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    OKRA rises

    Bobby Heugel's new restaurant group gains concessions in the parking ordinancefight

    Whitney Radley
    Dec 2, 2011 | 10:18 am

    Members of OKRA, Houston's newly-minted Organized Kooperative on Restaurant Affairs, made an official public appearance at the City of Houston Planning Commission on Thursday. The topic was, yet again, the much-debated proposed Off-Street Parking Ordinance.

    At a previous public meeting on Nov. 17, Anvil co-owner Bobby Heugel voiced concern with not only the city's parking ordinance alterations, but also what he saw as a larger-scale attack on small, local businesses. He alluded to an organized effort on the part of independent restaurants and bar owners in the near future to combat infringements.

    That organization came to light this Tuesday, more than a week after a formal written response was sent to the Planning Commission regarding the proposed parking ordinance.

    "This is how we make sausage here at the city."

    At the start of Thursday's meeting, Marlene Gafrick, director of Houston's Planning and Development Department, acknowledged that concerns and input from community organizations like OKRA and Bike Houston will continue to be taken into account in revisions to the ordinance.

    "This is how we make sausage here at the city," said Gafrick, by way of apology for the thorough break downs and drawn-out explanations. Through forums, meetings and work sessions, the commission will think through and consolidate proposed changes to the current ordinance, which has hardly been altered since its adoption in 1989.

    Which makes a meeting like this one — when players list endless pros and cons for changes to parking regulations and bicycle-parking-for-vehicle-parking exchange rates are calculated over and over again — an exercise in patience.

    The commission granted several concessions to OKRA, including the consideration of a tiered approach to parking requirements for restaurants and bars based on square footage. However, this approach would only be applied to freestanding buildings within the "urban area" (that boundary, either the 610 Loop or Beltway 8, is as yet undecided), and city officials plan to closely examine square footage breakdowns before dividing restaurants/bars into small, medium and large tiers (read more in Section IV of the response).

    After another work session on Dec. 8, the Planning Commission will present the proposed parking ordinance to the City Council for consideration.

    unspecified
    news/restaurants-bars

    a fresh start

    Award-winning Houston cocktail bar diverts to new home in Montrose

    Eric Sandler
    Jun 12, 2025 | 5:00 pm
    Diversion cocktail bar Montrose
    Photo by Manoah Rodriguez
    The Vilanova Ritual is prepared tableside in a teapot.

    An award-winning Houston cocktail bar has found a new home. Diversión will reopen Thursday, June 19 in Montrose’s food-focused Harlow District development.

    Located at 1226 W Clay Street, Diversión Montrose will occupy one of the two houses that comprise Emma Jane, the European-inspired teahouse that opened last year. It replaces the original location of Diversión that opened in early 2021 in Spring Branch. Both Diversión’s original location and Degust, its companion tasting menu restaurant, quietly closed last year.

    Known for its polished service and elaborate cocktails, Esquire magazine named Diversión’s original iteration to its list of the Best New Bar in America for 2022. That ethos has been “refreshed” to be “a more intimate and playful setting,” according to press materials.

    Patrons will find a new cocktail menu that includes drinks such as the Operation: ‘White Flame’ (vodka, dry vermouth, Earl Grey, and caviar); the Sand Dollar Beach, an on-trend mini martini; and the Vilanova Ritual, which is prepared for two people in one of Emma Jane’s signature tea pots. Food options include Korean fried chicken, a Japanese-style mushroom salad (sunomono), and caviar service with crème fraiche dip, soy caramel, and crepes.

    While the original Diversión required a special trip to Spring Branch, the new one could be one stop on an evening in the Harlow District. Located on the property that served as the home to treasured Italian restaurants Nino's, Vincent's, and Grappino di Nino, the development now includes upscale Italian restaurant La Griglia, premier sushi spot Katami, and lively patio bar Verde Garden.

    Diversión will be open Tuesday-Sunday from 5 pm-1 am.


    Diversion cocktail bar Montrose
      

    Photo by Manoah Rodriguez

    The Vilanova Ritual is prepared tableside in a teapot.

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    news/restaurants-bars

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