Bottoms Up!

Detox and retox at the same time with Coppa Ristorante's coconut water cocktail

When Catalan closed its doors, there seemed a hole in the restaurant row on the west end of Washington Avenue. But a few short months later, along came Coppa Ristorante Italiano — an old world, new world Italian eatery with some seriously sophisticated signage and a formidable cocktail program, headed by bar manager Kris Sowell.

We dropped by for some appetizers and a sampling of Sowell's best-loved summer staple, the La Perla. Inspired in part by the famous lingerie brand, this cool coconut drink blends the best of both worlds — detox and retox. Why not hydrate while you imbibe with a coconut water cocktail? Coconut water is one of nature's best sources for electrolytes and potassium (and the hangover's worst enemy). Brilliant.

The La Perla:

Ingredients:
CIROC coconut vodka
lime juice
simple syrup
neutral flavored coconut water - Sowell recommends ZICO

Mix ingredients over crushed ice and garnish with citrus of your choice.

elevated dining

Luxurious downtown hotel elevates with new rooftop restaurant

The Perch restaurant JW Marriott Houston Downtown

Courtesy of JW Marriott Houston Downtown

A rendering previews The Perch at the JW Marriott Houston Downtown.

The next step in a downtown hotel’s renovation and expansion is taking shape. A new rooftop restaurant called The Perch will open next year at the JW Marriott Houston Downtown.

Open for lunch, happy hour, and dinner, The Perch will serve as a complement to the hotel’s new rooftop pool. Details on the menu are light, but diners can expect “a range of thoughtful dishes that highlight Houston’s diverse culinary influences,” according to a release.

Chef Rafael Gonzalez will lead the kitchen. His resume includes a stint as executive chef at Quattro, the Italian restaurant at the Four Seasons Hotel Houston that closed in 2020 and was replaced by pan-Latin steakhouse Toro Toro.

Earlier this year, the hotel announced that it is adding the adjacent Battelstein’s Building at 812 Main to its existing footprint. In addition to adding the Perch and a rooftop pool, the expanded hotel will have more meeting rooms and a new restaurant on the ground floor. When the expansion is complete, the JW Marriott will have a total of 384 guest rooms (an increase of 56), including 89 suites.

Currently, the JW Marriott occupies the historic, 22-story Samuel F. Carter Building at 806 Main. The hotel opened in 2014.

news-you-can-eat openings

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