ich bin ein klavier

Modern piano bar with lounge vibes strikes a chord in Montrose

If the image of a piano bar conjures a Reagan-era room with lots of low-hanging plants, take heart. An entrepreneur with roots in nightclubs and private aviation is rebooting the concept with contemporary tastes in mind.

Meet The Kennedy. Located in the former Muse/Emmaline space at 3210 W Dallas St., it's the creation of owner Andres Castro, who aims to provide Montrose, River Oaks, and surrounding neighborhoods with a comfortable space for enjoying live music, lounging on a shaded patio, and eating a good meal. Castro, whose resume includes time with both nightclubs such as Spire and Clé as well as sales and operational roles with both Empyreal Jet and Million Air, founded the Ninety3 Hospitality Group to bring The Kennedy to life.

When it opens later this summer, The Kennedy will offer a range of experiences. Inside, diners will find lounge-style seating, a dual-sided fireplace, and live music that runs the gamut from piano players to DJs. Outside, a two story patio will offer an outdoor option for enjoying cocktails and wine.

Castro recruited chef Adriana Maldonado to serve as executive chef. A veteran of New York City establishments such as Javelina and celebrity chef Todd English’s restaurant Olives, Maldonado will serve a menu of shareable plates rooted in classic American fare such as a smash burger, beef tartare, caviar, and more. Notably, The Kennedy will source its meat from Carniceria Prime Meat Market, a Houston butcher shop that’s garnered over 170,000 followers on Instagram by featuring tomahawks, wagyu beef, and other luxurious cuts.

Courtesy of The Kennedy

A rendering previews The Kennedy's interior.

Plans call for being open six days per week for lunch or brunch with dinner and bites until late into the evening.

“I’m excited to bring a restaurant and lounge with beautiful and classic interiors, attentive service and delicious, bite-size food to River Oaks that bucks the current trend-driven restaurant and bar designs,” Castro said in a statement. “Paired with a world-class beverage program and diverse live music, The Kennedy will be a day-to-late night destination that feels like an energetic extension of your home.”

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crawfish season is here

Essential Houston crawfish joint heads to Beaumont for new location

Photo by Paulina Olague

BB's Tex-Orleans is bringing its boiled seafood to Beaumont.

One of Houston’s favorite destinations for crawfish is heading east. BB’s Tex-Orleans will open 12th location in Beaumont.

Slated to open in April, BB’s will occupy the former home of The Park on Calder (2325 Calder Avenue). With 3,200 square feet inside and a massive, 5,000-square-foot patio, BB’s will seat 70 people inside and 175 people outdoors. The patio has enough space for a children’s play area and a 225-inch outdoor screen for showing the day’s games.

“At BB’s, we like to say that our culture is making Maw Maw, my grandmother, proud,” founder and CEO Brooks Bassler said in a statement. “So many of our recipes are inspired by Maw Maw’s cooking, but even more than the great food, it’s a way of living: family, hard work, fairness. Maw Maw was born in Winnie, and her sister still lives there, so BB’s roots actually start in the Golden Triangle. Finally opening a location in Beaumont feels like coming home.”

The menu will feature all of the dishes that have made BB’s a go-to for Cajun fare. That starts will boiled seafood, including crawfish, shrimp, and crab legs — all of which can be enhanced with Prasek’s smoked garlic sausage, alligator andouille sausage, corn, button mushrooms, red potatoes, and BB’s “Monsta Greens.”

Diners also turn to the restaurant for po’ boys, such as the Bedtime in the Bayou (fried shrimp) and the South Texas Fire Po’boy (marinated outside skirt steak topped with melted pepper jack cheese, avocado, sautéed peppers, and onions, topped with a spicy pepper cheese sauce).

Here’s founder Brooks Bassler with a Bedtime in the Bayou.

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Founded in 2007 in Montrose as a late night po’ boy destination, BB’s has grown across the Houston area. BB’s Cajun Cantina in San Antonio adds Tex-Mex flavors to the mix.

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