Monday night's Truffle Masters competition may have sold out, but this week offers lots of other entertaining options for food lovers. Consider celebrations of ice cream, red beans and rice, and a casual wine dinner at a popular pizza place.
Monday, January 27
Red Beans and Rice Pop-Up Dinner at Brennan's of Houston
Food writer and natural-born cook Pableaux Johnson joins Brennan's proprietor Alex Brennan-Martin and executive chef Joe Cervantez to create a family-style feast. The three-course supper and wine pairing includes New Orleans shrimp remoulade, red beans and rice with Andouille sausage (natch) served with Papa’s Cornbread, and a Creole bread pudding. The evening starts with a cocktail gathering at 6:30 pm, followed supper at 7. The cost is $55 per person, plus tax and gratuity. Purchase tickets online.
The Industry Sessions: How to Build a Restaurant Empire at OKRA Charity Saloon
The first installment of TouchBistro's series brings together Chris Shepherd and Victoria Dearmond of Underbelly Hospitality, Justin Yu of Theodore Rex and Better Luck Tomorrow, Leonora Varvoutis and Christina Ramey of Agricole Hospitality, and Tracy Vaught of H-Town Restaurant Group for a panel discussion about successfully scaling one restaurant to multiple, They'll discuss the importance of dictating a restaurant’s culture, navigating the gamble of choosing the right concept, and more. Networking and fried chicken sandwiches follow. Doors open at 7 pm and the discussion begins at 7:30. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased online. Proceeds from the evening go to WCR: Women Chefs and Restaurateurs, non-profit that advances the voice of women in hospitality.
Thursday, January 30
Il Borro Wine Dinner at Emmaline
Salvatore Ferragamo, CEO of this Italian winery, will walk guests through the evening's selections. The menu includes Caviar Ciccetti, with chilled soubise cream, fresh-cut chives, and a brioche crisp, partnered with the 2017 Lamelle Chardonnay Toscana Bianco, and a branzino filet with oregano pesto, Israeli couscous and a vegetable salad, paired with the 2016 Polissena Toscana Rosso. The evening begins with cocktails at 6:30 pm and dinner starts at 7. Tickets are $150 per person, excluding tax and gratuity. To reserve, call the restaurant at 713-523-3210.
No Frills Wine Dinner at Cane Rosso
The popular pizza joint teams up with neighbor The Heights Grocer for a three-course dinner of off-menu items that show off Cane Rosso's beyond-pizza culinary chops paired with an approachable wine from The Heights Grocer. Look for selections like a roasted beet carpaccio with crispy shallots and goat cheese, paired with the 2018 Raína Umbria Bianco Grechetto, an orange wine, and Calabrian fried quail alongside the 2018 Matthiason Tendu red blend. Tickets for the dinner are $50 per person, and include tax and gratuity. Guests who fall in love with a certain wine can purchase a "Choose Your Own Pairing" package for an additional $40 that includes one bottle of wine from the dinner, a pair of branded wine glasses, and the diner’s choice of any Cane Rosso pizza. The "Choose Your Own Pairing" package must be purchased at the wine dinner and is good only for dine-in at Cane Rosso. The dinner begins at 7 pm. To purchase wine dinner tickets, call 713-868-0071.
Friday, January 31
Rosé Champange Master Class at Pappas Bros. Downtown
Pappas Bros. Steakhouse’s three Master Sommeliers — Barbara Werley, Jack Mason and Steven McDonald — unite for an epic evening of rare Champagne from some of the world's top producers. Vintages include selections from Dom Perignon, Krug, Louis Roederer "Cristal,” and Paul Bara, an ultra-desireable wine that the restaurant sourced directly from the winery. Instead of a walk-around tasting, the class will feature a seated tasting with classroom-style seating. Tickets, $1,295 plus tax and gratutity, are available online. Class begins at 6 pm.
'80s Comedy Movie Night at City Acre Brewing
The brew pub kicks off its big-screen movie series tonight with a showing of When Harry Met Sally. Throughout the series, which runs through June, look for themed menu items to go with the flicks. Get a punch card and rack up freebies: viewers who attend two movies get a free popcorn, see three and get a free pretzel; four movies earns a free plate of fries, and see five and get a free bottle from the special Cellar Bounty collection. Those hard-core film-goers who see all six receive a free dinner and drink on the house. Movies start at 8 pm. For more information on the series, contact the brewery online or call 832-377-0237.
The Creole Food Experiment at Poitín Bar & Kitchen
Chef Dominick Lee presents this dinner that's intended to showcase his hometown of New Orleans. The seven-course menu, available for both omnivores and vegetarians, features dishes like Oyster Plant Funnel Cake, BBQ shrimp, and cabbage rolls. Tickets, $75 plus tax and gratuity, may be purchased online. Cocktail pairings available for an additional $45. The dinner repeats February 1, 7, and 8.
Saturday, February 1
Ice Cream for Breakfast Day at Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams
Pop into this newly opened Heights spot and try breakfast-themed flavors like Skillet Cinnamon Roll, making its debut today, complete with dark caramel sauce or a coffee float that comes with a souvenir Ice Cream for Breakfast Day mug. Something to sweeten the deal: 100-percent of the profits made between 8 am and noon will benefit DoSomething.org, which encourages young people to create social change.
Website Launch Party at Cloud 10 Creamery
The Upper Kirby location hosts this celebration that's a marriage of ice cream and technology. With the website launch, guests can not only order at www.cloud10creamery.com and have the shop's creamy creations shipped to their doors — but they can ship it to their friends' doors, too, anywhere in the U.S. This will be feted with a DJ, a photo booth, prizes, and free ice cream from 1 to 4 pm.
