The History Channel came to Houston recently, and the bloggers behind spicy food blog Eat More Heat were tapped to help the show Hairy Bikers with the Ultra-Hot Chile Burger Challenge that will be featured on tonight's show. The episode is set at the iconic West Alabama Ice House and will air at 9 p.m. However, if you'd rather watch with the bikers themselves -- yes, hosts Bill Allen and Paul Patranella will be here! -- head to the Hairy Bikers official viewing party tonight at District Lounge. The party runs from 8 to 10 p.m. and it's free, so no excuses.
Although it technically started yesterday, the westside Zest in the West food festival runs all weekend long -- and the fun stuff is on Saturday and Sunday anyway. That's when the Zestival takes place at The Great Indoors (Katy Freeway and Beltway 8), featuring a craft beer zone from Foam on the Range and a huge assortment of food trucks (check out the menu for H-Town StrEATs as an example). Tickets are $15 each; kids under 12 get in for free.
Next Wednesday is the time to go to the City Hall Farmers Market if you haven't yet. The market is hosting festivities to celebrate National Food Day (why not...), including a throwdown between some of the city's best chefs using all-local food. Monica Pope of t'afia, Randy Evans of Haven, Peter Garcia of El Meson and Chef Jose Montoya of the Houston Food Bank will be battling it out for a panel of judges, but the big draw will be the community lunch.
At noon, Urban Harvest will be hosting the city's largest ever community lunch, by inviting people to bring their lunch (pre-packed or purchased on site) to the City Hall Farmers Market. Picnic tables will be set up all around the reflecting pool and a group photo will be snapped at noon to commemorate the occasion. Enjoy the nice weather, break bread with your neighbors and buy some fresh produce before you head back into the office.
Bistro Provence is nearly finished with its popular Herbes de Provence series, with the ninth dinner happening on Tuesday, November 1. The Sage Dinner (the tenth will be oregano, on December 6) will seat guests between 5 and 9 p.m., but with reservations -- and a credit card -- required in advance. Courses will include
In the coming weeks, two very different dinners will be coming to town -- but with a common thread.
Chef Mark Clayton -- formerly of Bootsie's and currently at Xuco Xicana -- is hosting an offal dinner, which sounds awfully good (I know I should be beaten with a flat whisk for that pun). The offal tasting dinner will be held on October 31 at Kitchen Incubator, where Clayton will team up with pal Lyle Bento (the guy from Wingtoberfest in a chicken suit; remember?) to make eight courses for $85 a person. DM Clayton on Twitter to reserve your space.
Clayton will be at it again on November 15, when he'll be helping out fellow Bootsie's alum Ben Rabbani to host a big beer dinner at Flying Saucer's brand new Sugar Land location. Brooklyn Brewery's own Garrett Oliver will be doing the beer pairings, and Rabbani and Clayton will be providing the dinner courses. Chris Leung will be doing desserts, too, which means you could come close to replicating the Bootsie's experience -- suburban location and all! -- and get up-close-and-personal with Garrett Oliver at the same time. Sounds like a win-win to us.
