We're not sure how many of those who signed up for CultureMap's inaugural Dine Around Houston event were on board to get up-close-and-personal with Eleven XI's dreamy chef Kevin Bryant, but by all accounts his sophisticated Kobe beef corn dogs and Eleven XI burgers were a hit with the sellout crowd of 150.
And, yes, he was on the scene, setting more than a few hearts aflutter as he oversaw the special CultureMap menu.
Guests arriving for the early evening dinner fete, were greeted in the parking lot by two hulking 2013 Ram 1500s, a luxurious four-passenger behemoth that when fully loaded, including the V-8 engine, prices in around $48,000. Ram brand advocate Randy Escobar had the deets for interested parties. Dr. Romy Mitchell gave the trucks a once-over, observing, "I'm a big Texas girl. I could drive one of those." And, she noted, with Houston's road repair deficiency a big guy like the Ram could come in handy.
Diners filled the restaurant, its upstairs party room and the bar, the cross-section representing CultureMap readers ranging from University of Houston staffer Renia Butler, to ob/gyn specialist Dr. Damla Dryden, Saint Arnold's Jeremy Johnson, corporate attorney Jennifer Howard and Ram's Curtis Jeffries.
Also in the mix were April and Hilton Lasalle, Wayne Gresham, Mary Nurre, Mary Carol Edwards, Caitlin Barnett, Catarina Gonzales Cron, Dr. Angela Sturm, Stephen Butler, Leslie Pruski and Julia Ambler.
Tickets to the dinner event, featuring Saint Arnold brews, were sold out in little more than 24 hours. Houston Dine Arounds are fundraisers linked to selected nonprofits. The first event benefited the young professionals group PULSE
CultureMap will be hosting five more similar gatherings in the coming months with invitations posted in promo alerts. You can sign up for those in the "Be a CultureMap Insider" box on the right side of our home page.
Jessica Ford and Alex Griffith at Eleven XI Restaurant & Bar for CultureMap's Dine Around Houston.
