Foodie News

Houston Chef's Table: Soma Sushi's Jason Hauck is anti-brunch, pro-Feast

No one knows Houston restaurants better than the people who run them, own them, and work in the kitchens. In this continuing series, CultureMap is asking our favorite foodie personalities around town where they go for great eats when they're not working.

Jason Hauck has worked at some of the best restaurants in Houston — Quattro, Ouisie's Table, Aries and Rainbow Lodge — and now he's becoming a major name in his own right with the inventive French-Asian fusion at Soma Sushi. Fresh off Soma serving several hundred hungry arts hounds at the Saint Arnold Brewing Company viewing party for gunpowder artist Cai Guo-Qiang's explosion, Hauck tells CultureMap his go-to spots on Washington Avenue, his favorite funky stops and where he brought dad.

Hauck also reveals his strong feelings on a certain Sunday tradition.

Restaurant for a special occasion: Catalan, just because they're down the street from us and I know Chris (Shepherd) and I know how amazing his food is.

Restaurant to take out-of-towners to: The last person I had in from out of town was my dad, and we made sure we took him to Goode Co. Barbecue, Feast, and Anvil. He loved Feast, we had a grand time. Richard (Knight) was there and he really went out of his way to make our meal special.

Favorite meal: Right now what I'm into is finding all the funky spots on Bellaire, like Sinh Sinh, Tan Tan, all the Asian grocers, we just go around sampling things like steamed buns,and fish stomach soup.

Breakfast/Brunch favorite: I refuse to do brunch. I have been on the service industry side of the brunch shift, and I am not going to promote it — I have nothing good to say about it.

Breakfast is all about the breakfast taco, we have been raiding El Tiempo Market — they always have the funky stuff, pig's ear, tripe, chicharrónes. And Laredo Taqueria is just great, they make all their stuff from scratch and are really good at what they do. If you go at lunchtime there's a line around the block.

Dessert: Wherever Rebecca Masson is making dessert. If I can find her trail of caramel and follow it to wherever she's at, I'm happy.

Other articles in the Houston Chef's Table series:

Lee Ellis loves Les Givral

Sugar hooker Rebecca Masson can't get enough of Catalan's Cake

Beachy L.J. Wiley digs the special occasion simple flavors at Dos Brisas

David Grossman goes for Vic & Anthony's crab cake, Yelapa late nights & some Bootsie

Jeramie Robison appreciates Kata Robata's sushi, Beaver's bangin' meatloaf & foodie chicks

Tony Mandola finds breakfast magic at Sunrise Taquitos

Philippe Schmit craves a Picnic romance & Stella Sola's French toast

Benjy Levit is torn between Indika's salads and Hank's Ice Cream

Flora & Muse's David Luna likes to hang with his fishing buddy and hit the Blue Nile

Asian Bistro's Gigi Huang seeks out spicy fried chicken at a Dive

Houston Chef's Table: Hugo Ortega believes in a Goode tradition

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coming soon

Family-friendly Houston restaurant picks Missouri City for 6th location

Photo by Jenn Duncan

Local Table serves a mix of Mediterranean and classic American fare.

A family-friendly Houston restaurant will soon its sixth location. Local Table is expected to open in Missouri City in January.

Located at 3434 FM 1092 Road, the new Local Table will occupy approximately 6,700 square feet. It will feature a semi-private dining room, an outdoor patio, and a mural by Houston artist Shelbi Nicole

First opened in 2016, the restaurant builds on the legacy of Hungry's, the popular Mediterranean cafe that has two Houston-area locations (with a third on the way this spring). Shervin Sharifi and Neima Sharifi, who are nephews of Hungry's founder Fred Sharifi, partnered with Hungry's co-owner Ashkan Nowamooz and his brothers Arash and Alex. Additionally, Sue Nowamooz, Ashkan's wife, serves as executive chef for both Hungry's and Local Table.

“Every Local Table location is born from the community around it — our guests shape who we are. We’re honored to create spaces where neighbors can gather, share meals, and feel at home,” Shervin Sharifi said in a statement. “Missouri City has already shown us so much warmth, and we can’t wait to become part of the fabric of this community.”

Similar to Hungry’s, many dishes include Mediterranean-inspired elements such as a gyro pita, a kebab plate, and hummus. Other selections — including chicken fried chicken, a bacon cheeseburger, and a Philly cheesesteak — take their inspiration from traditional Southern or classic American fare. Gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan items appear throughout the menu. Weekend brunch features three-egg omelets, chicken and waffles, croissant French toast, and more.

Weekly specials includes kids eats free on Monday, $5 margaritas on Tuesday, half-off bottles of wine on Wednesday, and “Board and Bottle Thursday,” that offers a pizza and bottle of wine for $40. Meals are available for both dine-in and Local Table’s in-house delivery service.

“Local Table is dedicated to providing families in the Greater Houston area with access to quality dining in a welcoming, family-friendly setting,” Sharifi added. “Expanding our footprint to Missouri City is a perfect next step for us, and we’re thrilled to become part of this community.”