This week is a busy one for new Montrose restaurants. Fresh off the news that Drake’s Hollywood is opening on Thursday, August 29 comes word that Sof Hospitality will unveil Októ, its new Mediterranean concept, beginning Saturday, August 31.
Announced in May, Októ occupies the former The Chelsea space at the Montrose Collective, the mixed-use development that’s also home to Marmo, Uchi, and recently opened cocktail bar The Sophie. Its the fourth concept from Sof Hospitality, joining luxurious steakhouse Doris Metropolitan, Israeli-inspired restaurant Hamsa, and Badolina Bakery.
Named for the Greek word for “eight” — a nod to the building’s address at 888 Westheimer Road — Októ takes inspiration from Mediterranean countries such as Greece, Italy, and Spain. Created by chefs Yotam Dolev (Hamsa) and Hai Avnaim (Doris Metropolitan), the restaurant serves a tidy menu of fewer than 20 starters, entrees, and sides that’s designed to be shared.
Meals at Októ could begin with a Greek salad, eggplant carpaccio, or a green salad with crispy buckwheat and pickled peppers and onions. From there, diners may opt for a raw seafood dish such as tuna crudo or sea bass carpaccio.
Entrees include squid ink linguini with crab and and sambal butter sauce, branzino en papillote, or lamb chops with cauliflower and sunchoke skordalia (a Greek garlic dip). The restaurant is put its spin on the French classic filet Rossini, which is steak topped with foie gras, mushrooms, and a peppercorn sauce.
Steak Rossini is topped with foie gras and peppercorn sauce.Photo by Becca Wright
Co-owner Itai Ben Eli and chef Dolev spoke about the restaurant on a recent episode of CultureMap’s “What’s Eric Eating” podcast. They explained the ways in which Októ’s food is intended to be more elevated than what they serve at Hamsa.
“The dishes at Októ are going to be more detailed and more layered than the ones we have at Hamsa, which is based more on traditional cooking. Októ is going to be a little more modern with layers and elevations that we’ll do daily,” Ben Eli said.
“We’re really trying to change the rules when it comes to the culinary scene and Okto,” Dolev added. “I just came back from Israel a couple of weeks ago. The scene there is amazing. I thought, I need to bring a touch of this, a touch of Italy, a touch of Greece.”
Frena is a Moroccan bread with a crispy exterior and a fluffy interior.Photo by Becca Wright
Of course, just as Doris Metropolitan is widely celebrated for its bread and Hamsa has become known for its pita, no meal at Októ will be complete without its frena bread. Served with a housemade pistachio butter, the traditional Moroccan bread is baked upside down on rocks.
“The rocks give it a nice shape. They crisp up the edges and give you a fluffy inside,” Dolev explained.
Currently, Októ will be open until 10 pm during the week and 11 pm on the weekends, but it could stay open later in the future. A DJ booth in the dining room hints at the kind of lively late night atmosphere that Ben Eli and business partner Itamar Levy intend to offer. Other design details include windows that offer a view into the kitchen and a plant-filled patio.
“All of our concepts have evolved from one another, influenced by our deep cultural roots, and come to life by our talented players,” Ben Eli added in a statement. “Októ really emphasizes the boutique nature of our brand and the intimate feel of the Mediterranean dining scene. It is the product of the dream team we have at Sof Hospitality - with extensive collaboration on everything from the design of the space to the finishes on our cocktails."
Photo by Becca Wright
Meals at Októ could start with dishes such as eggplant carpaccio or Greek salad.
