What's Eric Eating Episode 212

Meet the dynamic duo behind Becks Prime, plus a Midtown po'boy 'problem'

Becks Prime has been a Houston staple since 1985.

Photo by Kirsten Gilliam

On this week's episode of "What's Eric Eating," Win Campbell and Molly Voorhees join CultureMap food editor Eric Sandler to discuss Becks Prime. Campbell, the company's CEO, founded the business in 1985 with his business partner Mike Knapp. Voorhees, the company's president and Campbell's daughter, joined the business in 2006 after a stint in the technology industry.

The lengthy interview touches on several aspects of Becks, starting with the inspiration Campbell took from his job working for Dallas restaurant Goff's Hamburgers as a teenager, which shaped his decision to use freshly ground beef that's cooked over a mesquite fire.

Over the years, the Becks menu has evolved to include different burger proteins — Voorhees recalls that Houston Rockets legend Hakeem Olajuwon used to eat five fish sandwiches at a time — along with an extensive selection of salads, steaks, and sides like queso and guacamole. Sandler notes that he's been a Becks customer since the fall of 1990 when he started attending middle school near the restaurant's Kirby location.

Even as regional and national burger restaurants have entered the market, Becks remains a local staple with 10 locations across the Houston area. Voorhees credits part of that success to the restaurant's willingness to tailor each order as necessary to suit each person's tastes.

"Something like 50 or 60 percent of the people who come in our doors customize some part of the meal . . . If you want two pieces of bacon, mustard on the top, prime sauce on the bottom, I want to put a hot dog in that sandwich instead of a burger, it's okay," she says. "Most of the time it comes out exactly as our customers like it. If it doesn't, bring it back to the counter, and we'll fix it. Becks does that well and always has, and our customers expect us to keep doing it, so you better not change a darn thing."

Prior to the interview, Sandler and co-host Linda Salinas discuss the news of the week. Their topics include: Bobby Heugel's announcement that he's closing his downtown agave bar The Pastry War at the end of October; chef Lyle Bento's recent departure from Night Moves Hospitality; and Maize, a new interior Mexican restaurant opening this fall in the Energy Corridor.

In the restaurant of the week segment, Salinas and Sandler share some thoughts about Winnie's, the recently opened po' boy shop and bar in Midtown. Listen to the full episode to hear why Winnie's is a "problem" — in a good way — for the two friends.

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All-day cafe with boutique hotel vibes coming to downtown Houston

Rendering courtesy of Rebees

Lila's is the newest restaurant to arrive at GreenStreet, the three-block downtown complex.

Downtown Houston is adding a new restaurant to its roster with Lila’s at GreenStreet. Slated to open this fall, Lila’s is envisioned as an all-day New American restaurant that starts the day with coffee and breakfast and ends with dinner and cocktails.

Located at 1201 Fannin Street, Lila's occupies a 5,100-square-foot space in the former lobby of the office tower, with its entrance tucked into an alleyway between McCormick & Schmick’s and The Palm. The restaurant aims to capture the experience of a boutique hotel, without the hassle of overnight guests.

“We’ve spent years thinking about how hospitality can fundamentally change the experience of a place,” Matt Ragan, chief hospitality officer for Rebees, said in a statement. “With Lila’s, we’re taking the level of service, attention to detail, and sense of welcome you expect from a great boutique hotel and applying it to an everyday restaurant. We want someone grabbing coffee before work, meeting a client for lunch or settling in for dinner and drinks to feel equally at home.”

Executive chef Garee Battad will lead the kitchen, drawing on his two decades of experience largely at hotel restaurants such as Nobu at Hotel Crescent Court and Charlie Palmer at The Joule Dallas. His most recent position was as executive chef at Azumi, the elevated Japanese restaurant in River Oaks District.

“Some of the most memorable restaurants where I’ve worked have been gathering places inside great hotels, and that’s the spirit and sense of place we’re bringing to Lila’s,” Battad said. “We want every dish to feel familiar yet unexpected.”

Behind the bar, mixologist Zach Smigiel is crafting an ingredient-forward cocktail program with a focus on seasonal flavors, complemented by a wine list, local beers, and nonalcoholic beverages.

The eatery is the latest endeavor by Rebees, the Houston-based hospitality management firm behind GreenStreet, and its second venture into the culinary world. Its first was Dallas restaurant Billy Can Can, led by executive chef and partner Matt Ford, who will also develop Lila’s menu alongside Battad. Lila’s is named after a French Bulldog owned by Rebees founder Tristan Simon.

This is the hospitality firm’s second endeavor into the culinary world, joining its Dallas restaurant Billy Can Can, led by executive chef and partner Matt Ford. Ford will also be developing Lila’s menu alongside Battad.

Tenants of GreenStreet, the three-block, mixed-use development, will be able to order meals and drinks from Lila’s directly to their offices through a proprietary app.

Rendering courtesy of Rebees

Lila's is the newest restaurant to arrive at GreenStreet, the three-block downtown complex.