• Home
  • popular
  • EVENTS
  • submit-new-event
  • CHARITY GUIDE
  • Children
  • Education
  • Health
  • Veterans
  • Social Services
  • Arts + Culture
  • Animals
  • LGBTQ
  • New Charity
  • TRENDING NEWS
  • News
  • City Life
  • Entertainment
  • Sports
  • Home + Design
  • Travel
  • Real Estate
  • Restaurants + Bars
  • Arts
  • Society
  • Innovation
  • Fashion + Beauty
  • subscribe
  • about
  • series
  • Embracing Your Inner Cowboy
  • Green Living
  • Summer Fun
  • Real Estate Confidential
  • RX In the City
  • State of the Arts
  • Fall For Fashion
  • Cai's Odyssey
  • Comforts of Home
  • Good Eats
  • Holiday Gift Guide 2010
  • Holiday Gift Guide 2
  • Good Eats 2
  • HMNS Pirates
  • The Future of Houston
  • We Heart Hou 2
  • Music Inspires
  • True Grit
  • Hoops City
  • Green Living 2011
  • Cruizin for a Cure
  • Summer Fun 2011
  • Just Beat It
  • Real Estate 2011
  • Shelby on the Seine
  • Rx in the City 2011
  • Entrepreneur Video Series
  • Going Wild Zoo
  • State of the Arts 2011
  • Fall for Fashion 2011
  • Elaine Turner 2011
  • Comforts of Home 2011
  • King Tut
  • Chevy Girls
  • Good Eats 2011
  • Ready to Jingle
  • Houston at 175
  • The Love Month
  • Clifford on The Catwalk Htx
  • Let's Go Rodeo 2012
  • King's Harbor
  • FotoFest 2012
  • City Centre
  • Hidden Houston
  • Green Living 2012
  • Summer Fun 2012
  • Bookmark
  • 1987: The year that changed Houston
  • Best of Everything 2012
  • Real Estate 2012
  • Rx in the City 2012
  • Lost Pines Road Trip Houston
  • London Dreams
  • State of the Arts 2012
  • HTX Fall For Fashion 2012
  • HTX Good Eats 2012
  • HTX Contemporary Arts 2012
  • HCC 2012
  • Dine to Donate
  • Tasting Room
  • HTX Comforts of Home 2012
  • Charming Charlie
  • Asia Society
  • HTX Ready to Jingle 2012
  • HTX Mistletoe on the go
  • HTX Sun and Ski
  • HTX Cars in Lifestyle
  • HTX New Beginnings
  • HTX Wonderful Weddings
  • HTX Clifford on the Catwalk 2013
  • Zadok Sparkle into Spring
  • HTX Let's Go Rodeo 2013
  • HCC Passion for Fashion
  • BCAF 2013
  • HTX Best of 2013
  • HTX City Centre 2013
  • HTX Real Estate 2013
  • HTX France 2013
  • Driving in Style
  • HTX Island Time
  • HTX Super Season 2013
  • HTX Music Scene 2013
  • HTX Clifford on the Catwalk 2013 2
  • HTX Baker Institute
  • HTX Comforts of Home 2013
  • Mothers Day Gift Guide 2021 Houston
  • Staying Ahead of the Game
  • Wrangler Houston
  • First-time Homebuyers Guide Houston 2021
  • Visit Frisco Houston
  • promoted
  • eventdetail
  • Greystar Novel River Oaks
  • Thirdhome Go Houston
  • Dogfish Head Houston
  • LovBe Houston
  • Claire St Amant podcast Houston
  • The Listing Firm Houston
  • South Padre Houston
  • NextGen Real Estate Houston
  • Pioneer Houston
  • Collaborative for Children
  • Decorum
  • Bold Rock Cider
  • Nasher Houston
  • Houston Tastemaker Awards 2021
  • CityNorth
  • Urban Office
  • Villa Cotton
  • Luck Springs Houston
  • EightyTwo
  • Rectanglo.com
  • Silver Eagle Karbach
  • Mirador Group
  • Nirmanz
  • Bandera Houston
  • Milan Laser
  • Lafayette Travel
  • Highland Park Village Houston
  • Proximo Spirits
  • Douglas Elliman Harris Benson
  • Original ChopShop
  • Bordeaux Houston
  • Strike Marketing
  • Rice Village Gift Guide 2021
  • Downtown District
  • Broadstone Memorial Park
  • Gift Guide
  • Music Lane
  • Blue Circle Foods
  • Houston Tastemaker Awards 2022
  • True Rest
  • Lone Star Sports
  • Silver Eagle Hard Soda
  • Modelo recipes
  • Modelo Fighting Spirit
  • Athletic Brewing
  • Rodeo Houston
  • Silver Eagle Bud Light Next
  • Waco CVB
  • EnerGenie
  • HLSR Wine Committee
  • All Hands
  • El Paso
  • Avenida Houston
  • Visit Lubbock Houston
  • JW Marriott San Antonio
  • Silver Eagle Tupps
  • Space Center Houston
  • Central Market Houston
  • Boulevard Realty
  • Travel Texas Houston
  • Alliantgroup
  • Golf Live
  • DC Partners
  • Under the Influencer
  • Blossom Hotel
  • San Marcos Houston
  • Photo Essay: Holiday Gift Guide 2009
  • We Heart Hou
  • Walker House
  • HTX Good Eats 2013
  • HTX Ready to Jingle 2013
  • HTX Culture Motive
  • HTX Auto Awards
  • HTX Ski Magic
  • HTX Wonderful Weddings 2014
  • HTX Texas Traveler
  • HTX Cifford on the Catwalk 2014
  • HTX United Way 2014
  • HTX Up to Speed
  • HTX Rodeo 2014
  • HTX City Centre 2014
  • HTX Dos Equis
  • HTX Tastemakers 2014
  • HTX Reliant
  • HTX Houston Symphony
  • HTX Trailblazers
  • HTX_RealEstateConfidential_2014
  • HTX_IW_Marks_FashionSeries
  • HTX_Green_Street
  • Dating 101
  • HTX_Clifford_on_the_Catwalk_2014
  • FIVE CultureMap 5th Birthday Bash
  • HTX Clifford on the Catwalk 2014 TEST
  • HTX Texans
  • Bergner and Johnson
  • HTX Good Eats 2014
  • United Way 2014-15_Single Promoted Articles
  • Holiday Pop Up Shop Houston
  • Where to Eat Houston
  • Copious Row Single Promoted Articles
  • HTX Ready to Jingle 2014
  • htx woodford reserve manhattans
  • Zadok Swiss Watches
  • HTX Wonderful Weddings 2015
  • HTX Charity Challenge 2015
  • United Way Helpline Promoted Article
  • Boulevard Realty
  • Fusion Academy Promoted Article
  • Clifford on the Catwalk Fall 2015
  • United Way Book Power Promoted Article
  • Jameson HTX
  • Primavera 2015
  • Promenade Place
  • Hotel Galvez
  • Tremont House
  • HTX Tastemakers 2015
  • HTX Digital Graffiti/Alys Beach
  • MD Anderson Breast Cancer Promoted Article
  • HTX RealEstateConfidential 2015
  • HTX Vargos on the Lake
  • Omni Hotel HTX
  • Undies for Everyone
  • Reliant Bright Ideas Houston
  • 2015 Houston Stylemaker
  • HTX Renewable You
  • Urban Flats Builder
  • Urban Flats Builder
  • HTX New York Fashion Week spring 2016
  • Kyrie Massage
  • Red Bull Flying Bach
  • Hotze Health and Wellness
  • ReadFest 2015
  • Alzheimer's Promoted Article
  • Formula 1 Giveaway
  • Professional Skin Treatments by NuMe Express

    Previewing Izakaya

    Sneak peek: Cocktails at hot new Izakaya focus on Japanese whisky and speedy service

    Eric Sandler
    Jun 9, 2015 | 3:06 pm

    For being one of the summer's most anticipated openings, little has been revealed about Izakaya, the Midtown bar and restaurant from Kata Robata owners the Azuma Group. Beyond that former Haven/Cove chef Philippe Gaston has been retained as co-executive chef with Kata's Manabu Horiuchi (known as Hori-san) and that it won't serve sushi, the establishment that's set to open next month in the former Farrago's space in Midtown remains a bit of a mystery — as in, it still doesn't have a website (but is on Facebook).

    Sprouse worked as a bartender at Beaver' and opened Grand Prize, where she helped establish that bar's reputation for an unpretentious atmosphere with well-executed, reasonably-priced cocktails.

    While Izakaya isn't quite ready to preview its food menu or interior design, CultureMap has been granted a look at its cocktail program, which is being created by the San Francisco-based consulting group Tin Roof Drink Community.

    Houstonians may not recognize Tin Roof's name, but cocktail fans may remember Claire Sprouse, who is one of its two principals. Before she moved to San Francisco in 2011, Sprouse worked as a bartender at Beaver's and opened Grand Prize, where she helped establish that bar's reputation for an unpretentious atmosphere with well-executed, reasonably-priced cocktails. Sprouse's partner in Tin Roof is her boyfriend, Chad Arnholt, who has extensive experience in Boston and San Francisco as both a bartender and a consultant.

    "They wanted somebody from outside of Houston to come in and do the program, because, I think, they wanted some fresh eyes and a different perspective," Sprouse says. "Philippe reached out to me; I’ve known Philippe for a long time. Chef Hori used to come into Beaver’s all the time when I was there."

    Cocktails in Japan

    To begin their work on the project, Sprouse and Arnolt spent two weeks in Japan sampling cocktails and absorbing the culture at a wide variety of izakayas. Arnholt says that one of the biggest lessons was how Japanese patrons put food and drinks on an equal footing when they visit an izakaya.

    "In so far as that’s the case, we’re trying to go beyond just using a few ingredients that are representative of Japanese cuisine but also looking at the way that cocktails are served in a Japanese izakaya and having, for instance, that whiskey highball that’s really easy to serve and having those sessionable drinks that pair really well with food. Emulating in form as well as just ingredients," Arnholt says.

    "We're trying to create drinks that are lighter, that aren’t going to overpower beautiful crudos and raw dishes."

    "Because Izakaya is a bar, there’s going to be a lot of salty offerings from the hot line," she adds. "On that beat, we're trying to create drinks that are lighter, that aren’t going to overpower beautiful crudos and raw dishes. (We're) also having some heavier drinks that will pair well with the saltier, almost stoner-friendly Japanese bar food that Philippe is cooking up."

    Izakaya will leverage the rising popularity of Japanese whisky in the U.S. by featuring an extensive selection of both single malt and blended spirits. While Americans are used to drinking whisky neat or on the rocks, Izakaya wants its patrons to drink them as highballs, just as they are in Japan. ​“Something that is refreshing that doesn’t have citrus or sugar added,” Sprouse adds. “I think the whiskey soda has been admonished like the vodka soda, but it’s a really great way of drinking, especially in Houston.”

    Bar design

    Another perk of highballs is that they can be made and served quickly, which ties into a larger goal Sprouse and Arnholt have of delivering speedy service.

    "Something I really admired about the (Japanese bar) culture is that some of the things they do for guests aren’t designed to be, like, ‘Hey, look at what I’m doing for you. Isn’t this nice that I’m doing this for you?’ It’s just ingrained in their system of hospitality," Sprouse says. "We really want to focus on guest experience, which should be fun. Everybody has a drink in their hand all the time without cutting any corners."

    "We really want to focus on guest experience, which should be fun. Everybody has a drink in their hand all the time without cutting any corners."

    Arnholt points to some physical elements in the bar's design, such as each well having its own sink, as something that customers may not notice but that are designed to make service more efficient. Sprouse describes these elements as inspired by "some better practices that we've learned over the years working in different places" and adds later that it includes lessons from trips across the country as well as Houston bars such as Bad News Bar and The Nightingale Room. Hopefully, Izakaya's bartenders will appreciate the subtle differences between the setup and what they're used to, because the various improvements are designed to make them faster at their jobs.

    "It’s like a really good luggage handler at the airport where you get your luggage at the next airport and it’s perfect and hasn’t been scuffed," Arnholt explains. "In the ultimate world for hospitality, you’re happy and you love the service but you didn’t have to see all the inner parts when it was happening. All it did was sort of appear in front of you. I don’t want to know all the details all the time when I’m sitting at a bar. Sometimes that can bog down the experience."

    Sprouse and Arnholt's sophisticated, customer-oriented cocktail program looks poised to be a major part of Izakaya's appeal. Together with new arrivals like Oporto Fooding House & Wine, Spare Key and Fluff Bake Bar, Izakaya will bring some additional diversity to Midtown's well-established party scene.

    If only it would hurry up and open.

    Claire Sprouse and Chad Arnholt spent two weeks in Japan to study Japanese drinking culture.

    Claire Sprouse Chad Arnholt Izakaya Tin Roof
      
    Photo by Jason Roque
    Claire Sprouse and Chad Arnholt spent two weeks in Japan to study Japanese drinking culture.
    unspecified
    news/restaurants-bars
    CULTUREMAP EMAILS ARE AWESOME
    Get Houston intel delivered daily.

    With or Without Whiz

    Houston burger mastermind fires up new pop-up devoted to Philly cheesesteaks

    Eric Sandler
    Jun 19, 2025 | 4:35 pm
    Bas's Cheesesteaks Abbas Dhanani
    Photo by Michael Ma
    Abbas Dhanani is serving up cheesesteaks at his new pop-up.

    Abbas Dhanani is at it again. The food influencer-turned-restaurateur behind the CultureMap Tastemaker Award-winning smash burger concept Burger Bodega is firing up a new pop-up concept devoted to another iconic sandwich.

    Called Bas’s Cheesesteaks, the new concept will Dhanani’s take on the classic Philly cheesesteak, made with sliced ribeye and white cheese on a seeded hoagie roll — onions and a spicy sauce are optional. A second version swaps the white cheese for Cheez Whiz. Like Burger Bodega, Dhanani is using halal beef for his cheesesteaks.

    Bas's Cheesesteaks cheesesteak sandwichThe cheesesteak is served on a seeded hoagie roll.Photo by Michael Ma

    “We have experimented with cheesesteaks as specials on the menu at Burger Bodega and received amazing feedback,” Dhanani said in a statement. “However, the cheesesteaks at Bas’s are the most refined versions we have done so far. I am excited to bring authentic Philly cheesesteaks to Houston as a new flavor experience while continuing to build on the energy and community we have created at Burger Bodega. This is a huge passion project for me, and I plan to take it step by step, just like Burger Bodega."

    As Dhanani notes, he introduced Burger Bodega with a series of pop-ups throughout Houston. To answer the obvious question, of course a restaurant could be in the cards for Bas’s, too.

    “I think thats the goal of any new pop-up concept,” Dhanani tells CultureMap. “Like Burger Bodega, we want to take it one step at a time and see where it goes.”

    Bas’s Cheesesteaks will have its first pop-up on Monday, June 30 at Burger Bodega’s location (4520 Washington Avenue). In addition to the two cheesesteaks, diners can get fries. Future pop-ups will be announced via Instagram.

    As for Burger Bodega’s second location in Katy, Dhanani says it’s still working through securing the necessary permits to begin construction.

    news-you-can-eatopeningsbas's cheesesteaks
    news/restaurants-bars

    most read posts

    Innovative Houston chef is the city's newest James Beard Award winner

    Houston farmers market adds new indoor pickleball court with food and cocktails

    Houston company ranks No. 13 worldwide on new Forbes Global 2000 list

    Loading...