A free-spirited shop

New non-alcoholic beer, wine, and spirits shop pops open in Rice Village in time for sober October

Observing "sober October" just got a little easier thanks to a newly opened business. Sipple, a new shop near Rice Village, sells non-alcoholic spirits, wine, beer, and more.

Owned by Helenita and Danny Frounfelkner, Sipple offers more than 50 brands and 1,200 bottles of zero-proof sips. Danny brings extensive experience to the role, having worked as a manager and beverage director for restaurants such as Indianola, Eloise Nichols, and City Orchard. Like many other people, he recently decided to stop drinking alcoholic beverages.

“Sipple is my brainchild, born from a lifelong love of complex flavors and the stories behind them,” Danny Frounfelkner said in a statement. “I spent the last 20 years working in all areas of the hospitality and beverage industry and wanted to create Sipple as a way of sharing my experience and love for this growing community with more people."

Customers will find a range of flavorful products designed to satisfying their cravings, whether they've given up alcohol permanently or just want a short break from spirits. The shop's inventory includes beverages designed to mimic the flavor of drinks like gin or whiskey as well as cocktail mixers and wines in a range of varietals. Prices are consistent with what someone would typically pay for full proof options.

"I purposely challenged myself to become more mindful about my habits and lifestyle," Danny Frounfelkner said. "I wanted to live a healthier, more full life, centered around intention, which led to me living an alcohol free life. The drinks we’re selling at Sipple offer all of the fun of drinking without the negative side effects.”

Its owner hope that locating their store near Rice Village will help it become popular with both area residents and university students. The shop will celebrate its grand opening this Saturday, October 16 with a tasting of Noughty alcohol-free wine beginning at 3 pm.

Owners Helenita and Danny Frounfelkner.

Sipple Helenita Frounfelkner and Danny Frounfelkner

Photo by Therrón

Owners Helenita and Danny Frounfelkner.

drinks

a CultureMap Exclusive

Houston's 'Chinese takeout bar from the future' touches down in Webster

Courtesy of The Rice Box

A rendering previews The Rice Box's new location in Webster.

Houston’s Chinese takeout bar from the future is coming to the Bay Area. The sixth location of The Rice Box will open in Webster later this summer.

Located at 114 El Dorado Blvd, the new location will be called Rice Box Space Center after NASA’s headquarters at the nearby Johnson Space Center. Founder John Peterson tells CultureMap that it’s a bit of a homecoming for him and his wife/business partner, Jenny Vo, as they grew up in the area. As with every new location, the restaurant created a movie-style poster to announce its opening.

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

For its first truly suburban location, Peterson plans to offer a more efficient pickup system for to-go orders. Dubbed The Rice Box Pickup Reactors, the system applies Rice Box’s sci-fi aesthetic to curbside ordering. As seen in the rendering above, the building will have six slots that drivers will pull into to get their orders.

“The goal is to have guests in and out with food in hand in around 90 seconds,” Peterson writes in an email. “It’s still pickup, but we’re trying to make that moment feel more intentional and more connected to the digital side of Rice Box instead of treating it like an afterthought. We’re looking at this opening as both a new store and a prototype for how Rice Box can work in more suburban markets without losing the part of the brand that makes it feel like us.”

Bay Area-area diners can expect the same menu as the Rice Box’s other locations. That includes staples such as General Tso’s chicken, sesame chicken, beef with broccoli, and orange peel beef. The restaurant also serves traditional Chinese-inspired fare such as Chongqing chicken, cumin beef, mapo tofu, and chow fun noodles.

Recently, Peterson rolled out a new version of Rice Box’s dumplings. Available in chicken, pork, or vegetable, each style of dumpling comes with a different wrapper that enhances the filling’s flavor. They’re also available either steamed or fried.

The Rice Box started as a food truck in the early 2010s. After moving to a permanent location in the Greenway Plaza food court, it has opened brick-and-mortar locations in the Heights, River Oaks, Rice Village, and Memorial.

openings news-you-can-eat the rice box