La Balance general manager Manuel Atenco noticed that the Katy area does not have many fine dining options. Instead of simply lamenting the lack of fine dining, Atenco, an experienced restaurateur, and his business partners decided to fill the gap themselves by opening La Balance last August.
"I live nearby, in Mission Bend. I come this way, but there was nothing, only chain restaurants. We decided to bring something unique," he said.
Atenco and his partners are veterans in the restaurant business, having worked at and managed restaurants all over the country. Atenco moved to the Houston area in 1997 to open a restaurant in the Galleria area.
He had a lot of experience running Italian restaurants, however, there is not a dearth of Italian dining options in Katy, he said.
"We tried focusing on Italian restaurants, but we saw that there's restaurants left and right," Atenco said. "I said, 'you need a French,' and we've been in the French restaurant industry for over 30 years."
Atenco and La Balance's executive chef, Oscar Hernandez, also had a strong background in French cuisine as well. Since Katy had no other restaurants focusing solely on French food, Atenco and his partners decided to open Katy's first French restaurant.
Though it was not the owners' main intention at the outset, La Balance has become a popular restaurant for couples.
"We don't try to be the date spot, but so far, it's been chosen by all the community as a date spot," Atenco said.
The restaurant serves lunch on weekdays, dinner Monday through Saturday and brunch Saturday morning. The restaurant is currently offering a seasonal summer prix-fixed menu at dinner for $24.50 a person. Popular items include the crab cakes, lobster salad and fois gras pol.
La Balance has an extensive wine list. It includes cabernets, pinot noirs, zinfandels, chardonnays and shirazes. Champagnes and dessert wines, as well as domestic and imported beers, are available.
Throughout the month of August, in conjunction with Houston Restaurant Month, La Balance is offering a prix-fixed lunch menu for $20 and dinner for $35. A portion of each plate ordered goes to Texas Children's Hospital West Campus.
La Balance's owners take pride in their unique menu and setting. With only a handful of fine dining options in Katy and no other French restaurants, La Balance satisfies a specific craving no other local restaurant does, Atenco said.
"To get this type of food, you have to go to the city. There's nothing else like this around here," he said.
Popular items
La salade de homard de Maine: A salad that includes Maine lobster, avocado and egg ($14–23)
Les escargots de Bourgogne: Snails served in garlic and butter ($10)
Le foie gras pol: Liver served on brioche with orange marmalade and chocolate ($18)
Le Gteau de crabe: A crab cake made with jumbo lump crab meat, tomato basil sauce and lemon butter ($16)
La Balance
20680 Westheimer Parkway, Ste. 110, Katy
281-206-7974
www.labalancecuisine.com
Hours: Lunch: Mon–Fri 11 a.m.–3 p.m., Dinner: Mon–Sat 5 p.m.–10 p.m., Brunch: Sat. 11 a.m.–3 p.m., Closed Sundays
