Foodie News

The path to Landry's gold mine is paved in cheese

Landry's operates some legitimately great restaurants — Vic & Anthony's and Pesce among them.

But if most people lampoon them for schmaltzy, gimmick-driven restaurants, it looks like Landry's and CEO Tilman Fertitta are laughing their way to the bank, as confirmed by Friday's auction purchase of West Coast chain Claim Jumpers.

Started in California in 1977, Claim Jumpers is a gold rush-themed steakhouse, complete with faux "artifacts" from miner days. Each of the 45 restaurants contains a full "saloon" for the authentic Old West feel. No word on whether it's staffed by authentic tavern wenches, but we bet there's a drink called a sarsaparilla on the menu, and we'll double down and wager it contains some kind of flavored vodka and costs over $10.

Even for a chain restaurant, Claim Jumpers is known for its enormous portions and was singled out by Eater earlier this year as possibly the unhealthiest chain restaurant in the country, with a 1,594-calorie burger called the Widow Maker, a charbroiled citrus chicken salad clocking in at 2,520 calories and the beef back ribs packing an incredible 4,301 calories.

To review: cheesy theme + oversize portions + massively unhealthy = Landry's gold mine. (No pun intended!)

After Claim Jumpers filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last month Landry's placed the top bid for the company at $76.6 million, a far cry from the $200 million invested in the company in 2005 by Leonard Green & Partners for a majority stake.

Just in case Landry's is looking for some more new concepts, we've got a couple up our sleeves:

1. Jolly Roger: Pirate-themed restaurant, featuring animatronic swashbucklers stolen directly from Disneyworld's Pirates of the Caribbean. Being seated can involve "walking the plank" and a sword fight can break out every 22 minutes on the dot. Think of all fun the kids can have as the waiter explains he has a peg leg due to scurvy before recommending the chocolate orange cheesecake. The company can even recycle the parrots that hang out at Rainforest Cafe.

2. Harpoon: Nautical restaurant based around the 18th-century whaling industry in New England, with plenty of clapboard, generic pointy spears and lantern light. In addition to serving the world's largest bowl of clam chowder, Harpoon can instill the importance of hunting a species to the brink of extinction by having a mysterious Moby Dick-like creature appear through false windows every 22 minutes and shake the restaurant until someone orders a tuna steak.

3. Favela: Traditional South American steakhouse with a twist! Raise the flag to summon the vaquero, who gives diners an unlimited supply of roasted beef, pork and shrimp. But in between the tables, extras will be hired to play slum dwellers, constructing shoddy housing and begging for scraps of the plentiful meat, a fanciful reminder that for millions of people, food is a scarce resource that shouldn't be wasted on themed crap.

It will be the most meta restaurant on Earth, and also the home of a triple-tiered flan served with a sparkler.

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cheers to that

Texas bourbon named one of 2024's top 10 whiskies

Still Austin Whiskey Co. Red Corn Bourbon Whiskey

Still Austin Whiskey Co./Facebook

Now if only we could snag a bottle...as a Christmas gift, of course.

Three cheers for Still Austin Whiskey Co.! The distillery's Bottled in Bond Red Corn Bourbon Whiskey was recognized as one of Whisky Advocate'sTop 20 Most Exciting Whiskies of 2024.

Every year, Whisky Advocate's expert panelists rank hundreds of whiskies based on their quality, availability, value for the price, and "X-factor," meaning an excitement-inducing component like a unique flavor or an innovative idea. An international panel also reviews contenders through several blind taste tests without knowing each whisky's producer, origin, age, or price.

The magazine ranked Still Austin's five-year Red Corn Bourbon No. 7 on the list with a prestigious score of 94 points. The Red Corn whiskey, which was released in June 2024, has mash bill consisting of 36 percent Jimmy Red corn, 34 percent white corn, 25 percent rye, and 5 percent barley.

According to panelist Shane English, tasting notes start big and bold with cracked pepper, dusty leather, and cocktail cherries, before moving on to a palate of chile pepper, caramel, and buttery cornbread.

"Each sip is electric — the pepper gives this whiskey a zing balanced by poundcake and glazed doughnuts," English said. "Charred oak fades to chocolate, coffee, and pecan pie on the finish."

Still Austin had the only Texas product on the list, which was fitting given the brand's recent boasting that it could match any Kentucky Bourbon. As a game day stunt when the Texas Longhorns played the Kentucky Wildcats in November, Still Austin refilled empty Kentucky Bourbon bottles with its own Cask Strength Bourbon for just $1.

When the brand isn't playfully antagonizing Kentucky fans, its Red Corn Bourbon sells for a retail price of $85 per 750-milliliter bottle, falling nearly in the middle of the price category out of all 20 bourbons on the list, with eight others priced for less.

For additional context, none of the top five bourbons fall under a $100 price tag. In fact, the most expensive bottle on the 2024 list is the Angel's Envy 2023 Cask Strength Port Wine Barrel Finished Bourbon, which ranked No. 12 and retails for $230 per bottle.

"Our top 20 whiskies represent a curated collection that deserves your attention. Each whisky on the list stands out for its superb taste, representing the pinnacle of a year filled with remarkable tastings," said executive editor David Fleming in a release. "This list features whiskies offering exceptional value, leaders in their respective styles, and superbly made expressions that are well worth seeking out."

Whiskey Advocate's 2024 Whiskey of the Year is Laphroaig Elements 2.0 Cask Strength Scotch Single Malt, which earned 95 points and retails for $165 a bottle.

whiskey bourbon distilleries awards lists