raise the bar

Aaron Bludorn's Michelin-recognized tavern sets Woodlands opening date

Cherif Mbodji, Victoria Bludorn, Aaron Bludorn

Bludorn Hospitality Group partners Cherif Mbodji, Victoria Pappas Bludorn, and Aaron Bludorn.

Photo by Duc Hoang

The eagerly anticipated location of Bar Bludorn in The Woodlands will open on Saturday, September 26, the restaurant announced.

Located in the former Baker St. Pub & Grill space at 25 Waterway Ave., it’s the first restaurant outside central Houston for Bludorn Hospitality Group, the award-winning Houston company behind three Michelin-recognized restaurants — French-influenced fine dining flagship Bludorn, French and Gulf Coast-inspired Perseid in the Hotel Saint Augustine, and Bar Bludorn’s original location in Memorial. The company also operates Navy Blue, a seafood restaurant in Rice Village, and a still-unnamed restaurant that’s expected to open later this year in San Antonio. The company is led by chef Aaron Bludorn, his wife, Victoria Pappas Bludorn, and their business partner, Cherif Mbodji.

"Expanding beyond Central Houston is a big step for us, and Howard Hughes Communities has been a great partner to take it with," chef and co-owner Aaron Bludorn said in a statement. "We are excited to introduce a menu and experience that reflects The Woodlands while still delivering the same Houston-inspired hospitality our guests know from Bar Bludorn in Memorial.”

While the restaurant hasn’t released its full menu, the tavern-style establishment is expected to serve many of the same items as its Memorial sibling, including signatures such as the country ham beignets, short rib pastrami sandwich, and fried chicken with peanut butter gravy. However, seasonal dishes such as pastas and salads will be unique to each location.

BHG worked with the Houston office of global giant Gensler on the location’s design. It offers both a private dining room and a patio — neither of which are available in Memorial. Pictures of the interior will be shared closer to opening.

When Howard Hughes announced the restaurant last year, chef Bludorn told CultureMap that the location in The Woodlands’ Waterway District appealed to him due to its proximity to both the area’s two largest hotels and the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavillion.

“I love the idea of our restaurant not only being a place for people to go out to dinner, whether they live in or outside of The Woodlands, but also for the offices to have happy hour,” Aaron Bludorn said.

openings news-you-can-eat bar bludorn the woodlands

All-day cafe with boutique hotel vibes coming to downtown Houston

Rendering courtesy of Rebees

Lila's is the newest restaurant to arrive at GreenStreet, the three-block downtown complex.

Downtown Houston is adding a new restaurant to its roster with Lila’s at GreenStreet. Slated to open this fall, Lila’s is envisioned as an all-day New American restaurant that starts the day with coffee and breakfast and ends with dinner and cocktails.

Located at 1201 Fannin Street, Lila's occupies a 5,100-square-foot space in the former lobby of the office tower, with its entrance tucked into an alleyway between McCormick & Schmick’s and The Palm. The restaurant aims to capture the experience of a boutique hotel, without the hassle of overnight guests.

“We’ve spent years thinking about how hospitality can fundamentally change the experience of a place,” Matt Ragan, chief hospitality officer for Rebees, said in a statement. “With Lila’s, we’re taking the level of service, attention to detail, and sense of welcome you expect from a great boutique hotel and applying it to an everyday restaurant. We want someone grabbing coffee before work, meeting a client for lunch or settling in for dinner and drinks to feel equally at home.”

Executive chef Garee Battad will lead the kitchen, drawing on his two decades of experience largely at hotel restaurants such as Nobu at Hotel Crescent Court and Charlie Palmer at The Joule Dallas. His most recent position was as executive chef at Azumi, the elevated Japanese restaurant in River Oaks District.

“Some of the most memorable restaurants where I’ve worked have been gathering places inside great hotels, and that’s the spirit and sense of place we’re bringing to Lila’s,” Battad said. “We want every dish to feel familiar yet unexpected.”

Behind the bar, mixologist Zach Smigiel is crafting an ingredient-forward cocktail program with a focus on seasonal flavors, complemented by a wine list, local beers, and nonalcoholic beverages.

The eatery is the latest endeavor by Rebees, the Houston-based hospitality management firm behind GreenStreet, and its second venture into the culinary world. Its first was Dallas restaurant Billy Can Can, led by executive chef and partner Matt Ford, who will also develop Lila’s menu alongside Battad. Lila’s is named after a French Bulldog owned by Rebees founder Tristan Simon.

This is the hospitality firm’s second endeavor into the culinary world, joining its Dallas restaurant Billy Can Can, led by executive chef and partner Matt Ford. Ford will also be developing Lila’s menu alongside Battad.

Tenants of GreenStreet, the three-block, mixed-use development, will be able to order meals and drinks from Lila’s directly to their offices through a proprietary app.

Rendering courtesy of Rebees

Lila's is the newest restaurant to arrive at GreenStreet, the three-block downtown complex.