Drive-thru gourmet — Rodeo edition

From Pickle Splits to Nashville chicken tots — What to eat at the Rodeo Carnival

Here (deep breath and let me loosen my belt a notch) are the new treats that my trusty band of taste testers tried on the Carnival Midway at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. As a reminder, I recruited my son Andrew Hoffman, Matthew Clemens (eight years), and Andrew and Nikki Hardee (four and two years) to help me taste test the newest creations from Dominic Palmieri, the CEO and corporate chef behind the food served at all of the Ray Cammack Shows stands at the Rodeo (read my interview with Dominic here).

Courtesy of Ray Cammack Shows

These 'Texas Twinkies' are smoked and fried.

Mind you, because I am the dizzy dean of Carnival food reviewers, I wandered off and grabbed a couple of old favorites along the tour – notably Garlic Fries and a big ol’ cheeseburger at Biggy’s.

Pork Drummies. Bone-in, mini-slabs of pork drenched in sweet ‘n’ sour Korean-style bbq sauce. They really do look like chicken wings. How do they do that? Apparently this is when pigs fly. ($18 at the Get Fried booth.)

The Pickle Split. A giant dill pickle sliced in half lengthwise, topped with Dole pineapple soft serve, chamoy and tajin seasoning. It looks just like a banana split at the ice cream shop except it’ll make your face go all scrunchy. ($14 at the Pineapple Whip stand by the new Joker 360 ride.)

Pina Colada Palm Tree. A 16-inch tall plastic palm tree souvenir cup filled with pina colada soft drink, coconut and Dole pineapple whip. Booze-free but it’ll get you where you want to be. ($16 at the Pineapple Whip stand.)

Texas BBQ Pizza. Pulled pork, jalapenos, sliced red onions, topped with spicy ranch sauce. Served on a New York-style thin crust. ($9 at the Wild Card Pizza booth by the G-FORCE ride.)

Potato Corn Dog. An extra-long corn dog dipped in batter and rolled in hash brown potatoes. Deep-fried golden brown. I’m a meat and potatoes guy so a Top 3 pick for me. ($12 at Mustards Café in front of the Wild Mouse Roller Coaster.)

Loco Street Corn in a Cup. Mayo, tajin, parmesan cheese and cilantro. Who says I’m anti-vegite? ($10 at the Corn Shack.)

A Tall Boy of Kettle Corn. Seven different flavors this year. I love the Caramel Apple Kettle Corn. These bags will last up to six months in your freezer. Or one week in my house. I can’t keep a secret from myself. ($8 at the Cowboy KettleCorn stand.)

A Bucket of Chocolate Chip Cookies. Just because. These are baked fresh all day and get you across the finish line. Depending on how many in your group, the bucket may or may not make it to the parking lot. ($25 at the Totally Baked Cookie Joint.

Sour Apple Lemonade. Made fresh all day. Sounds weird but … yes! Ice cold and very quenching. Cups come with a strawberry or lemon-lime sugar rim. ($9 at Squeezers.)

Texas Twinkies. Jumbo jalapenos stuffed with brisket and cheese that are wrapped in bacon, smoked, and fried. This one has a good shot at making the permanent menu. If only the person who invented these used their power for good instead of evil. (Three for $16 at the Steak Out booth.)

Hot Cheetos & Cheese Pickle Pizza. Introduced as a secret menu item last year. Exactly as it sounds, topped with a white ranch dill sauce, loads of mozzarella cheese, smashed Cheetos, and crunchy pickles on a New York-style thin crust. Obviously the world has gone mad. ($9 at Enzo’s Pizza stand.)

The Barbalicious Float. Hand-crafted pink bubble gum soda topped with whipped cream and sprinkles. Then, just for grins, they throw a big fluff of cotton candy on top. Served with a pink lollipop on the side. If you’re a macho Ken-type like me, the lolly is blue. This treat won the Gold Buckle Award for Most Creative. ($10 at the Candy Factory in front of the Mutton Bustin’ tent.)

Peaches ‘n’ Cream Funnel Cake. A heavy-duty, I swear the thing weighs two pounds, funnel cake loaded with chunks of peaches and whipped cream. Big enough for four. I know that’s usually an empty boast, but really, this will handle four people. ($16 at the Dutchman’s Funnel Cakes stand.)

Nashville Chicken Tots. Two big slabs of double-battered Nashville Hot chicken with a giant side of tater tots doused in garlic butter sauce. I may have to get a traveling job in the Whack-a-Mole booth just to get my weekly dose of this dish. Sensational. ($16 at Biggy’s.)

rodeo news-you-can-eat

BA hearts HOU

Houston haunt earns only Texas spot on Bon Appètit best new bars list

Photo by Julie Soefer

Lee's is one of America's best new bars, says Bon Appètit.

A Houston bar is basking in the national spotlight. Bon Appètit has named Lee’s in Rice Village to its list of The 9 Best New Bars of 2025.

Published last week, the list spotlights new bars in cities ranging from cocktail staples like New York and New Orleans to an establishment in Madison, Wisconsin that served a menu inspired by the Great British Bake-Off. “These places remind us why we go out in the first place: not just to drink, but to drink in community, creativity, and craft,” the magazine writes.

Lee’s is the only Texas establishment to make the list. Open since January, it’s the companion cocktail bar to Milton’s, the nostalgic Italian-American restaurant that Local Foods Group opened last year. Just as Milton’s is named for LFG owner Benjy Levit’s father, Lee’s is named for his mother. The bar earned a CultureMap Tastemaker Award Bar of the Year nomination for its ability to blend a quirky cocktail menu with a warm, welcoming atmosphere.

In its entry, Bon Appètit recognizes Lee’s for cocktails such as the Black Hat, a black Manhattan that’s also black in color courtesy of cuttlefish ink, and the Pale Blue Eyes, an Old Fashioned that’s blue thanks to a clarified blue corn syrup. “Much of the inspiration at Lee’s is understated, from drink names that reference the Velvet Underground to complex mixology,” the magazine adds.

“I am extremely honored for Lee’s to be recognized on such a short, meaningful list by Bon Appètit,” Levit said in a statement. “The article describes a great bar as being about ‘mood, memory, effortless hospitality, and a sweet suspension of time.’ It’s everything we strive for at Lee’s and across all Local Foods Group concepts.”

Shortly before Bon Appètit named Lee’s to its list, the bar made a quiet change in personnel when director of bars Máte Hartai left the company in mid-May. Hartai, whose resume includes both Refuge and Tongue-cut Sparrow, is the cocktail expert who created the menu that earned Lee's its award. In his place, the company has named former March bartender Chad Matson as the bar manager for both Lee’s and Milton’s.

“The LFG team is grateful for [Hartai’s] contributions and wishes him the best in his future endeavors, which will without a doubt be fun and creative,” a representative tells CultureMap.

cocktails nightlife lee's lists bon appetit