it's fry time

State of Grace owner's highly anticipated Heights Tex-Mex and seafood spots set opening date

Two of this year's most eagerly anticipated restaurants finally have their opening date. Superica and La Lucha, the new concepts from State of Grace owner Ford Fry, will debut on September 10 (Update: The opening has been rescheduled to September 17).

Superica will be the fourth location of the Tex-Mex concept Fry launched in Atlanta in 2015. The menu runs the full gamut of Tex-Mex history, from vintage tacos and enchiladas to fajitas and mixta plates; interior Mexican dishes like menudo and pozole are also included. Kevin Maxey, a native Texan and Fry's "vice president of Tex-Mex," will lead the kitchen while former Bernadine's general manager Glenn Johnson will return to the space in the same role.

Open for lunch, brunch, and dinner seven days a week, Superica also offers a full spectrum of wine, beer, and cocktails. Specifically, margaritas are available in "frozen, slushie, and shaken varieties," which should suit Houstonians just fine.

Whereas Superica is tried-and-true, La Lucha is a new concept that takes its inspiration from Fry's childhood visits to the legendary San Jacinto Inn. The menu features burgers, fried chicken, and a wide range of seafood that includes raw, fried, and grilled oysters, peel-and-eat shrimp, and a decadent crawfish toast. As at Superica, beverage options will be extensive, with special attention paid to sparkling wines, craft beers, and agave spirits — apparently, mezcal pairs well with oysters.

State of Grace executive chef Bobby Matos and general manager Matt Crawford will fill the same roles at La Lucha, which will be open for dinner during the week and brunch and dinner on the weekends.

To convert the former Hunky Dory and Bernadine's spaces into La Lucha and Superica, Fry turned to Austin's Michael Hsu Office of Architecture, the company that originally designed the spaces. At Superica, that means channeling a little bit of Austin with vintage schoolhouse chairs, painted brick walls, and limestone accents. At La Lucha, the design will feature antique church pew banquettes, '70s-inspired elements, and an outdoor gaming area with lawn bowling.

With a restaurant mini-empire in Atlanta and the success of State of Grace, Fry has certainly proved he knows how to create food people want to eat. Given Houstonians' seemingly limitless appetites for Tex-Mex and oysters, both Superica and La Lucha seem poised to continue that winning streak.

Fried chicken and biscuits will be on the menu at La Lucha.

Photo by Jessica Matos

Fried chicken and biscuits will be on the menu at La Lucha.

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bring on barnaby's

Favorite Houston comfort food spot picks Garden Oaks for 10th location

Courtesy of Barnaby's Cafe

Barnaby's Cafe is coming to the Stomping Grounds this fall.

Earlier this week, real estate developer Bryan Danna promised “big news…very soon” about a new tenant for the former LuLoo’s Day & Night space at his Stomping Grounds development in Garden Oaks. That news is that Houston favorite Barnaby’s Cafe has claimed the space for a new location that will open later this year.

When a Barnaby’s decal appear on the restaurant’s door a couple of days ago, news of the restaurant’s imminent arrival spread quickly on social media. It will be Barnaby’s tenth location, joining outposts in Montrose, River Oaks, the Heights, and more.

The restaurant will occupy a 2,250-square-foot space at the Stomping Grounds. It will offer a to-go window for people hanging out in the development’s green space as well as a gated, dog-friendly patio. Houston artist Roberto Cervantes will contribute works to the restaurant’s interior.

Founded in 1992 by restaurateur Jeff Gale, Barnaby’s is known for its wide-ranging and affordable menu of classic American fare, including salads, sandwiches, breakfast items, and dinner entrees. Customer favorites include the Lebanese chicken fattoush salad, chipotle black bean burger, baby back ribs, and green eggs, which are scrambled with spinach and artichoke hearts. Dogs can snack on a special “puppy menu” of ground beef, sliced chicken breast, or scrambled eggs over brown rice.

Stomping Grounds green space A to-go window will expedite orders for people in the Stomping Grounds' green space.Courtesy of Stomping Grounds

“Bringing Barnaby’s to Garden Oaks and Oak Forest has been on my wish list for more than a decade, so I’m incredibly grateful that Jeff Gale and his team saw Stomping Grounds as the right fit,” Danna said in a statement. “Jeff and I go back to his first Heights location, which was one of Barnaby’s first big moves north of Montrose, and I have always respected what he and his longtime team have built. Thirty years in the restaurant business is a serious accomplishment. You do not make it that long unless you know how to take care of people, build loyalty, and become part of the neighborhood.”

When it opens this fall, Barnaby’s will be open daily from 11 am to 9 pm. It will join other restaurants at the Stomping Grounds, including Fat Cat Creamery, Tex-Mex restaurant La Mex, Bollo Woodfired Pizza, casual sushi restaurant Himari, Little Sister Cake Shop, and High Five Mini Bar. Earlier this week, casual Vietnamese restaurant Pho Prime announced that it had claimed the space formerly occupied by The Pho Fix for a new location that will also open this fall.

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