What's Eric Eating Episode 220

Inside CityCentre's eclectic new gathering spot, plus high-style Italian in The Heights

On this week's episode of "What's Eric Eating," Aaron Lyons and chef Brandi Key join CultureMap food editor Eric Sandler to discuss Daily Gather. Scheduled to open in late December or early January in CityCentre, Daily Gather will be an eclectic restaurant designed to service a diverse array of needs.

The conversation begins with Key discussing her decision to join Five 12 Restaurant Concepts, the company behind Daily Gather and Dish Society. Lyons, Five 12's founder and CEO, explains why Key was the right fit for the job.

From there, Lyons and Key dive into all aspects of Daily Gather, including the overall concept, menu format, and design details. Slotting between a fast casual restaurant like Dish Society and some of CityCentre's more fine dining options like Capital Grille, Daily Gather aims to be flexible enough to serve as a lunch and happy hour for area office workers as well as a family-friendly option that will include a kid's menu.

Lyons also provides an update on his plans to grow Dish Society beyond its six Houston-area outposts. Revealing that he recently returned from a trip to Austin to scout for locations, he predicts it will debut in a new Texas city sometime in 2022.

Finally, Sandler asks Key about the current state of the restaurant industry. The chef, who will need to hire Daily Gather's staff, sees opportunity coming out of the pandemic.

One of the things I keep reminding myself is that people who are applying for jobs who want to come into the industry, all of these people have a true desire to be in this spot. Maybe their perspective isn't what I've looked for in the past. I've had people come in, maybe they don't have the experience to be an amazing line cook, but they have a skillset from another job. We'll teach you how to be a line cook. I think there's a lot of potential in how we treat out staff, how we develop people, and how we gain passion back. The people who are in it right now, I just find it so refreshing.

Prior to the interview, Sandler and co-host Linda Salinas discuss the news of the week. Their topics include the two exciting restaurants coming to the Blossom Hotel in the Medical Center; Mala Sichuan opening a new location in the M-K-T mixed-use development; and Goode Company's plans to swap barbecue for seafood in The Woodlands.

In the restaurant of the week segment, they discuss a recent meal at Trattoria Sofia. Tune in to hear their thoughts ono Ben Berg's high-style Italian restaurant that just opened in The Heights.

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Aaron Lyons, second from left, and Brandi Key are this week's guests.

Daily Gather Trent Patterson Aaron Lyons Brandi Key

Photo by Kimberly Park

Aaron Lyons, second from left, and Brandi Key are this week's guests.

news-you-can-eat podcasts interview

an offer he couldn't refuse

Exclusive: Killen's Barbecue will soon shutter in The Woodlands

Killen's barbecue meat platter with sides

Photo by Robert Jacob Lerma

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Fans of Killen’s Barbecue’s location in The Woodlands have a days to make one last visit. The restaurant will close this Sunday, December 7, chef-owner Ronnie Killen tells CultureMap.

Open since 2021, Killen says that he’s in final negotiations to sell the location at 8800 Six Pines Dr. to Whataburger for a new location of the iconic Texas fast food restaurant. Neither the original location of Killen’s Barbecue in Pearland nor its Cypress location are affected by the closure of The Woodlands and will remain open.

“Whataburger made me a deal I couldn’t pass up. It would take 10 years to do that kind of revenue,” Killen writes in a text, adding that the company recently made a significant payment to keep the deal’s window open through the end of the year.

He added that the costs to operate the restaurant have gone up significantly. As one example, a cord of wood cost $175 when he opened the first Killen’s Barbecue in 2013. It costs $475 now, he writes.

If the deal falls through, Killen states that he could look for a new buyer or convert the restaurant into a second location of Killen’s Burger, the retro-styled burger joint he operates in Pearland.

The restaurant’s closure had been expected since February, when Killen sold The Woodlands’ location of Killen's Steakhouse. At the time, Killen said he also planned to find a buyer for his barbecue joint in the bustling suburb. He cited the driving distance from Pearland to The Woodlands as one reason he chose to divest both locations. He still operates Killen's Steakhouse in Pearland, comfort food restaurant Killen's near the Heights, Killen's Burger, and three other locations of Killen's Barbecue.

As it approaches its 13th anniversary in the spring, Killen’s Barbecue remains a vital part of Houston’s barbecue scene. The restaurant recently earned an honorable mention from Texas Monthly and holds a Bib Gourmand designation in the Michelin Guide. In July, it opened a new location at Hobby Airport.

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