First Taste

Patio season gets a bocce boost: Zimm's Little Deck opens with big appeal

Zimm's Little Deck opened quietly on Monday.
Moroccan leg of lamb rich boy with arugula pesto and curry slaw.
The Zimm's deck awaits.
Photo by Sarah Rufca
The beef tips and fried oyster rich boy — just try not to eat every bite.

Patio season in Houston lasts about 10 months, and Zimm's Little Deck is ready to help you take advantage of the extended outdoor weather.

Zimm's is owned by second generation restaurateurs Dan and Mark Zimmerman — dad Steve Zimmerman is the proprietor of La Colombe d'Or.

Inside the narrow restaurant the walls have an old Tuscan feel, with retro Italian and French posters on display and a large central bar that fronts an open kitchen.

The menu is simple yet original, full of down-home Texas-Cajun dishes like a crazy-good chicken sausage and gumbo and a slew of inventive gourmet po'boys — they call them rich boys, natch — by chef Jeramie Robison.

The best of the rich boys might be the one with beef tips and fried oysters layered together with a slightly sweet veal demi glace. There's also a rich, flavorful Moroccan leg of lamb with arugula pesto and curry slaw rich boy, a traditional roast beef and gravy po-boy and an awesome fried shrimp and remoulade po-boy, all served in fresh French bread from French Riviera.

There's also an oyster bar with an in-house shucker and an edited selection of draft and canned craft beers and and a wine list divided into "cheap" "decent" and "good" bottles, all available by the glass.

But the main draw is the expansive decked, currently outfitted with a few tables and soon to host games of pétanque, or French bocce. Mark Zimmerman says there's room for at least three courts and that they'll be ready to play on in a few weeks.

Sandwiches, wine and a game of petanque: On a sunny day, Zimm's is going to be hard to beat.

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two days of bbq

2 Michelin-rated barbecue joints holding can't-miss pop ups in Houston

Courtesy of KG BBQ

KG BBQ is bringing its Egyptian-influenced barbecue to Houston.

Two of the Texas barbecue joints to earn Bib Gourmand recognition in the Michelin Guide will be holding pop ups in Houston this week. One is visiting from Austin, while another is a Spring favorite with a one-day-only menu.

On Saturday, December 14, Austin’s celebrated KG BBQ will be serving at Axelrad in Midtown. Part of Texas Monthly’s 2023 list of the Top 25 New and Improved BBQ Joints in Texas, KG BBQ has earned wide acclaim for pitmaster Kareem El-Ghayesh’s Egyptian-influenced take on Texas barbecue.

The menu will include many of KG’s most popular dishes, including brisket rice bowls with smoked Mediterranean rice; smoked lamb chops; sumac-and-cinnamon-rubbed lamb shoulder, and sides such as pink buttermilk potato salad and Baladi salad.

Service begins at 10:30 am. Preorders are available online with a minimum order of $60.

In a statement, Axelrad co-owners Adam Brackman and Monte Large say that KG will make more visits to Houston in 2025. El-Ghayesh adds that he’s a fan of the Houston bar that’s known for its spacious backyard with hammocks, a stage, and a wide-ranging menu of beer and cocktails.

“Since the moment I stepped foot in Axelrad, I loved their culture, their vibrant colors and artistic flare, their attention to detail and hospitality and love for entertainment makes this place perfect for bringing back my nostalgic memories of hosting pop-ups like how I started in Austin,” he said. “I’m proud to bring what I have created to Houston. From how diverse the city is, its beautiful variety of ethnic foods, and large Egyptian community, it has so much to offer. We are excited to serve up some Egyptian BBQ to the Houston community through our pop ups over the next year at Axelrad.”

On Sunday, Spring’s Rosemeyer Bar-B-Q will trade its usual offerings for a special menu of dishes made with smoked whole hog. The menu will include whole hog plates, whole hog sandwiches, whole hog-and-parmesan polenta cakes, and whole hog served over cheese grits with a New Orleans-style barbecue sauce as well as sides and desserts. Service will run from 11 am until everything sells out, likely sometime between 2 and 3 pm.

“The whole menu is filled with specials and cool items we don’t do everyday at the stand,” co-owner Jordan Rosemeyer writes in an email. The motive, beyond exercising some creative muscles, is to raise money for Hogs for the Cause, an annual event that raises money for pediatric brain cancer research and the families who are fighting it.

Like KG, Rosemeyer is also a member of Texas Monthly’s 2023 new and improved list. Located at 2111 Riley Fuzzel Rd., the humble trailer has earned acclaim for its weekly specials, housemade ice cream, and well executed barbecue staples.

news-you-can-eat barbecue pop ups kg bbq rosemeyer bar-b-q