downtown Dominican dining

NYC restaurant shakes up downtown with Dominican classics and speakeasy-style bar

A New York City-based Dominican restaurant has opened its first Houston location. Mamajuana Cafe is now open in downtown’s Rice Hotel (909 Texas St.).

Courtesy of Mamajuana Cafe

The Mamajuana Roll consists of shrimp tempura, skirt steak, avocado, and plantain.

First opened in 2006, Mamajuana quickly earned a reputation for well-executed takes on Dominican staples such as mofongo (fried plantains), churrasco (marinated skirt steak), puerquito (marinated, roasted pork shoulder), and its namesake cocktail that’s a blend of rum, honey, and herbs.

The Houston location also includes Asian and Caribbean-inspired dishes such as ceviche, sushi, fried snapper, and oxtail fettuccine. For example, the Houston roll consists of chorizo, fried cheese, and avocado that’s topped with jalapeño and spicy mayo.

Cassava comes seasoned with garlic and herbs before being stuffed with a diner’s choice of chicken and cheese, churrasco and cheese, or shrimp and lobster. Desserts include coconut tres leches, corn flan, and a take on tiramisu.

Mamajuana also has a speakeasy-style bar that’s hidden behind a a large painting of El Campesino, which depicts farmers at work in the Dominican Republic. Once inside, diners will find a selection of cocktails including a mojito, margarita, and gin and tonic.

Currently, Mamajuana has nine locations across New York and New Jersey as well as two in Florida, the Houston Chronicle reports. Could Houston eventually also have multiple locations? So far, locals seem to be embracing the new restaurant.

“The grand opening of Mamajuana in Houston was a tremendous success,” co-owner Jeremy Zorilla tells CultureMap. “We were overwhelmed by the support and feedback from the community saying this concept is what Houston was missing. We aim to maintain a vibrant atmosphere, serving delicious Caribbean flavors, to create memorable experiences for our guests. We are excited to continue sharing our passion for exceptional cuisine and heartfelt hospitality in this new market.”

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What's Eric Eating Episodes 518 and 519

Meet the men behind River Oaks' new destination for bowls and broth

Photo by Becca Wright

Find Honest Mary's in the River Oaks Shopping Center.

On this week’s episode of “What’s Eric Eating,” Honest Mary’s founder Nelson Monteith and COO Andrew Wiseheart joined CultureMap editor Eric Sandler to discuss the Austin-based restaurant that just opened its first Houston location in the River Oaks Shopping Center (2047-A West Gray St).

Monteith shares that he started the restaurant in 2017 in order to fulfill his vision of a restaurant which could serve food that’s fast, fresh, and affordable. A trained chef who operated pioneering Austin restaurant Contigo, Wiseheart joined the group to bring both culinary expertise and operational acumen to the grouping company.

Part of what sets Honest Mary’s apart is that diners can add cooked vegetables to the rice and proteins at the heart of every bowl. The “Market Sides” section includes an array of roasted vegetables — including sweet potatoes, cauliflower, broccoli, beets, and Brussels sprouts — as well as black beans, maple-glazed carrots, and green lentils. Bowls can be further enhanced with toppings such as Texas pecans, crispy chickpeas, goat cheese, avocado, and apples as well as sauces such as creamy poblano, cashew lime crema, sesame vinaigrette, spicy peanut, chimichurri and apple cider vinaigrette

Monteith explains that looking at the ingredients on display usually inspires him when he’s deciding what to eat at Honest Mary’s.

“I will almost always look at the line and see what looks fresh and good,” Monteith says. “Today, I got the salted kale with white rice. Then, I got garlic-pepper steak. I added on lentils — they’re my go-to in the winter. They blend everything together, and I love it Then Brussels sprouts looked green. I got some jalapenos. Avocados, cause that’s healthy. Then I got the chimichurri sauce.”

Honest Mary’s is also known for its hearty broths, a classic chicken and a vegetarian option made with seaweed and mushroom. Sandler raves about the chicken broth to Wiseheart, who shares how it’s made.

“We spent six or seven months testing recipes and drinking it ourselves to see if it’s a good idea,” Wiseheart says. “I talk about it as a great complement to the menu. It’s healthy. It’s really simple. Most of the kitchens I came up with were rooted in French cuisine. This is just chicken stock with salt in it.”

Listen to the full episode to hear more about Honest Mary’s plans for additional locations in Houston and Dallas. Then Monteith asks a Sandler a few questions about the Houston dining scene.

In this week’s other episode, Sandler and co-host Mary Clarkson discuss the news of the week. Their topics include Home Slice Pizza opening a new location in the Heights; the closures of Brett’s BBQ Shop in Katy and Killen’s Barbecue in The Woodlands; and Esquire including ChòpnBlok on its list of America’s best new restaurants.

In the restaurant of the week segment, the two friends discuss their recent meal at Hypsi, the Italian restaurant in the newly-opened Hotel Daphne. Listen to the episode to hear their favorite dishes and other thoughts on the meal.

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Subscribe to "What's Eric Eating" on Apple podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Hear it Sunday at 9 am on ESPN 97.5.

Photo by Becca Wright

Find Honest Mary's in the River Oaks Shopping Center.

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