What's Eric Eating Episode 67

Brooklyn pitmaster heats up Southern Smoke Festival, plus first taste of La Lucha

On this week's episode of What's Eric Eating, Billy Durney, the pitmaster and owner of Hometown Bar-B-Que in Brooklyn, joins CultureMap food editor Eric Sandler to discuss his career and the Southern Smoke Festival, Chris Shepherd's celebrity chef-fueled fundraiser that returns to Houston on September 30. Durney begins by explaining how a visit to Louie Mueller Barbecue in Taylor, Texas prompted him to leave the world of private security and enter into the restaurant business.

Durney has earned widespread acclaim for Hometown's eclectic menu, including a prestigious Bib Gourmand designation from the Michelin restaurant guide. He'll be showing off his diverse skill set at Southern Smoke; instead of serving his signature beef rib, Durney says he'll be serving ribeye tacos on freshly made flour tortillas with salsa roja. According to Durney, chefs from around the country are intrigued by the possibility of participating in the fourth annual event (get tickets here).

"It's so funny how many of the best chefs in the country want to cook at this event," Durney says. "I'm sure they light up Chris's phone to say, 'hey, we'd love to help as well.' Chris has the beautiful responsibility of peering through his list of very high-end chef friends to bring people out. I think that Chris also brings out the people he feels would attach themselves to this civic-minded concept that we drive so hard in our own communities."

Durney also hints that he likes Houston enough that he's open to the possibility of opening a restaurant here. "I don't know that it would be a barbecue restaurant, but I'm not saying that I wouldn't open a restaurant in Texas or Houston at some point in my career. We're doing a little 40-seat tavern that sells fried chicken and biscuits and a Jewish-inspired deli that does pastrami and stuff."

"We like all of those things here," Sandler assures him.

Prior to Durney joining the show, Sandler and co-host Mary Clarkson discuss the news of their week. Their topics include Ronnie Killen's announcement about his plans to open a Tex-Mex restaurant, the recent shuttering of Maba Pan-Asian Diner, The Rustic's opening date, and The Waffle Bus' plans to open a brick and mortar restaurant in the Heights.

In the restaurant of the week segment, Clarkson explains all of the changes she and chef Olivier Ciesielski made to transform L'Olivier into Avondale Food & Wine. They also share some first impressions of La Lucha, the new restaurant from State of Grace owner Ford Fry and executive chef Bobby Matos. Finally, Sandler dishes on his affection for newly-opened ice cream shop Sweet Bribery.

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Billy Durney of Hometown Bar-B-Que in Brooklyn is this week's guest.

Courtesy of Hometown Bar-B-Que

Billy Durney of Hometown Bar-B-Que in Brooklyn is this week's guest.

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bring on barnaby's

Favorite Houston comfort food spot picks Garden Oaks for 10th location

Courtesy of Barnaby's Cafe

Barnaby's Cafe is coming to the Stomping Grounds this fall.

Earlier this week, real estate developer Bryan Danna promised “big news…very soon” about a new tenant for the former LuLoo’s Day & Night space at his Stomping Grounds development in Garden Oaks. That news is that Houston favorite Barnaby’s Cafe has claimed the space for a new location that will open later this year.

When a Barnaby’s decal appear on the restaurant’s door a couple of days ago, news of the restaurant’s imminent arrival spread quickly on social media. It will be Barnaby’s tenth location, joining outposts in Montrose, River Oaks, the Heights, and more.

The restaurant will occupy a 2,250-square-foot space at the Stomping Grounds. It will offer a to-go window for people hanging out in the development’s green space as well as a gated, dog-friendly patio. Houston artist Roberto Cervantes will contribute works to the restaurant’s interior.

Founded in 1992 by restaurateur Jeff Gale, Barnaby’s is known for its wide-ranging and affordable menu of classic American fare, including salads, sandwiches, breakfast items, and dinner entrees. Customer favorites include the Lebanese chicken fattoush salad, chipotle black bean burger, baby back ribs, and green eggs, which are scrambled with spinach and artichoke hearts. Dogs can snack on a special “puppy menu” of ground beef, sliced chicken breast, or scrambled eggs over brown rice.

Stomping Grounds green space A to-go window will expedite orders for people in the Stomping Grounds' green space.Courtesy of Stomping Grounds

“Bringing Barnaby’s to Garden Oaks and Oak Forest has been on my wish list for more than a decade, so I’m incredibly grateful that Jeff Gale and his team saw Stomping Grounds as the right fit,” Danna said in a statement. “Jeff and I go back to his first Heights location, which was one of Barnaby’s first big moves north of Montrose, and I have always respected what he and his longtime team have built. Thirty years in the restaurant business is a serious accomplishment. You do not make it that long unless you know how to take care of people, build loyalty, and become part of the neighborhood.”

When it opens this fall, Barnaby’s will be open daily from 11 am to 9 pm. It will join other restaurants at the Stomping Grounds, including Fat Cat Creamery, Tex-Mex restaurant La Mex, Bollo Woodfired Pizza, casual sushi restaurant Himari, Little Sister Cake Shop, and High Five Mini Bar. Earlier this week, casual Vietnamese restaurant Pho Prime announced that it had claimed the space formerly occupied by The Pho Fix for a new location that will also open this fall.

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