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    Food for Thought

    Overheard at the Throwdown: Houston's version of Iron Chef is where food secretscome out

    Marene Gustin
    Jul 27, 2010 | 5:36 pm
    • The real Iron Chef has nothing on Houston's version — especially when it comesto secrets.
    • Secrets abound inside when a Throwdown is going on.
    • Philippe Schmidt ... aka, the French Cowboy ... talked about his new restaurant.
      Photo by Shelby Hodge
    • Hugo Ortega was ... robbed!
      Photo by Terri Fensel
    • Helping those hurt by the oil spill was the backdrop for the Throwdown — and itdrew out every foodie in town.
    • Houston's version of Iron Chef highlights cool ingredients like ceviche.
      Photo courtesy of Healthy Eat & Drink

    Houston Chowhounds’ throwdowns are becoming the stuff of foodie legends. Our own little Iron Chefcontests with cool ingredients like bourbon and raw fish. Not together, of course. And the people that attend these foodie fests are as much fun as the food. You never know who you’ll run across, or into, at one of these.

    The most recent one, last week’s ceviche throwdown at Soma, was also a fundraiser that netted more than $30,000 to benefit Gulf Coast fishermen, so the crowd was even bigger, everyone wanting to help those hurting from the oil spill. Practically every foodie in town was hanging out there. Which made for some pretty interesting conversations, some of which I was not even a party to but simply overheard.

    Here’s some of the skinny from the event.

    El Meson owner Peter Garcia was one of the judges who picked Alex Padilla’s of Ninfa's on Navigation, salt-cured barramundi and live sea scallop ceviche with fresh-squeezed citrus, passion fruit and truffle sea salt as the winner. But between tastings Garcia was chatting about El Mason’s upcoming 30th (can you believe it?) anniversary next March. But he isn’t just planning one big event.

    “I’m thinking of a rolling celebration,” he said. “We want to hold events to support things we like.” Of which there are many. “Biking, parks, children, we’re still working out all the details,” he said. So stay tuned.

    Bubbly blonde cookbook author Erin Hicks Miller was also in attendance, talking up her new project, a Mexican cookbook.

    “I’m up to my knees in enchiladas!’ she said. “I’ve got a lot more recipes so I have to start cooking pretty quick.” Judging by her slender frame I doubt she’s eating all those enchiladas.

    Waiters started passing trays of tasty tidbits, some sushi samples and tiny crab cakes. The cash bar was packed but there was a wine table I gyrated towards.

    At the Fleischer International Trading table, where they were pouring free glasses of 2009 Yarden Mount Hermon kosher wine from Israel, a man said: “I’m Jewish, I’ll have a glass.” I’m not Jewish and I had a glass.

    Wandering away from the wine table, I bumped into Don Smith. He’s got a new business called Fusion Taco, which has, believe it or not, gourmet Asian fusion taco trucks. Say again?

    “We were bored with our catering business,” Smith said. “So we went into the food truck business. We want gourmet food trucks like they have in L.A.”

    Hmmmm.

    Notebook and pen in hand (and glass of Israeli wine in the other) I ran into some amusing food distributors hanging at the bar.

    “You can’t quote me, get away!” laughed Judy Henrichsen of Brothers Produce. “I talk like a sailor with Tourette syndrome!” Sam Ray with Republic National Distributing Company just nodded and laughed.

    There were just so many folks crammed into Soma last week, chefs and foodies and PR peeps, oh my.

    The dashing French cowboy Philippe Schmidt was there talking about his new PHILIPPE Restaurant & Lounge (coming this fall!). And the delightful Tracy Lee Vaught of Backstreet Café was in attendance to cheer on her hubby Hugo Ortega as he competed in the ceviche throwdown (he was robbed, robbed I say!) and of course Jim Gossen of Louisiana Foods whose supplies some of the best Gulf Coast seafood to Houston and all parts non-Texas was on hand.

    Over all it was one of the best throwdowns yet and kudos to Jenny Wang and her Chowhounds for throwing a fun event that also aided the fisherman in the gulf.

    And best thing overheard at the throwdown?

    “I like ceviche but no, I’m not a chowhound. I’m just a chow puppy.”

    Keep on eating, you’ll grow into a chowhound one day.

    unspecified
    news/restaurants-bars

    With or Without Whiz

    Houston burger mastermind fires up new pop-up devoted to Philly cheesesteaks

    Eric Sandler
    Jun 19, 2025 | 4:35 pm
    Bas's Cheesesteaks Abbas Dhanani
    Photo by Michael Ma
    Abbas Dhanani is serving up cheesesteaks at his new pop-up.

    Abbas Dhanani is at it again. The food influencer-turned-restaurateur behind the CultureMap Tastemaker Award-winning smash burger concept Burger Bodega is firing up a new pop-up concept devoted to another iconic sandwich.

    Called Bas’s Cheesesteaks, the new concept will Dhanani’s take on the classic Philly cheesesteak, made with sliced ribeye and white cheese on a seeded hoagie roll — onions and a spicy sauce are optional. A second version swaps the white cheese for Cheez Whiz. Like Burger Bodega, Dhanani is using halal beef for his cheesesteaks.

    Bas's Cheesesteaks cheesesteak sandwichThe cheesesteak is served on a seeded hoagie roll.Photo by Michael Ma

    “We have experimented with cheesesteaks as specials on the menu at Burger Bodega and received amazing feedback,” Dhanani said in a statement. “However, the cheesesteaks at Bas’s are the most refined versions we have done so far. I am excited to bring authentic Philly cheesesteaks to Houston as a new flavor experience while continuing to build on the energy and community we have created at Burger Bodega. This is a huge passion project for me, and I plan to take it step by step, just like Burger Bodega."

    As Dhanani notes, he introduced Burger Bodega with a series of pop-ups throughout Houston. To answer the obvious question, of course a restaurant could be in the cards for Bas’s, too.

    “I think thats the goal of any new pop-up concept,” Dhanani tells CultureMap. “Like Burger Bodega, we want to take it one step at a time and see where it goes.”

    Bas’s Cheesesteaks will have its first pop-up on Monday, June 30 at Burger Bodega’s location (4520 Washington Avenue). In addition to the two cheesesteaks, diners can get fries. Future pop-ups will be announced via Instagram.

    As for Burger Bodega’s second location in Katy, Dhanani says it’s still working through securing the necessary permits to begin construction.

    news-you-can-eatopeningsbas's cheesesteaks
    news/restaurants-bars
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