Houston's new food festival

New Sugar Land food festival features more than 30 Houston-area chefs

A new food festival featuring more than 30 of the Houston’s top chefs is coming to Sugar Land. Bazaar Food and Wine takes place Saturday, May 18.

Held at Sugar Land Town Square, Bazaar Food and Wine builds on the success of last year’s Nowhere Somewhere Supper Club pop-up dinner. That night’s headliners — James Beard Award winner Paul Qui (East Side King), Top Chef finalist Dawn Burrell, and star Mexican chef Luis Robledo Richards (Comalito) — are all participating in the event, too. They’re joined by a who’s-who of Houston-area chef that includes James Beard Award nominees, CultureMap Tastemaker Award winners, and other notable names (see the full lineup below).

Organized by Rebees, the Dallas-based real estate firm that manages Sugar Land Town Square, the festival is divided into six distinct “neighborhoods” representing different parts of the world — Latin America, India & Pakistan, Asia, Africa and the Middle East, Europe, and Texas. Each neighborhood will have stations from five or more chefs along with entertainment. Performers include Dance Houston and other dance troupes, Houston country artist Sheila Marshall, African drummers, and a dragon and lion dance that will end the event.

“Bazaar celebrates and explores the special culinary heritage that is singular to the city of Houston,” Rebees executive Matt Ragan said in a statement. “Sugar Land Town Square is the perfect home for an event like this, located in one of the most diverse suburbs within one of the most diverse cities in the U.S.”

Tickets, priced at $150 for general admission and $200 for VIP, are on sale now. Purchase them and get more details at the event’s website. A portion of proceeds will benefit the James Beard Foundation.

Here’s the full lineup as of April 10:

Latin America

Victoria Elizondo, Cochinita & Co
Luis Robledo Richards, Comalito, Mayahuel, and Tout Chocolat
Victoria Marini, The Original Marini's Empanada House
Martin Weaver, Mi Tierra Mexican Kitchen
Cristina Benitez, Cafe Piquet
David Guerrero, Andes Café
Belen Baily, Sweets by Belen

India & Pakistan

Mayank Istwal, Musaafer
Dipak Aryal, Mahesh's Kitchen
Sunil Srivastava, Verandah
Kaiser Lashkari, Himalaya
Sharan Gahunia, Raja Sweets

East Asia

Benchawan Painter, Street to Kitchen
Paul Qui, East Side King & Golfstrømmen
Tom Cunanan, Soy Pinoy
Cori Xiong, Mala Sichuan Bistro
Cory Nguyen, Crawfish & Noodles
Jennifer Hoffman, Big Macarons

Africa and the Middle East

Yotam Dolev, Hamsa
Haig Tcholakian, Phoenicia Specialty Foods
Khalieb Rufael & Yems Thomas, Spice Boyz Supper Club
Adeel Khan, Haraz Coffee House
Dawn Burrell

Europe

Pedro Garcia, El Meson
Shawn Gawle, Camaraderie
Mikael Palmer, Savior
Otto Sanchez, Magnol French Baking
Bruno Amato, BB Italia
Andrea de Gortari, The Bake Happening

Texas

Jess DeSham Timmons, Camellia Monday Hospitality
Kirthan and Kripa Shenoy, Auden
Kennis Williams, Williams Smokehouse
Joseph Quellar, JQ’s Tex-Mex BBQ
Joe Cervantez, Pier 6 Seafood & Oyster House
Kathleen Morgan, Honeychild’s Sweet Creams
Alisher Yallaev, Prime 131

Courtesy of Himalaya Restaurant

Kaiser Lashkari, Himalaya.

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Washington Avenue's drive-thru only Chick-fil-A sets opening date

Courtesy of Chick-fil-A

The new restaurant opens at 6 am on November 6.

Inner loopers with a craving for chicken sandwiches and waffle fries will soon have a new option to satisfy their cravings. Houston’s newest Chick-fil-A will open at 6 am on Thursday, November 6.

Located near the intersection of Washington Ave. and Yale St. (3800 Washington Ave.), Chick-Fil-A tore down an office building to make way for its new outpost. Notably, the restaurant will only serve diners to-go — either via its drive-thru lane or a walkup window — but will not offer any indoor seating, a children’s playground, or the other features of full-service Chick-fil-A locations. While it won't offer seating, it will serve the full Chick-fil-A menu of chicken sandwiches, salads with chicken, chicken nuggets, chicken strips, sides, and drinks.

Franchisee Drew Ellis knows the area well. He operates the nearby Sawyer Yards location of Chick-fil-A, The new location will take some of the pressure of the existing restaurant.

“I’ve had the pleasure of operating Chick-fil-A Sawyer Heights since 2012, and I’m honored for the opportunity to expand my footprint and continue deepening relationships in the community that has supported me over the past decade,” Ellis said in a statement. “With the opening of Chick-fil-A Washington & Yale, I’m excited to cater to the evolving needs of our guests, while emphasizing that the speed and efficiency guests will experience from the drive-thru focused format will not take away from our signature hospitality and care.”

On opening day, anyone who dresses in cow attire will receive one free entrée or kid’s meal.

Ellis is celebrating the restaurant’s opening by making a $25,000 donation to the Houston Food Bank. It will also participate in the Chick-fil-A Shared Table program, which provides surplus food to local nonprofits.

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