Pizza experts Adam Kuban and Ed Levine (who run phenom food blog Slice) have created a March Madness-style bracket for the the 64 top pizzerias in America for the March issue of Every Day with Rachael Ray. Two Houston establishments made it into the tourney—Dolce Vita and Russo's NY Coal-Fired Pizza, which was ousted by eventual southwest bracket champion, Phoenix's Pizzeria Bianco. Russo's Anthony Russo will also be competing March 2-4 at the International Pizza Challenge in Las Vegas.
This weekend (Friday through Sunday) is The Chocolate Festival at Central Market, where they'll be "dipping just about everything we can in chocolate, baking chocolate into breads, showing off our darks and milks from around the globe and getting saucy with our favorite chocolate-infused sauces."
After losing Japan-trained talent Hori-san to Kata Robata last year, Kubo's Sushi is bringing in another big gun at executive chef—Kiyoko Ita, who has trained and worked throughout Japan, Spain and the United States, including at Kyoto's 200-year-old Hiragi-ya, known for its perfectionist service and attention to detail. Look for his innovative touch in all Kubo's dishes, or try the multi-course chef-chosen kaiseki.
Gayot and MSN have chosen their ten favorite new restaurants in America—and our own RDG + Bar Annie made the list. Speaking of RDG, chef Del Grande will be introducing his favorite film, the classic 1978's murder mystery Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe?, as part of the MFAH's Meals on Reels series on Monday, Feb. 22.
Bootsie's Heritage Cafe, Randy Rucker's new project with his mom in Tomball, is set to open on February 15.
Anyone's ever ever wondered why the food options in the medical center are so, ahem, unhealthy will be happy at the addition of Salata, a local create-your-own-salad concept, which will debut at the corner of Fannin and Dryden in late February.
Captain Mc's serves fried drum and shrimp caught by McBride's boats.
A fisherman who’s a favorite of Houston chefs is getting into the restaurant business. Frederick McBride, better known as “Captain Fred,” will open Captain Mc’s Seafood in the Third Ward in May.
Located near the University of Houston and Texas Southern University at 5055 Griggs Road, Captain Mc’s will serve wild caught popcorn shrimp, black drum, and blue crab caught by McBride and his team of commercial fisherman. The menu has been streamlined to include plates of fried drum and fried shrimp, a fried shrimp po’ boy, and a crab cake sandwich, along with hamburgers and chicken tenders for non-seafood eaters.
“Our diners will have the real possibility of eating a fish or blue crab that was caught early that morning and fried up just in time for dinner,” McBride said in a statement.
The restaurant’s proximity to the coast allows Captain Mc’s to sell fresh caught, wild seafood at a price that’s similar to national fast food restaurants. For example, a four-ounce crab cake sandwich with fries, a hushpuppy, and a drink is priced at $20, and a combo meal of drum and shrimp with fries, a hushpuppy, and a drink is $25.
Since 2020, McBride and his crew have been supplying seafood to restaurants such as Navy Blue, Josephine’s, and Pier 6. As he prepared to open the restaurant, McBride asked his chef friends to contribute recipes. Matt Staph, a private chef who has worked at Brennan’s and One Fifth, helped with the fried recipes, and Lucille’s chef-owner Chris Williams worked on the crab cake. Pier 6 chef Joe Cervantez contributed a sauce that’s served with every meal, and James Beard Award winner Chris Shepherd contributed a remoulade recipe. Josephine’s chef Lucas McKinney, a CultureMap Tastemaker Awards winner, helped with overall menu development.
“Chefs Luke, Matt, Chris Williams, Joe, and Chris Shepherd have all been fishing with me on multiple occasions and have experienced the sea to table experience that we are bringing to Houston,” McBride said.
Speaking of Shepherd, he devoted an episode of his TV show Eat Like a Local to McBride’s operation. Watch it below.
Initially, the restaurant will be open Thursday-Sunday from 11 am-11 pm. It will offer diners the choice of a 35-seat dining room or getting a to-go order from its drive-through window.
Photo by Shane Dante
Captain Mc's serves fried drum and shrimp caught by McBride's boats.
Chef Kiyoka Ito of Kubo's Sushi Bar and Grill
RDG/Bar Annie
Pizza from Russo's NY Coal-fired Pizza
From Salata
