Off to the Races

Make your Derby Day a delight with one of these fab fetes

Don't let Cinco de Drinko slow you down: Nurse that hangover Friday and then hit it hard Saturday for any (or all) of these fabulous Derby Day events. Note that most parties start in the early afternoon, with post time for the big Kentucky Derby race set for 5:25 p.m. Houston time.

Anvil Bar & Refuge - 12 p.m.
Anvil's second annual "Come for the Races, Stay for the Juleps" Derby Day party will have the races broadcast on a big screen as well as half-price bourbon mint juleps — if you're dressed in your best Derby Day duds.

Reserve 101 - 2 p.m.
Reserve's Derby Day juleps are crafted from an infusion of Woodford Reserve (the official bourbon of the Derby) with mint and Habanero chili peppers. The spice-tinged whiskey is mixed with agave nectar for a touch of sweetness; the cocktails are on special all day for $10 a piece.

Jackson's Watering Hole - 4 p.m.
Jackson's 2011 Dirty Derby benefits Trees for Houston with specials on hard lemonade, beer and comfort food courtesy of Raising Cane's. Consider this Derby party a taste of how the other half of Kentucky does the Derby; wear your best white trash gear to play blackjack and pay a visit to the temporary tattoo artist. Tickets are $30 at the door or $20 pre-sale.

Branchwater Tavern - 2 p.m.
Branchwater Tavern's Kentucky Derby Bash will broadcast the races on the flat screens and provide guests complimentary bites (menu includes pulled pork sliders and shrimp n' grits) along with $5 mint juleps and whiskey tea smash till 7 p.m. Derby attire is encouraged; wear your widest brim and get your first mint julep free!

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truffle masters recap

Street corn shines at Houston's truffle-powered chef competition

Photo by Daniel Ortiz

Marcus Benedict, Daniella Johner, and chef Luis Roger of MAD and BCN.

One of Houston’s top Mexican restaurants took the top prize at this year’s Truffle Masters competition. Victoria Elizondo, chef-owner of Cochinita & Co., bested 24 other Houston chefs with Elotitos, corn brushed with chiltepin aioli, dusted with seven chile spice, and finished with shaved truffles and Parmesan.

“The team killed it last night,” Elizondo wrote on Instagram. “We won 1st place at @thetrufflemasters all while having fun and cooking with love! Food doesn’t need to be fancy, it just needs to be made with corazón!”

The attention couldn’t have come at a better time. As CultureMap reported last month, Cochinita & Co. is currently in the process of opening a second location in Lindale Park. Customers can invest in the project via the NuMarket platform in exchange for credits at the restaurant.

Second prize went to Camaraderie in the Heights for its black sesame and black truffle gelato, while Cocody, a French restaurant in River Oaks, took third place for its truffle-shaped Lollys Persillade Escargot Cromesquis, essentially an escargot lollypop with with black truffle and quail egg in the middle.

Montrose sushi restaurant Soto won People’s Choice with its Engawa fin muscle with truffle balsamic unagi sauce, kizami, and chocolate black truffle masago arare. Aniket Bhingare, a bartender at Michelin-starred restaurant Musaafer, won the cocktail competition with his Pour Me a Slice, made with truffle and herb-infused and a clarified mix of roma tomatoes, fresh basil, oregano, basil, and truffle oil.

Other standout dishes included a Yukon Gold potato with truffle brown butter from Michelin-recognized sushi restaurant Hidden Omakase, truffle s’mores from Israeli-inspired steakhouse Doris Metropolitan, beef tartare and truffle ice cream from fine dining sushi restaurant Katami, and Credence’s truffle duck sausage with plums and truffles. Maximo, a Mexican restaurant in West U., maximized (sorry) its truffle usage with a Cachetada de Barbacoa Taco, made with nixtamalized truffle tortilla, truffle-braised barbacoa, and sottocenere al tartufo cheese with black garlic-habanero salsa

More than 350 attended the sold-out affair, which took place at the Astorian events space in Sawyer Yards. The judging panel include both media members (such as this author) and hospitality pros. A portion of proceeds will be donated to the KNOWAutism Foundation.

Photo by Daniel Ortiz

Marcus Benedict, Daniella Johner, and chef Luis Roger of MAD and BCN.