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Welcome to AM Intel in the time of coronavirus, a round-up of the city’s newest bits of restaurant-related intel. Follow Eater on Facebook and Twitter for up-to-date details on how COVID-19 is impacting the city’s dining scene.
Large crowds cause Acme Oyster House to close temporarily after first weekend of service
Acme Oyster House, the popular New Orleans restaurant that opened in Houston’s Montrose neighborhood over the weekend, was so overrun with customers during its first two days of service that the restaurant was forced to close down temporarily in order to restock.
Acme, which opened at 11 a.m. on April 10, posted to instagram on Monday it would be closed for two days in order to “recoup.”
“Y’all kicked our butt!” the post read. “We are out of food, alcohol and everything but ice.”
During Acme’s first two days of business, customers saw long lines outside and wait times up to two hours for a table. Acme tentatively plans to reopen on Wednesday.
Houston breakfast chain Toasted Yolk eyes expansion to other Southern states
Toasted Yolk, the Houston-born brunch chain, has announced that it will open its first locations out of Texas in the next few years. Two new locations are already slated to open in Memphis, Tennessee, and Dothan, Alabama, according to the Houston Business Journal, with additional plans to expand into Florida. The chain, which was founded in 2010, has 15 locations in Houston and surrounding areas, with more local locations expected to open later this year.
Caracol alum to open Mexican restaurant Bravery Chef Hall
A new restaurant serving ceviche, Mexican-style grilled meats, and housemade chorizo is set to open later this month at Downtown’s Bravery Chef food hall. Ixim is the work of rising chef Tim Reading, who previously worked for James Beard Award-winner Michael Schlow in Boston before heading to Houston to work under another James Beard winner, Hugo Ortega, at Caracol. Under Ortega, Reading fell in love with Mexican cuisine, the chef tells Culturemap, and was inspired to start his own restaurant after being laid off during the pandemic. No word yet on an exact opening date for Ixim, but stay tuned for more details.
