Eculent

"When Choctaw chef David Skinner first launched his tasting menu restaurant Eculent in Kemah, he gave himself somewhat of a strategic ultimatum. 'I told my wife, if it’s not doing well in five years, I’ll pull the plug,' he says. If it was, he’d give it 10 years." - Brittany Britto Garley

"Located three blocks from Kemah Boardwalk and the Galveston Bay, Th_Prsv (pronounced “The Preserve”) feels far from urban Houston, although it’s just a 45-minute drive from downtown. Kemah’s chain stores and amusement park rides offer no clues as to the fact that the world’s only Choctaw/Thai restaurant is there, tucked away behind a winery announced by a green wine bottle statue that dwarfs the front entrance in height. As soon as you enter the dimly lit space, you know you are somewhere special. The menu, which is entitled, From Native Americas to Modern Thai, looks like it would fit right at home in either the National Museum of the American Indian or the nearby Asia Society Texas Center. It even includes a Choctaw language glossary to help navigate the 15 courses that change with the seasons. The restaurant is a collaboration between James Beard award-winning chef Benchawan Jabthong Painter, who hails from Central Thailand, her husband Graham Painter, and chef David Skinner, who has long been dedicated to showcasing pre-colonial Chocktaw cuisine. During the three-hour tasting menu, all three partners take turns introducing the different courses. A full year of research went into the menu, which is meant to take diners on a culinary journey from 2400 B.C. to the present. Each subsequent dish gets a bit more complex, with Thai and Choctaw dishes being equally represented. The only fusion is in the first (pickled) course. Drink pairings are equally thoughtful, with a wine list that leans heavily on Indigenous producers. The 14-day dry-aged duck was inspired by chef Skinner’s great-grandmother and is one of the standout items that will likely stay on the menu for all four seasons. Chef Painter refers to her pad ped, or wild boar belly, as indicative of her “unapologetic Thai approach.” Ron pu, or crab curry, is a sweeter dish with jumbo lump crab meat served over crispy coconut rice. Know Before You Go Kemah is halfway between Houston and Galveston. Reservations must be made in advance. They are easier to get on Thursdays. Allow up to three hours for the entire experience and be sure to note any dietary restrictions on your reservation. The winery’s tasting room opens before the 7:30 p.m. service is a great place to get to know your fellow diners." - brianmayroam

"Chef David Skinner’s tasting menu restaurant will serve its last meal at the end of March after a 10-year run. Skinner is revamping the restaurant and will re-open in coming months with meals focused on his interpretation of the Indigenous culinary traditions of North and South America. That includes a name change to Ishtia." - Courtney E. Smith

"Eculent chef David Skinner and James Beard Award-winning chef Benchawan Jabthong Painter have teamed up for a tasting menu restaurant that brings diners to the beginning of their respective cultures. Native American and Thai dishes like roasted meat in red curry, pickled foraged ferns, and bison tartar with ants, are only enhanced by the majestic decor. With live trees sprinkled with twinkling lights, hanging lanterns, and flowers, you’re bound to feel like you’re picnic-ing in an enchanted forest." - Brittany Britto Garley, Minh T. Truong

"In September, he'll team up with... eculent, a Kemah tasting menu restaurant that is one of the most decadent displays of molecular gastronomy in the country." - Brittany Britto Garley