What's Eric Eating Episode 156

Get to know Houston's favorite deli man, plus fresh seafood near The Heights

Deli maven Ziggy Gruber is this week's guest.

Photo by Troy Fields

On this week's episode of "What's Eric Eating," chef-owner Ziggy Gruber joins CultureMap food editor Eric Sandler to discuss Kenny & Ziggy's, his Galleria-area restaurant and deli. Gruber grew up working at his grandfather's deli in New York, but he's also a classically trained chef who worked at a three-star Michelin restaurant in London alongside luminaries Marco Pierre White and Gordon Ramsay.

The conversation touches on a number of topics, including the ways in which the chef's French training shapes his approach to creating recipes for the restaurant, the underrated gems on Kenny & Ziggy's extensive menu, and how Gruber got to Houston. Every August, Kenny & Ziggy's runs a special deli month with three courses for $38; it provides diners with the opportunity to sample some of the Eastern European classics hidden in the menu and raises money for the Holocaust Museum - Houston.

Gruber tells Sandler that Kenny & Ziggy's has fared relatively well during the pandemic, a status he attributes to the restaurant's lack of debt, but notes the reports he hears from operators around the country aren't as encouraging. Colleagues in both New York and Los Angeles report they're struggling to make ends meet.

"These are operations that have been in business for 75 to 80 years. They're very good operators. This isn't about how good an operator is or not," Gruber says. "You've seen very experienced people close up operations, because they have no choice. It's a business decision."

Prior to the interview, co-host Matt Harris joins Sandler to discuss the news of the week. They're topics include the recent closures of establishments such as Night Heron and Blackbird Izakaya, the changes happening at Clark Cooper Concepts, and recently-launched delivery app Orange Crate.

In the restaurants of the week segment, Harris and Sandler recount a recent meal at 1751 Sea & Bar, where chef J.D. Woodward has updated the menu with dishes such as duck confit gyoza and whole, deboned sea bass.

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Subscribe to "What's Eric Eating" on Apple podcasts, Google Play, or Spotify. Listen to it Saturday at 1 pm on ESPN 97.5.

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another surprise shutter

Coastal-inspired Houston restaurant will shutter after 3 years in Montrose

Photo by Kirsten Gilliam

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A Montrose restaurant devoted to fresh and healthy fare will soon serve its final meal. Graffiti Raw will close on December 31.

Located next to Uchi in the Montrose Collective mixed-use development, Graffiti Raw opened in early 2023. It is part of the Big Vibe Group, the hospitality company behind Coppa Osteria in Rice Village and Flora, the stylish Mexican restaurant in Buffalo Bayou Park.

Graffiti Raw took inspiration from coastal destinations such as Big Sur, Mexico, and the Mediterranean. True to its name, the menu included raw items such as tartare and ceviche alongside classic fare such as steak frites, chicken schnitzel, and crab fried rice.

“Since opening, Graffiti Raw has been a place for connection — from shared meals to vibrant

nights that reflected the creative energy of Houston. The Big Vibe Group is grateful to the

guests, team members, partners and the Montrose Collective community who helped shape the experience,” the company said in a statement.

Big Vibe emphasizes that both Coppa Osteria and Flora “remain central to the company’s long-term vision, with an emphasis on growth, consistency, and elevated hospitality.” It made a similar commitment to those concepts when it closed Gratify, a neighborhood bistro in Rice Village, back in 2024.

Montrose has seen a number of openings and closings, with additions such as jazz supperclub Doc’s and wine shop/bar Montrose Grocer. Paulie’s, a neighborhood staple for more than 25 years, will also close on December 31.

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