need a hand?

Growing Houston sushi chain rolls into new Galleria-area development

Handies Douzo will brings its hand rolls to Uptown later this year.

Courtesy of Handies Douzo

A growing Houston hand roll restaurant has signed on to a new Galleria-area development. Handies Douzo is the fourth restaurant announced for Central Park Post Oak.

Opened in late 2019, Handies is known for wrapping its rolls in crispy seaweed that gives each bite a distinct crunch. The well-executed dishes and affordable prices helped Handies earn a nomination for Neighborhood Restaurant of the Year in the 2026 CultureMap Tastemaker Awards.

On track to open later this year, the Uptown location will be Handies Douzo’s fourth, joining its original in the Heights as well as restaurants in Montrose and Spring Branch. Like those siblings, it will serve Handies’ familiar menu of hand rolls (temaki), crudos, and sashimi that’s overseen by founding chefs and co-owners Daniel Lee and Patrick Pham.

Duckstache, the hospitality group behind Handies, is working with Houston’s Gin Design Group on the interior. Expect a slightly more upscale look than the restaurant’s other locations, with details such as matte black finishes and dark terrazzo to complement the 26-seat counter.

“We’re really intentional about the neighborhoods we choose and where we think Handies Douzo will feel like a natural fit,” Lee said in a statement. “Houston diners know what they like, and Uptown is such a vibrant, fast-growing area. Central Park Post Oak felt like the right match for our handroll experience and the way people in Houston live, work, and dine.”

Handies is the fourth restaurant that’s announced its plans to open at Central Park Post Oak. The others are:

Buck & Rider, an Arizona-based seafood restaurant known for its oyster bar and lively brunch
The Henry, the “ultimate neighborhood restaurant” from Flower Child owner Fox Restaurant Concepts
Sparrow Italia, an Italian steakhouse from Toca Madera owner Noble 33.

Announced last year, Central Park Post Oak will consist of three buildings with a combined 1.2 million square feet of office space separated by a three-acre lawn. Houston-based real estate development firm Midway, working with real estate investment firms 3Edgewood and Parkway, is developing the property. Construction is expected to be completed in the fall of 2026 with the restaurants openings to follow.

“Handies Douzo represents the kind of thoughtful, chef-driven hospitality we want at the heart of Central Park Post Oak,” Midway vice president Clayton Freels said. “Patrick, Daniel, and the Duckstache team have built a loyal following across Houston, and we are thrilled to help them extend that experience to Uptown in a way that feels authentic to both the brand and the neighborhood.”

news-you-can-eat openings

5 pounds of meat

3 pro football players tackle Houston restaurant's viral steak challenge

Courtesy of Star Rover

It's hard to tell from the picture, but that's almost five pounds of meat.

Houstonians have been flocking to Star Rover ever since it opened in February. While almost every diner orders from the regular menu, about 20 ambitious eaters have taken the restaurant’s eating challenge — consuming 76 ounces of prime rib along with salad, fries, onion rings, salad, and rolls in an hour.

Finish on time, and the $99, “I ate the 76’er” meal is free. Groups can order the meal to share — complete with individual portions of the sides, salads, and rolls — for $250. Whether dining solo or with friends, the restaurant requires a day’s notice to have the prime rib ready.

Star Rover calls attention to anyone attempting to complete the challenge by requiring them to sit at table by themselves with a timer ticking away. Chef Bobby Matos tells CultureMap that most people tap out after about 40 minutes. It is, after all, almost five pounds of meat plus sides. Maybe that’s why only one person has finished it so far.

“You have to sit at your own table. It’s loud. People are cheering you on, taking pictures of you,” he says. “That lends to Star Rover not being a fussy place — just come in and have a good meal, play skee-ball.”

Among the recent contestants were three offensive lineman from the Houston Gamblers, the city’s new United Football League (UFL) team. Center Jack Kramer, left guard Victor Curne, and right guard Gareth Warren — all 6’5”, 324 pounds of him — took the challenge last week. Needless to say, none of them came close to finishing.

“The moment I realized it wasn’t going to happen was when I hit the halfway mark. I hit a huge wall and felt like I couldn’t eat another piece of steak even though it was super good,” Warren says. “I think that’s just how it is. You need a change of taste after eating so much of one thing. So, I started to venture to the sides and realized that it wasn’t going to happen. However, i’m not a quitter and I continued to try until the very end.”

“I started off hot and strong taking huge cuts, trying to do as much damage as I could,” Curne adds. “At about the 25 minute mark, I started to hit a wall. I tried mixing everything a little bit to shake it up.”

Matos says the football players performed similarly to most of the people who’ve attempted the challenge. “They didn’t do the damage I thought they’d do,” he says with a laugh.

While the Gamblers couldn’t cash in, the team may find more success on the field. Led by head coach Kevin Sumlin — a man some Cougars may remember fondly but Aggies probably don’t — the team will play the Columbus Aviators this Sunday, April 26 at Shell Energy Stadium in EaDo. Tickets are available on the Gamblers’ website.

Courtesy of Star Rover

It's hard to tell from the picture, but that's almost five pounds of meat.