An array of tostadas includes the El Brazo ($22), featuring octopus mingled with redfish in a Roja salsa marinade, topped with sliced avocado and a sprinkle of Tajin. (Photo by Hasan Yousef)
The restaurant had been on his mind for years, and finally, with a tip from his former landlord on a building for sale in the Lindale Park neighborhood of Houston, Chico Ramirez and his team began planning their new Mexican-inspired spot dubbed Johnny Ritas Cocina Y Cantina at 5602 Fulton Street.
The catchy name honors Chico’s grandparents Johnny Johnson and Rita Ramirez, and the homey Mexican-style food of his youth. The casual restaurant was designed by Chico’s wife Wyndy Ramirez of Wynne Design Works. The site, a new build created from the ground up, was originally conceived as a renovation project. But when work began, it became glaringly apparent that the old building couldn’t sustain it. So a new build became the new plan…