Midtown Houston has come a long way, baby!
Not that long ago, having a night out on the town meant a drive to The Heights to catch some live music at the White Oak Music Hall, or heading over to Houston’s restaurant on Upper Kirby to dine, and maybe grabbing some drinks in downtown Houston.
Today, much of the city’s fun and excitement can be found right here in Midtown Houston, home to cool bars, nightclubs, restaurants and entertainment venues.
For the perfect night out, secure dinner reservations at Oporto Fooding House & Wine at 125 W. Gray St., a mash-up of a bakery, café, restaurant and bar that features an open kitchen offering several dining options, served in a rustic, warm and inviting atmosphere.
After dinner, stroll next door to The Escape Hunt Experience Houston, a global entertainment franchise that offers unique “escape the room” adventures for the public and corporate clients. The business opened its doors in August.
“We looked at other areas – The Woodlands and City Centre on the West End – and we chose Midtown because we were impressed with the area’s transformation,” said Jim Barcz, owner of The Escape Hunt Houston. “The demographics are ideal for our business, including the people that visit there.”
With the growing number of cool spots in Midtown, folks have the opportunity to ‘Stay + Play’ – to patronize a business and then pop on over to another for even more fun.
Ryan Snyder, general manager of Oporto Fooding House & Wine, said that Midtown Houston has a diverse population that goes hand in hand with the restaurant’s cuisine.
“It’s a very unique restaurant,” he said. “It’s multicultural. We have patrons who are French nationals, or from Brazil, Portugal, Spain, Russia and China. People know that it’s a very international cuisine with more dynamic menu options.”
Oporto also offers high-quality wine selections, adding to the restaurant’s charm. The cuisine is Portuguese at its core, but you’ll also experience a Spanish influence and even spices from India.
“We’re a small boutique business,” Snyder said. “Everyone’s having fun and having a good time. It’s always busy. There’s not a lot of restaurants in town have such a diverse crowd.”
After dinner at Oporto Fooding House & Wine, head on over to The Escape Hunt Experience, a 5-star rated adventure that will stretch your imagination, said Barcz.
“The hunt is an escape room business, and the experience starts from moment you walk into the ornate Victorian decorated waiting room,” he said. “You are warmly greeted by the host, who confirms your reservation and then you are escorted into one of eight escape rooms.”
Patrons can take part in different games in the escape rooms – “Theft of Texas Lone Star” and “Murder at Maryledone.” A third game, “We Have a Problem,” debuts Nov. 5.
“All of our games are very immersive games,” Barcz said. “When go into the game room you are taken back to a different place or time, or both. You and the group you’re with are locked in this room, and you have 60 minutes to discover clues, decipher codes, and work on puzzles to solve the mystery.”
If the players get stuck on the clues, a game master who is watching on closed-circuit TV is available to provide a hint “so that you’re never at a point where you’re totally frustrated,” Barcz said.
To make a reservation at Oporto Fooding, visit online or call 713-528-0115. For more information about The Escape Hunt and to book a reservation, visit online or call 346-240-9111.