HOUSTON

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POWER PLAYER

THREE’S COMPANY

Ian Duke, owner of a trio of Southampton’s most popular restaurants, reflects on decades in the industry

As the proprietor of three Southampton mainstays, Ian Duke has had a lasting impact on Southampton’s social and culinary scene. The restaurateur has worked every restaurant job imaginable after starting as a dishwasher at a local restaurant when he was 13. Duke, who lives with his wife and daughter in East Quogue, and his partner David Hilty are the owners of the ever-popular Southampton Social Club (southamptonsocialclub.com), Union Burger Bar (unionburgerbar.com) and the newest East End dining destination, Union Sushi and Steak (dineatunion.com). The new steakhouse serves a variety of dry-aged Niman Ranch steaks alongside the freshest and most inventive fish and sushi dishes. “We created Union Sushi & Steak because it’s what the people of Southampton were asking for,” says Duke. “Southampton has no year-round sushi restaurants, and there isn’t a dedicated steakhouse. I am a big red meat eater and love a traditional steakhouse.” Next door, Union Burger Bar continues to serve up American comfort food classics. Southampton Social Club has been in business for a decade serving Hamptonites delectable menu items like tuna tacos, Caribbean-spiced mahi-mahi and a charred vegetable napoleon alongside live music. “The opening of Southampton Social Club was really the beginning of a whole new life for me,” says Duke. So what has he learned along the way? “It truly is a business where no one job is any more important than any other, and everyone relies on one another in order for everything to work smoothly,” says Duke. “Being able to roll with the punches is paramount.”

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: The dining room at Union Sushi & Steak; Southampton Social Club’s Cabana; restaurateur Ian Duke; a burger at Union Burger Bar

Niki de Saint Phalle’s “Lili ou Tony” (1965) Ê FOR MORE HOUSTON, VISIT DUJOUR.COM /CITIES

The entrance of M-K-T

GALLERY GUIDE ,

FEMALE FIRST

Organized in collaboration with the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, Niki de Saint Phalle in the 1960s at The Menil Collection highlights Saint Phalle’s forward-thinking, feminist artworks from European collections. These pieces, on view through January 23, including her shooting paintings that represented a feminist assault on the tradition of modern painting. Visitors can also see her early “Nana” sculptures, which served as a vehicle for the artist to explore women’s freedom and gender identity through the liberated female form. menil.org

Niki de Saint Phalle’s “Photo de la Hon repeinte” (1979) RETAIL REPORT ,

A New Way to Shop

At Houston Heights’ newly opened mixed-use destination M-K-T, visitors can explore a range of retail offerings. The walkable, adaptive-reuse property, thoughtfully designed by Michael Hsu Office of Architecture, consists of five buildings housing creative boutiques, wellness spots and delicious culinary options surrounded by ample green space. Shoppers can peruse fashionable stores including Chloe Dao, Common Assembly and activewear brand DYI, along with other unique offerings such as bike retailer Pedego Electric Bikes and health optimization concept Huemn. Foodies can savor meals at restaurants including Blue Sushi Sake Grill, Anglo-Indian eatery Da Gama Canteen, all-day brunch and lunch spot Homestead Kitchen & Bar and noodle shop Rakkan Ramen, in addition to dessert at frozen custard joint Honeychild’s Sweet Creams. themkt.com