BELLAIRE, TX, July 09, 2011
/24-7PressRelease/ -- Born out of a shared vision to bring affordable farm-to-table dining to Houston, restaurateur Ray Salti and Executive Chef Soren Pedersen are collaborating to create Sorrel Urban Bistro, a casually elegant, fresh space with an ever-changing chalkboard menu of organically focused cuisine. The restaurant, located at 2202 W. Alabama at Greenbriar, is slated to open mid-July 2011. Sorrel represents the second culinary collaboration between Salti and Pedersen who are also partners at Ray's Grill, a highly-lauded field to table concept in Fulshear, 20 miles West of Houston.
"With Sorrel, our goal is to make farm-to-table dining in Houston more approachable, offering exquisite locally-sourced food in a casual environment and moderately priced," says Salti. Similar to Ray's Grill, Sorrel will feature menu creations directed by seasonal availability of organic fruits and vegetables, along with certified natural meats and fresh sustainable seafood. At Sorrel, however, the 15-item menu will change several times throughout the week, capitalizing on the cream of the crop, the very best farmers have to offer at any given time. A thriving 60% of the food will be locally sourced.
The restaurant will offer an a la carte dinner menu, as well as an evening five-course prix fixe, available with or without wine pairings. During lunch service, the restaurant offers a three-course prix fixe in addition to the a la carte menu. Sunday brunch will be served a la carte from 10 am to 3 pm. The restaurant will close Sunday evening and reopen on Tuesday.
Unique to Houston's dining scene, a dedicated charcuterie bar offering sliced-to-order charcuterie and artisan Texas cheeses, Italian market style. About half of the charcuterie will be housemade, the balance will be imports. "How do you improve upon Italian prosciutto?" says Pedersen. "You can't."
The light and airy 4,000 square foot dining room with maple finishes throughout seats 90. The charcuterie/bar area seats 30, and the awning-covered patio featuring over-sized pots of fresh herbs will seat 40. An open dual French kitchen will live stream video of Pedersen and his staff preparing the night's meals from 6 to 9 pm on monitors throughout the restaurant, as well as on Sorrel's website.
Completing Sorrel's management team is Steven DiMatteo, a 16-year veteran in Houston's wine and restaurant industries, who will serve as General Manager and Beverage Director. Sorrel's one thousand bottle wine wall will feature more than 200 labels, all "priced to move," according to DiMatteo. One-fourth of the inventory will be organic or green. Bottle prices will begin in the $20s. Eleven wines will be available on tap. Beers will be artisanal, cocktails seasonal. Happy hour drink specials will be available Monday through Friday from 5 to 7 pm at the bar.
The restaurant's namesake, Sorrel, is drawn from the versatile leafy green vegetable - not unlike spinach - that is often mistaken as an herb in the United States. "Expect to find a hint of sorrel here and there, in soups, salads, even cocktails, adding a nice, tart, acidic taste," says Pedersen.
At Sorrel, the focus is not on special occasion, but rather on bringing everyday farm-fresh dining to more Houstonians. "Houston does not have enough restaurants offering fresh, locally-grown organic products, which is why we're here," says Salti.
For more information visit http://www.sorrelhouston.com or follow Sorrel Urban Bistro on Facebook or Twitter.
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