MA Asian Kitchen, 2512 Rice Boulevard, softly opened the last week of June. It’s the newest concept from chef Miranda Loetkhamfu who was a co-founder and executive chef at Kin Dee in the Heights, as well as Four Region Thai Cuisine in Spring. She has since sold her interest in both restaurants.
She said in a press release, “My time at Kin Dee and Four Region taught me so much about Houston’s adventurous spirit and its love for quality food. This city embraces new flavors and truly celebrates authenticity alongside creativity. That experience gave me the confidence to open MA Asian Kitchen.”
The Lobster Linguine get a umami kick of fish elixir.
Photo by Sean Ranier
Chef Miranda’s new venture is drawing on her Thai heritage while allowing her to experiment with flavors from Laos, Cambodia, China, India and Vietnam. The chef is also flexing her creative muscles with a few European and American twists on familiar favorites. The menu features stunning dishes like Rack of Lamb, Lobster Linguine, MA’s Curry Fried Rice and Twilight Duck, a roasted duck with pineapple, cherry and fritto grapes in a creamy coconut sauce.
The Rack of Lamb is served in yellow coconut curry.
Photo by Sean Ranier
However, the menu is still a work in progress as the team experiments with different flavors like Brisket Curry and Basil Bomb, a plate of stir-fried spaghetti with fresh garlic chili and basil. Guests can expect wine pairings and sake flights as well.
MA is the Thai word for “come in” and that’s exactly the welcome the new restaurant plans for its guests, from all walks of life.
Peppaz lands at Lyric Market with fried chicken and more.
Photo by Andrew Hemingway
Peppaz, 411 Smith, has debuted at Lyric Market and will have its grand opening July 12. Partners and owners Mimi Jones and Johnae Bernard began their venture as a home kitchen in 2018 before joining the food truck scene in 2022. The couple are both native Houstonians and their chicken-focused menu was influenced by Jones’ grandmother Rosie and her legendary fried chicken. Jones is a self-taught chef who always dreamed of opening a restaurant, though that was news to Bernard in the beginning. Jones says, “Johnae didn’t even know I could cook when we first started dating.”
Partners in life, business and crispy chicken.
Photo by Andrew Hemingway
Well, apparently she can. Peppaz made a name for itself as a food truck with its double-fried wings, crispy broccoli and house-made lemonades. The duo have fed corporate folks across the city from the Houston Rockets and Houston Dynamo to Texas Women’s Hospital and H-E-B. Jones and Bernard chose Lyric Market for their first brick and mortar because “it’s vibrant, accessible and lets us really connect with our guests.”
The popular double-fried wings come in different flavors including hot honey, dry rub ranch and lemon pepper. The menu also features its “Trashy Bird’ sandwich, with crispy fried chicken, slaw, fried jalapenos and sweet chili mango. Vegetarians can enjoy the fried broccoli and regular customers will be happy to see the signature chocolate chip pecan cookies on the Lyric Market menu.
With the new space comes a bigger menu.
Photo by Andrew Hemingway
Joining the fan favorites are a couple of new dishes including Jerk Chicken Bowl, the “Classy Bird” sandwich and an array of fresh salads.
The duo say the downtown location is a realization of a vision and their love letter to Houston. “We’ve watched this city grow and now we get to be part of that momentum.”
P. Terry’s burgers aren’t bougie but they are affordable.
Photo by P. Terry’s
P. Terry’s Burger Stand, 10305 W. Grand Parkway S., opens July 21 in Richmond. It’s the second location for the area and the first drive-thru-only store in the Greater Houston area. Founded in Austin in 2005, the company is owned and operated by Patrick (he of the P. Terry moniker) and Kathy Terry. Inspired by the burger stands of the 1950s and ’60s, Patrick wanted to recreate the feel of a local burger joint while wife Kathy, after reading the book Fast Food Nation, had visions of serving convenient food of a higher quality and responsibly-sourced.
The all-natural burgers are made with antibiotic-free and hormone-free beef. The fries are hand-cut from Idaho Burbank potatoes daily, along with from-scratch baked goods like oatmeal cookies and banana bread. The lemonade is freshly-squeezed and the milkshakes are hand-spun. In keeping with the old-fashioned values, employees are given opportunities to grow with the business and are paid above industry standards.
The prices for the burgers are very affordable and guests can add on bacon, cheese and jalapenos for an additional cost, as well as a wheat bun option. There are chicken burgers and chicken bites, too. P. Terry’s also offers a small breakfast menu.
Chicken fingers aren’t just for kids.
Photo by Becca Wright
Layne’s Chicken Fingers, 6700 S. Highway 6, will celebrate its grand opening with a two-day celebration July 19 through July 20. There will be giveaways, including the opportunity for 20 lucky guests to win free Layne’s for a year. There are exclusive offers for app users, too.
Local entrepreneur Masroor Fatany currently operates six Layne’s locations in the Greater Houston area, Beaumont and Nederland. The new Mission Bend store will make number seven. Layne’s Chicken Fingers was founded in College Station in 1994 and was a local favorite before expanding with a franchise model. Fatany, a graduate of Texas A&M, brought the first Houston-area Layne’s to Katy in June 2021. He also owns six locations of The Halal Guys.
Its menu features crispy, hand-breaded chicken fingers in baskets and sandwiches. There are also grilled chicken wraps, grilled cheese on Texas toast and crinkle-cut fries. Layne’s offers six different sauces including its signature Layne’s sauce, barbecue, honey mustard, jalapeno ranch, buttermilk ranch and gravy. Availability may vary, though we believe gravy should always be on hand for chicken fingers and Texas toast.
Studewood Cantine, 1111 Studewood, closed at the end of June, according to the Houston Chronicle. We have reached out to the owner for more information and were told that a press statement and more information would be forthcoming.