What's Eric Eating Episodes 296 and 297

Veteran Houston chef dishes on his hot new pizza-crudo restaurant, plus top Houston Restaurant Weeks picks

Chef Terrence Gallivan is this week's guest.

Photo by Julie Soefer

On this week’s interview episode of What’s Eric Eating, chef Terrence Gallivan joins CultureMap food editor Eric Sandler to discuss ElRo Pizza & Crudo. Newly opened on the border of Montrose and Midtown, ElRo is Gallivan’s follow up to The Pass & Provisions, the restaurant he co-owned from 2012 to 2019.

The conversation begins with Gallivan explaining how an interest in cooking led him to culinary school and, eventually, to New York City, where he worked as part of the team that opened celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay’s first American restaurant. There, he met chef Seth Siegel-Gardner, his business partner in The Pass & Provisions.

After briefly reminiscing about P&P, the conversation turns to ElRo. Named for Gallivan’s children, the new restaurant serves creative pizzas balanced by lighter crudos plus a few Italian-inspired small plates. Sandler asks Gallivan about his decision to serve both pizza and crudo.

“I wanted something that was simple. I mostly wanted to do cold food. Houston is very hot all the time. It’s a little more refreshing, a little lighter. Obviously, we still have some snacky things. We’re big on carbs and gluten around here. There’s still plenty of that to go around,” Gallivan explains.

“Let’s do some simple food, keep it fresh, keep it elegant and hopefully interesting for people. And I just like making pizza.”

Listen to the full interview to learn more about Gallivan’s plans to open a wine shop next door to ElRo and how living in Texas shaped his approach to the restaurant’s menu.

In this week’s other episode, Sandler and co-host Michael Fulmer discuss the news of the week. Their topics include the New York Times’s list of Texas’s 20 best new barbecue joints; the closure of GJ Tavern; and three new ice cream shops that have opened recently inside the loop.

Sandler and Fulmer continue their conversation by discussing their recent meal at The Pho Fix, a new Vietnamese restaurant in Garden Oaks. They conclude by sharing a couple of picks for Houston Restaurant Weeks.

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water, water everywhere

The quest for a Topo Chico replacement — we rate 9 sparkling waters

Photo by Eric Sandler

We purchased sparkling water at five stores across the inner loop.

Topo Chico drinkers nationwide are in a bit of a tizzy. Coca-Cola, which acquired the cult-favorite sparkling mineral water in 2017, announced that the product will be unavailable for at least the next few months.

CNN reports the shortage is due to “facility upgrades at the water source and production facilities in Mexico.”

“We are now making further investments at the source to improve source stability and quality and enable increased production, requiring us to temporarily stop production,” Coca-Cola said in a letter to CNN.

For Topo Chico fans, the shortage brings an obvious question. What should a person drink until the supply is restored? Or, what’s a permanent replacement that will avoid this issue altogether?

After collecting suggestions from people via Instagram, I went to Spec’s and inner loop grocery stores to purchase nine varieties of sparkling water with one goal in mind — find something that’s similar enough to Topo Chico that it will earn a spot in my refrigerator.

In the interests of science, I only included sparkling water brands that are similar in size (approximately 12-ounce bottles) and price (between $1 and $1.50 per bottle). Whenever possible, I purchased glass bottles instead of cans or plastic. Although many are available in flavors, I only purchased unflavored waters. All waters were chilled overnight in a refrigerator prior to tasting.

Sparkling water taste test Each water was chilled overnight prior to tasting.Photo by Eric Sandler

Not surprisingly, my top three choices came down to two other Mexican sparkling waters and a convincing dupe from H-E-B.

Most Similar to Topo Chico

Agua de Piedra
Purchased from Spec’s (can also be found at La Michocana), this water from Nuevo Leon, Mexico can be found at several restaurants and coffee shops around town. It offers both strong carbonation and just enough saltiness to satisfy a Topo craving. As long as I can source it reliably, this will be my new house water.

Mineragua
Available at both Whole Foods Market and H-E-B, this water from Jarritos is almost as carbonated as Topo Chico. Its flavor profile is salty with a slight, citrus-style acidity. I prefer the flavor of Agua de Piedra, but others may like this more.

1877 Mineral Water by H-E-B
H-E-B’s house brand sparkling mineral water is sourced from Texas, in Mineral Wells. It has carbonation that persists from opening until finishing. Its slightly salty flavor will be welcomed by Topo Chico drinkers. Overall, it’s probably the best choice for more people, since it’s so readily available.

Less Like Topo, but Still Tasty

Rambler Sparkling Water
This mineral water from Austin is available everywhere, including many restaurants and bars. Since it's only available in cans, its more mild carbonation doesn’t match Topo Chico’s; however, it has a lightly salty taste that makes it very refreshing. This is a good option for those who find Topo to be too fizzy.

Tehuacan
Purchased at Central Market, this water is sourced from springs within Citlaltépetl, Mexico’s highest mountain. The mountain’s volcanic rock gives the water a noticeable saltiness with a slightly sour taste. Although it wasn’t quite to my taste, its strong carbonation and distinct flavor could appeal to other Topo devotees.

Private Selection Sparkling Mineral Water
Available at Kroger, this water is neither as carbonated nor as salty as Topo Chico. Still, it has enough fizz and minerality to do in a pinch, particularly for people who prefer shopping at Kroger over other grocery stores.

Your Mileage May Vary

Richard’s Sparkling Rainwater
Admittedly, a non-mineral water was unlikely to emerge as a favorite in this taste test. Since it’s made with filtered rainwater, Richard’s has a very clean taste and a mild level of carbonation.

Saratoga Carbonated Spring Water
Like Richard’s, this water is too lightly carbonated and too mildly flavored to satisfy a Topo craving. Still, it’s clean and refreshing, which could appeal to non-Topo drinkers.

I’ve Had Better

Liquid Death Mountain Water (Sparkling)
Bland and flat-tasting, this water was the only one I wouldn’t purchase again. Maybe the flavored versions are better.

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