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    underbelly closes

    Chris Shepherd reveals why he closed Underbelly, secret behind name of new restaurant

    Steven Devadanam
    Mar 31, 2018 | 2:35 pm
    Chris Shepherd crop
    Celebrated restaurateur Chris Shepherd promises a bit of old and new with Underbelly's new iteration.
    Photo by Julie Soefer

    It’s a day so highly anticipated — and in many circles, dreaded — it’s a wonder that Houston congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee hasn’t declared March 31, 2018 as Underbelly Day.

    Lauded chef-owner Chris Shepherd’s signature showcase — which the New York Times dubbed “Houston’s statement restaurant,” and which Shepherd describes as “showing the diversity of our city through food” — is closing.

    Underbelly has become one of this city’s most heralded restaurants for its local ingredients, and inspiration taken from Houston's immigrant communities. In 2011, Time Magazine named Underbelly the most anticipated new restaurant in America. In 2013, Underbelly was reviewed by the New York Times; a year later, Shepherd (a food star in his own right) secured the coveted James Beard Award for Best Chef — Southwest.

    More recently, in 2016, Shepherd cooked at Jimmy Kimmel's Emmy Awards After Party. Earlier this year, Underbelly and Shepherd were featured on David Chang's Netflix foodie show, Ugly Delicious.

    As CultureMap’s Eric Sandler has reported, big things are on the way for Underbelly, and indeed, Shepherd’s entire operation. Underbelly will transform into a new steakhouse called Georgia James (after Shepherd's parents) that takes many of its dishes and inspiration from One Fifth Steak.

    Underbelly will evolve into a new restaurant called UB Preserv, and will occupy the space that formerly housed Poscol. Shepherd is reworking One Fifth into a new concept that takes its inspiration from the Mediterranean. UB Preserv, is scheduled to open in mid-April. One Fifth Romance Languages will close on July 31, 2018, and reopen September 1, 2018. Shepherd and his team will essentially open three new restaurants in the span of approximately six months.

    CultureMap caught up with Shepherd who, in the midst of an upheaval and transformation of his culinary empire, is at once excited and nostalgic.

    CultureMap: Congratulations are in order, but how are you handling the emotions of this change?"

    Chris Shepherd:
    It’s an emotional day — peaks and valleys. One minute you're like, ‘This is awesome!’ The next minute, you’re like, ‘Man...fuck.’ The other night I was standing there, and we had just started service, and I was looking around at all my staff: These people gave their lives, for a long time, for this.

    CM: They clearly believe in you.

    CS: There’s a belief in that restaurant, and it was there from Day One. There was belief that we could highlight our city, and highlight our friends, and highlight the cultures in this city. When we first opened, we had sous chefs and chefs who just wanted be line cooks — because this place has a meaning. To see that go through this evolution in six years, it’ll take you back a minute.

    CM: But you’re looking forward, in this case, to Georgia James.

    CS:
    Yeah, I wanna do a steakhouse that changes the way steaks are looked at — it doesn’t have to be in a broiler — that you can do cast iron. I don’t have a setup if it doesn’t work. I’m not putting a broiler in there to be like, ‘In case we can’t cast-iron sear, let’s throw it in the broiler — that doesn’t work. It’s set up to do it one way, and one way only.’

    CM: For a lot of fans and foodies, there’s a big ‘Chris, why now?’ floating around.

    CS:
    Yeah, you know, I had this conversation with everyone, and they said, ‘No, you can’t close Underbelly.’ But I’m not closing, I’m evolving. I look at my staff, and I think, ‘They need more.’ And it’s my responsibility to make sure we can fulfill their lives too. They’ve given their time, their thought, and their effort, and so it’s time to help them grow as well. I don’t want a shit-show, a ‘go-go-go,’ I want something consistent so that my staff can grow, too.

    CM: So, looking forward to UB Preserv: You’ve been challenged by your publicist Lindsey Brown to produce Houston's best dumplings. How’s the recipe coming?

    CS: The filling is dope as shit — it’s amazing. It‘s just pork and ginger, but it's soft and pillowy. It’s perfect. Sometimes you get a dumpling filling that’s really tough and chewy — the worst dumpling is the chewy skin and the chewy filling. But we have a nice, soft filling. Lindsey wants me to be as good as Lam Zao in New York.

    CM: Aside from amazing dumplings, what else can we expect from UB Preserv?

    CS: It’s hitting the reset button a little bit. We went with only local produce, and only whole-animal, everything from within 150 miles, but then I open a can of coconut milk and fuck — I feel guilty.

    CM: That’s a lot of pressure.

    CS: Yeah. So, we’re still gonna focus on our farmers, but I don’t need to get in whole pigs every week — that can’t be our only source of protein. We’re still gonna source responsibly, but it’s gonna have to be more consistent and focused.

    CM: There’s a significance to the new name, one that you haven’t really shared.

    CS: When we came up with the name ‘Preserv,’ it was preserving the culture and the heritage and where we’ve come from.

    CM: And the spelling?

    CS: Yeah, I know it’s not spelled right — there’s no ‘e’ at the end. But there’s a reason for that: it’s not finished yet. We’re preserving where we’re at, but we’re not done — we gotta keep going and changing.

    CM: You’re essentially opening three new restaurants in one year, which is, um…

    CS: Insane.

    CM: How are you doing it?

    CS: It’s not gonna be as hard as we think. We’ll spend a couple of months on UB Preserv. With Georgia James, we’re picking up the menu from One Fifth, and dropping that in — little will change with that. And we’re 122 days away from One Fifth reopening, but we’re already talking about things like pita.

    CM: What are you and the staff doing for closing night?

    CS: Between my sous chefs, and my cooks, and my servers who’ve been there since Day One, and my bartenders, and bussers and dishwashers — it’s gonna be a big hug-fest. There are some things planned. We’re doing our Undies — the Undie Awards. Every year we do these awards, we give our cooks props: best dish, biggest mess.

    CM: You’ve got a cookbook coming out too, next spring?

    CS: Putting out a cookbook is a lot of work. You have conversations you never thought you’d have. It’s about breaking down walls, learning people and who they are. The closest thing and first thing you can do is find people through food. Then, you can have a conversation, because then, you’re feeding your soul and finding common ground.

    CM: Will there be a lot of how-to in the book?

    CS: Oh yeah. There’ll be some stuff we’ve never done before. It’s not for a coffee table: it’s to get dirty, and get used. It’s easy to cook out of.

    CM: Obviously for now, it’s time to bid farewell to Underbelly. How have the crowds been?

    CS: We have people coming in who’ve never eaten here. And then we’ve got people who’ve gotten engaged here. I’m hearing everyone’s story right now. One table told me how they had their first date here, then every anniversary here. That’s what gets me the most: this place has only been open for six years, but it’s become something to so many people.

    That’s what we learned: Underbelly isn’t a restaurant, it’s a philosophy; it’s a way of life.

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    news/restaurants-bars

    Drop it like it's hot

    Houston farmers market adds new indoor pickleball court with food and cocktails

    Brianna Griff
    Jun 18, 2025 | 1:00 pm
    Drop Shots HTX indoor pickleball courts
    Photo by Abante Photography
    Drop Shots HTX celebrates its grand opening this Saturday, June 21.

    Pickleball isn’t going anywhere — the racquet sport continues to score with Houstonians. The newest player on the city’s crowded court, Drop Shots HTX, stands out for one big reason: it’s entirely indoors.

    Drop Shots HTX indoor pickleball courts
      

    Photo by Abante Photography

    Drop Shots HTX celebrates its grand opening this Saturday, June 21.

    Opening June 21, Drop Shots HTX is the brainchild of hospitality veterans Roveen Abante (Conservatory Galleria, Duchess), Chase Lovullo (Conservatory Galleria), and Shawn Outlaw.

    “We didn’t just want to open a bar,” co-founder Roveen Abante said in a statement. “We built a space where people connect, whether they’re playing or not. There’s something for everyone here.”

    Drop Shots HTX is marking its grand opening on June 21 from 12-11 pm, offering all-day open play for $5 along with $5 food and drink specials. Live DJs and giveaways will add to the experience.

    Patrons can soak up the A/C while slapping balls across one of the six professional-grade indoor courts. Off the court, guests can engage in friendly competitions of skee-ball, ping pong, arcade basketball, and cornhole in the second-floor lounge. Nine screens make up one wall in the mezzanine, ideal for catching the latest game, or can be expanded into one 195-inch television.

    Clutch City Kitchen will keep the players' appetite at bay with pizzas, sandwiches, and acai bowls. For hydration, an indoor/outdoor full bar will have 10 signature pickleball-themed cocktails, mocktails, and fresh juices crafted from local fruits and veggies.

    “Some venues lean into serious competition, we lean into fun,” added co-founder Shawn Outlaw. “We’re the only indoor pickleball facility inside the Loop with a full bar, kitchen, lounge, and patio. But more than that, we’re the only one that feels like your new favorite neighborhood hangout, even if you never touch a paddle.”

    Events like Glow-in-the-Dark Fridays, Tacos and Tequila Saturdays, and Pancakes and Pickball mornings add a twist to the typical pickleball match. Bring the kids—the venue is family-friendly until 10pm.

    “We created Drop Shots HTX because we fell in love with a game that brings generations together,” Outlaw said. “From our 10-year-olds to our 65-year-old parents, pickleball is for everyone. And so is this space.”

    Drop Shots HTX is located at 2520 Airline Drive, Building A, Suite 100. It’s open Monday through Thursday from 12-11pm, Friday from 12 pm-12 am, and Saturday and Sunday from 11 am-11 pm.

    nightlifeopeningspickleballdrop shots htxthe-heights
    news/restaurants-bars

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