What’s happening team!
I hope your late summer has been great. Mine has been fantastic. We did a small Southern Smoke Festival in Napa Valley, my wife and I went to Chicago to see Metallica and got to meet some members of the band, and we just got home from a quick trip to Kauai with family and now I’m back at it!
I want to start a discussion in this forum. I absolutely love going to restaurants and looking over the wine list to really see the personality of the restaurant coming through — seeing how the buyer puts their spin on what they think you should drink with that specific restaurant’s food. But what if there is no wine list?
It’s time to talk about BYOB restaurants! First, let's talk about the law. Can you take wine with you to any restaurant? The answer is no, not according to the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code. If a restaurant or club holds a mixed beverage permit — that means they serve liquor — the answer is absolutely no, you cannot bring in your own alcohol. So that removes most restaurants from the BYOB equation. Not even on your anniversary, birthday, or any other special occasion. The answer is still no, and restaurants that ignore those regulations risk major fines from the TABC (Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission).
If the restaurant holds a beer and wine license or doesn’t have a liquor license at all, the law allows you to bring your own wine, but it’s best to call and ask before you do. Don’t pull out a law book — just understand that restaurants may want you to order something from their list. Sometimes, the restaurant just doesn’t have the right glassware, or the owners might have a religious reason that they don’t carry alcohol. We need to respect the operators. We love them and are thankful they are running beautiful restaurants in our wonderful city.
If they allow you to bring in wine, always ask about their corkage fee. Generally, it’s $10-$15 per bottle. I would also check their list before you go; bring something they don’t have on their list.
Let’s walk through my BYOB thought process for just a second. I like to be prepared. First, I decide where to go. Let’s go with Fung’s Kitchen, because I love it and I just ate there. Second is how many people are going with you — we had five. I get the bag ready. I love a Yeti Hopper, the soft sided cooler is perfect for taking wine with you anywhere. I also have some frozen gel packs in the freezer so I throw them in the cooler. I make sure that there is a wine opener in there as well.
Five people means at least four bottles need to be packed — not because we will drink all five — but you need to have options just in case any of your wine is flawed. Nobody wants to bring one bottle and find out it’s corked.
Going to Fung’s is a food and wine lovers dream. Even at night, you can order select dumplings to start off, which are great with champagne from any producer you love. I always hit up Antonio Gianola at Houston Wine Merchant for a good recommendation. I also have been on a crisp Sauvignon Blanc kick for a while especially those from producers like Rocchioli or Ink Grade.
Then move into some of the live seafood items like a Dungeness crab in tamarind sauce, steamed spot prawns or shrimp, plus they just put a Lobster Mountain on the menu, and it’s magnificent.
Behold the lobster mountainPhoto by Chris Shepherd
I feel like I just heard the record player come to a complete stop and the room went silent — yes, I said Lobster Mountain. What is that you say?
The mad geniuses at Fung’s have created a show stopping mountain of six beautifully seasoned fried lobsters and French fries stacked to the moon! I had no idea what we were getting into when I said “yes, I want that!” When it hit the table I feel like the earth shook and the everyone at the table jaws hit the floor. What an absolute spectacle and it wasn’t just pretty, it was delicious. [Editor’s note: As of August 22, the dish costs $168 but is subject to market pricing.]
This is a dish that you absolutely need to get your friends together and go try. It’s a must on the new bucket list. It’s just fun, and anytime something like this comes around you owe it to yourself to go try it and enjoy life. This is also where I tend to move into some killer Chardonnay from Hirsch Family Vineyards.
At this point, if you can take on a Peking duck, it’s time to get down with a great Pinot Noir from Sonoma or one of my favorite areas like Santa Barbara. Burgundy or Beaujolais work fantastic here as well. There is just something magical about roasted crispy duck with hoisin stuffed into a steamed bun with some Dragonette Sanford & Benedict Vineyard Pinot Noir — delicious.
If you really thought things through and read this thoroughly, then you might have packed some amaro in that bag. It’s time to pull that out because there is one more item that without a doubt needs to hit the table.
You can never — and I mean never — leave Fung’s without ordering the lava buns. Crispy but soft, light but dense, these warm buns filled with a warm, salted egg custard are one of the greatest desserts of all time. I would warn you to be careful and lean over the plate when biting into this bun because when I say “filled” I mean it’s loaded!
Now that we have started the conversation about BYOB restaurants, I see myself talking about this topic more regularly. I feel that understanding what to bring is crucial. If you prepare yourself with the right bottles, your meals will be so much more memorable and those wines that you have been collecting will shine so much more.
As a final thought, I would remind you to be able fully enjoy these type of meals is to always be responsible and use a ride share for the evening. I want you to be safe and have a blast! Til next time, cheers!
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Which style of restaurant would you like Chris's next BYOB guide to focus on? Send your suggestions to our Wine Guy via email at chris@chrisshepherd.is.
Chris Shepherd won a James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southwest in 2014. The Southern Smoke Foundation, a nonprofit he co-founded with his wife Lindsey Brown, has distributed more than $11 million to hospitality workers in crisis through its Emergency Relief Fund. Catch his TV show, Eat Like a Local, every Saturday at 10 am on KPRC Channel 2.
