Company Behind The Union Kitchen Readies New Italian Restaurant in Cypress

Gr8 Plate Hospitality, the company behind The Union Kitchen, which has six locations in Houston and outlying towns, and three locations of Jax Grill, is debuting its first Italian restaurant. Called Passerella, it’s located at 9945 Barker Cypress in the Boardwalk Towne Lake center — which is also the site of one of The Union Kitchen restaurants. Passerella opens on May 17. (The name means “footbridge” or “catwalk,” alluding to the lakeside location.)

“We are very excited to see this project come to fruition,” said Paul Miller, who co-owns Gr8 Plate along with his wife, Doris. “For us, it’s about bringing together the freshest ingredients we can find to create a menu that is distinctly different than anything we have done in the past. Our hope is to deliver an elevated dining experience that complements the beautiful views found at Boardwalk Towne Lake.”

Starters include a charcuterie board, conveniently in either a half- or full-size, laden with artisan cheese, cured meats, olives, mixed nuts, pickled vegetables and housemade bread. Also among the antipasti selections is fritto misto (Italian for “mixed fried”) with calamari, shrimp, fried lemon wheels, white anchovies, arugula and preserved lemon herb vinaigrette, ricotta montata (soft, whipped ricotta) accented with fresh mint, parsley, honey and extra virgin olive oil with polenta alongside, and arancini (fried risotto balls with mozzarella). There are also soups, such as Zuppa di Aragosta with Maine lobster in a creamy broth, accented with Calabrian pesto, and salads, like Insalata di Rucola (rocket, or arugula, salad) with Buffalo mozzarella, baby arugula, apple, crispy prosciutto and red wine vinaigrette.

Entrées include fish and seafood, such as pan-seared Branzino alla Calabrese with spinach risotto, Calabrian pesto cream sauce and blistered grape tomatoes, as well as substantial meat dishes, like Agnello in Crosta di Erbe, which literally translates to “lamb in herbal crust.” Side-dish selections include three-cheese polenta and crispy Brussels sprouts with finely grated Parmesan.

While the common Italian sensibility is to not mix seafood and cheese, Frutti di Mare Alfredo dares to break the standard with a mix of sautéed Gulf shrimp, jumbo lump crab and forest mushrooms over fettuccine tossed in house-made Alfredo sauce. Another pasta dish is the Bucatini e Polpette (meatballs, in this case tomato-braised) with classic meat sauce and a scattering of grated Grana Padano.

Passarella, outfitted in plush chairs and booths, is designed for lingering, which means guests can enjoy an after-dinner amaro either in the dining room, on the patio with a view of Towne Lake or at the bar outfitted with “Ferrari yellow” barstools (to match the Ferrari sign on the wall, of course).

Beverage manager Dylan Hart, whose past experience includes Brix Wine Cellars and Salt Grass Steakhouse, developed a “whimsical” cocktail that takes inspiration from Dante’s Inferno menu. Paradiso is a white-rum based cocktail sweetened with passion fruit liqueur, orgeat, Velvet Falernum and Luxardo cherry syrup, and braced with a little tartness from lemon juice. Dark spirit aficionados might instead aim for the Virgil with rye whiskey, Averna and both Angostura and orange bitters, while those more into gin could consider Purgatorio with Aperol, rosemary simple syrup, grapefruit juice, lemon juice and a dash of Peychaud’s bitters to decorate the top.

For wines, Miller and lead sommelier Matt Stevenson (formerly of The Tasting Room) worked together on a 55-bottle list anchored by Italian selections — such as Nebbiolo, Chianti and Sangiovese — and familiar crowd-pleasers form California. Those who want to kick back with a beer will find choices from both at home and abroad. A round of drinks could easily be accompanied by one of the pizzas, such as the Pizza ai Funghi topped with a creamy béchamel sauce, mozzarella, forest mushrooms, mixed herbs and white truffle salt.

Passerella’s hours are Monday and Wednesday through Thursday from 3 to 10 p.m., Friday through Saturday from 3 to 11 p.m. and Sunday from 3 to 9 p.m. The restaurant is closed on Tuesdays. For reservations or more information, call (281) 213-2354. (The website isn’t quite done yet, but it should be live by May 17.)

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