Five things to know

5 things to know in Houston food right now: Openings, kudos, and a must-hit Anti Burger Club night

Editor’s note: Houston’s restaurant scene moves pretty fast. Even with ace food editor Eric Sandler enjoying a well-deserved vacation, we’d hate CultureMap readers to miss anything — so here’s all the latest news to know.

Openings and closings

7 Brew Drive-Thru Coffee recently opened up shop in Spring's Town Center at 21420 Kuykendahl Rd. The brand looks to change how people think about their drive-thru brews, elevating the experience to include premium coffee selections, hand-crafted beverages, and exceptional service.

Photo by Eric Sandler

Ono Poke's signature bowl of tuna and salmon.

“Our goal is to bring joy and make a connection with every guest. As 7 Brew expands throughout Texas, we are excited to make lasting friendships with every drink we serve," said Lauren Farris, 7 Brew's general manager, in a release marking the opening.

The brand plans to open 80 locations across Texas. Java lovers can expect not only a wide selection of coffees, lattes, and hot and cold drinks, but opportunities to engage with the brand on upcoming "Community Hours" and "Charity Days." These activites are tied to 7 Brew's mission of making an impact in communities where it operates.

Tacos Y Tortas Adrian, long a Katy favorite for authentic Mexican street food, just opened a new location in Cypress at 20323 FM 529. The grand opening bash featured both a DJ and live band, along with the restaurant's signature dishes, free queso and giveaways. The new location marks the restaurant's sixth imprint and its first in the Cypress area.

“I love sharing my passion for the flavors of authentic Mexican street food and excited to bring those traditions to the Cypress area,” said Miguel Jimenez, the owner, in a press release announcing the opening. “We have been serving the Katy area for almost 20 years and the whole Adrian’s family is excited to be opening our first location in Cypress. We are looking forward to celebrating our grand opening with our new neighbors.”

Ono Poke, one of Houston's first poke spots, served its last dish on Saturday. Seven years ago, the restaurant opened in on Richmond Avenue in what was the former Bowl Cafe space. Serving up raw fish salads and signature bowls with rice, proteins and sauces, Ono offered serious poke at a reasonable prices. The restaurant announced the closure on its Instagram, noting that the One Allen location in downtown remains open for those needing a poke fix and teasing that its new concept was nearing its soft opening.

Upcoming events

Former Good Morning America “United States of Burgers” finalist and Galleria-area fave Burger-Chan is hosting a one-night Anti Burger Club event at at 6:30 pm August 16.

This exclusive dining experience is in partnership with Burger-Chan's neighbor Hidden Omasake; the multi-course menu is designed by Chefs Niki Vongthong and Willet Feng. Expect offerings drawing from the pair's love for Japanese food plus a sprinkling of Southeast Asian influences. The cost is $175 per person and reservations can be made online.

National kudos

Beloved wild game and outdoor dining destination Rainbow Lodge has landed on Southern Living's Legendary Southern Steakhouses list. For 45 years, the Ella Boulevard mainstay has been the go-to for exotic game and seafood, served from its perch along Buffalo — and later White Oak - Bayou. "...[W]ild game like bison and elk take center stage in a log cabin-inspired dining room," noted Southern Living's entry on the restaurant, which also referenced the lodge's popularity as a spot for parties and celebrations.

service switcheroo

Street food-inspired Houston restaurant swaps counter service for servers

Photo by Andrew Hemingway

Traveler's Cart is add new dishes to its menu, including steak frites and chicken parm.

A globally-inspired Houston restaurant is making a big change to its service model. Traveler’s Cart will switch from counter service to full service beginning this Monday, November 17.

When owners Thy and Matthew Mitchell opened Traveler’s Cart last year as a more casual sister concept to Traveler’s Table, their globally-inspired Montrose restaurant, they decided counter service would match the restaurant’s street food-inspired menu and lower price point. With a year of experience, they’ve decided full service — where diners sit down and order from a server — will improve the customer experience in a number of ways.

First, they noticed that some of their online reviews go to great lengths to explain the ordering process. Moving to traditional table service will elimination that confusion.

“We want to be like a great brasserie or izakaya where people come and enjoy food and drinks at a reasonable price,” Matthew Mitchell tells CultureMap. “There’s a lack of intuitiveness about the process right now. Almost a year in, we’re still having to explain where you go and how you order. That tells you we probably missed the mark.”

He also recognizes that the inherent uncertainty of counter service — people are concerned about how long they’ll have to wait to order and whether a table will be available once they do — limits the restaurant’s appeal as a date night option or for larger groups who want the certainty of having a place to sit.

Even though the restaurant has been a financial success, according to Mitchell, he thinks Traveler’s Cart is missing out on revenue with its counter service model. “I think people order less at the counter. You may not order a cocktail, and you certainly won’t get back up and order more drinks,” he says.

Switching to full service will also help the restaurant’s perceived value. With entrees mostly priced between $15 and $25, the restaurant may feel expensive relative to other fast casual restaurants. Once servers are added, Mitchell thinks diners will appreciate the value, particularly since its prices are about half of sister concept Traveler’s Table.

“I feel like the food quality is outstanding for the price, but when it crosses that $20 or $30 threshold, people perceive it as pricey,” he says.

Traveler’s Cart has other ways to enhance the value of its offering, such as its $18, three-course lunch that includes iced tea or a fountain drink. Happy hour, available Monday through Friday from 3-6 pm, includes $8 cocktails, $3 drafts, $8 small plates, and more.

Along with the new service model, Travelers Cart is updating its menu with a number of new dishes. They include Thai chili queso, Baja shrimp tacos, salmon donburi bowl, chicken parmesan, and steak frites. The cocktail menu has also been refreshed with a Mexican espresso martini and a Tuk Tuk Old Fashioned, named for the vehicle that now sits in front of the restaurant’s entrance.

Recently recognized by the Texas Restaurant Association as Restaurateurs of the Year for the Houston region, the Mitchells hope that these changes will lead to even more success. With the service style refined and the menu dialed in, they’re already looking for another location.

Photo by Andrew Hemingway

Traveler's Cart is add new dishes to its menu, including steak frites and chicken parm.

news-you-can-eat