rodeo best bites 2023

Top Houston-area restaurants lasso big wins at Rodeo Uncorked! and Best Bites annual competition

The Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo celebrated food and wine in style Sunday, February 19 with its annual Rodeo Uncorked! Roundup & Best Bites Competition. More than 5,000 people attended the event, which pairs the almost 500 award-winning wines from the Rodeo’s International Wine Competition with bites prepared by more than 110 Houston restaurants.

While the well-dressed crowd ate and drank their way through the offerings, a panel of media judges had the difficult task of tasting all the restaurants’ dishes and picking the winners. A diverse array of dishes earned recognition — from no doubt classics like Carrabba’s meatballs to newcomers like tacos al pastor from Calavera Mexican Kitchen, which is one of the stands inside downtown’s Bravery Chef Hall.

Elsewhere, Cotton Culinary went back-to-back in winning the People’s Choice Award, following last year’s “Figgy Piggy” with the “Cotton Pearl,” wagyu beef and a lemon beurre blanc pearl on a duck fat crostini. Kemah tasting menu restaurant Eculent won the Outstanding Showmanship Award for the second year in a row.

Fan favorites among the non-winning dishes included J-Bar-M barbecue’s brisket sliders, pimento cheese with shrimp from Lagniappe Kitchen & Bar, and Daily Gather’s salmon tostada.

Best Bites serves as the unofficial kick-off to Rodeo season ahead of the trail rides and barbecue cook-off. Those who missed the festivities have the opportunity to sample some of the winning wines in the Rodeo's wine garden, and many of the bottles will be auctioned off at the Rodeo Uncorked! Champion Wine Auction & Dinner on Sunday, February 26.

Here’s the full list of winners:

People’s Choice Award
First Place: Cotton Culinary — The Cotton Pearl, duck fat crostini with wagyu beef and lemon beurre blanc pearl
Second Place: Patra Lee’s Kitchen — Caramel Stracciatella ice cream with Praline Ethiopie and Whiskey Caramel Swirl

Courtesy of RodeoHouston

Rodeo season is here, y'all.

Tasty Tradition Award
First Place: Joyce’s Seafood & Steaks — White Chocolate Bread Pudding
Second Place: Carrabba’s — Meatballs and Romano with Homemade Pomodoro Sauce

Trailblazer Appetizer Award
First Place: Low Tide Kitchen & Bar — Ceviche with Cilantro Citrus Sauce on Corn Tortilla Chip
Second Place: Terrace 54 Bar & Table — T54 Bang Bang Shrimp
Third Place: Henderson & Kane General Store — Mighty Meaty Mac

Lone Star Entrée Award
First Place: Patagonia Grill & Café — Sausage-Ribeye Outside Skirt Steak
Second Place: Calavera Mexican Kitchen — Taco Al Pastor with grilled pineapple and salsa taquero
Third Place: North Italia — Braised Short rib over creamy mascarpone polenta with mushroom medley

Two-Steppin’ Dessert Award
First Place: Mostly Chocolate — Tequila añejo 2.0, barrel aged tequila chocolate bonbon.
Second Place: Whisky Cake — Whiskey Cake
Third Place: Cacao and Cardamom Chocolatier — Popcorn and butter

Rookie Award
Patra Lee’s Kitchen — Caramel Stracciatella ice cream with Praline Ethiopie and Whiskey Caramel swirl

Outstanding Showmanship Award
First Place: Eculent
Second Place: Brother’s Produce

rodeo awards news-you-can-eat

blinded with science

New York's science-themed holiday bar shakes up the Museum District

Courtesy of Drunken Lab

Conduct holiday-themed science experiments at the LIT-Mas Spectacular.

A taste of Manhattan has made its way to Houston with the immersive LIT-Mas Spectacular holiday pop-up. From now until January 12, Houstonians can discover the hype behind New York City’s The Drunken Lab that's known for its unique blend of science and cocktails.

This pop-up marks the first expansion for The Drunken Lab’s parent company, Science and Sip, a concept created to make science accessible and unforgettable. Attendees can dive into holiday-themed science experiments — including explosive endothermic reactions — while enjoying festive cocktails in a winter wonderland setting enhanced with a live DJ. Appropriately, the pop-up is located in the Museum District at 4715 Main Street.

“Houston was the perfect next step for Science and Sip,” founder Cautney Nelson said in a statement. “The city’s vibrant culture, love of celebration, and ties to science through world-famous programs like NASA aligns beautifully with our mission to blend entertainment with discovery.”

Visitors enter a world filled with larger-than-life gingerbread decor and candy-inspired installations where light bulbs and laboratory flasks have been transformed into quirky beverage containers. Admission includes one cocktail or mocktail, a lab coat and goggles, and two to three science experiments. Add-ons like cocktail-filled ornament “Booze Balls” and Grinch-inspired pouches in festive red and green add an extra dose of holiday charm.

“We’re thrilled to host guests for an immersive holiday experience that merges festive fun with curiosity,” Nelson added. “With each pop-up, we aim to create a space where a great party and exploration come together, and we’re excited to see how Houston embraces The LIT-Mas Spectacular.”

A portion of the proceeds from LIT-Mas will benefit Millennial Scnce, a nonprofit founded by Nelson that provides students with accessible STEM resources and educational opportunities.

Tickets are available for Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, with showtimes at 2:30 pm, 6 pm, and 9 pm. Private party and group bookings are also available.

Courtesy of Drunken Lab

Conduct holiday-themed science experiments at the LIT-Mas Spectacular.

cocktails holidays museum district nightlife