The quiet structure on Decatur Street, near Washington Avenue and Sawyer Yards, that has been home to ill-fated concepts including Beaver’s, Decatur Bar & Pop-Up Factory, and most recently Xin Chao, will welcome Houstonians once again. On Friday, June 27, the space will open its doors as Kitchen Rumors, a restaurant from the Kahani Social Group that celebrates the reimagining of Indian flavors.
Kahani Social Group, the hospitality team that garnered swift success with the opening of the dazzling Indian restaurant, Amrina, in the Woodlands in 2022, is making itself known as a culinary force to be reckoned with. Along with operating one of the buzziest Indian restaurants in the greater Houston area, the trio, made up of brothers Preet and Surpreet Singh and chef Jassi Bindra, opened two original concepts (Pok Pok Po and Bol) in the loop last fall, with Kitchen Rumors marking their fourth in total.
Bindra will head the culinary program, with chef de cuisine Nadeem Qureshi and pastry chef Sachin Kumar at his side. The ingredient-driven menu reveals an adventurous approach to Indian traditions like butter chicken, which is presented in ramen made from tomato and chicken stock. Other unexpected pairings include the roasted oyster tikka with chimichurri, blue cheese chicken kebab, and crispy cauliflower with tajin. More widely recognized dishes like goat biryani, a popular South Asian comfort dish that combines various marinated proteins with rice; pan-fried paneer; cumin-spiced potatoes; and garlic naan, also grace the menu.
An early standout of the menu is the atta chicken, a presentation of whole roasted chicken unlike any other in town that requires 45 minutes of cooking time. The eyecatching display features a marinated bird, slow-roasted sealed inside a wheat dough crust, known as atta. Once baked, the dish reveals a golden brown crust, which is punctured tableside, and flavor-packed meat in all of its juicy glory.
A dedicated cocktail program, led by Kitchen Rumors’ general manager, Mike Raymond, and bar manager, Thomas Meadows, will allow for long, lingering meals. Like the food, the drinks are well crafted with subtle Indian nuances. The Life Updation cocktail, which combines cucumber vodka with mint and lime gets a kick of spice from fennel pollen tincture. The Bhangra Routine, named for a style of Punjabi folk dance, is fueled by reposado with lime, mint, salted watermelon ice, and spicy bittersweet pearls and may ignite rhythm among diners.
Assistant manager, Antonio Fuentes is leading the wine program, which is made up of a mix of recognizable names with rare finds, including small production bottles and obscure varietals. Cocktail popsicles, a changing selection of boozy frozen treats, round out the menu and hint that the bar scene at Kitchen Rumors will be a festive one.
Once it officially opens its doors on Friday, Kitchen Rumors will offer dinner service Tuesday through Sunday, with a dedicated menu for happy hour, featuring cocktails, beer, wine, and bites from 4 to 6 p.m.
Kitchen Rumors, 2310 Decatur St., Houston, kitchenrumorshtx.com
