Rodeo Best Bites

Upstart restaurant stuns established eateries at Houston Rodeo's Best Bites competition

"A Houston restaurant I've never heard of won the rodeo best bites," Chronicle barbecue columnist J.C. Reid tweeted this morning.

Indeed, the crowd of 5,000 attendees who packed NRG Hall for the event that's officially dubbed the "Uncorked Best Bites Competition" may have been surprised to hear that four month-old Davis St. at Hermann Park emerged as the judges' favorite in the Trailblazing Appetizer/Entree award for its crispy Thai shrimp — ahead of popular restaurants like Pappas Bros. Steakhouse, Brennan's and Glass Wall.

The modern American restaurant also took Reserve Grand Champion honors in both the People's Choice ballot behind perennial favorite Royers Round Top Cafe and showmanship behind Mister French's Gourmet Bakery.

Creole institution Brennan's scored Reserve Grand Champion with its classic turtle soup, as did Italian restaurant Brio Tuscan Grille with a crab cake. A panel of media judges selected the winners from entries by 91 different restaurants, which is a record for the event. The judges also selected favorites for the categories of Two-Steppin Bread/Cheese/Dessert and Tasty Tradition.

Attendees also had the opportunity to sample hundreds of different wines that are part of the Rodeo's annual International Wine Competition.

The event serves as the kickoff of Rodeo season that shifts into high gear Thursday night with the World Championship Bar-B-Que cook off.

The full list of winners from Best Bites is below:

Popular Choice
1st: Royers Café, Round Top
2nd: Davis Street at Hermann Park

Two-Stepping Bread/Cheese/Dessert Award
1st: Mostly Chocolate & Catering, Goat Cheese Truffle
2nd: Joyce's Seafood & Steaks, White Chocolate Bread Pudding

Trailblazing Appetizer/Entrée Award
1st: Davis Street at Hermann Park, Crispy Thai Shrimp
2nd: Brio Tuscan Grille, Crab Cakes
3rd: Brennan's of Houston, Turtle Soup

Showmanship Award
1st: Mr. French's Gourmet Bakery
2nd: Davis Street at Hermann Park

Tasty Traditions Award
1st: Joyce's Seafood & Steaks, White Chocolate Bread Pudding
2nd: Taste of Texas, Certified Angus Beef Tenderloin

Rookie Award
Sweet, Mini Pies

Davis St. at Hermann Park won Best Bites with this crispy Thai shrimp.

Photo by Eric Sandler

Davis St. at Hermann Park won Best Bites with this crispy Thai shrimp.

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Restaurant business

Comfort food chain Cotton Patch Cafe acquired by Dallas restaurant group

Chicken fried steak, CFS, Cotton Patch Cafe

Facebook/Cotton Patch Cafe

Chicken fried steak at Cotton Patch Cafe.

The Southlake-based Cotton Patch Cafe restaurant chain, known for its Texas-style comfort food, is finding comfort in the form of a new owner from Dallas.

According to a release, Dallas-based Local Favorite Restaurants group purchased Cotton Patch Cafe from Altamont Capital Partners. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Local Favorite's growing restaurant portfolio includes 99 restaurants spanning 10 brands, including well-known names like El Fenix Mexican Restaurant, Snuffer’s Restaurant & Bar, Meso Maya, Taqueria La Ventana, Wok Star Chinese, Twisted Root Burger Company, Campuzano Mexican Food, and Village Burger Bar.

The Cotton Patch acquisition “is an important step for Local Favorite Restaurants and a natural fit for the kind of brands we want under our roof,” Local Favorite founder Mike Karns says in the release. “Cotton Patch Cafe has loyal guests, a proven track record, and a Texas identity that gives it meaningful room to grow.”

Founded in 1989 in Nacogdoches, Cotton Patch operates 46 restaurants in Texas and New Mexico. The only Houston-area location is in Spring.

The deal also brings changes to the leadership team.

Karns will remain with the company in the role of founder and "Free-Range Creative," overseeing its creative direction and growth strategy. Cotton Patch Cafe CEO Brandon Coleman III will become CEO of Local Favorite Restaurants.

Local Favorite also owns and operates Sunrise Mexican Foods, which produces chips, tortillas, and other Mexican food products for retail and foodservice operators.

Cotton Patch Cafe is known for scratch-made, comfort classics like hand-breaded chicken fried steak, along with $9.99 Texas Value Meals.

Coleman says the acquisition won’t result in changes to the “heart” of Cotton Patch.

“We will continue to bring the small-town spirit, big Texas value, and quality scratch-made food guests count on, with the same focus on hospitality and community that has always made Cotton Patch feel like home,” says Coleman.

chicken fried steak business restaurants