LOCAL Houston | The City Guide MARCH 2015 | Page 21

Photography by Jodie Eisenhardt

Local March 2015FINAL.qxp_002houston 2/21/15 3:42 PM Page 21

Crab Beignets

BIG EYED FISH
CHEF: Xavier Martinez
CUISINE: Southern American Comfort – with a twist
www.bigeyedfishhouston.com | 713.714.8367
908 Henderson | Houston, TX 77007
Mon–Thurs: 10am–10pm; Fri: 10am–11pm; Sat: 3–11pm; Brunch – Sat and Sun
from 10am–3pm.
Twenty-six-year-old Megan Adams is a child prodigy of the restaurant
business. She grew up in her grandfather’s restaurant on N. Main. “I did
my homework in a restaurant booth,” says Adams. Her father Doyle has
opened numerous restaurants, including The Corkscrew (with brother
Andrew). Doyle served as general contractor and now as GM of his
daughter’s funky, delicious little resto, which is named after the Dave
Matthews tune.
The structure housed the former Alice’s Café, which opened in 1942.
It almost couldn’t be remodeled because of the poor condition, but
young Adams could not be dissuaded. “I was born and raised right here
– in this neighborhood,” says the spunky restaurateur who spent nearly
four years under the wing of Benjy Levit, starting when she was still in
high school. The cozy space includes a cute bar accented by Mason
jar fixtures and a tree-lined back porch.
For those “southern classics with a kick,” Adams turned to Chef Xavier
Martinez, an Art Institute grad/Perry’s alum. Everything is made fresh inhouse. Yummy crab beignets sit atop a bed of dressed greens and a
tangy/sweet tomato jam that’s so good, they sell jars of it at the bar.
Other hits include the fried green tomatoes, bacon-filled deviled eggs,
and the shrimp and grits. The meatloaf has a spicy kick and we loved
the pan-roasted quail with its fantastic mushroom bread pudding. The
bar has a solid beer and wine selection (and retail), and the express
lunch offers downtowners a tasty new option.

march 15 | L O C A L 21