Here’s a look at this week’s hottest culinary happenings:
Tuesday, April 20
420 Specials at Mellow Mushroom
Mellow Mushroom is celebrating 4/20 with select $4.20 Munchies, available for online orders all day at order.mellowmushroom.com. The pizza joint will also be giving away 420 of the newly introduced Merry Prankster pie (size small) at 4:20 p.m. ET on the Mellow Mushroom Instagram page.
Wednesday, April 21
Earth Day at White Rhino Cocktail Bar
Beam Suntory and White Rhino Cocktail Bar, 319 Milby, are hosting a free tree giveaway from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. in celebration of Earth Day. Guests can pick up a free tree at White Rhino along with a gift bag of sustainable items, plus experience a curated cocktail menu for the occasion.
Thursday, April 22
Courtyard Social: Crawfish Boil at Brennan’s of Houston
Brennan’s of Houston, 3300 Smith, will host a Courtyard Social: Crawfish Boil from 6 to 8 p.m. Guests are invited to celebrate spring with a Texas-Creole Crawfish Boil (with all the fixin’s) out in the restaurant’s picturesque courtyard. Tickets are $40 per person and include all-you-can-eat crawfish and a selection of sides. The event is rain-or-shine.
Friday, April 23
National Picnic Day
Local restaurants have teamed up with the Buffalo Bayou Partnership to create special al fresco dining packages and picnic options in honor of National Picnic Day, and all participating restaurants will donate proceeds from each NPD offering to the organization. Confirmed participants for 2021 include BOH Pasta & Pizza, Common Bond, Frank’s Americana Revival, La Lucha, Loch Bar & Ouzo Bay, Ouisie’s Table, Picnic on the Green, Pondicheri, Postino Wine Café, Safina Mediterranean, The Blind Goat, The Grove, and Xin Chao. The idea is to head to a local park to enjoy the picnic, and those who’d like to document the experience can use the social media hashtag #HtownPicnicDay.
Saturday, April 24
Crawfish Boil at Goode Company Armadillo Palace
From noon to 4 p.m., Goode Company Armadillo Palace, 5015 Kirby, will host an open-to-all crawfish boil in partnership with Young Professionals in Energy. Attendees can enjoy unlimited crawfish, corn and potatoes, plus live music and dancing. Pre-sale tickets are $35 until April 19, and $45 between April 20-24. A portion of the event proceeds will go towards YPE’s community outreach initiatives.
Virtual Wine Tasting with Agricole Hospitality
The team at Agricole Hospitality will host a virtual wine tasting beginning at 4 p.m., and featuring four-ounce samples of six different wines from Marchesi Antinori. Tasting kits are $65 and also include a Revival Market Snack Box.? ?Wines can be picked up that day from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Revival Market, 550 Heights.
Tequila & Wine Dinner at Alicia’s Mexican Grille Spring
Alicia’s Mexican Grille, 20920 Kuykendahl will host a multi-course Tequila & Wine Dinner at its Spring location at 7 p.m. Dine on tequila and wine-paired dishes such as spring salad with watermelon fig balsamic, filet with porcini mushroom agave demi glace and mini banana crostata with tequila-infused cajeta. Cost is $75++ per person.
All month long
Complimentary Kids Meals at select Galleria restaurants
Galleria restaurants including Blanco Tacos + Tequila, La Madeleine Country French Café, Peli Peli South African Kitchen, Poke Fresh and Shake Shack are currently offering free kids meals with the purchase of an adult entrée. Families simply need to mention the offer to redeem between now and May 31.
Fight Hunger. End Waste. with Second Servings
Local food rescue nonprofit Second Servings has created the inaugural “Fight Hunger. End Waste.” food and beverage series, held during the month of April in honor of Stop Food Waste Day on April 28. Throughout the month, 15 of Houston’s favorite restaurants — including One Fifth, Local Foods, 93’ Til, Roots Wine Bar, Hando, El Topo and more — will showcase a zero-waste dish or cocktail, each with a small donation attached to benefit Second Servings. For every dollar donated, $50 worth of food is delivered to a local charity through Second Servings’ food rescue efforts.
Kids Meals Inc. Fundraiser at Etoile Cuisine et Bar
Over at Etoile, 1101-11 Uptown Park, chef Philippe Verpiand has created two special prix fixe menus, one for dinner and one for weekend brunch, to raise funds for the restaurant’s charity of the month: For Kids Meals Inc. and its mission to end childhood hunger in Houston. The cost for this dinner is $65 per person plus tax and gratuity, with $7 going to charity; and the special brunch menu on Saturday and Sundays is three courses for $36 per person plus tax and gratuity, providing $4 to the program for each one sold.
Taco of the Month at Torchy’s Tacos
Torchy’s fan-favorite Scallywag Taco is back as April’s Taco of the Month. Available for $6.50, the Scallywag features coconut-battered shrimp, bacon, green chiles, freshly grated jack cheese, pickled onions and cilantro with scratch-made peach habanero jam on a flour tortilla.
New and ongoing specials
Green Hour at Brasserie du Parc
Brasserie du Parc, 1440 Lamar, has introduced new Happy Hour offerings during its Green Hour (a nod to the time of day in 19th century Paris when Parisians drank absinthe). Small bites, like mini sandwiches, crepes, chicken wings and cheese plates run from $4 to $18; and classic and signature cocktails like Day Drinker’s Julep and are $6, as are house wines and beers. The Green Hour will run from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Spring Classes at Central Market
The CM Cooking School has announced its schedule of spring classes at Central Market, 3815 Westheimer, with topics including Make & Take: Tamales (Wednesday, April 21), Meatless Meals From a Greek Garden (Wednesday, April 28) and more.
Fried Chicken Picnics at Love Shack
Chef Tim Love’s Love Shack, 3709 Eastside, at Levy Park has launched Fried Chicken Picnic baskets for guests to enjoy this spring. Each basket includes a whole hot or cold fried chicken, smoked white fish dip with homemade chips and potato salad. Orders can be placed in advance and picked up at Love Shack, available Wednesday through Friday from 4 to 9 p.m., and Saturday-Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
“Hot Chick” Sandwich at The Tasting Room and Max’s Wine Dive
Corporate executive chef Beto Gutierrez is bringing the heat with his own take on Nashville’s hot chicken sandwich, available at The Tasting Room, 818 Town and Country, and Max’s Wine Dive, 214 Fairview, 4720 Washington. Made with a spicy fried chicken breast, kale slaw, house pickles and lemon aioli on a brioche, the “Hot Chick” sandwich sells for $13 and comes with a side of fries (you can also add bacon for $3 and cheese for $2).
This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2021.
