This Week's Food News: Burgers, Bourbon and End-of-Summer Specials

This Week's Food News: Burgers, Bourbon and End-of-Summer Specials

The 'Daiquirí Clásico,' available one night only at Julep

SCHOOL MAY BE in session — but summer ain't over for these Houston restaurants. They're still celebrating the season with frozen cocktails, live music and tons of bourbon. (But Hopdoddy's Back to School Burger does look quite tasty, too.) Read on ... and bring your appetite!


Hopdoddy Takes Over Grub Burger in The Woodlands

The Back to School Burger

Hopdoddy Burger Bar took over another Grub Burger location earlier this month, this time in The Woodlands. The Austin-based chain, which for years boasted lines wrapping around its buildings hours before opening, is also shilling a Back to School burger, topped with fried bologna, muenster cheese and a fried egg. Yum!

Cool Off with a Frozen Watermelon-Mint Cocktail at Brennan’s

Watermelon Mint Freeze

Forego the frozé and instead opt for the new Watermelon Mint Freeze at Brennan's, available through the end of the month. It's $12, and makes the restaurant's charming courtyard bearable in August. Worth it!

Feges BBQ Hosts Bourbon-Splashed Pop-Up

Feges BBQ is partnering with Treaty Oak Distilling to host a five-course dinner with cocktail pairings at the end of the month. It will be served family-style — think peach-and-feta panzanella, and smoked beef shank with cast-iron grits and Korean-braised greens — and in addition to cocktails, there will be a whiskey tasting and a party favor of Ghost Hill Texas Bourbon. Tickets are $130 per person.

Paccha Nikkei Now Open on Westheimer

Pacha Nikkei dining room (photo by Marco Torres)

Located in West Houston near the Beltway, Pacha Nikkei is a first-of-its-kind concept, melding the flavors of Peru and Japan in sharable small plates and craft cocktails boasting sake and pisco alike. Helmed by chef Masaru Fukuda and operator Sebastien Laval (an alumnus of La Table, Le Colonial and Musaafer), it opened last week, promising heaping helpings of seafood-heavy dishes like pulpo a la parrilla and Peruvian-spiced-infused sushi rolls. For more, click here.

‘World’s Best Bar’ Takes Over Julep

Julio Cabrera

On the heels of her James Beard Award win, Alba Huerta is inviting some of the best bartenders in the world to shake things up at Julep. Julio Cabrera of Miami's Cafe La Trova will be pouring some Cuban-inspired cocktails on Monday, Aug. 29, from 7-10pm. His bar came in at No. 28 on the list of the World's Best Bars in 2021, and No. 6 on the list of Best Bars in North America this year (Julep was No. 46). Expect five signature cocktails from Cabrera, who'll also have Julep's kitchen whip up some of Cafe La Trova's bar bites. Outside, find a cigar bar and live Cuban-jazz music!

Food
Leadership in Action: ‘Family, Community and Spiritual Connection’ Drives Success for Henry Richardson

How did you get to where you are today? The present moment is a combined history of my family, my time as an athlete, my passion for learning, and my desire to see the world be better. I grew up as a successful springboard and platform diver, however, an injury caused me to seek alternative treatments to heal my body. In that process, I discovered the power of yoga, exercise, meditation, mindset, and nutrition. This holistic approach eventually led me to open a Pilates and cycling studio called DEFINE body & mind. I opened studios around the nation, and after selling most of my business between 2017-2019, I was ready to explore how I could make an even greater impact on the wellbeing of our community. In 2023, I started actively working on a brand new multi-family/apartment concept called, Define Living. The idea focused on offering health and wellness services within a beautiful apartment setting to increase the wellbeing of our residents. Having a strong sense of community is the number one factor in living a happy life, so why not build a community where daily fitness, cooking classes, and social connection are the norm? We opened Define Living in March of 2024, and we couldn’t be happier with how things are being received. We are already looking at building more concepts like this in the Houston area and beyond.

Keep Reading Show less

Symphony Springs to Life with Floral-Fabulous Fete

Jacob Power and Priscilla Dickson

Chairs Brady and Zane Carruth, Brittany and Adam Clark

IT ALREADY FEELS like spring in Houston and the spring social season is here with it! 375 guests donned in white-tie flocked to The Post Oak Hotel for the annual Houston Symphony Ball, one of the city’s most anticipated and A-list galas.

Keep Reading Show less
Parties

THE TRUFFLE MASTERS is returning for its 11th year on March 3rd. Now a Houston tradition of sorts, the competition sees top chefs creating a dish using black truffles all benefitting Southern Smoke.

Keep Reading Show less