News you can eat

New Chinese restaurant rolls into River Oaks with duck and dumplings

Maison Chinoise will open this winter.

Courtesy of Lombardi Family Concepts

The River Oaks Shopping Center will soon be home to a new restaurant specializing in contemporary Chinese cuisine. Maison Chinoise will open this winter.

Located at 1958 West Gray, Maison Chinoise is part of the Dallas-based Lombardi Family Concepts that’s known in Houston for Toulouse Cafe and Bar, its French restaurant in River Oaks District, and Lombardi Cucina Italiana in Uptown Park.

“This wonderfully diverse city has embraced our family’s concepts, and we’re thrilled to introduce Maison Chinoise to the dynamic dining landscape here in Houston,” Lombardi founder and owner Alberto Lombardi said in a statement.

At the original location of Maison Chinoise in Dallas, the menu focuses on shareable, family-style dining across an expansive menu. Highlights include Peking duck, wok-fried lamb shoulder, fried lobster, pastrami egg rolls, and a whole range of dumplings that are made in house — everything from wagyu beef pot stickers and truffle mushroom dumplings to classic xiao long bao (pork soup dumplings).

Lombardi has hired Jordan He to serve as the restaurant’s executive chef. The Chinese native brings experience from Las Vegas’ celebrated Wing Lei at Wynn Las Vegas as well as with the Hakkasan Group in Miami and Los Angeles.

The 3,700-square foot restaurant will be designed by Houston’s NDD Design with interiors inspired by traditional Chinese elements. It will also offer a 900-square-foot patio.

Maison Chinoise joins a number of other restaurants in River Oaks Shopping Center. Over the past couple of years, the development has added new arrivals to join staples Brasserie 19 and Perry’s Steakhouse & Grille, including Zanti Cucina Italiana, French restaurant Cocody, East Coast-inspired Hudson House, Los Angeles-based Pizzana, and Goode Company Kitchen & Cantina.

news-you-can-eat openings maison chinoise

coming to River Oaks District

French pastry chef perks up Houston with first U.S. coffee shop and café

Photo by Sébastien Dray

Café Feuillette is coming to River Oaks District.

A French coffee shop and cafe is coming to Houston. Pastry chef Jean-François Feuillette will open the first U.S. location of Café Feuillette in River Oaks District next year.

Located at the corner of Betis and Westcreek on the first floor of the Grey House Apartments, Café Feuillette will be open for breakfast, lunch, and afternoon snacks. Diners can expect design elements such as cozy benches and floral wallpaper, according to press materials.

“I’m thrilled to bring the Café Feuillette concept to the United States and especially to Houston,” Feuillette said in a statement. “This city truly won me over. Its energy, cultural richness, and culinary scene made it the ideal place to introduce our French coffee shop concept abroad,”

Café Feuillette’s menu will center on salads, sandwiches, and classic French desserts such as filled madeleines, canelés, brioches, and chocolate fondant. They’ll be paired with drinks named for French desserts such as vanilla flan and Paris-brest.

“We take pride in making everything ourselves, from the vinaigrette to the mayonnaise, and of course, the bread in every sandwich. It’s all about taste. That’s how we stand out, just like we do in our bakeries in France,” Feuillette said.

Chef Feuillette trained at Paris’s celebrated Pierre Hermé bakery before establishment a network of over 100 bakeries in France. He also operates Frédélian in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France and Chez Lucette in Blois.

Café Feuillette is his take on the modern coffee shop. If it’s successful in Houston, the cafe could grow throughout America.

“The potential for growth in the U.S. is endless,” Feuillette said. “We are passionate about showcasing our French know-how to Americans, and this is just the beginning.”

Photo by Sébastien Dray

Café Feuillette is coming to River Oaks District.

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