12 HRW Newcomers

Houston Restaurant Weeks 2018 serves up 12 can't-miss newcomers

The time has come for another edition of Houston Restaurant Weeks. Now that the event’s website has gone live with this year’s menus, diners from across the Houston area are already planning their eating itinerary.

Organized by TV and radio host Cleverley Stone, the month-long dining event, which runs from August 1 until Labor Day (September 3), features over 250 participating restaurants that run special two and three-course menus at set price points of $20 (lunch and brunch) and either $35 or $45 (dinner). Each meal contributes a set donation of between $3 and $7 to the Houston Food Bank.

All those small donations add up — participating restaurants raised over $2.4 million last year. As Stone likes to say, HRW is a win for restaurants that have turned one of year’s slowest months into one of their busiest, a win for diners who get to try some of the city’s most popular establishments at a discount, and a win for the Food Bank, which has received over $12.2 million since 2003.

One thing to keep in mind is that the almost 250 restaurants included in the site on launch day are not the final list. More will be added between now and August 1. In addition, some restaurants are confirmed to participate in the event but are still finalizing menus.

The list below offers some of our top picks of first time participants with menus that are currently posted to the HRW website.

Ambrosia
The Asian-inspired bar and restaurant is offering three savory courses and dessert on its $35 dinner menu. Starter choices include salmon crudo, ribeye tataki, and a ginger miso wedge salad. Continue with fried Brussels sprouts, shisito peppers, or pork and wasabi shu mai. Entree choices consist of striped bass, a filet seasoned with five spice power, or pork ribs in a gochujang glaze. For dessert, choose from two different ice cream options or go for chocolate mousse. 2003 Lexington St.; 832-649-4636

Beaver’s
With Jonathan Jones back in the kitchen, the original Beaver’s has new energy, which is reflected in its brunch and dinner HRW menus. For example, the three-course, $35 dinner includes both vegan and gluten-free options for every course, including vegan “queso” made with cauliflower and smoked mushrooms tacos. Omnivores may opt for dishes like the chile con queso, smoked wings, and fried seafood platter. 2310 Decatur St.; 713-864-2328

Bloom & Bee
The signature restaurant at Tilman Fertitta’s lavish The Post Oak hotel will offer a $45, three-course HRW dinner menu. Start with she crab soup, scallop crudo, or one of two salads. Entree choices include salmon, hanger steak with creamy Swiss chard and crispy onion rings, and mushroom risotto. Three dessert choices include strawberry shortcake and a double chocolate brownie. 1600 W. Loop South; 346-227-5139

Emmaline
Sam Governale’s European-inspired neighborhood restaurant will serve both a two-course lunch ($20) and a three-course dinner ($45). Dinner items include a range of options such as burrata with turnip green pesto, lump crab cake, marsala-braised short rib with polenta, an eight-ounce hanger steak, and a stone fruit hand pie. At lunch, the options include rock shrimp pasta salad, mussels, and a chopped salad with pulled chicken and roasted beets. A glass or two from the well-chosen list is optional but highly recommended. 3210 W Dallas St.; 713-523-3210

Fig & Olive
Participating in HRW for both lunch and dinner ($35) provides Houstonians with an affordable way to try this New York-based Mediterranean restaurant that recently opened in the Galleria. Starter at dinner include the signature crostini, heirloom tomato gazpacho, and salmon crudo. Entree choices include balsamic-glazed short ribs, Moroccan-spiced salmon, and paccheri pasta. At lunch, sweet corn risotto and a lamb burger appear to be the most appealing entree options. 5115 Westheimer Rd.; 832-632-6632

Freso Cafe Italiano
This Italian restaurant may be light on ambiance, but the quality of chef-owner Roberto Crescini's food draws diners. The two-course lunch starts with Italian classics like caponata or beef carpaccio. Entree choices include chicken, gnocchi in marinara sauce, and fusilli pasta with baby clams. Trust us and get the clams. 3277 Southwest Freeway; 281-888-2226

Goode Company Kitchen & Cantina
Whether at lunch or dinner ($35), the menu for this Tex-Mex concept from the popular Houston restaurant group delivers the dishes diners most want to eat. Starters include Goode’s signature campechana, queso, and guacamole. Entree choices include tacos or enchiladas at lunch and fajitas or carnitas at dinner. At dinner, finish with sopapillas, churros, or tres leches. 9005 Katy Freeway; 713-766-3434 or 8865 Six Pines Dr.; 281-826-5150

International Smoke
Even though it's only been open for a couple of weeks, Michael Mina and Ayesha Curry's new restaurant will participate in HRW with a three-course, $45 dinner menu. Start with curry cornbread for the table before choosing from one of three starters: shrimp soup with red curry, avocado and quinoa salad, or an heirloom tomato salad. Entree choices include a 44 Farms sirloin steak, Gulf redfish with garlic fried rice, and a half rack of St. Louis-style ribs; they're served with roasted broccoli and green papaya slaw. For dessert, summer berry tropical shave ice, chocolate cream ice box cake, or Curry's key lime parfait that's topped with Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal. 800 Sorella Ct., #940; 713-714-0126

Maison Pucha Bistro
This French restaurant in the Heights will welcome diners for a three-course lunch, brunch, or dinner ($35) during HRW. At dinner, start with Ecuadorian shrimp ceviche, seared foie gras, or beet and goat cheese salad. Entree options include salmon with asparagus risotto, duck with parsnip mousseline, or a petite filet with roasted potatoes. For dessert at all three meals, get the signature black and white chocolate souffle. 1001 Studewood St.; 713-637-4976

Night Heron
Agricole Hospitality’s bar-forward Montrose concept offers both brunch and dinner ($35) HRW menus. Brunch options include black pepper honey biscuits, Caesar salad, a croissant sandwich, and roasted pepper taquitos. At dinner, start with chili clams or pork ribs before moving on to entree options that include a smoked cheeseburger, 44 Farms sirloin with cold somen noodle, or jerk chicken with pickled pineapple. Finish with panna cotta, cheese, or ice cream. 1601 W. Main St.; 713-527-8010

Poitín
This eclectic restaurant in Sawyer Yards will offer HRW menus during both lunch and brunch. While the lunch menu is still being finalized, the brunch menu offers many appealing choices. Start with biscuits, pop tarts, or muffins. Entree choices include blueberry pancakes, a pulled pork Benedict, and a fried chicken sandwich. Optional sides include bacon, grits, eggs, or hash browns. 2313 Edwards St.; 713-470-6686

Tobiuo Sushi & Bar
Katy’s buzzy new sushi spot aims to make a HRW splash with a four-course, $35 dinner menu. The first course options include amberjack crudo and salmon tartare; next, choose from six pieces of sashimi, four pieces of nigiri, and the signature flying tobiuo roll. Entree choices include a six-ounce 44 Farms ribeye, chicken with cauliflower puree, or miso-glazed salmon. Desserts are light and refreshing: compressed watermelon, lychee ice cream, or shaved ice with a blueberry reduction. 23501 Cinco Ranch Blvd., Suite H130; 281-394-7156

Nigiri is on the menu at Tobiuo Sushi.

Photo by Dragana Harris

Nigiri is on the menu at Tobiuo Sushi.

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Self-taught chef slices into Houston with high-quality sushi to go

Courtesy of Kaisen Sushi Houston

Each order of nigiri comes with a house made sushi sauce.

The ghost kitchen phenomenon may have diminished somewhat since the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic, but the idea of a delivery and to-go-only restaurant still draws talented chefs who want to focus on food at a lower overhead than a traditional brick-and-mortar. One of those chefs is Sunny Bertsch, whose restaurant Kaisen Sushi Houston is already drawing buzz from inner loopers looking for a more affordable, at-home sushi experience.

Located at the Blodgett Food Hall in Third Ward, Kaisen Sushi serves typical nigiri, maki, and temaki (hand rolls), along with a steak bowl. Prices are a little lower than what someone would find at a typical sushi restaurant, with an eight-piece nigiri set priced at $18.99 when ordered through the Blodgett Food Hall website (expect to pay more if ordering via a third-party delivery service such as Uber Eats or DoorDash).

While Bertsch’s food may be familiar, his story is not. The diners who’ve rated Kaisen with 4.9 stars on Google may be surprised to learn that he’s only been cooking professionally for two years. As Bertsch tells CultureMap, prior to becoming a professional chef, he worked in fields as varied as aerospace and dog walking.

“I’d always been interested in cooking,” he says. “I was blessed to be born into a great Korean American family. My dad and my grandparents always cooked great food. I learned by osmosis.”

Bertsch began his career as a private chef by working for friends. He built his business by catering lunches to powerhouse law firm Vinson & Elkins. Eventually, his clients asked for private sushi dinners, and he had to figure things out.

“I got an opportunity to do a sushi omakase. It was brutal. It was messy. But I knew once I did that, I wanted to dedicate my life to sushi,” he says. “Since then, I have studied and practiced. I threw a lot of money and time and fish at it.”

Bertsch improved his speed and knife skills by taking a $13-per-hour job at Japanese grocery store Seiwa Market. While there, he says he made thousands of pieces of nigiri, rolls, and sushi bowls. That experience, along with meals from similar to-go-only concepts in New York and San Francisco, convinced him to open Kaisen as a ghost kitchen.

“So far, I’ve spent $90,000. That’s more than the average investment for a food hall kitchen,” Bertsch explains. “I’m a clean freak. I’m a technology freak. I’m an authenticity freak. I outfitted my kitchen in the way I thought was necessary for long-term success.”

Just as he spared no expense in specing out his kitchen, Bertsch puts thoughtful touches into his food, too. For example, every order of nigiri comes with a dipping sauce Bertsch makes himself from low sodium soy sauce, kombu, vinegar, and sake.

“It’s a complex sauce that’s less salty and tastes good,” he says. “You know when you don’t have it and you’re given cheap soy sauce.”

Similarly, his California rolls use imitation crab (as do most restaurants), but it’s seasoned with a housemade, Japanese-style kewpie mayo, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and sesame oil for more umami and less sweetness. Since the chef uses more crab mix than other restaurants do in their rolls, Kaisen’s California roll not only tastes better — at $11.99, it’s a better value, too.

The chef showcases Japanese techniques and Korean influences with his $25 steak bowl. A USDA Choice ribeye or strip is cooked sous vide with a marinade made from garlic, tamari, and seasoning salt. Once a diner orders the entree, the steak is seared in a pan, basted with Kerrygold butter, seasoned with furikake and sesame oil, and served with short-grain sushi rice and microgreens from local farm Zero Point Organics.

Word of mouth has been building. Even though it’s only been open for a month, Kaisen already has over 2,000 followers on Instagram. Once he’s able to hire a full roster of cooks, Bertsch plans to expand the menu and offer lunch service. Despite some challenges, he’s pleased with the restaurant’s progress.

“The support I've gotten on social media has blown me away,” he says. “It’s been amazing. I could not have done it without Instagram. It blows my mind.”

Courtesy of Kaisen Sushi Houston

Each order of nigiri comes with a house made sushi sauce.

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