Sporty Snack Stars

Here's a taste of all the delicious snacks on tap for The Tailgate

Dig into fries from The Waffle Bus.

The Waffle Bus/Facebook

Attention, sports fans: The Tailgate is almost here. CultureMap Houston's signature sporty event is happening Wednesday, October 25, at Silver Street Studios, and you'll want to be there.

Why? Because even if you aren't a football fanatic, hockey hound, soccer supporter, or basketball and baseball buff, you're probably a big fan of fantastic local food and drinks.

Here's what's on the menu:

2023 Tastemaker Awards Best New Restaurant winner Aiko will be serving maguro crudo, which is smoked bluefin tuna with crispy garlic and pickled cucumbers.
Tastemaker Awards 2020 Best Pizza winner Pizaro’s Pizza Napoletana is bringing fried Alfredo bites.

As a new twist this year, readers will get to vote for their favorite local sports bar in our Ultimate Sports Bar Showdown.

Think of this as sort of like the Sweet 16, where local champs face off in an online tournament. The winner will be revealed at the party, but here's what each eatery is bringing to help sway votes their way:

pulled oxtail sliders with house-made habanero pickles and Rock Sauce from RockHouse Southern Kitchen
grilled Phoenix wings and Dancing Beef skewers from The Phoenix on Westheimer
fried pork ribs tossed in Dragon or barbecue sauce from Quad HTX
Smash Burger sliders and chicken flautas from FM Kitchen
Billionaire Burger sliders with Sriracha pimento cheese and beer mustard from Twin Peaks
bacon-wrapped quail, Thai chili margaritas, and berry lemonade from Patterson Park

Also expect:

seasoned waffle fries topped with fried chicken bites from The Waffle Bus
Little Knuckle sandwich and elote street dogs from Good Vibes Coastal Kitchen
chicken tinga tostadas from Home Run Dugout
brown rice, kale, chicken, and avocado bowls from Leaf & Grain
chili-cheese Mazemen noodles from Ramen Tatsu-Ya
duck leg confit corn dogs and Irish coffee from Wild Concepts
mini basil beef burgers, mini satay chicken wraps, mini beef drunken hot dogs, and chips and chili dips from M Express Thai Kitchen
pork and chicken souvlaki, potato and cheese croquettes, and spanakopita from Echoes Cafe
bespoke boozy ice cream scoops and cocktails from Patra Lee's Kitchen Handcrafted Heritage Ice Cream

To wet your whistle, there will be signature cocktails by Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey and 1800 Tequila — just wait until you taste the QB Crusher and Peach Fizz.

Aside from the concessions, expect game-day activities and fun yard games, plus a spotlight on sports-related nonprofits like Dynamo and Dash Charities and Houston Texans Foundation.

VIP tickets include early admission, a dedicated VIP bar, and a meet and greet with former Houston Texans player Johnathan Joseph. Through October 13, order from this link and receive $10 off VIP tickets. We’ll see you on October 25.

sports cocktails drinks promoted

truffle masters recap

Street corn shines at Houston's truffle-powered chef competition

Photo by Daniel Ortiz

Marcus Benedict, Daniella Johner, and chef Luis Roger of MAD and BCN.

One of Houston’s top Mexican restaurants took the top prize at this year’s Truffle Masters competition. Victoria Elizondo, chef-owner of Cochinita & Co., bested 24 other Houston chefs with Elotitos, corn brushed with chiltepin aioli, dusted with seven chile spice, and finished with shaved truffles and Parmesan.

“The team killed it last night,” Elizondo wrote on Instagram. “We won 1st place at @thetrufflemasters all while having fun and cooking with love! Food doesn’t need to be fancy, it just needs to be made with corazón!”

The attention couldn’t have come at a better time. As CultureMap reported last month, Cochinita & Co. is currently in the process of opening a second location in Lindale Park. Customers can invest in the project via the NuMarket platform in exchange for credits at the restaurant.

Second prize went to Camaraderie in the Heights for its black sesame and black truffle gelato, while Cocody, a French restaurant in River Oaks, took third place for its truffle-shaped Lollys Persillade Escargot Cromesquis, essentially an escargot lollypop with with black truffle and quail egg in the middle.

Montrose sushi restaurant Soto won People’s Choice with its Engawa fin muscle with truffle balsamic unagi sauce, kizami, and chocolate black truffle masago arare. Aniket Bhingare, a bartender at Michelin-starred restaurant Musaafer, won the cocktail competition with his Pour Me a Slice, made with truffle and herb-infused and a clarified mix of roma tomatoes, fresh basil, oregano, basil, and truffle oil.

Other standout dishes included a Yukon Gold potato with truffle brown butter from Michelin-recognized sushi restaurant Hidden Omakase, truffle s’mores from Israeli-inspired steakhouse Doris Metropolitan, beef tartare and truffle ice cream from fine dining sushi restaurant Katami, and Credence’s truffle duck sausage with plums and truffles. Maximo, a Mexican restaurant in West U., maximized (sorry) its truffle usage with a Cachetada de Barbacoa Taco, made with nixtamalized truffle tortilla, truffle-braised barbacoa, and sottocenere al tartufo cheese with black garlic-habanero salsa

More than 350 attended the sold-out affair, which took place at the Astorian events space in Sawyer Yards. The judging panel include both media members (such as this author) and hospitality pros. A portion of proceeds will be donated to the KNOWAutism Foundation.

Photo by Daniel Ortiz

Marcus Benedict, Daniella Johner, and chef Luis Roger of MAD and BCN.