A restaurant inspired by French cooking and British traditions opens in Houston next week. The Marigold Club, the newest concept from Goodnight Hospitality (March, Rosie Cannonball, Montrose Cheese & Wine) begins dinner service on Tuesday, June 25.
Although the restaurant occupies the former Goodnight Charlie’s space, it looks nothing like the honky tonk dance hall. Chef-partner Austin Waiter and the Goodnight partners — master sommelier June Rodil, chef Felipe Riccio, and entrepreneurs Bailey and Pete McCarthy — worked with Texas-based architects FoxFox Studios to create one of Houston’s most posh and visually striking dining rooms. As illustrated in the photos above, the 160-seat restaurant features a hand-painted mural by Pauline de Roussy de Sales, a custom-made, Murano glass chandelier with marigolds and tulips (obviously), and floral wallpaper in the hallway leading to the restrooms.
Inside the main dining room, look for green velvet ceilings, comfortable banquettes, and artwork curated by Houston-based art expert Illa Gaunt, according to a release. The space also includes an 18-seat private dining room and a 40-seat climate-controlled patio. A Steinway baby grand piano provides the restaurant’s soundtrack.
Similar attention has been paid to the food. Two years ago, Goodnight recruited former Tony’s executive chef Austin Waiter to lead the Marigold Club. To prepare for the restaurant’s opening, Waiter traveled to London where he staged at three Michelin-starred restaurants: Core by Clare Smyth (three stars), The Five Fields (one star), and Frog by Adam Handling (one star).
“Having Austin join us as a partner in our biggest and most lavish concept to date has been a complete joy,” Rodil said in a statement. “Our dream is to continue to collaborate with passionate hospitality professionals as we grow our company and enrich our community with new and exciting restaurants. Being able to bring in a new, fresh perspective while combining all of our unique backgrounds and areas of expertise makes this an especially heartfelt project.”
Waiter’s menu starts with an extensive raw bar program that includes caviar, crudos, and seafood towers. The Marigold Club team traveled to the East Coast to learn about the oysters it plans to serve Houstonians.
After snacking on scallop crudo and tuna tartare, diners have the choice of dishes such as a Kaluga caviar sandwich, a riff on fish and chips that swaps the typical cod for shellfish and green beans, and a couple of British classics in the form of duck Wellington and roasted lamb loin.
One of the dessert options will be ice cream sundaes, which will be served on custom-built carts. Ice cream enthusiasts will have the choice of chai, clotted cream, or chocolate ice cream paired with a wide range of toppings. Other options include baba rum cake, banoffee pie, and citrus trifle.
As Waiter explained in a January episode of CultureMap’s “What’s Eric Eating” podcast, one of the things he brings to Marigold Club from Tony’s is understanding the balance between his creative vision as a chef and giving customers what they want.
“I think that the difficult part is staying true to what Felipe and I and the business partners love about food and what we’re focusing on and still making sure the guest comes first,” he says. “I’m not the one sitting there eating dinner every night. I think our guests need to take priority.”
Sommelier Ryan Cooper returns to Goodnight Hospitality to serve as Marigold Club’s wine director. He and Rodil have created a wine list that's stocked with French selections including plenty of champagne.
Although it will only open for dinner initially (Tuesday-Sunday, closed Monday), plans call for the addition of both afternoon tea service and brunch beginning in September.
“Dining at The Marigold Club is going to be unlike any other experience in Houston,” Waiter added. “Guests will get to experience little pieces of all my favorite parts of London sprinkled throughout the menu, while enjoying an ice cold martini paired with a killer raw bar program. These are just a few things The Marigold Club will have in store, and I can’t wait for the city to experience the rest.”
Photo by Arturo Olmos
The Marigold Club opens next week.
