Trend Alert: Spring for These New Tasting Menus!

Trend Alert: Spring for These New Tasting Menus!

B&B Butchers smoked lamb bacon course / photo by Kirsten Gilliam

FEELING JADED BY the same ole restaurant menus? Whether you’re curious about all things beef, seeking the perfect wine pairing, or craving to know more about the culinary regions of Mexico, this roster of new tasting menus should quell your craving for an epicurean adventure.


B&B Butchers

B&B's Kobe beef tasting

You never have to ask, ‘Where’s the Beef?’ at B&B Butchers, which is launching its newest dining experience April 6. Previously only offered as a private event, “Meet Our Meat” is an intimate 12-course dinner offered in The Butcher Shop.

Created by B&B's executive chef Eduardo Montesflores, guests have the, ahem, rare opportunity to taste and compare the flavor components of exclusive cellar cuts while learning about the meat and the dry-aging process. Expect a fun, educational evening as you indulge in various cuts, working your way up to the holy grail: the A5 certified Kobe beef. To make things even more marvelous, the dinner includes wine pairings for the ultimate foodie night out ($375 per person).

A peek at the menu reveals juicy dishes including thick slabs of smoked lamb bacon; several styles of dry-aged ribeye; filet mignon many ways; family-style sides, desserts and more. Guests can book their spot on OpenTable here and each dinner is limited to 16 guests. Can’t make the first one? Learn more and view all the 2022 dates here.

Picos

Course two of Picos' maize menu / photo by Alex Montoya

On the heels of ushering in 38 years of Arnaldo Richards’ Picos, the Upper Kirby restaurant that celebrates Mexico’s seven distinct regions, chef-owner Richards is launching a monthly dinner series dubbed “Curated x Picos.” It will showcase the richness of Mexican culture by highlighting one seasonal ingredient on the last Thursday of every month, starting with the Mexican staple maize. On March 31, two seatings are available for the inaugural dinner, which can accommodate up to 40 guests in the restaurant’s intimate private tequila room. Cocktail pairings are optional.

“We fell in love with the idea of doing this series because it not only gives our guests the opportunity to enjoy a more intimate and curated experience, but it also shines a spotlight on time-honored cooking methods and traditional ingredients,” says Richards. He added, “Corn is in our roots, so it only made sense to kick the series off with this revered ingredient.”

Chef Sergio Ledesma and chef Atzin Santos will dish out a savory menu that offers six different interpretations of maize. Think tostada with scallop sashimi; langoustine and recaudo negro black beans; 72-hour braised Wagyu short rib with mole negro and plantain purée. Get all the details about Curated x Picos and upcoming dinners here.

Rosalie

Rose-scented soft-serve at Rosalie

Everything’s coming up rosé at Rosalie Italian Soul! Chef Chris Cosentino and his team have designed a pretty little menu that plays well with rosé wine. Each dish is priced a la carte and includes the perfect wine pairing. Dig into Lady and the Tramp: spaghetti and meatballs for two, coupled with Unshackled by Prisoner rosé. Rose Chicken and Radicchio with blood orange and rose petals is married with Aqua Di Venus, and for a truly rosy finale, Rose-Scented Soft Serve Ice Cream is on offer, with bubbly Lucien Albrecht Crémant rosé.

Food

Paul Cornish (courtesy of the American Pianists Association)

FANS OF GENRE-BUSTING jazz will have their ears tweaked and minds quietly blown on Friday, Jan. 26. This is when DACAMERA presents the Joshua Redman Group, featuring vocalist Gabrielle Cavassa.

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Art + Entertainment

Alejandro Montiel and Isaac Bustos (photo by Lynn Lane)

HOUSTON’S NEW-MUSIC stalwarts Aperio, Music of the Americas distinguished itself in its early years by tracking down and performing the music of North Central and South American composers who engaged in musical dialogue across and beyond their respective geographies. Now in its 18th season, Aperio continues that spirit of innovation and cross-cultural conversation with Strings and Hammers, a concert of contemporary and modern music by Latin American composers for various and unusual combinations of (unplugged) guitar, violin, cello, and piano. Strings and Hammers takes place on Jan. 26 at Midtown Arts and Theater Center Houston (MATCH). If you love the classical guitar, this is a can’t-miss concert.

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Art + Entertainment