Ongoing

Evelyn's Park Café Naming Contest

Help the folks at Evelyn's Park Conservancy name their new restaurant from Zelko Concepts, which will open this fall. The winner of the contest will have dinner with Jamie and Dahlia Zelko and receive a one-year membership to Evelyn's Park Conservancy. Get brainstorming, then enter your ideas on the contest website.

Rodeo Deals

Several restaurants around town are offering special rodeo deals and dishes, so keep an eye out for them. For example, you can take The Wave from 8th Wonder Brewery, 2202 Dallas, to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo for just $20, and 8th Wonder is offering food and drink specials to enjoy while you wait. Rainbow Lodge at 2011 Ella has a Rodeo Special: a 16-ounce, bone-in rib eye with smashed potatoes, grilled asparagus and jalapeño hollandaise, plus a glass of Lewis Texas Tempranillo wine for $59. If you bring your HLSR ticket to Hubbell & Hudson Kitchen, 4526 Research Forest, you can get a free Cowboy Burger, and Picos at 3601 Kirby has a whole slew of rodeo offerings.

All Week Long

Azalea Celebration at the Houstonian

From Monday through Friday of this week, you can visit The Manor House at The Houstonian, 111 North Post Oak Lane, for a three-course, $40 prix fixe lunch in honor of springtime, which brings vast quantities of azalea blooms to The Houstonian. The celebration is also in honor of the 30th anniversary of the hotel and club, although The Manor House has only served the public since last month. The offerings are Gulf Coast, and you can make reservations by calling 713-680-2626.

National Crab Meat Day Festival

All week, The Oceanaire Seafood Room, 5061 Westheimer, is offering a special price on fresh Alaskan king crab – just $39.95 per pound! The crabs are caught using environmentally friendly fishing practices and are available for only a short time each year. Call 832-487-8862 to make reservations.

Monday, March 7

Beer & Bacon at Central Market

This tasting demonstration at Central Market, 3815 Westheimer, will teach you about tasting beer, as well as pairing beers with a variety of bacons. You'll try four small batch beers, including South Austin Luckenbock and Rauchbier Urbock, and learn about how each is made. The class begins at 6:30 p.m. and costs $25 per person. Reserve your spot on the Central Market website.

Tuesday, March 8

American Whiskey Tasting at Reserve 101

Wild Turkey brand ambassador Bruce Russell will host this American whiskey tasting at 6:30 p.m. at Reserve 101, 1201 Caroline. Tickets are $20, and proceeds will benefit Lucky Dog Rescue. You can buy your ticket on the Reserve 101 website.

Domaine Rouge Bleu Wine Dinner at Bistro Provence

French Country Wines and Bistro Provence, 13616 Memorial, are teaming up to host a French wine dinner featuring winemaker Thomas Betrand, who owns Domaine Rouge Bleu. The fare for this 7 p.m. dinner includes tuna flat bread, pork spare ribs and chocolate fondant with caramel ice cream. Cost is $65, and you can reserve your spot by calling 713-827-8008.

Rodeo Wine Dinner at Local Pour

Get in the rodeo spirit with this four-course wine dinner at 7 p.m. at Local Pour, 1900 Hughes Landing, which will feature the award-winning wines from this year's Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Uncorked! International Wine Competition. The cost is $75, and you can reserve a spot by calling 281-419-7687. Can't make it? The same wine dinner is taking place at 7 p.m. on Wednesday at Local Pour's River Oaks location, 1952 West Gray. Make your reservations for that by calling 713-521-1881.

Wednesday, March 9

National Meatball Day at D'Amico's

Visit D'Amico's Italian Market Café at 5510 Morningside in Rice Village for buy one, get one free meatballs all day long, as well as half off D'Amico's famed meatball sandwiches. 

The Tasting Room CityCentre Turns Five

Duck into The Tasting Room at 818 Town and Country in CityCentre to take part in the restaurant's fifth birthday celebration! There will be $5 specials all day, including $5 wines by the glass, as well as a spectacular cake. A special toast will take place at 5:55 p.m., and you can reserve a table by calling the restaurant at 281-822-1500. 

Sip and Stroll at Rainbow Lodge

Visit The Rainbow Lodge, 2011 Ella, between 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. for the monthly sip and stroll wine event with light bites and four different wines. The fare includes braised duck with oyster mushrooms and tubetti pasta, sweet and spicy boar ribs, and spiced strawberry buckles. Cost is $35, and you can make a reservation by calling 713-861-8666.

Landmark Vineyard Cooking and Pairing Class

Master Sommelier Joseph Spellman joins the cooking school staff of Central Market, 3815 Westheimer, for a combination cooking and wine pairing class. The menu includes chicken breast stuffed with apricots and roasted tomatoes, hanger steak with fingerling potatoes and spiced apple custard with salted caramel. The pairings are all from Landmark Vineyards, located in California. The class begins at 6:30 p.m. and costs $70 per person. Make reservations on the C.M. website.

Thursday, March 10

Becker Vineyards Wine Dinner

Bunny and Richard Becker of Becker Vineyards will lead this wine dinner at 6 p.m. at Mark's American Cuisine, 1658 Westheimer. The menu includes cardamom-seared duck breast with wild rice and seared bison with sweet potatoes and mushroom pudding. Cost is $100 per person, and you can reserve a spot by calling 713-523-3800.

Sweet 'Taters at Saint Arnold

TUTS Underground is kicking off its run of The Sweet Potato Queens with a sweet potato cooking contest at Saint Arnold Brewing Company, 2000 Lyons, where you'll find some of Houston's best culinary talent making the best sweet 'tater dishes they possibly can. You'll get tastings of their fare, complimentary beers and a live performance by some of the show's cast. Tickets are only $25, plus you get a sweet deal on tickets to the show, so reserve your spot here.

OUT@TUTS at Artista

Join the cast of TUTS's production of Mary Poppins after the show at Artista, 800 Bagby, for a meeting of OUT@TUTS, an LGBT social theater group. There will be free bites, drink specials and good company starting around 10:30 p.m. after Mary Poppins. 

Friday, March 11

Austrian Wine Tasting at Pappas Bros.

This 5:30 p.m. wine dinner at Pappas Bros. Steakhouse, 5839 Westheimer, will show off the sommelier staff's skills and teach you about white, red and sweet wines from Austria. You can browse the featured wines on the Pappas Bros. website. Seats are $85 per person, and you can make reservations by calling 713-780-7352.

Friday and Saturday

Kenny & Ziggy's Roumanian Steakhouse

Comedian and singer Dani Luv will entertain diners at this pop-up version of Sammy's Roumanian Steakhouse in New York at Kenny & Ziggy's New York Delicatessen, 2327 Post Oak, which kicks off at 7 p.m. each night. Seats are $95 per person, and the fare is served family-style, with diners choosing their dishes from the special menu. The number of dishes ordered will be determined by the size of the party, but additional dishes will be available à la carte. There will be special cocktails available for purchase, many of which use frozen vodka, of course! Make your reservations by calling 713-679-8453.

Saturday, March 12

Makin' Bacon at Central Market

In this 10 a.m. class at Central Market, 3815 Westheimer, you'll learn how to cure your own bacon. The bacon varieties to be taught include oven pork bacon, smoked bacon and Canadian bacon. The cost is $70 per person, and you can reserve your spot on the Central Market website.

8th Wonder Turns Three

Celebrate 8th Wonder Brewery's three excellent years with live music, food trucks, vendors and, of course, beer, which is included in the cost of your ticket. General admission is $30 in advance and includes four beers and a limited-edition pint glass. The VIP tickets offer a bit more, including access to a pig roast, and those are $125 in advance. The party is from noon to 10 p.m. at the brewery, 2202 Dallas, and you can buy your tickets here.

Sunday, March 13

Johnny's Gold Brick Turns One

Visit Johnny's Gold Brick, 2518 Yale, to take advantage of its anniversary drink specials, including the Golden Cocktail, which comes with a commemorative glass. Johnny's merchandise is also launching today, so you can buy some swag while you're there. Admission is free, and the party goes from 2 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Wooster's Garden Anniversary Party

Join the party at 3 p.m. at Wooster's Garden, 3315 Milam, for the establishment's one-year anniversary. There will be fabulous prizes, food trucks, street vendors and live music. Admission is free, and you must be 21 or older to attend. You'll find more details on the Facebook event listing.

Family-Style Sundays at Mark's

To help lighten the load of March madness, Mark's American Cuisine, 1658 Westheimer, will be offering special prix fixe, family-style dinners for $65 per person from 5 to 9 p.m. This week's main dish is tender chateaubriand, which comes with carefully curated sides. Wine pairings will be available for an additional cost. Reservations are required and can be made by calling 713-523-3800.

Mary Poppins' Jolly Holiday at TUTS

Enjoy high tea and pudding at 6 p.m. before the TUTS production of Mary Poppins at 7:30 p.m., with a special appearance by Mary herself! There will be a popcorn bar, photo opportunities and freebies; the whole package includes a VIP ticket to the show and costs $185 per person. You can buy your ticket on the TUTS website.