bring your pups

Dynamo star Brian Ching unleashes massive, dog-friendly patio bar in Houston's East End

With patio weather in full effect, Houstonians are looking for outdoor spacing where they can gather while following social distancing protocols. A new bar in the East End that officially opens Friday, October 9 not only fulfills the requirements for outdoor recreation — it’s dog friendly, too.

East End Backyard is the latest project from soccer star Brian Ching. Beyond his reputation as the Houston Dynamo’s all-time greatest player, Ching is also responsible for Pitch 25, the soccer-themed patio bar and beer garden he opened in partnership with The Kirby Group in 2018. Now, he’s following up that smash hit with a new, neighborhood-friendly concept that occupies most of an entire block at the corner of Sampson and Lamar Streets.

The result is a 1930s-era bungalow that’s been converted into a bar with a massive, 16,000-square-foot patio that includes a 3,500-square-foot dog park. Seating options include outdoor couches, Adirondack chairs, and picnic tables. The dog park, which is fully fenced, has picnic tables of its own and can be reserved for private parties. Inside, patrons will find TVs for watching games and high-top tables made from vintage bicycles.

“We wanted to create a laid back outdoor space where people could socialize with friends,” Ching said in a statement. “Right now, our top priority is to provide a safe, comfortable environment with lots of room for social distancing, and we think it will be the perfect place for that.”

East End Backyard offers 25 beers and ciders on tap, including local favorites from Saint Arnold, 8th Wonder, and Eureka Heights, as well as all the usual canned seltzers. Original cocktails include the Tequila Cucumber Cooler, Rum Refresher, and Bourbon Smash. Food trucks have a designated parking area and will supply the necessary bites to comply with TABC requirements.

Opening the bar is just the first phase of Ching and his partners’ vision for the block. Another bungalow on the property will be converted into a taco shop that will open next year; a third house sells merchandise from local artists Donkeeboy and Donkemom. Additional properties could house other food concepts, ultimately creating an indoor-outdoor food hall linked by a common backyard. While East End Backyard is 21-plus after 8 pm, he envisions the final product as a family-friendly destination that could eventually be replicated elsewhere.

“If we slowly build [the block] out, I think it has legs,” Ching says. “A lot of people really love it and enjoy it. If we can grow that, we might have something we could take out to the 'burbs. I think it will appeal to everyone.”

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East End Backyard; 1105 Sampson St.; Opens 3 pm Monday - Friday, 11 am Saturday and Sunday; (713) 505-1820.

East End Backyard opens Friday, October 9.

Photo by Wilf Thorne Photography

East End Backyard opens Friday, October 9.

celebrities cocktails openings craft-beer

firing up Montrose

New Houston seafood restaurant adds live-fire flair to Japanese flavors

Photo by Becca Wright

Spanish sea bass, scallop crudo, nigiri, bluefin binchotan, and bluefin crudo.

An ambitious new seafood restaurant is coming to Montrose next week. Casa Kenji will open on Tuesday, December 9.

Located in the former Andiron space (3201 Allen Pkwy), Casa Kenji is the first Houston project for New Orleans restaurateur Malachi DuPre, a former LSU standout who played briefly in the NFL before establishing Kenji and Kenji Kazoku restaurants in New Orleans. Together with former LSU teammate John “B-John” Ballis and Houston chef Bigler “Biggie” Cruz, Casa Kenji will blend Latin and Japanese influences while also incorporating live-fire elements into the restaurant’s dishes. Cruz, whose resume includes a lengthy stint at Uchi as well as working at critically acclaimed Houston seafood restaurant Golfstrømmen, tells CultureMap that Casa Kenji’s approach is the first time he can be himself in the kitchen.

“My perfect restaurant was always based on the live fire and sushi combination,” Cruz says. “My mom cooked with wood for my entire life. The live fire creates completely different flavors. The smoky flavors, the sear from the charcoal — they create a different type of memory for me.”

The use of live fire techniques will permeate Casa Kenji’s menus in ways both big and small. For example, diners will be able to feast on prawns grilled directly on charcoal and served with yuzu chili garlic, or savor lightly seared Japanese wagyu tataki paired with mushrooms. Even raw dishes will benefit from the restaurant’s wood-burning grill and stove.

“Every vegetable we peel, we make into an ash that’s a topping for the dishes. It adds a different layer of flavor,” Cruz says. Look for it in the scallop aguachile, among others.

Even vegetables get a smoky component, as in a cabbage dish that’s braised with dashi and soy sauce before being roasted and served with an onion soubise that Cruz says he developed based on techniques he learned from Golfstrømmen chef Christopher Haatuft.

“It’s rich, super savory, with smoky layers, and you get brightness from the shiso gremolata. I think it will be a signature dish for us,” the chef says.

One change to the interior is the addition of a six-seat omakase counter that looks into the kitchen. Cruz promises those diners will have an even more elevated experience than the restaurant’s regular menu, including ingredients such as Japanese wagyu and premium fish flown in from Tokyo’s Toyosu fish market.

Beyond its cuisine, Casa Kenji hopes to stand out with its spacious outdoor patio. Since very few Japanese-inspired restaurants in Houston offer outdoor seating, it should appeal to diners who want a little vitamin D along with their tuna crudo.

“We’re proud to showcase the craft and creativity that defines Casa Kenji,” co-founders Cruz, Ballis, and DuPre said in a statement. “With chef Bigler Cruz at the helm — blending live-fire technique with the discipline of Japanese tradition — we’re equally honored and excited to share a unique concept that is truly rooted in passion, culture, and community.”

Casa Kenji will be open for dinner Tuesday through Sunday beginning at 4 pm. Reservations are available on Resy.

Photo by Becca Wright

Spanish sea bass, scallop crudo, nigiri, bluefin binchotan, and bluefin crudo.