Sweet Success

Beloved Houston-area online bakery rises with new brick-and-mortar location

Fans of Water Oak House's tasty cakes and pies: rejoice. Formerly only available online, the business is set to open a brick-and-mortar location this April in the Baybrook Passage Shopping Center at at 19435 W. Bay Area Blvd. in Webster.

The 3,000-plus-square-foot location is directly across from the Baybrook Mall, according to the company.

Water Oak House Bakey/Facebook

Fans can get items like this at the new store.

Owner Dena Baughman is no stranger to entrepreneurial efforts. Prior to Water Oak House, she ran the successful brick-and-mortar Dena's Bakery, a tea room in Baytown, as well as home catering company, Dinner Any Thyme. Water Oak House launched in 2014.

The new locale will feature longtime Water Oak House favorites, along with new items for breakfast and lunch that offer a modern take on classic dishes. Look for selections such as full-sized and multilayered cakes, seasonal pies, cookies and quiches.

Breakfast selections include egg-forward dishes, such as country ham eggs Benedict, Meyer lemon avocado toast, and a maple sausage and white cheddar breakfast sandwich, along with shrimp and grits, brioche French toast, and peaches and cream overnight oats.

Guests will also find options such as a curried chicken salad sandwich, black pepper bacon BLT salad, and Texas chili on the lunch menu.

Baughman has chronicled the journey to her new space on the Water Oak House website, including details about the planning process, consulting meetings, ideas for menu items, and more. Austin-based interior designer Kim Lewis, responsible for the vibrant looks of Torchy’s Tacos at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Kesos Tacos in Austin, Tellers Coffee in Chicago, and other projects, has been tapped to design the space.

Baybrook Passage is owned by the Gulf Coast Commercial Group. In a statement announcing the project, the organization's COO was excited to welcome Water Oak House to the development, calling Baughman's business "the first truly boutique business" in the center since Gulf Coast purchased it last year.

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With or Without Whiz

Houston burger mastermind fires up new pop-up devoted to Philly cheesesteaks

Photo by Michael Ma

Abbas Dhanani is serving up cheesesteaks at his new pop-up.

Abbas Dhanani is at it again. The food influencer-turned-restaurateur behind the CultureMap Tastemaker Award-winning smash burger concept Burger Bodega is firing up a new pop-up concept devoted to another iconic sandwich.

Called Bas’s Cheesesteaks, the new concept will Dhanani’s take on the classic Philly cheesesteak, made with sliced ribeye and white cheese on a seeded hoagie roll — onions and a spicy sauce are optional. A second version swaps the white cheese for Cheez Whiz. Like Burger Bodega, Dhanani is using halal beef for his cheesesteaks.

Bas's Cheesesteaks cheesesteak sandwich The cheesesteak is served on a seeded hoagie roll.Photo by Michael Ma

“We have experimented with cheesesteaks as specials on the menu at Burger Bodega and received amazing feedback,” Dhanani said in a statement. “However, the cheesesteaks at Bas’s are the most refined versions we have done so far. I am excited to bring authentic Philly cheesesteaks to Houston as a new flavor experience while continuing to build on the energy and community we have created at Burger Bodega. This is a huge passion project for me, and I plan to take it step by step, just like Burger Bodega."

As Dhanani notes, he introduced Burger Bodega with a series of pop-ups throughout Houston. To answer the obvious question, of course a restaurant could be in the cards for Bas’s, too.

“I think thats the goal of any new pop-up concept,” Dhanani tells CultureMap. “Like Burger Bodega, we want to take it one step at a time and see where it goes.”

Bas’s Cheesesteaks will have its first pop-up on Monday, June 30 at Burger Bodega’s location (4520 Washington Avenue). In addition to the two cheesesteaks, diners can get fries. Future pop-ups will be announced via Instagram.

As for Burger Bodega’s second location in Katy, Dhanani says it’s still working through securing the necessary permits to begin construction.

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