New champagne-happy a'Bouzy popping the corks on Westheimer Champagne-happy spot is popping the corks on Westheimer

A'bouzy, a new champagne restaurant, has a patio with plenty of umbrellas. A'bouzy, a new champagne restaurant, has a patio with plenty of umbrellas. Photo: Yi-Chin Lee, Staff Photo: Yi-Chin Lee, Staff Image 1 of / 14 Caption Close New champagne-happy a'Bouzy popping the corks on Westheimer 1 / 14 Back to Gallery

THE CONCEPT

Shawn Virene, former managing partner of Brasserie 19, has turned the old Harwood Grill space in River Oaks into a wine-happy and champagne-fueled playground for a see-and-be-scene crowd. There are more than 1,000 wines on the list, including a whopping 250 sparkling varieties, all priced with a low markup.

THE SPACE

Reimagined with a new bar, glassed-in raw bar and generous patio facing Westheimer. The design involves whitewashed brick walls, wood floors, navy accents and a dining-room ceiling hung with a thousand hand-blown glass balls suggesting champagne bubbles.

THE FOOD

Co-executive chefs Freddy Gonzaga (formerly with Clark Cooper Concepts) and Jose Ruiz (previously with Liberty Kitchen restaurants) collaborated with Virene on a menu that is heavy on starter dishes - mushrooms marinated in black truffle oil; marinated Spanish white anchovies; ahi tuna and watermelon sashimi; steak tartare with Dijon mustard and quail egg; pork belly with pickled vegetables; baked oysters; Gulf head-on shrimp with garlic butter; and roasted tomato and burrata salad. The raw bar turns out oysters on the half shell, Alaskan King crab and scallop crudo. For dinner, there's seared diver scallops; lemon sole with brown butter and crispy capers; wild Alaskan salmon with Pernod citrus butter; and butter roasted Maine lobster with Texas sweet corn purée.

THE DRINKS

There's a proper full bar, but with so much champers at your fingertips, it's best to blow the day into a million tiny bubbles with bottles of Dom, Perrier Jouet, Krug, Cristal and Veuve.

THE WORD

The name comes from the French village Bouzy, where the best pinot noir grapes are grown. "I wanted it to feel like a Mediterranean beach that makes you want to drink champagne," Virene said.

ONE MORE THING

During weekend brunch you'll find heirloom tomato galette, egg white crab omelet and champagne buttermilk fried chicken.

THE DETAILS

2300 Westheimer, 713-722-6899; abouzy.com. Open 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Mondays through Wednesdays, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturdays, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Sundays.