Chef Paul Qui’s Aqui Will Likely Soon Make Its Houston Debut

Later this month, it appears that Chef Paul Qui’s much-anticipated Houston restaurant Aqui will officially be ready to open its doors.

The OpenTable page for Aqui is currently taking reservations starting on August 14, which likely marks the restaurant’s first official day of service. Originally, the restaurant was expected to make its debut in “spring or early summer,” but interior renovations on the space appear to be pretty much completed by now.

The OpenTable listing also offers a little more insight into the menu at Aqui, which as Eater Houston has previously reported, will focus on Qui’s brand of Filipino cuisine. At Aqui, Qui will focus on “wok and wood cooking, with a heavy emphasis on meat and seafood.” Back in March, Qui offered an early peek inside the menu development process for the restaurant. At the time, he was working on a selection of small plates and “perfect bites,” like pancit luglug (thick noodles served with shrimp sauce and toppings), lumpia, and fire-roasted chicken with lemongrass and sweet chili sauce.

A few days after Aqui’s likely opening date, court records indicate that Qui is due in a Travis County Court on August 18 for a pre-trial hearing related to his March 2016 arrest for domestic violence. He’s also still facing a lawsuit from an Austin-based vendor, who alleges that Qui owes Farm To Table LLC upwards of $25,000 for produce that his restaurants didn’t pay for.

When it does arrive, no doubt that reservations at Aqui will be snapped up quickly. Eater has reached out for more details on the restaurant’s official debut. Stay tuned.

• It’s Official: Austin Chef Paul Qui Is Opening A Restaurant In Houston [EHOU]
• Chef Paul Qui’s Forthcoming Restaurant Aqui Will (Probably) Serve Lumpia, Pancit and More [EHOU]
• Chef Paul Qui Arrested on Assault Charges [EATX]
• Paul Qui Is Being Sued for Unpaid Bills [EATX]