Seafood and Steak Restaurant Merus Grill Will Open in Uptown Park

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A fancy surf-and-turf eatery is en route to Uptown Park

Nashville-based restaurant tycoon J. Alexander’s Holdings Inc. landed on a name for its new Uptown Park eatery opening this fall: Merus Grill. The 7,900-square-foot upscale option, with seating for 200, will sit at 1180 Uptown Park Boulevard. The in-the-works menu plans to star lots of seafood and aged beef offerings, including prime rib, salmon, and crab cakes with shoestring fries. Starters call for a sliced avocado mound with chips and cheeseboards. Its bar promises “interesting” martinis, a sparkling rose cocktail (tequila, grapefruit bitters, sparkling wine), and plenty of wine by the glass and bottle. Merus Grill is a new brand for the group, which currently operates 46 restaurants across 16 states.

More juice for Houston

Homegrown juice shop JuiceWell just opened its fourth location at CityCentre. The small 680-square-foot arrival sits in a bustling hospitality hub home to Milano Bar, Seasons 52, and The Capital Grille, with Tiff’s Treats opening soon next door. The grab-and-go healthy brand, founded in 2011, focuses on cold-pressed juices and smoothies filled with local produce and faraway fruits. The latest location’s lineup also includes customizable açai bowls, non-dairy “mylk,” juice shots, and and vegan snacks, with juicing and meal plans available. Hours are weekdays at 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. (and 10 p.m. on Friday); Saturday from 8 a.. to 10 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

JuiceWell [official photo]

Julep Bar turns five

Southern spirits expert Alba Huerta will celebrate the five-year anniversary of her bar, Julep, with a big bash planned for Sunday, September 22. Huerta, a Mexican native and two-time James Beard Foundation Award semifinalist, has risen as a star mixologist in Houston’s drinking scene. Festivities from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. call for complimentary pig roasts, a DJ, free cigars, a guest shift from Laura Newman of Birmingham, Alabama’s Queens Park, and all-day drink specials, and a preview of Julep’s new fall menu. Proceeds benefit Rebar Foundation, a nonprofit helping rebuild homes in Kashmere Gardens.