here comes the breeze

Veteran French chef blows into Bellaire with a new neighborhood bistro

One of Houston’s most well-regarded French chefs has opened a new restaurant in Bellaire. Bistro Mistral is the latest project from chef David Denis,

Located in the former P King Chinese Food space at 5313 Bellaire Blvd, Bistro Mistral continues the legacy of Le Mistral, chef Denis’ celebrated French restaurant in the Energy Corridor that closed in 2019. In 2023, Denis opened Cocody, a fine dining French restaurant in the River Oaks Shopping Center, but he parted ways with that restaurant in October 2025. Denis also recently rebranded Memorial’s Bistro 555 as Bistro Mistral, giving the restaurant two locations.

At Bistro Mistral, Denis is serving classic French fare such as French onion soup, escargot, beef bourguignon, duck cassoulet, and more. The dessert menu features staples such as profiteroles, tarte tatin, and creme brulee. An extensive selection of French wines can be paired with the restaurant’s dishes.

Bistro Mistral is open for lunch and dinner service Wednesday through Friday, brunch and dinner on Saturday, and brunch on Sunday. It is closed Monday and Tuesday.

“Bistro Mistral represents my lifelong passion for French cuisine and hospitality,” chef Denis said in a statement. “My goal has always been to share the artistry I’ve built over the years by blending tradition with refinement and elegance. It is truly an honor to bring this experience to the Bellaire community.”

Courtesy of Bistro Mistral

Bistro Mistral serves classic fare like French onion soup.

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a major award

Houston sushi spot's Dubai outpost named to prestigious 50 best list

Courtesy of Duckstache Hospitality

Kokoro's original Dubai location received the award.

The Dubai location of a Houston-based Japanese restaurant has been named one of the best restaurants in the Middle East. Kokoro ranks No. 15 on the Middle East & North Africa’s 50 Best Restaurants list.

Presented by the same organization as the prestigious World’s 50 Best Restaurants list, Kokoro earned recognition for its location in Al Quoz, Dubai, one of three locations in the city. Considered to be the city’s first handroll bar (according to press materials), the list’s authors praise the restaurant’s whimsical design and the signature temaki that Houstonians know well.

“Pristine nori-wrapped parcels packed with crunchy, creamy and zesty elements — Kokoro's hand rolls are the highlight of the menu,” the entry reads in part. “Made to order with the likes of Japanese yellowtail, salmon, Hokkaido scallop and marbled A5 wagyu beef, each cone-shaped offering combines the freshest of ingredients with masterfully prepared rice to create a handheld package that's big on precision, but small on pretence.”

Chefs Daniel Lee and Patrick Pham opened the original Kokoro in Houston’s Bravery Chef Hall in 2019. Since then, the duo’s Duckstache Hospitality has expanded with three locations of handroll concept Handies Douzo, Garden Oaks sushi restaurant Himari, Kokoro Handroll Bar in The Woodlands, Doko and Bar Doko in Autry Park, and Aiko, their Washington Avenue restaurant that won Best New Restaurant in the 2023 CultureMap Tastemaker Awards.

In Dubai, the company partnered with FYTE Hospitality. Like its Houston locations, the Dubai restaurants are adorned with Duckstache’s signature “duckies” — a whimsical element that bridges the more than 8,000 miles that separates the two cities.

“Dubai’s food scene is one of the most diverse in the world. The culinary landscape of this city is always evolving, and we saw an opportunity to bring something new to the market while staying true to what we’ve built in Houston,” Lee said in a statement. “Kokoro is all about quality, precision, and that made-to-order experience and now we get to share that with Dubai while still giving Houstonians something familiar to smile about when they walk in.”

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