savor the flavor

Top Houston chefs and bartenders team up at picnic fundraiser

I'll Have What She's Having has been supporting Houston's culinary community since 2017.

Photo by Jack Opatrny

Some of Houston’s top chefs and bartenders are teaming up to raise money for their peers with health issues. I’ll Have What She’s Having will host its annual Rock & Roll Picnic on Sunday, September 15.

Held this year at Last Concert Cafe, the event unites some of the city’s most talented chefs, headlined by Top Chef finalists Dawn Burrell and Evelyn Garcia (Jun). They’ll be joined by chefs Beatriz Martines (Xalisko) and Mary Cuclis (Kriti Kitchen) as well as Masterchef finalist Suu Khin (Burmalicious by Suu) and CultureMap Tastemaker Awards winners Josh Deleon (Underground Creamery) and the team behind Blood Bros. BBQ.

Attendees will also get a first taste of two of this fall's most eagerly anticipated new restaurants courtesy of Nick Wong, who will preview his Asian American diner Agnes & Sherman, and Dominick Lee, who will be serving bites from Augustine’s, the restaurant that’s currently under construction at Third Ward’s Hotel King David. Bartenders Liz Becerra (Anvil), Natrese Rudison (Toasted Coconut), Jennifer Pilling (Rosewater), Adriana Medina (Cantina Barba), Alexandra Bourgoin (‘93 Til), Miles Conde (Josephine’s), and Olivia Vargas (Lei Low) will create drinks for the event. Non-alcoholic cocktails will also be available.

True to its name, the picnic also includes live music by India Tigers in Texas, JumpRope, and Shame On Me. Poet T. Lavois Thiebaud will lead an artistic poetry event, and DJ GRRRL Parts will perform a set.

The event is done in support of I’ll Have What She’s Having work to bring both physical and mental healthcare to members of the hospitality industry, many of whom do not have health insurance. Originally founded by a group of doctors and hospitality industry veterans to support women’s healthcare, IHWSH now helps facilitate access to breast and cervical cancer screenings, IUDs, vasectomies, mental health care, doula services, and health counseling.

“Hospitality industry professionals have a long history of only being able to treat medical problems via the ER. We ignore our bad backs and don't always have the luxury of getting a mammogram, much less have the doctor to give us the referral,” IHWSH lead health care ambassador and outreach director Lindsay Rae Burleson (Two Headed Dog) said in a statement. “Our program has created a path for better preventative healthcare opportunities for our industry, all at no cost and with little red tape. The funds from this event could save someone's life. It's the beauty of breaking bread."

Tickets are on sale now. General admission ($45) provides access to the concert, chef demos, and other happenings. A picnic upgrade ($95) adds bites from the participating chefs and two drink tickets.

In addition to selling tickets, IHWSH will raise money with a silent auction. Items up for bid include vacation packages, VIP access to Eight Row Flint’s annual Pappy Day party, and a live fire dinner cooked by Top Chef contestant Michelle Wallace (Gatlin’s BBQ, B’tween Sandwich Co) at Blue Heron Farms.

“Company-wide health care is essentially non-existent in independent restaurants. As much as owners desperately want to offer it, it’s too expensive for the small business. Industry members going without health care in a workplace can be incredibly hard on their bodies,” Cuclis added “IHWSH has been a great outlet for my staff, connecting them to free care and resources at an affordable cost.”

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What's Eric Eating Episodes 518 and 519

Meet the men behind River Oaks' new destination for bowls and broth

Photo by Becca Wright

Find Honest Mary's in the River Oaks Shopping Center.

On this week’s episode of “What’s Eric Eating,” Honest Mary’s founder Nelson Monteith and COO Andrew Wiseheart joined CultureMap editor Eric Sandler to discuss the Austin-based restaurant that just opened its first Houston location in the River Oaks Shopping Center (2047-A West Gray St).

Monteith shares that he started the restaurant in 2017 in order to fulfill his vision of a restaurant which could serve food that’s fast, fresh, and affordable. A trained chef who operated pioneering Austin restaurant Contigo, Wiseheart joined the group to bring both culinary expertise and operational acumen to the grouping company.

Part of what sets Honest Mary’s apart is that diners can add cooked vegetables to the rice and proteins at the heart of every bowl. The “Market Sides” section includes an array of roasted vegetables — including sweet potatoes, cauliflower, broccoli, beets, and Brussels sprouts — as well as black beans, maple-glazed carrots, and green lentils. Bowls can be further enhanced with toppings such as Texas pecans, crispy chickpeas, goat cheese, avocado, and apples as well as sauces such as creamy poblano, cashew lime crema, sesame vinaigrette, spicy peanut, chimichurri and apple cider vinaigrette

Monteith explains that looking at the ingredients on display usually inspires him when he’s deciding what to eat at Honest Mary’s.

“I will almost always look at the line and see what looks fresh and good,” Monteith says. “Today, I got the salted kale with white rice. Then, I got garlic-pepper steak. I added on lentils — they’re my go-to in the winter. They blend everything together, and I love it Then Brussels sprouts looked green. I got some jalapenos. Avocados, cause that’s healthy. Then I got the chimichurri sauce.”

Honest Mary’s is also known for its hearty broths, a classic chicken and a vegetarian option made with seaweed and mushroom. Sandler raves about the chicken broth to Wiseheart, who shares how it’s made.

“We spent six or seven months testing recipes and drinking it ourselves to see if it’s a good idea,” Wiseheart says. “I talk about it as a great complement to the menu. It’s healthy. It’s really simple. Most of the kitchens I came up with were rooted in French cuisine. This is just chicken stock with salt in it.”

Listen to the full episode to hear more about Honest Mary’s plans for additional locations in Houston and Dallas. Then Monteith asks a Sandler a few questions about the Houston dining scene.

In this week’s other episode, Sandler and co-host Mary Clarkson discuss the news of the week. Their topics include Home Slice Pizza opening a new location in the Heights; the closures of Brett’s BBQ Shop in Katy and Killen’s Barbecue in The Woodlands; and Esquire including ChòpnBlok on its list of America’s best new restaurants.

In the restaurant of the week segment, the two friends discuss their recent meal at Hypsi, the Italian restaurant in the newly-opened Hotel Daphne. Listen to the episode to hear their favorite dishes and other thoughts on the meal.

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Subscribe to "What's Eric Eating" on Apple podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Hear it Sunday at 9 am on ESPN 97.5.

Photo by Becca Wright

Find Honest Mary's in the River Oaks Shopping Center.

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