New restaurant brings big city chops to Wimberley

Houston’s loss is Wimberley’s gain.

Chef Ryan Hildebrand — well known in the Houston area for his restaurants Triniti and FM Kitchen & Bar — will be opening a new “bistro” in Wimberley this summer. Called Hildee’s Dine-Inn, it will be located near the corner of Winters Mill Parkway and FM 3237.

The land has been purchased, the permitting process is complete and construction on the 5,200-square-foot restaurant will begin soon.

Ryan, his wife Mollye and their two daughters Ryllye, 7, and Finnlye — Mollye’s family likes names that end in “y-e” — moved to Wimberley last year.

Mollye’s family has owned river property in Wimberley for generations. The family would often visit to escape the big-city hubbub of Houston. “The longer we stayed (in Wimberley), the longer we wanted to stay,” says Ryan.

It’s clear Ryan will be missed in the Bayou City.

Says the website Recipe for Success: “Ryan Hildebrand marks another turning point in his career as one of Houston’s most progressive chefs with his new solo venture…”

Adds Houstonia magazine: “Though food pundits were initially wary of chef Ryan Hildebrand’s slick new restaurant when it first opened two years ago, Triniti has proved its initial critics wrong — thriving in a gorgeous build-out that earned it a James Beard Award nomination this past year, and dishing out playful, modern American food…”

The restaurant

Hilldee’s Dine-Inn will be situated on a 1.6-acre lot, not far from Blue Hole and bordered by a creek and a popular walking trail. Ryan calls it a Hill County Bistro. “A bistro can serve all kinds of stuff,” says Ryan.

The restaurant is being designed by Austin-based Maker Architects. The firm has designed restaurants all over the country. It will have an open, rustic look and will only seat about 32 diners inside. “I wanted to keep it intimate,” says Ryan.

The space is evenly divided between indoor and patio space. There’ll be a full bar and will employ 20-25 people.

Ryan says many of the dishes will start in the smokehouse, but it’s not a barbecue, he’s quick to point out. “I’m not going to go up against the barbecue superstars around here,” he says.

His popular FM Kitchen in Houston was “built around the burger,” says Ryan, “and it just kind of grew into more.” He pauses — “How do I describe it? — Well, let’s just say there’s now a quinoa bowl on the menu.”

He balks at revealing his menu, but plans on using ingredients from local farms, offering an array of seafood and serving higher-end cuts of meat.

“I want to keep the menu tight,” Ryan explains. “I want to have a small core menu so people can have their favorites. On the weekends, we can keep things interesting with special dishes.”

Ryan figures he’ll be spending most of his time in the kitchen, while his wife Mollye will handle the front of the house. “She’s great with people,” he says.

The bar will feature 8-10 beers on tap, an “all-world” wine list and an innovative, sophisticated bar orchestrated by a professional bartender. He wants to keep prices affordable. “I’d like to find some (wine) gems in the $25-$45 a bottle range,” Ryan explains.

The restaurant will be able to accommodate events such as wedding-rehearsal dinners — either on-site or catering at other venues.

Understandably, Ryan does most of the cooking at home for the family. When asked what his signature dish is, he mulls over the answer and settles on chicken fried venison.

Varied background

Ryan was born and raised in Houston.

“I didn’t get into cooking until after college,” he says. “I got a late start.”

He got a degree in graphic design from Baylor, but that was at the time when the profession was shifting from free-hand designs to computer graphics. “When it got to computer-aided graphics I just didn’t enjoy it as much. I liked to draw, things like that,” he says while sketching out a design in the air.

So he chucked graphic design and headed for the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. Over the years, the Culinary Institute has produced chefs ranging from Roy Choi, who merged Korean and Mexican flavors, to Food Network star Cat Cora.

After two years and a degree from the institute, Ryan returned to his hometown and started his “real-life” education at a series of restaurants. A typical stay might be a couple years, but he would learn something different at each stop.

He started at Mark’s American Cuisine, which closed in 2016 after almost two decades. “He (owner Mark Cox) threw me right off the deep end,” says Ryan with a smile. “He made me sous chef. I worked long hours — really long hours — but I learned so much.”

His next stops were at the Houstonian Hotel which featured Mediterranean and French flavors, and a small “mom-and-pop” Italian restaurant. Then it was on to Vic & Anthony’s Steakhouse which was part of Landry’s Inc., a group that operates more than 600 restaurants, hotels and casinos across the country.

“In your early years, you move around a lot,” says Ryan, “and work in different styles of restaurants and learn. I got good, well-rounded experience, from a place that (kept the books) on butcher paper to a big corporation. I learned at every job.”

He went out on his own and started Triniti. The website Open Table’s description on Triniti: “The restaurant, unlike any other in Houston in both cuisine and design, represents an artistic outlet for all involved. Much attention has been paid to the details – inside and out – from the food, cocktails, open kitchen, commissioned artwork and custom chandeliers, to the tree-lined patio and chef’s garden.”

“I thought Triniti was going to be the end of my journey,” says Ryan. “It was a beautiful restaurant and a massive space.”

Triniti lasted seven years then along came FM Kitchen & Bar.

Originally, FM was located on a farm-to-market road. “We moved but the name stuck,” says Ryan. Burgers were the thing — from the TX burger with a fried egg to the Cooper burger with queso.

Differences developed in style between the partners at FM, and the Hildebrands packed up and moved to Wimberley.

They had been looking for the perfect property for a restaurant here for about five years. “We had the most patient real-estate agent ever,” says Ryan.

Ryan has been in the business for a long time, and has a unique way of summing up what makes a successful restaurant. “You can have great service and mediocre food and have a great restaurant. You can have mediocre service and great food and you have a mediocre restaurant. People want the experience.”

It’s a pretty good bet Hildee’s will provide good food and a memorable experience.