Click2Daily: Houston restaurants evolve with modern flair

HOUSTON – How would you like to take a trip to Greece and enjoy all of the traditional cuisine that country has to offer without ever leaving Houston?

Helen Greek Food and Wine in Rice Village revamped its menu and is rolling out some dishes that are entirely new to Houston.

It’s all part of the restaurant’s strategy to remain relevant while staying competitive in Houston’s bustling restaurant scene which is now gaining national attention.

“Since we opened up two years ago, we have garnered a bit of a following. We were able to show ourselves. Now, we are able to keep moving forward, keep evolving. It’s not re-inventing the wheel, it’s just refining it,” said Executive Chef William Wright.

Wright was recently a semifinalist for the 2017 James Beard Foundation's Rising Star Chef of the Year.

A recent study shows Houston's restaurant scene is not only booming; it is outpacing Los Angeles, New York and other cities with its number of restaurants.

That poses some new challenges. Many restaurateurs are having to revamp their dining concepts with more of a modern flair. More and more restaurants in Houston are doing just that to keep up with diners changing appetites for new types of cuisine.

The restaurant’s menu is now regionally focused.

Patrons can enjoy all the tastes of Greece without ever leaving Houston.

Wright recently revamped the entire restaurant's concept along with its menu, shaping a new traditional Greek concept.

“In the future, we are going to keep narrowing that down, almost distilling that down to where we are looking at a single region,” Wright said.

Wright showed us how chefs in Houston are going next-level with their menu concepts to remain competitive in the city's bustling restaurant scene. He also showed us some hacks in the kitchen, shortcuts you could use to make some of the same delicious meals at home.

How #Houston is becoming the next big foodie destination & what Helen Greek Food and Wine is doing to stay in the game. KPRC2 / Click2Houston #kprc2 #click2daily

Posted by KPRC2 Andy Cerota on Thursday, July 13, 2017

Wright added that going next level and experimenting with new bold flavors on the menu is critical in the battle to stay competitive.

“With Houston starting to get all of this national attention, that competiveness has just increased. It’ll continue to do so as we get more attention. Our diners are becoming more educated. They are eating out more often. It’s one of the highest dining populations in the country. People are going out to eat more often and with that happening, people are developing more complicated, more sophisticated palates. It’s just going to become more of a foodie town. With that national presence coming out, you’re going to have food tourists coming here a lot more,” Wright said.

Follow reporter Andy Cerota on his Facebook page. Have a question for Wright? Join the conversation on Facebook Live on Andy's page, and be sure to follow him for updates on Twitter.

Houston's restaurant scene is now in the national spotlight . How Helen Greek Food and Wine is staying relevant in this highly competitive industry. KPRC2 / Click2Houston #kprc2 #click2daily

Posted by KPRC2 Andy Cerota on Thursday, July 13, 2017

Helen Greek Food and Wine executive chef William Wright reveals his creations! Tell us what you think! KPRC2 / Click2Houston #kprc2 #click2daily

Posted by KPRC2 Andy Cerota on Thursday, July 13, 2017

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