Q&A: Haven Restaurant's Chef Randy Evans

From local deviled eggs to Gulf shrimp corn dogs, the Heart of Green Award winner for Best New Restaurant puts a unique twist on local food.

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Photo: Haven

By Gloria Dawson

Houston's Haven is the winner of the 2011 Heart of Green Award for best new restaurant. We talked to Chef Randy Evans about what makes Haven unique.

Can you tell us a little about the inspiration for the restaurant?
The idea for Haven began with the idea to highlight the great work of farmers, ranchers, boatmen and artisans in the Texas area. I had used items from them in the past and thought a restaurant dedicated to the sole use of their products would be a good fit for Houston.

Other than delicious food, what do you hope a visitor to Haven gets out of their meal?
I hope they walk away from Haven looking at dining out in a different way. It is just not a way to fill your belly, but a way to live and hopefully change the way you think about food and where it comes from. A sense of place is important, I'd hate for people to say I could have had that meal anywhere in the world.

What are your signature dishes? What should a first-time visitor order?
Our deviled eggs are classic and not gussied up with a bunch of garnishes. The dish is all about the egg and where it came from. Another signature dish is our shrimp corn dog made with wild Gulf of Mexico shrimp and locally produced corn meal and honey along with a Tabasco mash remoulade and a shot of lemonade. It reminds me of eating at the State Fair. As for dessert, our Goat's Buttermilk Pecan Pie is quite popular. We make our own buttermilk using fresh milk form a local farm and combine it with Texas pecans and serve it with our ice cream made with Texas rum. It screams my granny's kitchen!

See all the 2011 Heart of Green Award winners.

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