This week in dining

These are the 7 best food and drink events in Houston this week

Tickets go on sale today for a benefit to help the former GM of one of Houston’s most popular sushi restaurants. The buzzy Washington Avenue area gets a new Moroccan spot. And there’s a crawfish party mudbug lovers won’t want to miss.

Monday, March 2

Tickets on sale for Brunch for Blake at Kata Robata
Kata Robata as general manager, Blake Lewis left in 2019 to travel, but was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma shortly after. He beat the cancer, but still has significant medical bills. The restaurant he headed is hosting a brunch fundraiser on Saturday, March 21 to help out. The four-course dinner includes selections such as Tamago Sando, pork pibs, and Akaushi beef curry rice. Tickets are $100 per person and can be purchased on Resy starting today. Act fast; they will likely sell out quickly.

Tuesday, March 3

Grand Opening of ZOA Moroccan Kitchen
This fast-casual concept hosts an open day celebration offering the first customers in the door a host of cool ZOA swag. And From 11 am to 1 pm, any customer that displays they follow the restaurant on social media will get a free to-go FAVE sandwich or bowl.

Thursday, March 5

Crawfish Kickoff Party at The Union Kitchen on Washington
This patio party from 4 to 9:30 pm features a crawfish boil, live music by Susan Hickman, drink specials, and more. Crawfish will be available by the pound at market price. All crawfish are tossed in Fire Butter, the creation of Louisiana native and general manager Jim Harvey. The recipe features whole butter, crawfish seasoning, Tabasco, Frank's hot sauce, and minced garlic.

Friday, March 6

Agave class at Revival Market
From 5:30 to 7:30 pm, join Agricole hospitality owner Morgan Weber as he selects some of his fave agave spirits and enlightens guests about where they come from and why they're special. There will be bites to pair with each selection. The cost is $85 per person and space is limited. So, reservations are a must. Email Revival Market or call 713-880-8463 to reserve a spot.

Saturday, March 7

Country Queens Drag Brunch at House of Blues
Just in time for Rodeo season, this western-themed show performances performances by some of country music’s leading ladies, including Dolly Parton and Shania Twain, among others. Tickets are $46 each and include a full buffet and the show. BOGO with the code RODEO in this link. The buffet opens at 10:30 am, drag show starts at noon.

"A Taste of Two Legends" at Morton's Steakhouse
Both Houston locations take part in this nationwide event that includes a four-course dinner pairing Stag's Leap wines with Morton's cuisine. Highlights include a porcini-rubbed filet mignon with wild mushrooms and roasted shallot butter, duck rillettes on crostini, and fresh oysters on the half-shell with passion fruit mignonette. Wines include the Stag’s Leap's Karia Chardonnay and the FAY Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, both from Napa. The cost is $135 per person, and seats may be purchased online. Dinner starts at 6:30 pm.

Sunday, March 8

Booze Can Sunday at Riel
The fifth installment of this Sunday Funday event marks International Women's Day. Today’s collision of food, art, and cocktails features James Beard-nominated guest chef Brittanny Anderson of Brenner Pass, Chairlift, and Metzger Bar & Butchery in Richmond, Virginia. Look for her to bring her modern take on German and Alpine cuisine to the Bayou City. There’s also art curated by Donkeemom. A portion of proceeds will be given to the Houston Area Women's Center (HAWC). Festivities start at 3 pm.

Zoa Moroccan opens Tuesday.

Courtesy of ZOA Moroccan Kitchen

Zoa Moroccan opens Tuesday.

news-you-can-eat

butter burgers are back

Riel chef Ryan Lachaine finds new home at River Oaks restaurant

Courtesy of Rocket Farm Restaurants

Ryan Lachaine is the new executive chef at State of Grace.

It didn’t take Ryan Lachaine very long to find a new job. Fresh off closing his acclaimed Montrose restaurant Riel at the end of August, Lachaine recently accepted a new role as the executive chef at River Oaks restaurant State of Grace.

After a brief training stint in Atlanta, the chef has quietly been at State of Grace for the past couple of weeks. He tells CultureMap that his existing relationship with culinary director Bobby Matos and chef-owner Ford Fry made the restaurant a logical choice for his next move. His sous chef at Riel, Anitra Broussard, has also joined State of Grace as a lead line cook.

“I wasn’t going to work for someone I didn’t know,” Lachaine says. “It wasn’t a hard transition. It’s not me going somewhere new. It made the transition a little easier.”

He’s already putting his mark on the menu with two Riel favorites — the caviar tater tots and the butter burger are both available at State of Grace. But don’t expect other dishes like the kimchi carbonara or honey walnut crawfish.

“Riel, we had a great run,” Lachaine says. “I don’t want to bring a bunch of stuff over. That wouldn’t be fair. That happened in that space. I don’t know if it will work [at State of Grace].”

What will work are items that utilize State of Grace’s wood-burning hearth paired with classic, French-inspired sauces and techniques. Working with those influences, Lachaine has contributed a couple of new items for fall, including a NY strip steak with sauce vert on the lunch menu, wood-fired oysters with burnet lime and chili butter that are available all day, and three new items at dinner: pan-roasted halibut with maple-miso, duck agnolotti with sage brown butter nage, and hearth-roasted half chicken with pommes puree.

“It’s forcing me to think outside my box,” Lachaine says. “I’m excited about it. I’m reading different cookbooks and getting ideas from different restaurants. I think it’s great.”

He also appreciates being part of Fry’s Rocket Farm Restaurants group, the Atlanta-based company that also operates Little Rey, Superica, and La Lucha. After being responsible for everything that took place at Riel for almost 10 years, having colleagues like Matos to turn to allows Lachine to focus on cooking and leading the kitchen.

“If something breaks, they have a whole part of the company where someone comes and fixes it,” he says. “I can focus on the restaurant and cooking and not the roof leaking. It’s refreshing. Bobby’s been awesome.”

Expect to see Lachaine and Matos at events soon. With Riel closed, State of Grace is taking its spot at the upcoming Southern Smoke Festival. In the meantime, diners will find Lachaine at State of Grace during both lunch and dinner. He’s been laying low, but an influx of Riel regulars could change that.

“This is the first time I’ve ever worked in a closed kitchen,” he says. “It’s the first time I’ve been stuck in the back. I’ve met a couple regulars, but I haven’t been out there shaking hands or any of that yet.”

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