When you move to a new area in Houston, one of the first things you should do is find a good neighborhood restaurant.  Preferably locally owned with locally sourced food.  You know the kind where the owner is always present wandering about greeting guests and helping staff.  KP Kitchen is just that for those in the Memorial/City Centre area.  Owner Kerry Paul, aka KP, cut his teeth at Houston favorites like Benjy’s, the Classic and Local Foods.  His experience at these great restaurants shines through in the setup of his restaurant, the elegant classic feel and of course the food! I had the pleasure of visiting this past week for a chill work lunch with a co-worker and really enjoyed it! Check out the highlights below.

The Setup

Visitors will find KP Kitchen in the heart of the bustling Town & Country Village near City Centre.  This is a plus in my book considering the parking situation over in City Centre, while the Village still boasts tons of free parking.   I really appreciate any restaurant I can roll up to and find a free parking spot right out front!

Once inside, I was impressed with the cute casual feel the blue colors brought about.  Inside, guests can dine at tables or booths, but with the current status of the world, I still opt for a patio seat when I can.  KP Kitchen has a small patio to the side plus a few tables out front.  It offered perfect patio vibes while being appropriately spaced from other guests.

Table with Coke, Topo Chico and blue water glasses

The Food

During our conversation with owner KP, he gave us a great rundown of all of the inhouse made items such as the chips and fries.  He also shared all of the local butchers and other food suppliers that the restaurant uses.   Folks like Houston Dairy Maid which make a top notch product.

Spinach and Artichoke Dip with Chips

A classic Spinach and Artichoke dip done well.

For the food, we started with the Spinach and Artichoke Dip served with those housemade chips.  For entrees, my friend ordered the burger while I went for the gulf crab cake with a house made slaw.  Add to that a side of brussels sprouts and we were living our best work lunch life!  I tried a bit of the burger and gotta say it’s a really good diner style burger that is simple with just the cheese.  When you do this though, you better come with some seasonings on the meat and And this burger does just that.   The crab cake is a good size and also seasoned well.  The slaw adds a good flavor contrast.

Cheeseburger and Fries on white plate

Typically you get the burger if you don’t know what else to get, but truly come here for this burger!

Brussels Sprouts on a plate

The Brussels Sprouts are as good as they are pretty!

For dessert, we decided to be a little greedy and ordered all the things!  The apple crumble with a scoop of ice cream, the famous double chocolate chip cookie and the key lime tart.   Where do I begin with these desserts? The cookie is served warm and is melt in your mouth good.  It will remind you of a brownie.   If you are looking for something less indulgent go with the apple crumble with no ice cream.  Less indulgent, but still great flavor that will cure any sweet craving.  Finally, I’ll assume the key lime tart was great because my friend made a point to pack it up to go after having a taste.

Key lime tart on white plate

Key lime tart

Double Chocolate Chip Cookie on White Plate

Apple Cobbler with Scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream

The Takeaway

KP Kitchen is only a few weeks old, so it is still getting in it’s groove.  Even still, they are already pulling a decent size lunch crowd and offering up quality food with quality service.  Add it to your list of Memorial spots for when you are in the area.