What's Eric Eating Episode 29

Dish Society founder dishes on importance of local produce; other hot topics on podcast

On this episode of "What's Eric Eating," Dish Society founder and CEO Aaron Lyons joins food editor Eric Sandler to discuss the growth of his farm-to-table neighborhood restaurant. Since opening in Tanglewood at the beginning of 2014, the restaurant has added locations in Katy and Memorial with plans to grow to downtown and the Heights in 2018.

Purchasing local produce usually means higher prices, but Dish Society keeps things affordable. Sandler asks Lyons how he balances maintaining his bottom line with upholding the restaurant's ethos.

"That's the million dollar question. That ultimately is going to dictate our success is our ability to do that," Lyons says. "It's much harder to deal with dozens of suppliers than it is to just get a truck from Sysco three times a week like most other restaurants do. We do have a full-time supplier relations coordinator on staff, and she's responsible for maintaining those relationships with our current partners and finding new partners."

Listen to the whole interview to hear Lyons plans for the Heights, his plans to grow to other Texas cities, and some non-Dish Society concepts he would like to open in the future.

Prior to Lyons' interview, Shanna Jones and Felice Sloan from local lifestyle blog Urban Swank join Sandler to discuss the news of the week. Topics include the Cleburne Cafeteria reopening, Buffalo Bayou's plans to build a massive new brewery in Sawyer Yards, and Forbesselecting pitmaster Grant Pinkerton for its prestigious 30 under 30 list.

In the restaurants of the week segment, Sandler and Sloan discuss their meal at Louie Mueller Barbecue in Taylor, and Sloan shares impressions from her meal at Theodore Rex.

Subscribe to "What's Eric Eating" on iTunes or Google Play. Listen to it every Saturday at 11 am on SportsMap 94.1.

Dish Society founder Aaron Lyons is this week's guest.

Photo by Dragana Harris

Dish Society founder Aaron Lyons is this week's guest.

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adios, churrascos

Houston's pioneering South American steakhouse will soon shutter in River Oaks

Churrascos Churrasco Steak signature center cut beef tenderlion seasoned with chimichurri and chargrilled

Churrascos Facebook

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Sad news for inner loopers who are fans of plantain chips, wood-grilled steaks, and Houston’s best tres leches. The River Oaks location of South American steakhouse Churrascos will close on June 16, the restaurant announced.

Located at the intersection of Shepherd Drive and Westheimer Road, Churrascos has operated its location at 2055 Westheimer for more than 30 years.

“It is our location to open a new Churrascos with the new location and date TBD,” an announcement on the restaurant’s Facebook page states. “We want to thank you all for years of patronage. We value your business more than you will ever know.”

Famously founded on August 8, 1988 (8/8/88) by chef Michael Cordua, Churrascos put a South American twist on the familiar steakhouse genre. The restaurant earned wide critical acclaim for dishes such as its namesake steak — a spiral-cut beef tenderloin that’s grilled over high heat and served with chimichurri — including a prestigious Food & WineBest New Chef award for Cordua in 1994.

Ultimately, Cordua’s son David joined the business. Together, the grew Churrascos to locations across the Houston area and developed Américas, an upscale South American restaurant that had had three locations in the Galleria area, River Oaks, and The Woodlands — all of which are now closed. Ultimately, both Michael and David departed Cordua Restaurants in 2018. David Cordua currently operates The Lymbar, a restaurant in the Ion mixed-use development that serves dishes inspired by South American and Middle Eastern cooking.

As for Churrascos, it still operates locations in Memorial City, The Woodlands, and Sugar Land, along with a successful catering business. Those locations remain open.

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