dining

Top Chef Evelyn Garcia Debuts Long-Awaited Jūn by Kin in the Heights

Top Chef Evelyn Garcia Debuts Long-Awaited Jūn by Kin in the Heights

Chefs Evelyn Garcia and Henry Lu (photo by JIA Media)

“THE MOST IMPORTANT thing I learned from my Top Chef journey was how strong mentally I am because it was one of the hardest and most stressful things I’ve ever done,” says chef Evelyn Garcia.

Those nerves of steel will come in handy with her recent debut of Jūn (420 E. 20th St., Ste A) in the Heights with co-founder Henry Lu featuring riffs on Southeast Asian cuisine. Jūn — a nod to June, the birth month of Lu’s sister and Garcia’s mother — is the first restaurant for both chefs.

The duo came together after both working gigs in New York kitchens. For native Houstonian Garcia, that meant honing her chops at top spots like Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s Spice Market and Thai restaurant Kin Shop. After moving back to Houston, Garcia and Lu started catering company By Kin HTX, and worked in Rice Village’s Politan Row food hall until it shuttered. Since Bravo’s Top Chef, the two have been growing their business with well attended pop-up events around town.

Formerly the home of Steel City Pops, Jūn’s open-warehouse-like restaurant was originally a 1950s-era washeteria. It’s been reimagined into a sleek and intimate space by Gin Design Group boasting three distinct dining areas fashioned with tropical plants, natural distressed floors and eclectic pieces. Expect a homey, modern vibe with earthy touches including handmade ceramics from Oaxaca, Mexico, on which every dish is served.

All 15 or so “new Asian American” dishes are designed to be shared. Come hungry for taste adventures including Gulf shrimp with avocado and taro; raw oysters with fermented mango; and beef tartare with toasted rice. Whole branzino dusted with cinnamon, clove and guajillo; lamb in soulful curry with pistachios; and Thai chili fried chicken are a few of the recipes passed down from generations.

For a deliciously different dessert, consider the nuegados, a yuca-mochi-like donut finished with star anise, orange zest and pilonsillo syrup. Rather sip a cocktail to complement the fare? Try the beautiful, cool and refreshing sake-based “Thai One On!”

Jūn is open nightly for dinner at 5PM.


Interiors by Gin Braverman (Photo by Claudia Casbarian)

The bar at Jūn (Photo by Claudia Casbarian)

Jūn lamb in curry

From Your Site Articles
Related Articles Around the Web
Food
promoted

With Expertise in Blondes, Extensions and More, the Janelle Alexis Team Is a Go-To Salon

Al Torres
With Expertise in Blondes, Extensions and More, the Janelle Alexis Team Is a Go-To Salon

YOU CAN'T LIMIT Janelle to one title – Hairdresser. Her career and business has been established and built on a strong foundation. Using her two business degrees + one more in-process, this enables Janelle and the team to deliver not only a customer-focused experience, but a foundationally solid business. There is much more than meets the eye, and in sharing a little bit about Janelle, she was not only an international hair extension educator for over 14 years, but brings extensive expertise to blondes. She rounds this out with her previously launched namesake cosmetic line, which is a perfect complement to her belief that “Beauty is our Business”.

Keep Reading Show less
promoted

Fall Philanthropy Report: Easter Seals of Greater Houston ‘Impacts Where People Need Us the Most’

What year was your organization launched? Founded in Houston in 1947, as the Cerebral Palsy Treatment Center, the organization provided services to individuals with disabilities living in Houston and Harris County. In 1989, the organization changed its name and greatly expanded its services to meet the needs of its clientele. Today as Easter Seals Greater Houston, the organization provides multiple outstanding service programs to children, adults, veterans, and service members with all types of disabilities and their families in Harris and sixteen surrounding counties.

Keep Reading Show less
promoted

Leadership in Action: John Kuykendall Traded Newcaster Dream for Success in Luxury Retail

John Kuykendall, Showroom Manager, Sub-Zero, Wolf and Cove

How did you get to where you are today? Growing up I had envisioned myself as a news anchor, living in NY and enthusiastically saying into the camera “Good Morning America!”. To this day, I am still a news/political junkie. My mother owned fur salons so specialty retail, luxury retail was in my blood through the family business. Eventually, mom shuttered the stores and I was recruited to a large specialty retailer. Over the next 30 years, I was in commissioned sales on the sales floor, became a department manager, worked my way up to buyer and store manager. Although I never became a newscaster, I did live in NYC for a few years. But Texas is home and with aging grandparents, I felt the pull to come back to my roots. A headhunter approached me. I never envisioned myself in the high-end appliance market, but there are so many similarities. Clients want a memorable experience; whether shopping for diamonds and fur or remodeling their kitchen.

Keep Reading Show less