Traveler's Table, a concept being called "curated global cuisine," is now open at 520 Westheimer Road. It's set in the former Aqui space, receiving a refresh in design by Gin Braverman of Gin Design Group. A greenery-filled patio, large family-style table, and 24-seat private dining space are among the changes made to the interior. The dining room seats 151 with an additional 32 on the patio.

The restaurant comes from Matthew Mitchell, a writer and journalist who wanted to present the kinds of foods he enjoyed while living abroad. Mitchell worked with Ashley Rosenfeld and chef Omar Pereny of A La Carte Foodservice Consulting Group to develop the menu, which includes items like PEI mussels one of three ways (Belgian, Thai, Spanish); Chinese five-spice duck; Jamaican jerk pork; North African leg of lamb; butter chicken; a roadside-style burger; and a chef's vegetable board showcasing different global veggie preparations.

Traveler's Table is open for dinner daily, with lunch and weekend brunch services coming soon.

MAD is now serving brunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sundays. The wild new River Oaks District restaurant from the folks behind BCN Taste & Tradition promises a more casual, family-friendly service here, with some egg dishes (MAD's dinner hit gulas, or sautéed baby eels, with scrambled huevos), tapas (meats and fish on pan de cristal), trademark paellas and fideuà (essentially paella but with noodles), and a couple sandwiches. 

It's always news when a high-profile restaurant loses a top-level name, though in the case of a new restaurant, it isn't exactly surprising. With that context, know that Adam Garcia, who was chef de cuisine at Rosie Cannonball, has left Goodnight Hospitality. Chef/partner Felipe Riccio, the mind behind the menu at Rosie, still runs things there along with sous chefs Mario Paizis and Ajani Thornton, plus Ian Payne, who is moving over for a bit before he begins as sous chef at Goodnight's fine dining concept March (scheduled to open in early 2020). 

Speaking of Rosie, it has launched a lunch service (11 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday). Plenty of dinner fare is carrying over, but also look for two new sandwiches—including a meatball sandwich and a burger—a new pasta dish, and pork Milanese. 

Whataburger and the Houston Texans contributed $125,905 in fan donations to the Houston Food Bank as part of Hunger Action Month, which took place over much of September. During this time, fans were encouraged to donate $1 or more at any Houston-area Whataburger; the money raised will provide more than 370,000 meals to children, families, and seniors in need of food assistance, per the Food Bank. 

Alex Padilla, corporate chef at Legacy Restaurants (and currently executive chef at The Original Ninfa's Uptown), is collaborating with Felix Florez of Black Hill Meats and Stephanie Velasquez of Mexican cuisine pop-up Tlahuac on a five-course dinner 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the Ninfa's Uptown location. Ninfa's beverage consultant Linda Salinas will contribute a cocktail or wine pairing. Tickets are $79.

State Fare is hosting its October collaborative dinner with 8th Wonder beer at 6 p.m. Wednesday. Tickets are $55.

Burger chain BurgerFi has opened a location at 1501 Lake Robbins Drive in The Woodlands. 

Korean fried chicken outpost Bonchon will open a fourth location at 2100 Travis St. in Midtown. Look for it in 2020.

OpenTable last week named Steak 48 one of its 50 Best Restaurants for a Date in America. Probably not a first date (feels too risky, you know?), but I can see it. I won't give away the store, but three of my favorite date restaurants in Houston include Nobie's, Shun Japanese Kitchen, and Rise N˚2.