This month, the newly opened Hopdoddy Burger Bar, 4444 Westheimer, is going all-American with its July specials. Get a Pinetop pimento burger ($11), a high-stacked specialty burger topped with homemade pimento cheese, three crispy slices of applewood smoked bacon, an over-easy egg, onions, tomato, watercress and Hopdoddy’s famous Sassy Sauce, all piled between a perfectly cooked egg bun. Afterward, finish off with an apple pie à la mode shake ($6) or refreshing summer shandy ($7) to quench your thirst.
Beginning July 1 and running through the rest of the summer, it’s cherry season at Petite Sweets, 2700 West Alabama. The sweet shop will be featuring special cherry-inspired desserts, including classics like cherry pie, chocolate cherry cupcakes and cherry gelato. There are also some new twists on desserts, including cherry almond macarons, chocolate-dipped cherry marshmallows and a Maker’s Mark chocolate cherry cone sundae. Cake prices range from $45 for whole cakes to $6.50 for a slice, pies are $28 for a whole and $5.50 for a slice, and cookies and macarons are $2 each or $2.75 for chocolate-dipped. Customers can place special orders three days in advance.
In honor of National Fried Chicken Day on Wednesday, July 6, both locations of MAX’s Wine Dive, 4720 Washington Avenue, 214 Fairview, will run a contest to offer one guest (per location) a Fried Chicken “Golden Ticket.” The “Golden Ticket” will be redeemable for one free plate of MAX’s Wine Dive’s southern fried chicken per month for one year. Guests can enter by filling out an online form including their name and e-mail address, starting Friday, July 1 until midnight on Wednesday. Winning guests will be notified at noon on Thursday, July 7.
On Friday, July 8 beginning at 5:30 p.m., Pappas Bros. Steakhouse, 5839 Westheimer, will host its annual summer tasting featuring Burgundy, France’s top producers of wine. As that wine region is the birthplace of Chardonnay, guests will have the opportunity to taste expressions that only that noble grape can deliver. Cost is $110 per guest, plus tax and gratuity. For reservations, call 713-780-7352.
Eight Row Flint, 1039 Yale, is hosting a summer outdoor cooking Series, spotlighting Agricole Hospitality’s rising culinary stars. Revival Market, Coltivare and Eight Row Flint cooks and sous chefs will be given a chance to grill, cook with fire and step outside the daily menus of their restaurants. On Tuesdays — July 12, 19 and 26 — Coltivare line cook Jacob Pate is making jerk chicken and punch. Most events will take place on Tuesday nights when both Coltivare and Revival Market are closed (Revival Market closes daily at 4 p.m.). All food service begins at 5 p.m. and continues until they sell out. The regular menu is always available as well.
Pastry chef Rebecca Masson’s “Dinner with My Friends” series continues at Fluff Bake Bar, 314 Gray, on Monday, July 11. The collaborative six-course dinner features chef Emmanuel Chavez of Houston pop-up restaurant Brink Dining. The dinner is $85 per person, with an optional $45 wine pairing. Only 24 seats are available. Call the shop at 713-522-1900 to reserve your spot.
Rainbow Lodge, 2011 Ella, will be hosting its monthly wine event on Wednesday, July 13 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The "La Tour de France, Part Deux: Bastille Day Party" features dishes such as duck liver mousse with crostini and stone fruit chutney and braised lamb belly with pistachio pistou. Cost is $35 per person and includes, wine, food, tax and service. Reservations are required and can be made by calling 713-861-8666.