late night with rosland
'Headstrong' new restaurant debuts on WashAve with late-night dining, upscale vibe, and a $26 burger
A new restaurant serving upscale comfort food has debuted near Washington Avenue. Rosland's Grill & Bar is now open for lunch, dinner, and late-night dining at 903 Durham Dr.
Originally, plans called for Rosland's building at 903 Durham Dr. to be a new location of Otto's Barbecue & Hamburgers, the iconic Houston restaurant best known as a favorite of President George H.W. Bush. Instead, owner Don Cristopher of DKC Companies opted to create a new restaurant that would appeal to area bar goers and the employees who serve them.
Before diving into specifics, a note on the name. Cristopher created the character of Rosland. According to a release, "she is confident and headstrong, and like many from the Bayou City, she has a passion for giving back." To drive home the idea that Rosland embodies many different characteristics, artwork in the restaurant depicts her with different appearances.
In that spirit, Rosland's menu serves a variety of different cravings. Created by DKC corporate chef Cameron Cain, it includes shareable starters, burgers and sandwiches, salads, seafood entrees, and USDA Prime steaks.
A meal at Rosland's could begin with dishes such as spinach and artichoke dip, shrimp cocktail, oysters (raw or roasted), or fondue. Sandwich choices include smoked turkey and avocado on sourdough, spicy chicken, a veggie burger, and the Signature Legacy burger, a decadent, $26 creation made with dry-aged sirloin and topped with mushroom confit, foie gras truffle butter, two kinds of cheese, and more.
Salads, including both a Thai steak noodle and the "Rosland's Spectacular" that's a spin on a Caesar made with shrimp, are made with aquaponic lettuces. Five different steaks, two seafood entrees, and chicken pot pie round out the entrees. Pairing options include a range of craft cocktails, wines, and local craft beers.
Beyond its food and drinks, Rosland's will be defined by its operating hours. The restaurant is open until 2 am Sunday-Thursday and 4 am on Fridays and Saturdays. In addition it opens for breakfast at 8 am on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
"We’re thrilled to offer an early morning dining option where service guests, along with our neighborhood guests can sit down and enjoy a meal, fine drink, or mocktails, once they have finished their late-night shift,” Cristopher said in a statement. “We felt the area was missing an early morning establishment like Rosland’s that would allow all the workers in the Washington Avenue corridor a traditional dining experience, particularly ones that are finishing up the late-night shift at establishments in the Washington and Heights areas. We’re talking post 2 am.”
Cristopher brings extensive experience to the project. In addition to owning Otto's, he's been affiliated with restaurants such as Cyclone Anaya's, Le Peep, and Mason Jar. He will soon open Riverhouse restaurant at Midway's massive East River mixed-use development in the Fifth Ward.