From National Margarita Day festivities to a Heights crawfish boil, here’s a look at this week’s hottest culinary happenings:
All week long
National Margarita Day / Week at El Tiempo Cantina
In honor of National Margarita day and week, hit any location of El Tiempo Cantina to enjoy a special Herradura Silver on-the-rocks margarita for $9. And since you’re celebrating, add a Chambord topper for another $2.50.
Regional specials at Toulouse Cafe and Bar and Taverna
Toulouse, 4444 Westheimer E100, offers a special menu that whisks guests through Alsace, the Germanic region of France. The dishes can be ordered à la carte or as a tasting, with highlights including a Riesling-poached foie gras torchon with kumquat marmalade and a warm brioche pudding; a house-smoked Wyoming golden trout served with dill cucumber salad, crispy pumpernickel croutons and horseradish crème fraîche; and a classic Alsatian brioche cake with poached pear and crème anglaise. The three-course menu is $59, with an additional $20 for the wine pairing.
At Taverna, 4444 Westheimer A120, the menu features Italian dishes paying homage to Sagra Del Carnevale, an annual festival in Italy that is the last celebration before Lent begins. Dishes (offered à la carte or prix fixe) include a spinach gnocchi with porcini cream sauce and topped with Fontina cheese, a pork tenderloin tagliata, vegetables caponata and vincotto, and a zeppola stuffed with pastry cream, with chocolate and raspberry sauces. The three-course menu is $45, with an additional $18 for the wine pairing.
Monday, February 20
“Dinner with my Friends” at Fluff Bake Bar
Chef Rebecca Masson’s collaborative dinner series continues with special guests Jennifer and Bryan Caswell (whose restaurant empire includes Reef, El Real and Little Bigs) at Fluff Bake Bar, 314 Gray, at 6:30 p.m. The intimate, six-course meal costs $90 (plus tax and gratuity), with an optional wine pairing for $45. Reservations can be made online.
Tuesday, February 21
Super Gras at Eight Row Flint
Every Tuesday in February is Fat Tuesday at Eight Row Flint, 1039 Yale. Each week, the whiskey-soaked joint will have Mardi Gras-inspired food specials and frozen Hurricanes to boot. This Tuesday, feast on popcorn gator tails.
Wednesday, February 22
National Margarita Day powered by Crawfish OMG at El Big Bad
With more than 70 infused tequilas, El Big Bad, 419 Travis, is the place to celebrate National Margarita Day, especially since the bar is also throwing a crawfish party too. Join the mailing list for a chance at free crawfish.
National Margarita Day at Laurenzo’s Bar & Grill in Midtown
Laurenzo’s Bar & Grill, 1910 Bagby, Suite 100, is celebrating the holiday by offering its El Tiempo house margarita for $4, alongside flavored margaritas (strawberry, mango and raspberry) and house sangria for $5. The restaurant offers free parking for all diners in the garage above the restaurant (entrance is on Bagby just south of Pierce).
National Margarita Day at Molina’s Cantina
Get $5 margs at all three Molina’s Cantina locations, 4720 Washington, 3801 Bellaire and 7901 Westheimer, all day long.
Macallan Tasting at La Fisheria
La Fisheria, 213 Milam, will be presenting a special four-plate menu, served along the side of Macallan whiskey. For more information or tickets, call 713-802-1712 or email lafisheria.downtown@gmail.com.
Thursday, February 23
Birra Night with 8th Wonder Brewery at the Italian Cultural & Community Center
The Italian Cultural & Community Center (ICCC), 1101 Milford, will host a beer pairing beginning at 7 p.m. The first ever beer event will offer 8th Wonder Brewery’s craft beers paired with bite-size creations from MasterChef winner Luca Manfé. Tickets are $60 for ICCC members and $65 for non-members.
Friday, February 24
Margaritaville Cupcakes at Ooh La La Dessert Boutique
All locations of Ooh La La Dessert Boutique, 23920 Westheimer, 20155 Park Row, 770 West Sam Houston Parkway North, will be offering Margaritaville Cupcakes (every Friday as a regular Cupcake of the Day special). The treats feature moist vanilla cake folded with key lime zest and topped with key lime buttercream, rimmed with sugar and garnished with a candy lime wedge and a straw.
Friday through Sunday
The 106th Celebration of Mardi Gras in Galveston
Texas’s largest Mardi Gras celebration starts with the beads, more than three million of them, to be exact. Guests can hit the Strand for elaborate parades, headliner performances, family events, feasting and other festivities that come with hosting an island-style Mardi Gras. The festival culminates with a party on Fat Tuesday, February 28.
Girl Scout cookie-inspired cupcakes at Ooh La La Dessert Boutique
All locations of Ooh La La Dessert Boutique, 23920 Westheimer, 20155 Park Row, 770 West Sam Houston Parkway North, will be offering the Caramel Delight Cupcake. The riff on a Girl Scout classic features chocolate cake filled with a Caramel Delight mascarpone and topped with caramel buttercream and a Caramel Delight cookie.
Saturday, February 25
Levy Park Grand Opening Event at Levy Park
Join Levy Park, 3801 Eastside, in its grand (re)opening celebration, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony featuring Mayor Sylvester Turner at 11 a.m. Guests can expect live music, food trucks and great programming for the whole family all day long. Tim Love and his staff will dish out burgers and beer.
Sunday, February 26
First Annual Heights Crawfish Cook Off at Southern Goods
Southern Goods and Saint Arnold Brewing Company will host the First Annual Heights Crawfish Competition at Southern Goods, 632 West 19th, from noon to 6 p.m. Six restaurants are competing for bragging rights and the title of Heights Crawfish Champion: Southern Goods, KA Sushi, Ritual, Hughie’s, Kitchen 713 and Cherry Pie Hospitality. All-you-can-eat crawfish will be served for $30 per person and live zydeco music from Keyun Dickson & the Zydeco Masters will start at 1 p.m.
This article appears in Feb 9-15, 2017.
