High-Class Sports Dining

Don't call it a sports bar: Clemens, Mandola sons insist their new Houston restaurant defies the stereotype

Luke Mandola Jr., the eponymous son of a major player in the Houston restaurant scene (Ragin Cajun owner Luke Mandola Sr.), and Kory Clemens, the son of a Major League Baseball legend (Roger Clemens), are the ones calling the shots at Katch 22, Houston's newest "sporty restaurant." (It's emphatically, according to the owners, not a sports bar.)

Katch 22 opened on May 15, the 29th anniversary of Roger Clemens' Major League debut. Kory Clemens and Mandola Jr. seem to be fond of this sort of symbolism. For example, regarding the restaurant's name: Roger Clemens was also big on Ks of course naming all his kids (Kody, Kacy, Koby and Kory) with the letter that signifies strikeouts in baseball.

On top of that, Mandola played catcher in college. And 22: That was Roger Clemens' number of course. And also the date of the month Mandola Jr.'s son was born on.

"There's not a lot of places in Houston where you can get an outstanding meal, good wine, nice cocktails meshed together with a sporty setting."

And, just in case you still don't quite get it, the eatery boasts 11 (half of 22 — I know, math can be hard) flat-screen TVs.

CultureMap touched base with Mandola Jr. in his new digs — the invitingly well-lit space at 700 Durham where tapas bar Convivio used to be.

"It's about good food, good times, spirits, family and friends," Mandola Jr. says, indicating the phrases emblazoned on the chalkboard wall behind him. The restaurant's decorated with sports memorabilia, including a few signed Roger Clemens jerseys.

"There's not a lot of places in Houston where you can get an outstanding meal, good wine, nice cocktails meshed together with a sporty setting," says Mandola Jr., who believes the restaurant is on par with Michael Jordan's Steak House in Chicago and Mickey Mantle's Steakhouse in Oklahoma City.

Instead of bar food, Katch 22 focuses on "steaks, flat breads, chops, gourmet sandwiches, nice appetizers."

"In this business you have to hang your hat on four items to be really successful," Mandola Jr. says. In Katch 22's case, those items include the lobster roll from Kory Clemens' native Boston ("our menu is developed on what we like to eat, what we grew up eating") and bacon-wrapped quail.

"We're looking for the general public to determine the other two," Mandola Jr. says. "The palate of the city will change our menu. Whatever they like, we'll kind of go in that direction."

With a fair share of supporters having followed their own careers, Mandola Jr. and Kory Clemens' believe Katch 22 can be a hit right off the bat. The restaurant's open Tuesdays through Sundays ("closed Mondays for golf and fishing").

Kory Clemens, left, and Luke Mandola

Katch 22 restaurant bar Houston May 2013 RUN FLAT

Courtesy photo

Kory Clemens, left, and Luke Mandola

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cheers to that

Texas bourbon named one of 2024's top 10 whiskies

Still Austin Whiskey Co. Red Corn Bourbon Whiskey

Still Austin Whiskey Co./Facebook

Now if only we could snag a bottle...as a Christmas gift, of course.

Three cheers for Still Austin Whiskey Co.! The distillery's Bottled in Bond Red Corn Bourbon Whiskey was recognized as one of Whisky Advocate'sTop 20 Most Exciting Whiskies of 2024.

Every year, Whisky Advocate's expert panelists rank hundreds of whiskies based on their quality, availability, value for the price, and "X-factor," meaning an excitement-inducing component like a unique flavor or an innovative idea. An international panel also reviews contenders through several blind taste tests without knowing each whisky's producer, origin, age, or price.

The magazine ranked Still Austin's five-year Red Corn Bourbon No. 7 on the list with a prestigious score of 94 points. The Red Corn whiskey, which was released in June 2024, has mash bill consisting of 36 percent Jimmy Red corn, 34 percent white corn, 25 percent rye, and 5 percent barley.

According to panelist Shane English, tasting notes start big and bold with cracked pepper, dusty leather, and cocktail cherries, before moving on to a palate of chile pepper, caramel, and buttery cornbread.

"Each sip is electric — the pepper gives this whiskey a zing balanced by poundcake and glazed doughnuts," English said. "Charred oak fades to chocolate, coffee, and pecan pie on the finish."

Still Austin had the only Texas product on the list, which was fitting given the brand's recent boasting that it could match any Kentucky Bourbon. As a game day stunt when the Texas Longhorns played the Kentucky Wildcats in November, Still Austin refilled empty Kentucky Bourbon bottles with its own Cask Strength Bourbon for just $1.

When the brand isn't playfully antagonizing Kentucky fans, its Red Corn Bourbon sells for a retail price of $85 per 750-milliliter bottle, falling nearly in the middle of the price category out of all 20 bourbons on the list, with eight others priced for less.

For additional context, none of the top five bourbons fall under a $100 price tag. In fact, the most expensive bottle on the 2024 list is the Angel's Envy 2023 Cask Strength Port Wine Barrel Finished Bourbon, which ranked No. 12 and retails for $230 per bottle.

"Our top 20 whiskies represent a curated collection that deserves your attention. Each whisky on the list stands out for its superb taste, representing the pinnacle of a year filled with remarkable tastings," said executive editor David Fleming in a release. "This list features whiskies offering exceptional value, leaders in their respective styles, and superbly made expressions that are well worth seeking out."

Whiskey Advocate's 2024 Whiskey of the Year is Laphroaig Elements 2.0 Cask Strength Scotch Single Malt, which earned 95 points and retails for $165 a bottle.

whiskey bourbon distilleries awards lists