Today we’d like to introduce you to Brian Fasthoff.
Brian, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
It all started with Google Earth… After choosing to move to Houston to open Batanga, we had secured a location for the new restaurant. During the final negotiations, the deal fell through and left us looking for a new location. So I hopped on Google Earth just to get a view of everything and a little spot of green caught my eye. That little spot is now the coolest patio in Downtown Houston.
Our concept revolves around Latin American tapas, exotic cocktails and live Latin music. We serve lunch, dinner and brunch (Saturday and Sunday). Wednesday through Saturday evenings we have the best live Latin music in town. We carry 30 beers and 7 taps (exclusively Texas draft beers) and have a great wine list focusing primarily on Spain and South America.
We are very proud of our patio. It is the largest in Downtown and is perfect for large groups, partial or private buyouts, birthdays, etc. It’s a place where you can go and feel like you have escaped Houston, even if it’s just for a little bit.
Has it been a smooth road?
When we opened, Downtown was struggling to find its identity. After the first Super Bowl and all the construction for the light rail, a majority of the businesses shuttered and left the area. We opened, the main obstacle was getting and retaining staff. That lack of residences Downtown and the parking situation also were items to be considered. Downtown has seen a huge emergence of quality bars and restaurants in the past 4 years. We have great business neighbors and it’s really a great community to be a part of.
Having our big patio is a blessing but can be tricky at times as well. We are all weathermen and women here. Everyone has the latest weather app and we are constantly watching the skies.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Batanga story. Tell us more about the business.
We have owned and operated 3 other restaurants before we settled in Houston. Being a family owned small business, we work hard with staff and purveyors to provide a great experience for our guests. As a restaurant, you have your ups and downs, but when you get to see people truly enjoying the food, drinks and music… it makes it all worthwhile. That’s the best part of being in the hospitality business. Throughout the years we have had many relationships with our local regulars turn into lasting friendships and we love being apart of the Downtown community.
When we were searching for a name, we can across a slang term from a certain region in Mexico. “Batanga” means “thick in the middle” in this region and was a nickname given to a portly regular at a famous bar in La Capilla. We felt that described us wanting everyone to feel full and satisfied when they leave our restaurant. At least, when the music is going, they get to dance a bit and work off some of those pesky calories!
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
I think the industry as a whole has been slightly down over the last couple of years. That could be tied to oil, over-saturation of restaurants or a number of different items. The industry keeps getting bigger, but I think the bubble is about to reach its limits. This is a huge city and it can definitely hold a ton of restaurants. At the rate they are coming into the city (the big surge before and after the Super Bowl) I am not sure how some will keep up. In fact, there has been quite a few restaurants that have closed in the wake of the Super Bowl. There have been some big names in there as well, not just Mom & Pop shops.
I read an article the other day that was about the 50 most anticipated restaurant openings this year. 50! And I know of about 10 that weren’t on the list. That’s crazy. I can’t wait to try them all, but it’s going to test the limits of the Houston area service staff.
The talent pool for service industry professionals has always seemed a bit shallow. Not in terms of quality, but in terms of how many professionals are in the city. It’s about to get stretched even more thin with the influx of so many new spots.
Contact Info:
- Address: 908 Congress St
Houston, Texas - Website: www.batangahouston.com
- Phone: 713-224-9500
- Email: eat@batangahouston.com
- Instagram: @batangahouston
- Facebook: Batanga Houston
- Twitter: @batangahouston
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