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Whole crispy pig's head at Feast. Photo by Alison Cook
James Silk, Meagan Silk and Richard Knight of Feast. Photo: Chronicle
In the end, says James Silk, "There were not enough people coming through the doors on a regular basis." So last week, after much soul-searching, Silk, his wife Meagan Silk and co-chef-owner Richard Knight dropped the bombshell on Twitter: Houston's influential nose-to-tail restaurant, Feast, will be closing in August 2013 when their five-year-lease is up.
It's a sad development for the Houston dining scene, where Silk and Knight played a big role in ushering diners toward locally pastured and humanely raised meats that went beyond the usual polite cuts of beef, chicken and pork. They were among the first chefs to play with the wilder specimens of Gulf bycatch brought to their back door by fishmonger to the stars P. J. Stoops. And their archival bent as chefs, raiding the memory chest of British recipes they grew up with or researched, marked their restaurant as something out of the ordinary, too.
Read: Why Feast was named number 5 on the list of top 100 Houston restaurants.
There was nothing like Feast and its daily-changing menus in town when it first opened its doors on Lower Westheimer in March, 2008. Even nationally, the restaurant was ahead of the nose-to-tail curve, and when I coaxed in Pete Wells, then the editor of the New York Times dining section, he loved it, too. He sent along then-Times restaurant critic Frank Bruni, who gave it a place on his wrap-up of the year's best new restaurants in America.
There ought to be a fairy tale ending to this narrative arc, right? But if there is one — which is in serious doubt — it hasn't been written yet.
The Silks and Knight have no real plans to open another restaurant or even to stay in the industry. Meagan, a passionate animal lover, talks wistfully about opening a kennel. "Get jobs," is the program, according to James Silk.
Exmoor toasts of anchovy and clotted cream at Feast. Photo by Alison Cook
Bone marrow service at Feast. Photo by Alison Cook
Knight will stay in Houston, where his children live. The Silks have thought about returning to England, where Silk has family, but even that seems out of reach right now: it would cost too much to transport their household overseas, says Meagan. They're simply hoping that the next 9 months before they close will bring in enough revenue that they aren't left with a lot of bills to pay.
That's been the rub all along: despite excellent reviews and national notice, keeping Feast open has been a struggle. The trio opened the restaurant on a prayer and a credit card, basically, with no backers. An ill-fated attempt to open a branch in New Orleans in 2010 made things even tighter. "We survive," says James Silk, "but it's by the skin of our teeth."
About three months ago, he says, he and Knight were standing in the kitchen at the restaurant when "Richard looked at me and said, 'This is going to kill us.'" Explains Meagan Silk, "we weren't consistently busy enough for it not to be a continual stress and worry for us. None of us had it in us to tackle another five years once the lease was up."
Last week, taking stock of an October and November "that was very quiet for us again," says James Silk, the trio felt it was time to make an announcement. They weren't sure when to do it, but looking at a reservations book that showed only 11 covers for Saturday night, they let the news out on Twitter — and ended up having good weekend business.
Irony? Sure. The social-media lamentations over the closure announcement came from top local chefs and diners alike, and James Silk couldn't help noticing that some of the stricken parties hadn't been into Feast for years.
Dining room at Feast. Photo by Alison Cook
As vivid and satisfying as the food was at Feast, why didn't it stay full? I think in large part it was because the restaurant challenged diners with pickled lamb's tongue or salad of Gulf ray and lentils instead of soothing them with the familiar. Silk and Knight never dumbed down their vision or played to the crowd with a burger or a beefsteak or a Caesar salad.
What readers say: "Sad to see them go, as it was the only place where you could get tongue and testicles on the same plate."
I always shared Knight and Silk's hope that "there would be space in Houston for someone to do things a bit different," but I am left wondering, now — looking around at the success of similarly idiosyncratic and challenging newcomers like Oxheart and Underbelly — if Feast wasn't a little ahead of its time. Certainly Silk and Knight's work has inspired some of the young Houston chefs who are now making a splash on the national scene.
"If we'd had someone with money backing us," says James Silk ruefully, "we probably would be selling pizza by now, because otherwise they'd have pulled the plug."
Strawberry Railway Pudding, one of the archival British desserts at Feast. Photo by Alison Cook
As it is, says Silk, "We're open to ideas from anyone. Nothing is off the table."
Except their wonderfully individualistic food, for the next 9 months, anyway. During that interval I hope to devour my share of chicken-skin cracklings, bubble and squeak, or pulled pork salad with marinated red cabbage, capers and parsley, interspersed with crisp bits of pork skin.
I'll need several last orders of Exmoor Toasts, for sure, each finger of crisped bread mounted with thick clotted cream and a briny anchovy. The ecstatic moment I tasted that improbable combination of ingredients will stay with me long after Feast has closed its doors on this particular chapter of Houston dining history.
Feast, 219 Westheimer, 713-529-7788. Dinner Monday — Saturday 5 p.m. — 10 p.m.; Sunday 5 p.m. — 9 p.m.
Sad to see them go, as it was the only place where you could get tongue and testicles on the same plate. Unfortunately, their heavy hand with salt eventually drove me away from all except the tasting menu dates.
Oxheart does not come close to Feast in my experience.
There are lots of places in the Montrose where you can get tongue and testicles together.
LMFAO
Now *that's* comedy!
It's "Montrose," not "The Montrose."
Hahaha. Yep. The "Nose to Tail" concept was prevalent in the Trose long before Feast came along.
Comment of the Year.
JJ sais: "...it was the only place where you could get tongue and testicles on the same plate."
.........................
Apparently you have never been to a decent biker bar on a rowdy Saturday night.
That there is funny, I don't care who you are!
Location, location, location.
Feast isn't a place you go on a regular basis and people won't drive in from the suburbs to go. Shame to see them go. Maybe they can partner with another chef and have an expanded menu.
I agree - sad to see them go. However, let's look at things on the practical side: the menu was too eclectic for Houstonian tastes. I mean, if Ms. Cook had to actually "coax" someone as well-heeled as NYT foodie Pete Wells to try it, then Feast was a concept whose time had not yet come.
I for one would never have "dumbed-down" the menu, no matter what the outcome, simply because it's like asking a Shakespearean actor to do "Jersey Shore." You just don't do that in the dining biz. It's all about finding the right niche for your clientele.
Farewell, Feast - I will miss your abonidingas, blood sausages and colorful salads. But you will always be in my heart and stomach.
Yours is the most absurd comment I have ever had the displeasure of reading.
Really? Please elaborate - if you can.
I guess I should state for the record here that the only way in which I had to "coax" Pete Wells, who is a fearless eater, was to convince him that Feast was my Choice of Choices for the single dinner slot he had open during a family trip to Houston that year. He paid, and he ate the odd bits very cheerfully, as I recall.
OK, Alison, good enough for me.
Was incredibly sad to hear this news. We love Feast--it is one of our absolute favorite restaurants in the city. That said, I can see how it could be a challenge to bring enough people in the door on a consistent basis. For us, going to Feast is an event, and we go roughly 2-4 times a year. I wonder if it's the same for many others who are fans.
I think it would be a mistake to just chalk up the demise of Feast to Houston's "unsophisticated" palate. I didn't feel treated well as a diner. I also think there is a difference between using perceived novelty ingredients or animal parts and cooking such items in a manner where the diner is not just eating lamb tongue for the sake of trying it but rather will return because the food is truly delicious. As someone that lives near the Westheimer corridor and eats out often my first choice is also going to be a place with delicious food that treats its patrons well. For me that does not include Feast.
I completely agree! We used to eat there often, (and I mean often enough that they knew our voices when calling to make a reservation) The last straw was bringing in a party of 10 to celebrate a birthday and not only being told no, but having the chef come out and tell us no... because making a little girl (who loved to eat their food) a hot cocoa (in the cappuccino machine) was not what they "do". And in the simple word of NO to customers who ate there as much as we did, in regards to a simple and not out of line request... well, that was the last of it.
I have to agree. We went there not regularly, but on special occasions. Our teenager liked it, as did my husband.
Personally, I got the feeling they were more interested in the shock value of their product than they were making the diner feel warmed, welcome and appreciated.
Lets see...pay top $$ to be treated as if they were doing US a favor just so I can eat a hogs head, lambs tongue, or testicles...or go to a regular steakhouse and be waited on hand and foot.
My money's going to someone who considers themselves lucky to have us in their establishment....not the other way 'round.
This comes down to parking. The argument that the fare is too adventurous for Houstonians is being disproven at a number of restaurants--many within a mile of Feast. The fact that there was no lot and only a valet stand was just enough of a reason for many diners to keep moving to one of the many competitors in the neighborhood. I would love to see them open up a pub with their wonderful food in a better location. They absolutely can succeed in Houston.
I tend to think parking has been a major issue. Unlike Backstreet or Damian's, for example, where the valet arrangement is easy to feel comfortable in, that is not so at the Feast space with cars wanting to use the right lane on Westheimer for travel.
I tend to discount the parking angle. so you turn your car over to a valet...same as you would at Dolce Vita, Indika, Uchi right down the street. And about that "too adventurous" line of thought: when Feast opened, almost 5 years ago, it probably WAS "too adventurous" for a lot of Houston diners. But it primed the pump for the folks who are doing that kind of adventurous menu-writing now--that's what I meant when I speculated that it was a little ahead of its time.
Now, when people are actually a lot more ready for Feast's kind of food, they're no longer the buzzed about new thing. And that matters in Houston--it's always on to the next hot scene or chef or space.
At any rate, no matter what theories you subscribe to about this unfortunate turn of events, it's interesting to think about in terms of what it means for Houston dining over the past 5 years.
Well, you would be wrong Allison. You need to remember that not everybody is bonkers about pig heads and entrails so if they are to try it, it has to be something that's easy for them to access.
Some areas of town are walk friendly and there is either street parking available down the block (without bothering the locals too much) or a public lot where they can pay a few bucks to park all night. In that case people are ok with parking and walking a block or two to go to a restaurant and then walk to a bar afterwards.
With Feast, it looks like someone's old house with absolutely no parking lot or even a driveway to pull into. What were they thinking? Having a couple of valet guys isn't going to fix that when you're not sure where the cars are going and who will be watching them. If you go to a restaurant like Tony's, you see where they take the cars and it feels safe.
Empire Cafe has been around for a couple of decades that I remember and while their food, drinks, and service are great, it's also because I know I can just drive there and they have a large parking lot and I won't be hassled. I know their food is more mainstream but not too many coffee shops last either (Remember Diedrich's?)
So don't be too fast to discount parking.
On another note, what is your obsession with this restaurant? I've read your articles when you've acted like a complete brat when your steak was a tiny bit overcooked and have created a scene with the chef and not forgiving, but Feast's chef was caught urinating outside by health inspectors (see channel 2's report from this past summer) and you don't even mention it. People do watch TV still.
Jonathan? Is that you? ;-)
Hahahaha!!! Now that's funny. I was always treated well at Feast, and we go often enough to be recognized.
Allison, don't underplay the parking issue. This conversation made me realize that I haven't been to Roost in a while, mostly because it's easier and more convenient (subconsciously) to go to Sorrel, roughly the same distance from my house. I like Roosts' menu better, both waitstaffs know me on sight, and I always have a conversation with Kevin before I leave. Also, all of the valets you mention are within a parking lot, or with room to maneuver. The Feast parking situation was nuts.
On adventurous food, I think you're spot on, but if the leader is good they should stick around. I did experience some of the service issues (one time, our server was so stoned that my date compared her dilated pupils to the bread plates). maybe I'm adventurous, but I always thought there were enough "safe" items on the menu.
All that said, I plan on going there 4-5 more times and ordering lots of expensive wine to try and help them pad their landing. The personal risk and passion they've exhibited is laudable.
I guess I tend to discount the parking issue — perhaps incorrectly, as you and others have pointed out — because I never, ever choose a restaurant based on parking convenience, valet, etc. I'm all about the food, and sometimes I forget that other people aren't, necessarily. Consider me reminded.
That happens when you get paid to eat ;) And no, this isn't Jonathan...I'm just some bloke who hates making up yet another account for yet another Chron website. You also remind me of a few girls I have known over the years who used to drive me (and my wallet) crazy while going out for dinner with the "You have to try this! They have weird food!" "But is it good?" "who cares!"
In my younger days I also used to work in the service industry and had to deal with people who are just looking for trouble.
But anyway...Parking does matter. I wish it was like some other major cities where they had free-ride zones and shuttles of some sort, but we don't.
a bad parking situation is definitely an issue to consider, but i find it less irritating than places that only take cash.
I would never pay money to have my car parked by some idiot teenager, anywhere, ever, unless I was strictly socially obliged to show up, period. I can't be the only one...
2 things I avoid like the plague, valet parking and toll roads. While I'm likely in the "not too adventurous" category, the first thing I would need to have is knowing what is in it and what it looks like. Something that alot of restaurants don't do. It's one thing when you're dealing with a common food, not to have that, but when you might have difficulty finding a recipe on the internet before you go is another.
Re toll roads: my restaurant-going life has improved dramatically since I got my EZ Pass. Can't believe I once drove the length and breadth of Greater Houston without it.
I used to love feast, especially their duck leg and the Bubble and Squeek. 3 things kept me away though:
1) Parking, especially with a party of more than 4. Backing out onto westheimer is a scary proposition.
2) Getting a table for a party more than 4.
3) Lack of safety items on the menu for people who aren't as adventurous. I like new foods, but many of my friends do not.
My wife, and many of my friends (or their spouses) would look at the menu and blanch. If I could convince them to come, it was hard to get a large table and they had to deal with crazy parking once they got there. It became a place that I had to visit alone, which regardless of how good the food is, is not something I enjoy.
Houstonians are a fat and simple creature. We demand greasy food and giant portions. They should have copied Golden Corral. Live up to the name Feast, unlimited pig head buffet!
Silly statement. Only a little offense meant.
I can see by the comments the place had some true fans.
And I can see by the pictures why it's closing.
Yuck.
Never heard of it
I don't see anything that I would like to eat there.
Where are the mashed potatoes, green beans and meatballs? Do people eat that stuff? My grandkids would run screaming out the door if someone put that first plate with the pigs head in front of them.
It was over priced and not that good. We had a really lame soup that tasted like tap water but was billed as sumptuous. Hardly.
I took a party of 10 last year and the servic was horrible. Chow was good but would not go back because of the service.
It would appear that there are some things, like tongue, testicles, bone marrow, and pig's head, that people are not interested in eating, much less paying good money for.
I was going to say: My grandparents grew up eating offal. they worked hard to make sure they never had to eat it again and that they didn't have to serve it to their kids.
Sometimes "adventurous" just means the food is awful, except you're not allowed to say so for fear the chef will be condescending. I don't go out to eat to "challenge" myself. I have enough challenge in other areas of my life. I want something I like and that I wouldn't go to the trouble of making at home, in a pleasant environment.
Customers vote with their dollars. And if I want to eat garbage I can forage through the dumpster at HEB for free. Nothing to see here kids.
You want tongue, testicles, tripe, ox tail on the same plate /bowl go and enjoy a meal at Vietnamese or Chinese place
To be honest, I kept WANTING to try them, but my finding out about them coincided with my decision to go vegetarian, and their menu is NOT veggie-friendly. Their style and clientele are too niche. I like the idea of them, but I can eat almost nothing they serve except maybe desert. It's sad that they're going under; they might have done well in San Francisco or even Austin, but they just don't fit in Houston, unfortunately.
This.
As vegetarians ourselves, we frequent Feast every couple months for their savory veggie dishes which are always on the menu. We never left feeling like we nibbled on a plate of sides either. Truly remarkable cooking from an extraordinary group of restauranteurs. We will miss them.
I wish I could've dined here. Unfortunately, on the several occasions that I have tried to, the service was non-existent. The last & final attempt was last spring. We sat for 20 minutes without our drink order ever arriving or someone to even check on us. There were only five other tables. To consistently have a bad service experience before even getting to order, shame on me for continuing to try Feast. And shame on Feast for not caring about service.
They can still call Gordon Ramsey, Kitchen Nightmares or call up Restaurant: Impossible : Robert Irvine,two days and $10,000.
Loved Feast, but poor location and late adoption of OpenTable meant we honestly forgot about it when thinking about where to eat. Also, the last few times we went there was a notable decline in service, they were often "out" of many dishes and their fantastic cassoulet seems to have dissapeared from the menu.
My boyfriend and I went to Feast for a special occasion last summer. It has been our only visit, for a reason.
First and foremost, the location and parking situation are both horrible. Feast is very difficult to get in and out of. And the valet service was a true test of patience.
The service at Feast was hit and miss. The regulars and "important people" get outstanding, attentive service. Those of us who just drop by are treated as afterthoughts (the same is true at Uchi).
Too bad though. The food itself was wonderful.
Funny they fail to mention their health department report: http://houston.tx.gegov.com/media/search.cfm?q=d&f=CB5F6643-0A83-B1BC-3D...
Ignore the peeing issue and focus on how these "geniuses" were handling their meats.
That explains a lot.
Urg. So many people seem to think that stylish restaurants just can't possibly mishandle food. Somebody needs to bring back the Zindler Rat and Roach report to remind people that there's slime in *every* ice machine.
Riiight Sihaya. No need to bring back the "Zindler Rat & Roach" report as Channel 13 does it Wednesday nights, and KPRC Channel 2 does it Thursday. Not to mention the fact that ANYONE w/ a brain can go to the Houston Health Department link and look up any restaurant they want for free.
Spare us the excuses. Do you really think a restaurant that exotic foods like this is going to help its cause (i.e. get more Houstonians interested and willing to spend $ at their restaurant) when they show they're too lazy to prep their kitchen correctly?
Did I excuse anybody? Huh.
Looks like all of that was found on ONE inspection in August.
Sheesh. That's bad.
Thanks for the heads-up on the condition of the kitchen...YUCK!!!!!! I was hoping to go to Feast before they closed, but after reading this Health Department reports I staying as far away as possible. While in high school at packing house in the offal cooler, and I know exactly what they are dealing with, it doesn't take much to spoil these internals and boy do you have a problem. No Thanks!!
Maybe they should have done a little market research before they got to the point they couldn't keep the doors open. Sounds like they had parking & service problems that kept lots of people away. I'm sure there were complaints about the service, did they just not care? And they should take a page from the owner of Masraff's, back when he had that big location on Post Oak. He managed the parking situation so perfectly, people just loved to come back again & again. Different than everyone else in town. He wasn't always after a buck, he was all about the customer. It paid off!
I think I predicted a few months ago that this place was going to close within a year. Looks like it didn't even last as long as I thought it would.
Well, I'll keep things a bit positive. I most certainly had an amazing dining experience. From the moment I stepped in and when I left. I remember the WONDERFUL AROMA in the restaurant. The tasteful food I had here was delicious. I don't even want to tell my boyfriend the news. We will surely swing by for a last dinner before the lease ends.
Niche food will always draw a niche clientele. If it's not enough to cover the monthly nut then que sera, sera.
What a disgusting sounding menu. Let's make a restaurant based on nuts and guts and have poor service and parking, and wonder why we are going out of business. Oh, and then get Chron to write an in-depth article on it...
We are sad as well. Will make a reservation at least once before they close. I would also suggest they look for some financial backing or perhaps cheaper rent somewhere not right on Westheimer. I for one do think they can survive in Houston. I don't know how but so many people have never heard of Feast. Houston does a really poor job supporting local businesses in a visible way. I also agree about the lifestyle aspect. We go on a nice date night, event type meal. With our busy schedules that is not often. Sadly we make it out to cafe express type places more often
Weird, inedible food for the bored, idle rich. No one I know will mourn its passing.
I've lived in the city my entire life and have NEVER heard of this place. I'm considering trying it out before it closes as it does sound interesting. The comments about bad service and parking kinda scare me so we'll see. I see alot of people trying to give the restaurant owners ideas but even though the owners themselves said they're open to ideas I don't sense much drive in keeping it open. Oh well, if you stay pat and don't evolve, keep things new and interesting then you'll get left behind, obviously they got left behind.
what else do you expect when you put a high end restaurant in an area inundated with "hipster" and counter culture types. They barely spend any money and chase away the actual patrons with money "squares". This is the problem with everything between S. Shepherd and Midtown. Hipsters have to go!
The "hipster" effect doesn't seem to effect Mark's or Da Marco or many of the other restaurants in the area. From the comments here it sounds like their problems could be easily solved with:
1. A parking lot
2. Much better customer service
3. A new menu
went there with a friend last month, ant my surprise they had no idea what tacos were?? i mean you can get menudo almost anywhere, they serve nuts and bilts why not menudo???
I wen to Hugo's and asked them if they had Bubble and Squeak, and they HAD NO clue what that was?? Seriously! They did not even agree to cook a pig cheek with mushy peas for me!
idiot...
OMG. THERE'S A PIG HEAD ON A PLATE
Perhaps it was that health inspection report with the chef behind the bushes. Google it!
Just an idea for FEAST; convert the restaurant into a culinary school, teaching extraordinary ways to prepare exceptional menu entrees? Promote to an international wannabe chefs market.
The government needs to step in an save businesses. If a business is having problems the government should could in and pump money into the business to save it.
No business should close, government needs to help, why should one business do poorly and another do better. It only fair that tax payers pay into a fund to support all failing businesses.
No business left behind.
Isn't that the reason with supported President Obama getting reelected?
How could you ever enjoy any type of meal with all that bitterness?
Hey, why not - after all, they didn't build that!
Houstonians like to eat fast food and drink beer.
It's too blatantly carnivorous. I am not even a dedicated vegetarian and I would be sickened by walking through a restaurant with those displays.
The problem wasn't people walking in the door. The problem is that they knew more about how to make food than run a business. 1) You have to market 2) You have to have a product people actually want (who would eat that stuff?) 3) You have to provide a good service experience 4) The price has to be reasonable to the quality.
It looks like they simply didn't know what they were doing...
First, I had a difficult time finding their web site. Secondly, until this article, as a non-foodie, I've never heard of Feast. It sounds great. However, they could certainly benefit from marketing. You know, just because you build it DOESN'T mean they will come. Without people knowing about it beyond a handful in a city of millions, don't expect results. Some of the worst food joints in the world reaped their owners millions because of good marketing. Consider this before just giving up.
Feast specialized in preparing the seemingly unsavory bits into delicious food. After reading some of the comments here--presumably from foodies--I can see why they cannot continue serving Houstonians. I too, am out of this town in August. Good riddance!
you won't be missed, chief. feast was a good restaurant but did little to make itself more accessible and i'm not even talking about the food. anyone who downgrades what their lack of parking and even general ingress does not understand the houston diner. we've been guilty ourselves of wanting to go but after driving by with not even a place to park and wait for valet just continued on to another spot b/c of the hassle of waiting on westheimer.
i honestly believe that if feast was located elsewhere in montrose w a viable parking lot (or even that like dolce vita where you can at least pull in off the street) that we would not be having this conversation. the assertion that houstonians, the same lot who will gladly slurp tripe-laden menudo and pho, grilled sweetbreads, lengua tacos, heart tartar or suck the heads of crawfish are somehow too closed-minded to eat at feast is laughable.
interesting comment. I'm definitely getting the message about parking as an issue.
Don't let the door hit ya where the Good Lord split ya!
Maybe there is a lesson here as this restaurant can be a microcosm of society. There seems to be some normally unappealing menu items, i.e. pig’s head, testicles, etc. Yet the menu is lauded as “elemental, gutsy and smart.” To each is own of course, but maybe everyone needs to pick up and read Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Emperor’s New Clothes” and stop following with a heard mentality and start thinking for oneself. Maybe the rejection of this restaurant is a beginning.
My 2¢
Join forces with "Red Lion Pub" and serve all your best stuff there. The combination of a pub and Feast's food would be a winner.
I have been worrying about Feast ever since I saw they were repeatedly doing Groupons. Once I understand, but I saw at least two others offered, which is often a last-ditch effort to get people in the doors.
I admit we used one too to try it out as it had been on my radar for a while. The pig tail was so meltingly delicious, I would happily eat that all the time. My husband hated his coq au vin, in part because it was SO strong in the wine it's all he tasted (and it triggered a migraine). My dish was ok but not stupendous. I might have tried it again but the prices weren't such it would make us go back often, we just can't afford to eat at restaurants at that price point much. And they're not particularly kid friendly so add in finding a babysitter.
wait Alison!!!! you forgot to mention Pass & Provisions!
After putting up with British snobbery and 8% tips for so many years, I hate anything British. Good riddance.
Pangu?
It just wasn't that good, I'm sorry to burst their bubble, but it kind of sucked and I love offal.
To paraphrase ol' Loyde Bentson "I know St. John, I've been to St. John, Feast Sir, you are no St. John"
http://houston.tx.gegov.com/media/search.cfm?q=d&f=CB5F6643-0A83-B1BC-3D...
Perhaps if they had had better quality in the kitchen and services, and their service in general wasn't regularly sucky, perhaps then people would keep going there.
11 tops on a Saturday night? heh.
While I do think people in Houston are over-obsessed with parking, Feast's parking was stressful, not because of it being valet, but because there's no room to pull out of Westheimer to get the valet. If the driveway were less constricted, it'd be fine. But I also agree they didn't market/advertise enough. I brought several friends to it that had no idea it even existed.
Devastating. We've only been twice. Once for Valentine's Day where I became obsessed with Bubbles & Squeak, and the other during their groupon special where I had Bath Chaps (rolled, cured pig face).
The second time James Silk was our server. Amazing, informative, gone in a flash so we could enjoy ourselves, and sheepishly overjoyed with our compliments. Both times the service was great and the flavors were out-of-control delicious.
Very sad.
That's lame. I've been wanting to eat there but haven't had a chance to. I went to Los Angeles this past September to hang out with my friend Ryan who is a cook at one of the top restaurants in LA. I told him about Feast and even showed him the website/menu to show him why I wanted to go there. He said it was like the restaurant he worked at and we were comparing stuff. Of course, there was a slight difference...Feast has a very unique restaurant...
but yes, maybe it was too eclectic for people's tastes. I don't think Feast should go away forever; I think Feast needs to be in the heart of downtown somewhere...like near The Capitol of St. Germain.
1)Make more profit from sophisticated crowd
2)Better location means Feast can better be seen by the public eye
3)I can finally get a chance to eat at Feast.
Houston is awesome, but there is a reason why Los Angeles and NYC will always be on top. Minds = open.
<3
Dani
I am actually one who drives from Dallas to eat at Feast on a regular basis. I think it is a tragedy that this place will not survive in Houston which I believe has a better food scene than Dallas.
For the numerous accounts of parking being an issue I knew the first time I visited that I wasn't going to valet. I simply parked on Avondale which is one block north and walked. I know that is strange to some but I rarely valet my car, and after a meal at Feast it is probably for the better that you take a short stroll to the car.
The service was never an issue of course I always planned for the first seating of a weekend night. I sure got more service than some of the Asian places on Bellaire.
It was sure nice to have a restaurant who was not afraid to push the boundaries and could offer up a cuisine that is rarely seen stateside and even in England.
From an outsider looking in on Houston I think this is a loss to your city.
Alison Cook,
You, the Silks and Knight have it wrong and your headline on page D3 says it all. "Feast's innovative offerings will be missed by many"; No, it won't be missed by many, it will be missed by very few.
If a restaurant owner and the menu only caters to their ego ("never dumbed down their vision") and the media ("excellent reviews and national notice") without considering what the masses want, it will fail.
Silk says "We're open to ideas from anyone." OK here's one from someone born in Houston that eats out 10 times a week at every type of restaurant (I've eaten at Feast twice but stopped because of the bizarre food! No, not bad just bizarre.)
Hire a top restaurant PR person, rebrand and change the menu. No not burgers and Caesar salads but look around, see what's working and stop paying attention to Alison Cook's "Nothing is off the table. 'Except their wonderful individualistic food'...".
Allison, that's the problem, the food! If you are their friend tell them you love their food but they need a change.
Here's another idea, why don't you set up a lunch for the Silks and Knight with Chris Shepherd, Tony Mandola, and Grant Cooper (all successful owners and good guys who I'm sure would help) for a brain storming session.
If they continue as you suggest I hope their passports are up to date.
As often happens in journalism, I did not write the headline on page D3 that says "Feast's innovative offerings will be missed by many." An editor did. I spoke for myself, and for the people I know and respect who admire the restaurant. Nothing more.
But I do thank you for taking the trouble to spell my name right.
Poor parking /Service will kill a place faster than bad food....
I hear that the black rhino spleen with marmot semen reduction was to die for.
Feast has long been my favorite restaurant (I used to eat lunch there every Friday until my work schedule changed) and was always a reliable place to impress friends. Extremely sad news and a huge loss for Houston.
We have been to two of the St. John restaurants in London, and the service there is not great - not even close to great. You can apparently get away with that in London, since, for the most part, waiters are not working for tips. Maybe James' and Richard's experience in the restaurant business in England did not prepare them for the great customer service we expect in Houston. We love going to Feast, but don't go there often - maybe once a year - since we live in the suburbs. We are willing to try anything, but sometimes the food that comes out is uneven, or they have run out of something that goes into a favorite dish. I'm always worried that after we all get our orders, we will discover that we wished we had ordered something else, since one person will end up with the stellar dish and others of us will end up with something that is average.
Well, I guess you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. Literally in this case.
I really liked the idea of Feast. My husband and I are defiantly adventurous eaters and love to try fine dining places. However my experience did not meet my expectations. First the location is a problem it is an hour drive for me to get there so it's special occasion kind of place for me. Then there was the parking. There are no signs and when we finally got to it (after passing it 3 times because we couldn't see the sign) we pulled into a very small driveway with no signs or directions and did not see a valet stand. We sat there for 5 minutes trying to figure out where we were supposed to park before a valet appeared. Then we went inside. The server was slow and could not answer questions about the menu (at a place like with more unusual items they really should be able to answer questions). She couldn't even tell us the specials she told us to go up front and look at the board. The server seemed to be bothered by having to wait on us. The food was mostly really good however there were some issues. We ordered the pork belly (the hubs and I are obsessed with pork belly) the meat part was very tasty but the skin was hard as a rock. Think peanut brittle constancy but even harder we could not bite into and it we could not cut it with a knife. My husband even whacked it on the table (to show the waitress how hard it was) and it didn't crack. We had to remove it so we could eat the rest and sorry but the skin is a big part of taste experience with pork belly. We asked if it was always like that or if something just went wrong and the server had no idea and didn't seem to care. Then when we wanted to look at the dessert menu it seemed like a after thought (which in fairness we see at may higher end places) so we ended up not ordering any. I have to say if I'm going to drive that far, pay a valet, and pay higher prices I expect more (especially better service). I'm willing to give it another try before they close because they do offer something I think is unique with their menu. But the servers have to step up their game if they expect me to come more then once.
Just curious - do you always write the way you talk? Reading that epic gave me a headache.
I rather enjoyed it, and the level of detail. Different strokes.
Pretty much the opposite of every one of my experiences. *shrug*
Not sure why people think parking is an issue. Feast has a 'rigged' circular drive, we simply pull in from one side and the valet pulls out from the other.
I live in the neighborhood and still haven't been. Not sure if I will.
No great loss - the concept while one might deem innovative, most of us have no desire to eat pig hooves, cow intestines or offal meat. Just because you can create something edible from these parts doesn't mean you should!
It is such a shame that a city of such size and potential influence can be so closed minded. Regardless of your personal definition of innovation I applaud those who try to introduce old concepts in a contemporary manner. Let's not forget that Feast was certainly one of the original pioneers to bring the food scene (semi) up to speed with the rest of the country. I, for one, cannot wait to see what those two crazy Brits are up to next! Thank you for all you've done for this city.
My wife and I have eaten at Feast twice. We actually should never have gone back the second time because it was a waste of both time and money.
The parking situation was horrendous, the more so because I am wheelchair bound and the access was challenging to say the least. I will add at this juncture that both my wife and I were raised in the country, so eating unusual foods that most other people would gag over doesn't present a problem to either one of us. After all, one of the most sought-after meats around according to Food Network is sweatbreads, which are pancreases. Unfortunately, the food at Feast was neither well-prepared nor well-presented. I have a real problem with food being improperly seasoned and over-cooked, and my wife's braised lamb shank was too salty, overcooked and tough. My marrow bones were OK, and that's about all I can say about them. On our second visit, I had the Pig Keeper's Pie and the Exmoor toasts, and my wife had the pan-fried hake. The pie was too salty and dry, and the toasts were, simply put, awful. My wife's hake was over-cooked and had basically no seasoning. We didn't bother with dessert on either visit because nothing even sounded interesting.
The service was atrocious on both visits. I don't know if our server was stoned or just plain dumb. When you ask for a glass of water, and wait 20 minutes for it to arrive, and have to ask three separate times to get a refill (which was spilled on the table), that's a bit much. The coffee that we had after dinner was mud.
Personally, I believe that the lack of attention to the details is what has sunk this restaurant. When the owners don't care enough to train the wait staff, and also don't care enough to make sure that their prep areas are clean and that their food disposal service isn't taken care of in a timely fashion, then the restaurant was doomed from its inception. Maybe the Silks and Mr. Knight SHOULD talk to some of the more successful restauranteurs in Houston. They might actually be able to re-open and make a success out of their venture.
Of course, that would entail that the three of them first admit that the problems were caused by their own lack of attention to begin with.
I went to Feast about 3 years ago with friends who said it was one of their favorite restaurants. I was disappointed in my dinner, which was essentially a big plate of lentils for about $17. The dish was advertised as lentils with spinach and goat cheese, but literally had one small leaf of spinach, and a tiny sprinkle of goat cheese. Admittedly I could've been more adventurous in my choice, but I came away disappointed. Maybe I'll give it another try though.
And for the record, my 2 cents on parking issues: parking is EXTREMELY important to me & most definitely impacts my choice of restaurant. I hate valet in general, & am willing to compromise a little on the food to avoid a parking hassle. I'm willing to bet the parking issues at feast have played a large part in its demise.