Foodie News

In Houston, you can't step in the same restaurant twice: Newness abounds atTriniti, Down House and Samba Grille

Ryan Hildebrand

Photo by Kimberly Park
Mussels at Down House

Photo by Sarah Rufca
Solterito salad with braised pork belly slices (in foreground) from Samba Grille

Photo by Sarah Rufca
From the Triniti dinner: Welks and razor clams, variety of mushrooms, black andwhite barley and tarragon.

Photo by Kimberly Park
Down House's buttermilk-thyme fried chicken, served with mashed potatoes and aspinach salad.

Photo by Sarah Rufca
An intermezzo of leche de tigre sorbet from Samba Grille

Photo by Sarah Rufca
Foie gras, local honey and coffee soil, the amuse bouche at Triniti

Photo by Kimberly Park
Samba Grill's avocado panna cotta

Photo by Sarah Rufca
Green beans, bacon and eggs from Down House

Photo by Sarah Rufca

Sometimes it seems like the only thing that's constant in the Houston restaurant scene is change. In addition to new concepts and new locations there are new chefs, new menus, new specials. As Heraclitus would say, you can't step in the same restaurant twice. So it is with dinners celebrating the new offerings from Triniti, Down House and Samba Grille.

The holy Triniti of amuse bouche

It's somewhat fitting that the preview dinners held by Ryan Hildebrand and his crew at the forthcoming Triniti restaurant were dubbed "snapshots." Held at the Ralph Smith Photography Studios, the dinners introduced fans to Triniti's modern sensibilities and a bit of elegant culinary experimentation.

I loved the amuse bouche: foie gras, local honey and coffee "soil" represented three flavors I would never think to combine, the rich tones, bright sweetness and earthiness all playing brilliantly together.

The apple and celery root soup was rich and creamy, poured over a cinnamon cream and a fried apple slice and garnished with a slice of dehydrated apple folded into a lovely butterfly shape. Another standout was a spicy rabbit merguez sausage served with a light "blonde cassoulet."

I really loved the way that nothing was wasted on Hildebrand's plates — every ingredient could be tasted and added something to the dish. It's just a few weeks until Triniti opens, but I cant wait.

Down House in the house

Down House also has a new fall menu and a new chef — Benjy Mason, who has spent time at Feast — and both are all about taking comfort food to the next level while using local and sustainable ingredients. The mussels, served in a broth of Leprechaun Cider and leeks, were simply outstanding. The cider took a little bit of the brininess off the mussels, making for a more palatable and savory treat.

Green beans became indulgent with lardons and bits of fried egg throughout, plus a bit of pear for extra sweetness. A classic buttermilk-thyme fried chicken satisfied, along with some chunky mashed potatoes, but a prune-brasied lamb shank was totally outshone by a side of cauliflower grits.

Do the Samba

On Wednesday night Samba Grille also held a dinner to introduce new executive chef David Guerrero, who came to the restaurant earlier this year as sous chef. Guerrero has spent time on the line at Philippe, among other restaurants, but he says this is his first stint cooking his native South American cuisine (and that his process includes phone calls home to Ecuador to ask about his grandmother's recipes).

Among the new standouts were Guerrero's take on ceviche, with shrimp, beer foam and aji tomato ketchup for a flavor that had a bit of Tex-Mex thrown in. It was served as half of a duo with Samba's more traditional ceviche mixto, with corn nuts, leche de tigre, etc.

I also loved the fresh, clean solterito salad with a light salsa and cubes of cheese on fresh lettuce with an aji amarillo vinaigrette. Guerrero describes it as the kind of dish that South American bachelors would make, although Samba's gets an upgrade from a side of panca-glazed semi-cured pork belly.

I also loved the paiche, a huge, meaty fish from the Amazon that's extremely rare in the States (and unfortunately not on the regular menu), smoked thoroughly and served over a bed of yucca and citrusy greens. Samba impressed again with an avocado panna cotta, dusted with lime powder and served with coconut geleé and a touch of passion fruit cremeux.

It seems like someone has discovered that the cure for the ordinary panna cotta is to reinvent it with a sweet fruitiness that doesn't overpower — it was awesome.

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food news roundup

6 things to know in Houston food: Openings, chef dinners, and beef ribs

Photo by Rebekah Flores

Yuma is now open on Washington Avenue.

In this edition of CultureMap’s look at the latest Houston restaurant news, a sandwich pop-up has opened its permanent home on Washington Avenue and a growing local ice cream chain is helping Bellaire chill out. Plus, Landry’s chefs are getting their annual chance to shine.

Read on for all the food news Houstonians need to know.

Restaurant openings

Sandwich pop-up Yuma has opened its brick-and-mortar restaurant in the former Ninja Ramen space at 4219 Washington Ave. Owned by husband-and-wife duo Mike Hartley and Miriam Leek-Meira, Yuma serves sandwiches that blend Brazilian and Cuban influences, including the Classic Cubano (roasted pork, ham, gruyère, pickles, and mustard), the El Penny Cubano Banh Mi; the Sampa Gallo (chicken sandwich); the A Caipira, a Brazilian-inspired cheesesteak; and more.

Having a permanent location has allowed the couple to expand their menu with bar bites such as pão de queijo (Brazilian cheese rolls), empanadas, and yuca fries, as well as desserts that include Basque cheesecake and grilled banana pudding. The bar program looks to both Cuba and Brazil, with a wide array of alcoholic and non-alcoholic sips.

"This concept is one-of-a-kind but also approachable, much like this amazing city that we live in," Hartley said in a statement. "Miriam and I have set out to create something completely unique, and we're excited to share it with everyone. We love the location and want to strike a balance between something new and exciting while still feeling comforting and familiar."

Yuma is open Wednesday through Monday from 4 pm to midnight.

Modern Mexican restaurant Cochinita & Co. has opened its second location in Lindale Park (4928 Fulton Street). Open daily from 8 am-3 pm, the restaurant serves chef-owner Victoria Elizondo’s tacos that are made with house made corn tortillas and matched with fillings such as cochinita pibil, shrimp, barbacoa, roasted chicken, and lion’s mane mushrooms. Breakfast options include tamales, breakfast tacos, and chilaquiles.

Once the new location is dialed in, Elizondo plans to launch Corimar, a dinner series with guest chefs.

“Corimar is very personal to me. It’s my way of creating space for new ideas without changing what people already love about Cochinita,” Elizondo told CultureMap in February. “By day, we’ll remain the café our community knows. By night, Corimar will become a platform for occasional experimentation, (and sometimes) collaboration, and dishes that don’t always fit into a traditional menu.”

Cosmic Ice Cream has opened its fourth Houston-area location in the Bellaire triangle. The scoop shop serves a range of creative and traditional flavors, including banana pudding, birthday cake, peanut butter brownie, and Cookie Monster, which is dyed blue in homage to the iconic Sesame Street character. Options include scoops, milkshakes, and “Ice Cream Nachos,” two scoops of ice cream served on a bed on waffle cone chips. It’s open daily from 12-10 pm.

Upcoming food events

Landry’s Signature Group has released the 2026 edition of its chef series. Each menu is inspired by a classic movie that will be revealed during the meal. The schedule includes July 9 at Brenner’s on the Bayou, July 16 at Del Frisco’s, July 23 at Grotto Downtown, July 30 at the Palm, and August 6 at La Griglia. See menus and buy tickets here.

Camaraderie will host the next edition of its Better Together bake sale with guest chefs Rebecca Masson (Fluff Bake Bar) and Kripa Shenoy (EaDough) this Sunday, June 28, beginning at 10 am. The menu includes a Franklin Barbecue brisket croissant, Basque cheesecake croissant, butter chicken kolache, chai sesame cookies, cardamom buns, golden sesame kouign amann, and many more.

Other news and notes

The Kirby Dr. location of Goode Co. Barbeque has rolled out a bi-weekly features menu that will showcase limited edition menu items every Thursday-Sunday. This week’s specials include a jalapeno-cheddar sausage and slow-smoked beef ribs. Plus, families can order a platter with three pounds of meat and three sides.

Photo by Rebekah Flores

Yuma is now open on Washington Avenue.

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