Upcoming Houston Food Events: Family Meals, Date Nights and Christmas in July

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

Caracol, 2200 Post Oak, has added two botana (meaning appetizer or snack) family meals to its menu, spotlighting the coastal Mexican kitchen’s popular seafood items. Features include the Botana Caracol, with a dozen camarones a la talla (wood-grilled head-on shrimp), half-dozen ostiones asados (wood-roasted Gulf oysters with chipotle butter), pulpo al carbon (grilled octopus with chipotle tomatillo sauce) and a dozen small blue corn tortillas; or the Botana Costeña, with a pint of red snapper ceviche, a pound of boiled shrimp with chipotle mayo and cocktail sauce, and a half-dozen Gulf oysters on-the-half-shell with salsa bruja and lime. Other offerings include family meals to-go, a la carte dishes, desserts and new seasonal items from fire-roasted Ruby Red shrimp to peach and blueberry empanadas. The restaurant is open for both dine-in and takeout.

Backstreet Cafe, 1103 South Shepherd, is offering a new Friday Night Date Night Package for $68 plus tax. The three-course dinner for two features a watermelon salad with arugula, feta cheese, red onion, lemon vinaigrette; braised short ribs with red wine sauce, bbq baked beans and sautéed kale; and a choice of butterscotch bread pudding or blueberry-peach crisp for dessert. Order online or by calling 713-521-2239 for curbside pickup (and tack on to-go wine and cocktail kits, too). Orders can also be delivered via Favor, Postmates, GrubHub, UberEats and Waitr, and the restaurant offers direct delivery to the following areas for a $7 delivery fee: 77006, 77019, 77098, 77007, 77002, 77010, 77008 and 77009. 

Buffalo Bayou Brewing Company, 2101 Summer, is turning its annual Christmas in July celebration into the “12 Days of #XMASINJULY” event, kicking off Saturday, July 25, with limited capacity dine-in reservations available for Santa’s stop each day.

Guests are invited to a Summer Wine Dinner at Ouisie’s Table, 3939 San Felipe, on Thursday, July 30. The four-course dinner ($55++ per person) will feature five paired rosé wines from around the world, with dishes including grilled prosciutto figs and watermelon salad, seafood bastille crisp, braised short ribs with bourbon reduction and an artisanal cheese plate. Unlike wine dinners held in the past, this one can be served at any time that evening reserved by the guests (parties no larger than six allowed). Masks are required going to and from tables and when moving about in the restaurant. Call 713-528-2264.

Throughout August, Kenny & Ziggy’s, 2327 Post Oak, will once again join Jewish delis across the nation in National Deli Month, a month-long effort to recognize the great American heritage of New York-style delicatessens. The famed Houston deli will be raising funds for Holocaust Museum Houston, offering a multi-choice, three-course menu during lunch and dinner for $38 plus tax and gratuity, with 10 percent of each meal sold going to the HMH. The special menu is available for both curbside pick-up or dine-in at the Post Oak location only (the West U location off Buffalo Speedway location will remain closed until a later date).