6 things to know

6 things to know in Houston food right now: Star chefs host a Beard Award tasting event, plus latest news

Editor’s note: Houston’s restaurant scene moves pretty fast. In order to prevent CultureMap readers from missing anything, let’s stop to look around at all the latest news to know.

Now open up north

Those heading to Lake Conroe for recreation have a new all-day cafe to consider. Hunger Crush Café serves an eclectic menu of classic American fare at breakfast and lunch daily with dinner on the weekends (15250 Hwy 105 W., in Montgomery).

Open daily beginning at 8 am, owners Mike and Mary Kelton have created a restaurant that caters to a diverse set of tastes. Breakfast options include avocado toast, omelets, and three different pancake flavors — all of which can be paired with juices, mimosas, or a full range of espresso drinks. At lunch and dinner, choose from a range of sandwiches, salads, burgers, and entrees such as meatloaf, penne bolognese, and chicken fried steak.

Hunger Crush has a charitable component, too. An unspecific portion of proceeds from the sales of its “hunger boards” — family-style servings designed to feed a crowd — will be contributed to the Montgomery County Food Bank.

New menus

Chef Danny Leal has rolled out his offerings for Local Group Brewing, the brewery in Hardy Yards that reopened recently under new ownership. Available Thursday-Sunday, the menu includes dishes such as pork belly gorditas, smoked jalapeño and cheese sausage kolaches, and “hot and tangy” chicken sandwich served with Leal’s signature yucca fries. On the weekends, the chef adds barbacoa and carnitas tacos to his offerings.

Most importantly, fans of the chef’s fare at shuttered cocktail bar Night Shift will be pleased to know that churros are available for dessert. Hours of operation are 4-10 pm Thursday and Friday, 11 am-10 pm Saturday and 11 am-8 pm Sunday.

Chef Kevin Bryant has put his stamp on the menu at Rice Village Italian restaurant Roma. A veteran of restaurants such as Tony’s and Eleven XI, Bryant’s new offerings include chilled octopus salad with roasted lemon vinaigrette, truffle-crusted cod over summer vegetables, and Tonno Alla Grillia, a grilled rare tuna over chilled cannellini bean salad with heirloom tomatoes, garlic, roasted lemon, and sundried tomato pesto. Vegetarians will find options such as risotto with spring vegetables and gnocchi with arugula and tomatoes.

Over time, Bryant hopes to add more tableside preparations. Currently, the restaurant features a whole fish that’s deboned at the table and Cacio e Pepe that includes spaghetti tossed tableside in a pecorino bowl.

“We’re putting love in the food,” Bryant said in a statement. “Love is understanding the ingredients and knowing why you put certain ingredients in a pan, in a certain order. Italian food is that deep down grandmother inside of you, showing you the art of it, grabbing the best tomato and basil, and creating an exceptional product out of it. We’re striving to create the best experience and version of what’s offered.”

Food happenings

Norwegian chef Christopher Haatuft will host a series of dinners this week at Golfstrommen, the restaurant he opened in the Post Market food hall. Known as the father of Neo-Fjordic cuisine, Haatuft will collaborate with chef Paul Qui and Golfstrommen chef de cuisine Biggie Cruz to serve dishes inspired by Lysverket, his restaurant in Bergen, Norway. Expect menus that highlight the chef’s interest in sustainable ingredients. Options include dinners this week that utilize North Atlantic seafood like squid, lobster, salt cod (bacalao), and mackerel as well as a brunch on Sunday, July 3. Make reservations via the Resy app.

The James Beard Foundation has released the menu for its Taste America event that’s taking place this Wednesday, June 29 at Silver Street Studios. They include: Dawn Burrell (Late August), Cured Salmon with Tamarind Tiger Fry, Cucumber, and Crunchy Salmon Skin; Evelyn Garcia and Henry Lu (Kin HTX), Ceviche with Lemongrass Leche de Tigre, Chili Oil, and Sesame Crisp; Christine Ha and Tony J. Nguyen (Xin Chào), Vietnamese Wagyu Meatball; Rebecca Masson (Fluff Bake Bar), Star Crossed Lover Bars; Kaitlin Steets (Theodore Rex), Tomato Toast, and Michelle Wallace (Gatlin’s BBQ), Hickory-Smoked Catfish with Deconstructed Dirty Rice

Tickets, available here, include samples from the participating chefs, drinks from event sponsors, and music by DJ Seek, aka Blood Bros. BBQ co-founder Robin Wong.

Brasil will host a fundraiser for Planned Parenthood this Friday, July 1. Executive chef AJ Ede has recruited a talented group of friends for the event. Brasil will donate proceeds from Ede’s signature “Cheeseburger in Paradise” (a bacon cheeseburger with jalapeño sauce), while Brasil general manager Beryl Fergus has created a boozy strawberry lemonade for the event. Other participants include bartender Dani Taylan, chef Nick Wong, and CultureMap Tastemaker Awards winners Christina Au (Blacksmith) and Josh Deleon (Underground Creamery), each of whom will have sweet treats for sale. The event starts at 11 am and goes until sold out.

Kevin Bryant has introduced new dishes at Roma.

Photo by Becca Wright

Kevin Bryant has introduced new dishes at Roma.

news-you-can-eat fundraisers

water, water everywhere

The quest for a Topo Chico replacement — we rate 9 sparkling waters

Photo by Eric Sandler

We purchased sparkling water at five stores across the inner loop.

Topo Chico drinkers nationwide are in a bit of a tizzy. Coca-Cola, which acquired the cult-favorite sparkling mineral water in 2017, announced that the product will be unavailable for at least the next few months.

CNN reports the shortage is due to “facility upgrades at the water source and production facilities in Mexico.”

“We are now making further investments at the source to improve source stability and quality and enable increased production, requiring us to temporarily stop production,” Coca-Cola said in a letter to CNN.

For Topo Chico fans, the shortage brings an obvious question. What should a person drink until the supply is restored? Or, what’s a permanent replacement that will avoid this issue altogether?

After collecting suggestions from people via Instagram, I went to Spec’s and inner loop grocery stores to purchase nine varieties of sparkling water with one goal in mind — find something that’s similar enough to Topo Chico that it will earn a spot in my refrigerator.

In the interests of science, I only included sparkling water brands that are similar in size (approximately 12-ounce bottles) and price (between $1 and $1.50 per bottle). Whenever possible, I purchased glass bottles instead of cans or plastic. Although many are available in flavors, I only purchased unflavored waters. All waters were chilled overnight in a refrigerator prior to tasting.

Sparkling water taste test Each water was chilled overnight prior to tasting.Photo by Eric Sandler

Not surprisingly, my top three choices came down to two other Mexican sparkling waters and a convincing dupe from H-E-B.

Most Similar to Topo Chico

Agua de Piedra
Purchased from Spec’s (can also be found at La Michocana), this water from Nuevo Leon, Mexico can be found at several restaurants and coffee shops around town. It offers both strong carbonation and just enough saltiness to satisfy a Topo craving. As long as I can source it reliably, this will be my new house water.

Mineragua
Available at both Whole Foods Market and H-E-B, this water from Jarritos is almost as carbonated as Topo Chico. Its flavor profile is salty with a slight, citrus-style acidity. I prefer the flavor of Agua de Piedra, but others may like this more.

1877 Mineral Water by H-E-B
H-E-B’s house brand sparkling mineral water is sourced from Texas, in Mineral Wells. It has carbonation that persists from opening until finishing. Its slightly salty flavor will be welcomed by Topo Chico drinkers. Overall, it’s probably the best choice for more people, since it’s so readily available.

Less Like Topo, but Still Tasty

Rambler Sparkling Water
This mineral water from Austin is available everywhere, including many restaurants and bars. Since it's only available in cans, its more mild carbonation doesn’t match Topo Chico’s; however, it has a lightly salty taste that makes it very refreshing. This is a good option for those who find Topo to be too fizzy.

Tehuacan
Purchased at Central Market, this water is sourced from springs within Citlaltépetl, Mexico’s highest mountain. The mountain’s volcanic rock gives the water a noticeable saltiness with a slightly sour taste. Although it wasn’t quite to my taste, its strong carbonation and distinct flavor could appeal to other Topo devotees.

Private Selection Sparkling Mineral Water
Available at Kroger, this water is neither as carbonated nor as salty as Topo Chico. Still, it has enough fizz and minerality to do in a pinch, particularly for people who prefer shopping at Kroger over other grocery stores.

Your Mileage May Vary

Richard’s Sparkling Rainwater
Admittedly, a non-mineral water was unlikely to emerge as a favorite in this taste test. Since it’s made with filtered rainwater, Richard’s has a very clean taste and a mild level of carbonation.

Saratoga Carbonated Spring Water
Like Richard’s, this water is too lightly carbonated and too mildly flavored to satisfy a Topo craving. Still, it’s clean and refreshing, which could appeal to non-Topo drinkers.

I’ve Had Better

Liquid Death Mountain Water (Sparkling)
Bland and flat-tasting, this water was the only one I wouldn’t purchase again. Maybe the flavored versions are better.

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