this week in dining

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

Dine at popular Montrose spot Kau Ba and cheer on chef Nikki Tran during her Street Food appearance on Wednesday.

The biggest events this week pay tribute to teachers, and eateries around town have special deals as Teacher Appreciation Week kicks off. There’s plenty for the non-teachers out there, too, however, including the return of a popular steak night and a great dinner from Chef Monica Pope.

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

Monday, May 6 through Friday, May 10

Teacher Appreciation Deals Across Houston
Teachers who show ID at any Pei Wei location will receive 33 percent off a regular entrees (although some exceptions apply) for dine-in orders only. Meanwhile, at Ooh La La Dessert Boutique, teachers can get a free jumbo cupcake when they present their school IDs. And at all Grimaldi’s Pizzeria locations, teachers receive 15 percent off all week long. In addition, the chain will select one teacher from a school at each of its neighborhood locations to win a pizza party. Nomination forms are available on the Grimaldi’s site.

Wednesday, May 8

Street Food Viewing at Kau Ba Saigon
Chef and owner Nikki Tran is featured in the first season of the new Netflix series Street Food, from the creator of the popular series, Chef’s Table. She appears in the episode about Vietnamese street food, and is hosting a viewing part of that show at her Montrose restaurant, Kau Ba (which the Houston Chronicle named best new restaurant in 2018). Guests can see the episode, ask Tran questions, and partake in a special one-off menu comprised of Tran’s favorite Vietnamese street foods. All cocktails will also be half priced.

Steak Night at Goodnight Charlie’s
Houston’s chic honky tonk brings back its popular midweek promotion. Starting at 4 pm, get a strip steak with Tajin butter, elote-style creamed corn, and fried loaded potatoes for $20. The deal is available until the steak runs out.

Saturday, May 11

8th Wonder Distilled Spirits Launch Party at 8th Wonder Brewery
The popular local craft brewery has teamed up with Present Company to create its own line of distilled spirits. To mark the milestone, there’s a party from 1 to 6 pm, where guests can check out cocktails made with 8x Distilled Vodka and Hopped Gin, using Cascade hops. Look for plenty of swag items, and 8th Wonder resident artist, Donkeeboy, will be painting live starting at 2 pm.

Houston Tacos and Margs Crawl on Washington Avenue
Get your fix of a variety of tacos and margaritas from several Washington Avenue favorites such as Clutch Bar, Kung Fu Saloon and Daisy Duke’s. Seven spots are included on the crawl, with different selections available at each. Tickets are $17.99 per person. 2 pm.

Positive Table Dinner at LIFEHTX
Chef Monica Pope creates a curated, seasonal meal hosted by Define Body & Mind Owner, Henry Richardson and Justine Fanarof. The menu includes multiple courses of healthy fare prepared as only Pope can create. Tickets are $150 per person, and the evening begins with tonics at 6:30 pm; dinner follows, beginning at 7:15 pm.

lunch dinner news-you-can-eat

return of the mack

Houston restaurateur steps up with massive River Oaks-area steakhouse

Courtesy of Mack Allen's

A rendering previews the Champagne Room, one of three private dining spaces.

A massive new steakhouse is coming to the River Oaks area this summer. Meet Mack Allen’s, a new project from Rouxpour owner Mack McDonald that’s scheduled to open in July.

While McDonald is primarily known for his casual dining concepts, Mack Allen’s is a step up in terms of design, experience, and quality. To bring the vision to life, McDonald has assembled a team of hospitality veterans, including executive chef Carlos Andrade (The Rouxpour. Brennan’s of Houston, etc.) and general manager Shaun Stockton (Turner’s, Vic & Anthony’s, etc.).

Located in the 5POP office tower at 4400 Post Oak Pkwy, Mack Allen’s will occupy 16,000 square feet on the 28-story building’s first floor. Led by Montgomery Roth Architecture & Interior Design, the space has been divided into a main dining room, a fully landscaped patio with fire and water features, and three private dining rooms

The Boardroom, designed for business meetings with full A/V capabilities
The Champagne Room, designed for luncheons, bridal showers, and other celebrations
The Estate Room, a 60-seat room with its own bar.

Once seated, customers will dine on a menu created by Andrade and regional chef Manuel “Manny” Viveros. It includes prime beef, raw and chargrilled oysters, sushi, seafood, and luxury add-ons such as caviar and truffles. More information about specific dishes and preparations will be shared closer to opening.

“At Mack Allen’s we’ll embrace a guest-first philosophy of always saying yes — yes to anything we can do to make our guests feel welcome and valued,” Stockton said in a statement. “This isn’t just about exceptional food. It’s about creating a place where hospitality leads everything and guests feel a true sense of belonging.”

Courtesy of Mack Allen's

A rendering previews the Champagne Room, one of three private dining spaces.

news-you-can-eat openings