snuffed out

Ronnie Killen's intimate, Memorial-area steakhouse will soon shutter

Killen's STQ will close on September 30.

Photo by Kimberly Park

Chef Ronnie Killen is saying bye-bye to Briargrove. Killen’s STQ will close on September 30, Killen tells CultureMap.

In a series of text messages, Killen noted several factors contributed to the decision not to renew his lease on the space at 2231 S Voss Road. First, business never fully recovered to pre-Covid levels.

“Plus, STQ is one of only two places I lease. I own all the other properties,” he explains. His preference for owning properties rather than leasing them contributed to Killen’s decision to close his Mexican restaurant Killen’s TMX at the end of last year.

Opened in December 2016, Killen’s STQ combined chef Killen’s expertise in barbecue and steakhouses. It served steaks cooked over live fire and a number of dishes infused with smoke in a welcoming environment. Killen splurged on getting the details right, buying high quality linens, glassware, and silverware.

That innovative approach earned considerable acclaim, including a nomination for Best New Restaurant in the 2017 CultureMap Tastemaker Awards. Texas Monthly ranked it No. 4 on its list of the state’s best new restaurants of 2018, and the Chronicle rated it as the No. 2 best new restaurant of 2016. In an interview, Texas quarterback C.J. Stroud shouted out Killen’s STQ as his favorite restaurant in Houston.

The menu presented some of the chef’s most popular dishes in new ways, such as creamed corn ravioli and smoked salt and pepper short rib with espresso barbecue sauce. Both of those dishes, as well as customer favorites such as the chicken fried ribeye and French onion burger, will live on at Killen’s Steakhouse in Pearland and Killen’s, the chef’s comfort food restaurant near the Heights.

While STQ is closing its doors, Killen has plans to upgrade the Pearland location of Killen’s Steakhouse. He recently purchased a wood-burning Josper grill and oven as well as a large dry-aging cabinet. Expect a major announcement when they’re in place and the menu is updated. Similar improvements will come to The Woodlands location that opened in 2019.

Is STQ gone for good? “I’m always open to business opportunities,” Killen replies.

For now, the restaurant’s fans have a couple of more weeks to make their last visit. Considering Killen will also celebrate his birthday on September 30, the day will be bittersweet.

What's Eric Eating Episodes 518 and 519

Meet the men behind River Oaks' new destination for bowls and broth

Photo by Becca Wright

Find Honest Mary's in the River Oaks Shopping Center.

On this week’s episode of “What’s Eric Eating,” Honest Mary’s founder Nelson Monteith and COO Andrew Wiseman joined CultureMap editor Eric Sandler to discuss the Austin-based restaurant that just opened its first Houston location in the River Oaks Shopping Center (2047-A West Gray St).

Monteith shares that he started the restaurant in 2017 in order to fulfill his vision of a restaurant which could serve food that’s fast, fresh, and affordable. A trained chef who operated pioneering Austin restaurant Contigo, Wiseman joined the group to bring both culinary expertise and operational acumen to the grouping company.

Part of what sets Honest Mary’s apart is that diners can add cooked vegetables to the rice and proteins at the heart of every bowl. The “Market Sides” section includes an array of roasted vegetables — including sweet potatoes, cauliflower, broccoli, beets, and Brussels sprouts — as well as black beans, maple-glazed carrots, and green lentils. Bowls can be further enhanced with toppings such as Texas pecans, crispy chickpeas, goat cheese, avocado, and apples as well as sauces such as creamy poblano, cashew lime crema, sesame vinaigrette, spicy peanut, chimichurri and apple cider vinaigrette

Monteith explains that looking at the ingredients on display usually inspires him when he’s deciding what to eat at Honest Mary’s.

“I will almost always look at the line and see what looks fresh and good,” Monteith says. “Today, I got the salted kale with white rice. Then, I got garlic-pepper steak. I added on lentils — they’re my go-to in the winter. They blend everything together, and I love it Then Brussels sprouts looked green. I got some jalapenos. Avocados, cause that’s healthy. Then I got the chimichurri sauce.”

Honest Mary’s is also known for its hearty broths, a classic chicken and a vegetarian option made with seaweed and mushroom. Sandler raves about the chicken broth to Wiseheart, who shares how it’s made.

“We spent six or seven months testing recipes and drinking it ourselves to see if it’s a good idea,” Wiseman says. “I talk about it as a great complement to the menu. It’s healthy. It’s really simple. Most of the kitchens I came up with were rooted in French cuisine. This is just chicken stock with salt in it.”

Listen to the full episode to hear more about Honest Mary’s plans for additional locations in Houston and Dallas. Then Monteith asks a Sandler a few questions about the Houston dining scene.

In this week’s other episode, Sandler and co-host Mary Clarkson discuss the news of the week. Their topics include Home Slice Pizza opening a new location in the Heights; the closures of Brett’s BBQ Shop in Katy and Killen’s Barbecue in The Woodlands; and Esquire including ChòpnBlok on its list of America’s best new restaurants.

In the restaurant of the week segment, the two friends discuss their recent meal at Hypsi, the Italian restaurant in the newly-opened Hotel Daphne. Listen to the episode to hear their favorite dishes and other thoughts on the meal.

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Subscribe to "What's Eric Eating" on Apple podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Hear it Sunday at 9 am on ESPN 97.5.

Photo by Becca Wright

Find Honest Mary's in the River Oaks Shopping Center.

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