Chef Randy Rucker to Open Briar and Bramble

Chef Randy Rucker announced on twitter last night that his new restaurant will be named Briar and Bramble. Anything Rucker does bears watching. He earned four stars from Houston Chronicle critic Alison Cook in 2009 for his work revitalizing Houston institution Rainbow Lodge. Then he earned two stars from Cook in 2010 at the helm of Bootsie's Heritage Cafe in Tomball, the now shuttered restaurant owned by Rucker's mother, Bootsie Nicol. Diners found Rucker's work at Bootsie's particularly intriguing. The restaurant featured a constantly changing, six course menu for only $35 that often included ingredients foraged by Rucker and his staff.

Unfortunately, he has recently suffered some setbacks. His plans to build an additional restaurant and general store in Tomball never materialized. Last year, Rucker announced plans to open Restaurant Con?t, but it, too, never came to fruition.

Although Rucker has not announced where the new restaurant will be located, one Eater tipster suggested he might be looking to take over the lunch-counter space formerly occupied by Tart Cafe at 4411 Montrose. And we hear he's been in to tour the space. A call to the gallery yielded a firm no comment, and Rucker has not responded to Eater's email. Lending credence to the speculation is that Rucker recently served canapes at an event at the Barbara Davis Gallery, which is located in the same space.

· Randy Rucker [Twitter]
· Rainbow Lodge Review [Houston Chronicle]
· Bootsie's in Tomball Worth The Trek [Houston Chronicle]
· It's The End Of Restaurant con?t As We Know It And Chef Randy Rucker Feels Fine [-EHOU-]
· All Randy Rucker on Eater Houston [-EHOU-]
Randy Rucker at Bootsie's. [Bootsie's/Facebook]