What's Eric Eating Episodes 300 and 301

Ostia's owner reveals his must-try, off-menu pasta dishes, plus our list of main-course-worthy potato sides

On this week’s interview episode of “What’s Eric Eating,” chef Travis McShane joins CultureMap food editor Eric Sandler to discuss Ostia, his Italian restaurant in Montrose. The restaurant will celebrate its third anniversary in September.

Photo by Jenn Duncan

Ostia will make certain pastas for diners even when they aren't on the menu.

McShane begins the conversation by explaining how he made the transition from commercial real estate to a career in restaurants that saw him spend several years working for New York-based celebrity chef Jonathan Waxman. Ultimately, he and his wife decided to return home to Houston to open a restaurant and start a family.

Sandler and McShane cover a range of topics, including Ostia participating in Houston Restaurant Weeks for the first time, how the restaurant has evolved over three years, and McShane’s aspirations to open additional restaurants in the future. One aspect of the restaurant that McShane takes particular pride in is that customers can order a small group of classic pastas such as carbonara, cacio e pepe, or all'amatriciana even when they aren’t listed on the menu.

Still, the kitchen sets certain limits on what it will make for people, as McShane explains:

Ultimately, our philosophy is we’re not going to make whatever when a guest starts spouting off random ingredients. If we don’t know that it will be to our standard, we might not take a shot. But if it’s something they’ve had here before or it’s pretty common and we have the ingredients, I push my chefs to say that’s part of being a chef.

You have a curveball thrown at you, and you look in the walk-in and figure out how to make a dish on the fly. On the business side, you lock that guest in for a long time. That’s being hospitable.

We’re pretty particular about a couple things. We’ve had guests ask for peas in carbonara. I’ll make you something different, because there’s no peas in the carbonara. I’ll make a pea pasta that will blow your socks off.

On this week’s first episode, Sandler and co-host Felice Sloan discuss the news of their week. Their topics include the restaurants coming to West On West, a new development in West Houston; City Cellars HTX closing its original location to relocate to a larger space; and Sandler’s list of his favorite potato dishes.

In the restaurants of the week segment, they discuss their recent meal at the Rado Market, chef Chris Williams’ new eatery that’s part of the renovated Eldorado Ballroom complex. Then, they discuss their experience at Rockhouse Southern Kitchen, a comfort food restaurant and live music venue from the owners of The Warwick.

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Subscribe to "What's Eric Eating" on Apple podcasts, Google Play, or Spotify. Listen to it Saturdays at 2 pm on ESPN 97.5.

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East End move powers growth for popular Houston cider maker

Courtesy of City Orchard

City Orchard's current taproom will close on November 22.

Houstonians’ love for cider has prompted a local brewery to make a big move. City Orchard is relocating its brewery from Sawyer Yards to a new facility in the East End, but it will maintain a presence in the area.

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Beginning in January, City Orchard will move to the Gulf Coast Distillers complex (5610 Clinton Dr.) where it will have both a production facility and a new taproom. Its ciders will also be available at Tejas Brewery, the Sawyer Yards facility that’s also owned by Gulf Coast Distillers. In addition to a larger room and increased capacity, the move will allow customers to taste different combinations of cider, beer, and spirits at both locations.

City Orchard will remain at its current location through the weekend of November 21 and 22. Its new East End facility will open on January 15, 2027, which also marks its seventh anniversary.

“Our growth across Texas means we need a larger production facility, and this move gives us room to expand our capabilities with a partner that also has a passion for craft beverages,” co-founder Patrick Kwiatkowski said in a statement. “Moving production also means finding a new home for our taproom. We’re excited to partner with Tejas Brewery to bring our flagship taproom to Summer Street and to welcome guests at our East End taproom at Giant Texas Distillers. These partnerships give us more ways to share our ciders and connect with our customers.”

Kwiatkowski and Mat Smith founded City Orchard in 2020. Its current, 8,000-square-foot facility offers 82 seats; a 50-foot, marble-top bar; and 24 taps pouring cider and beer. Its ciders use fruit grown on family-owned farms in West New York’s apple country. Its core menu also includes Mr. Green, a single-varietal cider made with Rhode Island Greening apples.

Gulf Coast Distillers opened Tejas Brewery in 2024. Its located at 2101 Summer Street, formerly home to Buffalo Bayou Brewery. Even with the move, City Orchard remains an independently-owned business, according to a release.

“We’re proud to welcome City Orchard and bring more of Houston’s craft beverage talent together. We see tremendous opportunity to grow alongside one another and give our guests even more to come out and enjoy,” said Carlos de Aldecoa, president and CEO of Gulf Coast Distillers.

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