We've been meaning to mention Hillstone (aka Houston's, 153 E. 53rd St., and 378 Park Avenue South, Manhattan) for months. We remember happy hours there many, many years ago, and recently had an amazingly tasty drippy burger there for dinner. The crowd was AA, with kids. But that's not the fun part. Here's the story, as told by Crain's:
Anyway, here's what the Hillstone card (pictured) says:
The city's activist health department is not known for backing down from a fight, particularly one involving restaurants, which it blames for an obesity epidemic in New York.Same everything, down to the blue neon sign. Well, the menu is slightly different but it's not well disguised. This is excellent, and we're totally in favor of the calorie counting. In fact, we look forward to the day when Nobu has to succumb to this law. You know they're like one restaurant away from being an official chain.
But the agency was forced last month to retreat from its stand against Houston's, an upscale California restaurant chain that fought to keep caloric information off its menus.
The health department reluctantly withdrew the violations against Houston's, which circumvented the calorie-posting rule by changing its menus and the name of its two New York eateries.
Anyway, here's what the Hillstone card (pictured) says:
Our new name recognizes the fact that Houston's in New York City has been a flagship restaurant for Hillstone Restaurant Group for over 12 years.
High entertainment. Read more by Lisa Fickenscher: Houston's restaurant outsmarts calorie cops; Changes name, menu to avoid posting rule
Comments