. About 20 seats are love seats for lounging with a place to put your drink,” Sambrooks says.

“We’re pitching it as a cocktail garden. We want people to walk in, get a seat on the patio, order a couple of cocktails, order a snack or don’t. Just a really great additional space to sit and have a drink.”

The wine list is cheaper, too. Inspired by his time working for restaurateur Bill Floyd at Reef, Sambrooks is selling wine at a much lower markup than before. “We get a deal, we pass that along, even if it’s something we can only get one time,” he says.