Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/1094653
Y o u k n o w chef Ronnie K i l l e n ' s name from his bevy of bustling restaurants: his pricey steakhouse, his humble barbecue place, or perhaps his hamburger joint. Most are situated in the town he calls home, Pearland — as is his latest, Killen's TMX. Staged in a shuttered fish house, the space looks much like a traditional hacienda-themed eatery with tables set with glassware and china culled on trips South of the Border. But it's the chef's vision that sets this place apart. Here you'll find dishes laced with Killen's complex barbacoa flavors, such as short rib empanadas ($10) and quesadillas layered with brisket ($14). Dig deeper and you'll discover what you rarely find in Tex- Mex restaurants: Wagyu beef fajitas ($38 for two) and rib-eye beef fajitas ($50 for two) with add-ons such as lobster cream sauce ($12) or bone marrow ($10). Most compelling are the unexpected empanadas filled with roasted cream corn and topped with aioli spiked with Valentina hot sauce ($9), and the Campechana Acapulco cold seafood plate laced with sweet orange Fanta soda — an authentic regional addition, believe it or not ($14). Desserts include churros with salted cajeta ice cream and chocolate sauce — executive pastry chef Samantha Mendoza's perfect pairing of Mexican hot chocolate and donuts. Leading the kitchen is Louis Lopez, a veteran of Killen's Steakhouse. Killen's TMX, 9330 W. Broadway, Pearland, 832.664.8696, killenstmx.com. MEX WITH A BIT OF TEX NEW RESTAURANTS TO RESERVE NOUVEAU EATS EVOLUTIONARY EUNICE S he was a little late to the party, but Eunice certainly made a memorable entrance onto the Houston restaurant scene. She was originally scheduled to debut as a concept from chef John Besh, but plans were delayed when he and his Louisiana restaurant empire were embroiled in the #MeToo movement, forcing Besh off the helm. Plans forged ahead; while Besh is reportedly still a part-owner, chef/partner Drake Leonards deserves the accolades that are falling at his steel-toed shoes. Named for the Louisiana town in the heart of Acadiana where Leonards was reared, Eunice opened last September in a sleek new glass-and-steel office building in the Upper Kirby District, in a ground-floor space with 20-foot-high windows. Designer Gin Braverman transformed the interior with a look that feels a little like mamaw's farmhouse, in a good way. She and her team lime-washed the walls (with artist Joelle Anderson), swathed giant hanging lanterns in linen, tacked old shiplap to an accent wall, and commissioned artisans to render white oak tables and chairs. Inspired by UK artist Rachel Dein's botanical plaster works and wallpapers, which are prominently displayed, the 7,000-square-foot modern Creole-meets- Cajun brasserie is warmed by hardwood floors, with an oyster-shucking station and garde manger prep area open to the expansive dining room. Outside, you can sip a sidecar or dine under a canopy of old-growth live oaks. Chef Leonards makes use of the bounty of the Gulf in small plates such as Gulf tuna with honey crisp apple pieces, fresh tomato, cilantro, and miso ($10) and blue crab tartine, his take on avocado toast ($16). The duck hunter in him — you'll see his taxidermy birds hung in the dining room — was inspired to create the Cajun duck poppers with jalapeños, wrapped with smoked bacon ($10). Seafood main-course options include jumbo Gulf shrimp and grits with green onions and gravy spiked with sausage and green chilis ($25) and shrimp and crab étouffée made with campanelle pasta instead of rice ($29). Homespun desserts include lemon icebox pie, hummingbird cake, and bread pudding. Expect the ambitious Leonards to change his menu frequently at this lunch-and- dinner spot. Eunice Restaurant, 3737 Buffalo Speedway, 832.491.1717, eunicerestaurant.com. RANDY SCHMIDT BY LAURANN CLARIDGE Strawberries and cream Hearth-roasted oysters Drew's smoked chicken and sausage gumbo KIMBERLY PARK Street tacos