CHEF CHARLES CLARK EXECUTIVE CHEF IBIZA FOOD & WINE BAR AND CO-OWNER OF CLARK COOPER CONCEPTS
Tell us a little about The Dunlavy, what makes this different from all other restaurants?
The 40-plus chandeliers in The Dunlavy definitely make it different from all other restaurants. We hand-selected these chandeliers over a few years and were waiting to have a restaurant that would be the perfect fit for all the chandeliers. Also, the location is super unique to The Dunlavy. We are the only restaurant in the park so we are surrounded by the beautiful nature of the park setting. We have the Buffalo Bayou on one side and Lost Lake on the other. We are kind of an “oasis” in the middle of the city. It is a glass jewel box on stilts with vintage chandeliers.
What would you say is the key in running such successful businesses like yours?
Good people, good employees, people that understand what I am trying to accomplish. Hard work.
If you hadn’t decided to open a restaurant, what other type of business would you open?
I always like jazz music. I think I would own a jazz bar. A smoky Parisian jazz bar like they had in the 60s. Miles Davis / Chet Baker Style
We see that The Dunlavy in January 2020, will transition to a full-service restaurant that will offer breakfast, lunch and dinner. That is exciting news, tell us a little about that.
We’ve been doing private events in the evenings since we opened in 2015. It was a great business model, but we kept getting requests from our customers for dinner service and reservations. So we’ve listened and are giving the customers what they want. Since opening Ibiza in 2001, we’ve always valued our customers opinions and take them into account when developing and changing our concepts. The chandeliers, the food, the wine—we think it is going to be a dinner experience unfound in the city.
Where’s your favorite hang-out spot in Houston when you’re with your family and why?
My favorite hang-out spot in Houston with my family is our restaurant Coppa Osteria in Rice Village. It is the perfect place for a good meal with family. It is relaxed, the service is great, and you feel like you are part of the family when you are at Coppa. My daughters love pasta and pizza. We also love El Tiempo too. We just went for my daughter’s birthday.
What advice would you give to someone who had big dreams to own a successful business like yours?
Show up early, show up prepared and be ready to say yes to anything. Never use the word no. Yes, I can make it happen. Yes, it will be the best well done steak you’ve ever had. Don’t ever point the finger at anyone other than yourself.
Do you have any suggestions on the menu for someone who has not eaten at The Dunlavy?
Our Chef Jane Wild is always creating new stuff at The Dunlavy and we love it. She is a fantastic baker and all of her baked goods are out-of-this-world. For breakfast, I would suggest guests try The Dunlavy breakfast. It is simple and the perfect balance of ingredients. It is not just your typical egg and bacon breakfast. Chef Jane adds a really good piece of artisan bread from Bread Man Baking Company, Cabot cheddar cheese from Houston Dairymaids, a cauliflower tabouleh and fresh fruit and crispy bacon! For lunch, Chef Allie’s prime rib sandwich on ciabatta with caramelized onions, swiss and gruyere cheese, marinated tomatoes, balsamic-fig reduction, arugula, and whole grain mustard aioli is out of this world.
Read the entire story in our September issue on page 63!
