This week in dining

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

From an anniversary deal to a free "sneak eat" to a couple of Texas-sized parties marking the release of France's traditional harvest wine, this week's list is an eclectic mix.

Tuesday, November 19

Four-Year Anniversary Celebration at the Burger Joint
The ultra-popular Montrose burger spot will celebrate its birthday with a celebratory discount. Guests who come in and say "Happy Birthday" will receive a Birthday Cake Shake for $1 when ordering a meal.

Wednesday, November 20

Sneak Eat at Uberito
From 11:30 am to 7:30 pm, guest can check out the new restaurant in Memorial. Sign up for a 15-minute window, and receive a free burrito, bowl, salad, or nachos, drink, and a cookie. Those who want to take part in the sneak peak must RSVP online.

Wines of Sicily and Umbria Tasting at Vinology
From 4 to 7 pm, come in for this walk-around wine tasting featuring reds and whites from both Umbria and Sicily. The event is organized by the Italy-America Chamber of Commerce.

Thursday, November 21

Le Beaujolais Nouveau est Arrivé!
Beaujolais Nouveau, the traditional French harvest wine made from the Gamay grape, makes it annual debut today, and several Houston spots are getting in on the celebration. Camerata at Paulie's hosts an all-out Beaujolais bash from 4 pm to 2 am called Beaujoworld. Sommelier Chris Poldoian has created a fun recipe for freaujolais (frozen nouveau), cult bottlings by the Gang of Four (all rarely available by the glass), an ice luge, great music, and more.

Bistro Provence has its annual Nouveau Beaujolais Dinner starting at 7 pm. The Beaujolais Nouveau will be poured with the amuse bouche; the rest of the multi-course meal features other wines from Beaujolais winery Domaine de la Ronze. Call 713-827-8008 for reservations. A $30 deposit via PayPal is required to secure a seat. And the French-American Chamber of Commerce marks the traditional feast day with Beaujolais 2019: A French Wine and Food Festival at Minute Maid Park. More than 30 Houston restaurants are serving bites; there's also a fashion show, music, and, of course, Beaujolais. Tickets are $50 per person. Festivities start at 6:30 pm.

The Perfect 10 Gala at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Houston
Houston Food Finder hosts this event that unites 10 of the city's top chefs with 10 of its most-acclaimed beverage professionals. The meal begins with a cocktail hour of five bites paired with a wine or cocktail. Attendees will then feast on five savory courses that receive their own pairings. Participants include: Monica Pope, Kaiser Lashkari, Teddy Lopez, Richard Knight, Sean Beck, Justin Vann, Qwesha Byrd, and Jojo Martinez. Tickets ($145 regular, $245 VIP) are available online.

Friday, November 22

Holiday Champagne tasting at Pappas Bros. Steakhouse
More than a dozen different styles of Champagne will be available for tasting at this grand event at the Galleria location that also features bites from the restaurant. Tickets are $125 per person and can be purchased online.

Saturday, November 23

Fried Chicken and Chicken Fried Steak Pop-Up at Killen's
Ronnie Killen previews his upcoming Washington Avenue restaurant with this pop-up that includes fried chicken, chicken fried steak, barbecue, classic sides, and desserts. Lovers of Killen's signature style won't want to miss it. The pop-up kicks off at 11 am.

Sunday, November 24

Fifth Annual Retail Wine Sale at Camerata at Paulie's
This walk-around tasting is a chance for guests to purchase small-production wines at big-box-store prices. Some of Camerata’s favorite wines from distributors and importers will be on hand to discuss various selects and pour samples so that customers can try these special wines before they buy. Expect more than 50 selections to be on hand. Those wanting to stock up for holiday parties will love knowing there's discount pricing on cases. The sale is from 12 to 4 pm; all sale orders will be available for pickup beginning Monday, November 25.

Raclette Party on the Patio at Montrose Cheese & Wine
Goodnight Hospitality's Montrose wine shop celebrates raclette, described as "the meltiest and sexiest of all the cheeses." As is traditional, the cheese will be scraped from a large wheel directly onto a plate containing potatoes with caramelized onions, frisée, cornichons and baguette slices for ($18 or $22 with salami). The party goes from 2 - 8 pm; those who can't attend Sunday can come on Monday during the same hours.

Taste fine champagne at Pappas Bros.

Photo by Julie Soefer

Taste fine champagne at Pappas Bros.

news-you-can-eat

What's Eric Eating Episodes 518 and 519

Meet the men behind River Oaks' new destination for bowls and broth

Photo by Becca Wright

Find Honest Mary's in the River Oaks Shopping Center.

On this week’s episode of “What’s Eric Eating,” Honest Mary’s founder Nelson Monteith and COO Andrew Wiseheart joined CultureMap editor Eric Sandler to discuss the Austin-based restaurant that just opened its first Houston location in the River Oaks Shopping Center (2047-A West Gray St).

Monteith shares that he started the restaurant in 2017 in order to fulfill his vision of a restaurant which could serve food that’s fast, fresh, and affordable. A trained chef who operated pioneering Austin restaurant Contigo, Wiseheart joined the group to bring both culinary expertise and operational acumen to the grouping company.

Part of what sets Honest Mary’s apart is that diners can add cooked vegetables to the rice and proteins at the heart of every bowl. The “Market Sides” section includes an array of roasted vegetables — including sweet potatoes, cauliflower, broccoli, beets, and Brussels sprouts — as well as black beans, maple-glazed carrots, and green lentils. Bowls can be further enhanced with toppings such as Texas pecans, crispy chickpeas, goat cheese, avocado, and apples as well as sauces such as creamy poblano, cashew lime crema, sesame vinaigrette, spicy peanut, chimichurri and apple cider vinaigrette

Monteith explains that looking at the ingredients on display usually inspires him when he’s deciding what to eat at Honest Mary’s.

“I will almost always look at the line and see what looks fresh and good,” Monteith says. “Today, I got the salted kale with white rice. Then, I got garlic-pepper steak. I added on lentils — they’re my go-to in the winter. They blend everything together, and I love it Then Brussels sprouts looked green. I got some jalapenos. Avocados, cause that’s healthy. Then I got the chimichurri sauce.”

Honest Mary’s is also known for its hearty broths, a classic chicken and a vegetarian option made with seaweed and mushroom. Sandler raves about the chicken broth to Wiseheart, who shares how it’s made.

“We spent six or seven months testing recipes and drinking it ourselves to see if it’s a good idea,” Wiseheart says. “I talk about it as a great complement to the menu. It’s healthy. It’s really simple. Most of the kitchens I came up with were rooted in French cuisine. This is just chicken stock with salt in it.”

Listen to the full episode to hear more about Honest Mary’s plans for additional locations in Houston and Dallas. Then Monteith asks a Sandler a few questions about the Houston dining scene.

In this week’s other episode, Sandler and co-host Mary Clarkson discuss the news of the week. Their topics include Home Slice Pizza opening a new location in the Heights; the closures of Brett’s BBQ Shop in Katy and Killen’s Barbecue in The Woodlands; and Esquire including ChòpnBlok on its list of America’s best new restaurants.

In the restaurant of the week segment, the two friends discuss their recent meal at Hypsi, the Italian restaurant in the newly-opened Hotel Daphne. Listen to the episode to hear their favorite dishes and other thoughts on the meal.

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Subscribe to "What's Eric Eating" on Apple podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Hear it Sunday at 9 am on ESPN 97.5.

Photo by Becca Wright

Find Honest Mary's in the River Oaks Shopping Center.

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