With so many new Houston restaurants opening downtown in the last few weeks in advance of the Super Bowl, it can be hard to keep up: Brasserie du Parc, Xochi and the new Grotto are just three of the dozen-plus. At 1515 Texas (at Crawford), a construction site near Minute Maid Park, two restaurants have been simmering for several months. Hoping to open Friday, February 3, is Potente, an upscale Italian and dinner-only concept, and to open later this month, Osso & Kristalla, the more casual breakfast-lunch-dinner eatery just across the courtyard.  The restaurant names are a combination of the names of Houston Astros owner (and now restaurateur) Jim Crane’s three children, with an Italian twist.

From left to right: chef de cuisine Micah Rideout, pastry chef David Berg and executive chef Michael Parker.

Chef Michael Parker, who has been working with Crane for five “seasons” as he calls it, was tapped as opening executive chef at the new downtown Houston restaurants and also oversees dining operations at the exclusive Floridian National Golf Club. Not surprisingly, perhaps, Parker also supports food and beverage efforts at the Houston Astros’ spring training facility in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Born in England, Parker’s culinary background includes years with the Roux brothers at The Waterside Inn, a three-star Michelin restaurant near London. His relationship with Crane and understanding of fine dining positioned him well for the development of the Astros owner’s first Houston restaurants. “I just want to make Jim Crane look good,” Parker told us. Given the many baseball references and heavy emphasis on working together as a team, it is easy to see why he’s been flown in regularly to train with the other “key players” hired to run the two restaurants.

Bill Floyd, who will oversee restaurant operations for both concepts, is locally known as the owner of Jackson Street BBQ and co-owner (with Bryan Caswell) of Reef, Third Bar, Little Big’s and El Real Tex Mex. Floyd has named Lauren Hernandez as GM and Rick Jamail as wine director, clearly key players in the management of a large restaurant with private dining rooms and a full bar.

The sweet-and-sour tuna entree showcases a Gulf coast tuna steak with a caponata of golden raisins, pine nuts, red bell peppers, red onion and tomatoes. The plate is swooshed with a salsa verge – a puree of capers, basil, tarragon, parsley and olive oil.

Speaking of other players, chef de cuisine is Micah Rideout, whom you may remember from his tenure at Reef, KUU, Tarakaan and the JW Marriott Downtown. Rideout also worked as a sous chef at The Inn at Dos Brisas, the Relais & Chateaux property in Washington County northwest of Houston.

Potente’s focus is a menu of rustic, thoughtful Italian dishes that showcase both Rideout and Parker’s appreciation for classic fine dining and beautiful plating.

New Zealand rack of lamb, simply marinated with juniper berry and Italian spices, is served over a rustic stew of tomatoes, buttery Japanese mushrooms, Italian sausage and cannellini beans.

After we sat in on a tasting of entreés, we were charmed by pastry chef David Berg’s beautiful and decadent hand at dessert. Berg, who was raised in Houston, began his career in California and has more than 35 years of kitchen experience. He returned to Houston 12 years ago and has been working in management consulting with other restaurants … and hiding in plain sight, if you will.

Berg’s semolina and ground almond cake with vanilla gelato, raspberry jelly and a cherry-Cabernet reduction is artfully plated.

As pastry chef, Berg will bake bread fresh daily. Bread will be a significant component for diners at Potente (although it won’t be served at the start of each meal, to avoid carb loading) and will also make many appearances over at Osso & Kristalla when it opens later this month. Osso & Kristalla menu items will include panini, pizzas and loaves of fresh-baked bread to-go.

We met Berg in Potente’s kitchen, and he talked to us while kneading a massive amount of dough for that evening’s friends-and-family practice dinner service. He explained to us that mother potente, his bread starter – which translates to powerful mother – is fed two to three times a day with flour and water. “You have to feed it to make it happy,” Berg explains. His starter was given to him by a mentor years ago and was already 100 years old at that time, having been in his mentor’s family for three generations.

Berg’s freshly baked bread with a “P” for Potente.

While Floyd, Parker, Rideout and Berg all agree that opening a restaurant can be daunting given construction delays and city permitting issues, the menu development and teamwork is inspiring. “When you get into a restaurant and start working with talented people like Micah and David, it gets your juices going again,” Parker says.

Potente, 1515 Texas at Crawford, 713-237-1515, reservations for dinner service open up on Friday, February 3, 2017.