This week in dining

These are the 11 best food and drink events in Houston this week

Fall festival season is in full effect, which means this week offers a wide array of food events — whether that's celebrating the arrival of downtown's newest food hall or driving to Brenham to sample bites from dozens of Texas chefs.

This week's roundup also includes a deal on some of Houston's best bagels, the chance to mingle with the stars of a new, Houston-themed cookbook, and a food truck that features Baccarat chandeliers. Get out there and do some eating.

Monday, October 14 to Sunday, October 20

Bravery Chef Hall Grand Opening Party
Houston's newest food hall throws a week-long bash to celebrate its chef-driven concepts. Each day highlights a different concept, with featured food and drink. Look for live entertainment as well as series of surprises throughout the week.

Monday, October 14

44th Anniversary deals at New York and Coffee Shop
Famous for its bagels, the coffee shop has a day-long deal today in honor of its anniversary. Discounts include 44-cent bagels and a breakfast combo of two eggs any style, choice of home fries, grits, tomato, or potato pancake, and bagel or toast with butter and jelly for $4.44.

Houston Cooks launch party at Katz Coffee
Forty of the city's best chefs offered recipes for this new cookbook by Francine Spiering. The party features bites and beverages by Ambiente Wines, B&B Butchers, B.B. Italia, Broken Barrel, Dessert Gallery, Eculent, Fadi’s Mediterranean Grill, The Dunlavy, Katz Coffee, Saint Arnold Brewing Company, Sweet Cup Gelato, Poitín, Shun Japanese Kitchen, Saigon House, and Theodore Rex. Tickets are $45 per person and can be purchased online. The party starts at 6 pm.

Tuesday, October 15

United Tacos of America at La Calle
The downtown taqueria stars in a Houston-themed episode of this new show on the El Rey network. To celebrate, the restaurant is offering $0.99 Taco Tuesday specials, a $100 gift card to the person who breaks the record of 49 tacos consumed, and the possibility of a $100 gift card if the establishment sells its 900,000th taco.

Wednesday, October 16

Tex and Mex at Armadillo Palace
Chefs Levi Goode of Goode Company and Hugo Ortega of H-Town Restaurant Group come together for this casual sip-and-stroll showcasing the food cultures of Texas and Mexico. Look for menu selections such as farm-raised Texas bacon-wrapped quail runners stuffed with white cheddar and jalapeno; sope with beef cheek in pasilla mole; salt-crusted, fire-roasted whole Gulf red snapper; and tamal de cochinita pibil. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Foodways Texas. Tickets are $75 per person, and the evening kicks off at 6:30 pm.

Family Meal with Eric Railsback at Avondale Food & Wine
The acclaimed sommelier and wine maker will host a special evening at this Montrose wine bar and restaurant. Expect dishes from chef Olivier Ciesielski paired with Railsback's wine. The meal costs $60; reserve a seat by calling 713-360-6313.

Thursday, October 17

Lady M Cake Truck Pop-Up at Baccarat
The New York bakery will once again bring its signature crepe cakes to Houston. Instead of opening in a mall, the bakery will use the occasion to debut its new food truck that's decorated with Baccarat chandeliers and 3D art by Kurt Wenner. Pre-order whole cakes ($55-90) in advance or buy slices from the truck.

Spirit Round Table at Brennan's
Italian liqueurs highlight this popular series, which tonight showcases how to incorporate Italian bitter amaros and other spirits into cocktails. The evening features historical background, tastings, cocktail suggestions, and light bites. Tickets are $20 per person and guests can register here. The class runs from 5:30 to 7 pm.

Sunday, October 20

Taste of the District at River Oaks District
From 11 am to 3 pm, the trendy shopping center and food destination throws a bash to benefit Recipe for Success. The open-air market and stroll features flavors from the district’s restaurants and retailers, as well as farm fresh produce from Hope Farms, chef demos, a DIY eco-conscious workshops, an Equinox class, and the chance to shop for locally made goods.

4th Annual Butchers Ball at Rockin' Star Ranch
One of the most-anticipated foodie events on the calendar, this all-out bash brings together chefs, butchers, farmers, ranchers, educators, bartenders, and other culinary industry leaders for a day of chef tastings, competitions, demonstrations, discussions, entertainment, and more. One of the day's highlights is the Golden Cleaver Competition, a public vote for the day's "best bite," with entries from 20 chefs across the state. Tickets start at $100 per person, and can be purchased online. The event benefits Urban Harvest.

Beer Fest at Revival Market
The Heights favorite recently got a liquor license, and they've invited six local breweries to take part in this inaugural event. Chef Steve Lamborn will have pork schnitzel, raclette, hot dogs, and fruit streusels for sale, and the beers will be paired with cheeses from Houston Dairymaids. Bonus: there's polka music, face painting for the kiddos, and other fun stuff. Beer sampling requires a wrist band, available for $25 per person. To get one, call 713-880-8463 or email Revival general manager Layne Cruz.

The Butcher's Ball returns.

Photo by Daniel Jackson

The Butcher's Ball returns.

news-you-can-eat

say hey to Hypsi

Houston chef's hip new Italian restaurant now open in Heights hotel

Photo by Julie Soefer

Hypsi serves pasta and other Itaian-inspired dishes.

A new Italian restaurant is now open in the Heights. Located within the newly opened Hotel Daphne, Hypsi marks chef Terrence Gallivan’s return to professional cooking in Houston.

Known for his time as the co-execuive chef of The Pass and Provisions and owner of ElRo Pizza and Crudo, Gallivan brings strong culinary credentials to Hypsi. Although he isn’t known explicitly for Italian fare, he has significant experience making pizza, pasts, and other Italian-inspired dishes. After closing ElRo last year, the chef says that working for Bunkhouse Hotels, the Austin-based company that operates the Daphne, had a lot of appeal.

“My wife and I always made it a point to stop at their places whenever we’re in Austin. They know how to make cool stuff,” Gallivan says.

Hypsi’s menu includes updated takes on Italian fare begins with starters such as lamb meatballs, black truffle arancini, and Caesar salad. A selection of house-made pastas include squid ink radiatori with rock shrimp, butternut squash tortellini, and lumache with vodka sauce that gets a little heat from nduja. Entree choices include a roast chicken, pork Milanese, and roasted snapper with salsa verde.

The restaurant is also open for breakfast during the week and brunch on the weekends with items such as a panatone waffle, frittata, and breakfast sandwich. Lunch will follow in January.

“We took inspiration from tradition without being traditional,” Gallivan says. Later, he adds, “For me, it’s about balance. You try to please everybody. I want my mom to enjoy herself as much as a 25-year-old foodie. It’s important to hit as many marks as you can.”

One of the restaurant’s signatures will be the mozzarella cart that rolls through its dining room. Gallivan says he’s sourcing a mix of both American and imported Italian cheeses that will rotate every week or two. The cheese is served with a range of pickled fruit and vegetables, olive oil, aged balsamic vinegar, focaccia, and more. Of course, seeing a cart immediately grabs diners’ attention, making them want whatever is on offer.

“That’s the beauty of carts,” Gallivan says. “It’s a fun thing to do. I think sometimes we get a little too serious in restaurants. It’s supposed to be fun. People are here to enjoy themselves.”

All that eating and drinking takes place in a dining room that’s inspired by Prohibition-era speakeasies, according to press materials. Details include blueberry lava stone on the bar, vintage velvet chairs, and custom Carimate dining chairs by Vico Magistretti. An outdoor patio features brick pavers, mosaic tables, and sculptures.

Photo by Julie Soefer

Hypsi serves pasta and other Itaian-inspired dishes.

news-you-can-eat openings the-heights hotels