This is a Tribute

Iconic hotel's new restaurant pays tribute to Houston's culinary heritage

One of Houston's most well-regarded luxury hotels has revealed the details of its revamped bar and restaurant concept. The Houstonian hotel will soon transform the recently-shuttered Olivette into a new concept called Tribute that's slated to open this fall (or, in the p.r.-speak of a press release, the all-caps TRIBUTE, but we aren't ones for shouting).

Rather than an ode to the greatest song in the world, this tribute is to Houston's culinary heritage. Houstonian executive chef Neal Cox's menu will include elements of Texas, Louisiana, and Mexico cooking. Think everything from classics like grilled ribeyes and roasted oysters to braised cabrito, smoked wagyu short ribs, and redfish on the half shell.

“People in Houston know the nuances and what they like about true Texas food, Louisiana creole versus Cajun, Tex-Mex, and ingredients from south of the border,” Cox said in a statement. “It’s about the quality of the ingredients and, more importantly, it’s about taste. At Tribute, we will faithfully create what we love about the kitchens from our neighbors and our own backyard. Our roots are here and the flavors and experiences are established.”

Overseeing the wine program is veteran sommelier Vanessa Treviño Boyd, who earned praise for her work at Philippe and 60 Degrees Mastercrafted. She's spent the last couple of years at Lakeside Country Club, but her new post should keep her busy. Plans call for a wine room with a 3,500 bottle capacity.

The hotel has the local office of design and architectural firm Gensler to create the revamped space. Design elements include rose gold and stone countertops for the new bar area with "onyx finishes and emerald tones" in the restaurant. Other luxury elements include "plush banquettes" and lots of natural light.

Given its status as a premier destination — the hotel's Manor House restaurant once served as the Houston residence of President George H.W. Bush and First Lady Barbara Bush and still serves Mrs. Bush's chocolate chip cookie recipe — the Houstonian could provide the only taste of Houston for visiting dignitaries. Representing the city well is an obligation it takes seriously.

“The Houstonian has been serving guests from all over the world, in addition to our loyal club members and community for a long time,” said hotel general manager Steve Fronterhouse. “They want an authentic experience. We want to honor the chefs, food ,and cultures that make our city great and show the world that Houston is a proud and friendly place."

A rendering of Tribute.

Houstonian Hotel Tribute restaurant rendering

Courtesy photo

A rendering of Tribute.

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Houston's smallest restaurant?

Michelin-recognized Houston sushi chef fires up 4-seat Japanese skewer spot

Courtesy of Sip & Skewer

Diners sit in front of chefs cooking on a grill.

The team behind one of Houston’s Michelin-recognized sushi restaurants is opening an intimate new izakaya. Sip & Skewer is the newest concept from Hidden Omakase owner Tuan Tran and chef Marcos Juarez.

Opening Friday, February 13, Sip & Skewer is a four-seat restaurant devoted to skewered meats that’s located within Sushi by Hidden, the group’s affordable omakase restaurant in Rice Village. At Sip & Skewer, diners sit across from the chefs as they cook a 10-course, $90 meal on a Japanese binchotan grill.

“Sip & Skewer is small, loud, and intentional. The kind of hidden experience you’d find in Tokyo,” Tran said. “And with Chef Marcos guiding the team at Sushi by Hidden, this space is getting new energy from every angle.”

A four-seat restaurant within a 10-seat restaurant might seem kind of superfluous, but Tran explains that it’s part of a larger plan for his group of restaurants, which also includes West U. hand roll restaurant Norigami. It also builds on the success of Hidden Omakase, the Galleria-area sushi counter that earned a Recommended designation in the Michelin Guide.

“Sip & Skewer is part of a larger vision. It’s designed as a stepping stone toward our next concept, Kōri, a new hand roll and craft cocktail bar opening in the Heights. Our plan is to open Sip & Skewer directly next to our hand roll spot, creating a small alley of Japanese concepts that feed into one another,” Tran explains.

“This allows us to build awareness, train our team in a new format, and introduce guests to Japanese charcoal grilling in a very personal way before we scale the idea into a larger setting with Kōri. The four-seat format keeps overhead extremely low while serving as a live test kitchen and brand builder for what’s coming next,” he adds.

On a related note, Juarez and the other chefs at Hidden Omakase are dividing their time between all three restaurants. Tuam explains that it’s a deliberate strategy to ensure a consistent customer experience.

“The same team that works Michelin-recognized omakase service also runs the grill here, which keeps quality and execution consistent while allowing the chefs a creative outlet in a very different format,” Tran said. “Because Sip & Skewer is only four seats and reservations only, it does not require a dedicated full-time staff. It’s an extension of the team rather than a separate operation.”