The knock on the vibe dining trend — that is, restaurants that incorporate nightclub elements such as bottle service and DJs — is that the “vibe” is more important than the “dining.” It’s not necessarily true that creating a high energy atmosphere can’t coexist with delivering high quality, well-executed food, but experience usually trumps eating.
One new restaurant has the ambitious goal of delivering both a see-and-be-seen environment and destination-worthy food. Meet Se7en, a new restaurant opening later this year in the Kirby Collection mixed-use development.
Inspired by restaurants in Miami such as Bâoli and Sexy Fish, Se7en aspires to be Houston’s premier destination that combines food and entertainment. Occupying over 5,000 square feet on the Kirby Collection’s second floor, the restaurant will seat over 200 people inside with room for as many as 75 more on a tree-covered patio.
“It mixes the best of fine dining with the best of the club aspect,” Seven Hospitality Group partner Frank Edosomwan tells CultureMap. “It’s not a club, but it’s somewhere you want to go for the drinks and ambiance.”
Edosomwan and his partners — Yuware Eghaghe, Anthony Ifeanyi, Moussa Haider, Tarek Hassan, Marwan Alyassir, Ghassan Elyassir, and Elias Alyassir — hired chef Erhan Özkaya to serve as Se7en’s culinary director. A veteran of Miami restaurants such as The Bazaar by Jose Andres, Mandolin Aegean Bistro, Wynwood Diner, and Joia Beach Club, Özkaya will be tasked with developing a menu of dishes that incorporate a diverse array of influences with eye-catching presentations.
In keeping with the restaurant’s name, some of the items will be inspired by the Seven Wonders of the World, while desserts and cocktails will take inspiration from the Seven Deadly Sins.
“Our menu is Asian-inspired, French-Mediterranean. We’ll have sushi, we’ll have steaks, we’ll have nice dishes,” Edosomwan says.
“It’s not your typical boring restaurant,” he adds.
Things will get turned up after 11 pm when a DJ starts spinning and bottles start popping. Some nights might feature performances by belly dancers or other entertainers. Se7en’s luxurious environment, illustrated in the renderings above, is designed to add a sense of occasion to any meal.
“When you go to Miami, this is the norm. People want to be entertained while they dine, but they don’t want to go to a club. It mixes all of that into one venue.” Edosomwan says.
“Our goal is that when folks come to Houston, they want to come to Se7en. Celebrities, VIPs, this is where they want to be. We want to operate at a high level.”
A rendering of the restaurant's bar.
