Historic Preservation and Repurposing: The Axelrad Building on Almeda at Alabama

Soon to become a restaurant with beer garden 

Axelrad Building on Almenda 

Honeymoon Cafe on Congress Ave. at Main

Honeymoon street-side patio cafe 

Newest addition to revived Downtown restaurant and party zone 

Fusion Taco coming soon at Market Square Downtown near Barnaby's

Fusion Taco Dining Room shortly after opening

Fusion Taco is located next door to Barnaby's and also has sidewalk seating

Fusion Taco on the way

809 Congress at Market Square Park

304 Main St Golden Quadrilateral

Salata salads in Greenbriar Area

Pinkberry and Zoe's Kitchen in tandem on Westheimer

708 Main retails space formerly occupied by Burger Guys

5/1/2014 UPDATE: Burger Guys on Main CLOSED - Space posed FOR LEASE

OLD PICS BELOW:

Burger Guys on Main Street - Light Rail (July 2013 photo)

New Burger Guys store on Main Street Corridor

Houston Downtown - road construction work ongoing everywhere. Undaunted, Burger Guys recently opened a new store on Main Street at the Great Jones Building. Photo of new store with light-rail related construction work underway in front.

Eatsie Boys at the ivory tower

From food truck to historic brick and mortar: The Eatsie Boys have set up shop in the locale next to Montrose Public Library's "ivory tower", which used to be the clock tower of the Central Church of Christ. The church was converted to an institution for the propagation of the words of men rather than the word of God. The retail space across the breezeway was formerly occupied by Kraftsmen bakery. The vine-covered building, located on the West side of Montrose Blvd next to the University of St. Thomas, also hosts The Churchill Room and The Black Labrador, a bar and live entertainment venue. In addition to the picturesque courtyard patio framed by vertical greenery, the vintage property features an open-air chessboard with chess pieces of human proportions in front of The Black Labrador.  

No more: former Kraftsmen's Bakery next to Library on Montrose

Hotel Icon Line and Lariat Texas Cuisine and Bar

Kublai Khan in Midtown

Kublai Khan at 3017 Milam St. Houston, TX 77006

Gloria's Latin Cuisine Restaurant - New Houston location

Gloria's Latin Cuisine - Photo of East side from sidewalk with signage at dusk

Gloria in Midtown is located next to munich bar on Louisiana

Pepper Jack's Mexican Grill & Cantina in Houston Historic District [no more]

5/23/2013 UPDATE: Pepper Jack has closed. El Gran Malo reported to be moving into the two-floor restaurant space in historic district on corner of Travis and Prairie.

Pepper Jack's serving Tex-Mex and Margaritas in former Cabo location

Napo? A new restaurant at Bayou Place? - Yes and No

It's the reincarnated version of Napoli Italian Pizza & Bar (previously on Main Street at street-level in the Binz Building). Looks like there is still some problem powering up the signage, or a creative re-branding perhaps to better compete with the new wine tasting venue next door. 
 

Athletic dining at former Zimm's Deck

Listen to your inner athlete and walk or jog to the newly inaugurated Brooklyn Athletic Club - Houston Chapter. You won't be pumping iron there. If we go to Academy to buy sports and camping gear, why not head to an athletics club just for dinner -- on foot. Who needs a health club when there is an athletic club with plenty of fries, pickles, and meatballs, not to mention  bocce if you really wanna get moving after you have just sat down for a meal worthy of your ancestors that got off the ship in the East, rather than sailing into Galveston bay or crossing the Rio Grande. You can have Tex-Mex, BBQ, Southern burgers any other day.

The deck -- or patio, whatever -- is still there, even if it has no association with Zimm's, not to mention being little. If you really came for the athletics, it is probably big enough for some personal gestures toward healthy life-style or calorie-burning stretching antics.

Brookly Athletic Club: All Fired Up

For culinary athletes and non-athletes prone to get nostalgic at times, here is a pic to honor the one that came (and went) before: Zimm's Little Deck.

The sign says Fat Bao - As in ..

What comes to mind?  

I betcha people will read Boa -- rather than Bao (whatever that may mean in a foreign language) and will connote snake, perhaps even constrictor. Snake on a platter? Snake on a stick? Jungle food? What an odd way to brand a restaurant. 

Not that neighboring eateries aren't branded idiosyncratically or mis-named outright.... but with Elevation Burger, you get at least the burger part right, even if you are puzzled by the elevation component, and with Twin Peaks, you got the double ( double-entendre ) scenic views that will surely not disappoint and elevate your spirits even before your vision gets foggy or otherwise impaired. And at a bar, it's all about the spirits, isn't it? Aside from peeking at the vistas, of course.  

But perhaps the key to success in the naming game is being quirky, and to pique the interests of the inquisitive, the novelty-seekers, and the adventurous. Being too obvious may not correl the crowds -- like promoting Latin maidens and Margaritas under the Maggie Rita moniker. That short-lived Mama Ninfas nieta, located about half way between Fat Boa (excuse me, Fat Bao) and Elevation Burger, now boasts an empty parking lot with nothing remotely hot in sight - No elevation, not to mention elation.  Not very scenic. 

Go peek, and all you will find is a shuttered restaurant with a lock-out notice on the door.  

The Maggie Rita's Desert

Elevation Burger offers scenic vistas too, albeit stylized

Sign galore: Cafe Japon, Twin Peaks, and now Nosh

Nosh Bistro

Nosh Grand Opening yard sign on Kirby sidewalk

Cafe Japon, Nosh Bistro, Allegiance Bank on Kirby (6/2/2013 photo)

Grass-fed burgers now near you to elevate nutritional standards (photo of new Elevation Burger outpost)

Elevation Burger promises to lift spirits and health-cuisine standards not far from locavore Haven (the latter with raw-food option) in Upper Kirby District.

Industrial-look patio and drive-thru at Elevation Burger

Photo of new Elevation Burger Joint on Kirby

Del Frisco's Grille - West Ave on Kirby Drive (updated 3/15/13)

Del Frisco's Grill on Kirby Drive - Photo a few days prior to opening on 3/16/2013

ORIGINAL POST BELOW:

Posters on window panels facing Kirby Drive traffic tell of the savory dishes in the not too distant future (March 2013 projected opening).

The predecssor restaurant apparently did not make it here -- profitability wise. Very nice location, though. Aesthetically appealing, with colorful flowers even deep in the Houston winter.