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After introducing Zaytinya to Washington, D.C. in 2022 and expanding to New York that same year, José Andrés has brought the concept to Miami. Zaytinya opened Nov. 29 at the Ritz-Carlton, South Beach and is part of José Andrés Group’s recent assumption of all food and beverage operations for the hotel. The restaurant channels the Mediterranean islands with white oak woods, warm bronze metals, and pops of blue.
Zaytinya’s menu brings together dishes from Turkey, Greece, and Lebanon, and is anchored by spreads and mezze, like hummus, tzatziki, baba ghanoush, falafel, and dolmades. Larger plates include grilled meats and kebabs, grilled octopus, and a whole sea bass.
This is Emeril Lagasse’s first French-inspired restaurant concept. Located in New Orleans at Harrah’s Hotel and Casino, Emeril’s Brasserie is part of the casino’s major renovation amid its transformation into a Caesars property, which should be complete in summer 2024. The restaurant seats 170 in the dining room, plus another 30 at the bar, and there’s an outdoor patio. It’s open for dinner only at first but will expand eventually to breakfast and lunch.
The menu features a selection of hot and cold starters, including a “kicked-up” onion soup, beer-steamed mussels, tarte flambe, seafood towers, and steak tartare. Larger plates include trout meuniere, lobster pot pie, steak frites, and a burger topped with onions and brie. Beers and wines area joined by a classic-leaning cocktail menu, with a sazerac, martini, French 75 and Kir Royale.
Chef Manabu “Hori” Horiuchi runs one of Houston’s most popular restaurants — Kata Robata — but for the past year, diners have been waiting anxiously for his newest creation to open. Katami debuted on Nov. 6 in the Montrose neighborhood, with room for 180 guests indoors across the dining room, bar and sushi bar, and another 40 on the patio. It’s open for lunch and dinner service.
Katami’s menu focuses on sushi, wagyu beef, and sake, and much of the fish comes straight from Japan. Nigiri and sashimi are offered alongside sushi rolls and hot and cold dishes, and diners can select items a la carte or opt for an omakase experience. Japanese A5 wagyu is available by the ounce and served robata-style (grilled over charcoal) or tataki-style (lightly seared and sliced thin).
The Pinch opened in downtown Charleston in mid-November. The luxury boutique hotel was developed and designed by Philadelphia-based Method Co. in partnership with New York-based architect Morris Adjmi, and it sports multiple concepts helmed by James Beard winning executive chef Jason Stanhope. Lowland is a two-story tavern serving Southern-inspired classics, and the Quince is a casual oyster bar serving soups, sandwiches and seafood.
Chef Stanhope utilizes local ingredients and purveyors across the Lowland menu and aims to serve dishes rooted in nostalgia and timeless classics. Menu options include salads, pastas, a burger inspired by the chef’s favorites at Peter Luger and Minetta Tavern, and fish en papillote (cooked in parchment) with green curry clams, peanuts, and lime.
Hotel Lucine was originally built in the 1960s as a beachside motel. It reopened Nov. 10 with a new name and lots of fresh upgrades, including a shiny new 55-seat restaurant dubbed the Fancy. The self-described “fine-ish dining” concept serves French-American fare with Galveston roots, plus plenty of wine and cocktails.
Chef Leila Ortiz leads the kitchen. Prior to joining Hotel Lucine, she worked in top restaurants, including Bludorn in Houston and Momofuku Noodle Bar in New York, and also held roles abroad at Sheraton and Westin hotels. Her menu features a cold bar with shrimp cocktail, mussels and kampachi crudo, plus small plates like slow roasted carrots and meatballs with clams, fennel and lemon. Larger plates include whole striped bass ratatouille, roasted gulf snapper, a pork chop, and a ribeye.
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