Houston is a third of the way through summer, if you don't count September, a month which takes its sweet time to cool down. With a promised break in the heat wave that has held us in its steamy hands for nearly two weeks, we are once again heading outdoors looking for refreshment and fun.

This past weekend my husband, Classic Rock Bob, and I found ourselves with no chores, no houseguests and no plans other than looking for something cold to drink. When we saw that The Rustic has a daily summer happy hour with frozen cocktails, we had to check it out. Happy Hour is every day during the summer from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. It's rare to find happy hour weekend specials and the menu at The Rustic seemed like a great deal.
I have been to the downtown location of the bar, restaurant and live music venue before and found the food surprisingly good. However, the parking can be a pain so we decided to try the uptown location on a sunny Saturday afternoon. Because it was the weekend, the traffic was only slightly horrible and we easily found parking in the Uptown Park Boulevard center.

We walked into The Rustic to find a lingering brunch crowd. We noticed the bar itself was full, so we sat ourselves at a cocktail high-top. It wasn't very comfortable. The bar stool had no back and for a short person like me, I felt like I was vaulting myself onto it. It was also rather toasty in the bar area. The Rustic is an indoor-outdoor venue so I expected it to be a little warm but the uncomfortable seating made me search for another option.
Our first hostess had seemed a little confused about seating but another found us a great booth in the restaurant area because, fortunately, happy hour extends to the whole dining room. We were also blessedly seated under an air conditioning vent. We scanned the QR code on the plastic happy hour insert and decided on a couple of drinks and dishes.
Classic Rock Bob went for the regular frozen house margarita ($5) while I opted for the Legendary Margarita ($9) because it comes with a mango pop and I am a popsicle fiend. The house margarita is made with blue agave tequila blanco, Jalisco 1562 (an orange liqueur) and fresh lime. The Legendary Rustic Rita is made with Socorro Blanco.

When our server returned with our cocktails, I knew I was about to be very happy indeed. CRB's rita was pretty potent, as was mine, but I had the bonus of a cold popsicle to keep my large goblet of slush from melting quickly.
Our three dishes came out very quickly so the team at The Rustic have the happy hour system down pat. The Texas Tamales ($5) had two different tamales on the plate, though we didn't know that at first. My companion had the brisket tamale and despite not being a big beef eater, he was digging the smoky meat. I had the chicken version which was not what one would expect from a tamale. Yes, it was in a husk but it was more like corn spoon bread with smoked chicken thigh meat on top. The sweetness of the corn kernels and the bits of green chile worked well with the smokiness and I was quite happy with it until I realized CRB's tamale was made with brisket. We would have to order a second plate.
The Cracklin' Deviled Eggs ($5) were true to their name and had crispy pork skin garnishes on top. It was a pretty arrangement. While the eggs were good, they could have used a little more seasoning or maybe I am just a fool for pickle bits in my deviled eggs, which these did not have. When I tried my first egg, I had eaten the pork crackling first, then the egg itself. On my second egg, I ate the pork skin with the egg and that made a huge difference. So, as much as the lure of crispy pork fat is by itself, I recommend eating it with the egg.
The Wild Boar Meatballs ($5) had just enough gaminess to differentiate itself from classic beef and pork. There were six little juicy orbs (I really don't want to say juicy balls) and they were sat atop a sauce of jalapeno jelly. The sweetness of the sauce worked beautifully with the slightly gamey meat and it had just enough subtle heat while not knocking anyone's socks off. It was sort of a Texas version of lamb with mint jelly.

It's very common in the south to find the ubiquitous block of cream cheese covered in homemade jalapeno jelly on the potluck table. Well, forget the cream cheese. Next time my husband's co-worker gives us a jar of her jalapeno jam, I am going to mooch some wild boar meat from my brother Cowboy Clint and try making this dish myself.

My Legendary Margarita was twice the size of CRB's house rita so I was still enjoying mine when he ordered a second. He is a man of simple tastes and I could not convince him to try something different. If he is happy with something, he sticks with it. I guess that says something good about me.
Because I had not tried the brisket tamale, we ordered a second happy hour plate of the Texas Tamales and a small side of French fries with jalapeno ranch. They appeared quickly and the fries were still very hot. That didn't stop CRB from immediately digging in. I have known the man since we were teenagers and I have learned that sharing French fries or chile con queso with him usually does not work in my favor.

This time around, he got the chicken tamale and I ate the brisket one. The brisket was tender and smoky with a bit of rather unnecessary cheese sauce on top. It's only a couple of bites of brisket but it is the happy hour version. Considering the cost of brisket and even the cheapest tamales nowadays, this is a bargain. And a delicious one at that.
We had finally reached our eating capacity and probably our frozen drink limit as well but I wasn't driving. I ordered the Frose for me and a glass of water for CRB. The Frose is a good option for those who prefer something sweeter than a margarita. The sugariness of the strawberry sorbet blended well with the slightly tart taste of rose wine.

There are also a couple of other $5 happy hour cocktails including a frozen Mule and The Rustic's Tito's Lemonade made with Tito's vodka, Jalisco 1562 and the house-made lemonade. Though not on the happy hour menu, there are zero-proof mocktails like the Desert Pear Spritz and Hibiscus Mockarita for $4.95.
Around 4 p.m., a single performer with a guitar took the stage. He opened with Charley Pride's "Kiss an Angel Good Morning" which pleased both my companion and me. He didn't introduce himself but just continued playing a mix of older country songs with a few newer ones thrown in. The volume was at just the right level for diners to be able to converse but also enjoy the ambient sounds of The Oakridge Boys' "Elvira." That song prompted CRB to put a few bucks in the tip jar.
While some Houstonians may think of The Rustic as "that place from Dallas," it really is a welcoming concept for people who enjoy a mix of country music and Southern food with a Texas vibe. While its dinner menu can be pricey, the summer happy hour deals are a great bargain. And the food and drink are really good. You don't get a half-ass charcuterie board with stale crackers, a couple slices of cheese and handful of nuts. The happy hour menu is small but efficient. And guests can always add a starter or two off the regular menu if need be.

Classic Rock Bob and I foresee coming here a few more times over the summer. We might even check out its reasonably-priced weekend brunch, soon. Maybe you'll see us there.

I will be the one with the popsicle.

The Rustic Post Oak
1121 Uptown Park Boulevard
832-321-7775
therustic.com