they have the meats

Hot new Korean steakhouse sizzles in the Heights with tableside-grilled meats and classic fare

Houston’s newest Korean steakhouse has opened in the Heights. Karne began its soft opening this week ahead of its grand opening November 11.

Located in a recently constructed building at 2805 White Oak Dr., Karne is the latest project from Houston restaurateur Jason Cho. Known for his Korean fried chicken restaurant Dak & Bop and as the franchisee for the Galleria-area location of Korean coffee shop Tom N Toms, Cho partnered with chef Yurum “KP” Nam to open Karne. Nam brings extensive experience to his role, including acclaimed restaurants The Modern and Gramercy Tavern, as well as Zusik, a Korean restaurant he owned in the West Village.

“My culinary training has prepared me with French, Italian, American techniques,” Nam said in a statement. “I use that to create very simple, straightforward Korean food.”

At Karne, that "straightforward Korean food" centers around beef. Fittingly for a steakhouse, Karne serves several different cuts and grades of meat, ranging from traditional Korean marinated meats to Prime beef, dry-aged, American wagyu, and Japanese wagyu. They’re grilled tableside by the restaurant’s staff.

Diners may order a la carte — by selecting options such as marinated short rib, dry-aged ribeye, or American wagyu flat iron — or opt for the “Karnivore Platter” that comes with five different cuts, kimchi, soup, dipping sauces, and more. Eventually, the restaurant will offer a more premium chef’s tasting menu that will be served in one of the restaurant’s private dining rooms. Beyond beef, the restaurant puts a Korean spin on steakhouse classics with dishes such as hot and cold seafood towers, beef carpaccio, and tuna tartare. Classic Korean dishes such as Korean fried chicken, kimchi fried rice, and hot stone bibimbap are also available.

Pairing options include a range of craft cocktails and a list of 173 wines.

Well-traveled customers may recognize that the menu’s style and presentation bears a certain resemblance to Cote, the upscale Korean steakhouse that has earned one Michelin star in both New York and Miami. For example, Karne serves a dish called Land & Sea, a combination of beef tartare, caviar, and quail egg, that’s similar to Cote’s “Steak & Eggs.” The “Karnivore Platter” is similar in its offerings to Cote’s “Butcher’s Feast.”

A representative acknowledges that Cho and Nam aspire to achieve Cote’s level of success, but states plainly that its menu is “influenced by tastes from Korea, Texas and New York.”

“Our dishes are unique because chef KP is pouring in all of his knowledge and culinary skills into creating a curated menu for fine Korean cuisine,” Cho said in a statement. “The taste, flavor, and presentation of the dishes bring an elevated experience.”

Karne will also get a boost via its partnership with Youtube star Mike Chen. The content creator has more than 4 million subscribers to his Strictly Dumpling channel and more than 1.5 million subscribes to his Mike Chen channel. Viewers got a sneak peak at Karne’s interior in a clip Chen posted last year that’s garnered 1 million views. Although Chen is currently living in Singapore, Cho acknowledges that he’ll be filming videos from the restaurant in the months to come.

Photo by Jenn Duncan

Sample a wide range of beef at Karne.

openings the-heights news-you-can-eat

firing up Montrose

New Houston seafood restaurant adds live-fire flair to Japanese flavors

Photo by Becca Wright

Spanish sea bass, scallop crudo, nigiri, bluefin binchotan, and bluefin crudo.

An ambitious new seafood restaurant is coming to Montrose next week. Casa Kenji will open on Tuesday, December 9.

Located in the former Andiron space (3201 Allen Pkwy), Casa Kenji is the first Houston project for New Orleans restaurateur Malachi DuPre, a former LSU standout who played briefly in the NFL before establishing Kenji and Kenji Kazoku restaurants in New Orleans. Together with former LSU teammate John “B-John” Ballis and Houston chef Bigler “Biggie” Cruz, Casa Kenji will blend Latin and Japanese influences while also incorporating live-fire elements into the restaurant’s dishes. Cruz, whose resume includes a lengthy stint at Uchi as well as working at critically acclaimed Houston seafood restaurant Golfstrømmen, tells CultureMap that Casa Kenji’s approach is the first time he can be himself in the kitchen.

“My perfect restaurant was always based on the live fire and sushi combination,” Cruz says. “My mom cooked with wood for my entire life. The live fire creates completely different flavors. The smoky flavors, the sear from the charcoal — they create a different type of memory for me.”

The use of live fire techniques will permeate Casa Kenji’s menus in ways both big and small. For example, diners will be able to feast on prawns grilled directly on charcoal and served with yuzu chili garlic, or savor lightly seared Japanese wagyu tataki paired with mushrooms. Even raw dishes will benefit from the restaurant’s wood-burning grill and stove.

“Every vegetable we peel, we make into an ash that’s a topping for the dishes. It adds a different layer of flavor,” Cruz says. Look for it in the scallop aguachile, among others.

Even vegetables get a smoky component, as in a cabbage dish that’s braised with dashi and soy sauce before being roasted and served with an onion soubise that Cruz says he developed based on techniques he learned from Golfstrømmen chef Christopher Haatuft.

“It’s rich, super savory, with smoky layers, and you get brightness from the shiso gremolata. I think it will be a signature dish for us,” the chef says.

One change to the interior is the addition of a six-seat omakase counter that looks into the kitchen. Cruz promises those diners will have an even more elevated experience than the restaurant’s regular menu, including ingredients such as Japanese wagyu and premium fish flown in from Tokyo’s Toyosu fish market.

Beyond its cuisine, Casa Kenji hopes to stand out with its spacious outdoor patio. Since very few Japanese-inspired restaurants in Houston offer outdoor seating, it should appeal to diners who want a little vitamin D along with their tuna crudo.

“We’re proud to showcase the craft and creativity that defines Casa Kenji,” co-founders Cruz, Ballis, and DuPre said in a statement. “With chef Bigler Cruz at the helm — blending live-fire technique with the discipline of Japanese tradition — we’re equally honored and excited to share a unique concept that is truly rooted in passion, culture, and community.”

Casa Kenji will be open for dinner Tuesday through Sunday beginning at 4 pm. Reservations are available on Resy.

Photo by Becca Wright

Spanish sea bass, scallop crudo, nigiri, bluefin binchotan, and bluefin crudo.