Get into the Grove
A fresh take on American fare makes this Discovery Green
restaurant a must-try
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Houstonians have maintained a long affair with the Schiller Del Grande Group. The family partnership operates quality restaurants of every stripe: Café Annie, the posh birthplace of nouvelle Southwest cuisine; Taco Milagro, a flip-flop-casual tribute to Mexico’s beaches, with tasty margaritas and addictive Tex-Mex fare; and bustling Café Express, where you can snare a perfectly roasted chicken and salad — and get out fast. So when the Grove at Discovery Green (1611 Lamar St.; 713.337.7314) was announced as the Schiller Del Grande Group’s new baby, the buzz was deafening. It would be the company’s first upscale eatery since Café Annie opened 27 years ago.
The partners chose to work with architect Larry Speck on finishing touches. Speck, former dean of architecture at the University of Texas, created the Grove as a series of open boxes — in sparkling glass, Gulf Coast brick, and ipé wood — nestled under a grove of ancient live oaks and topped with a rooftop herb garden.
Partner Robert Del Grande hired rising star Ryan Pera as the Grove’s executive chef. Pera, a North Carolina native, found his way to Houston a few years ago, earning his chops along the way with such culinary leading lights as Jonathan Waxman (of New York’s Barbuto), Patricia Yeo (AZ, also in New York), and Tim Keating (executive chef at the Four Seasons Houston) and honing his craft at the haute cuisine temple Le Cirque before taking the reins at 17 in the Alden Hotel. Del Grande and Pera readily agreed on the Grove’s mission: to present simple, well-prepared food in a setting equally suitable for an anniversary dinner or a burger and beer. They call it American Rustic, food that showcases top-notch local and sustainable ingredients (some grown on the restaurant’s roof).
Pera isn’t afraid to experiment. “We are a seasonal restaurant,” he says. “We change up to seven items a week in our menu.” The rotisserie turns daily with chicken and a special. Fish, fowl, and meat entrées are cast-iron seared or grilled, and served with a dazzling array of garnishes and sides. Consider seared ahi tuna with spicy cucumber salad and baby coconut sauce, or mesquite-smoked quail with pineapple bourbon sauce. Iceberg wedge salads and cheeseburgers are fixtures, as is a daily Gulf Coast fish. The To Share — Or Not to Share selection of small plates offers familiar choices with exotic touches, like deviled eggs with Spanish chorizo, and Long Island duck meatballs.
Pera’s Italian heritage shows through with his family-style tasting, for which he presents a large cutting board loaded with grilled and rotisserie-cooked meats. “The more people sharing, laughing, talking, the more fun,” he says. “That’s what a meal is all about.”
Even though its closest neighbors are the city’s convention center and a towering hotel, Pera wants the Grove to be a hangout for locals. “I love to see what’s happening outside, whether its people taking dancing lessons, playing Frisbee, or just hanging out, using the park. Eating is important to the vibrancy of Discovery Green, so I am happy to play a part in something that’s working.”
— Gracie Cavnar
Getting There: Continental hub in Houston offers nonstop service to more than 178 destinations.
Five to Try
1
Voice. 220 Main St., 832.667.4470. The cool, intimate downtown setting complements chef Michael Kramer’s edgy Gulf Coast dishes, like venison sous vide with caramelized apples, and black grouper with artichoke puree.
2
Textile. 611 West 22nd St., 832.209.7174. In this brand-new 30-seat room inside a restored turn-of-the-century textile mill, chef Scott Tycer plays with new experiments in technique-driven food.
3
Mockingbird Bistro Wine Bar. 1985 Welch St., 713.533.0200. Amid whimsical gothic décor, chef John Sheely delivers dishes like Mediterranean mussels with red curry, and short ribs spiked with horseradish cream.
4
Ibiza Food and Wine Bar. 2450 Louisiana St., 713.524.0004. In this bustling hot spot, chef Charles Clark cooks up specialties like Kodiak Island halibut with olive oil–braised vegetables, and braised lamb shank with Spanish mint oil.
5
Brasserie Max & Julie. 4315 Montrose Blvd., 713.524.0070. Dining here is like stepping onto the Left Bank of Paris. Order featherlight skate wing with capers, hearty pot-au-feu, or steak au poivre. — G.C.
(The Hungry Traveler)
True Grits
Grits have long been a staple of the American South, but lately chefs have discovered that their creamy texture provides the perfect vehicle for any flavor they want to lay on top. Check out how this down-home favorite has migrated north and west with a few tweaks along the way:
Top of Waikiki, 2270 Kalakaua Ave., Honolulu, 808.923.3877. The Indo-Latino Soul shrimp and grits wallow in cardamom, plantains, and lemongrass, for a Cuban/Asian twist.
Momofuku Noodle Bar, 171 1st Ave., New York, 212.777.7773. Don’t overlook the grits at this famed noodle house; they’re served up in a dish with Mayan prawns, country ham, a poached egg, and crispy scallions.
Vidalia Restaurant, 1990 M St. N.W., Washington, D.C., 202.659.1990. The traditional shrimp and grits here bear a strong resemblance to their South Carolina cousin, but with a light and airy flair. — G.C.
