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    The Food Life

    The best Italian dinner ever? Houston's top chefs show off at Sugar Land's ultimate wine and food party

    Heather Staible
    Heather Staible
    Apr 10, 2015 | 3:13 pm

    The opening night of the Sugar Land Wine and Food Affair was a love letter from Italy, penned by five of Houston's most respected chefs. Luciano Castiello, the official ambassador for Castello Banfi Wines served as the evening’s spirited narrator and host, adding bits of laughter and learning to the five-course meal deemed La Dolce Vita.

    “Brunello is a work of art.You can’t tell Sangiovese what to do. If you do, Sangiovese will tell you where to go.”

    It’s been 12 years since the creation of the Sugar Land Wine and Food Affair and the opening night dinner has been held on the grounds of the red brick Imperial Sugar factory and in the otherworldly setting of the Sugar Land Museum of Natural Science, but Wednesday’s VIP dinner locale was the refined ballroom at the Sugar Land Marriott Town Square.

    Soft lights and classical guitar added elegance to the dinner featuring select Banfi wines paired with dishes by Jaime Salazar of Coppa Osteria, JohnMichael Lynch of Hotel Granduca’s Ristorante Cavour, Efisio Farris of Arcodoro, Maurizio Ferrarese of Quattro and Jose Hernandez of Radio Milano.

    Castiello told the sold-out crowd the evening’s focus was the complementary nature of food and wine, not competing flavors.

    “Wine and food go hand-in-hand. So many times people want big wine, but Banfi wines respect the food,” Castiello said.

    Respecting the environment is also part of the Castello Banfi philosophy. It is the first winery in the world to be awarded international recognition for its dedication to environmental, ethical and social responsibility.

    Before the ballroom doors opened, guests sipped Cuvée Aur, a sparkling wine meant to awaken the taste buds, “so you could drink more” Castiello said. Chef Salazar of Coppa sent out passed appetizers of rabbit sausage with pickled vegetables, Caesar salad with fried white anchovies, prosciutto and melon, beef meatballs in tomato sauce and bruschetta with fava beans.

    Chef Lynch’s poached veal and tuna sauce may seem like unlikely companions, but the duo were more like Wonder Twins, especially paired with La Pettegola Vermentino. It looked like spring was served on a plate, vibrant and full of brightness.

    Chef Farris balanced the light and the dark with his tortelli with ricotta and nettles served in a sugo of Lonestar Lobster from Maine. As if the dish weren’t already dripping in luxurious details, Farris added crispy pancetta finished with shaved Roederer USA white truffles. The inky tortelli swam in a colorful sugo that sent diners reaching for spoons to gather every last drop. There wasn’t a drop of Fonte alla Selva Chianti left on the tables either.

    Italian cuisine was the theme, but you will never go wrong with beef in Texas. The grappa braised 44 Farms shanks from Chef Ferrarese were a hit, as was the truly extraordinary Castello Banfi Brunello di Montalcino, made from the Sangiovese grape.

    “Brunello is a work of art,” Castiello said. “You can’t tell Sangiovese what to do. If you do, Sangiovese will tell you where to go.”

    Chef Hernandez’s Gianduja chocolate mousse sphere with rhubarb compote and salty cashews rounded out the dinner. A Florus late harvest Moscadello added its own honey-tempered sweetness to the dolce course.

    It was a sweet kickoff for the four-day event that includes the World Whiskey Tour and the Grand Tasting culinary event, however wine can’t help but take center stage. “Texans are fun and you drink a lot of wine. Thank you for that,” Castiello said.

    The Sugar Land Wine and Food Affair runs through Sunday.

    Doug Goff, from left, Sugar Land mayor Jim Thompson and Michael Smith.

    Doug Goff, from left, Jim Thompson and Michael Smith at the Sugar Land Wine and Food Affair April 2015
      
    Photo by © Shannon O'Hara
    Doug Goff, from left, Sugar Land mayor Jim Thompson and Michael Smith.
    unspecified
    news/restaurants-bars

    New on 19th

    Creative new Heights restaurant spices up diner fare with Asian flavors

    Eric Sandler
    Apr 17, 2025 | 10:15 am
    Agnes and Sherman food spread
    Photo by Vivian Leba
    Agnes and Sherman puts an Asian spin on American diner classics.

    One of this year’s most eagerly anticipated new restaurants is ready to make its debut. Agnes and Sherman will open for dinner service beginning tonight (Thursday, April 17).

    Located in the former Alice Blue space at 250 West 19th St in the Heights, Agnes and Sherman describes itself as a diner serving Asian American comfort food. The project unites veteran Houston chef Nick Wong with business partner Lisa Lee, a first-time restaurateur with extensive experience working for technology companies such as DoorDash and Facebook. Wong is best known locally for his time as executive chef at UB Preserv, where he led the globally-inspired restaurant to being named one of Texas Monthly’s Best New Restaurants of 2018.

    Agnes and Sherman food spread
      

    Photo by Vivian Leba

    Agnes and Sherman puts an Asian spin on American diner classics.

    “As a uniquely Houston restaurant, we hope to be known as the city’s neighborhood spot that’s expanding the meaning of Americana, telling stories through food and incorporating socially responsible business practices as a way to promote equality and equity in our society,” a message on the restaurant’s website states.

    At Agnes and Sherman, Wong has created a menu of dishes that puts his spin on classic comfort fare. One example is the scallion waffle, which brings the flavors of a traditional, Chinese-style scallion pancake to the breakfast favorite and adds heat in the form of sambal butter. Chicken fried steak gets topped with gravy inspired by bo kho, a Vietnamese beef stew. Steak frites is served with fries prepared in the same manner as the salt and pepper seafood that’s a staple of Chinese cooking. Other dishes on the menu include Korean rice cakes with beef ragu, al pastor fried rice, crab rangoon, and a Chinese BBQ club sandwich made with char siu pork and ginger-scallion mayo. Burger Bodega owner Abbas Dhanani offered a sneak peek of some of the restaurant's dishes on Instagram.


    View this post on Instagram
    A post shared by Abbas Dhanani (@houstoneatz)


    General manager Pam Cantu, whose resume includes Uchi, Rosie Cannonball, and Bludorn, has created a wine list with both conventional and natural wine options that are available by the glass or bottle. Bar lead David Perez’s (Lei Low, Maven) cocktail menu infuses Asian flavors into classic drinks such as a pandan colada and a bamboo martini.

    “I’ve felt shiftless and antsy in all the places I’ve lived and worked, always having to prove my worth just to survive. So I’m happy to bring this dream to life here in Houston, a city that has welcomed me warmly since day one,” Wong writes on the restaurant’s website. “I’ve been able to find a depth of community and culture here that I’ll never find the bottom of no matter how much I dig. I hope that our little restaurant will be able to add to the identity of this city, but more importantly, I hope that it can be a home for Houstonians in the same way Houston has become a home for me.”

    Agnes and Sherman is open Thursday-Monday from 5-10 pm. Reservations are available on OpenTable.

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