Allen Parkway’s new mixed-use development welcomes its third restaurant this weekend. MF Lobster & Ceviche opens this Friday, February 16 at Autry Park(3711 Autry Park Dr.).
Photo by Alex Montoya
The restaurant will serve a classic lobster roll.
Chris “Magic Fingers” Kinjo, chef and owner of the Museum District’s acclaimed MF Sushi, worked with his longtime collaborator chef Miguel Alvarez to develop MF Lobster & Ceviche. As its name implies, the crustacean is at the heart of the menu’s offerings.
Chefs Chris Kinjo and Miguel Alvarez.
Photo by Alex Montoya
Not that this publication would ever make an incredibly dated reference to Forrest Gump, but this restaurant serves lobster in a whole bunch of different ways. They include lobster tacos, lobster grilled cheese, lobster mac & cheese, lobster bisque, linguine with lobster, and grilled or steamed whole lobster. Lobster rolls come in two forms — a traditional, Maine-style roll served in a split-top bun and a brown butter lobster bao.
Kinjo will also served other New England-style dishes such as clam chowder, steamed mussels, and sides that include corn on the cob, house made chips, and coleslaw.
The restaurant’s ceviches will use the same Japanese fish purveyors that supply MF Sushi. Look for dishes built around tuna, madai, salmon, halibut, and more. Pairing options include 20 house cocktails, a selection of Japanese whisky, and wine.
“My vision of this restaurant is to provide a casual and fun atmosphere for diners, but with substance and quality,” Kinjo said in a statement. “We’re excited to welcome the community to Autry Park for a new type of dining experience from our team. I’ve always done high-intensity restaurants, but this one is more laid back, with simple and familiar dishes. This is a place where customers can come and enjoy the park and feel comfortable while enjoying a high-quality meal and drink."
As part of that casual atmosphere, the restaurant will not take reservations. Instead, diners will be able to sign up for the restaurant’s waitlist via OpenTable. Initially, the restaurant will be open for dinner nightly beginning at 5:30 pm. Lunch service will be announced soon.
MF Lobster’s setting is as distinctive as its food. Designed by the Michael Hsu Office of Architecture (Uchi, Da Gama, il Bracco, etc.), the 2,200-square-foot space is touted as Houston’s only completely round restaurant. It seats 65 people inside with room for an additional 60 on a dog-friendly patio. Details include blue tile floors, floor-to-ceiling windows, and a 15-foot, tree-shaped steel sculpture that references the development’s oak trees.
The new restaurant joins Annabelle Brasserie, a French restaurant from Berg Hospitality, and globally-inspired Auden as restaurants at Autry Park. Over the next few months, they’ll be joined by Turner’s Cut, a luxurious steakhouse from Berg Hospitality; Doko and Bar Doko, a sushi restaurant and cocktail bar from the hospitality group behind Handies Douzo and CultureMap Tastemaker Awards Best New Restaurant winner Aiko; Austin’s Lick Honest Ice Creams; and Annam, Kinjo’s Vietnamese restaurant that will be MF Lobster’s sister concept on the property.
Developed by local real estate firms Lionstone Investments, Rebees, and Hanover Company, Autry Park occupies 14-acres on the western edge of Buffalo Bayou Park. The project's three-phase masterplan includes five towers encompassing 1,450 residential units, 350,000 square-feet of Class A office space, and 100,000 square-feet of retail.
