What's Eric Eating Episodes 288 and 289

Meet the Wild talent baking up some of Houston's tastiest treats, plus our visits to Andiron and Blind Goat

Chef Jane Wild is this week's guest.

Courtesy of chef Jane Wild

On this week’s episode of “What’s Eric Eating,” chef Jane Wild joins CultureMap food editor Eric Sandler to discuss her business. Formerly a chef at restaurants such as The Dunlavy and Golden Bagel, Wild now operates a bakery that sells sweet and savory pastries at markets in Houston.

The conversation begins with Wild explaining her decision to go out on her own as a market vendor rather than seeking a job at a restaurant. From there, they duo discuss the details of her business, which operates at the Urban Harvest farmers market on Saturday and either the Heights Mercantile or Rice Village farmers markets on Sunday. She also pops up at events like the Butcher’s Ball and cooks private dinners.

Sandler asks Wild about market life. She tells him her days start at midnight and end in the afternoon, which includes standing outside to serve customers. It sounds difficult, but the chef explains how she makes it work.

“I’m in this really cool rhythm where I feel rested,” Wild says. “Is it hot on Saturday and Sunday? Absolutely, but my trick is to stay present, don’t think about it. I’m so grateful that I have the freedom that I can do my thing, too. I have a line. That brings me so much joy to see my regulars. That community, that’s a driver. It doesn’t feel so hot when you have so much joy.”

They also discuss Wild’s participating in Regeneration Weekend at Synergos Farms in Santa Fe, Texas. She’ll prepare a live fire farm-to-table dinner on Friday, June 23 and breakfast on Saturday morning. Attendees will also participate in a farm tour and learn about regenerative farming techniques that nourish the soil without chemical fertilizers or pesticides. A limited number of tickets are still available online.

Prior to the interview, Sandler and co-host Michael Fulmer discuss the news of the week. Their topics include: Robb Report selecting two Houston establishments for its Best New Restaurants list; Cyclone Anaya’s replacing Frank’s Americana in River Oaks; and Montrose Tex-Mex favorite La Mexicana opening a fast casual sister concept in Garden Oaks’s Stomping Grounds development.

In the restaurants of the week segment, Sandler and Fulmer share their thoughts on Andiron, the new live-fire steakhouse from the owners of The Pit Room. They also visit the new Spring Branch location of The Blind Goat, chef Christine Ha’s Vietnamese gastropub.

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wave goodbye, Wooster's

Midtown bar with creative cocktails and craft taps will close in February

Photo courtesy of Wooster's Garden

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A staple Midtown cocktail bar will soon serve its last drink. Wooster’s Garden will close on February 12, co-owner Jeff Barati announced on Instagram.

He paid tribute to the bar in an emotional post about its legacy.

Since 2014, Wooster’s Garden has been so much more than a place to grab a cocktail – it’s been a second home, a meeting place, a celebration spot, a refuge after long days, and the backdrop to countless memories. Truly my favorite of all our concepts. So many great memories that are very difficult to put into words. I’m getting emotional typing this.

We’ve watched first dates and engagement parties turn into lifelong partnerships, strangers become regulars, and regulars become family. We’ve shared laughs, tears, milestones, cigar nights, and late nights. None of this would have been possible without the community that showed up night after night – your support, stories, and loyalty are what gave this Midtown haven a heartbeat.

Barati tells CultureMap that he and business partner Andy Aweida have leased the space to a new operator who will announce its plans soon. Still, he has some hope that Wooster’s will be revived in the future.

“Our tentative plan is to reopen elsewhere if we can find the right location,” he writes a in a text. “The staff wants to stay together and reopen.”

Opened in 2014 by the Kirby Group, Wooster’s Garden offered a compelling mix of craft cocktails paired with an extensive tap wall of beer and wine along with creative, upscale bar food. Its format and indoor-outdoor design served as a template for a number of the group’s later concepts, including Heights Bier Garten and Bayou Heights Bier Garten.

Closing Wooster’s Garden follows the Kirby Group’s recent decision to shutter Verde Garden, its Mexican-themed bar in Montrose’s Harlow District development. It will be replaced by Exilio Latin Flair, a pan-Latin restaurant from the owners of Bari Ristorante.

cocktails closings wooster's garden