Rodeo Best Bites

Upstart restaurant stuns established eateries at Houston Rodeo's Best Bites competition

"A Houston restaurant I've never heard of won the rodeo best bites," Chronicle barbecue columnist J.C. Reid tweeted this morning.

Indeed, the crowd of 5,000 attendees who packed NRG Hall for the event that's officially dubbed the "Uncorked Best Bites Competition" may have been surprised to hear that four month-old Davis St. at Hermann Park emerged as the judges' favorite in the Trailblazing Appetizer/Entree award for its crispy Thai shrimp — ahead of popular restaurants like Pappas Bros. Steakhouse, Brennan's and Glass Wall.

The modern American restaurant also took Reserve Grand Champion honors in both the People's Choice ballot behind perennial favorite Royers Round Top Cafe and showmanship behind Mister French's Gourmet Bakery.

Creole institution Brennan's scored Reserve Grand Champion with its classic turtle soup, as did Italian restaurant Brio Tuscan Grille with a crab cake. A panel of media judges selected the winners from entries by 91 different restaurants, which is a record for the event. The judges also selected favorites for the categories of Two-Steppin Bread/Cheese/Dessert and Tasty Tradition.

Attendees also had the opportunity to sample hundreds of different wines that are part of the Rodeo's annual International Wine Competition.

The event serves as the kickoff of Rodeo season that shifts into high gear Thursday night with the World Championship Bar-B-Que cook off.

The full list of winners from Best Bites is below:

Popular Choice
1st: Royers Café, Round Top
2nd: Davis Street at Hermann Park

Two-Stepping Bread/Cheese/Dessert Award
1st: Mostly Chocolate & Catering, Goat Cheese Truffle
2nd: Joyce's Seafood & Steaks, White Chocolate Bread Pudding

Trailblazing Appetizer/Entrée Award
1st: Davis Street at Hermann Park, Crispy Thai Shrimp
2nd: Brio Tuscan Grille, Crab Cakes
3rd: Brennan's of Houston, Turtle Soup

Showmanship Award
1st: Mr. French's Gourmet Bakery
2nd: Davis Street at Hermann Park

Tasty Traditions Award
1st: Joyce's Seafood & Steaks, White Chocolate Bread Pudding
2nd: Taste of Texas, Certified Angus Beef Tenderloin

Rookie Award
Sweet, Mini Pies

Davis St. at Hermann Park won Best Bites with this crispy Thai shrimp.

Photo by Eric Sandler

Davis St. at Hermann Park won Best Bites with this crispy Thai shrimp.

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2 staples shuttered

Downtown Italian restaurant and Upper Kirby wine bar suddenly close

Cru, seen here in happier times.

Inevitably, the end of the year brings a surprise closure or two, and 2024 is no exception. Both a staple downtown Italian restaurant and an Upper Kirby wine bar have quietly closed this week.

Sambuca closed after service on December 16, owner Kim Forsythe shared on Facebook. Open for 22 years in downtown’s The Rice apartment building, the restaurant was well known for its live music and lively atmosphere. While the restaurant had long been a staple for both downtown office workers and residents, it never fully recovered from the lingering economic changes brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“In recent years, we've faced challenges that have tested our resilience,” Forsythe writes. “The changing climate of our city, with rising homelessness and crime, coupled with the lingering impacts of COVID and the resulting empty office spaces, has created a perfect storm that we could not weather. Though we fought with everything we had to keep our doors open, we're choosing to close this chapter with gratitude, carrying countless memories over the past 22 years.”

Crú Food & Wine Bar has closed its location in Upper Kirby’s Shops at Arrive development, according to a post former managing partner Annette Amaya on Instagram. In addition to the post about the closure, it is no longer accepting reservations via Open Table.

First opened in 2011, Crú earned a following for its eclectic wine list and a food menu that focused on familiar fare such as cheese and charcuterie boards and pizzas. Its location in The Woodlands remains open.

The Shops at Arrive have been busy this year with new openings. Staples such as Eddie V’s and Pondicheri have been joined by PostScript, a female-focused restaurant inspired by Dallas’ XOXO Dining Room, and Kira, an intimate hand roll bar from the team behind upscale omakase counter Neo.

closings news-you-can-eat

Rodeo Best Bites

Upstart restaurant stuns established eateries at Houston Rodeo's Best Bites competition

Davis St. at Hermann Park won Best Bites with this crispy Thai shrimp.

2 staples shuttered

Downtown Italian restaurant and Upper Kirby wine bar suddenly close

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