Houston Entree

Beer Festival Busted

The Houston Beer Festival, from organizer Timothy Hudson is under scrutiny after someone uncovered that the beneficiary of the event is not an officially approved, 501(c)(3) organization.

Hudson clarified that while nothing with the Houston Wine Fest Young Leader Scholarship is official yet, the paperwork is in the capable hands of the IRS for possible approval.

Adding to the controversy was the issue of VIP tickets, which promised buyers unlimited beer during the run of the festival. A TABC supervisor confirmed with Eating Our Words, who first wrote about the festival issues, that such tickets would be a violation of TABC regulations. Soon after, the VIP tickets magically disappeared from the beer festival's [loud] website. 

Dining Al Fresco at Art Car

Food – it makes every event better, even the Art Car Parade. Lucky enough to have a seat on the bleachers in the VIPit area, an endless supply of Paula’s Texas Spirits, Mimosas, Saint Arnold brews (and more I didn’t even have a chance to sample) and a wide variety of culinary options, I watched the parade with a full belly and a happy heart.

Artisanal in Alvin, Tuscapalooza & a 34-Foot Wiener

Three More Reasons to Head to Alvin 

The Barbed Rose Steakhouse and Seafood Co. has three new reasons to drive out to Alvin. Jay Peek, a butcher/charcuterie chef who cut his teeth cooking at Houston restaurants like Cullen's Upscale American Grille, Bombay Palace and Kiran's, is joining the crew to supply the restaurant with hand-butchered and house-cured meats. Peek's also working on the catering side of the business, Uncommon Affairs as well as overseeing Shaap Meat Co. in Alvin, due to open this summer.  

Another addition to the in-house and catering team at Barbed Rose is skilled baker (and like Peek, also an alumnus of Cullen's) JP Fleming. He will oversee the creation of a counterpoint to Shaap Meat Co., Crustco Artisan Bakery, which also opens this summer.

All this, and a new 3-course prix fixe menu on Mondays and Tuesdays for $25 indicate it might be time take a trip to Alvin and see what’s cooking, baking and curing.

Pictured: Jay Peek

Crawfish, Beer and Tornado Relief Efforts

Need an excuse to drink craft beer, eat crawfish and feel good about yourself? Girls Pint Out, an organization of women that brew and drink beer, and Firkin and Phoenix are holding a fundraiser called “Tuscapalooza” this Sunday to raise money for the town of Tuscaloosa, Alabama (also home to the University of Alabama). Tuscaloosa was devastated by the tornados that ravaged the area just weeks ago.

For $20, you’ll have access to all-you-can-eat crawfish, live music, a raffle and a bidding auction on rare beers and paraphernalia. All proceeds from the event, along with 25 percent of the Firkin’s sales go to the UA Acts of Kindness Fund.  

Amuse-bouche: tantalizing taste of Houston food news

Brasserie 19 No Longer Just a Tease

Brasserie 19, a Charles Clark and Grant Cooper restaurant specializing in French brasserie fare with a Texas twist, as Eating Our Words noticed, is ramping up social media activities. 

Perhaps it's because their official opening date will be here in less than a week. A press release announced their May 1st opening today. A revised, public release announced the new opening date of May 4th at 5 p.m. for dinner service.

Brasserie 19 is the latest from Clark Cooper, restauranteurs behind Ibiza Food & Wine Bar, Ibiza Next Door and Catalan Food and Wine, with chef Michael Gaspard holding the reigns.

Photo: Debora Smail via Brasserie 19's FB page

Sampler Plate: A little bit of this, a little bit of that

Pucker Up for May 1 

Get ready for lots of tangy, sweet and refreshing lemonade– all across the country, all prepared, planned for, marketed by and served by kiddos— on May 1st. 

Now in its 5th year, National Lemonade Day, started by the Houston-based charity founded by Michael Holthouse, Prepared 4 Life,  has grown from 2,600 lemonade stands in 2007 (in Houston only) to 150,000 estimated participating youths for this year in 31 cities across the country.

The goal of Lemonade Day is to help youths learn about entrepreneurship, basic business skills and encourage them to become contributing members of their communities.

A Cold Dish: Playing name games with a successful fundraiser for the Houston Food Bank

If you dined out in Houston last August, chances are you helped contribute to the Houston Food Bank through Houston Restaurant Week. The annual event featured 133 participating restaurants and totaled a record contribution of $585,562.

Building on last year’ success, the plan for 2011 is to extend Houston Restaurant Week to a month – and until just a few weeks ago,  the event founder and sole organizer Cleverley Stone also intended on changing the name, to Houston Restaurant Month.

Enter Mark Hanna, public relations professional specializing in food and beverage industry clients.