What's Eric Eating Episodes 426 and 427

Expert panel drafts Houston's best bars and cocktails

Refuge earned two first round selections.

Photo by Jenn Duncan

On this week's episodes of "What's Eric Eating," CultureMap editor Eric Sandler recruits six friends for the Ultimate Houston Bar Draft. Working from the familiar fantasy football draft format, the panelists make selections in the following categories:

Cocktail Bar
Neighborhood Bar
Martini
Margarita
Bar Food
Wild Card

Joining Sandler in the draft are corporate event planner Lawton Driscoll, Reserve 101 co-owner Sean Fitzmaurice, Monkey's Tail director of operations Lainey Collum, Heights Grocer owner Mary Clarkson, The Infatuation Houston staff writer Chelsea Thomas, and Anvil co-founder Bobby Heugel. With such a broad array of backgrounds, their picks show off the depth of Houston's bar scene.

Overall, the draft recognizers both established favorites — one panelist selected Kenneally's Irish Pub — as well as of-the-moment spots like Clarkwood. While you'll have to listen to the whole episode to hear all the picks, the first round proceeded as follows:

Driscoll: Bandista for Cocktail Bar
Fitzmaurice: Refuge for Martini
Collum: Refuge for Cocktail Bar
Clarkson: Catbirds for Martini
Thomas: Bad News Bar for Cocktail Bar
Heugel: Poison Girl for Neighborhood Bar
Sandler: Anvil for Cocktail Bar

In this week's second episode, Houston bar experts Brad Moore (Grand Prize, Big Star Bar) and Lindsay Rae Burleson (Two Headed Dog) pick a winner. They also share some of their own thoughts on the state of Houston's bar scene and suggest a few categories for Sandler to include in the inevitable Ultimate Houston Bar Draft Part II.

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steakhouse switcheroo

River Oaks restaurant fields a new menu devoted to prime and wagyu steaks

Courtesy of Fielding's Steak

The new menu includes steak and sides such as onion rings.

A River Oaks restaurant is switching things up. After a year of operations, Fielding’s River Oaks has rebranded as Fielding’s Steak with an all-new menu that will launch on Tuesday, January 27.

While the restaurant has always served steaks from Texas ranch 44 Farms, Fielding’s Steak leans more heavily into beef with more cuts and more kinds of beefs, including both American and Japanese wagyu. Similarly, diners can pair their steaks with steakhouse sides such as lobster mac and cheese, creamed spinach, and onion rings.

The new menu starts with four prime steaks — filet, ribeye, NY strip, and bavette — along with a dry-aged cuts including a 35-ounce cowboy ribeye, a porterhouse, a 12-ounce bone-in ribeye, and a 22-ounce bone-in ribeye. Those seeking the most luxurious experience may opt for a wagyu tasting that features four ounces each of Japanese, Australian, and American striploin.

Appetizers and salads include a number of familiar dishes, such as lobster bisque, wedge salad, fried calamari, shrimp cocktail, and an imperial crabcake. Non-steak entrees include maple-brined salmon, lobster risotto, lamb chops, and a grilled Kurobata pork chop with apple mostarda.

Fielding’s River Oaks opened in December 2024. Part of Fielding’s Culinary Group, The Woodlands-based hospitality company behind Fielding’s Local Kitchen & Bar and Fielding’s Wood Grill, the restaurant served a European-inspired menu that included pizzas, pastas, steaks, and seafood.

“Fielding’s Steak represents the natural evolution of who we are and where we’re going,” said CEO Cary Attar said in a statement. “We wanted to create a true steakhouse experience — one that’s chef-driven, ingredient-focused, and worthy of the River Oaks dining scene — while still feeling warm, welcoming, and unmistakably Fielding’s. This new menu allows us to showcase exceptional proteins, refined flavors, and a level of execution that reflects our passion for hospitality and culinary excellence.”

Fielding’s Steak will be open Tuesday through Sunday for lunch from 11:30 am-3 pm and dinner beginning at 5 pm. Reservations are available on OpenTable.

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