LOCAL Houston | The City Guide DECEMBER 2015 | Page 23

Photography by Julie Soefer

FOOD | ARTS | COMMUNITY | STYLE+LEISURE

STATE OF GRACE
Cuisine: Gulf Coast
Executive Chef: Bobby Matos
3258 Westheimer Rd. | 832.942.5080 | www.stateofgracetx.com
Mon–Fri 11am–2:30pm | Sun–Thu 3–10pm | Fri–Sat 3–11pm
The setting: River Oaks. The restaurant: State of Grace. The decor: art
deco brasserie meets luxe Southern upscale. The chef: Bobby Matos. The
food: Classic Houstonian with a Gulf Coast sensibility.
When a restauranteur as successful and storied as Ford Fry sets his sights
on Houston, you already know ahead of time that it’s going to be amazing. But what this Atlanta-based chef and businessman has brought back
to his hometown is a piece of nostalgia, set in an unarguably stunningly
designed space.
Working with Executive Chef Bobby Matos, Fry’s inaugural menu is full of
comfort rolled in with Gulf Coast inspiration and local Houston influences.
Your meal starts with fresh, fluffy buttermilk rolls dotted with course salt and
swathed in melted butter. Then it might progress to a platter of oysters from
the beautiful oyster bar, or maybe the deviled crab served in the half shell.
You’ve never had hush puppies quite as delicious or addictive as the lobster hush puppies here, which come sprinkled with powdered sugar and
come with whipped honey butter. And there’s so much more that you need
to pace yourself – because the menu reads so well you’ll want to order a
little bit of everything. There’s pasta, and Korean-style fried chicken, and
an enchilada on the menu that arouses memories of the old Felix’s TexMex. There are individual sides you can order if you’re wanting something
like mac ’n cheese or Brussels sprouts, and then there are the huge shared
plates, which are not for the faint at heart. When they say shared, they
really mean it, because these dishes – be it the duck carnitas or the smoky,
sticky beef rib – are designed for at least several people to enjoy together.

december 15 |

L O C A L

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