Editor's note: It's time to look back at the top Houston news of the week, from great dining deals and a sudden closure to stepping inside an ex-NBA star's Houston home. Catch up on our most popular stories below, then plan your weekend right here.
1. 10 eateries participating in Houston Restaurant Weeks for the first time. As a follow up to our initial list of 11 newcomers, here are 10 more first-time participants in Houston Restaurant Weeks, which runs through Labor Day.
2. Houston chef Thomas Bille sounds off on his Beat Bobby Flay appearance. Add another Houston chef to the roster of cooking competition champions. Belly of the Beast chef-owner Thomas Bille won the Tuesday, August 4 episode of Beat Bobby Flay.
3. Houston ice cream shop from 'World's Best Pastry Chef' quietly closes. An ambitious, socially-conscious Houston ice cream shop has served its last scoop. Rocambolesc has closed, the business announced on Instagram.
4. Ex-NBA star's resort-style Houston home hits market for $11.99 million. Los Angeles Laker’s Nick Van Exel generated excitement on the court, with his deep three pointers and All-Star status. And the home he used to own at 3201 Noble Lakes Ln. in Houston is no slouch in the stat department, either.
The front door of 3201 Noble Lakes Ln. Photo by Steve Chenn for Martha Turner Sotheby's International Realty
5. Texas Hill Country uncorks No. 3 spot among best U.S. wine regions. The Lone Star State's booming Hill Country wine scene is about to get a lot busier, as it was just declared the No. 3 best wine region in the country for "a grape getaway."
Hildebrand is the richest Houstonian. Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images