National Burger Day Alert! Chris Shepherd’s Doing a Burger Place!

National Burger Day Alert! Chris Shepherd’s Doing a Burger Place!

JUST IN TIME for National Burger Day — have you put up your National Burger Day tree yet? — comes breaking burger news from Houston's most prolific chef and celebrated restaurateur, Chris Shepherd.


Shepherd's Underbelly Hospitality will open Underbelly Burger at an unspecified time this summer in the Houston Farmers Market, right next door to Wild Oats, which is also among his company's concepts. The new eatery, in the refurbished market center, will also be near RC Ranch's butcher shop, which will supply some of the beef, along with Shepherd's longtime supplier 44 Farmers.

Per a release from Shepherd's office this morning, the 1,200-square-foot, 12-seat restaurant, which will also have a pickup window, will tout as its flagship sandwich something similar to one of the chef's most famous dishes at another of this popular restos. "The standard burger will be a slightly updated version of Hay Merchant's Cease and Desist burger — double meat, double cheese with lettuce, pickles and tomato on a potato bun," said the statement.

"The small menu will also feature Chris Shepherd's bacon sausage — both on burgers and in hot dog form — chicken sandwiches and special burgers driven by the seasons," it also noted. "The sidewinder fries are soft in the center and crispy around the edges." Pastry Director Victoria Dearmond's milkshakes will also be on offer, as will a boutique selection of wine and beer.

Underbelly Hospitality's Wild Oats is set to be a "fresh take on traditional Texas," with items like shrimp-and-grits but with masa, as in tamales, per a CityBook report in January.

Food
Wellness Pro LeBrina Jackson on Gratitude at the Holidays: It’s a ‘Reset Button for my Mind’

LeBrina Jackson

AS WE GET into the holiday season, we’re reminded of what we have, what we want and what might be lacking. As Sheryl Crow says in her song, Soak up the Sun, “It’s not having what you want, it’s wanting what you've got.” We caught up with LeBrina Jackson, owner of Escape Spa in Cypress, Texas, and learned how she tackles the holiday season with hope, love and most importantly, gratitude.

Keep Reading Show less

Late photographer Jhane Hoang (center) and some of her subjects, including fashion models and musicians

WHEN JHANE HOANG died late last month after a quiet, private battle with cancer, Houston lost one of its most talented and exacting photographers — and my colleagues at CityBook and I lost a beloved contributor and friend.

Keep Reading Show less
Art + Entertainment

John Bryan, Mary Jon Bryan, Billy Bob Thornton, J.P. Bryan

MORE THAN 500 guests gathered in Galveston for the Bryan Museum Gala, an evening that celebrated both the 10th anniversary of the museum and some of the most influential names in Texas oil and gas. Titled the Wildcatters Gala, the event honored Ernie H. Cockrell, Mary Ralph Lowe, Trevor Rees-Jones and the families of Eddy C. Scurlock and R.E. “Bob” Smith — all recognized for their legacy of leadership and philanthropy in the industry.

Keep Reading Show less
Parties