The Woodlands Edition | June 2023

DINING FEATURE

BY CASSANDRA JENKINS

3 DISHES TO TRY

Simona’s avocado toast ($18) is served with two pieces of toast topped with a poached egg.

CASSANDRA JENKINSCOMMUNITY IMPACT

The mole enchiladas ($25) are stued with chicken and topped with mole sauce and sour cream. CASSANDRA JENKINSCOMMUNITY IMPACT

The shrimp tacos ($24) are four our tortillas with shrimp, chipotle-mayo, fresh avocado and black beans. CASSANDRA JENKINSCOMMUNITY IMPACT

Simona’s Bistro Venue creates a personalized eating experience in The Woodlands E verything in Simona’s Bistro is meant to be a personalized experience, according to owner Ivette Larralde. alcohol— freshly made margaritas, espresso marti- nis, juices, smoothies and lattes.

Simona’s Bistro also oers catering services and an “oce party-in-a-box,” which includes small bite options from the menu and a margarita or mimosa bucket. Larralde said the food at Simona’s is made fresh in-house every day. Ingredients are locally sourced and organic. The kitchen does not include a freezer or storage to ensure the quality and freshness of the cuisine, she said.

This means everything from the song selection playing over the speakers to the hand-picked menu is part of a decision-making process meant to make each customer feel comfortable, important and happy, she said. “We are passionate about serving and making people happy with food,” she said. “A tiny place like this allows us to personalize that experience.

Simona’s Bistro features an outdoor patio area in addition to indoor seating and a small bar.

CASSANDRA JENKINSCOMMUNITY IMPACT

We can listen to what guests like and don’t like. We listen to every positive comment or complaint, and we adapt to that. Our only goal is to make people in here feel comfort- able and happy, to create a good moment.” Simona’s Bistro opened Dec. 5 in East Shore Place in The Woodlands with only six inside tabletops, a small bar, a kitchen and a patio. Larralde

“The menu is a summary of what people enjoy,” Larralde said. “We have a section of the menu that includes Mexican dishes, and the rest is food that is international or local. It’s really a fusion. We started with a larger menu, but we narrowed it down to the meals that people really wanted to eat.” Even the furniture and art are personalized, she said. The various pieces of art decor on

OUR ONLY GOAL IS TO MAKE PEOPLE IN HERE FEEL COMFORTABLE AND HAPPY, TO CREATE

Simona’s bartender Lorenzo Alverde prepares cocktails during the happy hour from 26 p.m.

A GOOD MOMENT. IVETTE LARRALDE, OWNER

SHAHERYAR KHANCOMMUNITY IMPACT

Simona’s Bistro 207 East Shore Drive, Ste. 170, The Woodlands 346-351-7094 www.simonasbistro.com Hours: Mon.-Sat. 8 a.m.-6 p.m., Sun. 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

said she would describe Simona’s as an upscale set- ting with an intimate feeling and authentic menu. “De ning this place has been challenging,” she said. “We get asked what the restaurant concept is all the time, but the thing here is that we just decided to put together a menu with dishes that we can cook very well.” The menu includes items from avocado toast, French toast and croissants to mole enchiladas, shrimp tacos and paninis. Specialty crafted cocktails and coee options add to the fare with mezcal negronis—featuring an agave-based

the walls are hand-painted pieces from American and local artists, selected from an art gallery or speci - cally created for Simona’s Bistro. Larralde said she created the restaurant with the idea of it becoming a space where businesspeople can come to convene meetings and close deals. “It’s an intimate space,” she said. “It’s small, so I wasn’t thinking about the family with six kids but creating a place where Realtors, brokers, women and men in business can come and close deals or get a conversation started with clients—a place where things happen.”

THE WOODLANDS EDITION • JUNE 2023