Now occupying the space off Ella Blvd is Kevin Naderi’s newest restaurant, Lillo & Ella. Noting that there was a stunning lack of Asian food choices in The Heights, Naderi decided to open his second restaurant, which offers delicious Asian street food dishes, a stark contrast to his Contemporary American menu at his first Houston restaurant Roost, which is only open for dinner. We are are thanking our lucky stars that his newest venture is open for lunch service as well as dinner!
Lillo & Ella has been thriving in its small corner of The Heights since May of 2014, and is quickly building a great reputation with great reviews all around the city.
With the opening of this Heights restaurant, it was assumed that Naderi would be able to repeat his success and we’d say those assumptions were completely right! He deftly blends spices and various Asian influences in each dish. According to Houstonia Magazine, Naderi is creating what he calls Pan-Asian, for the fact that the cuisine spans the entire continent into beautiful dishes made for solo diners, or to share amongst the table.
If you’re looking for delicious Thai street noodles, Lillo & Ella has you covered. Want some Korean fried chicken or Vietnamese wings? They’re all over that as well! Lillo & Ella offers a great lunch menu for the many who work in the area, or even just for casual late lunch dining on the expansive patio. Naderi and co-owners have opened up the patio and removed the dark interior that El Gran Malo had up. Sharing with Houstonia Magazine that they are trying to focus on having a brighter space that’s more inviting, with color block walls and a larger, more open patio.
Nonetheless, just like Gran Malo, the Houston Chronicle tells us that Lillo & Ella are offering signature cocktails to go alongside their amazing Asian food, with Aaron Lara, previously of Haven leading the pack as the founding bartender at Lillo & Ella. And he is serving some interesting combinations! Be sure to check out the Tinfoil Hat, a mix of gin, Suze, rosemary and grapefruit and have your designated driver on stand-by! There is also a daily punch made in house, as well as other specials that pair perfectly with the small plate menu for a great, casual night out with friends.
You can catch a splendid patio happy hour here Tuesday through Friday, all the way from 11 am to 7pm for specials on the cocktails, wine and beer. As with Naderi’s other restaurant, the beer list is short but perfect, and the wines here are at a great price and are of stunning quality.
If you’re already a fan of Roost, and anyone who has eaten there certainly must be, then you already know about Kevin Naderi’s signature cauliflower dish. Never fear, he has included a delicious curried cauliflower and barley salad with a wilted spinach and tamarind dressing for Lillo & Ella. Hands down, that is certainly the first thing to try, as Kevin Naderi can make a cauliflower lover out of anyone in Houston with the way he prepares it. Head over for lunch, happy hour, or a social dinner with friends and let us know which dish was your favorite, or which cocktail caught your eye, we love hearing from you!
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