Bryan Caswell is back. Six years after closing Reef, the pioneering Gulf Coast seafood restaurant in Midtown that earned him a Food & Wine Best New Chef award and a James Beard Award finalist nomination, the chef has opened Latuli in Houston’s upscale Memorial neighborhood.
Located just off the Katy Fwy at 8900 Gaylord Dr., Latuli takes its name from the children (Lawson, Tucker and Lillie) of Caswell’s business partner Allison Knight, a former commercial real estate executive turned hospitality entrepreneur who attended culinary school to prepare for opening a restaurant. Described in press materials as serving Gulf Coast cuisine that incorporates Cajun, Mexican, Italian, Asian, and South Texas ranch-inspired fare, Latuli’s menu also includes nods to Caswell’s history of operating restaurants in Houston. In addition to Reef, the chef owned Stella Sola, an Italian restaurant that drew critical acclaim during its two-year run in the Heights, and El Real Tex-Mex Cafe, a Montrose favorite that closed in 2019.
Meals at Latuli could begin with bites from its raw bar such as snapper tiradito, ahi tuna, or shrimp cocktail. Shareable starters include the “Double Dip,” a shareable plate that includes both smoked redfish dip and pimento cheese, heirloom tomato salad, an extra large meatball, and the chicken and hummus that was a favorite at PostScript, the short-lived River Oaks restaurant where Caswell consulted on the opening menu.
Other items on the menu include the crab cake that once earned a shout out from Jay Z, the pork chop that was a Reef staple, wild boar ragu, and wagyu barbacoa. The restaurant will serve steaks from Texas ranches such as 44 Farms, R-C Ranch, and Knight's own Rafter K.
Those dishes will be paired with selections from a 100 bottle wine list chosen by sommelier Jeb Stuart, a Houston hospitality veteran who’s best known for his time as the opening general manager of Coltivare. Similarly, the cocktail program focuses on classics that are designed to pair well with the food.
Knight enlisted New York-based Alfredo Paredes Studio to design the ground-up build. The two-story space includes an upstairs private dining room, a covered patio, and a spacious main dining room. Details include curtains made from vintage blankets, wrought iron signage inspired by Knight’s ranch, and signed Picassos from Knight’s personal art collection.
“This looks and feels exactly as we intended,” Knight said in a statement. “Alfredo and I approached the project with a shared love for spaces that tell a story. Many of the pieces, including a few treasures we found in the nearby antiques mecca of Round Top, carry personal meaning and history. Every aspect of Latuli reflects that sense of warmth and comfort we envisioned from the start.”
Photo by Frank Frances
The restaurant occupies a ground-up build.
A to-go window will expedite orders for people in the Stomping Grounds' green space.Courtesy of Stomping Grounds