Mark your calendars, because you don’t want to miss these deliciously fun culinary happenings:
Art of Cellaring, 2301 Portsmouth, hosts the LoireFest 2017 Grand Finale celebration on Saturday, July 29, from 3 to 6 p.m. with Master Sommelier David Keck — who founded the monthlong event honoring the summer-friendly wines of the Loire Valley back in 2015. Keck teams up with somm and chef Erin Smith Feges and her husband/chef Patrick Feges for a whole-hog feast, including Asian cucumber salad, pit beans and coleslaw, and sliced bread and buns along with tons of wine. Importers, distributors and winemakers will all be onsite to share their best bottles with guests, including Bill Fitch and Byron Bates from Goatboy Imports. Expect lots of wines to purchase and sample from the portfolios of JD Headrick, Louis Dressner, Kermit Lynch, Vineyard Brands and more. Entry is $30 and tickets can be reserved online now.
Bernie’s Burger Bus in the Heights, 2200 Yale, is celebrating its grand opening on Monday, July 31, from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. The Bernie’s team will be giving away 100 free “The Principal” burgers to the first 100 people in line, beginning at 11 a.m., plus offering a lineup of special surprises throughout the day, including giveaways, a high school marching band from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. and an all-day “Cut Class” happy hour featuring beer, wine, cocktails and boozy milkshakes.
One Fifth Steak, 1658 Westheimer, is celebrating its last night of service with one final family meal on Monday, July 31. Every night before dinner service, the cooks prepare a meal for each other as a way to break bread together before the craziness of a shift. And on its final night as a steakhouse concept, the staff is inviting the public to join in on the fun. Guests will be entirely in the kitchen’s hands, as there is no menu. Cost is $85 per person and reservations can be made online.
On Thursday, August 3, from 10 a.m. to noon, Araya Artisan Chocolate, 2013 West Gray, will be hosting a children’s chocolate class. The kids will learn about the history of chocolate and how chocolate is made, taste different varieties of chocolate and cacao beans, learn the essential techniques of tempering and molding chocolate, and make their own chocolate masterpieces to take home. All the equipment will be provided, including disposable chef hats and aprons. Cost is $25 per child.
Bosscat Kitchen & Libations, 4310 Westheimer, has introduced a new lunch menu, with a focus on light, fresh fare using locally sourced ingredients. After developing relationships with local farmers, chef Peter Petro has created a menu that represents a major departure from Bosscat’s dinner and brunch menus, where items like the Bosscat burger, red velvet churros, pork belly poutine, Fruity Pebbles French toast and sticky bun burger reign supreme. Everything is priced at $15 or less, with an array of salads, bowls and wraps, including a 44 Farms Korean-style skirt steak Seoul Bowl with brown rice and kimchi; and a Power Spinach Salad with roasted pears, almonds, red cabbage, onions, grapes and balsamic. The lunch menu will be available six days a week (Monday through Saturday) from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Enjoy an Indian Summer Pop-Up at Pondicheri, 2800 Kirby, on Friday, August 4, from 7 to 9 p.m. The intimate dinner will highlight the best street foods of India. Seating is limited to 16 people and cost is $135 per person, including food, wine, gratuity and tax.
Save the date: Southern Smoke tickets go on sale next Monday, August 7, at noon. The charity event, which raises money for the MS Society, will be held at Underbelly, 1100 Westheimer, on Sunday, October 22. Expect a dream team of Southern chefs and pitmasters cooking out unforgettable fare, with a massive street party to boot.
And don’t forget: Reservations are now open for Houston Restaurant Weeks, which raises funds for the Houston Food Bank. Check out our guide to this year’s Best HRW Deals, from steakhouse dinner to Big Easy brunch.
This article appears in Jul 13-19, 2017.
