Upcoming Houston Food Events: Wine Flights and the Return of Latin Restaurant Weeks

Mark your calendars, because you don’t want to miss these deliciously fun culinary happenings:

Julep owner Alba Huerta and Big Ice HTX owner Luis Villegas have teamed up to open a retail shop celebrating all things cocktail. Located in the 1,000-square-foot private room off the Julep patio, Ready To Drink, 1919 Washington, offers 100 bottled classic and modern classic cocktails on the shelf—Negronis, Martinis, Old Fashioneds and Bees Knees, in addition to things like large format ice in a variety of shapes and sizes,mixers and cocktail garnishes, shakers, jiggers and fun stuff like Prosecco gummies, Negroni soap, whiskey-flavored popcorn and mimosa lollipops. The shop will be open daily from 4 to 9 p.m.

Now through the end of May, InterContinental Houston-Medical Center, 6750 Main, is joining executive chef Kevin Tien of the Moon Rabbit restaurant at the InterContinental Washington D.C. – The Wharf to raise awareness and combat the recent rise in hate and violence against the AAPI community. Hotel guests and diners at seven InterContinental Hotel & Resorts properties across the country are invited to enjoy a special dish crafted by Tien – Kampachi Crudo – with sales of the dish benefiting Stop AAPI Hate. The Kampachi Crudo features Hawaiian Kampachi sliced into six sashimi pieces, atop segments of cara cara oranges, with nuoc cham, citrus oil, cilantro and yuzu tobiko.

National Wine Day is Tuesday, May 25, and Mutiny Wine Room, 1124 Usener, is offering a special educational wine flight, MWR Flight #750, for $7.50 (normally $15) from 4 to 6 p.m. Those who partake in the flight can get a 50-percent discount on any bottles purchased for on-premise consumption and/or retail (three bottle max per guest).

Update 9:42 a.m. The Tour de France wine dinner will be rescheduled to the end of June, as The Annie has been forced to close due to a hood fire and water damage. The Annie Café & Bar, 1800 Post Oak, will host a Tour de France five-course wine pairing dinner and presentation with master sommelier Jack Mason on Tuesday, May 25, beginning with passed hors d’oeuvres and champagne at 6:30 p.m. followed by a seated dinner in its beautiful Post Oak Room. The dinner is $295/person, which excludes tax and 20-percent gratuity. Call 713-804-1800 or RSVP on OpenTable Experiences.

On Wednesday, May 26, B&B Butchers & Restaurant, 1814 Washington, invites guests for an exclusive wine pairing dinner with Far Niente and Nickel & Nickel Wineries on its second floor and patio. Guests will enjoy passed hors d’oeuvres upon arrival at 6:30 p.m., followed by a five-course menu Tickets are $275/person, excluding tax and 20-percent gratuity. Call 713-862-1814.

From Tuesday, June 1 through Monday, June 14, Latin Restaurant Weeks will continue its mission to elevate and aid Houston’s Latin and Latin-owned culinary businesses who are on the road to post pandemic recovery, offering a two-week menu showcase of more than 45 Houston area restaurants with prix-fixe options ranging from $15-$50 and available for dine-in, takeout or delivery. Returning participants include Cafe Piquet, La Fisheria, Pablo’s Restaurant & Club and Tony’s Tex Mex, with exciting newcomers including Harris County General Store BBQ, Paisas Chicken, Roasti Pollo and La Selva Taqueria. LRW is accepting restaurant participants until May 24. To register, visit the site or e-mail eat@latinrestaurantweeks.com

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This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2021.