Things to Do: Upcoming Food and Drink Events in Houston This Week

Here’s a look at this week’s hottest culinary happenings:

Tuesday, January 12

Taco Tuesday Team-Up at Tacos A Go Go

Tacos A Go Go continues its Taco Tuesday Team-Up series with a new limited-time taco from chef Dawn Burrell. Every Tuesday this month, Burrell’s Beef Cheek Birria taco — featuring beef birria, adobo, Monterey Jack cheese, red onion, fresh cilantro pickled leaves and sliced radishes — will be available at all Tacos A Go Go locations. A portion of proceeds from every taco sold will benefit I’ll Have What She’s Having in support of women’s health.

Thursday, January 14

National Hot Pastrami Day at Kenny & Ziggy’s

Kenny & Ziggy’s New York Delicatessen Restaurant, 2327 Post Oak, celebrates National Hot Pastrami Day with a Triple Decker Hot Pastrami Sandwich, available for dine in or takeout. The colossal sandwich is made with its own USDA prime beef, cured inhouse for 45 days and then triple-smoked at a low temperature so the flavor permeates the meat. Get it for $21.95.

Friday, January 15

Opening of Bocca Italian Kitchen and Lupo Pizzeria

Newly minted hospitality group Gastropub Productions will officially open its first two concepts to the public, Bocca Italian Kitchen and Lupo Pizzeria, both located at Redemption Square within Generation Park and with award-winning chef and director of hospitality Justin Turner at the helm (former Bernie’s Burger Bus chef-owner and a Food Network Chopped champion). Bocca is a chef-driven, seasonal Italian kitchen offering everything small plate octopus to classic osso-bucco and linguini and clams; while Lupo is Turner’s take on an American pizzeria, with New York-style pies straight from a wood-fired oven and featuring fresh, locally sourced ingredients.

Date Night Cooking Class at Brennan’s

Executive chef Joey Chavez will lead an interactive dine-in, in-room cooking demonstration at this Date Night Cooking Class at Brennan’s, 3300 Smith. Dine on Texas citrus salad, beef Wellington with pommes puree and flan cheesecake. Cost is $150 per couple and the evening begins with a reception at 6:30 p.m., followed by dinner at 7. Seating is limited.

Saturday, January 16

“Art of the Sourdough Crumb” virtual cooking class with I’ll Have What She’s Having

I’ll Have What She’s Having will host its virtual I’ll Have What She’s Cookin’: “Art of the Sourdough Crumb” class on Saturday, January 16, with renowned cookbook author, baker and culinary instructor Sarah Owens and chef Jane Wild of Golden Bagel leading the class. Tickets are $150 and include a gift basket with essential baking tools, autographed copy of Sarah’s James Beard award-winning book Sourdough, a class kit that includes sourdough starter; whole wheat/rye leaven, flour and formed loaf created using organic, stone-milled flours by Barton Springs Mill; artisan cheese by Houston Dairymaids and charcuterie by Revival Market; and marmalade by Dandelion Cafe (deliver or pick up on January 15), plus access to educational sourdough videos from Wild and private Zoom webcast access with both chefs (web access without all the goods can also be purchased for $30). After stipends, the remaining proceeds will benefit the IHWSH fund for mammograms for uninsured restaurant workers and the Mavia Bakery in Lebanon. 

Sunday, January 17

Hot Topic’s First Annual Chili Cook-Off at Holler Brewing Co.

Hop Topic’s first annual Chili Cook-Off will be held at Holler Brewing Co., 2206 Edwards, with doors opening at 11 a.m. and the even beginning at noon. Early bird tickets are $15 and include unlimited chili samples, a swag bag and a token for judging. 

Virtual Cooking for Kids with Underbelly Hospitality’s Nick Fine

Underbelly Hospitality culinary director Nick Fine will teach kids of all ages to cook in UH’s next installment of Virtual Cooking for Kids: “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs,” with the class starting at 4 p.m. The $55 class kit serves four and includes all the ingredients to prepare veggies and ranch, garlic bread, pasta and meatballs, and cannoli. Pick up your kit on January 16 between noon and 5 p.m. at 1100 Westheimer.

EXPAND

Le Colonial’s patio makes a beautiful setting for lunch or dinner.

Photo by Julie Soefer

All month long

Dry January (and beyond) at FM Kitchen & Bar

FM Kitchen & Bar, 1112 Shepherd, has created flavorful no- and low-alcohol cocktails available throughout Dry January and beyond. Choose from low-alcohol hard seltzer cocktails including a Pina Colada and Cosmopolitan; or try the non-alcoholic Seedlip Grove 42, a sophisticated, bright blend of Mediterranean orange, lemon peel, lemongrass and ginger with a dry finish. 

Dine Out for a Cause at Le Colonial

Le Colonial, 4444 Westheimer, continues its Dine Out for a Cause series with a fundraiser for Hope Farms, Recipe for Success’ seven-acre farm which fell victim to a robbery resulting in over $40,000 of property being stolen. Now through the end of January, the restaurant will be donating $1 from every special prix-fixe lunch ($25) or dinner ($45) menu directly to Hope Farms and Recipe for Success Foundation in aid of its mission to combat childhood obesity. Menus are available for dine-in and takeout.

Torchy’s Taco of the Month

Torchy’s January Taco of the Month is dubbed the Fancy Schmancy, a perfect brunch taco made with hot smoked salmon, scrambled eggs, fresh spinach, capers, pickled onions and jalapenos, fresh dill and herb cream cheese on a flour tortilla. Get it for $6.50 and pair it with $3.50 mimosas all month long. 

New and ongoing specials

Boba Tea Fundraiser with OCA Greater Houston

OCA-Greater Houston has launched a boba tea fundraiser, BobaFANatic, to celebrate Asian culture and the fan favorite tapioca drink. Now through to March 31, guests can purchase a digital voucher ($35) featuring eight QR codes redeemable at the participating boba tea shops, including including DingTea Sugar Land, The BEP Teahouse, Muse Tea, YumCha, Hella Bubble, Presotea, JTEA and TeaTalk. Each QR code corresponds to one curated drink from one of eight spots, from Rose Milk Tea with Honey Boba to Green Milk Tea with Milk Jello. 

Belle Glos Winter Wines at Flemings

Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse

has created two ways for guests to uncover new favorite wines and explore varietals from boutique vineyard Belle Glos. Inhouse, diners can enjoy the

Winter Uncorked Shades of Red

, sipping through as many of the four featured Belle Glos varietals as they’d like with dinner for an extra $28. For folks who’d prefer to savor the wines at home, Fleming’s has created Winter Uncorked to-go boxes which include a bottle of Belle Glos Pinot Noir Dairyman, a bottle of Belle Glos Pinot Noir Clark and Telephone, two wine glasses, housemade chocolate truffles and tasting notes to bring the wine education home. The $100 at-home experience can be added on to any dinner order to-go. 

New Year Menu items at Taco Cabana

Taco Cabana has introduced the Pork Adobada, pork marinated in dried guajillo peppers and adobo spices, available in a Cabana Bowl or in a taco. Also launched is a four-pack of cheesy Gordita Bites, filled with mozzarella cheese and topped with Cilantro Lime Ranch and cotija cheese. Beyond Meat bowls and tacos are now back on the TC menu for a limited time, too.