Cuban fusion

Houston sandwich pop-up presses forward with a brick-and-mortar home

A popular Houston sandwich pop-up has found a brick-and-mortar home. Known for its Brazilian and Cuban sandwiches, Yuma has claimed the former Ninja Ramen space (4219 Washington Ave.) for a new restaurant that will open this spring.

Yuma takes inspiration from the heritage of its owners, husband-and-wife duo Mike Hartley and Miriam Leek-Meira. Chef Hartley brings experience from his time as the executive sous chef of Brasserie 19, while Leek-Meira brings a passion for introducing Houstonians to Brazilian cuisine that transcends the familiar churrascaria steakhouse experience that’s served at restaurants such as Fogo de Chao and Chama Gaucha.

“We have so, so much more to offer,” Leek-Meira said in a statement. “We have amazing fruits, we eat other meats, we have amazing seafood, and we even eat vegetables, so I’m really excited to introduce people to what I grew up eating in Brazil through the prism of the Cuban sandwich.”

At the heart of the restaurant’s menu will be the sandwiches that have powered Yuma’s pop-ups, all of which are served on bread that’s baked in-house. They include a classic Cuban sandwich, the Sampa Gallo chicken sandwich, and the A Caipira, a Brazilian take on a cheesesteak. The menu also includes croquettes, Pastel de Bife (Brazilian beef empanadas), and Pão de Queijo, the craveable Brazilian cheese rolls.

Yuma also creates sandwiches inspired by other cultures, such as the Vietnamese-style El Penny Cubano Banh Mi — made with mojo pork and ham that’s topped with Gruyere, garlic aioli, pate, pickled carrots, daikon, cilantro, and jalapeno. In November, Yuma served the Leftover Gringo, a Thanksgiving-inspired sandwich made with roast turkey; a casserole-style sauce made with Catupiry, corn, and tinga; Peruvian pearl peppers; and Gruyère.

“This concept is one-of-a-kind but also approachable, much like this amazing city that we live in,” Hartley said. “Miriam and I have set out to create something completely unique, and we are excited to share it with everyone. We love the location, and want to ride the balance between new and exciting, combined with comforting and familiar.”

For the restaurant, the couple worked with Nancy’s Hustle bartender Jamie Diaz to create Brazilian and Cuban-inspired cocktails centered around cachaca and rum.

While the restaurant is under construction, Yuma will continue to hold pop-ups around Houston. Confirmed dates include Bobcat Teddy’s on January 17 and 19; Axelrad every Thursday in January; and Catbirds every Wednesday in January. It will also serve lunch at Third Place on February 7.

Photo by Rebekah Flores

Yuma will serve sandwiches, croquettes, and more.

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Surprising steakhouse shutter

'Contractual dispute' compels closure of prime River Oaks steakhouse

Perry's Steakhouse & Grille/ Facebook

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One of Houston’s most prominent steakhouses is closing its only inner loop outpost. Perry’s Steakhouse & Grille will shutter its location in the River Oaks Shopping Center on Saturday, January 24.

In a message posted to Facebook, the restaurant wrote that it was “deeply disappointed” by the closure, which it attributed to a “contractual dispute with our landlord.” In response to CultureMap’s request for comment, Perry’s COO Rick Henderson provided the following statement:

"After seven great years, Perry’s has made the difficult decision to close our River Oaks location due to a contractual dispute with our landlord, with our last day serving guests set to be Saturday, January 24, 2026. We are incredibly grateful for the years of memories that our guests and team members have made and are offering every single member of the restaurant’s staff an equivalent position at one of our seven other restaurants in the greater Houston area.

We are deeply disappointed by the first closure of a Perry’s Steakhouse location since our company’s inception in Houston in 1979. However, the Perry’s team remains deeply committed to providing an extraordinary experience and unparalleled service to guests of our other Houston-area restaurants. We look forward to continuing to serve our guests with the same commitment to excellence that has defined Perry’s for over four decades.

Perry's is unable to comment further due to pending litigation. We currently have six other steakhouse locations that serve the greater Houston area and are constantly evaluating additional locations in Houston and across the country."

Perry’s opened its River Oaks location in February 2019. The two-story, 12.000-square-foot restaurant occupied both a former location of California Pizza Kitchen and Baker Street Pub. Like its six other Houston-area siblings, it serves a full menu of steaks and seafood, including the signature seven-finger pork chop.

At the time, founder Chris Perry explained that he served such a massive portion, because people taking home a branded to-go container was an essential form of marketing. “When I first started my business, my plans was to get my name in your fridge,” he said. “It was my only marketing plan that I could really afford. Couldn't afford billboards, and social media wasn’t around [yet].”

The River Oaks Shopping Center has seen significant turnover since Perry’s opened. Staples such as La Griglia and Americas have relocated or closed, replaced by establishments such as Goode Co Kitchen & Cantina, French restaurant Cocody, and recently-opened Chinese restaurant Maison Chinoise.

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