Editor’s note: Houston’s restaurant scene moves pretty fast. In order to prevent CultureMap readers from missing anything, let’s stop to look around at all the latest news to know.

Openings

Brazilian steakhouse Fogo de Chao has opened its third Houston-area location in Friendswood at Baybrook Mall. It is open for dinner nightly with lunch during the weekend and brunch on the weekends.

Just like the locations on Westheimer and in The Woodlands, a meal at Fogo typically centers around its all-you-can-eat churrasco experience where servers bring more than a different cuts of meat to the table. Diners also have access to a market table loaded with vegetables, charcuterie, cheeses, feijoada, and more. Those looking to enhance their experience may add extras such as a seafood tower or one of three shareable steaks: a 20-ounce wagyu New York strip, 24-ounce wagyu ribeye, or a 36-ounce, dry-aged tomahawk ribeye.

Clutch City Cluckers, a food truck that serves hot chicken sandwiches and chicken tenders, will celebrate the grand opening of its new Spring location this Saturday and Sunday, October 1 and 2 with a number of deals and giveaways. The first 50 people in line each day will receive their meals for free, and all other diners will receive 50-percent off. In addition, the food truck will hold a raffle with the prize of a 4-day Disney cruise.

Cougar Grounds, the University of Houston’s student-run coffeehouse at the Conrad N. Hilton College of Global Hospitality Leadership, has moved to a new location that’s twice the size of the original. The move is part of a $30 million expansion and renovation of the University’s Hilton hotel that will see the addition of a new five-story, 70-room tower (currently scheduled to open in February 2023). The cafe serves coffee, pastries, and more to between 100 and 200 people per hour, according to a release.

“We’ve created a space that is visually impressive, operationally impressive and product-wise impressive as well,” general manager Sean Lawless said in a statement. “We have people from all over the world coming here to see what we’re doing because no one else is doing it.”

Chef news

Heights-area seafood restaurant 1751 Sea & Bar has a new executive chef. Matthew Young, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, brings experience from Guard & Grace and Sixty Vines as well as restaurants in Denver and San Francisco.

“Matt is a great guy and fantastic chef,” owner Michael Sambrooks said in a statement. “We couldn’t be more excited about giving him the opportunity to showcase his food at 1751. He’s got great energy and is the perfect person to lead this next chapter.”

The Chifley, a boutique-style hotel that’s replacing the Sheraton Suites Houston in Uptown, has named Ricardo Planas as the executive chef of Rouse, its on-site restaurant. Planas brings extensive experience to his role, including time in Washington, DC and at New York’s Tavern on the Green. He will draw upon his Cuban heritage and professional experiences to craft Rouse’s menu.

“I am thrilled to be working with the Chifley team as we make Rouse not only an innovative dining destination in Houston, but something truly unique,” Planas said in a statement. My vision for Rouse is an environment where our guests are excited to dine with us regularly and are challenged to try new things. We will bring fusions of flavor to life that will broaden their own palates.”

Other news and notes

Superica, the Tex-Mex restaurant in the Heights from State of Grace owner Ford Fry, has added weekday lunch service to its offerings. Effectively immediately, the restaurant opens at 11 am Wednesday-Friday. It still serves brunch beginning at 10:30 am on Saturday and Sunday.