Former Aqui Chef Gabe Medina Will Open a Delivery-Focused Restaurant

Up-and-coming chef Gabe Medina has plans for a new “virtual restaurant.”

The new delivery-only spot will operate out of a commercial kitchen in Rice Military, according to the Houston Chronicle, where delivery drivers from Postmates, UberEats, and other food delivery apps and people who order takeout can wait to pick up orders. The restaurant will also allow online orders via its website, and may occasionally do “eat-in tasting menus for clients.”

Medina plans to cycle through a variety of “concepts” at this new virtual restaurant, the first being A&J Provisions. According to a menu for A&J Provisions, the restaurant will have plenty of comfort food on offer, ranging from Salisbury steak served with roasted potatoes and pasta carbonara to tofu curry and tandoori chicken. For folks with dietary restrictions, an extensive list of vegan, vegetarian, pescetarian, and gluten-free options will be on offer.

Similar to Chris Shepherd’s One Fifth, Medina will test out a variety of restaurant ideas and cuisines. Once the A&J Provisions menu runs its course, Medina will start serving Japanese cuisine via a concept he calls Bowling Club, and that will be followed by the self-explanatory Sandwich Legend. In 2020, it will transition into 7000 Islands, a Filipino eatery.

Prior to launching this venture, Medina earned praise as one of Houston’s most promising chefs, especially during his tenure at Paul Qui’s Aqui in Montrose.

Expect A&J Provisions to debut soon, by the end of the month.

• Chef Gabe Medina returns to Houston food scene with ‘virtual restaurant’ [Houston Chronicle]