Cool Down, Drink Up

5 cider drinks made for lingering after a Houston workout

Whether you're winding down from a workout or just wrapping up a long day at the office, everyone needs a cool-down period. Make it even more enjoyable with a cocktail using Austin Eastciders Brut Super Dry, a light and refreshing sip that's reminiscent of Champagne and only boasts 100 calories.

Here are five suggested activity and cocktail pairings — though if you want to go rogue and mix them up, we won't stop you.

Activity: A class at Republic Aerial Yoga or a brisk run on the Bayou.
Cool-down spot: R Bar
Cocktail: Eastciders Star Inversion. Named after an aerial yoga maneuver, this cocktail is a refreshing take on an Aperol spritz.

Activity: Cycling or jogging around Montrose, or even just avoiding heavy Houston traffic.
Cool-down spot: Rudyard's British Pub
Cocktail: Chill Pill for Houston Traffic. This delightful cocktail features Eastciders Brut Super Dry, Pierre Fernando dry curaçao, and Ouray Farms CBD oil from Colorado, garnished with fresh orange.

Activity: Yoga, a bike ride, or just hoofing it through the 'trose.
Cool-down spot: La Grange Houston
Cocktail: Et Tu BRUTe. Campari, in-house cold brew coffee, Averna, Brut Super Dry, and a splash of soda is garnished with fresh grated nutmeg and a dehydrated grapefruit wheel. Enjoy it on the patio and stretch your recovery period to include $15 bucket specials on mix-and-match Eastciders cans. Pro tip: If you ride your bike or come in wearing running gear you get a discount on your first Eastciders cocktail. From November 26 through the holidays, head upstairs to Santa's Speakeasy for Instagrammable decor and specialty cocktails.

Activity: Rowing down the Waterway or jogging just beside it.
Cool-down spot: Mahoney's Texish Bar & Restaurant
Cocktail: Sometimes you just want it straight, and that's what Mahoney's gives you. Both Brut and pineapple cider are on tap, meaning you're not limited to only 12 ounces of bubbly refreshment.

Activity: Training for the Woodlands Marathon
Cool-down spot: Baker's Street Pub & Grill
Cocktail: Looking to keep your calories low? Grab a glass of Brut (it's only 100 per 12 ounces) or try the seasonal draft.

Austin Eastciders Brut Super Dry is available around Houston on draft and in six-packs. Check here to find it.

The Et Tu BRUTe at La Grange mixes cold brew coffee and Brut Super Dry, topping it with nutmeg.

Photo courtesy of Austin Eastciders

The Et Tu BRUTe at La Grange mixes cold brew coffee and Brut Super Dry, topping it with nutmeg.

drinks promoted cocktails fitness parks

Houston's smallest restaurant?

Michelin-recognized Houston sushi chef fires up 4-seat Japanese skewer spot

Courtesy of Sip & Skewer

Diners sit in front of chefs cooking on a grill.

The team behind one of Houston’s Michelin-recognized sushi restaurants is opening an intimate new izakaya. Sip & Skewer is the newest concept from Hidden Omakase owner Tuan Tran and chef Marcos Juarez.

Opening Friday, February 13, Sip & Skewer is a four-seat restaurant devoted to skewered meats that’s located within Sushi by Hidden, the group’s affordable omakase restaurant in Rice Village. At Sip & Skewer, diners sit across from the chefs as they cook a 10-course, $90 meal on a Japanese binchotan grill.

“Sip & Skewer is small, loud, and intentional. The kind of hidden experience you’d find in Tokyo,” Tran said. “And with Chef Marcos guiding the team at Sushi by Hidden, this space is getting new energy from every angle.”

A four-seat restaurant within a 10-seat restaurant might seem kind of superfluous, but Tran explains that it’s part of a larger plan for his group of restaurants, which also includes West U. hand roll restaurant Norigami. It also builds on the success of Hidden Omakase, the Galleria-area sushi counter that earned a Recommended designation in the Michelin Guide.

“Sip & Skewer is part of a larger vision. It’s designed as a stepping stone toward our next concept, Kōri, a new hand roll and craft cocktail bar opening in the Heights. Our plan is to open Sip & Skewer directly next to our hand roll spot, creating a small alley of Japanese concepts that feed into one another,” Tran explains.

“This allows us to build awareness, train our team in a new format, and introduce guests to Japanese charcoal grilling in a very personal way before we scale the idea into a larger setting with Kōri. The four-seat format keeps overhead extremely low while serving as a live test kitchen and brand builder for what’s coming next,” he adds.

On a related note, Juarez and the other chefs at Hidden Omakase are dividing their time between all three restaurants. Tuam explains that it’s a deliberate strategy to ensure a consistent customer experience.

“The same team that works Michelin-recognized omakase service also runs the grill here, which keeps quality and execution consistent while allowing the chefs a creative outlet in a very different format,” Tran said. “Because Sip & Skewer is only four seats and reservations only, it does not require a dedicated full-time staff. It’s an extension of the team rather than a separate operation.”