christine ha's spring branch plans

Houston’s Masterchef champion and husband plan new gourmet sandwich shop in Spring Branch

Houston’s Masterchef champion and her business partner/husband have big plans for Spring Branch. Not only are chef Christine Ha and her husband John Suh preparing to open a bigger, better version of The Blind Goat, their James Beard Award-nominated Vietnamese gastropub; the couple are also at work on a new concept that will also open at the Spring Branch Village shopping center.

That new concept will be called Stuffed Belly. Schedule to open in March, the new restaurant will serve modern gourmet sandwiches from a drive-thru restaurant on the property. It will be the couple’s third restaurant, joining The Blind Goat and Xin Chao, where Ha and co-chef Tony Nguyen earned 2022 James Beard Award finalist nominations in the Best Chef: Texas category.

Ha tells CultureMap that she and Suh both appreciate a well-crafted sandwich and have aspired to open a sandwich concept for some time. When she receives an injection to help treat her neuromyelitis optica (NMO), the autoimmune disease that caused her blindness, she always craves a sandwich after. While both of Ha’s current projects are Vietnamese (The Blind Goat and Xin Chao), Stuffed Belly will not be a banh mi shop.

“We’re not doing traditional Vietnamese banh mi,” Ha says. “We’re taking comfort classics that we’ve eaten as children whether it’s grilled cheese, tuna salad, simple burgers, or fried chicken sandwiches. We’re elevating it and pushing its boundaries and taking it to the next level.”

Stuffed Belly logo Behold the logo for Stuffed Belly, coming soon to Spring Branch.Courtesy of Letterset Design

Before they open Stuffed Belly, they’ll move The Blind Goat from its original home in downtown’s Bravery Chef Hall to its new Spring Branch location. Expect the current location to close in November to facilitate moving equipment and staff training at the new location. Ha earned a 2020 James Beard Award semifinalist nomination in the Best New Restaurant category for The Blind Goat.

Photo by Eric Sandler

John Suh and Christine Ha have big plans for Spring Branch.

“The Blind Goat definitely outgrew that space,” Ha says about the current location. “There’s so many things I want to do with the menu that I can’t in that limited space. We’ll be able to expand our menu and take on catering gigs.”

To help prepare for the opening, the couple have made some key hires. Xin Chao general manager Blake Lewis will fill that same role at The Blind Goat. Bar manager Alex Coon brings experience from Izakaya and as a consultant for Heights Vietnamese restaurant Moon Rabbit. To assist with getting the restaurant up and running, the couple have hired former UB Preserv chef Nick Wong as a consultant. He'll provide logistical expertise and assist with training.

“I still have a lot to learn about running a restaurant,” Ha says. “I’m still learning how to maximize and streamline running a kitchen. The opportunity is to learn from Nick about what it’s like to set up a kitchen, train cooks, and everything else.”

“He has a lot of knowledge and experience,” Suh adds. “I think we can do some really creative stuff together.”

Although Ha didn’t win the Beard Award, she and Suh both say they enjoyed attending the awards ceremony in Chicago. It provided them with some networking opportunities and motivated them to push even hard to win the prize.

“It was very flattering, the weekend in Chicago,” Ha says. “Twenty years ago, losing my vision, I had to leave my job. I could not imagine I’d be at this place. I’m very lucky. I’m very fortunate.”

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One Day Only

Chef of Michelin-starred Texas BBQ joint pops up at Houston crawfish favorite

Photo by Quit Nguyen

Join Lucas McKinney for a crawfish pop-up this Sunday, May 17.

The pitmaster behind one of Texas’ Michelin-starred barbecue joints will be in Houston for a one-day-only crawfish boil. Evan LeRoy, chef and co-owner of Austin’s LeRoy and Lewis Barbecue, will be at Josephine’s this Sunday, May 17 from 2-6 pm.

Part of the restaurant’s Backyard Boil pop-up series, LeRoy and Josephine’s executive chef Lucas McKinney have collaborated on a four dishes that will be served at the pop-up, which will take place on Josephine’s patio. They are:

Smoked Crawfish Boil Sausage on a Stick: andouille flavored pork sausage with crawfish, corn, and potatoes
Brisket and Cheddar Croquettes: Chopped brisket and cheddar cheese in a creamy bechamel. Scooped, breaded in panko, and fried til crispy
Oysters on the Half Shell: Pickled Onion Mignonette, Smoked Jalapeno Salsa, Kimchi Elote
Smoked Salsa Macha with Beef Tallow: Guajillo, ancho, and arbol chiles, lime, soy, garlic, onion, pepitas, and pecans

The pop-up is part of LeRoy’s tour for his new book, New School Barbecue: Recipes for Next-Level Smoking and Grilling, which he co-wrote with Texas Monthly restaurant critic Paula Forbes. Released this week, the book contains almost 100 recipes for mains, sides, and desserts.

LeRoy & Lewis Evan Leroy ATX Evan LeRoy is coming to Houston this weekend. Photo by Briana Balducci

“Lucas asked me to participate in a crawfish boil this year, and it happened to line up with the release of the book, so I said yes,” LeRoy tells CultureMap. “The event format centers around a crawfish boil, along with some fried items and oysters, so it doesn't necessarily reflect the recipes in the book. Instead, we decided to bring a few dishes we’ve been working on over the past year or so, including the brisket and cheddar croquettes — which will definitely make it into my next cookbook.”

McKinney has already hosted pop-ups with the likes of ChòpnBlọk chef-owner Ope Amosu and Mike Pham of Trill Burgers.

“With these crawfish boils, I want each chef to bring their own perspective and let the menu reflect their personal style of cooking,” McKinney adds. “Events like this are really centered around community, collaboration, and introducing something fresh and exciting to Houston each time.”

LeRoy and Lewis has earned wide acclaim for its “new school” barbecue. In addition to being one of only four Texas barbecue joints to hold a Michelin star, it ranked No. 2 on Texas Monthly’s list of the state’s 50 best barbecue joints. McKinney began patronizing the restaurant when his friend, pitmaster Cole Parkman, worked there.

“It’s incredibly good,” McKinney says. “Eating there feels like they’re telling you, ‘I know you think you like brisket, but this is what you should really like.’ I really respect that they’ve planted their feet firmly in the ground and committed to doing things differently. It all makes so much sense — and it’s delicious.”

Reservations (free) are required to attend the Backyard Boil at Josephine’s; both 2 pm and 4 pm seatings are available. Attendees will purchase food and drinks a la carte. Josephine’s regular menu will not be available at the pop-up. Copies of New School Barbecue will also be available for purchase.

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