Editor's note: Houston’s restaurant scene moves pretty fast. In order to prevent CultureMap readers from missing anything, let’s stop to look around at all the latest news to know.
Openings, closings and coming attractions
FM Kitchen & Bar’s Montrose location is on tap to open this fall. The restaurant has expanded by 1,100 square feet, which will allow it to have a larger kitchen, more patio space, and a larger, U-shaped bar. That means FM Kitchen’s full menu of burgers and comfort food will be available, along with 20 craft beers on tap. The bar program will also feature a Beam Suntory Highball Machine similar to the one at Toukei Izakaya in Chinatown.
“Montrose is the perfect neighborhood to expand how we think about FM as a concept,” FM Kitchen operating partner Jason Mok said in a statement “We’ll continue to showcase our strengths, but at the same time use this location as a springboard to be creative and bring fresh ideas to enhance our bar and food offerings, as well as the FM experience. As we navigate through the challenges of the current COVID-19 environment, it’s even more important to be agile as a business, and we felt having the larger patio and bar area gave us that flexibility to make our guests feel comfortable.”
FM Kitchen’s additional space came via the Magical Unicorn Dessert Bar, which has reached the end of the rainbow. Originally a rolled ice cream called Chills 360, the Dallas-based sweet shop opened to massive lines last March, but it closed quietly a few weeks ago and will not reopen.
Phat Eatery’s beef rendang, curry laksa, roti canai, and dim sum dumplings will soon be available to inner loopers without a drive to Katy. Chef-owner Alex Au-Yeung will open Phat Kitchen in the Cloud Kitchens’ Blodgett Food Hall. Operating as a ghost kitchen will allow Au-Yeung to sell food via third party delivery apps. It also means the 400-square-foot space will also serve food from two additional concepts, Yelo, the Vietnamese restaurant Au-Yeung plans to open with chef Cuc Lam, and Pig + Duck, an all-new Chinese barbecue concept the chef developed.
“With all the work we’ve put into Phat Eatery during our first two years in business, we’ve gained a little name recognition,” Au-Yeung said in a release. “It’s time to expand to a wider audience, to convert people from hearing about us to tasting our food. Instead of building a brick-and-mortar, we can get started much quicker this way and reach a much broader audience.”
Speaking of ghost kitchens, Lasco Enterprises now operates Fly By Taco out of the Washington Avenue location of Max’s Wine Dive. Open Monday - Saturday, the restaurant offers breakfast tacos in the morning hours alongside a selection of hot and cold drinks. Those who order a dozen or more will receive a 10 percent discount, and Fly By Taco is offering free coffee on Mondays this month.
August food specials
Antone’s Famous Po’ Boys has partnered with local radio personality Roula Christie for the latest edition of its H-Town Originals sandwich series. The “Roula’s Greek Getaway” features marinated grilled chicken breast, arugula, tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, kalamata olive tapenade, and soft goat cheese on ciabatta bread from Bread Man Baking Co., which is owned by Christie’s husband, Tasos Katsaounis. Priced at $8.95, Antone’s will donate 50-percent of proceeds to Kids’ Meal, a local non-profit that delivers fresh meals to pre-school aged children. The sandwich is available throughout the month of August.
Tacos A Go Go has partnered with Sticky’s Chicken for the "Taco Tuesday Team-Up." Beginning Tuesday, August 4 and continuing every Tuesday in August, all Tacos A Go Go locations will serve the "Sticky's Fried Chicken Taco" that’s made with Sticky's double-fried chicken, shredded cheese, pico de gallo, chopped cilantro, Sriracha mayo, and Sticky’s signature sauce. The restaurant will donate a portion of proceeds to I’ll Have What She’s Having, the local non-profit that unites doctors and hospitality professionals to advance the cause of women’s health.
Torchy’s Tacos' Some Like It Hot promotion returns this month with two new dishes: Daredevil Queso Blanco, a spiced-up version of the restaurant’s green chile queso that features jalapeños and serranos, and the Rocket Shrimp Taco that features habanero-battered fried shrimp with cabbage slaw, cotija cheese, candied jalapeños, cilantro, and Diablo Mayo. Pair them with a Ring of Fire Margarita made with habanero-infused Exotico tequila.
Upcoming food events
As part of its ongoing 50th anniversary celebrations, the Kolache Shoppe will sell select small kolaches for 50 cents on Wednesday, August 5. Usually $1.65, the selection includes small sausage, small sausage and cheese, and a monthly special of peaches and cream. The offer is only available via the drive-thru at the restaurant’s location in the Heights (1031 Heights Blvd.) from 7 am until close or sell out.
Saint Arnold Brewing Company will celebration National IPA Day on Thursday, August 6 with a special, $25 offer of a pizza (choice of "meaty" or "veggie") paired with a 6-pack of the company's brews: Elissa IPA, Double Art Car IPA, Juicy IPA, Citrodos IPA, Art Car IPA, and Noble Haze. At 5 pm, brewing operations manager Aaron Inkrott and CMO Lennny Ambrose will host a special Instagram live to discuss tasting notes for all six beers.
Kata Robata will host its first-ever virtual sake dinner on August 20. The meal includes a bento box with hot and cold dishes, as well as three bottles of Dassai sake. Chef Manabu Horiuchi (Hori-san) and general manager Emmanuelle Massicot will lead a conversation about Japanese food, drink, and art with Dassai president Kazuhiro Sakurai, who will join the Zoom call from Japan, as well as Asian art experts from the Museum of Fine Arts Houston. Tickets, $200, are available by emailing emu.kata.robata@gmail.com.
Phat Eatery will serve dim sum via its new ghost kitchen.
