Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/184689
UCHI 904 WESTHEIMER ROAD 713.522.4808 uchirestaurants.com/houston Keys to the Door: Owner Tyson Cole; chef de cuisine Kaz Edwards. What's Cooking: The rumor that James Beard Award–winning chef Tyson Cole of Austin was bringing Uchi, his acclaimed Japanese-inspired eatery, to town caused quite a buzz. Soon it became official: Cole was revitalizing the space vacated by Felix Restaurant in the Montrose, and we were positively rabid with curiosity about how he might reimagine it all. With a wonderful wabi-sabi vibe, architect Michael Hsu (Uchi and Uchiko in Austin) has created a sophisticated East-meets-West environment, using reclaimed woods, metals and fabrics to capture that much-revered Japanese aesthetic: a patina you can't fake, one that only gets better with age. Much like the decor, you can't fake your way through this complex menu, which mingles simple flavors with more intense tastes. Standouts among the cool and hot tastings include machi cure, a haystack of endive balanced with smoked baby yellowtail, crisp yucca chips and a Spanish surprise of salty marcona almonds ($18), as well as a bacon tataki, pork belly sandwiched with coriander, citrus and a caramelized fish sauce touched with espresso ($19). Light-as-air agemono (tempura fried offerings) make for irresistible sides — think perfectly cooked kabocha ($2.50) or tiger shrimp ($5) — served with a warm, light miso dipping sauce. The sushi and sashimi are satisfying; the chef-driven makimono, aka sushi rolls, are a fun romp that plays with Western traditions to realize dishes like ham and eggs, aka pork belly spiced with Basque peppers with three eggcustard sauces intended to be smeared together. Looking to be amazed by the inventiveness of Tyson Cole and revel in his culinary moment? Reserve a table. Laurann Claridge BILLY REID 2702 WESTHEIMER (next to Chuy's) 713.552.0333; billyreid.com Keys to the Door: Manager Alex Sandlin. tocked Goods: Florence, Alabama–based fashion designer and New York fashion flock darling Billy Reid is moving his namesake shop down Westheimer Road from the Galleria to a stylish bungalow near Kirby. The 2,500-square-foot space, formerly an antiques shop, has been remodeled by Dallas architecture firm Droese Raney to reflect the designer's southern roots (think salvaged wood and found materials decorated with heirloom photographs and vintage furniture) — a style that defines the designer's ready-to-wear collections for men and women. "We are excited that we can make it really convenient for our customers to come see us on a daily basis," says Billy Reid of the new space, which is set to open March 15. "We feel like it can really become a sort of gathering place and part of the community. We also have the ability to take a space back to its original state and character, and these sort of projects are what we love to be a part of." Besides stocking men's and women's ready-to-wear, footwear and accessories, there will be space committed to made-to-measure. Also, be on the look out for collaborative and exclusive in-store merchandise. S JENNY ANTILL THIS MONTH'S FINDS ARE ALL OVER THE MAP: JAPANESE SUSHI, MADE-IN-AMERICA PRIDE AND SOUTHERN STYLE — ALL DRESSED UP WITH HOMETOWN EXCLUSIVES AND RENTAL DESIGNS. MARCH ON OVER! SETTLEMENT 3939 MONTROSE 713.701.7872; settlementgoods.com Keys to the Door: Owners Alicia Redman, Jenny and Gene Morgan. tocked Goods: American style is being embraced nationwide, touted on popular style blogs such as acontinuouslean.com and in The New York Times. It's a look that's all about quality and our heritage, and it's classic — and difficult to find in Houston. Until now. Designers Alicia Redman and husband-and-wife team Jenny and Gene Morgan will open a new fashion, accessories and home-goods store on March 8. The 1,000-square-foot minimalist space, designed in collaboration with Forest Design Build and DumpTruckdesign, has been built to high environmental standards via low-VOC paint from The Green Painter and repurposed materials. Here you'll find American-made clothing and accessories for women by Samantha Pleet, Kain Label, Aesa and Elizabeth Knight, plus vintage-y looks by Gitman Bros. and Grown & Sewn for men. Also in the mix are iPhone and iPad accessories by The Good Flock, as well as multi-tools from PocketToolX and Sydney Hale candles. Like the look of Settlement's incredible furniture? Everything from MAKR wall hooks to the central brass light fixture by Iacoli & McAllister and the single-slab centerpiece table by Uhuru is for sale. JENNY ANTILL S Shannon Hall and Marcus Sloan SLOAN/HALL 2620 WESTHEIMER ROAD 713.942.0202; sloanhall.com NEW FOR THE NIGHT 3209 WESTHEIMER (near Lamar High School) 713.526.1166; newforthenight.com Keys to the Door: Owner Brittany Sakowitz. Stocked Goods: This 750-square-foot showroom is the brick-andmortar counterpart to Brittany Sakowitz's online shopping venture, newforthenight.com. At her chic dress-rental Web site, you can choose luxe looks by such designers as Jay Godfrey, Tibi, Issa, Shoshanna, Halston Heritage, Alice by Temperley, Robert Rodriguez (online only) and Rebecca Minkoff to wear for just one night. Sound familiar? Yes, other online sites offer similar services, but Sakowitz promises a more southern sensibility in her clothes, i.e., bolder colors and fabrics such as seersucker and linen. Just log on and search for the style that suits you best. Prefer more tactile shopping? Make an appointment at Sakowitz's Houston showroom to touch, feel and try on your favorite finds — a perk her competition can't offer. The Web site and the showroom alike will carry accessories for sale by designers including Kendra Scott, House of Harlow and Gillian Julius. Three-day rentals range from $50 to $100 — as low as 10 percent of the retail price of the dress — and you can extend your rental for just $10 a day. After you dazzle at your special occasion, tuck the dress into the prepaid envelope and drop it in the mailbox, or pop into the shop. MARCH | PAGE 8 | 2012 Keys to the Door: Owners Shannon Hall and Marcus Sloan. Getting All Dressed Up: Shannon Hall and Marcus Sloan have long been the proprietors of all things up-andcoming and cool at their River Oaks–area namesake boutique, Sloan/Hall. Now they've expanded their shop another 2,000 square feet by taking over the former Riaro Salon next door. The newly designed minimalist space of stark white walls and floating racks house a welledited selection of women's collections not available anywhere else in Houston. We stopped in to check out the scene and spotted a colorful kaleidoscope of Prova dresses on the racks, with promises that Peter Pilotto (now in store), Tsumori Chisato and Logan Neitzel would join the mix soon. In addition to RTW, Sloan/Hall will also be carrying Tsumori Chisato and Logan Neitzel accessories by the end of the month.