7 things to know

7 things to know in Houston food right now: Ben Berg's jazzy brunch, 11-course Korean steak dinners, and more

Editor’s note: Houston’s restaurant scene moves pretty fast. In order to prevent CultureMap readers from missing anything, let’s stop to look around at all the latest news to know.

Openings and coming attractions

Urban Bird Hot Chicken has opened its sixth Houston-area location in Webster’s Baybrook Passage Shopping Center (19325 Gulf Freeway). The restaurant serves chicken tenders as sandwiches and baskets along with chicken and waffles and fries topped with chicken tenders. Diners may opt for one of six spice levels, everything from “Country” to “Fire in the Hole”

Twisted Oak Bar + Kitchen will open this summer in Montgomery’s Woodforest development. Co-owner Rommel Gonzalez, a veteran of Brennan’s of Houston and former general manager of Fig & Olive, plans to serve a wide-ranging menu grounded in American classics matched with an extensive selection of wine and spirits. It aims to offer an upscale environment with personal service.

“My lifelong dream of opening my own concept came to me over the years as I experienced many restaurants, bars and lounges throughout my travels in Europe and South America,” Gonzalez said. “I always wanted to open a concept that’s appealing to our Texas values but also gives you the sense of being anywhere in the world.”

People on the move

Minh Nguyen is the new general manager at CounterCommon Beerworks & Kitchen. Best known for his time as the owner of Cafe TH in EaDo, Nguyen steps in for opening chef Ignacio “Iggy” Olivera. One of the brewpub’s co-founders, Nguyen will lead a menu revamp that builds on its goals of serving a diverse menu inspired by Houston’s diverse cuisines.

“CCBK was created to provide a space in the Bellaire community where folks can share their love of beer and food with their friends and loved ones,” co-founder Jaime Robles said in a statement. “The city of Bellaire has embraced us, and that support is what fuels our ingenuity in the kitchen and brewhouse.”

Minh Nguyen Countercommon Beer Works Tell Minh that CultureMap says hi.Courtesy of CounterCommon Beer Works

New menus

The Lancaster Hotel has introduced afternoon tea service. Served Saturday and Sunday at 12 pm and 2:30 pm, the menu includes “Coronation Chicken” in a phyllo cup, smoked salmon, and cucumber dill. Sweets include freshly-baked scones, petit fours, and chocolate pot de creme. To create the proper experience, dishes are served on William Edwards English bone China.

Designed to pair well with a matinee in downtown’s theater district, reservations are required to participate. Tea costs $69 per adult and $59 for kids 12 and under.

Turner’s, Ben Berg luxurious, Galleria-area supper club, has introduced a jazz brunch. Served Thursday and Friday from 11 am - 3 pm, chef Ricardo Cerna’s menu includes Creole favorites such as gumbo, Eggs Sardou, and boudin balls. While diners sip classic New Orleans cocktails such as the Ramos Gin Fizz, Sazerac, and Vieux Carré, they’ll enjoy live jazz music from 11:30 am - 2:30 pm.

PS21, the new French restaurant in Upper Kirby led by two Frenchmen — chef Philippe Schmit and front of house specialist Sébastien Laval — has added lunch and brunch service to its offerings. Open for dinner since March, the restaurant is now open for lunch Tuesday - Saturday from 11:30 am - 2:30 pm and Sunday brunch from 12-3 pm.

The menu includes a range of dishes, including Salade Niçoise, lobster salad, a wagyu cheeseburger that’s topped with brie, moules frites, and steak frites. A two-course, $22 business lunch consists of a vegetarian soup followed by a French Bouchon Plate that comes with a petit Croque Monsieur, petite Caesar salad, and risotto.

“We’re excited to get lunch service underway for the neighborhood,” Laval said in a statement. “We have had such a warm welcome from the community and look forward to providing a unique respite for diners as they shop, entertain, or need a quick and delicious bite during lunch break in the Upper Kirby area”

Karne Korean Steakhouse has introduced a chef’s tasting menu as a more curated experience than its a la carte menu. Described as a “love letter” to Korean cuisine by chef “KP” Nam, the 11-course, $160 offering includes dishes such as lobster and abalone, soba noodles, two steak courses — one with filet and wagyu chuck flap and another of smoked short rib — and pomegranate mousse. The tasting menu is available by reservation only and requires at least 24 hours advance notice.

Karne is the latest project from Jason Cho, the Houston restaurateur behind the Galleria-area location of Tom N Toms Coffee and acclaimed Korean fried chicken restaurant Dak & Bop. It puts a Korean spin on the classic American steakhouse with tabletop grilling, premium meats, and an extensive beverage program.

Photo by Kirsten Gilliam

Get a crab cake during Turner's jazz brunch.

openings news-you-can-eat

cheers to that

Texas bourbon named one of 2024's top 10 whiskies

Still Austin Whiskey Co. Red Corn Bourbon Whiskey

Still Austin Whiskey Co./Facebook

Now if only we could snag a bottle...as a Christmas gift, of course.

Three cheers for Still Austin Whiskey Co.! The distillery's Bottled in Bond Red Corn Bourbon Whiskey was recognized as one of Whisky Advocate'sTop 20 Most Exciting Whiskies of 2024.

Every year, Whisky Advocate's expert panelists rank hundreds of whiskies based on their quality, availability, value for the price, and "X-factor," meaning an excitement-inducing component like a unique flavor or an innovative idea. An international panel also reviews contenders through several blind taste tests without knowing each whisky's producer, origin, age, or price.

The magazine ranked Still Austin's five-year Red Corn Bourbon No. 7 on the list with a prestigious score of 94 points. The Red Corn whiskey, which was released in June 2024, has mash bill consisting of 36 percent Jimmy Red corn, 34 percent white corn, 25 percent rye, and 5 percent barley.

According to panelist Shane English, tasting notes start big and bold with cracked pepper, dusty leather, and cocktail cherries, before moving on to a palate of chile pepper, caramel, and buttery cornbread.

"Each sip is electric — the pepper gives this whiskey a zing balanced by poundcake and glazed doughnuts," English said. "Charred oak fades to chocolate, coffee, and pecan pie on the finish."

Still Austin had the only Texas product on the list, which was fitting given the brand's recent boasting that it could match any Kentucky Bourbon. As a game day stunt when the Texas Longhorns played the Kentucky Wildcats in November, Still Austin refilled empty Kentucky Bourbon bottles with its own Cask Strength Bourbon for just $1.

When the brand isn't playfully antagonizing Kentucky fans, its Red Corn Bourbon sells for a retail price of $85 per 750-milliliter bottle, falling nearly in the middle of the price category out of all 20 bourbons on the list, with eight others priced for less.

For additional context, none of the top five bourbons fall under a $100 price tag. In fact, the most expensive bottle on the 2024 list is the Angel's Envy 2023 Cask Strength Port Wine Barrel Finished Bourbon, which ranked No. 12 and retails for $230 per bottle.

"Our top 20 whiskies represent a curated collection that deserves your attention. Each whisky on the list stands out for its superb taste, representing the pinnacle of a year filled with remarkable tastings," said executive editor David Fleming in a release. "This list features whiskies offering exceptional value, leaders in their respective styles, and superbly made expressions that are well worth seeking out."

Whiskey Advocate's 2024 Whiskey of the Year is Laphroaig Elements 2.0 Cask Strength Scotch Single Malt, which earned 95 points and retails for $165 a bottle.

whiskey bourbon distilleries awards lists