Chimichurri’s offers a journey through South American fusion
The Humble Observer, 05.23.08
by Jennifer Summer

A mix of green parsley and olive oil is used to marinade steaks or is served as a dip for fried plantain chips, but it is also the namesake of Chimichurri’s South American Grill, the newest addition to Kings Harbor.

This mixture, which is known as a Chimichurri sauce, pays tribute to the bounty of different cuisines found in Peru, Argentina and Brazil. Creators Tony Vasquez and Ronald Perez wanted to capture the spirit of the three countries with their food, decor and service.

“This is our first location and we are very happy to be a part of Kings Harbor. This location is a destination and there is nothing like our restaurant in this community,” Perez said.

The restaurant opened at the beginning of May for dinner only, but is now open for lunch, late lunch and dinner.

Perez along with his father-in-law, Vasquez, both have a long history of working in the food service industry. They worked together to open their own restaurant to give it their own flavor and have spent more than two years developing Chimichurri’s.

“Throughout my experiences in fine dining, I have been able to learn from the best and I am glad to share my knowledge with my customers,” Vasquez said. “Everyone has been very supportive and I have even had regular customers from other restaurants track me down and now they are becoming regulars here.”

As teals and greens mix with natural woods under soft lighting, the restaurant looks as exotic its menu sounds.

“Every single element in Chimichurri’s is custom designed just for us. We have custom colors, lights, tables and chairs. We hope our customers find the environment inviting and comfortable,” Perez said.

“Since we built this building from the ground up, we have been involved in every bit of the process from the construction to the design to making sure we are here every day and our customers are pleased.”

Chimichurri’s has a patio overlooking the river and a fireplace with couches for customers to relax on after a meal of steak, seafood or chicken with the spices, techniques and flavors of South America.

The creators do claim they are not like other Mexican restaurants that serve beans and rice with everything. They offer rare fruits and vegetables that are hard to find around this area.

Chimichurri’s offers a variety of steaks, seafood from Peru, soups, chicken, desserts made in-house and a variety of different wines to compliment the food.

Chimichurri’s even has its own private label of wine, Divino.

“We are very happy to provide our meals at an affordable price. We offer high-class meals that most people can afford. We hope our customers come to Chimichurri’s, as it serves as a destination through South American cuisine and our decor,” Vasquez said.

In the future, Perez and Vasquez are planning to open another restaurant but will not become a franchise and will stay family owned.

Live music will soon be added to the Kings Harbor restaurant on the weekends.

“We offer our customers an experience that they cannot get around here. They would have to drive into downtown Houston to get the service and quality of food we are offering,” Perez said. “Everyone has been supportive and we look forward to seeing what will happen next.”