Saucy Summer

Uchi's Asian BBQ joint bottles limited edition line of summer sauces

This lively salsa can now dress up dishes at home.

Photo courtesy of Hai Hospitality

You can't bottle Aaron Franklin's meat-smoking skills, but you can bottle the sauce at Loro, his popular "Asian Smokehouse" with Uchi chef Tyson Cole. Three signature sauces will be available for a limited time this summer, starting June 21 and ending July 5.

A press release promises "bold, smoke-kissed flavors" on offer during "Saucy Summer." Guests can pick them up from all Loro locations across Texas. In Houston, that means the Heights location at 5333 Kirby Dr. or in the Heights at 1001 W. 11th St. Loro also has locations in Austin and Dallas.

Fans of Loro probably already know these flavors from dipping wonton chips and slathering fried chicken sandwiches.

Loro Hot Sauce Loro's smoked hot sauce and chicken are a perfect match.Photo courtesy of Hai Hospitality

The three sauces for sale are:

Tamarind BBQ: A sweet sauce that's "a little wild" thanks to spicy and fruity flavors. Ingredients include tamarind, honey, soy, pineapple, Thai sriracha, mesquite, and nam tok seasoning — usually a mix of lime, chili flakes, and other standard seasonings like salt and sugar. This one is recommended for brisket, grilled chicken, or brushing ribs in the last five minutes of cooking.
Loro Hot Sauce: The release describes this one as "buttery" and "chili-forward." It's also made with Thai sriracha and augmented with dried Thai chili flakes, vinegar, butter, and tallow. The recipe was made with eggs, tacos, fried rice, wings, sandwiches, and spicy spreads in mind.
Green Chili Salsa and Marinade: Be careful with this spicy sauce, which has a "sneaky heat." The overall tone is bright and herbal thanks to green tomato, cilantro, garlic, lime, and ginger, with soybean paste and Thai chili adding oomph. This sauce is great for marinating chicken or shrimp, but it can also be poured right on top of tacos and rice bowls or used to finish veggies and grilled fish.

Each sauce sells for $8, but shoppers can bundle three of them for $20. Purchases can be made for dine-in or takeout via Toast. Deliveries are available via DoorDash and Uber Eats while the promotion is running. To stay on top of stock, only a certain number of sauces will be sold each day.

Loro Tamarind BBQ Sauce Sauce-lovers can bundle all three sauces for variety.Photo courtesy of Hai Hospitality

Whether or not customers purchase a sauce, they can use the code SAUCYSUMMER to take $10 off to-go orders placed July 3 and 4.

sip sip hooray

Intimate Houston cocktail den stirs up a new omakase-style tasting

Photo by Jason Haas

The Arc Room hosts a 10-seat cocktail tasting.

One of Houston’s most intimate cocktail bars is adding an even more premium experience to its offerings. The Arc Room at Clarkwood is a reservation-only offering that guides attendees through a five drink, 90 minute, omakase-style cocktail tasting.

Offered every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 6, 8, and 10 pm, the $95 tasting is intended to be a curated experience that incorporates elevated ingredients, custom stemware, lighting, and music. It’s limited to just 10 people per seating.

“This is a truly sensory experience,” Clarkwood co-owner Army Sadeghi said in a statement. “It was designed to transport you in every sense of the word. This is a project near and dear to my heart and takes cocktail culture in a bold new direction.”

The Arc Room’s first menu takes inspiration from Italy. Its drinks are inspired by summer in places such as Florence, Sicily, Capri, Venice, and the Amalfi Coast.

Sadeghi and his wife, Mason Clark Sadeghi, opened Clarkwood in December 2021. It quickly became a hit thanks to its intimate environment, lively atmosphere, and well-crafted drinks such as the signature espresso martini. The couple upgraded the bar last year with a 1,500-square-foot courtyard and the building that’s now home to the Arc Room. It has a distinct style and a separate entrance from Clarkwood, both of which are designed to make the experience feel more premium.

Get a sneak peek at The Arc Room in this video by Houston influencers Danielle Dubois.

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A post shared by Danielle Dubois | Houston ✨ (@hangryhoustonian)

“We’ve obsessed over every detail of the guest experience, from the cocktails and pairings to the music, lighting, and pacing of the evening,” added general manager Jesus Villarreal. “Our goal is for every guest to leave feeling like they’ve traveled somewhere extraordinary,”

nightlife cocktails