Friends Night Out at Warehouse 72
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One of the best ways to connect with friends is to spend intentional time together. And spending time eating good food and having great conversation is a fantastic way to maximize your time together.
My sister and I were invited to spend an evening at Warehouse 72 at one of their monthly theme dinners. We went to a South African wine dinner and it was so delicious and such a fun experience.
Warehouse 72 is both new and old to Houston. While the location and concept is new and fresh, this place was born out of the Spaghetti Warehouse, which was a Houston staple until it was washed away when Hurricane Harvey flooded Downtown Houston in 2017.
My family spent many Sunday afternoons after church going to Spaghetti Warehouse and my mom would take us there for every family birthday dinner.
When I was offered the opportunity to check out the new concept of an old favorite, I couldn’t dare pass up the chance to go see what all had changed and what had stayed the same.
THE ATMOSPHERE
The location of Warehouse 72 is well outside of Downtown Houston, but still conveniently located for most Houstonians at the intersection of 610 Loop and Katy Freeway. It is in the Marquee shopping center so you can go see a movie before or after your reservations at Warehouse 72.
When I walked into the restaurant, it was clear that the heart of the concept was rooted in the old warehouse-style – large brick walls, huge ceilings, open concept. But with an edge. There are some awesomely huge murals on the walls and the bar area is very sleek while still being relaxed.
THE CONNECTIONS
The seating in the restaurant is very welcoming to big parties (which is great because my family with sibling spouses and kids has 17 members and finding a table anywhere feels impossible).
If you have a small group, there is a chance you will be asked if you are comfortable sitting at a family style table with another party. You definitely don’t have to as there is a lot of seating for smaller groups, both indoors and outdoors, but it is an option and my sister and I went for it while we were there for the theme dinner.
The theme dinners are really neat because everyone is eating the same food at the same time, so you have built in conversation prompts with other people at your table.
Thankfully we loved getting to connect with the retired couple that was seated with us at the table and it was a blast. Especially after the isolation that 2020 brought us, it was so fun to get to connect with new people and especially over great food.
The restaurant staff was fantastic and both Chef Jaime Salazar and Restaurant Manager Richard Howell, are very active in connecting with the guests at the themed dinners. Every table got to chat one on one with the Chef about his food concepts and how he came up with the ideas to tie into the theme of the night.
THE FOOD
Honestly I am not a foodie and by most standards I would be considered a picky eater. But there wasn’t a dish that came across my plate that wasn’t delicious. It pushed me out of my comfort zone but in the best way.
Since this was a themed dinner, Chef Salazar pulled inspiration from South African flavors. My sister spent a summer studying abroad in South Africa several years ago so it was really fun to get to hear some of the stories of her time there and the memories the menu brought back for her.
There was a wine pairing for every course from Arra Vineyards out of South Africa. I loved the story of this winery.
Arra Vineyards is a woman-owned label that is located in South Africa but has some Texas roots. The owners split their time between Texas and South Africa and the whole family is involved.
You can find their bottles at Total Wines, Specs and even HEB where my sister had bought a bottle of their shiraz a few nights before our time at Warehouse 72! As someone who prefers white, my favorite was the Viognier and I will be adding that to my next grocery order!
I would love to go back to Warehouse 72 and try some of their more classic menu items, but it was really an experience to try so many new flavor combinations and see a Chef get to let loose creatively.
There are monthly events at Warehouse 72, if you want to go and make a real evening of it. There are paint parties, flower crown-making lessons, trivia nights, and other dinner and drink pairing specials.
I love how creative this restaurant has been in making dining out fun again after the pandemic. If you are looking for a fresh, new but also classic Houston restaurant – Warehouse 72 is definitely one to go out and support.
