Rope 'em

10 Houston restaurants saddling up can't-miss Rodeo dishes and deals

It's that time again, when all of Houston decks itself out in cowboy hats and boots, amps up its two-stepping skills, and celebrates that thing they call Rodeo. But it's not just on the grounds of NRG Park where diners will find great eating. All across the city, restaurants are offering specials throughout Rodeo season. Rope 'em before they're gone.

Cafe Leonelli
The fast-casual option inside the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston gets into the Rodeo spirit with a braised pulled pork sandwich, made with house barbecue sauce, dijon mustard, arugula, tomatoes, and pickled onions. The special is available through Sunday, March 24.

Dandelion Cafe
The Bellaire restaurant is serving Brisket Breakfast Hash, made with smoked brisket from their neighbors at Blood Bros BBQ, bell peppers, onions, country potatoes, and two eggs made to order. It's available all day, every day, through March 17.

Eunice
Come on by the Upper Kirby restaurant for an extended happy hour from 2-6 pm throughout Rodeo season and opt for a Tumbleweed cocktail, made with vodka and jalapeno, or the Texas Ranger, a blend of tequila, pomegranate, and lime. Those needing some sustenance with their drinks can tuck into chef Drake’s Grilled Cowboy Ribeye, served with crawfish butter, green asparagus, and Yukon gold potatoes. All special are available through March 17.

Georgia James
In honor of Rodeo season, the Montrose steakhouse has transformed its upstairs lounge into GJ Saloon. In addition to live music Wednesday through Saturday, customers can look for happy hour specials between 5 and 7 pm. There's also a special Rodeo prix fixe menu for $95 that includes an appetizer, entree, and dessert. Diners may select from choices such as a half-dozen oysters, crab hushpuppies, 44 Farms Ribeye with fried Brussels sprouts, Gulf fish with Szechuan style noodles and charred cabbage, and pecan pie.

Hilton Americas-Houston
Head to the hotel's lobby bar for the BBQ Beef Brisket Sandwich – crafted with mesquite-smoked, Black Angus beef brisket, topped with barbecue sauce and smoked gouda. Served on a soft brioche bun, the sandwich is paired with steak fries, bread and butter pickles, and a side of ranch-style baked beans. It's available through March 17.

Loch Bar
The River Oaks District seafood restaurant offers 15-percent off customer checks through March 17, when they present their Rodeo Houston badge or Rodeo tickets.

Marmo
Rodeo revelers will appreciate the restaurant's extended happy hour, available from 2-6 pm through March 17. On the weekends, Marmo offers a reverse happy hour from 10 pm to midnight.

Drink highlights include $6 select glasses of wine, $5 Peroni beer and $8 cocktails. Food specials include $2 oysters on the half shell with Calabrian chili mignonette and $7 pastas such as rigatoni alla vodka, veal bolognese, and polpette (meatballs with tomato sauce). Marmo’s extended happy hours will be available at the bar, in the lounge, or on the patio.

Puttshack
This year is the downtown destination's first rodeo, and they're doing it up with specials like Korean BBQ Bao Buns ($15) and the Pitmaster sandwich, made with smoked chicken, barbecue sauce, smoked Gouda, red onion, jalapeños, and buttermilk ranch ($16).

Relish
Head to this River Oaks spot to sample a full menu of Rodeo-themed treats. Try the 44 Farms Mini Corn Dogs for $10 or the pulled pork sandwich for $16, made with Relish's barbecue sauce and slaw, served on a brioche bun with a side of fries — both available from 11 am - 5:30 pm. Other options can be had from open to close, including the Space City Cowboy with bourbon, blackberry, mint, lemon, and maple and the Rodeo Rita with mezcal, tequila, lime, blood orange, and bitters for $14 each.

Photo by Becca Wright

Georgia James has transformed its upstairs into GJ Saloon.

Tacos A Go Go
Rodeo Committee members who present their current badges at the Midtown location can get a 15-percent discount, an acknowledgement of the hard work put in by the Rodeo's tens of thousands of volunteers. With its location on the METRO light rail's red line, volunteers can travel easily between the restaurant and the Rodeo grounds.

happy-hours news-you-can-eat

a CultureMap Exclusive

Canadian comfort food restaurant puts down roots in prime Houston spot

Courtesy of Cactus Club Cafe

Cactus Club Cafe is coming to Houston.

One of Canada’s most popular restaurants is coming to Houston. Cactus Club Cafe will open its third U.S. location in the BLVD Place development.

Located next to North Italia in a former Verizon store, Cactus Club Cafe will occupy a two-level space with more than 12,000 square feet. Founded in Vancouver in 1988, the restaurant, which describes itself in press materials as "Canada’s leader in elevated casual dining" is known for its wide range of comfort food, lively environment, and excellent service.

Christine Mastandrea, president and COO for real estate development firm Whitestone REIT, tells CultureMap that the company wanted to add a restaurant to increase traffic at the Whole Foods-anchored development.

While many of the restaurants on Post Oak Blvd. are fine dining — a list that includes The Annie Cafe, Uchiko, and Caracol (among many others) — Whitestone decided a more casual restaurant would serve the neighborhood well.

“You have to mix in locations people can go back to, because it has a broad range of offerings. You have a place where people connect,” Mastandrea says. “It’s a price point where you can come often. You can meet up with your neighborhood friends there or go after work, because it doesn’t break the bank.”

Whitestone had a lot of interest from operators who wanted to join North Italia, True Foods Kitchen, and The Original Ninfa’s in the development, Mastandrea adds. When she traveled to Toronto to visit Cactus Club, she liked what she found.

“What I saw is, number one, they’re comfortable in two stories. They’re also aware of how to operate in a multi-level building. They design to be a good neighbor,” Mastandrea says. “The consistency across locations was the same. The quality of food, the flow of people coming in and out. The other thing is, people are looking for healthier options. They have choices.”

For its part, Cactus Club saw an opportunity to add Houston to its growing list of American locations that, for now, only includes Miami and Boston.

“Our dedicated team is working hard to bring Cactus Club Cafe’s elevated everyday dining to Houston,” president Andrew Latchford said in a statement. “We look forward to sharing our upbeat and stylish vibe — fueled by energetic music, magnetic people, and spaces that feel as good as they look. On the culinary side of things, our future Houston guests can look forward to our chef-driven menu to deliver bold, refined dishes with something for every craving.”

That menu, created by executive chef of culinary development Gregory McCallum, offers a crowd-pleasing array of dishes that includes sushi, shareables such as chicken wings and lettuce wraps, salads, sandwiches, burgers, pastas, steaks, and seafood. In particular, Mastandrea says the signature Truffle Parmesan Chicken and Blackened Creole Chicken shows off the restaurant’s ability to serve flavorful versions of familiar fare.

“They walked me through this whole process of how they brined it and treated it prior to cooking,” she says about the chicken dishes she tried. “For a meat that can be bland tasting, I thought it was really good.”

Mastandrea also praised the restaurant’s interior. Cactus Club gives each location a unique look by purchasing original art to enhance the restaurant’s ambiance.

“They pay special attention to bringing the outdoors into the space,” she adds. “I think they’ll surprise us with some things that are unique to the area that people will appreciate.”

Courtesy of Cactus Club Cafe

Cactus Club Cafe is coming to Houston.