The team behind Pier 6 Seafood & Oyster House has opened a new restaurant in Friendswood. Parkwood American Grille is now open for dinner.
Located in the former Rancho Mexican Restaurant at 2131 W. Parkwood Ave., Parkwood is the latest project from restaurateur Raz Halili and executive chef Joe Cervantez. The duo earned a James Beard Award semifinalist nomination (among other accolades) for Pier 6, their tide-to-table seafood restaurant in San Leon. Halili, who grew up in nearby Dickinson, tells CultureMap he wanted to offer an inner loop-style dining experience to Bay Area residents.
“I want Parkwood to be a great neighborhood dining restaurant for Friendswood and the surrounding suburbs,” Halili says. “I understand this area. I wanted to create a space I would want to go to.”
Working with Dallas-based design firm Coeval Studio, Halili created a space that feels both contemporary and nostalgic. He also worked with Kathy Rea of Majestic Linens & Decor to source antiques, oyster-related artifacts, books, and photographs that nod to the family’s roots in Kosovo and history as the owners of Prestige Oysters. Details include a curved bar with a Cambria quartz top, wood ceilings, brass accents, and leather banquettes.
“My favorite space is in the bar,” Halili says. “It’s this beautiful walnut wall with a round bar. It’s nice, open, no columns. It creates a nice environment at the bar that feels separate from the dining room.”
Turning to the menu, Cervantez has drawn upon his experiences as the executive chef at Brennan’s of Houston and Killen’s Steakhouse to create a menu centered around modern American fare that’s grounded in seafood and steaks. Of course, meals begin with raw oysters, either from Prestige or a high-quality East Coast source such as Island Creek oysters from Duxbury, Massachusetts. Pier 6’s fan favorite “Hot Blooded” grilled oysters are also available.
Steakhouse classics like French onion soup and wedge salad with blue cheese dressing are served alongside more contemporary fare like chicken nuggets with caviar, hamachi crudo, and three sushi rolls.
“I feel like sushi has become part of New American cuisine,” Halili says. “We’ve had some success with that at Pier 6. We’re able to create a few rolls that hit all the bases.”
Entree options start with fried shrimp, chicken parmesan, rigatoni pasta with lamb sausage in a spicy arrabbiata sauce, and redfish courtbouillon.
Steaks are sourced from California’s Flannery Beef as well as from American wagyu purveyor Snake River Farms. Options include a 20-ounce, bone-in, Prime ribeye; a 14-ounce wagyu New York strip; a 16-ounce, Prime, dry-aged ribeye; and a 24-ounce Prime porterhouse. They can be paired with sides such as roasted mushrooms, chili-marinated broccolini, creamed corn, and mashed potatoes.
“Killen’s really shaped my approach to steaks and high-quality products. Going back to the basics, proper cooking, getting that nice crust, and seasoning correctly was really important to me when developing our steak program,” Cervantez says.
“With Parkwood, I wanted to take what I learned from both places and make it my own. We’ll have classics, but we’ll also have some creative dishes, and ultimately we want to be a place where people in the community can come in, enjoy themselves, and become regulars,” he adds.
As with Pier 6, Halili turned to cocktail consultants Kris Sowell and Lori Harvey – better known as the Ladies of Libation — to design Parkwood’s beverage offerings. Cocktails are grounded in martinis and other classics, with a wine list that includes a range of Old World and New World producers. Five alcohol-free options are also available.
Since opening Pier 6 in 2020, Halili has expanded his portfolio with Noah’s Ark in Baycliff and Fish City Taco in Galveston. Although he still thinks of himself as an oysterman, he’s growing into the title of restaurateur.
“I’m still an oysterman by day and a restaurateur by hobby. I’ve got a lot of good people around me. I’m so appreciative of everyone,” he says. “I still feel like an oyster guy. Restaurants have been a fun addition to the business portfolio.”
