Eater names Xochi one of 2017’s Best New Restaurants



less Infladita de Conejo, a dish from Xochi, made with Tejas Heritage Farms rabbit, puffed black tortilla, raisins, almonds, tomato and refried beans. Chef Hugo Ortega's Xochi was named by Eater as one of the Best New Restaurants 2017. Infladita de Conejo, a dish from Xochi, made with Tejas Heritage Farms rabbit, puffed black tortilla, raisins, almonds, tomato and refried beans. Chef Hugo Ortega's Xochi was named by Eater as one of the Best ... more Photo: Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle Photo: Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle Image 1 of / 45 Caption Close Eater names Xochi one of 2017’s Best New Restaurants 1 / 45 Back to Gallery

If there was any doubt that this is chef Hugo Ortega's banner year, a new accolade for his Xochi restaurant just underscored it.

Xochi, a celebration of the foods and flavors of Oaxaca, Mexico, has earned a coveted spot on Eater restaurant editor Bill Addison's 2017 Best New Restaurants list. Released Wednesday morning, the list includes what Addison thinks are the 12 best new restaurants in the country.

Xochi is the only Houston spot on the list, and one of only two Texas restaurants. The other is Kemuri Tatsu-ya, the "Texas izakaya" in Austin from the team that owns Ramen Tatsu-ya, which has a Houston outpost.

Other restaurants making the Eater cut include Felix Trattoria in Los Angeles, The Grill in New York (in the former Four Seasons space at the historic Seagram Building), Southern restaurant JuneBaby in Seattle, sandwich shop Turkey and the Wolf in New Orleans (named by Food & Wine magazine as one of 2017 restaurants of the year) and J.C. Holdway in Knoxville, Tenn., from chef Joseph Lenn who won a James Beard Award for his work at Blackberry Farm.

Ortega opened Xochi in January in the new Marriott Marquis hotel downtown, with only days to spare before the Super Bowl swept into Houston. The restaurant, featuring evocative dishes and cocktails inspired by Oaxaca – including a separate mole menu and a list of Mexican chocolate desserts – was an immediate hit. It earned a rare four-star review from Chronicle restaurant critic Alison Cook in June.

But the highlight of Ortega's year had to be his win – after five years as a finalist – for Best Chef Southwest by the prestigious James Beard Foundation. That distinction, which came in May, made Ortega one of the crown princes of the Houston dining scene. Only three other Houston chefs have won a James Beard Award: Justin Yu of the late, great Oxheart (2016), Chris Shepherd of Underbelly (2014) and Robert Del Grande for Café Annie (1992).