Americas in River Oaks will host a Jordan Wine Dinner on Tuesday, August 5, beginning with a reception at 6:30 p.m., followed by the seated dinner at 7 p.m. For $195, each person will receive four main courses paired with a wine from the Jordan Vineyard & Winery, plus dessert. The regional sales director, Brad Butcher, will be in attendance to discuss the wines as well. Guests will first be served a scallop with sunchoke and candied lemon, paired with a 2012 Chardonnay. The next course includes sea bass topped with popcorn crema, and served with char-grilled corn and tempura mushroom, paired with a 2001 and 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon. Next, a parillada mixta consisting of beef tenderloin churrasco with chimichurri grilled sweet breads, chorizo, fingerling potatoes and pickled onion béarnaise; this course is paired with a 2003 and 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon from magnum. The final savory course includes a variety of quesos: smoked panela, black bean and manchego, and salted caramel cabrales blue cheesecake, all paired with a 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon. Dessert features an almond praline meringue with lemongrass ice, whipped tres leches and condensed milk. Reserve your seat by calling the restaurant at 832-200-1492, or emailing [email protected].
The 19th Annual Hatch Chile Festival kicks off at Central Market on Wednesday August 6. For the next two weeks (until Tuesday, August 19), the specialty grocery store will roast, sample and sell a multitude of Hatch chiles and foods made with the spicy peppers. Central Market will bring in more than 125 tons of green chiles from Hatch, New Mexico. Buy them fresh, watch them get roasted outside and see if you can handle the heat. Don't forget to collect a lot of recipes from sample stations -- can you say Hatch chile margaritas?
Movie Night at No Label Brewing Co. will be Friday, August 8, and the brewery will be showing a classic film from the 1980s -- The Breakfast Club. For $15, each person will get to watch the movie and will receive a pint glass to fill up with beer. Grab a fried shrimp pita pocket or Asian chicken wrap with loaded fries from Pocket to Me food truck (not included in ticket price) then snap some pics of you and your friends dressed up in '80s gear at the photo booth. The fun starts at 7:30 p.m.
Sundown at The Grove continues through September 17, but for a twist on the classic brews normally offered at Sundown, Wednesday, August 13, will feature a flight of ciders during "Cider Night." Cider is an alcoholic beverage fermented from apple juice, so it's a little bit sweeter than other beers. Sample ciders from Johnny Appleseed, Stella Cidre and Woodchuck, then grab plates of food specifically paired with each 4-ounce pour from the chefs at The Grove. Sundown begins at 5:30 p.m. and lasts until 8 p.m. Tickets cost $15 for a flight and food, or you can exchange the beer flight for two glasses of wine for the same price.
The Landry's Summer Chef Series comes to a close on Wednesday, August 13, at 7 p.m., and it's going out with a bang. Each of the Landry's Signature Group chefs will prepare a course (some in pairs) for the grand finale dinner served at Vic & Anthony's Steakhouse; each course will be paired with wine. The appetizer, prepared by Willie G's and The Oceanaire, features Cajun baked Gulf oyster and Creole BBQ Gulf white shrimp. Morton's the Steakhouse and McCormick & Schmick's will create the salad consisting of pickled yellow watermelon, Texas heirloom tomatoes, Harrison Hog Farms pork belly confit croutons, Pure Luck Farms goat feta cheese, micro arugula and chervil, all tossed in a wild cherry balsamic reduction from Texas Hill Country Olive Oil Company. Next, guests will be served Gulf golden tile (fish) with saffron and summer squash angolotti, and a brown butter and pea puree with micro basil, prepared by Brenner's Steakhouse & Grotto. The pasta course (La Griglia and Brenner's on the Bayou) features ravioli stuffed with Black Hills Meats pork with wilted spinach and pancetta topped with a tomato and chanterelle mushroom sauce. The Oceanaire will serve the intermezzo of Rio Grande Valley ruby red grapefruit and tequila sorbet with candied jalapeno. Vic & Anthony's will cook the entrée of bacon-wrapped Texas Longhorn ribeye filet topped with Mulberry glaze with a sweet potato hash and smoked yogurt. Finally, Eunice Grassa, the Landry's Signature Group pastry chef, will create the peaches n' creamsicle dessert made of vanilla and peach semi-fredo, peach sorbet, almond and pistachio Florentine, and honey-glazed grilled peaches. Purchase tickets to this special dinner for $150 per person.
