Aaron Bludorn's next restaurant

Red-hot restaurateur Aaron Bludorn cooking up new Houston spot

Chefif Mbjodi Victoria Pappas Aaron Bludorn Rice Village

Chefif Mbjodi, Victoria Pappas Bludorn, and Aaron Bludorn are coming to Rice Village.

Photo by Michael Anthony

Looks like chef Aaron Bludorn's motto is "strike while the iron is hot." The chef, whose restaurant Bludorn has been among the Houston's hottest dining destinations since it opened last fall, will open a new concept in Rice Village.

Slated to open next summer, the still unnamed restaurant will be located in the former Politan Row space at 2445 Times Blvd. Other details are light. Bludorn, who will partner with his wife, Victoria Pappas Bludorn, and Bludorn general manager Cherif Mbodji on the project, isn't ready to reveal what type of food he plans to serve at the new spot.

“From the moment we decided to relocate to Houston from New York, our goal was to open multiple concepts, and the opportunities we knew the city would provide to do that was key in choosing the Bayou City over other locations to plant roots,” Aaron Bludorn said in a statement. “We are so thankful for the unwavering support of a phenomenal team, who have created something incredibly special with Bludorn – against the odds of the pandemic – allowing us to take this next exciting step due to its success.”

Chef Bludorn brought an impressive resume to his first solo project. Prior to moving to Houston, he worked as executive chef at New York's Café Boulud, which holds one Michelin star. He also competed on The Final Table, a cooking show on Netflix.

Bludorn restaurant has quickly become a local favorite for its classic, French-inspired fare and welcoming atmosphere. Powered by dishes such as short ravioli, tarte flambée, and baked Alaska, any meal there feels like a special occasion.

Rice Village has recently been invigorated with a few new dining options, including Clark Cooper Concept's luxurious seafood restaurant Gratify, Israeli-inspired bakery Badolina, and the expanded Local Foods Market. Next year will see the arrival of Badolina's sister concept Hamsa, a modern Israeli restaurant from the owners of popular steakhouse Doris Metropolitan.

“Rice Village is home to some of the most diverse dining offerings in Houston, and the addition of a Bludorn concept will further elevate our culinary culture,” said Morgan Lera, investment manager of Rice Management Company, which owns Rice Village. “This chef-driven concept will bring great energy to an incredible corner in the Village with its original menu offerings and expansive outdoor patio space.”

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Eagerly-anticipated Houston barbecue joint hosts weekend preview pop-ups

Courtesy of Eastbound Barbecue

Get a first taste of Eastbound Barbecue this weekend.

One of Houston’s most eagerly anticipated new barbecue joints is giving diners a preview of what’s to come. Eastbound Barbecue will host “Sneak Peak Weekends” every Saturday and Sunday beginning this Saturday, December 20, until the restaurant opens in early 2026.

Held at the restaurant’s location in the East End (1105 Sampson Street) from 12-4 pm (or sold out), the weekend service gives diners their first chance to try Eastbound Barbecue’s smoked meats, sides, and desserts. That includes, smoked brisket, baby back ribs, jalapeno & cheese sausage, hatch chili lasagna mac & cheese, herbed potato salad, and more. Save room for the two dessert offerings, salted caramel banana pudding and cookie butter cake.

To distinguish Eastbound’s barbecue, chefs Lopez and Granville use different seasonings than other restaurants, such as rosemary salt in the brisket rub and a miso-caramel sauce that gives its ribs a sweet and savory bite. During the preview, Eastbound’s prices are noticeably lower than many other Houston barbecue joints, with brisket priced at $29 per pound, ribs at $26 per pound, and pulled pork at $22 per pound.

As CultureMap reported in August, Eastbound unites four friends, Ryan Penn, Ryan Powell, Luis Lopez, and Jake Granville, who also held senior roles at various restaurants owned by prominent Houston chef Ronnie Killen. Since then, the four partners have finished many of the improvements they needed to make prior to opening, including closing in the patio and installing offset smokers on the property.

For Penn, leaving the Killen’s organization after almost 20 years was a difficult decision, but one he felt he had to make. “I could have worked for [Killen] forever and been happy. It was more along the lines of, if I don’t do this now, I don’t want to be 70 and wish that I had,” he said at the time.

Courtesy of Eastbound Barbecue

Get a first taste of Eastbound Barbecue this weekend.

news-you-can-eat barbecue openings