What's Eric Eating Episode 154

Getting frank with Brennan's crew, plus fresh Italian fare in Montrose

This week the podcast features Brennan's of Houston.

Photo courtesy of Brennan’s of Houston

On this week's episode of "What's Eric Eating," Brennan's of Houston proprietor Alex Brennan-Martin and wine guy Marcus Gausepohl join CultureMap food editor Eric Sandler to discuss the iconic Houston restaurant. Brennan-Martin begins by explaining how a planned six-month stay to help his family manage its Houston property led to him becoming a permanent Houstonian, while Gausepohl describes how his initial interest in wine became a career.

Brennan's has taken a number of steps to pivot in response to the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic, including selling heat-and-serve meals at H-E-B and allowing customers to purchase wines from its cellar. The restaurant has long been a favorite for Houstonians celebrating special occasions; while big groups may not be possible currently, Brennan-Martin says he's heard from a number of people who have helped keep their spirits high.

Sandler asks the proprietor how he feels about the state of the restaurant industry, and Brennan-Martin provides a very candid response.

We've just got to get to the other side, and I can tell you things are going to look a helluva lot different on the other side. The country, heck, I guess the world, certainly Houston is going to lose a lot of good restaurants and a lot of good jobs. Not only in the restaurants themselves; I'm scared to death for our supply chain...I'm really worried about our entire supply chain, the guys who grow our blueberries, the things that make our food taste a little bit different because they don't come in the back of an 18-wheeler . . . I think there's going to be a reset of more than in the pipeline that the end customers see as the restaurant. It's going to be big.

Prior to the interview, Lennie Ambrose, chief marketing officer for Saint Arnold Brewing Company, joins Sandler to discuss the news of the week. Their topics include: TABC's recent decision that forced breweries like Saint Arnold to close their restaurants, the initial list of participants in Houston Restaurant Weeks, and Homestead, a new, breakfast-oriented spot coming to The Heights.

In the restaurants of the week segment, Ambrose raves about recent meals at Les Ba'get, and Sandler shares some first impressions of Fiori, a new Italian restaurant that recently opened in Montrose.

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steakhouse switcheroo

River Oaks restaurant fields a new menu devoted to prime and wagyu steaks

Courtesy of Fielding's Steak

The new menu includes steak and sides such as onion rings.

A River Oaks restaurant is switching things up. After a year of operations, Fielding’s River Oaks has rebranded as Fielding’s Steak with an all-new menu that will launch on Tuesday, January 27.

While the restaurant has always served steaks from Texas ranch 44 Farms, Fielding’s Steak leans more heavily into beef with more cuts and more kinds of beefs, including both American and Japanese wagyu. Similarly, diners can pair their steaks with steakhouse sides such as lobster mac and cheese, creamed spinach, and onion rings.

The new menu starts with four prime steaks — filet, ribeye, NY strip, and bavette — along with a dry-aged cuts including a 35-ounce cowboy ribeye, a porterhouse, a 12-ounce bone-in ribeye, and a 22-ounce bone-in ribeye. Those seeking the most luxurious experience may opt for a wagyu tasting that features four ounces each of Japanese, Australian, and American striploin.

Appetizers and salads include a number of familiar dishes, such as lobster bisque, wedge salad, fried calamari, shrimp cocktail, and an imperial crabcake. Non-steak entrees include maple-brined salmon, lobster risotto, lamb chops, and a grilled Kurobata pork chop with apple mostarda.

Fielding’s River Oaks opened in December 2024. Part of Fielding’s Culinary Group, The Woodlands-based hospitality company behind Fielding’s Local Kitchen & Bar and Fielding’s Wood Grill, the restaurant served a European-inspired menu that included pizzas, pastas, steaks, and seafood.

“Fielding’s Steak represents the natural evolution of who we are and where we’re going,” said CEO Cary Attar said in a statement. “We wanted to create a true steakhouse experience — one that’s chef-driven, ingredient-focused, and worthy of the River Oaks dining scene — while still feeling warm, welcoming, and unmistakably Fielding’s. This new menu allows us to showcase exceptional proteins, refined flavors, and a level of execution that reflects our passion for hospitality and culinary excellence.”

Fielding’s Steak will be open Tuesday through Sunday for lunch from 11:30 am-3 pm and dinner beginning at 5 pm. Reservations are available on OpenTable.

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