by Marene Gustin
Daily Court Review
What’s a world-class city without a world-class chef? After Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s Bank Restaurant shuttered when Hotel Icon changed hands last year, it seemed we were without an internationally renowned culinary name in Houston.
But now we’re getting chef Albert Roux, the French-born chef who opened Le Gavroche Britain’s first Michelin-starred restaurant, in London Chef Roux has a slew of culinary awards and travels the world as a cuisine consultant. So, where’s he going to be?
Remember the old Del Lago Golf Resort and Conference Center in Conroe? It’s now owned by French Quarter VIII LLLP, a Houston-based hospitality firm, and is undergoing a $130-million makeover that will turn it into La Torretta Del Lago Resort & Spa. La Torretta will have a 3.5-acre Aqua Park with sandy beaches, six swimming pools and a rapid ride; a conference-center-cum-skating rink; 445 luxury rooms; a 17,500-square-foot spa and ten restaurants and cafes. And chef Roux will not only be overseeing and consulting on the cuisine, he’ll also open his first named-restaurant there — Chez Roux — in early 2009.
"I think it says a lot about the community that we have someone like him coming here," says Studio Communications’ Stuart Rosenberg, who also says the other eateries will be Bouchon’s, CoCoCove Grill, Edomae Sushi Bar, Energie’ nightclub, Essence Café, Last Putt Lounge, Mokka Café and Sonata Piano BarChef. A veritable foodies’ paradise! Chef Roux should be in town next month for tastings and meet and greets, so stay tuned.
Even more chef news: Tony Vallone tells us that Francesco Casetta, a native of Florence, Italy — and formerly of Italy’s three Michelin-star Dal Pescatore — is now in the kitchen at Tony’s. Vallone says this was his first week but we’ll be table-talking with him soon about his menu ideas.
Philippe Schmit is back from the American Society of Association Executives’ Food & Wine Classic where he wowed with tastes from Texas. The French-born chef, formerly of Bistro Moderne and Legacy Brands, is now busy with a concept for his very own restaurant right here in Houston. No word yet on the name or location.
Even The Tasting Room has a new chef and a new menu at the Uptown Park location’s Reserve Room. Chef Steve Super, from Stowe, Vermont, has been updating the menu while catering to diners and special events at Uptown, including the location’s first wedding.
TTR Vice President Jonathan Horowitz also tells us that: "We’re going to be opening a new little boutique, a European-style wine shop called TTR Wine Merchants in some space in the very back of TTR Uptown Park." That should open October 1. Plus TTR is busy getting ready for The Houston Cellar Classic October 13-19. It’s the city’s only week-long celebration of wine and food. Check it out yourself at www. houstoncellarclassic.com. And the company is opening a Max’s Wine Dive early next year in Austin. Busy people, these.
Wine dinners anyone? Here’re two soon to be on the menu. Masraff’s, the Euro-American Restaurant at 1025 South Post Oak Lane, will be hosting a five-course wine dinner featuring the 2005 Nickel & Nickel Cabernets, on Monday, September 8, at 6:30 Tickets are $150. Call the restaurant at 713.355.1975 for reservations.
And The Oceanaire Seafood Room, at 5061 Westheimer Rd. in Houston’s Galleria restaurant row, offers a five-course seafood fare paired with some classic wines. To wet your appetite, here’s one course: house smoked salmon, cured salmon with smoked paprika and prosciutto on tostones paired with the Aya, Malbec, San Juan 2005. The wine dinner is coming up September 12 and it’s $65 per guest. For reservations call 832.487.8862.
While we’re still on wine, congratulations to Haak Vineyards & Winery I Santa Fe, which just won a gold medal at the second annual National Women’s Wine Competition. Raymond Haak says he’s also been invited to pour the award-winning 2003 Madeira Jacquez at a special tasting event on Thursday, October 2 in Washington, DC, for the National Museum of Women in the Arts. Apparently women love that Madeira.
Bye-bye: Frank Triola, chef/owner of Azzarelli’s closed his Memorial location last week. "The lease was up and I just have too much else going on right now," he says. There’s still a location at 22764 Westheimer Parkway, Suite 600 in Katy and the brand new restaurant at I-10 and Barker Cypress, which is set to open in November. "Plus we’ve opening ones in Austin and Merida, Mexico next year," Triola says. "And I’m looking at spaces in West U and downtown." So fans of the family Italian cooking will soon have plenty of options.