National Model

Hooters ups the breastaurant war ante, looks to smother rival Twin Peaks with fancy Kirby revamp

With competition picking up from arch-rival neighboring Twin Peaks, pioneering breastaurant chain Hooters unveiled a new look this week at its branch on Kirby, offering up a contemporary version of its trademark wood-paneled-basement decor.

The revamped Houston location will serve as a prototype for other outposts across the nation.

Fans will be comforted to know that the hot wings and degrading staff uniforms are not affected by the changes.

Gone are the water-stained ceilings tiles. Gone are the neon beer signs. Gone are the red vinyl-padded stools . . . This is a 21st-century Hooters, people, and that means high ceilings, exposed ductwork and swiveling high-back seats.

Fans of the "delightfully tacky, yet unrefined" restaurant will be comforted to know that the hot wings and degrading staff uniforms are not affected by the changes.

Also remaining is the automotive-themed wall art, which has been updated with a series of faux road signs cautioning about "Hooters at play" and "Bumps."

"[Customers] are celebrating this remodel as the ideal environment to kick-back and relax after work, get together to watch their favorite sports team and enjoy a delicious meal with their family," Hooters chief marketing officer Dave Henninger said in a statement, reminding everyone of the breastaurant's family-friendly atmosphere.

An official grand unveiling is scheduled from 4 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday. Dubbed "The Sip n’ See VIP Party," the event will include 2013 Hooters Girl of the Year Rachel Fashing, who will sign autographs.

Don't worry Hooters fans — the uniforms and food will be as retro as ever,

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better than blini

Houston pizzeria unveils indulgent caviar pizza for the holiday season

Courtesy of Pizaro's Pizza

Get the Holiday Decadence pizza through the end of December.

One of Houston’s most well-regarded pizzerias is giving diners a way to splurge this holiday season. For a limited time only, Pizaro’s Pizza is topping one of its Neapolitan-style pies with caviar.

Called the Holiday Decadence, it’s a personal-sized, 8-inch, Neapolitan-style pizza topped simply with Pizaro’s housemade mozzarella cheese and seasoned with a little furikake. Alongside, the restaurant provides diners with lemon zest crème fraîche, a small bottle of prosecco, and a one-ounce jar of paddlefish caviar from Houston’s DR Delicacy. Priced at $59, it’s either an indulgent treat for one person or an extravagant appetizer for two.

Pizaro’s co-owner Nicole Bean tells CultureMap she sees the new pizza as an improvement on the caviar special the restaurant tried two years ago, which used its thicker, Detroit-style pizza.

“This year, we simplified things,” she says. “We made it more affordable. We added more caviar. The feature is the caviar, focusing on having a whole, one-ounce container either for yourself or to share with one other person.”

In this configuration, the pizza crust essentially serves as an oversized blini, with the furikake boosting the caviar’s oceanic flavors. Serving the caviar in the jar allows diners to add as much or as little to the pizza as they want. Introduced last week, Bean says the restaurant hasn’t sold that many caviar pizzas yet, but that doesn’t surprise her.

“People are a little hesitant with it being caviar and the $60 price point,” she says. “It’s not for everybody. It’s for people who are curious and want to try it or really love caviar and want to try it every way they can.”

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The restaurant always uses its monthly specials to experiment beyond familiar toppings like pepperoni and mushroom. Next month, Bean and her brother, co-owner Matt Hutchinson, will present dueling pies — his topped with crispy prosciutto, sautéed onions, and balsamic drizzle and hers a simple tomato pie, anchovies optional but strongly encouraged.

“The fun thing about pizza is you can literally do anything with it,” Bean says. “I want people to try different things on pizza. It can be decadent. It can be upscale. It can be fresh and new.”

The Holiday Decadence is available at both Pizaro’s locations through December 31. Find more details at the Pizaro’s Pizza website.

news-you-can-eat pizza caviar