Bartenders Favorite Cocktail

Bartenders' favorite cocktail celebrated at 50 Houston establishments all week long for charity's sake

For the third year in a row, bars and restaurants will be celebrating Negroni Week. Sponsored by Imbibe magazine and Campari, the worldwide event that runs from June 1 through 7 promotes the classic cocktail that combines equal parts gin, Campari and sweet vermouth. For every Negroni purchased, $1 is donated to a charity of the bar owners' choosing.

Last year, 16 local bars and restaurants participated as part of 1,200 nationally. In 2015, Houston is stepping things up, with almost 50 locations. Even bars in Sugar Land, Katy, Spring and The Woodlands are getting involved.

Participants include most of downtown's new hot spots like Moving Sidewalk, The Honeymoon, Henke & Pillot and Houston Watch Company as well as old favorites like Anvil Bar & Refuge and Boheme. Some of the charities include 86 Cancer, Lucky Dog Rescue and Autism Speaks.

"I love the fact that, through this collaborative, bars can unite to raise money for a charity of their choosing making a drink that is near and dear to every bartender as a simply perfect cocktail," Tastemaker Awards Best Bartender winner Lainey Collum of Prohibition writes in an email. "The reason I chose Pierce Sky Park as our 'charity' was simply to raise awareness for this really cool idea in our own community, so that we can have a small part in possibly seeing it to fruition."

For Beaver's bar manager Michael Riojas, the Negroni has a simple appeal.

"Bartenders like the Negroni because it's a balanced cocktail: bitter and not too sweet," he writes in an email. "You can walk into any bar in the world, and, if you order a Negroni, the bartender is going to immediately respect you as a cocktail connoisseur."

Best of all, Riojas is encouraging people to support Beaver's designated charity, Air Alliance Houston, by pricing his seven Negonis at a budget-friendly $6 each.

Over at Johnny's Gold Brick, each bartender has created a Negroni variation of his or her own. Bar director Leslie Ross says that doing allows each bartender to "put their personality into the glass" by highlighting each person's favorite flavors.

Ross adds that she's looking forward to seeing what her colleagues across the city have come up with. "I am so incredibly proud of our bartenders in Houston. This week, drink WITH us for a cause!"

At Sanctuari, the options include a hopped Negroni and a rose Negroni.

Photo by Quy Tran

At Sanctuari, the options include a hopped Negroni and a rose Negroni.

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mandito's on the move

Armandos' family-friendly, Tex-Mex sister restaurant taps Katy for 2nd Houston-area outpost

Photo by Mackenzie Smith Kelley

Mandito's serves all the Tex-Mex favorites.

Katy residents will soon have a new option for fajitas, enchiladas, and margaritas. Mandito’s Tex-Mex has claimed the former Jax Grill location (9910 Gaston Rd.) for its second Houston-area outpost.

Photo by Mackenzie Smith Kelley

Mandito's serves all the Tex-Mex favorites.

Part of the Palacios Murphy Hospitality Group that also includes River Oaks favorite Armandos and Italian restaurant Lulu’s, Mandito’s is a more family-friendly establishment than its upscale siblings. Joining an original location in Round Top and an outpost in Bellaire that opened earlier this year, the restaurant takes its name from the childhood nickname of co-owner Armando Palacios — “Mandito” is “little Armando.” It is expected to open in early 2024.

The menu centers around burritos, enchiladas, flautas, and fajitas as well as the signature burrito bowl, a clever reimagining of a taco salad with ground beef, steak, or chicken topped with lettuce, corn, cheese, avocado, beans, and more. Other favorites include the Tex-Mex Kale Caesar, Tres Hombres Plate (three different enchiladas), and the Tex-Mex Banana Split. They’re paired with a robust range of frozen and shaken margaritas.

Palacios Murphy COO Alex Curley lives in Katy and sends his children to Katy ISD schools. He’s bullish on area that’s grown 20-percent since 2020, according to a release.

“As a Katy resident, I am ecstatic to be able to oversee the construction of a Mandito’s Tex-Mex in the community that I love deeply,” Curley said. “I have no doubt that Katy residents and visitors to the area’s numerous attractions will quickly fall in love with Mandito’s Tex-Mex. We have put a significant amount of work into making this concept a neighborhood locale that caters to a number of different audiences who are collectively in search of a communal space that prides itself upon delivering delicious food and drink selections and outstanding service to each and every guest.”

In keeping with that optimism, the Katy location will be slightly larger than its Bellaire sibling, with the ability to seat over 150 people indoors and 50 more on a patio that will look onto the development’s green space. In addition, an expanded to-go area will have a dedicated entrance to expedite pick-ups.

The restaurant wants to give back to its neighborhood, too. Therefore it will host spirit nights for local schools and sports team and offer a 10-percent discount to Katy ISD employees and first responders.

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