Ryan Pera

Chefs Pitch In for Brennan’s Fire Victims

Fundraiser for the Koonce Family

86'd at *17

The only reason to go to *17 at the Alden Hotel (aside from the snazzy decor which, truthfully, you can approximate for free by hanging out inside of West Elm) has left the building.  It was discovered on Monday that Wesley Morton, the young chef from Washington, D.C. who da ... More >>

Houston's Best Recipe for Success

Chef Monica Pope at MacGregor Elementary School. Photos by Carlos Meltzer There's alot of talk these days about problems and solutions. The economy, the environment, healthcare, education. But as we all know there appears to be a lot more problems than there are solutions. And alot more talk th ... More >>

Downtown Attraction The Grove

A destination restaurant that only sometimes gets it right.

A Delicious Recipe for Success

Photos by Katharine ShilcuttGracie Cavnar and Monica PopeIt was a gorgeous summer night in the gardens of a stately West University mansion, and Monica Pope was serving a most unlikely dish to the well-to-do types at the table: scrapple. A dozen enraptured guests had their first taste of the dish - ... More >>

The Battle Rages On: Fried Chicken Throwdown at Beaver's

Photos by Katharine ShilcuttRonnie Killen's skillet fried chickenSome had come for the spectacle of it all: 17 different fried chicken dishes, 9 enormous casseroles filled with various macaroni and cheeses, salads and side dishes and desserts enough to feed Alexander's own army. Some had come to obs ... More >>

One Night Only! Pork Belly Madness at Catalan!

Photo by stu spivak​Monday, Monday, Monday! The battle to beat all battles will be held tonight at Catalan featuring contenders from across the city as they compete to claim the prize of Houston's best pork belly. The third in a series of popular "throwdown" events organized by Jenny Wang ... More >>

Upcoming Events

​Although the Saturday tours at the brewery are still on hold for now, you can still get your fix of walking and beer with the Saint Arnold Pub Crawl tonight starting at 6 p.m. As a special bonus, there will be limited-edition Christmas Ale on tap. The crawl will take place in the north part ... More >>

Market to Plate: Local Citrus Salad at the Grove

Ryan Pera treasures his Saturdays, though he never sits down and the days tend to top 12 hours. Saturdays are farmers' market days, when The Grove Restaurant's executive chef picks the produce he'll use in that evening's specials and, more important, finds a few hours not to answer phone calls b ... More >>

Chef Chat, Part 1: Ryan Pera of the Grove

​Eating Our Words recently stalked Ryan Pera, executive chef of the Grove, while he was shopping for fruits at the market, and now we've decided to bombard him with some questions. Rumors cleared, history revealed, and kitchen help praised: Eating Our Words: Could you give us a quick history ... More >>

Chef Chat, Part 2: Ryan Pera of the Grove

​Yesterday, we started a conversation with Chef Ryan Pera of the Grove. As promised, today we finish it up, even asking him about a pesky rumor we'd heard and shamelessly questioning him about his personal life. Eating Our Words: We have heard a little rumor about the burger recipe at the Gro ... 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. Hungry In Houston: It's definitely that time of year again: Crawfish boils will ... More >>

Robb Walsh's 100 Favorite Houston Dishes #33 The Picnic Platter at the Grove

​Over the course of the next few months, I'm counting 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 because they are just so damn tasty. Share your own nominations in ... More >>

Designer Meats

In Houston, more and more chefs are curing their own pig products

Upcoming Events

​When you're done voting in this year's Houston Press Music Awards, head over to the new and improved 2010 Houston Culinary Awards from My Table Magazine. You'll find a whole host of new categories in which to cast your vote in a section called Houston Foodie Star awards. The usual suspects li ... More >>

Houston Restaurant Week: Lunch Deals

​This year Houston Restaurant Week is offering $20 prix-fixe two-course lunch deal in addition to the $35 three-course dinner deals of years past. (The Houston Food Bank gets $3 for every lunch, and $5 for every dinner.) So as a service to you, dear reader, I have pored over the almost 200 hun ... More >>

Openings and Closings

The Queen, Barbara Windsor and her wig encourage you to try Houston's version of the Queen Vic pub.​Richard Di Virgilio, a man who already knows how to serve small, finely crafted plates of food at Oporto, has finally opened his second project just off Kirby: The Queen Vic Pub & Kitchen (2712 ... More >>

Brunch at The Grove

​I am sure everybody has heard by now that Ryan Pera has left The Grove for bigger and better things. I heard they have decided to not hire another executive chef and just let Robert Del Grande oversee the kitchen.

The Houston Culinary Awards Get a Facelift

Photo courtesy of My TableThe steel awards themselves (no more glass!) weren't the only new things this year.​"You can't help but feel great when you're honored and respected by your peers and Houston diners," said Sean Beck today, after bringing home a stunning two awards at the annual My Tab ... More >>

Upcoming Events

There's still time to buy your tickets to the Great Gulf Dinner, happening tomorrow -- Saturday, October 16 -- at The Usual from 2 to 6 p.m. $15 buys you a plate filled with delicious Gaido's seafood and sides along with an afternoon of great live music and a raffle with prizes you can only find at ... More >>

Chef Chat, Part 2: Seth Siegel-Gardner of Kata Robata

​EOW recently spoke with Seth Siegel-Gardner of Kata Robata. Yesterday, we learned about pop-up restaurants and what British people like to eat. Today we continue our chat. EOW: You worked in London for a year and now you're back in Houston and working at a fantastic restaurant. And afte ... More >>

Openings & Closings

Photo courtesy of Adam GarciaThat's not a flat-screen TV. It's the curing room being framed out at Revival Market.​A one-two punch of great news from the team at Revival Market (550 Heights Boulevard), which is set to open soon in the Heights space formerly inhabited by McCain's Market. Accord ... More >>

Revival Market to Open Monday, Offer Texas Products, Produce and Meat

Photos by Katharine ShilcuttRyan Pera (L) and Morgan Weber (R) relax for a brief moment in their new shop.​"This thing was a wreck last night," laughed Morgan Weber as he gestured toward the now-spotless interior of Revival Market this morning. The long-awaited butcher shop / grocery store / c ... More >>

Upcoming Events

Photo by Katharine ShilcuttYou don't want to miss a Vic & Anthony's beer dinner.​Vic & Anthony's is continuing its popular series of beer dinners by partnering with Texas' own Real Ale for its next evening, which takes place on Friday, April 8 starting at 7 p.m. For $85 a person (tax and tip n ... More >>

A Revival Dog at Revival Market

​After a handful of trips to Ryan Pera and Morgan Weber's still brand-new Revival Market, I've yet to be completely blown away. Don't get me wrong, I think the place is fantastic on a number of levels. I've picked up wonderful cheeses and bread, fantastically orange-yolked eggs, and an array o ... More >>

Farm Fresh Goodness at Revival Market

BLT with thick-cut bacon, arugula, herb mayo, pain de mie bread, with a side of Asian slaw​Revival Market may not immediately come to mind as a lunch destination, but since my visit a couple weeks ago, I've been dying to go back. What started out as a simple girl's lunch turned into a three-h ... More >>

Upcoming Events: Cooler Heads Prevail

See if you can guess what I am now.​The cool weather is finally on its way, and that means movie nights in Market Square Park will be gearing up once again. This month, look for a screening of Animal House presented by the Alamo Drafthouse Rolling Roadshow starting at 8 p.m. on Friday, Septemb ... More >>

Rebecca Masson and Friends Raise Money for Lucky Dog Rescue in a Sweet Way

Masson's course of pistachio pound cake with candied fennel was my favorite of the night.​"This is confusing the hell out of my palate, and I'm loving it!" joked Eater Houston editor Amber Ambrose to my right on Sunday night. We were polishing off pastry chef Chris Leung's dessert course of s ... More >>

Buffalo Bayou Brewery: A Preview

Photo by Mai PhamCrostini by Ryan Pera​ If you haven't heard about the Buffalo Bayou Brewery, one of the new local craft beer makers in Houston, it's probably because they haven't officially opened yet. But to get the buzz going and to let people know what's coming down the line, they held a ... More >>

The Biggest Grocery Store Openings of 2011

Who cares about grocery store openings? Me and this snobby cheese guy statue, for starters.​Frequent commenter and fellow food blogger Misha Govstehyn once asked, on Twitter, why Eating Our Words covers so many grocery store openings. There couldn't possibly be that many people who cared, he r ... More >>

Meat Market

You'll probably be paying more for your rib eyes and Whoppers thanks to the great Texas drought of 2011.