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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YouTube star Mark Wiens gets a taste of Texas at iconic Houston steakhouse

Mark Wiens/YouTube

Mark Wiens and Houston influencer Steven Autry visited Taste of Texas.

One of Houston’s most successful steakhouses is the star of a new clip on YouTube. In a video posted on Thursday, March 12, Mark Wiens visited iconic Houston restaurant Taste of Texas.

Recorded in January, Wiens is a Thailand-based YouTube star with more than 11 million subscribers. He visited the steakhouse with Steven Autry, who operates the popular Houston’s Got Spice influencer account with his wife Christina.

Over the 30 minute episode, Wiens explores everything that makes the almost 40-year-old restaurant so special. It includes a visit to the restaurant’s butcher shop to select the specific tomahawk ribeye and filet — all of which are Certified Angus beef that’s wet-aged for 45 days — Wiens and Autry will dine on. The video also illustrates how large the restaurant’s kitchen is, fitting for an establishment that seats over 300 people and regularly serves more than 1,000 diners per day.

From there, Wiens visits Taste of Texas’ salad bar, where he’s impressed by both the quality of the produce and the variety of dressings and toppings to choose from. Once the steaks hit the table, Wiens and Autry rave about what they’re eating.

“Oh wow. Extremely tender. And so even. No little tough bits, no gristle. It’s just smooth, buttery, cooked perfectly,” Wiens says about his filet. “That’s incredibly tasty,” he adds. They also sample a number of sides and desserts.

After the meal, co-owner Nina Hendee guides Wiens and his son through some of the restaurant’s Texas history artifacts, including firearms and two doors from the Alamo.

“It’s more than a restaurant here,” Wiens concludes. “It is a destination, an icon, delicious food, warm hospitality.”

Wiens isn't the only YouTube star to visit Taste of Texas, which touts itself as the busiest, single location restaurant in Texas. Mike Chen, who has more than 4 million subscribers to his Strictly Dumpling channel, posted a video in December of his visit to the West Houston favorite.

As Christina Autry notes in her Instagram post about meeting Wiens, they dined together at a number of Houston restaurants, including The Original Ninfa's, Cleburne Cafeteria, and Lankford Grocery. Stay tuned for videos from those meals.

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