Houston’s 5 Best Weekend Food Bets: Head to the Island for Galveston Restaurant Week

Here’s a look at this weekend’s best culinary happenings:

Saturday, January 26 is Australia Day, and Platypus Brewing will be celebrating with special beers and Aussie food (including Aussie meat pies). Sip brews like the Troppo, an American Wheat Ale with Australian mango and passion fruit; and the Bobby Dazzler, an Australian Blonde Ale brewed with local Houston honey and Australian topaz hops. 

SoléAna Stables is once again pairing with Yellow Rose Distilling for an evening of whiskey and fundraising. Guests can expect music by DJ Freddy B, savory bites provided by Texas Biergarten, tours of Yellow Rose Distilling and award-winning whiskeys to enjoy. Tickets are $100 per person ($75 for designated driver) and the event is 21-and-up. Proceeds go directly to the continued development of SoléAna Stables, a non-profit organization that provides equine therapeutic riding to individuals with special needs in the greater Houston area. 

The island-style restaurant week returns, with a lineup of Galveston restaurants offering two and three-course meals for a cause. This year, Galveston Restaurant Week eatery has committed to help Access Care of Coastal Texas provide nutritious weekly lunches to persons with HIV or AIDS. Two and/or three-course dinners will be priced between $20 and $35; and two-course lunches, breakfasts and brunches will cost between $10 and $20. See the entire roster of participating restaurants online. 

Callebaut and Houston Food Finder have teamed up to celebrate our Houston Chocolate Heroes. On Saturday, enjoy a special chocolate creation from Memorial Bakery. The bakery has created a Mochaccino Mousse Cake, a layered dessert with chocolate chiffon on the bottom, chocolate mousse on top and a coffee gelatin filling in the middle. During the event, guests can enjoy samples, and if you buy one Mochaccino Mousse Cake, you’ll get one free. On Sunday, chocolate lovers can sample a special chocolate creation from executive chef Rakesh Nayak of Common Bond. The Chocolate Sesame Cake Tart is a delicious sesame cake with whipped sesame and Earl Grey ganache with a hint of chai caramel. The dessert will be available through Sunday, February 10, but during the event, guests get a free six-pack of Common Bond macarons with the purchase of each Sesame Cake Tart. Check out HoustonFoodFinder to discover more Chocolate Heroes events and see participating locations that use Callebaut fine Belgian chocolate.

As part of the ongoing Texas Txotx 2019 Basque wine celebration, Camerata will host natural wine importer Álvaro de la Viña and Gaitlin’s BBQ chef Michelle Wallace for a Basque-inspired barbecue. Guests can enjoy platters with one protein and two sides for $18, and at 6 p.m., Camerata will host the third-annual porrón-pouring competition.  

This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2019.