A new Asian fusion restaurant is ready to spice up Upper Kirby. Haii Keii opens this Tuesday, February 18.
Occupying 3,000 square feet in the Kirby Collection mixed-use development (3300 Kirby Drive), Haii Keii combines a high-style dining room with an eclectic menu that draws influences from several countries throughout East Asia. A month-long overseas trip convinced managing partner Jarred Tosto to create the concept in concert with executive chef Jeffrey Taylor.
“I went to China and Thailand for a month,” Tosto. “I fell in love with the food and everything about it. We don’t want to be one dimensional. We want to be all around.”
Although Tosto still maintains a role as the director of operations for Galleria-area steakhouse Juliet, his focus is on Haii Keii. “This is my baby,” he says.
The menu is built around shareable items and flavors that Tosto enjoys. For example, snapper comes with a Thai-inspired coconut curry sauce. House made milk bread gets slathered with foie gras mousse, eel, and a plum gastrique. Carnivore will fine options that include American, Australian, and Japanese wagyu steaks, but vegetarians are welcome, too.
“Our veggie dishes, we love veggies” Tosto says. “My favorite vegetable is our pea shoots. That has fresno chiles and sweet white soy. It’s a healthy dish that’s packed full of flavor.”
Haii Keii also serves sushi. Like the rest of the menu, it gets a bit of a twist. The signature banh mi roll is made with shrimp, pickled carrots and daikon, and jalapeno that’s lightly fried. The Murakami roll (pictured above) is a decadent combination of king crab, Japanese wagyu, and Kaluga caviar.
Tosto worked with Houston’s Gin Design Group on the restaurant’s interior. Taking inspiration from movies like Kill Bill and Blade Runner, the room features 8-foot Shoji screens that will display projected images and more than 4,000 linear feet of crimson rope along the black leather booths. An upside down, 8-foot tall tree hangs above the bar. Taken together, it’s a celebratory environment that should draw plenty of interest. Just don’t use the V-word to describe the experience that Haii Keii is trying to create.
“My career was in L.A. I got to see all the crazy restaurants that opened there,” Tosto says. “Right now, Houston’s scene is unbelievable. I can’t wait to be part of that. We’re not vibe dining. We’re more experience driven. You’re just blown away [by the design].”
Photo by Karter Kendrick
An 8-foot bonsai tree hangs above the bar.
