Collaboration dinners, in which chefs from different restaurants team up for special meals, are all the rage in Houston. However, their one-night-only nature and relatively high prices limits the number of people who can experience these special meals.
No surprise then that a new trend of collaboration dishes is emerging. Available for anywhere from a couple of weeks to a month, Houstonians have more time to sample these one-off creations. Even better, a single dish is far more affordable than an elaborate meal.
Read on for more details about these five collaborations — two sweet and three savory — that are sure to be the stars of social media feeds for a few weeks.
B’Tween Sandwich Co. and Stuffed Belly
Just in time for Lent, the two sandwich concepts — one led by former Top Chef contestant Michelle Wallace and the other by MasterChef winner and James Beard finalist Christine Ha — have teamed up to create a Cajun Catfish Sando. It starts with a catfish filet that’s dredged in fish fry seasoning and battered in rice flour and cornstarch for extra crunch. It’s topped with Japanese cabbage salad and pickles, then served on a Martin’s potato bun.
“We thought not only did it marry our culinary backgrounds but would together be something greater than the sum of its parts: the cool, crunchy, refreshing cabbage balances the spicy, hot, bold catfish,” Ha tells CultureMap.
It’s available at Stuffed Belly’s location in Spring Branch through Sunday, March 1, or until supplies run out.
Burger Bodega and Fluff Bake Bar
Two CultureMap Tastemaker Award winners have united to create two, limited-time-only milkshakes. Available until February 28, diners have the choice of either Coach Potato, Fluff’s sweet-and-salty cookie made with potato chips, pretzels, corn flakes, chocolate chips, and Halal marshmallows, or Veruca Salt, Fluff’s signature deviled food cake with salted buttercream.
“I’ve been a big fan of Becky Masson and what she’s built with Fluff for years,” Burger Bodega founder Abbas Dhanani said. “Getting to work with her to turn some of her most iconic flavors into shakes is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time.”
Crave Cupcakes and Truth BBQ
The bakery and barbecue restaurant have created a special dessert for rodeo season. The Smoke & Honey cupcake starts with a sweet corn cake that’s topped with frosting made with Truth’s barbecue sauce and honey along with two slices of smoked brisket and candied jalapeño.
Available from February 26-March 22, the cupcake will only be served 11 am-2 pm (or while supplies last) at Crave’s stores on Kirby Dr. and in Uptown Park as well as on weekends at Truth’s location on Heights Blvd. Because they’re assembled individually, they cannot be ordered by the dozen.
“Tradition is at the heart of what we do at Truth, but it’s always fun to shake things up with an idea that can really surprise and delight people,” co-owner Abbie Byrom-Botello said in a statement. “We’re excited to partner with another great Houston brand like Crave and do something that’s a little unexpected. It’s not about being fancy; it’s about letting the flavors speak for themselves and having some fun with what barbecue can be.”
Gatlin’s BBQ and Pho Prime
Speaking of barbecue, the Garden Oaks favorite is supplying its smoked brisket to the Vietnamese restaurant for two dishes — a kicked-up riff on the French dip and a special bowl of pho. Both dishes will be available from March 2-22 at Pho Prime’s locations in Chinatown and Pearland, as well as at Gatlin’s.
The Texas Pho Dip pairs Gatlin’s brisket with Pho Prime’s garlic and herb butter, spicy aioli, pickled red onion, fresh basil, and cilantro, all served on a toasted bolillo with a cup of pho broth for dipping. Similarly, the Pitmaster’s Pho adds sliced of smoked brisket to Pho Prime’s broth, which is made from beef knuckle bones, beef short rib, brisket, and oxtails.
“This collaboration is the epitome of Houston on a plate – and in a bowl,” Gatlin’s owner Greg Gatlin said. “Rodeo season is when the city comes alive, and we wanted to create something that feels true to who we are: slow-smoked brisket, big flavor, and a lot of heart.”
Shawn “The Food Sheep” Singh and Tailspin Pizza
The Houston influencer and the West Houston pizzeria he’s championed as among the best in Houston teamed up to create the “One for the Herd.” Available regular or spicy, this chicken tikka pizza is also topped with fior de latte, burnt red onion jam, and cilantro Chutney, paying homage to both Singh’s Indian heritage and Tailspin’s Texan flavors. Served through February 28, Tailspin will donate $5 from every pizza sold to Houston nonprofit Kids’ Meals, Inc.
Photo by Sergio Trevino
That's brisket from Gatlin's BBQ in that bowl of Pho Prime pho.
