Openings and Closings: Plume Debuts, Seaside Poke Spring Branch

Plume, 100 W. 23rd, opened July 26 in the recently-opened Urban Office-West Heights development from Braun Enterprises. It’s the first project from Golden Ratio Hospitality Group, a newly-formed  company from Braun Enterprise partners Dan Braun and James Fitch, and Ted Baker, a food and beverage industry veteran for nearly three decades.

The dynamic cocktail bar with its Art Deco-inspired interior will offer a tapas-style food menu along with creative cocktails. Guests will find a sumptuous space designed by Bradford Collier of B.W. Collier Interior Design of Houston. In keeping with its Plume theme, a peacock feather motif will ornament the walls with baroque teal and metallic gold hues, echoing the stunning peacock art installation greeting guests under its name lit in neon. A bar area sits to the right with space for 45 with plush velvet seating. To the left, a lounge area welcomes patrons to linger with more velvet seating along with a raised, semi-private area with zebra-patterned carpet. A climate-controlled patio offers comfortable seating for 25 more guests.

In keeping with its modern, yet Old Hollywood vibe, the bar offerings range from classic martinis to inventive signature drinks like the Chili Kissed Avocado Margarita or the Rich and Dirty, its version of a dirty martini made with Kastra Elion vodka, extra virgin vermouth and house-made olive brine, garnished with a blue cheese-stuffed olive. There are Mini Mixology curated shots such as Mexican Candy or the Surfer on Acid, an interesting mix of Jagermeister, Coco Lopez and pineapple rum.

It also features a fine wine list, a selection of beers and an array of zero-proof mocktails like the Nojito or Blackberry Mule. Its Blissful Bubbles menu includes sparkling wine beverages like the classic Aperol Spritz or a modern take, the Hugo Spritz with St. Germain and mint.

The tapas-style menu features drink-friendly nosh such as Meatballs in Chipotle Ragout, Bacon-Wrapped Dates, Deviled Eggs on Avocado Toast and Papas Bravas. There are also sweet options like an oversized chocolate chip cookie and the Chocolate and Hazelnut Pot de Creme.

Seaside Poke, 7670 Katy Freeway, is celebrating its grand opening August 3 in Spring Branch. Located in the MARQ*E Entertainment Center, it’s the third Houston area location for the poke restaurant. The opening event will run 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. with lion dances, live music and giveaways for gift cards, free meals and other fun prizes. Several local vendors will be on hand including Kohiko Coffee House, Enso Japanese Matcha and Yeti Sunshine Shaved Ice. The first 100 customers in line will receive a free regular-sized signature poke bowl.

With the success of the previous locations, co-owner and co-founder Alex Boquiren Jr. is thrilled to open this new location. He said, “Our new spot will provide the same welcoming atmosphere and commitment to quality that our customers expect and we can’t wait to welcome everyone through our doors.”

Proud Pie, 3522 S. Mason, sold its last pie out of its storefront July 1 but it’s not the end for this nearly 9-year-old Katy bakery. Though a slow summer and a setback with bills forced the shop to close, according to its Facebook account, owner Scott Chapman has been thrown a culinary lifeline via Five 12 Restaurant Concepts, the group behind Dish Society and Daily Gather.

After the initial closing of Proud Pie, Chapman’s concern for his pastry team led him to reach out to secure possible positions for his staff. Five 12 Chief Operating Officer Trent Patterson, along with Aaron Lyons, founder and CEO at Five 12, had a better idea. The team suggested to Chapman a win-win solution for both Proud Pie and Dish Society customers by offering production space in Dish Society’s commissary kitchen. Bringing in Proud Pie’s head pastry chef and some of the other “pie-ristas”, the collaborative kitchen offered its first pies to the public July 30 at Dish Society’s La Centerra location.

For now, the pies, whole and sliced, will be available only at the Katy restaurant but there are plans to expand the availability to the other Dish Society spots in Houston and Austin as well as Daily Gather at CityCentre. Customers may pre-order whole pies while slices will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis.

Chapman began his pie baking journey at the age of 8, eventually training at The Culinary Institute of America at Hyde Park. After a fast-paced career in high-energy kitchens, he opened Proud Pie in November 2015. His passion for developing new flavors and his commitment to peak-season ingredients earned him a devoted clientele. Not only did they come for the 14 core flavors, but they also awaited Proud Pie’s limited-time specials. While Chapman considers himself a culinary artist, he admits he’s not the best business owner per a press release. He said, “Dish Society is the perfect fit to continue the work that we started and to continue the Proud Pie name. You still can’t get the smile off my face.”

Sweet Paris Creperie & Cafe, 20240 Summit Point Crossing, is slated to open in the first quarter of 2025. It’s the third location by strategic partners Mike and Mary Kelton who also operate two top performing Sweet Paris cafes in The Woodlands and Austin, Texas. It will be the eighth Sweet Paris for the Houston Metro Area.

Founded in 2012 in Houston’s Rice Village by Allison and Ivan Chavez, the brand has expanded to 17 stores across Texas, Florida and Minnesota. There are two in Mexico as well. The Houston-based franchise has been growing with “strategic partnerships” and the Keltons, a husband and wife team, began their venture with Sweet Paris in 2018, opening a successful store in The Woodlands. Though it was their first time owning a restaurant, its profitability allowed them to open a second location in Austin in 2020.

The secret to its success is its Parisian style mixed with European flavors. Guests can enjoy a sweet crepe with a hot coffee drink or indulge in a savory version accompanied by a glass of wine. There are options for breakfast, lunch and dinner as well.

Some of its sweet crepes include Apple Cinnamon Creme Brulee, Cookie Butter, Nutella and a vegan Berry Agave. For the savory pancakes, there are choices like Chicken Carbonara, Philly Cheesesteak, Ham & Gruyere or Truffled Caprese.  A variety of waffles, omelets and breakfast crepes plus a menu of paninis, salads and soups means there are plenty of choices throughout the day. Its milkshakes are a meal on their own.

The bar offerings include wine, mimosas, beer and cider.

Lavish Eats HTX, 8318 Southwest Freeway, is now open for walk-up business Tuesday through Sunday from noon to 9 p.m. With a blend of Southern and Northeastern cuisine, it elevates typical food truck fare with dishes such as Baby Lamb Chops and Pan Seared Halibut. Customers can also try the Creamy Linguine with choices such as shrimp, chicken or even a vegan option.

In addition to its main plates, there are starters and shareables like Honey Garlic Chicken Bites, Arancini and Fried Mac & Cheese. Its Saturday and Sunday brunch features comfort foods such as Shrimp & Grits, Chicken & Waffles, Steak & Eggs and French Toast with berries. For dessert, there are selections like Bananas Foster, Strawberry Cream Cake and Fresh Berry Stroople along with a rotating array of freshly-baked cakes and pies.

Benny Chows, 1818 Washington, added lunch service this week, Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The daytime menu will feature Benny Boxes, its version of the traditional Japanese bento box.

The restaurant debuted its new dinner menu earlier this summer with a new executive chef, Jett Hurapan, leading the way. His experience with Thai, Chinese, Pan Asian and New American cuisines has resulted in an expanded menu. For the lunchtime Benny Boxes, guests may choose from a selection of mains including Crispy Orange Beef, Black Pepper Beef, Kung Pao Chicken, General Tso’s Chicken and Panang Curry Vegetables. The boxes include vegetable fried rice, flower blossom egg drop soup, Asian slaw, a crispy spring roll and a sticky coconut rice and mango dessert. It also comes with a soft drink or iced tea.

Openings Reported for July 2024:

Big Chicken, 107 Yale, opened July 14
Case Chocolates, 3401 Harrisburg, opened July 19
Common Bond Bistro & Bakery, 5740 San Felipe, opened June 26
Jersey Mike’s Subs, 1358 W. 43rd, opened July 3
Kazzan Ramen & Bar, 191 Heights Boulevard, opened July 19
La La Land Kind Cafe, 3502 S. Shepherd, opened July 13
Niko Niko’s, 922 Lake front Circle, opened July 1
Nyammings Fusion Bistro Express, 2626 Blodgett, opened July 10
Salad and Go, 3011 FM 1764, opened July 16
Salad and Go, 9604 Fry, opened July 20
Turner’s Cut 811 Buffalo Park, opened June 28

Closings Reported for July 2024:

Holman Draft Hall, 820 Holman, closed July 1