Zach Kuru kicked the cold Boston weather and moved his family to Katy in 2012. The restaurateur owned a popular coffee shop and a high-end baby store up in Boston's South End, but he said he sold both shops after a vacation to visit friends in Houston in 2011.

"When my landlord [in Boston] asked me if I wanted to buy a parking space for $60,000, I knew it was time to leave and come to a city like Katy where you can buy a house and run a business," Kuru said.

He opened MidPoint Bar + Eatery in 2013, purchasing the restaurant from a friend when it was known as the Drix Wine Bar. Located in the Gardens at Westgreen shopping center on I-10 and Westgreen Boulevard, the MidPoint Bar + Eatery features a light menu of flatbread pizzas, gourmet sandwiches, salads and tapas-style "small plate" appetizers.

The restaurant is known more for a rotating list of cocktails with names ranging from the Scoobie Snack to the El Diablo. Kuru said he tries to rotate drinks every three months to keep the menu fresh. He also makes his own sangria each day in a large glass serving jar on the bar. There are 60 to 70 wines available and more than 30 craft beers either on tap or in bottles, Kuru said.

"Our best seller [is a cocktail with a racy name] made with Hornitos tequila, Grand Marnier [orange liqueur] and sour mix," Kuru said.

For summer, Kuru said he serves up adult milkshakes spiked with alcohol and blended with thick ice cream in a traditional milkshake blender.

Despite the restaurant's upscale urban decor, Kuru said MidPoint features a laid-back atmosphere, especially on Fridays when local musicians set up in the corner of the restaurant.

"It's a casual place," Kuru said. "Teachers come here, they have a drink or two and hang out. We have people in the afternoon set up with their laptops to work."

The restaurant opens at 3 p.m. Monday through Saturday and offers free Wi-Fi. Kuru said afternoon patrons generally choose tapas-style appetizers, such as hummus or truffle oil fries, to snack on with their beverages.

"Our most popular dish for dinner would be the flatbreads, and we get a lot of people coming in for cocktails or drinks after dinner, especially when live music is playing," Kuru said.

Flatbreads serve one or two people and can be ordered with options such as pulled pork, barbecue chicken, Margherita and Mediterranean. Kuru said the gourmet hot dog is a crowd favorite he brought down with him from Boston.

"We serve an all-natural Angus dog with a side of truffle oil fries," he said.