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    Meaty New Restaurant

    New Houston restaurant breaks the CityCentre chain reliance with some serious meat

    Eric Sandler
    Jun 20, 2014 | 12:27 pm

    When Flora & Muse closed last year, some people wondered whether a locally-owned, stand-alone restaurant could compete in CityCentre against well-funded chains. One new restaurant has decided to try, and it's counting on a meat-centric menu to win diners over.

    Meet Sal y Pimienta (salt and pepper in Spanish), a new South American restaurant that opened last month next to The Tasting Room. Owner Gianfranco Percovich, a native of Uruguay, brings his experiences from opening The Woodlands location of Americas and as a founder of Galleria restaurant Tango & Malbec to Sal y Pimienta. Billed as a more casual concept than either of those restaurants, S&P offers a diverse menu that includes sandwiches, pastas, milanesas and pizzas. It's all backed by a South American-oriented, reasonably priced wine list selected by Percovich.

    For $56, diners get six different cuts and more than enough meat for two people. It's served on a special tray that contain coals to keep everything warm.

    Still, as with most South American concepts, grilled meat is the star of the show. Seasoning, of course, is limited to salt and pepper, but sourcing is broad. Diners can choose from suppliers such as locally-raised 44 Farms or all natural beef from Uruguay.

    Having trouble deciding? The staff will wheel out a meat cart with a variety of cuts to peruse.

    Those who crave variety would be well-served to order the restaurant's parrilla. For $56, diners get six different cuts and more than enough meat for two people. It's served on a special tray that contain coals to keep everything warm.

    At a media tasting Tuesday night, that parrilla and a 24-ounce tomahawk rib eye ($92) were two of the meal's highlights. Each meat is cut on the platter and arrived properly cooked, despite their different thicknesses. Each also had a distinct flavor, with the flank steak and Argentinian-style sausage being two of the highlights. Still, the Tomahawk stole the show thanks to its crusty exterior and big, beefy flavor. Sal y Pimienta serves four different tomahawks, including a larger version of the 40-day dry aged tomahawk ($124) we sampled, a 30 to 34-ounce Texas wagyu ($124) and a massive 38 to 42-ounce Certified Black Angus ($92).

    The appetizers also delivered, particularly the flaky empanadas that showcased fillings including sweet corn, chicken and beef and the prime pork lollipops wrapped in pancetta and served in a spicy citrus sauce. Another starter of veal tongue is slow cooked for three hours and served cold, allowing the thinly sliced veal's natural flavor to come through and be complemented by a simple topping of egg and spices. The only dish that fell flat was a flounder ceviche that had an appealingly firm texture but needed more citrus flavor to give such a mild fish a little more zing.

    While the restaurant only opened for dinner when it first opened, it has recently expanded to add a three-course executive lunch ($21) and Sunday brunch. Breakfast during the week is still in the planning stages, but would help further enhance S&P's appeal.

    Sal y Pimienta faces some serious competition in CityCentre from the Texas de Brazil churrascaria across the street and the Capital Grille located nearby, but the combination of lower prices, a more low-key atmosphere and a much broader array of options should help it hold its own. The Chronicle reports that Percovich and wife Maria are already looking to add a second location, and it feels like the sort of concept Houstonians have embraced.

    It remains to be seen whether an independent restaurant can survive in CityCentre, but Sal y Pimienta's well-executed menu gives it as good a shot as any place that's tried.

    Choose from tomahawks, flank steak, tenderloin and more at Sal y Pimienta.

    Sal y Pimienta raw steaks chops meat June 2014
      
    Photo courtesy of © The Epicurean Publicist
    Choose from tomahawks, flank steak, tenderloin and more at Sal y Pimienta.
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    long live the king

    Houstonians will get the royal treatment at this lively new steakhouse

    Eric Sandler
    May 14, 2025 | 11:20 am
    King Steak restaurant food spread
    Photo by Lauren Holub
    King Steak serves its guacamole with bacon.

    Houston’s newest steakhouse aims to lure diners with a simple, back-to-basics approach. Opening Wednesday, May 21, King Steak is the latest project from restaurateur Johnny Vassallo and chef Eric Aldis, two of the people behind Mo's...A Place for Steaks, a see-and-be-seen steakhouse that thrived on Post Oak until it closed in 2016.

    Working together, Vassallo as owner and Aldis as operating partner, the duo intends for King Steak to recapture Mo’s lively atmosphere while serving a menu in line with current trends, such as frying items in beef tallow rather than seed oils. For Aldis, who’s done everything from serving as a senior manager who helped grow Federal Grill to operating a short-lived barbecue joint in Midtown, the opportunity to focus on a single location is a welcome change of pace.

    “I’ve been overseeing a bunch of pubs and restaurants,” Aldis tells CultureMap. “Now, I’ll be at King’s six days a week. I want to be more centralized and do one spot for the next 20 years.”

    For a restaurant with “steak” in its name, King Steak keeps things simple. It serves a 16-ounce strip, a 20-ounce ribeye, and a filet in three sizes ranging from four to 12 ounces. They’re joined by steakhouse staples such as Caesar salad, shrimp cocktail, and four different potato sides — loaded baked potato, jalapeño hashbrowns, mashed potatoes, and beef tallow fries.

    Where the restaurant sets itself apart is its selection of non-steak entrees. Options include a short rib with mashed potatoes, chicken Parmesan, ahi tuna with mushrooms and Brussels sprouts, and a French dip sandwich. One item Aldis hopes diners will embrace is the restaurant’s vegetable charcuterie, a shareable appetizer platter made with grilled and roasted vegetables paired with an array of dipping sauces.

    “Having artichoke carpaccio, beet pastrami, all different types of vegetables presented in the style of charcuterie. It’s fun and a little healthy, too,” Aldis says. “Don’t get wrong. I still love a great charcuterie board with meats and cheeses, but it’s something different that goes well with a glass of wine and chilling on a patio.”

    Speaking of the patio, Vassallo and Aldis have invested in major upgrades to location’s outdoor seating, which now has year-round utility courtesy of glass walls and climate control. Formerly Osteria Mazzantini and Cafe Ginger, the dining room has been transformed with a mural and artwork that evokes the American West.

    Aldis is confident that the patio, and the restaurant’s private dining room that can be divided into three spaces, will help lure customers — as will Aldis’ outgoing personality.

    “Don’t shy away from a caviar bump when I’m walking around with a kilo to get the party started,” he says with a laugh.

    Yes, the Galleria area is thick with steakhouses at all price points, but many are corporate-owned or part of larger chains. Aldis sees an opportunity for a locally-owned, single location to distinguish itself with a more personal approach.

    “We’re not chef driven. We’re guest driven. That’s where we want to be,” he says. Later, he adds, “Whatever you want, we’ll go above and beyond to make it happen. Give me a couple days, I’ll get it in. We’ll make it beautiful for you.”

    King Steak is located at 2200 Post Oak Blvd. It will be open for dinner Monday through Saturday beginning at 4 pm. Weekday lunch service is expected to follow in mid-June.



    King Steak restaurant food spread
      

    Photo by Lauren Holub

    King Steak serves its guacamole with bacon.

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