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.

Image of the dining room at Rainbow Lodge, with a table for six in the foreground, with a white tablecloth and a vase of orange lilies,; the room overlooks the wooded bayou.

Photo courtesy of Rainbow Lodge

Long known and loved for its wild game and seafood, Rainbow Lodge made Southern Living's list of Legendary Southern Steakhouses.

“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.

What's Eric Eating Episodes 518 and 519

Meet the men behind River Oaks' new destination for bowls and broth

Photo by Becca Wright

Find Honest Mary's in the River Oaks Shopping Center.

On this week’s episode of “What’s Eric Eating,” Honest Mary’s founder Nelson Monteith and COO Andrew Wiseheart joined CultureMap editor Eric Sandler to discuss the Austin-based restaurant that just opened its first Houston location in the River Oaks Shopping Center (2047-A West Gray St).

Monteith shares that he started the restaurant in 2017 in order to fulfill his vision of a restaurant which could serve food that’s fast, fresh, and affordable. A trained chef who operated pioneering Austin restaurant Contigo, Wiseheart joined the group to bring both culinary expertise and operational acumen to the grouping company.

Part of what sets Honest Mary’s apart is that diners can add cooked vegetables to the rice and proteins at the heart of every bowl. The “Market Sides” section includes an array of roasted vegetables — including sweet potatoes, cauliflower, broccoli, beets, and Brussels sprouts — as well as black beans, maple-glazed carrots, and green lentils. Bowls can be further enhanced with toppings such as Texas pecans, crispy chickpeas, goat cheese, avocado, and apples as well as sauces such as creamy poblano, cashew lime crema, sesame vinaigrette, spicy peanut, chimichurri and apple cider vinaigrette

Monteith explains that looking at the ingredients on display usually inspires him when he’s deciding what to eat at Honest Mary’s.

“I will almost always look at the line and see what looks fresh and good,” Monteith says. “Today, I got the salted kale with white rice. Then, I got garlic-pepper steak. I added on lentils — they’re my go-to in the winter. They blend everything together, and I love it Then Brussels sprouts looked green. I got some jalapenos. Avocados, cause that’s healthy. Then I got the chimichurri sauce.”

Honest Mary’s is also known for its hearty broths, a classic chicken and a vegetarian option made with seaweed and mushroom. Sandler raves about the chicken broth to Wiseheart, who shares how it’s made.

“We spent six or seven months testing recipes and drinking it ourselves to see if it’s a good idea,” Wiseheart says. “I talk about it as a great complement to the menu. It’s healthy. It’s really simple. Most of the kitchens I came up with were rooted in French cuisine. This is just chicken stock with salt in it.”

Listen to the full episode to hear more about Honest Mary’s plans for additional locations in Houston and Dallas. Then Monteith asks a Sandler a few questions about the Houston dining scene.

In this week’s other episode, Sandler and co-host Mary Clarkson discuss the news of the week. Their topics include Home Slice Pizza opening a new location in the Heights; the closures of Brett’s BBQ Shop in Katy and Killen’s Barbecue in The Woodlands; and Esquire including ChòpnBlok on its list of America’s best new restaurants.

In the restaurant of the week segment, the two friends discuss their recent meal at Hypsi, the Italian restaurant in the newly-opened Hotel Daphne. Listen to the episode to hear their favorite dishes and other thoughts on the meal.

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Photo by Becca Wright

Find Honest Mary's in the River Oaks Shopping Center.

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