Here’s a look at this week’s hottest culinary happenings:
Monday, January 15
MLK Monday Brunch at Daily Gather
Daily Gather, 800 Sorella, will offer its weekend brunch menu on Martin Luther King Jr. Day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Essential eats include the Pastry Board, Smoked Salmon Board, Ultimate Brunch Board, Cheesy Bacon Benedict and Biscuits & Gravy.
Tuesday, January 16
Pahlmeyer Napa Valley Wine Dinner at Marmo
Guests are invited to a Pahlmeyer Napa Valley Wine Dinner at Marmo, 888 Westheimer, on Tuesday, January 16 at 6:30 p.m. The five-course dinner features Pahlmeyer wines and tastes from rich pasta to buttery Texas wagyu. Tickets are $300 per person and seating is limited.
Thursday, January 18
High Society THC Dinner at Mussaafer
Bayou City Hemp and 8th Wonder Cannabis will celebrate Dry January and the growing trend of “Texas Sober” with a THC dining series, aptly titled “High Society.” The first of four dinner experiences will debut on Thursday, January 18 at Musaafer, 5115 Westheimer, featuring an eight-course meal with mocktails infused with THC. Guests will be able to choose from a low-dose and high-dose option, with dinner beginning at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $149 per person plus tax and gratuity.
Saturday, January 20
Dolly Day at The Truck Yard
Honoring the birthday of the one-and-only Miss Dolly Parton, Truck Yard, 2118 Lamar, will host its Dolly Day celebration, with Dolly themed drinks, a Dolly impersonator, Dolly lookalike contest, Dolly cover band and more. Patrons can “Be a Doll” and donate new or gently used children’s books for a special prize.
Dolly Brunch at The Union Kitchen
All five The Union Kitchen locations will celebrate Dolly Parton’s 78th birthday with a themed brunch this Saturday. In addition to its regular brunch menu, guests can enjoy specials like The Jolene cocktail, with mezcal, fresh lime, muddled mandarin, agaveand a black salt brim; Puddin’ Parfait, a banana pudding parfait made with fresh bananas, vanilla yogurt and vanilla wafers; and the 9 to 5 Special, inspired by Parton’s famous biscuits and milk gravy recipe. Guests are invited to bring a new children’s book to donate to local nonprofit Casa de Esperanza and its mission to provide a safe and loving home for children and families facing difficult circumstances. Reservations are recommended.
All month long
$99 Dine Deal at Brennan’s
Brennan’s of Houston, 3300 Smith, has brought back its $99 Dinner for Two for the month of January, with a three-course menu of its fan favorite Creole specialties for $99. Prix-fixe selections include essential starters like snapping turtle soup and jumbo lump crab ravigote (+$6), mains such as mushroom “a la Bourguignon” an wood-grilled filet mignon (+$9), and dessert choices from the classic Creole bead pudding to its famous bananas foster. Guests can select a bottle of wine for $30 (with purchase of $99 dinner) or receive $30 off any bottle from the full wine list.
Pizza Series Partnership: PX Project at Vinny’s
Vinny’s Pizza, 1201 Saint Emanuel, has announced its ninth pizza series partnership, featuring a collab with PX Project and a specialty PX Pizza offered by the slice and pie throughout the month of January. The pie features fresh mozzarella, capicola, sweet Italian sausage, pepperonata and oregano, and is finished off with toasted fennel seed and cracked black pepper. A portion of proceeds will support the PX Project’s mission of using food as a vehicle to foster employability skills through skill acquisition and self-development.
New and seasonal specials
Dry January Mocktails
Whether you’re trying to focus on wellness by limiting alcohol or simply enjoy sipping an excellent mocktail, check out our 2024 Houston Dry January guide to find the many Houston bars and restaurants offering zero-proof alternatives to your favorite cocktails this month.
King’s Cake at Etoile Cuisine et Bar
Etoile Cuisine et Bar, 1101-11 Uptown Park, will offer Galette de Rois — the French version of the Mardi Gras classic King’s Cake — now through January 31. Chef Philippe Verpiand will be baking dozens of the crown-shaped puff pastry cakes filled with a buttery, almond cream for pickup. Each cake feeds 6-8 people for $40 plus tax. Orders must be made 24 hours in advance by calling 832-668-5808.
Spring 2024 Cooking Classes at The J
The Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center (aka The J) has introduced the Spring 2024 class schedule at its new Culinary Studio, kicking off with a “Food and Celebration Entertaining” class on Thursday, January 18 at 7 p.m. Other hands-on cooking classes in the lineup include Meal-Prep Masterclass: Prep, Cook, Enjoy! (January 25), “Chinese Lunar New Year; Year of the Dragon” (February 1), and “Challah Baking: Knead to Know” (February 8). See the full schedule and register for classes online.
25th Anniversary at Tiff’s Treat
O.G. warm cookie delivery company Tiff’s Treats is celebrating its 25th anniversary this month, growing to over 100 locations across the country since its inception in Austin in 1999. To celebrate, its introducing two new items — Birthday Confetti Cookies (a sugar cookie with confetti sprinkles and white chocolate chips) and the Chocolate Birthday Cake Bar, sold for a limited time in January and featuring Tiff’s Treats’ Double Chocolate cookie dough with cake flavorings, baked with semi-sweet chocolate chips, white chips and rainbow sprinkles inside and out.
This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2024.
