Allen Parkway's new mixed-use development will soon be home to an intriguing new restaurant from a talented culinary couple. Chefs Kirthan and Kripa Shenoy will launch their Nitecap Hospitality with Auden in the Autry Park project.

Auden will be a homecoming for Houston native Kirthan Shenoy, who will serve as Auden's executive chef. After attending culinary school in New York, Kirthan has worked in key roles at a number of prominent New York restaurants, including for chef Michael White at his Michelin-starred restaurant Marea and Al Fiori. Prior to returning home to Houston, he worked as a sous chef for Brooklyn's Nitehawk Cinema, where he created tasting menus inspired by movie themes and characters.

Similarly, pastry chef Kripa Shenoy also worked at Marea, which currently holds one Michelin star and earned the 2010 James Beard Award for best new restaurant in America.

Together, they'll create a restaurant that will serve vegetable-forward, globally inspired cuisine that will utilize seasonal, sustainable ingredients. Specifics are light, but the food will reflect Houston's diversity and change with the seasons.

“We’re thrilled to open our first concept in my hometown, and to have it located in Autry Park, which promises to become a hotspot for local culinary talent,” Kirthan Shenoy said in a statement. “Auden means ‘old friend,’ and we hope the approachable and relatable dishes we’ll serve evoke feelings of familiarity and comfort in both the hearts and stomachs of our guests.”

In terms of design, the 2,800-square-foot restaurant will feature floor-to-ceiling windows with a view of Buffalo Bayou Park and a living wall. It's expected to seat 150 people.

Autry Park will also feature two new restaurants from Ben Berg: Turner's Cut, a luxurious steakhouse, and Annabelle's, an all-day brasserie with a view of Buffalo Bayou.

Developed by local real estate firms Lionstone Investments and Hanover Company, Autry Park occupies 14 acres on the western edge of Buffalo Bayou Park. The project's three-phase masterplan includes five towers encompassing 1,450 residential units, 350,000 square feet of Class A office space, and 100,000 square feet of retail, according to a press release.

“We could not be more excited for Auden’s soon-to-come arrival,” added Matt Ragan of Rebees, Hanover’s retail partner in the project. “The Shenoys are extremely talented chefs, and their collective culinary prowess will add further depth to Autry Park’s pool of up-and-coming restaurant talent."