shining star

New chicken restaurant flies into Houston with 'gluten-friendly' tendies

A local restaurant group is bringing a California-based chicken concept to Texas. Mac Haik Restaurant Group announced it has reached an agreement with Starbird to open locations in Houston, Austin, and San Antonio.

Founded in the San Francisco area in 2016, Starbird is a fast casual restaurant with 19 locations in California and Colorado. It serves fried chicken sandwiches, chicken tenders, chicken nuggets, chicken wings, and salads that are made with chicken that’s “all-natural, never-frozen, antibiotic-free” and covered in a “gluten-friendly breading” that’s cooked fresh to order, according to a press release.

Pair them with sides such as cole slaw, french fries, crispy Thai Brussels sprouts, or elote. Diners can dip their tenders in 11 sauces, including Greek yogurt ranch, Thai herb aioli, honey mustard, honey chipotle bbq, and more.

Part of Mac Haik Enterprises Ltd, Mac Haik Restaurant Group operates a number of franchised restaurants, including breakfast concept First Watch Daytime Café, the Original ChopShop, and Due’ Cucina. It will open Kirkwood, an upscale supper club, later this spring in a West Houston office building that’s also owned by MHE.

“We evaluate opportunities through the lens of long-term brand relevance, not just unit growth,” MHRG COO Dan Anfinson said in a statement. “Starbird delivers a level of culinary quality and operational sophistication that we believe is still underserved in the premium fast-casual chicken category, particularly in Texas. The brand has a clear point of view and the systems to scale responsibly. That combination is rare, and we’re excited to introduce it thoughtfully across our markets.”

The company intends to open as many as 36 locations beginning in 2027, but MHRG is still in the process of securing specific locations. It will announce which city will be first to receive a Starbird at a later time.

“This agreement reflects the strength of our business model and the clarity of our long-term vision,” added Starbird CEO Greg Levin. “As we mark our 10th anniversary, this is shaping up to be our biggest year yet in terms of expansion. Texas is a critical market for us moving forward, and partnering with an experienced organization like Mac Haik Restaurant Group allows us to grow thoughtfully while staying true to what makes Starbird special.”

Courtesy of Starbird

Starbird sells chicken tenders, chicken nuggets, chicken sandwiches, and more.

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One Day Only

Chef of Michelin-starred Texas BBQ joint pops up at Houston crawfish favorite

Photo by Quit Nguyen

Join Lucas McKinney for a crawfish pop-up this Sunday, May 17.

The pitmaster behind one of Texas’ Michelin-starred barbecue joints will be in Houston for a one-day-only crawfish boil. Evan LeRoy, chef and co-owner of Austin’s LeRoy and Lewis Barbecue, will be at Josephine’s this Sunday, May 17 from 2-6 pm.

Part of the restaurant’s Backyard Boil pop-up series, LeRoy and Josephine’s executive chef Lucas McKinney have collaborated on a four dishes that will be served at the pop-up, which will take place on Josephine’s patio. They are:

Smoked Crawfish Boil Sausage on a Stick: andouille flavored pork sausage with crawfish, corn, and potatoes
Brisket and Cheddar Croquettes: Chopped brisket and cheddar cheese in a creamy bechamel. Scooped, breaded in panko, and fried til crispy
Oysters on the Half Shell: Pickled Onion Mignonette, Smoked Jalapeno Salsa, Kimchi Elote
Smoked Salsa Macha with Beef Tallow: Guajillo, ancho, and arbol chiles, lime, soy, garlic, onion, pepitas, and pecans

The pop-up is part of LeRoy’s tour for his new book, New School Barbecue: Recipes for Next-Level Smoking and Grilling, which he co-wrote with Texas Monthly restaurant critic Paula Forbes. Released this week, the book contains almost 100 recipes for mains, sides, and desserts.

LeRoy & Lewis Evan Leroy ATX Evan LeRoy is coming to Houston this weekend. Photo by Briana Balducci

“Lucas asked me to participate in a crawfish boil this year, and it happened to line up with the release of the book, so I said yes,” LeRoy tells CultureMap. “The event format centers around a crawfish boil, along with some fried items and oysters, so it doesn't necessarily reflect the recipes in the book. Instead, we decided to bring a few dishes we’ve been working on over the past year or so, including the brisket and cheddar croquettes — which will definitely make it into my next cookbook.”

McKinney has already hosted pop-ups with the likes of ChòpnBlọk chef-owner Ope Amosu and Mike Pham of Trill Burgers.

“With these crawfish boils, I want each chef to bring their own perspective and let the menu reflect their personal style of cooking,” McKinney adds. “Events like this are really centered around community, collaboration, and introducing something fresh and exciting to Houston each time.”

LeRoy and Lewis has earned wide acclaim for its “new school” barbecue. In addition to being one of only four Texas barbecue joints to hold a Michelin star, it ranked No. 2 on Texas Monthly’s list of the state’s 50 best barbecue joints. McKinney began patronizing the restaurant when his friend, pitmaster Cole Parkman, worked there.

“It’s incredibly good,” McKinney says. “Eating there feels like they’re telling you, ‘I know you think you like brisket, but this is what you should really like.’ I really respect that they’ve planted their feet firmly in the ground and committed to doing things differently. It all makes so much sense — and it’s delicious.”

Reservations (free) are required to attend the Backyard Boil at Josephine’s; both 2 pm and 4 pm seatings are available. Attendees will purchase food and drinks a la carte. Josephine’s regular menu will not be available at the pop-up. Copies of New School Barbecue will also be available for purchase.

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