that's phat

Award-winning Malaysian restaurant finally unveils new Woodlands location

One of the Houston area’s most acclaimed Asian restaurants opens its second location this week. Phat Eatery will begin lunch and dinner service this Wednesday, June 26.

First announced two years ago, the restaurant suffered numerous delays as it prepared to expand from its original location in Katy Asia Town. None were more significant than the death of founder Alex Au-Yeung, who succumbed to cancer in March. Directors of operations Kevin Lee and Marvin He, who have been part of Phat Eatery since it opened in 2018, are prepared to both maintain and expand upon Au-Yeung’s legacy. Specifically, Lee rose through the ranks at sushi restaurants before becoming a general manager with the Azuma Group, while He is the culinary mind behind dishes such as lobster dumplings and beef rendang Wellington.

“We’re so grateful to Houston’s chefs and restaurateurs, many of whom sent their condolences and offered to guide us through a lot of hurdles,” Lee said in a statement. “With the passing of Alex, a lot of things were delayed, but I’m thankful everyone has been more than understanding. I am sorry it took so long, but we’re here. We’re ready!”

The award-winning Malaysian restaurant had to perform extensive renovations to transform a 40-year old Fuddruckers in Grogan’s Mill into a modern restaurant that nods to Singapore and Malaysia (2290 Buckthorne Place in The Woodlands). Phat Eatery worked with Tramonte Design Studio on the 8,200-square-foot space.

Details include 24-foot ceilings, exposed cedar beams, and Chinese lanterns that hang over the wood-framed booths. An oversized neon sign that explains that “phat” means “highly attractive and gratifying” ties to the new location to the Katy original. Overall, the new restaurant seats almost 200 people, which includes two private rooms — the 75-seat atrium and a chef’s table room that seats 15 at a round party table that includes an electric Lazy Susan.

Behind the scenes, the Phat Eatery team visited restaurants in New York to get inspiration for designing the most efficient kitchen possible. Diners may not notice the separate stations for core dishes such as roti, dim sum, and Peking duck, but they’ll appreciate how efficiently the dishes arrive at their tables.

One thing that won’t change is Phat Eatery’s food. Diners can expect the same roti canai, kerabu prawn, curry laksa, beef rendang, and other fare that earned Au-Yeung a James Beard Award semifinalist nomination for Best Chef: Texas in 2022.

Once the restaurant is more dialed in, He and Lee will fulfill Au-Yeung’s original vision for the menu by adding Chinese barbecue, including Peking duck, and expanding the restaurant’s dim sum offerings. Eventually, the restaurant will also add a bar menu that features fan-favorite specials such as salt-and-pepper chicken wings and the beef rendang burger that Au-Yeung created for a pop-up at CultureMap Tastemaker Awards Neighborhood Restaurant of the Year winner Burger Bodega. Although he isn't there to see it, the team is confident it is honoring Au-Yeung's legacy.

“If Alex were still with us, he’d say, ‘Finally. We got it open. Dreams really do come true,’” He added.

Phat Eatery opens daily at 11 am. Reservations are available on Resy.

Photo by Jenn Duncan

Phat Eatery's location in The Woodlands opens June 26.

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What's Eric Eating Episodes 459 and 460

Meet the men behind Houston's most under-the-radar Italian restaurant

Courtesy of Mimo

Chef Fernando Rios and sommelier Mike Sammons are this week's guests.

On this week’s episode of “What’s Eric Eating,” sommelier Mike Sammons and chef Fernando Rios join CultureMap editor Eric Sandler to discuss Mimo, their Italian restaurant in the East End. The duo, whose history goes back to when they worked together at iconic Houston fine dining restaurant Da Marco, opened Mimo in 2023.

The conversation begins with Rios explaining the progression of a career that took him from Backstreet Cafe to Da Marco to Weights + Measures, where he worked as the chef de cuisine while Sammons was a partner who oversaw the beverage program. Since they both live in the East End, they saw an opportunity to team up by claiming the former Kanomwan space on Telephone Rd.

They discuss several aspects of the restaurant’s business, including Rios’ changes to the menu, the evolution of Mimo’s wine list, and how its been received by residents of the East End. A digression about Da Marco prompts Sandler to ask about its chef-owner Marco Wiles, who generally stays out of the media spotlight. Sammons shares that Wiles is the only chef or restaurateur who makes him nervous when he dines at Mimo.

“He’s really not forgiving about things. This is very consistent with the Italian way of looking at things — there’s a right way to do things and that’s it. If it isn’t done that way, it’s wrong. A lot of my other mentors and friends can be more forgiving, but the standards Marco has kept for years has motivated me,” Sammons says.

“He’s still the same way,” Rios adds. “That was insane to me. I thought, you get older, you’d be more relaxed, but the way he looks at you makes you nervous. Working in the kitchen, there was times he’d throw all my stuff away and say ‘start over.’”

Was he right, Sandler asks.

“Absolutely, yes. He was right all the time. I just think he was one of the best to do it,” Rios affirms.

Listen to the full interview to hear both men discuss the one thing they’re most proud of about Mimo. They also discuss their plans for the future.

In this week’s other episode, Sandler and co-host Mary Clarkson discuss the news of the week. Their topics include Houston’s finalists in this year’s James Beard Awards, the owners of Jūn adding a daytime concept called Third Place, and Aaron Bludorn promoting chef Allie Pena to be Bludorn’s new executive chef.

In the restaurant of the week segment, Sandler and Clarkson visit Camaraderie, chef Shawn Gawle’s new restaurant in the Heights. They share their thoughts on the restaurant’s prix fixe menu, as well as its decor and beverage offerings.

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