New Restaurants: High-End Sushi, Down-Home Burgers & More!

New Restaurants: High-End Sushi, Down-Home Burgers & More!

Underbelly Burger (photo by Julie Soefer)

WHAT OMICRON VARIANT? Houston’s restaurant scene is adapting — and booming. Exciting announcements are made every week, and the list of hot spots to check out just keeps growing. Here are four to add now.


Inside Underbelly Burger

Underbelly Burger “I love burgers,” said Chris Shepherd yesterday on Instagram. “Hamburgers to me are an expression of one’s self. It really says a lot about the person. The style that you like — a single, a double, grilled burgers, seared burgers, smashed burgers, stuffed burgers, and the list goes on and on.” Shepherd’s love of burgers is on full display at the new Underbelly Burger, which opened yesterday in the historic Houston Farmers Market.

There are two styles of burger available — one utilizing RC Ranch Butchers’ Wagyu, and the other using 44 Farms Black Angus — plus a spicy chicken sandwich, hot dog, veggie patty, and perfectly crisped fries dusted in ranch powder. Wash it all down with a milkshake, wine or beer.

The quaint, retro-chic space — designed by Amanda Medsger and incorporating vintage burger memorabilia collected by Shepherd — seats 14 inside, and has a pickup window for those who choose to sit outside at one of the many picnic tables throughout the market.

Money Cat Team (photo by Kimberly Park)

Money Cat The team behind Katy’s talked-about Tobiuo Sushi & Bar — known for its whole-bluefin tasting-menu events — will soon bring its adventurous eats inside the Loop. Chef-owner Sherman Yeung and a staff that includes 21-year-old chef de cuisine Jio Dingayan and GM Le Chau will open Money Cat, a modern Japanese and sushi restaurant, next-door to Kiran’s on Richmond this summer.

Yeung calls the new venture a “much more personal project,” saying in a release, “I don’t want to just be comfortable; I want to challenge myself.” He studied at Michelin-starred restaurants to inform Money Cat’s menu — Birdsong in San Francisco, and Chicago’s Smyth — and will bring “New Japanese” cuisine to Houston, a city famous for its diversity and population of first- and second-generation Asian Americans.

Money Cat will serve dinner only, and will offer a tasting-menu option in addition to a la carte dishes that include a katsu sando on house milk bread, and kabocha ravioli — all served with Yeung’s homemade miso and soy sauces, and a fruity koji butter. Expect a range of cocktails and a thorough wine and tea program.

A rendering of Amrina

Amrina The newly establish Kahani Social Group will soon open its first concept, Amrina, in The Woodlands. The name is Arabic for “princess,” while Kahani translates to “story” — so naturally, Amrina will tell the story of a mysterious modern princess, from a décor scheme of jewel tones and sumptuous textures and fabrics to a menu of eclectic Indian-inspired fare.

Helmed by chef Jaspratap “Jassi” Bindra, who earned accolades worldwide for his work at Punjab Grill in D.C., Amrina is located in The Woodlands’ Waterway Square. It will boast a cocktail lounge (DJs and live entertainment on weekends!) and a unique in-kitchen chef’s table, as well as a patio and main dining room.

Kahani’s Preet Paul Singh and Surpreet Singh plan to bring additional “intentionally unorthodox” concepts to the Houston area in 2022.

Hot Smoked Salmon Snitter (photo by Kat Ambrose)

Golfstrømmen From the concert venue to rooftop garden, POST Houston offers many a compelling reason to visit — but this latest one might be the most unique. James Beard-winning chef-restaurateur Paul Qui has teamed up with Norway-based Christopher Haatuft to open a sustainable seafood market and Neo-Fjordic restaurant dubbed Golfstrømmen. Not sure what that means? Read on.

A few years back, Qui visited celebrated chef Haatuft in Norway for farm tours and fishing, and the pair discussed opening a restaurant and market utilizing the freshest catches and Norwegian techniques, sauces, oils and seasonings. There’s the Gulf-caught red fish ceviche with tart Bergen Leche, and a raw bar with items like oysters, Gulf stone crab claws and more — all sustainably sourced, per Haatuft’s request.

“Although it’s impossible in today’s world for a restaurant to be fully sustainable, I have always tried to make my restaurants back in Norway as sustainable as possible,” he said in a release. “I’m excited about the opening of Golfstrømmen at POST Houston because it will give us the opportunity to bring sustainably sourced seafood to Houston residents, as well as allow us to work with local seafood suppliers to increase sustainability efforts in the region through education and the introduction of eco-friendly fishing and aquaculture farming ideas.”

Food
Expect ‘Complete Beauty and Medical Gym Experience’ at Montrose Med Spa

MONTROSE MED SPA is consistently focused on one thing: the patient. The boutique spa is intentionally designed as haven where clients can realize their aesthetic and wellness aspirations in a secure and comforting environment. Business partners Maricela and Ashley pride themselves on their unwavering commitment to the patient and continuous learning ensuring that clients receive the most safe and effective treatments available. Intentional wellness of placing emphasis on inner well-being and self-care is the vision of the spa and they have curated a team of highly trained professionals who share this philosophy. With this vision in mind, Maricela and Ashley have developed a complete beauty and medical gym experience. Services provided include Medical Weight Loss, EMsculpt Neo, EMface, HydraFacial (face & body), Fillers, Neurotoxins, Microneedling, VI Chemical Peels, and IV Therapy. LUXURY BEAUTY & MEDICAL GYM MEMBERSHIPS available. Schedule your complimentary skin analysis consultation and receive $100 off your first treatment. 713.485.5027, 2505 Dunlavy St. Houston, TX 77006 Follow us on Instagram.


Keep Reading Show less

Jacob Hilton, a.k.a. Travid Halton, at home in his kitchen, where he enjoys cooking as a form of therapy.

PINK FLOYD'S THE Wall. Sinatra’s In the Wee Small Hours. Beyonce’s Lemonade. Three divergent examples of the album as a cathartic, psychological, conceptual work, meant to be experienced in a single sitting. Houston singer-songwriter Jacob Hilton, 37, who records as Travid Halton, a portmanteau of his mother and father’s names, might balk at being mentioned in such company. (This is a thoroughly unpretentious man, who describes himself as an “archaeologist turned singer-songwriter.”)

Keep Reading Show less
Art + Entertainment

How did you get to where you are today? The present moment is a combined history of my family, my time as an athlete, my passion for learning, and my desire to see the world be better. I grew up as a successful springboard and platform diver, however, an injury caused me to seek alternative treatments to heal my body. In that process, I discovered the power of yoga, exercise, meditation, mindset, and nutrition. This holistic approach eventually led me to open a Pilates and cycling studio called DEFINE body & mind. I opened studios around the nation, and after selling most of my business between 2017-2019, I was ready to explore how I could make an even greater impact on the wellbeing of our community. In 2023, I started actively working on a brand new multi-family/apartment concept called, Define Living. The idea focused on offering health and wellness services within a beautiful apartment setting to increase the wellbeing of our residents. Having a strong sense of community is the number one factor in living a happy life, so why not build a community where daily fitness, cooking classes, and social connection are the norm? We opened Define Living in March of 2024, and we couldn’t be happier with how things are being received. We are already looking at building more concepts like this in the Houston area and beyond.

Keep Reading Show less