Seared Sea Scallops with Quinoa Pilaf — Photo courtesy of Kimberly Suta
As if there weren't enough exciting reasons to visit Houston, Hotel Derek just gave us one more, or two – if you count the hotel itself!
Hotel Derek recently debuted its restaurant and hangout Revolve Kitchen + Bar, which is already on its way to becoming one of the most popular restaurants to grab a bite to eat inside the loop.
Hotel Derek is the perfect backdrop for Revolve. It's a place that accomplishes a bold contemporary look and feel that's as cozy as it is cool. Named after the oil derricks, Derek is the only boutique hotel inside the 610 interstate loop, an area which holds a certain degree of prestige.
With spacious suites, including phenomenal penthouse suites with private balconies; stunning views of the downtown skyline; and exceptional service, it's likely you'll never want to go home. But when you do, Revolve's Executive Chef Shannen Tune guarantees you won't go home hungry!
Revolve Kitchen + Bar in Houston — Photo courtesy of Kimberly Suta
Once the pastry chef at the iconic Driskill Hotel in Austin, Tune has developed a truly innovative menu that takes comfort food to a whole new stratosphere yet pairs perfectly with its surroundings.
His take on Chicken and Waffles comes with buttermilk-fried cornish game hen instead of the traditional chicken; his Truffle Mac-n-Cheese comes with crispy pork belly, wild mushrooms and Ritz crackers; his Seared Sea Scallops comes with a delicious umami pilaf that he compares to fried rice; and his melt-in-your-mouth Chicken Fried Short Rib Bites comes with pipettes of smoked gravy.
Simply put, it's the kind of menu that makes you want to say, "I'll take one of everything, please."
Chef Tune has put a modern, elevated twist on Southern classics, soul food, to be exact.
"I've created a menu of delicious soulful food that features all of my own favorites," says Tune, a man who grew up in a family of cooks and extrapolated flavors from diverse cultures around the world that he then seamlessly translated into dishes that sing, dance and rejoice!
Chicken Fried Short Rib Bites — Photo courtesy of Kimberly Suta
Revolve's menu is also guided by principals of sustainability. Tune emphasizes the importance of freshness, which is why the menu is seasonal.
It should be noted that without compromising quality and taste, Revolve is incredibly affordable, particularly for an upscale restaurant in the Galleria River Oaks District.
The restaurant's decor carries through the modern theme of the hotel with the centerpiece being the bar, which most of the locals and guests seem to gravitate to.
However, there's plenty of seating throughout the restaurant, including accommodations for larger groups or couples who prefer to enjoy cocktails and snacks while playing pool or a mean game of chess.