Gulf Coast

The 5 Best Things to Eat or Drink This Weekend: Wild Game Cook-off, Art Cars & Food Trucks, a Craw-wish Boil and a Mother's Day Reminder

Yaga's Wild Game BBQ Cook-off Saturday, 8 a.m. Pier 21, Galveston Island Yaga's has been one of the most consistent fixtures on downtown Galveston's Strand for decades, and this year the restaurant is celebrating its 17th annual Yaga's Wild Game BBQ Cook-off by raising its millionth dollar for Galv ... More >>

Upcoming Events: Cinco de My-Oh-My-Oh

If you don't already have plans for Sunday, May 5, look no further: Houston has muchas fiestas for Cinco de Mayo -- so many, in fact, that our own Abby Downing-Beaver has a whole guide to spending your Cinco in style. Activities include everything from the annual Cinco de Mayo Parade downtown on Su ... More >>

Pop-Ups Are Back: Will They Continue to Predict Houston's Culinary Future?

Restaurants such as The Pass & Provisions, Oxheart and Goro & Gun are already so firmly affixed in Houston's culinary firmament that it's sometimes difficult to believe the restaurants which are bringing so much attention to our city's food scene have only been open for a year -- or less, in the cas ... More >>

The Eatsie Boys Cafe: As Colorful As the Characters Who Run It

Every once in a while, I'll visit a place that's too colorful to simply paint with words. The Eatsie Boys Cafe -- the new brick-and-mortar outgrowth of the original Eatsie Boys food truck -- is one such spot. It's also the subject of this week's cafe review, which means that our talented photograph ... More >>

Nosh Bistro, You Sexy Thing

Nosh Bistro, in all its sultry splendor, delivers modern American fare with clever South Asian twists.

Giant Dragon Descends Upon TransCanada Offices to Protest Keystone XL Pipeline! (okay, not a real dragon, but still...)

Protestors of TransCanada's Keystone XL pipeline demonstrated at the company's downtown headquarters and another building Monday, with similar protests occurring in other cities, including Westborough, Massachusetts, where students superglued themselves together in an office lobby. In Houston, demo ... More >>

Houston's Top 5 Lounges

5. WITCHCRAFT TAVERN Formerly Dragon Bowl (and still under the same management), the brand-new Witchcraft Tavern has quite the selection of beer, and if you're feeling adventurous, try the Devil's Backbone. You might want to give your keys to a friend first. To be completely honest, we do miss the ... More >>

Look for Gulf Appellation Oysters After the New Year

Wondering where all the Gulf appellation oysters are this year, after the big to-do over Pepper Grove and Ladies' Pass oysters in 2011? Not to worry, says Jim Gossen of Louisiana Seafood, one of the area's largest oyster suppliers. They're right around the corner. Gossen -- along with noted oyster ... More >>

The 30 Best Texas Albums

Ranking the 30 best Texas albums of the past 30 years seemed like an impossible task. We did it anyway.

Houston's Top 10 Unsung Music Venues

There's no other way to say this except to say it: Houston has a lot of music venues, a lot of music venues, but most of the high-profile shows around here get routed into a handful of places. This happens for any number of reasons, most of them financial: Very few promoters in town can afford to pu ... More >>

Deepwater Horizon: Asian Hotel Owners Decry Proposed BP Settlement

Around 800 hotel owners have plans to descend on BP's headquarters along I-10 West today, condemning a recent proposed settlement between the embattled monolith and thousands of business owners because, apparently, they weren't invited to the get-lots-of-money-from-papa-BP party. A U.S. district j ... More >>

Darrick Shelton, Motorcylist Dead After Running From the Law

A 39-year-old man, wanted on an aggravated assault charge involving a family member, died this morning after running from the law enforcement personnel who came out to serve him his warrant. Members of the Gulf Coast Violent Offenders Unit, led by the U.S. Marshal's Office, along with Harris County ... More >>

Where the Chefs Eat

Grant Gordon, Matt Marcus and Kevin Naderi

Randy Wayne White: Gone

LitFuse

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with Houston's Top 10 Margaritas

You don't have to wait for Cinco de Mayo to enjoy one of the city's favorite cocktails, but it doesn't hurt to have a few in celebration, either. Just remember to toast the Battle of Puebla (after all, that's what Cinco de Mayo commemorates -- not Mexican Independence Day.) 10. Sorrel Urban Bistro ... More >>

Openings and Closings: The Non-Montrose Edition

We had a few comments last week bemoaning the fact that the week's restaurant news was all out of Montrose. "Montrose - within a 10 minute drive for only 14% of the Greater Houston Metropolitan area, and yet it gets a least a third of the restaurant coverage in the Houston Press," wrote one commente ... More >>

Whitney & Me: One Fan's Recollections

Saturday I got a text from a close friend saying that Whitney Houston had passed away. Needless to say, I was a bit shocked. I honestly thought she would be around for years to come so that she could could keep blessing us all with her terrific voice.. I grew up listening to Contemporary Christian ... More >>

Openings & Closings: November 2011

Photo by Amber AmbroseEl Rey closed this week -- but which one?​Remember how busy of a month October was for openings and closings? November was a little slower, but not by much. In upcoming restaurants, one of our favorite bloggers reports that Calliope's is opening a second location of its ... More >>

Wine of the Week: The Aegean Sea in a Glass

The first time I tasted Thalassitis by the Gaia winery (Santorini, Greece), it was poured for me by the "best sommelier in the world 2008," Aldo Sohm, at Le Bernardin in New York City in 2010. Aldo paired the wine with raw sea urchin: The "saltiness" and intense acidity of this wine, he noted, was ... More >>

BestFest Adds Los Skarnales, The Last Place You Look, Umbrella Man & Honky Tonk Blood Trio

Half-price GA passes = today's "Deal of the Day" GroovehousePachuco Boogie: Los Skarnales' Nestor Serrano (left) and Felipe Galvan at the 2011 Houston International Festival​The first Best of Houston® BestFest is shaping up nicely. Today it gives Rocks Off great pleasure to announce four mo ... More >>

Capsule Art Reviews: "Collections: Annual HSPVA Juried Show", "Dan Kopp: TIMEAWAY" and "Josh Bernstein: Galveston", Hardbodies, Marc Swanson: The Second Story, Mitch Dobrowner: New Work, Musicians Who Make Art

Top 5: Foods Best Found in Houston

kshilcuttFung's Kitchen.​Travel & Leisure recently named Houston as America's Best Burger City. But as many Houstonians would tell the nation, Houston is known for much more than just burgers. It's a melting pot of culture and cuisine, and thus offers awesome dishes beyond the typical burger ... More >>

Kata Robata Chefs Take Inaugural Kiss My Grits Throwdown Title

Jason BargasLeft, Kata Robata. Right, Ouisie's.​Grits have been an integral part of my life since I could gum food. Naturally, I was eager to get my gums (and teef) on the grits concoctions at Thursday evening's Kiss My Grits Gulf Coast Throwdown. Young Texans Against Cancer cobbled together H ... More >>

Houston's Top 11 Margaritas for National Margarita Day

Photo by Eric HesterThe winter spiced margarita at Ninfa's on Navigation.​Tomorrow is National Margarita Day. (Yes, much like International Hot & Spicy Food Day, it's a thing.) And although it'll be cloudy most of the day tomorrow, the sun should come out right around happy hour time, and wit ... More >>

Sampler Plate: This Week in Food Blogs

Each week, we put together a sampler plate of the most interesting links from both local and national food blogs. Know a blog we should be paying particular attention to? Leave the address in the comments section below. Eatocracy: CNN's food blog has partnered with Food & Wine to announce the 100 n ... More >>

Twenty Ways to Please Your Lover on Valentine's Day

​*17 - Alden Hotel (February 14) Chef Sam Beier has created a lust-worthy Valentine's Day menu featuring Sunchoke Veloute, Roasted Lobster Salad, Shrimp-Crusted Flounder, Cane Sugar Cured Duck Breast, Petite Filet with Favas and Lobster Ravioli, and Caramelized Halibut, among others. The mea ... More >>

The United States of Beer

Illustration by Monica FuentesFull-size image below.​You asked for it, we delivered. Last week, while many of you were enjoying our map of the United States of Soft Drinks, just as many of you alcoholics were demanding a United States of Beer map instead. And so we hunkered down all weekend, ... More >>

The Best New Year's Eve Shows In Houston This Year

​Reckless Kelly, House of Blues: They may originally be from Oregon, but having moved to Texas and occupied it for nearly 15 years, we'll give Kelly a pass as honorary Texans. And if you don't already have plans, a four-pack of tickets is only $20. So save some dough, call some friends and get ... More >>

Five Items to Avoid -- Even Though They Sound Good

lucianvenutian​5. Tamales Many times, I have wanted a tamale and then not wanted it a couple bites in (except maybe after that pub crawl when the little lady brought some into the bar, I don't really remember what I thought before or after that). Almost every single one ends up being drier t ... More >>

Six Things To Do if the NFL and NBA Have Lockouts Next Year

Don't let a potential lockout piss you off.​There's been a lot of talk of a lockout in both the NFL and the NBA next year. There's no way to know whether stadiums and arenas will sit quiet and empty or if they'll go with replacement players and still sit quiet and empty. With all this uncerta ... More >>

Gulf Coast Reading Series

Kathryn Casey: The Killing Storm

Sunday Brunch at Yelapa: Texan Twists on Old Favorites

Frito Pie Migas for breakfast, because you need corn chips at 11 a.m. on a Sunday.​Last Sunday morning, a table of friends and I attacked our plates with a vengeance on the sunny back patio at Yelapa Playa Mexicana (2303 Richmond, 281-501-0391). Although it's been open for nearly a year, I'm s ... More >>

$13 at LaFayette Cajun Seafood

Crab bisque.​Where: LaFayette Cajun Seafood, 10829 W. Bellfort, 281-564-1388. What $13 gets you: a bowl of passable crab bisque and either snapper Pontchartrain or blackened snapper Opelousas smothered in a diet-mocking helping of heavy, creamy, saucy sauces. Some girls decompress by booking ... More >>

Party Like A Rock Star at House of Dereon

Brittanie SheyKaty Perry look-alike​The Hoff was there, chatting with Katy Perry. Lindsay Lohan was there too, in her sexy orange jumpsuit. Ziggy Stardust danced with members of Run DMC.As predicted, there were multiple Elvii (Costello and Presley) and a whole lot of people dressed like Bret Micha ... More >>

Robb Walsh's 100 Favorite Houston Dishes

#1: Oysters Gilhooleyat ­Gilhooley's Raw Bar in San Leon

Robb Walsh's 100 Favorite Houston Dishes #1 Oysters Gilhooley at Gilhooley's Raw Bar in San Leon

​For a slideshow of all Robb's favorite 100 dishes, click here. Over the course of the past few months, I've counted down 100 of my favorite Houston dishes. I chose some because they are such quintessential Houston creations, others for their cultural or historical significance, and others b ... More >>

Trevisio Touts a Texas-Sized Happy Hour

Photo by bhamsandwichAll this and more can be yours...​A common complaint of Medical Center denizens -- whether they're in the area to work, to receive treatment or to visit someone in one of the maze-like hospitals -- is that there are very few decent places to eat and drink. (You thought we ... More >>

BP Oil Spill: Tunes For Turtles This Weekend

Onward through the oil​Since the BP oil spill began 8,427 days ago, we've heard about how the catastrophe has endangered the welfare of birds, fishermen, tourist shops, and at least one British dickhead CEO, but there hasn't been much said about our society's most vulnerable -- Gulf Coas ... More >>

Gulf Reading Series: Kathy Elliott, Kasten Glover, David MacLean

Writer David MacLean believes in child abuse

Oyster Lovers Unite: Five Places to Eat Oysters This Valentine's Weekend

Gulf Coast Reading Series: Samuel Amadon, Lauren Berry and Dane Wisher

Poet Samuel Amadon tunes into the brains behind the boob tube

Falafels and Poor Boys at Zabak's Mediterranean Café

Galveston ArtWalk

The island city throws an arty street festival

Two Hoots and a Holler

Austin wild man Rick Broussard gets things jumping at the Continental Club

BB's on Montrose and DiVino on West Alabama

Ornament-Making Extravaganza

Find your creative side at the MFAH

The You Are Here

Learn how to track CIA planes (for fun)

Evolution of a Watering Hole

Backstreet Cafe outgrows its niche as a fair-weather favorite