Crawfish Pioneer Dominic Mandola Has a Few Pots Boiling this Spring — Including a New Opening!

Robin Barr Sussman

CRAWFISH, MUDBUGS, CRAWDADS, crayfish — call them what you will, the prolific Cajun delicacy is now in full steam. And if there’s anyone in Houston who knows his way around a crawfish boil, it is Dominic Mandola. In fact, his father, Luke Mandola, Sr., co-founder of the Ragin Cajun, was the first Houston restaurateur to offer crawfish on a menu. After years of opening Ragin Cajuns all over Houston, and then scaling back to just the original location during the pandemic, Dominic recently announced plans to expand once more.

Everywhere to Eat and Drink in Round Top this Spring

Robin Barr Sussman

TO EXPLORE THE Texas treasure trove that is known as Antique Weeks (March 17-April 3) in Round Top, you’ll need plenty of fuel for the hunt. From quick to leisurely and down-home to garden-chic, here’s where to eat and drink along the antique corridor this spring.
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Leadership in Action: CEO Theresa Roemer Credits Mother, Mentors and Mindset for Accomplishments

Leadership in Action: CEO Theresa Roemer Credits Mother, Mentors and Mindset for Accomplishments

How did you get to where you are today? My journey to where I am today is built on a foundation of hard work, dedication, and perseverance. Every step along the way, I faced obstacles, but I approached each one with determination and a “never give up” mindset. Instead of being discouraged by challenges, I used them as opportunities to grow and improve. Consistency was key—I committed to showing up and giving my best effort every day. I also learned not to take “no” as a final answer. Instead, I saw it as a chance to push harder, adapt, and find another way forward. It’s this combination of persistence, resilience, and unwavering focus that has brought me to where I am today.

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theater

Kitchen Confidential! Director Weinbrenner’s Hot and Tasty ‘Seared’ Extended at Alley

Christopher Salazar stars as troubled-genius chef in the Alley's 'Seared'.

ONE OF HOUSTON'S favorite theater makers — Alley Associate Artistic Director Brandon Weinbrenner — has gotten some delicious news about his latest show. The run of his Seared, a sometimes-funny and sometimes-intense tale of life in the kitchen at a suddenly hot New York restaurant by playright Theresa Rebeck, has been extended beyond its original schedule and will now be up through March 9.

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Food+Travel
parties

Amid Chamber Music and Priceless Art, ‘Impact’ Winners Honored at Posh MFAH Dinner

Flora Choy, Vanitha Pothuri and Blanca Beltran-Robinson

IT WAS A memorable evening for art lovers, to be sure. Connie Kwan-Wong and her independently published CKW Luxe magazine hosted an elegant event amid priceless works of art at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston.

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Parties