A new wine bar has opened at the Post Oak Hotel in Houston. Located a few steps from the property wine spectator Grand Award-winning Mastro’s Steakhouse, Stella’s Wine Bar serves the same list of over 4,000 selections, but in a more casual environment.
“Stella’s is one of the only wine bars in the world where you can drink everything from little-known sommelier favorites to multiple Bordeaux premier cru vintages,” said the hotel’s wine director, Keith Goldston, who manages the list with sommelier Julie Dalton. Goldston adds that even though the wine bar is inside a large, upscale hotel, “it has that wonderful Texas vibe of friendly hospitality and accessible luxury.”
The wine list is based on a cellar of 35,000 bottles and covers 30 international regions with highlights in Burgundy, Bordeaux, California, Piedmont, Tuscany, Champagne, Loire and Madeira. More than 3,500 of these bottles are displayed in temperature-controlled floor-to-ceiling wine racks in the dining room.
Contributing to the relaxed atmosphere, more than 60 labels are available by the glass. A section of wine flights covers themes like “Grapes We Love” and “Napa Valley Blue Chips,” plus an option to order a blind tasting aptly called “So you wanna be a somm?”
Highly trained staff are on hand to help less experienced wine drinkers and guide seasoned enophiles through the long list, according to Dalton. In a statement shared with wine spectator, she commented, “The combination of knowledge and accessibility of our team of sommeliers is what makes us a unique destination.”
Supervised by the property’s executive chef, Jean Luc Royere, the menu offers an array of charcuterie, light bites and plates to share. Although updated daily, the opening menu lists items such as marinated olives, pretzel bites, slider beef burgers with bacon jam, and mushroom flatbread with cheese. truffle oil.
As a personal touch, Stella’s is named after the pet pig of Tilman Fertitta, the hospitality titan who owns the hotel and his restaurant brands under Landry’s, Inc. According to the statement, “Pigs are known for their high intelligence, curiosity and affinity for the social pleasure of others.Julie Harans
Upscale Omakase Spot Sushi Noz Restaurant Expands in NYC
The team behind Best of Award of Excellence winner Sushi Noz opened Noz 17 in New York’s Chelsea neighborhood in December. Like its sister restaurant, Noz 17 (named after its location on West 17th Street) offers an omakase experience from chef Nozomu “Noz” Abe, complete with a robust wine selection.
“Due to the limited amount of storage space and number of seats at the counter, we decided to offer a curated beverage experience,” said Gene Sidorov, beverage director for Sushi Noz Group, which oversees a program frequently renewed with around 110 wines and 50 sakes. The list includes off-dry Champagnes, Burgundies, and Rieslings from France and Germany, plus additional selections from regions like Napa, Sonoma, and Oregon. This includes top names like Jacques Selosse and Patrick Piuze.
Sidorov wants the program to echo the “roller coaster of different flavors and textures” that Noz 17’s kitchen offers. At the start of the meal, each guest receives a one-page list of wines selected by the sommelier, including choices by the glass, with the possibility of requesting the complete list of bottles. Sidorov says the best approach is to mix and match. “I suggest a combination of champagne or sake and red or white wine throughout the omakase,” he said. “It is almost impossible to select one universal drink that will accompany the whole meal.”
There are just seven seats at the Noz 17 counter, where customers can enjoy a 30-course Edomae menu, a style of omakase that uses traditional fish aging and fermentation techniques. At $400 per person, the meal is prepared by chef Junichi “Matsu” Matsuzaki, who was trained by Abe at Sushi Noz. Matsuzaki uses ingredients imported from Japan and frequently changes the menu based on seasonality and availability. Unlike Sushi Noz, the chef alternates between sashimi, nigiri (thinly sliced fish over rice) and otsumami (small plates) throughout the service, offering tastes of wild amberjack, bottarga, sardine rolls, king crab and sea urchin Hadate . The wooded, softly lit space designed by Kyoto-based company Sankakuya creates a traditional yet intimate atmosphere.
Looking ahead, the Sushi Noz team hopes to reopen its Noz Market on the Upper East Side this spring with a new sushi counter and plans to open a location in Los Angeles in early 2023.—Collin Dreizen
The winter edition of New York Restaurant Week is back
Organized by tourism organization NYC & Company, Restaurant Week is back for its annual winter season, from January 18 to February 13. As part of a larger program called Winter Outing, the event coincides with Hotel Week and Broadway Week in an effort to boost the economy and encourage tourists and residents to enjoy New York attractions at discounted prices.
“We look forward to reintroducing visitors to our vibrant city during New York’s winter outing this year and reminding locals of the incredible opportunities at their fingertips,” said Fred Dixon, President and CEO of NYC & Company, in a statement shared with wine spectator.
Despite a series of temporary closures over the holiday season, more than 400 restaurants across the city are participating, including 15 Restaurant Award winners such as Gramercy Tavern, Nice Matin and Masseria dei Vini.
Restaurants can offer fixed-price two- and three-course lunch or dinner menus at three price points: $29, $39, or $59. Although wines are not included in the price, some restaurants may offer special deals or discounts on bottles or wines by the glass, and guests will still have access to the full wine list.—Taylor McBride
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