Thursday, January 31, 2013

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.






Wednesday, January 30, 2013

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



Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Trader Joe's brings Alabama Theater on Shepherd Drive back to life (photos)



Historic preservation inside the Loop when it's working:  The re-purposed Alabama Theater with the new Trader Joe's signage. The iconic former theater faced the prospect of demolition after Bookstop moved out. Not to mention that Trader Joe's product packaging, advertising, branding and marketing style, with all its evocations of times past (like the Spaghetti Warehouse in its historic venue downtown) make for a good match.

Trder Joe's after moving into West Alabama Theatre (signage at dusk)
West Alabama Theater in its re-found nocturnal glory
The obelisk-like neon sign out at the Shepherd Drive sidewalk was fixed up too.

Tilas Food Truck passing West Alabama Theater on S. Shepherd


Hotel Icon Line and Lariat Texas Cuisine and Bar






Fuzion Room



Fuzion Room rentable event venue on Milam Street in Downtown Houston, Texas.


Padthai Thai Restaurant (photo)


Padthai Thai Restaurant in Downtown Houston in Historical / Theater District area


Mandarin Hunan Chinese Restaurant



Mandarin Hunan Restaurant at 777 Walker St L160, Houston, TX 77002


Pho Basil on Eldridge Parkway (West Houston)



PHO BASIL Vietnamese Noodle House on Eldridge Parkway

Simply Pho in Midtown





Red Pier Vietnamese-Chinese Bistro



Red Pier Bistro when it opened (Sep 2012 photo)

Kublai Khan in Midtown


Kublai Khan at 3017 Milam St. Houston, TX 77006

Monday, January 28, 2013

Pistolero in old Nabi space on Lower Westheimer; cantina with curbside cacti (updated post)

Pistolero's, a Tequila-Taqueria concept, succeeds Nabi. 

Nice image of Mexican pistol man on new signage for tequila joint, but the yellow paintjob on the building when it was NABI accented its unusual shape much better than the new one. That said, the cacti and other succulents on the curb add a nice South-of-the-border touch. 


New Pistoleros cantina on Lower Westheimer with cacti lining the parking lot
(Pistoleros pics added 7/9/2013)

Remodeling work ongoing as of last week at what used to be NABI Asian fusion bistro on Lower Westheimer:

Remodeling work at restaurant property 517 Westheimer Rd Houston TX 77006
Something is cooking at the NABI restaurant location, but what? 

1517 Westheimer Rd. Restaurant property location (1/24/2013 photo)
NABI's look before make-over (Sep 2012 photo)




Good Bye Taco Milagro on corner of Westheimer and Kirby Dr. (photos added)

Taco Milagro space after restaurant closed permanently (June 9, 2013)
CLOSED sign on door at Taco Milagro (June 2013)
Corner view of Taco Milagro at West Alabama and Kirby prior to closing in May 2013

Chuy's Mexican Comida (photo of signage)



La Mexicana



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


Historic Theater Preservation - El Real Tex-Mex repurposing



Tex-Mex restaurant El Real in former theater on lower Westheimer 

El Real in repurposed former theater on Westheimer at the bend
El Real Tex-Mes at 1201 Westheimer Rd  Houston, TX 77006