A grassroots effort

Houston restaurants rally to take food to victims of Montgomery and WallerCounty fires

When Chef Chris Shepherd puts his mind to doing good, the man makes it happen.
With heavy smoke billowing over Montgomery and Waller counties, both theresidents and the relief workers need all the help they can get.
Photo via Magnolia TX Fire and Evacuation Information/Facebook
This food station at the Command Center in Magnolia may look well-stocked, butsupplies go quickly when you have nothing.
Photo via Magnolia TX Fire and Evacuation Information/Facebook

You'd better believe that when the Houston foodie community rallies around a cause, by golly, it rallies.

And while Texas continues to burn hot, the calm, cool heads behind food establishments citywide have banded together to fight the fires that they can — with grassroots efforts.

"The restaurant community in Houston needs to do something," said Chris Shepherd, former Catalan chef and current Underbelly creator. "These are our neighbors, our farmers — they're in our backyard."

The collective culinary conscience simply wouldn't allow these able hands to sit idly by.

So Shepherd and chef Lyle Bento of Party Fowl and The Modular did what they do best — they cooked up a scheme.

"[On Friday], we're going to roll up to Montgomery and Waller Counties and belly up where we can," said Shepherd. "We started off taking a food truck up there and handing stuff out, and now Central Market's given us pallets of things to take."

But that's not all.

With other restaurants like Stella Sola, Brennan's, and Haven — among many others — throwing their perishable goods into the ring of fire, Shepherd, Bento, and their industry buddies are doing so much more than they originally imagined they could.

"The restaurants are donating hot food boxes, and the kids at the Art Institute will be making sandwiches to put in the cooler," said Shepherd. "We've had trucks donated and chocolate milk for kids. Whatever companies want to donate food, we'll take the food trucks up there, and fry things and bake things."

Now they just have to find a place to drop everything off for distribution.

But Friday's Good Samaritan efforts are very much a work in progress. The details aren't set in stone just yet.

In fact, if you're a restaurant, food vendor, or can contribute supplies or equipment to Friday's efforts, you're invited to meet up at 13 Celsius at 4 p.m. on Thursday afternoon.

"We want to find out what restaurants can do food for us, and who wants to be involved in this," Shepherd said. "All restaurants and industry people that want to be a part of what we're doing on Friday should come."

Throughout our continuing coverage of the wildfires ravaging our state, plenty of you have been asking, "How can I help?"

Well, folks, here's your answer.

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Where to eat on New Year's Eve

16 Houston restaurants serving fantastic feasts on New Year's Eve

Photo by Shane Dante, courtesy of Artisans

The French restaurant offers a six-course dinner to ring in 2025.

Those looking for New Year’s Eve revelry in Houston don’t have to look too far. Restaurants throughout the city are offering a variety of dine-in options to help Houstonians ring in the new year. Whether it’s a fancy feast or an intimate date night for two, here are some of our recommendations.

Amrina
The chic Woodlands spot offers a six-course New Year’s Eve’s dinner, with seatings at 4 pm and 8:45 pm. Entertainment begins at 7 pm and a midnight champagne toast will be included for the later seating. The early seating is $125 per person; the later seating is $150. Optional add-ons include wine pairings, caviar, and wagyu. Reserve online.

Artisans
Ring in the New Year with an elegant, six-course pre-fixe dinner, available from 5-10 pm. Select from gourmet creations like Le Foie Gras au Torchon et Pot de Crème, lobster and salmon with chantilly sauce, and a tender filet de boeuf rôti Rossini. Dinner also includes dessert and a celebratory champagne toast. The cost is $189 per person, plus tax and gratuity. Reservations can be made online and require a credit card.

Aya Sushi
The restaurant offers 50 percent off select bottles of wine and sake to celebrate the new year. While the restaurant’s regular menu will be available, patrons can also opt for the winter omakase menu, which is $159 per person. Make reservations online.

Little's Oyster Bar
In addition to its a modified version of its regular menu, the upscale seafood restaurant will offer a six-course, $175 per person menu. The progression starts with raw oysters, Red Royal shirmp, and lobster bisque. Continue with white truffle pappardelle before choosing either yellow edge grouper with black eyed peas or beef filet with mashed potatoes. Finish with chocolate cremeux.

The Lymbar
Chef David Cordúa has created a shared dinner for two to ring in 2025. For $240, a couple can share caviar "oreos," squid ink blinis with DR Delicacy osetra gold mascarpone, and chives; plantain chips with chimichurri sauce; spaghetti carbonara; lobster roll "Twinkies" accompanied by a lobster bisque shooter; a rib roast served family style with horseradish cream, leek fondue potatoes, pesto green beans, and wedge fries; tres leches; and sticky toffee pudding. The meal also includes a Champagne toast. Two seatings are available, one at 6:30 pm and one at 8:30. Call 713-485-6230 to reserve or book online.

Marmo
The Italian chophouse in Montrose has a special four-course prefix dinner for New Year’s Eve. Select from items such as wagyu carpaccio, lobster salad, squid ink campanelle, lasagna, branzino roulade, New York strip, roast duck, and more. The early seating, 5:30-8 pm, is $129 per person; the late seating, 8:30-11 pm, is $159. An optional wine pairing add-on is available for $35. Those who book a patio table receive a complimentary bottle of bubbles. See the full menu and reserve online.

Milton's
Head to Rice Village for a five-course, $135 menu of Italian fare. The menu includes heart of palm salad with shaved fennel; Sicilian "tar tar" with tuna, salmon, and scallops; oyster duo; lobster risotto; grilled branzino; and porchetta. Finish with dessert. Add caviar and vodka for $99 and wine pairings for $75.

Perry’s
All locations of the swanky steakhouse will be open on New Year’s Eve beginning at 4 pm. The Standard Prixe Fixe Menu has three courses, including choice of starter, entree, and dessert, for $89 per person. The Rare and Well Done Prix Fixe Menu includes a choice of starter, salad, entree, and dessert and is $149 per person. Choose items such as lobster bisque, wedge salad, an eight-ounce filet, Perry’s famous pork chop, pumpkin cheesecake, chocolate crunch tower, and other selections. See the full menu and reserve online.

Postino
The chic wine bar offers its Boujee Board & Bottle on New Year’s Eve from 5 pm to midnight. The cost is $50, for the board of bruschetta and bottle of Millesimato Pas Dosé Brut premium bubbles. Festive dress encouraged. Reservations suggested.

Roka Akor
The Upper Kirby steakhouse and sushi establishment has a special New Year’s Eve five-course menu for $135 per person. Enjoy options such as yellowtail sashimi with poached ponzu garlic and serrano, lobster tempura, and prime filet served with truffle miso butter, grilled fingerling potatoes, and shiso chimichurri. Reservations available online.

State of Grace
Ring in the new year with a special four-course, prix fixe menu for $195 per person. Menu highlights include yellowfin tuna crudo, Crescent Valley duck, diver scallops, and delicious desserts. Wine pairings are available for $65 or $115. See the full menu here. Reserve a spot online.

Street to Kitchen
Join James Beard Award-winning chef Benchawan Jabthong Painter for a five-course menu with pairings by Meticulous Spirits Vodka and Texas-based winemaker Adega Vinho. It's priced at $120 per person.

Tavola
The Italian restaurant's four-course prix fixe menu features dishes like Cinderella Scallops, uovo en raviolo, and Beef Wellington with porcini mushrooms. The cost is $105 per person. At midnight, there will be complimentary champagne, grapes symbolizing prosperity, and a live pasta cooking demonstration on the patio serving freshly-made cacio e pepe to all guests. The restaurant is open from 4 to 11:30 pm, with limited food service after 10. Reservations are available via OpenTable or by phone.

Traveler’s Table
Dine around the world without leaving Houston with a three-course prix fixe menu consisting of a small plate, entree, and dessert. The cost is $85 per person, plus tax and gratuity. A complimentary champagne toast will be served at midnight, and a DJ spins tunes into 2025. Reservations can be made via Resy.

Turner’s Cut
An opulent New Year’s Eve four-course, pre-fixe menu is available for $295 per person. Choose a starter such as foie terrine, king crab, or wild mushroom tart, followed by lobster ravioli, pan-seared scallops, or agnolotti. Entree selections include American Wagyu tenderloin, halibut, lamb chops, or white wine truffle risotto, and dessert choices are gateau Marjolaine, crème fraiche cheesecake, or cran-apple tarte-tatin. Reserve via OpenTable.

Uchiko Houston
Enjoy an omakase dinner to close out 2024 and welcome in 2025. Dinner begins with seasonal fruit and includes selections like caviar service, a two-piece nigiri course, Ora King salmon, New York strip, and a cheese course. The cost is $400 for two. Reserve online.

Photo by Shane Dante

Artisans offers a six-course dinner to ring in 2025.

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