The Pappas family, long known for its consistent Texas genre restaurants, grabs for greatness at its first chef-driven concept — and succeeds. Chef Jason Ryczek marries his West Coast seafood know-how to the Pappas’ Gulf sources at a svelte re-do of the former Little Pappas location. Even tiny details sparkle, from an etched martini glass to unforgettable house-baked sourdough bread, sided with lush cultured butter and sea salt tinted spirulina blue. Wild-caught Gulf shrimp come glossed with olive oil and lemon; pomegranate molasses deepens their cocktail sauce. The spendy thrills are worth it. Ryczek’s hand-selected white sturgeon caviar service bends the genre. His take on yellow-edge grouper Meuniére adds bracing radish tones to browned butter. It’s hard to go wrong, right down to the well-conceived cocktails and the expert wine service.
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