Los Angeles hospitality magnate Sam Nazarian was one proud papa Thursday night as he surveyed the glam crowd that circulated through his latest baby — Katsuya by Starck. The opening party for the sleek sushi hotspot in West Ave pulsated with a crush of energized chic-sters.
"This is great," Nazarian said from his perch in a reserved corner of the vast restaurant, his largest Katsuya to date. "I love the crowd. The energy is amazing. This represents the best of everything at sbe." That means the best elements from the various components of Nazarians's far-reaching empire which includes restaurants, hotels and nightclubs stretching from the West Coast to Miami to New York. Expect to see the Houston concept for Katsuya replicated in a few more urban centers around the country and in other parts of Texas.
"I swear they loaded up a plane and flew these people in from LA."
Continually raising their glasses in toasts with Nazarian in the owner's corner were Charming Charlie CEO Charlie Chanaratsopon and GEG Group CEO Ali Ansari, both partners in the restaurant, who allowed that Nazarian had been in Houston throughout the building process overseeing every aspect of the Philippe Starck-designed destination eatery.
By all accounts, this was one killer party. As interior designer Fred Smith observed of the seductive crowd with many new faces, "I swear they loaded up a plane and flew these people in from LA."
While people-watching was rich, the taste sensations from master sushi chef Katsuya Uechi's kitchen rated high among the 700 partygoers. In fact, Uechi was in the kitchen all evening keeping the baked crab hand rolls, the yellowtail sashimi and the like flowing.
"I've never had better sushi anywhere," said Aaron Howes, who has eaten at Katsuya twice since its opening and lamented that he had not invested when given the opportunity. Melissa and Michael Mithoff, on the other hand, were beaming at their decision to get on board.
Annie Amante raved about the service that she received not only on this night but on a previous visit to Katsuya — unlike the attitude that she had experienced at Houston's other new sushi place.
The party crowd included David Fitch, CEO of Gables which developed West Ave, plus Lily and Hamid Kooros, Kate and Shawn Gross, Mary Smith, Neal Hamil, Lindley and Jason Arnoldy, Dee Dee Guggenheim, Marita Fairbanks, Lisa and Michael Holthouse, Samira Salman, Erin Hicks, Cerón, Lynn Wyatt, Robert Sakowitz, Kara Howes, Ginni Mithoff and on and on.
