this week in dining

These are the 6 best food and drink events in Houston this week

Frisco’s Claws for Paws Crawfish Festival 2018

Enjoy some mudbugs (even racing!) this Saturday.

Photo courtesy of Cajun Crawfish Company

From crawfish and an exciting pop-up, to Cinco de Mayo, this week’s lineup of Houston food events shows that the city never slows down when it comes to flavor. Also, there’s a new food and wine festival on the block, and a guided wine tour of Italy.

Here, then, are the best food and drink events for the week.

Tuesday, April 29

A Full Menu to Sample at Decateur Bar & Pop-Up Factory
Chef Evelyn Garcia begins offering a full menu of southeast-Asian-meets-Latin cuisine. Check out items such as massaman short ribs; shrimp, sour yellow and vegan green curries; and chili jam, mango and papaya salads, and large format dishes like ginger-glazed whole fried fish and coconut marinated chargrilled pork chop. The dishes are available Tuesday through Saturday from 4 to 11 pm. No reservations required.

Friday, May 3

Wine Tasting at the Italian Cultural and Community Center
Part of the center’s “Come Wine With Us” series, this guided wine tasting offers various sips from regions around Italy paired with light bites from Mia Bella Trattoria. It’s led by John Muellner from Dionysus Imports.

Wines to be sampled include Marotti Campi 2015 Lacrima di Morro d'Alba Superiore "Orgiolo,” Schiopetto 2015 Collio Friulano, Matteo Correggia 2014 Roero Riserva "Ròche d’Ampsèj," and Luigi Tecce 2015 Irpinia Campi Taurasini "Satyricon." Tickets are $60 for ICCC members and $65 for nonmembers. Reservations may be made online or by calling 713-524-4222, ext. 7.

Saturday, May 4

Rails and Tails Mudbug Festival at Tomball Depot Plaza
This day-long family friendly festival features live music, crawfish racing, a Kid’s Zone, and lots of tasty mudbugs. Admission and parking are free. The celebration runs from 11 am to 8 pm.

First Annual Taste of Memorial City Food and Wine Festival
UPDATE: This event is now sold out as of 2 pm Monday, April 29.
Sample food and beverages from more than 30 of West Houston’s best restaurants. Regular admission includes a commemorative wine glass, food and drink, and tasting sessions with brewmasters and wine makers. VIP access offers all of the above, along with early access to the festival, chef demonstrations, a special VIP lounge, and premium wine and beer. Regular admission is $35 per person; VIP tickets are $60 each. 4 pm.

Sunday, May 5

Day-Long Margarita Specials at The Original Ninfa’s on Navigation
Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with the restaurant’s special Red, White and Green margarita, featuring watermelon, cucumber and jalapeno flavors. The cocktail is available all day long for $12.

Cinco de Mayo Celebration at Cadillac Bar
Enjoy a taco tent, DJ entertainment, buckets of beer, margaritas, and the bar’s exclusive Maria Bonita cocktail featuring Espolòn Blanco Tequila. Festivities also include giveaways throughout the party and an appearance by the Corona Mariachi band. 4 pm to midnight.

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Welcome KIH 5

Successful Houston patio bar Kirby Ice House now open in Clear Lake

Courtesy of Kirby Ice House

Kirby Ice House is now open near Space Center Houston.

The newest location of Kirby Ice House is now open in Clear Lake.

First announced in July, the expansive new bar is conveniently located near the Johnson Space Center and Space Center Houston at 530 Bay Area Blvd. Like its siblings in Upper Kirby, Memorial, The Woodlands, and near the Heights, the Clear Lake location features Kirby Ice House’s winning formula of a huge indoor-outdoor bar with an extensive selection of beer and cocktails, lawn games, space for food trucks, and plenty of TVs for watching sports.

It also offer Kirby Ice House’s daily specials and happy hour discounts. They include $1 off draft beers on Tuesday, $5 select Texas drafts and liquors on Wednesday, Ladies Night on Thursday, and daytime specials on Saturday and Sunday.

The bar customized its interior for Clear Lake. For example, the design nods to NASA with a neon sign that depicts its signature cowgirl riding a rocket.

“One of the things we enjoy most is creating spaces that reflect the communities they serve,” co-owner Danny Evans said in a statement. “We never want our locations to feel copied and pasted. We want them to have their own personality, and we hope guests feel that from the moment they walk in.”

Beverage choices start with dozens of beers on tap alongside wines by-the-glass or bottle. Kirby Ice House also serves cocktails such as a cucumber-lime Moscow Mule, blood orange paloma, and lemonade Old Fashioned. A rotating roster of food trucks serves customers who want a bite with their beers. Taken together, the extensive selection and massive footprint have helped each location of Kirby Ice House rank among the highest’s grossing bars in Texas.

Kirby Ice House arrives just in time for football season. It opens at 11 am on Saturday and Sunday to ensure fans catch all the day’s action. It opens at 2 pm Monday-Friday.

Kirby Ice House welcomed hundreds of people to a pre-opening party on Labor Day. Alongside its full menu of drinks, special guests Lupe Tortilla and Eastbound Barbecue served food.

Courtesy of Kirby Ice House

Kirby Ice House is now open near Space Center Houston.

openings nightlife cocktails kirby ice house clear lake