The New Year has ushered in a new era for a 1930s era Montrose landmark. Since its soft opening Christmas weekend, Melrose has been drawing and eclectic mix of Houston neighbors and in-the-know sophisticates eager to get a first look at the former – and entirely reimagined – La Grange space at 2517 Ralph St. just off Lower Westheimer. The venue’s menu and ambiance reflect the hands on approach of Melrose’s partners with a team of world class beverage, culinary and design collaborators.
The chic spot for sipping and socializing has a program of well-balanced cocktails conceived by an Amsterdam-based bar consultancy (that regularly partners with brands such as W, St. Regis and Ritz-Carlton), alongside a menu of bar bites developed by culinary consultant Emmanuel Chavez, the two-time James Beard Award-nominated chef whose acclaimed Mexican tasting menu restaurant Tatemo recently earned its first Michelin Guide star.
Orchestrated by a team of hospitality professionals known for concepts invested with global panache, Melrose arrives as a fully realized vision of how today’s savvy set gathers within an artfully designed environment created especially for them. That’s what makes Army Sadeghi, Brandon Duliakas and Dan Wierck so successful: each is responsible for bar and nightlife concepts that have changed the way Houstonians play and celebrate.
Together, they’re a considerable force in their first project as partners. Sadeghi, whose newly launched hospitality firm Sadeghi Concepts is currently developing several exciting solo and collaborative projects, is best known for the alluring, intimate charms of Clarkwood. The intimate Allen Parkway corridor lounge’s brand of quiet luxury has set a benchmark for many operators. Duliakas (a Ritz-Carlton and Fox Restaurant Concepts alum) and Wierck (principal of Sundown Entertainment and a seasoned entrepreneur who launched his first multi-unit hospitality concept in 2006) are Texas trailblazers who have introduced nearly a dozen unique food and beverage businesses over the past decade.
Open daily from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m., Melrose is situated amidst – and within walking distance of – some of Montrose’s most celebrated restaurants and shopping. Beginning with cocktail hour (4 to 6:30 p.m. with $5 beer, $10 cocktails and half-off bottles of wine and charcuterie), Melrose pulses with its own stylish energy until the rolling bottle-service carts dispense their final drops and the last notes of music (a mix of EDM, 80s and jazz) greet the new dawn.
The partners tapped the design talents of Costa Mesa, Calif.-based Davis Ink inject Melrose with luxurious finesse. The creative shop is responsible for the high-style interiors of notable clients such as Toca Madera in West Hollywood, Rustic Root in San Diego, Hand Cut Chophouse in Nashville, Las Botellas in Salt Lake and Altitude in Seattle.
Davis Ink describes as “a magical, sophisticated space inspired by biomorphic design, organic shapes, layered textures, hidden lighting, and standout features like a lightbox tunnel, a floating bar structure and a topography-inspired ceiling—designed to captivate and transform into a high energy environment.”
The interior bar space with its soothing warm earth tones pays homage to Wabi-sabi style, a Japanese aesthetic that finds beauty in simplicity and imperfection. With its curvaceous lines and moody architectural lighting, Melrose’s distinctive interior design opens to a lushly planted patio space furnished with lounge seating and vignettes marked by stark minimalism and warmed by fire features. A dedicated bar will debut later this season.
The patio’s mezzanine (a hallmark of the former La Grange) patio has been reinvented with glass walls overlooking to the patio below and will soon complement another standout experience: an intimate, 12-seat bar-within-a-bar space featuring its own spirits locker program.
One of the state’s newly minted culinary stars (thanks to the Texas’s inaugural Michelin Guide survey), Chavez has created an elegant menu of small plates including Kampachi Tiradito (flavored with shiso, charred oranges, ponzu and Thai chile); Spicy Tuna Rice Crisp (rice bites topped with bluefin tuna, avocado and scallion aioli); smoked beef sausage Pigs in a Blanket served with house mustard; buttermilk-brined Chicken Tenders with Melrose sauce; Charcuterie Board; and a Melrose Burger made with 44 Farms beef on a brioche bun.
“Melrose’s snack menu, inspired by French technique with a touch of Japanese influence has been a careful transformation of the concept of bar bites through meticulous attention to detail and thoughtfully sourced ingredients,” chef Chavez said in a statement. His selection of late-night snacks is paired perfectly with Melrose’s beverage selections including signature cocktails, craft beers, curated still and sparkling wines, and bottle service featuring top-shelf Champagne and spirits.
