Cafe Annie Closes in Houston
Yes, Cafe Annie closed its doors on the night of Tuesday, June 30, 2009. And it was virtually empty, cleaned out by July 2nd.
But don't worry, chef/partner Robert Del Grande will open his new place, RDG + Bar Annie, just several hundred feet to the south, around July 15th. Location: 1800 Post Oak Boulevard, Houston, Texas 77056.
We've been following this story closely on our radio show.
RDG will be a multi-concept, bi-level restaurant. Well actually, the BLVD Lounge ("a clubby gathering space for cocktails and hors d’oeuvres") will occupy the first floor and the restaurant RDG + Bar Annie will be on the second floor. All owned by the Schiller-Del Grande Restaurant Group.
I spoke with Del Grande on July 2nd and he told me that dining out attire has changed since he opened Cafe Annie decades ago. "As I looked around Cafe Annie last night, and it was packed, only two men were wearing suits or sport coats." "The days of requiring men to wear a jacket is long gone," he said.
Another change: Reservations. "Gone are the days of making dinner reservations weeks in advance. Many times people will now make a reservation with their cell phone as they are pulling into the parking lot."
But don't worry, chef/partner Robert Del Grande will open his new place, RDG + Bar Annie, just several hundred feet to the south, around July 15th. Location: 1800 Post Oak Boulevard, Houston, Texas 77056.
We've been following this story closely on our radio show.
RDG will be a multi-concept, bi-level restaurant. Well actually, the BLVD Lounge ("a clubby gathering space for cocktails and hors d’oeuvres") will occupy the first floor and the restaurant RDG + Bar Annie will be on the second floor. All owned by the Schiller-Del Grande Restaurant Group.
I spoke with Del Grande on July 2nd and he told me that dining out attire has changed since he opened Cafe Annie decades ago. "As I looked around Cafe Annie last night, and it was packed, only two men were wearing suits or sport coats." "The days of requiring men to wear a jacket is long gone," he said.
Another change: Reservations. "Gone are the days of making dinner reservations weeks in advance. Many times people will now make a reservation with their cell phone as they are pulling into the parking lot."
"Restaurants are mirrors that reflect the times and the culture," Del Grande says. “We have seen the shift over the past several years with the popularity of Bar Annie. People are drawn to the more comfortable, clubby feel of Bar Annie where they know you can just drop by and still get a wonderful meal. And they love the sense of community – it’s has a very flowing atmosphere.”
Posted by Cleverley at Thursday, July 02, 2009 8:26 PM 
Categories: Chefs,Cleverley's Newsletter,Rumor Control,Closed Restaurants,New Restaurants,Restaurants
Tags: RDG + Bar Annie Robert Del Grande Cafe Annie
Categories: Chefs,Cleverley's Newsletter,Rumor Control,Closed Restaurants,New Restaurants,Restaurants
Tags: RDG + Bar Annie Robert Del Grande Cafe Annie
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