Heights Italian Restaurant Announces It's Closing And Offers 50 Percent Off All Bottles Of Wine

HOUSTON, TX — It was acclaimed by a local food writer as one of Houston's best new restaurants of 2016, but that wasn't enough to keep the doors open.

Arthur Ave, a casual Italian joint in the Heights, will serve its final meal on March 19. Taking its place will be a version of Helen, the busy Greek eatery in Rice Village.

“We’re closing with a lot of takeaways from this experience,” Evan Turner, a member of the group behind Helen and Arthur Ave, said in a statement. “We learned some things that worked and some things that didn’t. In the end, our goal is to create a place people love where they can get really good food and wine and receive A+ level service.”

The restaurant, which had hoped to channel the lively feel of restaurants on the famed Arthur Avenue in the Bronx, started life, as most restaurants in Houston do, to effusive acclaim and excitement.

"The care demonstrated in dishes like the caprese salad that features freshly pulled mozzarella and a massive, crispy chicken parmesan both elevate and redefine classic dishes for a modern audience," wrote one reviewer. "I cannot get enough of the sumptuous and spunky penne alla vodka, a wonderfully retrograde pasta dish with just enough bite to its pink-tinted sauce, smoothed and enriched by creamy mascarpone cheese," gushed another.

I enjoyed the lasagne during one visit to the restaurant, and the bustling atmosphere. Those things, and the wine list, were highlights.

Alas, those accolades did not make up for problematic issues; many visitors to the well-designed restaurant (Erin Hicks gets the credit for that) complained about noise and spotty service, while others singled out the inconsistencies of the kitchen — al dente pasta on one visit, overcooked the next.

Helen in the Heights, as Arthur Ave's replacement will be called, will open after a minor rehab of the current restaurant, and its menu will proffer "Greece’s 'greatest hits' and highlight iconic dishes that are known and loved around the globe."

There is one silver lining in the dark cloud that is Arthur Ave's death: Between now and March 19, all bottles of wine at the eatery will be sold for half off.