David Cordúa with his new lobster corndogsPhoto by Michelle Watson/LastNightPics.com
Américas is open in River Oaks.Photo by Michelle Watson/LastNightPics.com
Lucia Cordúa, with husband Michael, showing off the custom furnishingsPhoto by Michelle Watson/LastNightPics.com
River Oaks is going a little wild.
Or at least the northeast corner of the River Oaks Shopping Center is, with the opening of Michael Cordúa's third Américas.
More subdued than the original Fauvian dreamscape — even sophisticated — the restaurant, designed by architect Jordan Mozer, still has plenty of character, from the textures on the walls to the oversize, almost animal-like furniture.
With a kitchen led by David Cordúa, the menu is roughly the same as the other locations, with a few updates and new items, including a ceviche flight with four versions — from the Japanese-influenced salmon with black sesame to a sweet Ecuadorian tilapia with sweet corn, red onion and habanero — plus lobster corndogs with a corn poblano dipping sauce, deconstructed BBQ pork arepas and taquitos with everything from plaintain-crusted shrimp and bacon-wrapped quail (an Américas classic) to a beef short rib cooked sous vide for 48 hours.
After a couple preview parties, Américas River Oaks (or ARO as fans are already calling it) opened this week.

The Rice Box Space Center is expected to open later this summer.Courtesy of The Rice Box