Here’s a look at this weekend’s best culinary happenings:
Brazoria County Crawfish Fesival @ MSR Houston Motor Speedway
Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
1 Performance (Angleton)
Hit this fun festival for hot and fresh at a cheap price, along with a killer lineup of Cajun dishes and classic festival fare. There will also be live zydeco, Texas country and classic rock bands, crawfish-eating contests and armadillo races, a huge selection of vendors of unique wares, arts and crafts, and a world-class carnival and children’s area. Tickets are $8 when purchased in advance and $10 day of. Three day passes are also available.
Free Portuguese Wine Tasting @ Oporto Fooding House & Wine
Friday, 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
125 West Gray #500
This awesome Portuguese-inspired food and wine bar is hosting two winemakers from Portugal for a special wine tasting event. Bernardo Lencastre of Casa de Vila Nova will serve and discuss his Douro Red Blend and Vinho Verde and Joao Rochette Alvares Ribeiro of Quinta da Vallado will pour his Douro Red, Touriga Nacional and Tawny Port 20 YR. The best part? It’s free.
Galveston Island Food & Wine Festival
Friday – Sunday
Spend the weekend at the 7th Annual Galveston Island Food & Wine Festival. On Friday, guests can enjoy a Premium Tasting ($108) showcasing bold Texas flavors paired with an exclusive selection of premium wines, held at the Davidson Ballroom at The Tremont House, 2300 Mechanic. Special guest celebrity Chef Robert Irvine will personally meet and greet attendees. Saturday’s big event is The Grand Tasting ($98) at Pier 21. The event features an impressive array of premium wines and inventive dishes presented as tapas style plates and a live demo from Chef Irvine. A special Sunday Brunch, featuring menu items created by Executive Chef Lance Fegen of Liberty Kitchen & Oyster Bar in Houston, at Hotel Galvez, 2024 Seawall, closes out the weekend with a bang. Tickets for the events can be purchased in advance online.
Saint Arnold Pub Crawl @ Sugar Land Town Square
Saturday, 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
15958 City Walk
Houston’s oldest craft brewery is taking its famous pub crawl down to Sugar Land, with their usual open house schedule for the first five stops – Baker Street Bar & Grill, Flying Saucer Draught Emprium, Guru Burgers & Crepes, Jupiter Pizza & Waffle Co., and Stadia Sports Grill. Pick up a ticket between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m., then hop around in any order before finishing up at World of Beer for an after-party and your well-earned commemorative pint glass.
Rare & Bold: A Pairing Experience @ Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar
Saturday, 6:30 pm
River Oaks: 2405 West Alabama; Town & Country: 788 W. Sam Houston Parkway North; Woodlands: 1201 Lake Woodlands
Fleming’s steak and wine experts have created a unique pairing experience for a one-night-only event, available at all three Houston-area locations. Guests will discover the distinct flavors between steak cuts and aging processes when paired with different types of Cabernet Sauvignon. The multi-course dinner costs $95 per person and features dishes such as Panko-Crusted French Brie Bites, Duo of Prime New York Strip & Filet Mignon, and Duo of Dry-Aged & Wet-Aged Prime Ribeye.
This article appears in Apr 14-20, 2016.
