It seems that Eater's post on 10 dead food trends has everyone talking, including the New York Times's Frank Bruni, who disagrees with the vital statistics of many items on the DOA list. Instead, he says, there is one trend above all that needs to die as swift a death as possible: farm-to-______.
There's no argument that the catch-all phrase farm-to-table or farm-to-anything has been used to death. So instead -- and in light of yesterday's post on five food trends to watch for in Houston -- we present a list of food trends that we think Houston should export to the rest of the nation.
These are the things we do best, the things we should be rightfully proud of. Other cities might have them to a certain extent, but not the way Houston does. Let's see if we can't get our burgeoning food traditions on a national stage.
5. Sunday Funday
If you're unfamiliar with the term "Sunday Funday," allow me to direct you to this short and sweet definition from Urban Dictionary:
By celebrating the "Sunday Funday" you can extend your weekend festivities just a little longer before hanging up your party pants. This day typically starts out with mimosas or bloody marys aka hair of the dog. It then typically continues through out the day until you find yourself wasted by about 6:30ish. Since the "Funday" ends early enough, you can rest assured that you will go to bed aka pass out early enough to be perfectly refreshed for work on monday morning.
Other cities may have limited Sunday Funday celebrations, but no city gets as into it as Houston, despite losing Sunday Funday epicenter La Strada in 2009. Maybe it's the fact that nearly every restaurant in Houston has a patio and most of them serve bottomless, sugary, alcoholic drinks on Sundays. Maybe it's the joint collaboration with Big Gay Brunch (see: even Mayor Parker does Big Gay Brunch). Whatever the reason, Sunday mid-afternoon is a great time to be a Houstonian if you enjoy partying in the broad daylight.
4. Whataburger
Although not based in Houston (the cheerful chain is from Corpus Christi), even the snobbiest Houstonians agree that this Texas burger chain is the only acceptable fast food -- even for breakfast. Whataburger serves that most Texan of breakfast foods: breakfast tacos, although they're called taquitos here, ready to be introduced to the rest of America. And it serves a true Texas burger, with a thin patty, lots of crunchy vegetables and a generous swipe of mustard. And with its idiosyncratic bright orange decor and late hours, it has every hallmark of being our In-N-Out Burger, our testament to the masses everything is better in Texas, even our fast food.
