flamenco and tapas, oh my!

Pioneering Houston tapas restaurant finds new home in Montrose

Mi Luna has claimed the former Picnik space in the Montrose Collective.

Rendering by Agustin Fata

A pioneering Rice Village tapas bar is getting a new life in Montrose. Mi Luna will open a new location this fall in the Montrose Collective mixed-use development (888 Westheimer Road).

First established by chef Youssef Nafaa in 1998, Mi Luna occupied its original Rice Village location until it closed in 2018. Part of the Bella Restaurants Group that also includes Mia Bella Trattoria, Zoa Moroccan Kitchen, and Coco Crepes & Coffee, the restaurant serves Spanish tapas with a nod to Nafaa’s Moroccan heritage. While some fan favorite dishes will remain, Nafaa also plans to update the concept to suit contemporary tastes.

“I decided to resurrect Mi Luna after realizing that the Spanish tapas concept is not authentically represented in Houston,” Nafaa said in a statement. “I missed Mi Luna and the environment it presented. My feelings for Mi Luna never died, and I had dreamed of bringing it back to life. An opportunity presented itself in the perfect location to bring it to the Houston restaurant scene again.”

That location is the former Picnik space at the Montrose Collective. The Austin-based healthy-eating concept shuttered its Houston expansion in January after less than a year in business.

Mi Luna plans to transform the space with Spanish design elements and a stage that will host live entertainment such as Flamenco dancers on Friday and Saturday nights and an acoustic guitar player during weekend brunch. It is expected to seat approximately 140 people, which will be split between the main dining room and a 1,200-square-foot patio.

Mi Luna Montrose interior rendering The restaurant's design will have a Spanish influence.Rendering by Agustin Fata

While the menu has yet to be finalized, Nafaa expects to serve a wide array of roasted and braised meats alongside many vegetarian options. The chef will also revive fan favorite dishes such as paella Valenciana, pulpo con patatas, bastilla, and gambas al ajillo.

Mi Luna is only the latest new restaurant to claim a space in the Montrose Collective. Sophie, a French-inspired cocktail bar created by hospitality veteran Ashley Muncie, recently opened in the former Rosemont space next to Uchi. Októ, a Mediterranean restaurant from the team behind Doris Metropolitan and Hamsa, is expected to open in the coming weeks.

montrose news-you-can-eat openings

With or Without Whiz

Houston burger mastermind fires up new pop-up devoted to Philly cheesesteaks

Photo by Michael Ma

Abbas Dhanani is serving up cheesesteaks at his new pop-up.

Abbas Dhanani is at it again. The food influencer-turned-restaurateur behind the CultureMap Tastemaker Award-winning smash burger concept Burger Bodega is firing up a new pop-up concept devoted to another iconic sandwich.

Called Bas’s Cheesesteaks, the new concept will Dhanani’s take on the classic Philly cheesesteak, made with sliced ribeye and white cheese on a seeded hoagie roll — onions and a spicy sauce are optional. A second version swaps the white cheese for Cheez Whiz. Like Burger Bodega, Dhanani is using halal beef for his cheesesteaks.

Bas's Cheesesteaks cheesesteak sandwich The cheesesteak is served on a seeded hoagie roll.Photo by Michael Ma

“We have experimented with cheesesteaks as specials on the menu at Burger Bodega and received amazing feedback,” Dhanani said in a statement. “However, the cheesesteaks at Bas’s are the most refined versions we have done so far. I am excited to bring authentic Philly cheesesteaks to Houston as a new flavor experience while continuing to build on the energy and community we have created at Burger Bodega. This is a huge passion project for me, and I plan to take it step by step, just like Burger Bodega."

As Dhanani notes, he introduced Burger Bodega with a series of pop-ups throughout Houston. To answer the obvious question, of course a restaurant could be in the cards for Bas’s, too.

“I think thats the goal of any new pop-up concept,” Dhanani tells CultureMap. “Like Burger Bodega, we want to take it one step at a time and see where it goes.”

Bas’s Cheesesteaks will have its first pop-up on Monday, June 30 at Burger Bodega’s location (4520 Washington Avenue). In addition to the two cheesesteaks, diners can get fries. Future pop-ups will be announced via Instagram.

As for Burger Bodega’s second location in Katy, Dhanani says it’s still working through securing the necessary permits to begin construction.

news-you-can-eat openings bas's cheesesteaks