Openings & Closings: Coming Home to Roost

An inviting patio and good crepes still weren't enough to save La Mia.

Three restaurants closed this past week, two of which we actually liked. One of them even received a glowing review from Alison Cook in the Chronicle in June, but it looks like chef Alberto Baffoni's old clientele never found their way back to him after his days at Simposio and Bohemia, because his latest restaurant -- Sapori Ristorante Italiano -- shut its doors this week. Efforts to reach Baffoni failed, as the phone number for Sapori has been disconnected.

Jake Mazzu, who runs The Burger Guys in the same strip center on Westheimer, responded to the news on Twitter with despair: "Since we have been in the same shopping center, four restaurants have opened and closed!!! It a ghost town..."

Another little favorite, La Mia, has finally gasped its last breath after rumors of its demise circulated for weeks. This comes after its owners revamped half of the restaurant and called it Fattoush, then told B4-U-Eat that they hoped to open a bakery in the space as well. Now, there's only a lonely For Lease sign out front.

Cafe España also closed this week, although this was as much a surprise as the schizophrenic La Mia's closure. The little Spanish bistro never quite came together, and the constant smell of raw sewage proved a death-dealing turn-off for its customers.

In better news, a second location of Jus' Mac has opened in Sugar Land. The original Heights location (which, it should be said, serves more than just macaroni and cheese) is a popular favorite with area families, so Sugar Land's suburban demographic seems like a smart move.

And after some final planning and permitting issues were solved, Kevin Naderi's Roost opened for dinner service this past Sunday night on Fairview. Its Facebook page shows menu items ranging from organic curried lentils with diver scallops and grape raita to braised lamb with polenta. It's BYOB too, which means we'll be bringing a bottle of wine to Roost soon.