An array of dishes from new restaurant Remi, inside the Hotel Granduca in Uptown Park. Photo by Julie Soefer.
Hotel restaurants seem to be having a moment in Houston. There’s Chardon, a modern French bistro at the Thompson Hotel, and we recently had a first bite of Aaron Bludorn’s Perseid inside Montrose boutique hotel, Hotel Saint Augustine. The latest is Remi, described as a refined restaurant that fuses European culinary artistry with Texas hospitality. It debuted in mid-March and replaced Alba inside Hotel Granduca at 1080 Uptown Park.
The revamped lobby of the Hotel Granduca in Uptown Park. Photo by Julie Soefer.
The luxury hotel, which has been a mainstay in Uptown Park since 2006, has undergone a multi-million-dollar renovation that includes an upgrade of its lobby, a refresh to the bar area, patio and pool, the addition of a spacious library, and, of course, the welcoming of its new restaurant, Remi. Even with the changes, the Hotel Granduca has kept its Italian villa-like charm and European flair, and Remi is a seamless addition.
The restaurant is a collaboration between Transwestern Hospitality Group (which bought the luxury hotel a year ago) and Episcope Hospitality. The kitchen is helmed by Italian-born chef Maurizio Ferrarese, who joined the culinary team at Hotel Granduca in 2018. His previous experience includes a long stint at Quattro at the Four Seasons. His menu is seasonally inspired and highlights fresh, local ingredients. The dishes are refined but approachable, and there is a wide variety of choices to suit every guest that comes through. In addition to the menu being approachable, so are the prices – while the general assumption is that hotel restaurants can be overpriced, Remi is quite reasonable, particularly, given the quality, ambiance and overall experience. Starters and salads range from $14 to $18, while the main entrees start at $20 for the Chef’s Meatball, a sizable veal, beef, sausage meatball with spicy pomodoro served with garlic flatbread, and fresh Parmigiano.
A bar bites menu features truffle popcorn and corn dog poppers and gets a little more sophisticated with crispy potatoes topped with caviar. Snacks and starters include Buffalo chicken dip, chicken tenders with hot honey, crispy Roman artichokes with roasted garlic aioli as well as steak tartare and shrimp cocktail.
The 14-oz dry aged ribeye at Remi. Photo by Julie Soefer.
The main plates include more classically Italian options like pizza, such as the Spianata with tomato sauce, stracciatella, Calabrian and spicy salami, and pasta, such as the rigatoni Bolognese with Wagyu beef, pancetta, pecorino and oregano. Highlights also include Ōra King Salmon served with charred broccolini and romesco and the namesake Remi burger with cheddar, Dijonnaise and pickles. Steak-lovers will have their choice of steak frites with au poivre sauce, a filet mignon with whipped truffle butter or a 14-ounce dry-aged ribeye.
The dining and bar area of Remi. Photo by Julie Soefer.
The vision of the restaurant space was brought to life by local designer Kara Childress. Remi is elegant but also inviting and warm — this is captured in the burnt orange tones and gold finishes. The dining room’s focal point is a photograph described as the Texas version of the Last Supper by photographer David Yarrow.
The space also extends to the bar area which slings such classics as Manhattans and Old Fashions. The bar offers a small menu of martinis and a selection of Tequila and bourbon. A well-curated selection of wine from Europe is available by the bottle and glass.
Those who want to dine al fresco can do so on the courtyard patio, and celebrations are welcomed in the six different event spaces available throughout.
Remi is open daily from 7 to 11 a.m. for breakfast, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for lunch, and 5 to 11 p.m. for dinner. Reservations for dining and lodging can be made on the website.
Minh Truong is an avid lover of the Houston food scene and has written about it since 2011, starting as a freelance contributor for the Houston Press. She never stops exploring all that Houston has to offer.
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