Mark your calendars, because you don’t want to miss these deliciously fun culinary happenings:
New winter menu items have dropped at Relish Restaurant & Bar, 2810 Westheimer. Warm up with cioppino, a tomato fennel white wine broth with snapper, salmon, scallops, mussels, shrimp, fresh herbs and grilled bread; get cozy with a bowl of butternut squash cavatelli with pork sausage, roasted butternut squash, tomato, sage, pumpkin seeds and Parmigiano Reggiano; and enjoy side dishes that reflect the season, from winter root vegetables with parsnips, squash and apple cider vinegar to creamed spinach with ham and lots of melty cheese.
CRAVE, 5600 Kirby, 1151 Uptown Park, 2501 Research Forest, continues its “12 Days of CRAVEMAS” promotion now through Monday, December 24. Guests can expect a different special each day, including buy-some-get-one-free offers, special deals on treats, holiday giveaways and gift card promotions.
Bistro Provence, 13616 Memorial, will celebrate a night with Châteauneuf-du-Pape, a five-course feast and holiday tribute to a famed Rhone Valley wine on Tuesday, December 18 beginning at 7 p.m. Enjoy courses such as salmon blinis, lobster ravioli in lobster bisque sauce, small greens with smoked duck magret and walnut oil, boeuf Bourguignon and chocolate surprise paired with selected wines from Chateauneuf-du-Pape, the historic village in the southern Rhone Valley. Cost is $110 plus tax and gratuity. Reservations require a $50 deposit via PayPal. Call 713-827-8008 or email [email protected].
Backstreet Café, 1103 South Shepherd, will be hosting a special three-course holiday lunch on Wednesday, December 19 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dine on choices such as duck spring rolls, sherried wild mushroom soup, red corn chicken enchiladas, bucatini with shrimp and warm bread pudding with cardamom-cinnamon ice cream.
La Table, 1800 Post Oak, will host Brunch with Santa on Saturday, December 22 and Sunday, December 23 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Chateau. Guests are invited to celebrate the holiday season with food and activities for the whole family (including gingerbread house decorating and photo opps with Mr. Clause), plus a special family-style brunch menu featuring signature favorites like Orange Brioche French Toast. Brunch with Santa is $55 per person and includes one complimentary mimosa for adults and one gingerbread house per child.
Pappy Day returns to Eight Row Flint, 1039 Yale, on Wednesday, December 26. For the third year in a row, the local hangout will sell its entire allocation of Pappy Wan Winkle at cost. Prices will range from $6 for one-and-a-half ounce of Old Rip Van Winkle 10 year to $30 for one-and-a-half ounce of Pappy 23. The event begins at 2 p.m., and everyone that walks in the door will be given a wrist band and a number, based on arrival time. The bar will limit of one Pappy per person to spread the Pappy love around.