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    @downhousehtx vs. @allisonhiromi

    Silly international fuss over Matsu, Down House, Heugel Twitter feuds only hurtsHouston

    Sarah Rufca
    Aug 18, 2011 | 4:00 pm
    • Allison Matsui vs. Down House
      Down House/Facebook, Allison Matsu/Facebook
    • Forrest DeSpain, general manager at Down House
      Photo via Down House/Facebook
    • Posted at about 1:30 p.m Thursday
      Photo via Down House/Twitter
    • Posted just before 1 p.m. Thursday
      Photo via Down House/Twitter
    • Bobby Heugel

    In a more perfect world, what happened on Twitter would stay on Twitter.

    That's why when the fight between Allison Matsu and Down House hit the Internet earlier this week, I stayed as far away as I could.

    In case you haven't seen the story on Eating Our Words, Eater, KPRC, The Huffington Post, The Daily Mail, TIME, Gizmodo, Consumerist, CNET or NBC Action News in Kansas City — yes it's gone national, international and then back again— it started with Matsu having drinks with a friend at Down House Sunday night. She overheard a discussion between the bartenders in which one was either quoting or insulting Anvil owner Bobby Heugel (versions of the story differ).

    Matsu tweeted something about it, which included calling the bartender a "twerp" and amending the (now-deleted) tweet with the hashtag "#jackoff."

     

      Should Matsu have been kicked out from Down House? No — not even close. But I can't defend the tweet, either. 

    Down House manager Forrest DeSpain, who runs the restaurant's social media, saw the tweet from home, called the restaurant and asked to be put on the phone with Matsu. Matsu says she was cursed out. DeSpain says his tone was firm, but polite. Matsu was kicked out of the restaurant, and an Internet firestorm followed.

    Maybe everyone is so fascinated because the intersection between the online world and the real world has never been so immediate — issues of food and etiquette in our modern times always get attention. But this episode just feels so ... tawdry. I'll second Heugel's opinion that it sucks that Houston has made such strides in becoming a legit culinary destination and a mature food town, and what makes the national and international news is this drama, which makes all the players look petty.

    (Heugel and Matsu now have their own feud over the incident. After a war of words, Heugel tweeted that Matsu is now banned from Anvil, too, because she's "too big of a PR liability." Sigh.)

    Should Matsu have been kicked out from Down House? No — not even close. But I can't defend the tweet, either.

    I think it's one thing to make fun of people to your friends, privately. (It falls into Whitney Houston's "it's not right but it's OK" criteria.) Twitter isn't private — Matsu has nearly 2,000 followers. What if you were this bartender? You think you're doing your job and giving a customer good service, only to find out that the person who has been acting nice to your face is insulting you and calling you names at the same time on the Internet.

    "Twerp" is hardly the worst thing to call someone — it's even daytime television-approved — but it's not nice, and it's personal. Should we be allowed to be rude on the Internet and not expect any real-world response? I hope not, because I'm tired of people being rude on the Internet. (Also, get off my lawn, you damn kids.)

    As an occasional critic, I try to keep the humanizing exchange between actor Justin Long and film critic Michelle Orange in mind, and remember that I don't have to be mean to be critical.

    Matsu may be blunt, but she isn't actually a chronic whiner. And Down House owner Chris Cusack actually runs a really great coffeehouse, bar and restaurant.

    So I'll be happy when everyone can put down their smartphones and focus on what's cool about the Houston food scene — that chefs are engaged with their customers, that new concepts are constantly breaking boundaries, that diners are smart and opinionated, and that the general tone is one of support and goodwill.

    unspecified
    news/restaurants-bars

    hola, mayahuel

    Netflix chef's modern Mexican restaurant opens in Houston this month

    Eric Sandler
    Jul 7, 2025 | 6:45 pm
    Mayahuel restaurant
    Photo by Bethany Ochs
    Mayahuel's menu combines seasonal ingredients and heirloom corn.

    The countdown is on to Houston’s newest modern Mexican restaurant. Mayahuel will officially open for dinner on Friday, July 18.

    Located in the Autry Park mixed-use development, Mayahuel united Culinary Khancepts — the hospitality group behind Liberty Kitchen, State Fare, and Leo’s River Oaks (among others) — with star chef Luis Robledo Richards. Known locally for his short-lived taqueria Comalito, Richards is the pastry chef behind Mexico City’s celebrated Tout Chocolat. His resume includes serving as a judge on the Netflix series Sugar Rush: The Baking Point and being named the Best Pastry Chef in Latin America by the World’s 50 Best Restaurants.

    At Mayahuel, Richards will feature dishes made with seasonal ingredients and heirloom corn that’s imported from Mexico. At opening, it will be a tidy group of 16 savory dishes — divided into starters, “Tacos y Masa,” and entrees, as well as a separate tasting menu. The restaurant takes its name from the Mexica goddess of the maguey plant, which only blooms once, to emphasize its connection to Mexico’s land and culture.

    “At Mayahuel, we’re not just preparing food — we’re honoring time, place, and process,” Richards said in a statement. “Our ingredients are chosen only when they’re at their best. We don’t force nature to fit our schedule — we follow its lead.”

    Dinner at Mayahuel could begin with dishes such as bread and tortillas served with miso and salsa matcha butters, a bluefin tuna tostada with uni cream and yuzu aioli, salmon aguachile, or a beef carnitas croquette. The “Tacos y Masa” section includes beef cheek and shrimp tacos, a duck confit tamal, and a squash blossom tetela. Entree choices include filet mignon with mole negro, cochinita with black bean puree and tortillas, and sea bass with potatoes and salsa Veracruzana.

    Brunch is a more casual affair built around items such as chilaquiles, French toast, enfrijoladas, and a Mexican take on eggs Benedict topped with salsa roja hollandaise.

    Large format desserts each take inspiration from one of three ingredients — vanilla, coffee, or cacao. Priced at $28 each, the menu describes them as “a thoughtful, interactive finale that honors tradition through technique, seasonality, and imagination.”

    Pairings include cocktails made with agave spirits, fresh juices, and house made syrups. Notably, all tequilas will be additive-free, which means some prominent brands may not be featured behind Mayahuel’s bar.

    The restaurant occupies an approximately 5,100-square-foot space that’s divided into a 16-seat bar, a 40-seat dining room, an eight-seat chef’s table, a 36-seat, second floor dining room, and a 34-seat patio. It joins other concepts in Autry Park such as French restaurant Annabelle Brasserie, sushi spot Doko, fine dining steakhouse Turner’s Cut, Vietnamese restaurant Annam, and a still-unnamed concept from Austin’s Emmer & Rye Hospitality.

    “Mayahuel is about creating a sense of place and story,” Culinary Khancepts founder Omar Khan said. “It’s a natural evolution for our group — rooted in culture, crafted with care, and designed to be as memorable as it is welcoming.”

    Mayahuel will be open for happy hour and dinner Monday-Saturday and brunch on Saturday and Sunday. Reservations are available on OpenTable.

    Mayahuel restaurant
      

    Photo by Bethany Ochs

    Mayahuel's menu combines seasonal ingredients and heirloom corn.

    news-you-can-eatopeningsmayahuelchefs
    news/restaurants-bars

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