New on Resy: One Fifth, Tiny’s Boxwood, Kata Robata

One Fifth is an ambitious, five-year project from James Beard Award-winning chef Chris Shepherd, housed in an historic building (1658 Westheimer Rd). Having opened in September 2016, each year sees a new concept. With One Fifth Steak and One Fifth Romance Languages having wrapped up their tenure, One Fifth Mediterranean takes the stage. From house-made breads, courtesy of a wood-burning oven, to large-format affairs such as braised lamb with peanut dukkah—this is not one to miss.

Located within a beloved nursery, built by landscape architecture firm Thompson + Hanson, Tinys Boxwood is a picturesque all-day restaurant and community fixture. Chef-owner Baron Doke oversees a menu of house-made specialties, including pastries and migas at breakfast to pizzas and herb-roasted chicken at dinner. Guests can find comfort in the same great food at Tinys No. 5, nestled within the old JMH No 5 Grocery Store and nextdoor to sister bakery, Milk and Cookies.

At Kata Robata, chef Manabu “Hori” Horiuchi fuses traditional and modern elements of Japanese cuisine, incorporating fresh, high-quality fish flown in from Japan. Ground your meal in a selection of exquisite sushi and sashimi (try the foie gras variety); supplement it with delectable grilled meats off the namesake robata, like slow-cooked Texas kobe beef and whole grilled squid; and complement it all with a selection from the impressive array of sake and Japanese whisky.

Named for a historic Texas port of entry, Indianola celebrates the cuisine of a nation of immigrants, serving dishes that speak to the coalescence of American food today. Think Devilled Benton’s Country Ham dip with Ritz crackers; pork ribs with fermented chili, pickled radish, and Thai basil; and wood-grilled cauliflower with za’atar, house yogurt, and green chutney—all served in a posh and airy setting.

The pride and joy of Liberty Kitchen Oysterette is, perhaps unsurprisingly, the oyster bar. Start with a dozen oysters on the half shell or enjoy them grilled and served with warm French bread. Then, move on to other specialties, like pork belly carnitas and lobster Bolognese. At the Treehouse, enjoy some of the same staples, with an added focus on meats cooked over an open-flame, including dry-aged ribeyes and Pacific halibut.

At her eponymous restaurant, chef Kiran Verma finds inspiration from Awadhi cooking techniques and sources ingredients from a bounty of local purveyors and the Gulf waters. Chef Verma crafts dishes such as crab-and-corn samosas and tandoor duck two ways, utilizing spices and herbs to create delicate flavors over a slow fire. Best of all, enjoy Kirans’ signature plates with a selection from the award-winning, 300-label-deep wine list.

Billed as a family affair and named for chef-owner Jonathan Levine’s prized spice blend, Jonathans The Rub is a Houston institution. On the menu, New Houston fare (fried chicken and grits, blackened pork tenderloin) is on equal footing with Brooklyn Italian classics (chicken Marsala, seafood fra diavolo). And, of course, the rub—available for purchase on-site, if you’re so inclined—makes its way into a number of dishes.

Alice Blue is an elegant, reimagined American bistro, by longtime Houston restaurateur Claire Smith. Rooted in classic cooking techniques, the menu ranges from smoked fish dip with potato chips to tagliatelle Bolognese and za’atar roasted chicken. Add to that a natural-focused wine list, and you’re in for a modern-day treat.

At acclaimed Pondicheri, the combination of Indian cuisines and local sourcing results in a vibrant and inventive all-day menu focused around fresh ingredients. Guests can enjoy masala eggs and saag paneer omelets until 3 pm daily. At dinnertime, thalis (read: sampler platters) and large-format proteins are  available to share from 5 pm onwards.

At the core of this Middle Eastern-inspired steakhouse is a dry-aged beef program that should not be overlooked. Complementary dishes include octopus in a preserved lemon sauce and Moroccan-style Gulf fish served with challah. Furthermore, the wine list focuses on Israeli producers, driving home the point that Doris Metropolitan is not your average steak restaurant.

Notably so, Genesis is the first Kosher steakhouse in Houston. Aiming to deepen the roots of family-inspired dining, the menu offers something for everyone, extending way beyond steaks to include appetizers (think beer-battered asparagus and tuna poke), salads, poultry and fish-based mains, and plenty of sides (including three types of fries) to go around.

Modern farm-to-table only begins to describe the offering at Eculent. Here, chef David Christopher Skinner creates unusual flavor combinations with the freshest local ingredients and prepares them using gastromolecular techniques. A meal here is meant to cater to each and every sense, and the room changes around you accordingly; don’t be surprised to find that the music pairs perfectly to the course at hand.

A restaurant built for the city it resides in, Hungry’s aims to be a home-away-from-home for Houstonians, serving up nourishing home-cooked meals in the form of bistro salads, wood-stone pizzas, a wide array of entrées, and more. The menu pulls equally from Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and Southwestern cuisines, and can be enjoyed at either location—on Memorial Drive or in Rice Village.