Sol 7 at Thompson Houston Hotel
Molihua
Houston’s newest culinary destination in the Blossom Hotel debuts tomorrow, April 23, but you can snag ressies now. Michelin-starred chef Hideki Hiwatashi and Ho Chee Boon and will offer traditional Japanese cuisine, elaborate dim sum, and artful desserts with a modern twist in the stunning second floor space. “Inspired by the beauty of the Jasmine flower and its delicate fragrance and beauty, Molihua encapsulates the essence of elegance and sophistication,” says chef Ho, who you may recall was with Houston’s Yauatchua in the Galleria. Japanese mains, raw fish tartares and crudos, and sharable plates like crispy truffle puffs — along with and sashimi, maki and nigiri, of course — headline the menu. Molihua is the third restaurant set to open under the Boon Group, following successful ventures in San Francisco, namely Empress by Boon and Blue Whale Restaurant & Lounge.
Vibrant Cafe at Memorial Park (photo courtesy of Leonid Furmansky)
Vibrant’s original location in Montrose was a little quiet during peak-pandemic, but it’s back in action, along with a new sister spot in Memorial Park. The Houston-based café known for its commitment to health and sustainability will provide all-day dining within the new Running Complex. Although the menu will evolve over time to fit the flow and vibe of the park, expect a similar menu as the original, along with an organic coffee program and natural wines. All dishes are free from gluten, dairy, refined sugars, peanuts, GMOs and gums. There’s a chocolate-chia-banana bowl, for example, and a watercress salad with shredded chicken and pickled apples. Also find a hearty sweet-potato-noodle stir fry, tacos, and sandwiches.
Designed by local Schaum Architects with a patio and interior elements curated by Vibrant’s founder, the café’s light-filled space reflects the natural aesthetic of its surroundings. “The café's opening and the broader expansion of dining and recreational options in the Park, reflect our ongoing commitment to meet the diverse needs of all Houstonians,” says Shellye Arnold, president and CEO of Memorial Park Conservancy.
Vibrant's Rainbow Salad (photo by Kirsten Gilliam)
This lively restaurant-bar on the seventh floor of the hotel overlooks a garden surrounded by the infinity pool. It embraces the outdoors with floor-to-ceiling windows, which are open during mild days. Irresistible breakfast, lunch, dinner and bar menus have something for everyone with lots of surprises. Its raw bar sports half-shell oysters, smoked salmon with crispy potato and horseradish crème fraiche, and ahi tuna tartare with macadamia nuts. Main plates include linguine with zucchini, burrata and walnut-basil pesto, grilled Ora king salmon and steaks, as well as burgers, salads and fun small plates. Located on prime real estate overlooking Buffalo Bayou Park and the Downtown skyline, the hotel also recently welcomed Maven Coffee Company, and will debut Chardon and Buck 40 restaurants soon. National concepts Toca Madera and Meduza Mediterrania are also in the works.
Holey Moley
Just in time for great spring weather, this new mini-golf club-bar-eatery from Australia-based company Funlab has bowed near Greenway Plaza. Pick up a club and take a swing at one of three nine-hole golf courses, which all have punny names and whimsical designs like the “Parber Shop.” Take a break at the 100-seat bar and restaurant named The Caddy Shack. Its menu offers a Texas spin on American comfort food such as nachos, sandwiches wings, pizzas and salads. Highlights include a chopped brisket sandwich, taco salad, and grilled elote corn ribs with cotija cheese, garlic aioli, Tajin and lime.
Bungalow Room
About 20 minutes outside of Tyler, Texas, Jason and Sharon Romano have established a “laid-back luxury” resort calledHigh Hill Farm, complete with bungalows and barn-style accommodations.
Trampolines and bocce ball and a (stupendous) fine-dining restaurant and a picturesque pool make it easy to find something to do without the paralysis of choice that often comes from a family-oriented resort. The overwhelming quiet is comforting; an occasional hum of golf carts can be heard, along with a chorus of cicadas, but there’s no backdrop of highway traffic like in Houston, or in the Romanos’ home base of Dallas.
“Our motto is ages 3 to 93,” says Jason, who knows all the guests by name, and when you spot him blowing leaves or cleaning the pool, it feels like you’re running into an old friend.
He and Sharon have high hopes for High Hill, having recently completed the first phase of the resort’s adjacent master-planned development, with dozens of homes available for rent and purchase. They’re all designed and built by Jason, who has a 30-year career building out restaurants and hospitality projects in Dallas that range from historic restorations to the popular Blue Mesa Grill.
Modeled after the 30A and Seaside communities in Florida, the walkable community has an amphitheater with “beachside” concerts overlooking a spring-fed lake, and a chapel situated on the highest point of the property, where weddings take place.
The residences are all completely custom, with commissioned art and one-of-a-kind furnishings. The pines have grown up and over a Mediterranean-style courtyard with a dipping pool and giant outdoor shower, instantly creating a sense that you could be anywhere in the world — and certainly not just in East Texas.
Future plans include a dream of a sangria and tapas bar using the juices from the fruits grown onsite at the High Hill Resort farm. Cheers to that!
