Foodie News

Bananas Foster alert! Brennan's of Houston is open and unaffected by New Orleans family squabble

Brennan's of Houston survived Hurricane Ike and came back stronger than ever. Now, owner Alex Brennan-Martin is navigating around a New Orleans family feud that has some Houston customers worried about the fate of his restaurant.

Brennan-Martin's phone and social media outlets have been jammed since Friday when news came out of New Orleans that the Brennan's location in the Crescent City unexpectedly closed after a fight over control of the French Quarter landmark forced the shutdown. Concerned customers asked if the New Orleans problems are affecting the Houston location.

"The ironic part of all of this is Brennan’s of Houston has never been healthier and business has never been better," Brennan-Martin said.

Nothing could be further from the truth, Brennan-Martin said in an email and follow-up phone conversation. "The ironic part of all of this is Brennan’s of Houston has never been healthier and business has never been better," he said.

Brennan's New Orleans and Brennan's of Houston have been separate businesses since 1973 when the Brennan family split into two factions over restaurant expansion. Brennan-Martin's side of the family owns and operates Commander's Palace and a slew of other restaurants in New Orleans and Houston, but not the original Brennan's in New Orleans.

"It was just two very different philosophies," Brennan-Martin said. "I remember at the time my mother (family matriarch Ella Brennan) said, 'We're not looking back' and that's the way it was."

In 1967, Brennan's of Houston opened on 3300 Smith Street in a Vieux Carré-style building designed by John Staub as a sister restaurant of Commander's Palace in New Orleans. Ella Brennan, now retired, is most closely associated with the success of Commander's Palace as one of New Orleans' finest restaurants.

"I almost changed the name to Commander's Palace Houston 20 years ago because I was worried about Brennan's New Orleans reputation but decided against it. That was then and this is now," Brennan-Martin said.

Brennan's of Houston was destroyed by a Hurricane Ike-related fire in 2008 but Brennan-Martin rebuilt the restaurant, which reopened on Fat Tuesday 2010. It continues to serve such New Orleans specialties as turtle soup and Bananas Foster as well as a creative Texas creole menu using fresh and local ingredients.

Brennan-Martin and several of the Brennan's of Houston chefs over a 40-year-period, including Mark Holley, Jon Hebert, Randy Evans and Danny Trace, were honored at the Sugar Land Wine and Food Festival in April.

Brennan's Houston remains open while its namesake in New Orleans is closed.

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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